Full Text for CTM Theological Observer 3-2 (Text)

<1tnurnrbtu IDqrnlngtrul flnut41y Continuing LEHRE UNO WEHRE MAGAZIN F UER Ev.-LuTH. HOMILETIK THEOLOGICAL QUARTERT Y-THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY Vol. III February, 1932 No.2 CONTENTS P��e FUERBRINGER, L.: Gedacchtnisrede auf Dr. Geo. liIezger 81 DAU, W. H. T.: The Meaning of CRlvary in the Minds of Modernists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 MAYER, E. A.: "DaB Wort sie sollen lassen stahn."... . 95 LAETSCH, TH.: Die Schriftlehre von del' Verstockung .. , 108 KRETZMANN, P. E.: Christi btellvertretende Genugmung als dll,s wesentliche Moment in seinem Erloesungswerk 113 LAETSCH, TH.: Studies in Hosea 1-3" . . . . . . . . . . ,. . . . . 120 LAETSCH, TH.: In Memory of Prof. George Mezger, D. D. 127 Diopositionen ueber die zweite VOll del' Synodalkonferenz angenommene Evangelienreihe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Miscel' 'Illen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Theological Observer. - Kil'chlich-Zeitgeschichtliches. . 140 Book Review. - Litemtur .. . . . . , ....................... , '" 152 ri. r .1i�er mu" nicht sHein weidtm., :11';0 d;JSS er die Schute untrrwcisc, wie e .. :h t e Cbr:'iten BOU('fl in, oondern RI1(; n�ot!n den Woclfen wcl,,"cn, dass sie ,He S�1afe nicht angreifen und mit falg ',,:( Lf"hre verfuehren und IT' tum ein­ fuchrcn. - Luther. Es 1st lein Dino::, das die Leutc mehr bei drr liirc!le bch!lclt den die gute PrnJi;!t. - Apolorit, Act. ?4. If tIe truli pel- t,riv �n uncertain sound, "'j, J .hal! prcpnrc himself to the b3ttle? 1 Cor. 11,. 8. Published for the Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States CONCORDIA PUBLISHING IIOUSE, St. Louis, Mo. 140 Theological Observer. - .Ritc9Hc9"8eitgefc9ic9tlicge~. litauc'fj mac'fjt] Me @)lje litic'fjt [benn nac'fj gottIic'fjet lOtlmung ift fie noc'fj immet an iljten etften ~ann geliunllen]; unll met cine 0:ligefc'fjiellene [Eutljet: 0: Ii g e f c'fj ei b et e, lla~ ift, mittel~ @5c'fjcillelitiefe~ bon iljtem ~ann @)ntIaffene] freid, llet litiCfjt llie @)lje [llenn bie 0:ligefc'fjiellene geljori tec'fjtma'ilig noc'fj elienfogut llem etften ~anne an mie bot iljtet <@)n±Iaffung, unll bet fie freid, mac'fjt llen b.on ienem nut etft liegonnenen mruc'fj llet @)lje nun bollftii:nllig unb unmillettufIic'fj, 5 ~of. 24, 4]." Eu±ljet meift in feinet 0:u~Iegung lliefe~ 5teiI§ llet metgptelligt auc'fj ljin auf ~attlj. 19, 3 mit llet ~tage llet ZSullen: "oli e~ auc'fj teCfjt mate, um einer iegric'fjen @5ac'fje milIen fic'fj au fc'fjeillen. 80 an±mot±d et auc'fj unll rieft einen ljatien 5te~ lltauf, llen fie bot nic'fjt geljot± ljatten, unll fc'fjrie'ilt elien tuie ljiet: lla'il lieille, llet fic'fj fc'fjeillet unll eine 0:ligefc'fjiellene freid, a~genommen um @)ljeliruc'fj~ milIen, llie @)lje litic'fjt; unll mac'fj±, lla'il fie auc'fj llie @)lje litic'fjt, mo fie einen anllern nimmt. (SDenn fonft fonn±e fie nic'fj± llie @)lje litec'fjen, mo fie oljne ~ann lirieIie.) SDamit fttaft et nic'fj± allein, llafl fie leic'fj±fetiig mit llem @5c'fjeillen umgingen, fonlletn Ieljt±, lla'il fie fic'fj gat nic'fji follen fc'fjeillen .ollet, m.o fie fic'fj fc'fjeillen, lieille .oljne @)lje lileilien, unll fc'fjrie'ili, lla'il @5c'fjeillen allaeit eine Utfac'fj lle~ @)ljelituc'fj~ fei". (VII, 451.) K. Theological Observer. - Sl'ifdjndj~geitgefdjidjtHdje~. 1. .2lmrrika. 2utfj~ unb .3Iuiug-H. ZSn±eteffani ift llie folgenlle metgleic'fjung, llie ba~ me±ljolliftifc'fje mlatt "SDet [ljriftric'fje 0:p.ologete" amifc'fjen Eutljet unll 2mingri (Iet±etet ftatli bot bietljunllet± ZSaljten, am 11. lOnoliet 1531- 9lell.) anfteIIt. Wic'fji aIIe~, ma~ llet ,,0:p.oIogete" illiet Euiljet unb 2!Dingri fagi, ift fotten; llie meljauptung a. m.: ,,2mingri fuc'fjte llie msaljtljeit, Eu±ljet lla~ SjeU bet @5eelen" ift, "Ieife ge±re±en", ittefilljtenb. SDenn.oc'fj ift in llet fUtilen [ljatanetifietung f.o biele~ maljt, lla'il llet Eefer liaIll ljet- au~filljH, mie e~ auc'fj Wic'fjtIutljetanern einleuc'fj±et, lla'il 2mingri fein Eutljet mat. msit Ief en: "msenn man fic'fj mit llen lieillen lleuifc'fjen Sjauptgeftarten ber 9lefor~ mation Eu±ljer unb 2mingri liefc'fjaftigt, f.ommt einem untuilIfihric'fj llie met- fuc'fjung au einem metgleic'fj iljtet @to'ile unb melleutung. @)in f.olc'fjet fann aliet f c'fj.on be~!Degen nic'fjt liefrieMgenll geringen, meir bet beu±f c'fje 9lef.ot~ mat.ot feinen fc'fjmeiaetifc'fjen 2eitgen.offen, llet nut ein ~aljt nac'fj iljm ge- li.oten mutlle, um filnfaeljn ZSaljte iiliedeli±e unb et be~megen @elegenljeit ljatte, fein msed in llet 9leife, @)rfaljrung unll moIIftaft feinet ZSaljte ~­ auliauen, mie e~ bem biel frilljet b.oIIenbe±en 2mingri nic'fj± mogric'fj !Dat. [albin, bet franaofifc'fje 9lef.otmatot llet @5c'fjmeia, illiedeliie 2mingri um bteiunblltei'ilig ZSaljre unb Eu±ljet um filnfaeljn ~aljte, mM natiltric'fj, ali- gefeljen b.on allen anlletn Un±etfc'fjieben, aum gu±en 5teiI llaau lieittug, [aI~ bin~ tef.otmat.otifc'fjen @)infIu'il liebeuienll meHet au ±ragen, aI~ betienige 2tuingri~ teic'fj±e. SDa'il 2tuingri f±ade 0:ntegung butc'fj Eu±ljer etljieH, ift gemi'il. SDenn.oc'fj lonnie 2tuingri f c'fjteilien: ,ZSc'fj ljalie b.ot unll elje llljein ~enfc'fj in unferet @egen ue±~ [etma~] b.on lle~ Eutet~ Wamen gemu'il± lja±, angeljeli±, llM @)bangerium [ljtifti au pteMgen - im ZSat 1516.' SDM mat ein ZSaljt, elje Euiljet f eine 95 5tljef en an llie 5tilt llet @5c'fjl.o'ilfitc'fje au Theological Observer. - ~i1:djlidj~8eitgefdjidjmdjes. 141 jillittenlierg anf djlug, aI~ 2lllingIi nodj !J3'riefter lllar in ®infiebeln, bem lie~ riiljmten fdjllleiaerifdjen jillaIIfaljrt~J)rt, lllo er bie erfdjiitternben ®inbriiCfe ber .\mi131iriiudje be~ riimifdjen jillefe~ emvfing, Die iljn bort au ben erften mutigen !J3roteften trielien. "jilla~ 2lllingIi Eutljer gegenillier feljIte, ba~ lllar rene fdjarf marfierte, in~ tieffte &;?era unb Eelien greifenbe, erfdjiitternbe, ljernadj fo feIige unb gellliffe verfiinIidje &;?eU~erfaljrung, bie Eutljer im SUofter au ®rfurt madjte unb Die feinem ganaen jilliden rene fidjere @runblage, 9tidjtung unb ®igen~ art gali. jilliiljrenb audj 2lllingIi eine tief reIigiiife ~atur lllar, lllar feine 9teIigiofitiit bodj nidjt im feIlien 6inne aIIlieljerrfdjenb lllie liei Eutljer. @5ie trug meljr ein berftanbe~mii13ige~ @eVriige. 2lllingIi fudjte bie jillaljrljeit, Eutljer ba~ &;?eU ber @5eelen. ,,:;Sn ber Eeljre unterfdjieben fidj bie lieiben ljauvtfiidjIidj in lieaug auf bie @5aframente, ben freien jilliIIen be~ .\menfdjen unb bie @5iinbe. ~adj 2lllingI~ 0:uffaffung ift 0:~rifMj im 0:lienbmaljI nidjt leiliIidj, fonbern nUl: geiftIidj gegenllliirtig. ~a~feIlie lllar iljm eine @ebiidjtni~feier, liei llJeldjer ber @Iiiuliige 0:~riftum geiftIidj genie13t. ~ie @5aframente lllaren 2lllingIi iilier~auvt nur 2eidjen ber @nabe, nidjt .\mittel berfeIlien im @5inne Eutljer~, ber fidj bie jillidfamfeit be~ &;?eUigen @eifte~ oljne @5mramente gar nidj± benfen fonnte. @5obann Ieljrte 2lllingIi im @egenfat au Eutljer (lllie 0:albin) ben be±erminiftifdjen @otte~liegriff. ®r gIaulite unb Ie~rte, audj bie @5iinbe fei filr ben re~igen ~on bon @ott gellloIIt, llle~ljaIli bie®rlifiinbe iljm nur ag ein natiirIidjer ~efeft erfdjeint unb nadj feiner .\meinung ie~t nur bie~ jenigen .\menfdjen aum &;?eU geIaitgen, llleIdje baau bora~lieftimmt finb. ~e~ .\menfdjen fittIidjer jilliIIe iff nadj feiner 0:nfidjt ber giittIidjen !8J)r~ feljung unb !8orljerlieftimmung gegenillier unfrei, lllomit er augIeidj ben lBegriff ber @nabe in einer iljm eigenen jilleife erllleiterte. @50 lonnte er a. lB. tugenbljafte &;?eiben lllie &;?erfuIe~, 5tl)efeu~, @5ofrate~, 0:ato aI~ foldje in ber @emeinfdjaft ber @5eIigen an bem burdj 0:ljriftu~ erllJoroenen &;?eUe unliebenfIidj teUne~men Iaffen." :;So ~ • .\m. From the American Lutheran Church. - Through action of the special hoard for the election of theological professors in the American Lutheran Church the Rev. August Engelbrecht of Mendota, Ill., becomes the new president of Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa. Latest figures from the India Missions of the American Lutheran Church, as released by the Rev. C. V. Sheatsley, secretary of the Foreign Board, indicate that there are 16 missionaries in the field, 12 male and 4 female. Work is carried on in 259 villages, grouped about 12 mission- centers. During 1930 there were 561 baptisms and 792 total accessions. The present number of baptized Christians in the field is 5,530, while the communicant members are 2,743. -N. L. O. News BuUetin. Modernism Endorsed by Atheist Association.-Under this heading Ohristianity To-day writes: "Modernists will he disconcerted and dis- pleased by the approval they have received in the fifth annual report of the American Association for the Advancement of Atheism. The Athe- ists say: 'This loss of faith causes consternation among the orthodox, who are powerless to arrest the movement. The Reconcilers -the Lib- erals and Modernists - are heroically saving the ship of Christianity by throwing her cargo overboard. With what zeal the Fosdicks, the Mat- 142 Theological Observer. - .!Ht~Ii~~.Beitgef~i~tH~es. thews, and the whole crew of rescuers toss out, first the Garden of Eden and the Flood, then the Virgin Birth, Atonement, and the Resurrection! And then they gain a great victory by getting rid of hell and heaven and of the devil and God, though with much ado they keep the name of the last. They may save the vessel of ecclesiasticism, but how long will men sail the seas in an empty ship? They will go ashore and enjoy life with the atheists. We welcome the aid of the Modernists and pledge them our fullest cooperation in ridding the world of Fundamentalism, of any serious acceptance of Christian theology.''' J. T. M. Where a CathoUc Layman Is Right and where He Is Wrong. - The Oommonweal considered the following communication worth publishing in its issue of October 7, 1931; the more reason that it should find a place here, too, at least part of it: "The Rev. John McCarthy, pastor of the ·Methodist Church, in his le-tter to the Oommonweal, appears to be greatly put. out with the stand of the CathoHc Church in re-gard to prohibition. He seems to think that the Catholic Church ought to support prohibition,. But why should she? For political reasons? No! The Oatholio Ohuroh does not meddle in politios like the Protestant churches. She is not in- terested in politics. . .. There is nothing whatsoever religious at stake whether a man buys, drinks, or sells liquor. The Catholic Church has shown its great wisdom in refusing to meddle in something which concerns neither religion nor morals. The Protestant churches have made- themselvHS ridiculous by letting bUnd emotionalism and muddle-headed thinking get them into such a position. Perhaps it· is due to the small amount o·f edu- cation that most Protestant ministers receive as compared with Catholic priests. Mr. McCarthy a.ccuses CathoHcs of having their priests do their thinking for them. Nothing could he farther from the truth. Exoept in regaj-d to religion and morals, we are allowed to think and do as we please. "Ve are not priest-ridden. But the Methodists are certainly minister- ridden. . .. The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ nearly two thousand years ago, has overcome all the attempts to de-stroy it., and will continue to the end of the world. The Protestant churches, on the othe-r hand, were founded by me-re men only four hundred ye-ars ago, are dying fast, and in another hundred and fifty years will be as dead as the pagan religions of the' ancient, Greeks or Romans. . .. The reason dry Catholics stay in the Church is because they believe in their religion first and in prohibition afterward. Mr. McCarthy cannot see their point of view be- cause he- seems to confuse prohibition with religion. . .. As to former Catholics saying that the prie-sts were their reason for leaving the Church, that is because they dared not state their real re-ason. They da.red not say because they wished to be- divorced, remarry, and practise adultery. They dared not say because the Church would not let them use certain sharp, practises in business. . .. Catholics thank God that they are- protected from the laymen's inte-ITe-reillce- that has made the Prote-stant churche-s a slough of spiritual anarchy - eve-rybody believing anything they want. to, with the result that the majority are well on the road to being agnostics, and the non-Catholic population of the United States is rapidly becoming pagan. . .. Dudley P. Gilbert." Mr. Gilbert has certainly been well trained. We are only surprised that the Oommonweal permitted this display of the Catholic layman's re- Theological Observer. - ~itdjUdj".settgefdjidjtlidje~. 143 freshing simplicity. "Except in regard to religion and lI',"'rals, we are allowed to think and do as we please. We are not priest-ridden." That is certainly a classical statement. In one brea.th Mr. Gilbert repudiates and substantiates the charge that the Catholic layman is priest-ridden. He resents the charge tbat he is not allowed to think and do as he pleases. He insists that the priest does not prescribe the brand of breakfast food he must like. No Protestant ever made that charge. What we do denounce as criminal is that the Catholic layman must give his conscience into the keeping of a human being. He is not. permitted to judge in matters of religion and morals. Mr. Gilbert cheerfully admits that. "Exoept in regard to religiol~ and morals" he thinks and does as he pleases, and he boasts of the great amount of liberty enjoyed in his Church. But what if the priest makes the scO'pe of religion and mO'rals extend intO' the domain of business and politics? If he informs the layman that in the interest of religion he must vote a. certain ticket? Mr. Gilbert will say, of course, that as sO'O'n as a matter is put under the head of religiO'n and mO'rals, his private judgment must cease. There is not much left. But he can probably always insist that in the matter of breakfast foods he can think and do . as he pleases. E. Predictions of the World War. - We honO'r science when it is able to' predict an eclipse 0'1' the discO'very of a new star or O'f a new chemical element. Similarly philosO'phy is saved from entire disrepute when we observe how it enabled German statesmen and university teachers to fore- ten the WO'rld War and events resulting from it. In his Das Ende des Idealismus im Zeitalter Bismaroks, Wilhelm Luetgert of Berlin places on record the astuteness O'f German thinkers during the period covered by his book. "Ve submit a few examples. Lohmann, in the seventies of the past century, looked forward to the birth of "ein sozialistisoh angehauohtes 1-ussisohes Reioh mit obligater Knutenbeigabe" (p. 139). Constantine Frantz, before 1880, pointed to the danger threatening the German Empire, "weil es aUf Gewalt und aUf Militaermaoht bel-uht" (p. 39), and foretold the time when it, would be attacked from all side,s with this result - "das Ende wird sein der Sturz des Hauses Hohenzollern" (p. 39). A Leipzig PrO'fessor O'f Laws, Kuntze, in 1873 prognosticated "eine Art von napo- leonisohem Oaesarentum der Revolution, welohes von allen Gebildeten als Erloesung von der Barbarei und Brutalitaet der Massen wird begruesst werden" (p.1l2) -not a bad description of modern dictatorships and fascism. Again, the World War was fO'retold by F. T. Vischer in 1879: "N ehmen wir's auoh nioht zu sohwer)' eine anstaendige M inoritaet wird bleiben, eine Nation kann so was ueb01'dauern)' es bedarf dann eines grossen Vnglueoks, und das wird kommen in einem neuen Krieg j dann werden wir uns aufraffen muessen, die letzte Faser daransetzen, und dann wird's wieder besser und reoM werden." (Vischer, Auoh Einer, p.63.) Luetgert asks the question (p. 442), "ob auoh diese Weissagung sioh erfuellen wird." In 1893 Theo. Gontane wrote the following extraordinary prophecy of events that took place twenty-five years later: "Der Zusammenbruoh der ganzen 1864 bis 1870 aufgebauten Herrliohkeit wird offen diskutiert, und waehrend im,iner neue hunderttausend Mann und immer neue hundert Mil- lionen bewilligt werden, ist niemand (auoh wenn die Baohe mit den Be- willigungen nooh so fortginge) im geringsten von der Bioh01'heit unserer 144 Theological Observer. - .Ritdj1idj"8ettgefdjidjtltdje~. Zustaende ueberzeugt. Das JJ1roberte kann wieder verlorengehen. Bayern kann sioh wieder auf eigene Fuesse stellen. Die Rheinprovinz geht jtoeten, Ost- und Westpreussen auoh, und ein Polenreioh (was ioh ueber kurz oder lang beinahe fuer wahrscheinlich halte) entsteht aufs neue. Das sind nicht JJ1inbildungen eines Schwarzsehers. Das sind Dinge, die sich, 'wenn's los- geht,' innerhalb weniger Monate vollziehen koennen und die auch in fast jedes Deutschen Vorstellung als eine M oeglichkeit leben" (p. 443). Walder- see is on record with this: "Die andem Staaten koennen es aushalten, geschlagen zu werden - wir nicht. Das Deutsche Reich faellt auseinander, Preussen wird klein geschlagen und noch unter den Besitzstand von 1815 zurueokgedraengt, die republikanischen Neigungen behalten die Oberhand, und das Haus Hohenzoillem kann ins JJ11lYi1 iJehen. Die evangelische Kirche sieht einem Verzweiflungskampf entgegen; die Verarmung wird eine all- gemeine. . .. Das sind wahrlich keine Uebertreibungen. JJ1s sind die unausbleiblichen Folgen eines ungluecklichen Krieges" (p. 443) . This was written in 1892. T. G. The Wonder-Note in Preaching. - "The wonder-note," says Bishop Adna Wright Leonard in Ancient Fires on Modern Altars, "has been char- acteristic of all successful preachers and evangelists." He declares: ''In all persuasive preaching there is the spiritual wonder-note. If preaching is to be truly creative, there must always be the wonder-note in the preacher's message. This is one of the outstanding defects in modern preaching. We have fallen into the habit of taking so many things as a matter of course, and particularly our Christian life, that the wonder- note has very largely disappeared. We are guilty of the sin of what Jowett calls 'a deadening familiarity with the sublime.' The wonder-note was in the preaching of Chrysostom, who compelled the corrupt court of Constantinople to hear and heed his message. It was in the preaching of Augustine, whose messages were hurled like flashes of light against the conflicting philosophies of the Eastern Church. Ambrose declared his message to the Western Church when its growing splendor and power were at their height. Savonarola, Huss, Wyclif, Luther, Calvin, Knox, had the wonder-note in their preaching when they counted not their lives dear unto themselves in declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ before an unbelieving world. . .. And the Wesleys had it. Their sermons, hymns, and teachings resound with the wonder-note. This has been characteristic of all success- ful preachers and evangelists." This reminds us of Luther's words: "Wer Gottes Taten mit tiefem Herzen wohl bedenkt und sie mit Wunder und Dank ansieht, dass er vor Brunst herausfaehrt, mehr seufzet denn redet, und die Worte selbst jtiessen, nicht gedicMet noch gesetzt ausbrechen, dass gleich der Geist mit herausschaeumt und die Worte Leben, Hand und Fuesse haben, ja dass zu- gleich der ganze Leib und alles Leb·en und aIle Glieder gem reden wollten; das heisst recht aus dem Geist und in der Wahrheit Gott loben. Da sind die Worte eitel Feuer, Licht und Leben." (VII,1407.) E. J. F. Is the Federal Council Reformingi' - The Watchman-JJ1roaminer seems to think the Federal Council has instituted a reformation, or rather that it is not really in need of reformation. A note in the Watchman- JJ1roaminer under the capti