Full Text for CTM Book Review 6-2 (Text)

mnurnrbtu mqrnlngiral :Snut111y Continuing LEHRE UND WEHRE MAGAZIN FUER EV.-LUTH. HOMILETIK THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY-THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY Vol. VI February, 1935 No.2 CONTENTS Page Foreword. (Concluded.) Thea. Laetsch. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 81 Zur :Bedeutung der Taufe Jesu. J. T. Mueller. • • • • • • • • • • • • 93 A Comparison of the King James and the Douay Version. Geo. A. W. Vogel •••••••••• 102 "Die Schrift kann nicht gebrochen werden." P. E. Kretzmann. • • • • • • • • •• 114 Der Schriftgrund fuer die Lehre von der satisfactio vicma. P. E. Kretzmann • • • • • • • • •• 121 Dispositionen ueber die altkirchliche Evangelienreihe.... 125 Miscellanea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 133 T.l:teological Observer. - Kirchlich.Zeitgeschichtliches. . . .. 141 :Book Review. - Literatur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 153 Etn Predlger MUSS Dieht anetn 1DridM>, alao da&s er die Schafe unterweise, wie sle rechte ChrIaten soDen satn, BOndeI'D aueh daneben den Woelfen fDelinm, da.sa ale die Schate nleht uagreilen and mit falseher Lehre vertnehren and Irrtum e!n. fuehren. - Luther. Es 1st bin Ding, daa die Leute mehr bel der Klrche bebaelt denn die lUte Predigt. - ApologU, .Arl. !~. If the trumpet give an unceriatn BOund, who shall preps re himael1 to the battle f J Cor. J.6, 8. Published for the Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States CONCORDIA PUBLISHING EOUSE, St. Louis, Mo. Book Review. - S3iteratur. 153 Book Review. - £Heratur. Jesus the Unknown. By Drnitr'i M erej7cowski. Translated from the Russian by H. OMouschof! Matheson. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. 1934. 445 pages, 5:1f2 X 8. Price, $2.75. In several respects this book about Jesus is different from the type to which we are accustomed, its individualistic character being due largely to the author's nationality. A native of Russia and an alumnus of the Uni- versity of St. Petersburg, he is said to belong to the group of great Rus- sian writers who grew up in the last decades of the nineteenth century. For a number of years he has been living in Paris, an exile from his country and a recluse in his relations to society. That he is possessed of remarkable literary talent seems to be evidenced by several highly praised books he has written, The Romarnoe of Leona1'do da Vinci and Julian the Apostate, and by the prominent mention his name received last year when possible candidates for the Nobel prize for literature were selected by the critics. The characteristics which we expect to find in a book by a Rus- sian author are all represented here - fervid rhetoric, bold metaphors, impassioned force, an exuberant imagination, fantastic speCUlations, flashes of deep, extraordinary insight, occasional obscurities, and lack of close reasoning. In the next place, the book is peculiar because the writer draws much on the apocryphal writings and other extra-Biblical material (the so-called agrapha, real or supposed sayings of Jesus not recorded in the Scriptures) to give u~ vivid pictures of the Sa,vior's life. This of course is not permissible in a, true life of Christ. There aJ"e, so he holds, nine mirrors in which our Lord is a,ffording us glimpses of Himself, each one of the four gospels, the document Q (also caned LDgia) , two special sources used by Matthew and Luke, respectively, a foundation document embodied in the fourth gospel, and the agra,pha" Because this material aUegedly has never been properly used and studied, the Wl'iter speaks of the "unknown Jesus." He admits, however, that all these sources, extensive though they may seem to be, will not suffice for the writing of the life of Christ if ther!' is "a,bsence of internal religious experience" (p. 132). The author is not endea,voring to tell the story of the earthly life of our Sa,vior in a. consecutive na,rra,tive, but ra,ther to stress cer- tain facts and viewpoints. On tha,t account his work does not displace, but supplements, the works of Farrar, Edersheim, Stalker, and similar Dnes. What the believing reader is grateful for is that the author, in spite of concessions to the negative higher criticism of our day, remains loyal to the grand teaching of the deity of Christ and the Virgin Birth. The present volume consists of two parts. The first one has the heading "The Unknown Gospel," there being five chapters: "1. Did Jesus Live? 2. The Unknown Gospel. 3. Mark, Matthew, Luke. 4. John. 5. Beyond the Gospel." The second one is superscribed: "The Life of Jesus the Un- known," having the following chapters: 1. "How He was Born. 2. The Hidden Life. 3. Kazareth Day by Day. 4. Mine Hour is Come. 5. John the Baptist, 6. Fish - Dove. 7. Jesus and the Devil. 8. The Temptation. 1). His Face (in history). 10. His Face (in the Gospel)." In the back of 154 Book Review. - £literatut. the book are notes on the text, comprising 34 pages. At the end of the volume we are informed that a second book will follow, dwelling on the earthly life and the death and the resurrection of our Lord. W. ARNDT. Popular Symbolics. The Doctrines of the Churches of Christendom and of Other Religious Bodies Examined in the Light of Scripture. By Th. Engelder)' W. Arndt; Th. Graebner)' li'. E. Mayer. XI and 526 pages, 6% X 914. Price, $3.50, postpaid. The charge might be preferred against the reviewers of our MONTHLY that they are too fulsome in their recommendation of books published by Concordia Publishing House. But certainly not too much can be said in praise of this new volume, which rw,s just come off the press of our synod- ical publishing concern. It is a necessary book, since nothing quite like it can be purchased on the religious book market to-day, and the in- formation which it gives is greatly needed by pastors, teachers, and laymen. It is a timely book in view of the fact that Christian testimony against error, owing to the unionistic tendencies of our present-day generation, has become almost all but silent. It is a schola1'ly book, into the making of which has been put much painstaking study and research and which there- fore is accurate and dependable_ It is a mode1'n book; for it presents the old Lutheran truths in an up-to-date manner and takes cognizance of, and refutes, even the latest excrudescences of corrupt reason. It is a thoroughly Lutheran book, Lutheran in spirit and principle and Lutheran, too, in its Bibliocentric attitude, which acknowledges without qualification that Scrip- ture is "the uni,ca, 1'eg1~la et norma, according to which all dogmas together with [all] teachers should be estimated and judged, the only iudex et Lydius lapis in accepting as true or condemning as false whatever doctrines are being considered." It is a satisfactory book; it does not leave the reader dissatisfied, since, on the Ol1e hand, it really offers what the title procla,ims an.d,. on the other, caHsl a, spade a, spade, yet sO' civilly and urbanely that no invective epithet is added for emphasis' sake. It is a fai1'- and-squa1"e book; for it says all that must be said, but neither more nor less. If it should seem as though onr praise of Popular Symbol.ics were too fulsome, let the reader buy the volume and judge for himself whether it is not worth the recommendation that we have given it. The book has for its authors men who are well known in circles beyond those of our own Church. All of them have worked in the field of sym- bolics and have mastered the subject docendo, The dogmatic side of the work was provided by the senior dogmatician of Concordia Seminary and the pagan isms of our decadent, irreligious age by a teacher who for years has taught logic and philosophy with all its latter-day charlatanries. The proof-texts were checked up by another colleague, whose intensive labors in the Greek Testament ha,ve gaine(l him a reputation. Finally, in order that the hook might remain truly popula1', a docent of Synod's pra.ctical semina,ry was added to the trio of Concordia, Semina.ry in!!tructors. And what has been the result of their joint labors, carried on for over two years? First, the reader will find in Popular SymboUcs a mono- graph on the Lutheran Church and its dogmas, covering 136 pages, which is very timely, a Christian dogmatics in mwe, based upon, and supported Book Review. -- 53iteratur. 155 by, a well selected stock of Scripture-passages and frequent quotations from, and references to, our Lutlleran Confessions. Then follows a monograph of 71 pages on the Catholic ch1t1'C'hes, the Eastern, Roman and Olel Catholic, which olTers a rich supply of historical data and a thoroughgoing refuta- tion of their false doctrines. The Reformed and kindred bodies come next, with 168 pages of historical and doctrinal material, the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, Buchmanism, and other religious drifts a.re not omitted. The anti-T1'initariam bodi68 (Quakerism, Sweden- borgians, Universalists, Jerusalem Friends, Russellites, Shakers, etc.) burden 48 pages of the book. Antichristian tendencies (Secularism, Posi- tivism, Transcendentalism, Socialism, Agnosticism, Pantheism, Humanism, etc.) are considered on eight pages. Other non-Ohristian bodies, pages 436-462, such as JudaisHI, Church of God and Saints of Christ, :Mor- monism, Spiritism, Christian Science, etc., receive adequate treatment. The last part of the book (part VII), twelve pages, treats of such erratic outgrowths as theosophical societies, Occultism and ~1:ysticism in other forms, the Brotherhood of Light, Karma and Reincarnation Legion, Maz- daznan Philosophy, and the Unity School of Cll1'istianity. Lastly there is an appendiaJ of two pages, in which denominations are grouped according to common beliefs or practises, such as immersion, infant baptism, divine heal- ing, foot-washing, tithing, wlufare, etc., a most convenient grouping for the busy student of symbolics. Next comes a thirteen-page bibliography, very valuable and practical, a page of abbre1)Ciations, and finally a topical index of 29 pages. The book thus contains 526 pages of highly instructive read- ing-matter, a veritable seminar course in comparative symbolics, with rich source material for sermons, lectures, addresses, essays, etc. The book, as said hefore, is learned throughout, yet it is at the same time an "every man's book," it being designed for the laity no less than for the clergy. Lack of space forbids quotations; but if anyone is look- ing for reliable and exhaustive information in the field of comparative symbolics, he will find in Pop1tlo,1' Symbolics not merely a Guenther re- divivus, but a thoroughly new, thoroughly scholarly, and thoroughly prac- tical work, thoroughly attuned and oriented to the needs of our times. Concordia Publishing House is to be congratulated on the publication of this new volume. ''lith other books published in recent years it forms the nucleus of an Englif:h theological library for which there is so great a demand both in our own circles and those of other Lutheran churches. May our blessed Savior, to whom also this volume is dedicated, bless its course as it goes out into the world to admonish, instruct, and warn those whose privilege it is to testify of tl1e truth which is in Christ Jesus in the midst of a reprobate and adulterous generation! J. T. MUELLER. martin 2ltt~er. ~er ~eutfcl)e. SZlon ~ an S ~ t e u fl. [. ~erteISmann, ®titets~ ID~. 1934. 139 Gciten G% X 9%, in S3einlllanb mit ffiticten~ unb ~ecteI~ Wei g.eounben. 'Preis: Rm.4.50; geounben: Rm. 6. ~ies ift nun ber brUte ~anb bes f cl)on unb grot ange1egten Iilledcs bes mer~ faffers tiber 53ut~et. ~en erften ~anb, ,,9Jlartin 53ut~er bet .R'tinftfet", ~aben roir in biefer .{3eitfcI)rift, ~b. 3, G. 474, bef~rocl)en; ben 3roeiten ~anb, "I.martin S3ut~er bet 'Pro~~et", ~b. 5, G. 571. I!TuC(J biejen ~anb ~aben mir mit bie1 :;5ntereffe \le~ 156 Book Review. - l3iteratut. leien unb empfe91en i9n angefegentnd), tnenn aucf) ber merfaffer mancf)mal ettnas iU tnelt ge9t in i etuer Sjocf)i d)ii~ung ber beutidjen \Urt unb ber ~mpfiingHcf)fett iler :Deuticl)en fUr bas (,I;bangeHum im metg1etcf) mit bet \Urt anomr moHer. \Uucf3 bie beuticf)e \Uri 1ft bon \)latur getftftcf) tot unb untetHegt bem iY1ucf) ber 6Unbe, unb bas bief (aber nicf)t bon ~reu~) 3itterte lIDott ,,\Um beuticf)en lIDeien mu~ Die lIDdt genefen" ift cin falid)es lIDori. :Das tnitb aucf) ber metfaffet nicf)t beftretten, ba et ionft io tuffHcf) es betfte9t, Die beut[d)c \Utt au eriennen, baquftellen unb ·geraus3uftretcf)en. lIDit fonnen am beften eine motftellung bon bem tetd)en unb intereff anten :;'Sn9aH bes muef)es geben buref) 5)JUtteUung ber stapite!llbetief)rtften: ,,:Deuticf)e \Utt", "l3utgets beutief)e \Ullftammung", "l3utgers beutief)e \Uri", "l3utger unb bie beutid)e 6pracf)e", "l3utger Ubet :Deutief)lanb unb Die :Deutief)·en", "l3utgers mebe 3um beuticf)en matedanb", "l3utgets beuticf)er Sorn gegen ffiom", "l3utger Uber anbete molfer", ,,:Der beutief)e ~topget", "l3utgets :Dt09tnetsiagungen gegen :Deutief)1anb", ,,:Der norbiicf)e iYU9Ut", "l3utger ber :Deutief)e im UrieH ber SeHen", ,,:Der beutid)e l3utget in ber \Uuffaffung ber ®egentnart", ,,\Uu~erbeutid)e meuriet~ lung bes beutief)en l3ut~et". [!lit moef)ten bide ~inad9etten gerausgrcifen unb baburcf) sum l3eien bieies fetnfinnigen muef)es ermuntern, mUffen uns jeboef) nob ,gebrungen aUf cin pam: befef)rCinten. 60 tem ber metfafiet, bet ja ug l3utget~ tenner betunnt iit unb fUr Dieies bteifJanbige [!led iCimtncf)e l3utgerief)·rtften in ·bet gto~en lIDetmarer ~lusgabe butef)gegungen ift, bie icf)onen 6ef)lu~tnorte bes ®·ebets mit, bas l3ut~er am \Ubenb bor feinem stobe, nacf) i etner ®etn,o~n~eit, am offenen iYenfter fte~enb, geiprocf)en ~at: ,,:Du tnolleft boef) Die stitef)e m e i n e s of i c b c n in ate t I a n b e s biS sum (,I;nbe o~ne \Ubfall in tdnet [!la~t~ett unb meftCinDigfeit, teef)tet metenntnis beines [!lottes gniibigHef)i et~alten, aUf ba~ Me 'gan3e [!l.eH Ubeqeugt tnetbe, ba~ bu mid) baraus geianDt 9ait. \Uef), Hebet Sj~tt ®ott, \Umen! \Umen!" (6.95.) \Un anbetet 6telle betbtettet ~teu~ fief) Ubet ben \)lamen l3utger, ber io berief)ieben, auef) bon l3utget iefbft, geief)rieben tnutbe (l3uber, ..\lUbet, l3utter, l3ubf)et, l3autf)et) unb ben l3utf)et ielbit edlarte, als et als ~ate bet Dr. med. ffiatebetgets stiicl)tedetn bem stinb einen \)lamen geben i oUte, bet i~m tno~IgefieIe: ,,,:;'Sef) tnill if)teinen \)lamen geben bon metnem \)lamen. 6ie ioll .aIata gei~en', ba et benn angeb.eutet, ba~ iein \)lame l3utf)et fo biel iei ars lautet unb fIat; benn tnas lautet iit, iit auef) Uat." (6. 21.) ~reu~ gefJt f)etbot ben beuticf)en ston in l3utgetS mebern unb bemedt 3. m.: "A solis ortus cardine" [bas meb ,,~f)tiftum tnit iollen Ioben id)on"] "UberitCigtet in Die [!lotte: ,60~ tneit bie 1 ie b e 60nne Ieuef)t't'; bas ift beuticf)~notbiief)es ~mpfinben. :Dem 6Ublanbet ift bie 60nne fetnbHef)e 9Jlajeftai." (6. 56.) ~t betont l3utf)ets rief)o Tiges beuti cf)es ~mpfinben gegenUbet bet tomii ef)en stitef)e in beiug auf bie sttea~ tuten unb sitiett bas [!lott bes ffiefotmatots: ,,[!lit fcf)auen ie~t in bie stteatuten .Hefet f)inetn alS ftU~et untet bem ~apittum", namHef) ars in etne tnittHef)e £)ffen~ .batung ®ottes; unb batum befennt et im stretnen stated)iSmus progtammatii ef) unb Iii~t es bie stinber leruen: ,,:;'Sef) glaube, ba~ micf) ®ott gefcf)affen f)at i a m t a 11 e n st tea t ute n." (6.41.) Su ben stteatuten gel)oten bot allem auef) bie stine, unb io tommtes, ba~ "burcf) bie stiief)reben [l3utf)ers] bes of tern ietn SjausI)unb, genannt ,stiiIpe1', iptingt. l3ut9cr nimmt if)n mand)mal sum I1rnIa~ bon metraef)tungen, aus benen Hebebolle meollaef)tung iptief)t". (6. 43.) ~reu~ et1llnert an bas befannte :;'Sagbedebnts aus bet [!lattllurg3eit, ba l3utl)et "ein Sjiisletn, bas fief) iU il)m flUef)tete, in ietnem tneiten s))lantefiirmeI berllatg, bis es boef) bie Sjunbe ericf)nuppetten unb totbifien". (6.44.) 6ef)r tief)tig unb gut er~ fiiutert bet metfa!! et l3utl)ers 6tellung iU ben :;'Suben unb bertneift babet aUf bie 'ausgeieicf)nete :Datitellung bon [!liH)eIm lID a ltf) et. [!leU gerabe bieiet ~unft Book Review. - 53itctatm. 157 iett bieIfadJ erortert ltlitb unb audJ ~iet in unf etm 53anbe unb in ~anaba anti~ femitifdJe €i,dJriften beroreitet ltlerben, in bmen man fid) aUf 53ut~et oeruft, fei ltlieber einmal folgenbes feftgeftent: mei 53ut~er finben fidJ altleiedei m:usf.\lradJen. ~n feiner fdJiinen €idJtift bom ~a~re 1523 ,,;[la~ ~~fus ~~tiftuil cin geoorner ~ube fei" (€it. 530uifet m:usg. XX, 1792) tabeU er bie ~~riften, ba~ fie bie ~uben burdJ 53ieblofigfeit, ia @r.aufamfeit aligefd)redt ~iitten, bas ~bangeIium an3une~~ men, unb fagt: ,,~dJ ~offe, ltlenn man mit ben ~uben freunbHdJ ~anbeUe un~ aus bet &;)eUigen €idJtift fie fiiulierHdJ untetltleifete, es fonten i~r biel redJte ~~ri~ ften ltlerben." (€i. 1795.) ;[las ift ein ®ott, bon bem feIlift ber ilibifdJe &;)iftorifer @riit fagte, es fei ein ®ott, ltlie es bie ~uben feit .einem ~a~ttaufmb nid)t ge~ ~iitt ~iitten. m:n einer anbern €iteUe fagt 53ut~et: "Propter unum Iudaeum [Christum] amo omnes Iudaeos." m:liet in f.\liiteter .Beit, nadJbem et aUetIei fdJmet3Hc~e ~nttiiufd)ungen mit ben ~uben etlcot 1)atte unb liei feinen e~egetifd)en €itubien aUf bie raliliintf d)m ~ommentate aum m:Uen :teftament gefto~en ltlat unb ba einen ltla~nfinnigen &;)od)mut gegeniiliet aUen SJHd)tjuben unb bot aUem eine metbre~ung ber Hatften meffianifd)en ®eiilfagungen bes m:Uen :teftaments gefunben ~atte, ~at er aud) ~arte lillotte getebet, namentndJ in feinen Ietten €idJtiften, lImon ben ~uben unb i~ten 53ilgen" bon 1542 unb "mom €id)em &;)am~ .\l~otas" bon 1543 (€it. 530uifer m:usg. XX, 1860. 2028). ,,~r fie~t, ltlie fie fein. utmes matedanb aUilfaugen, mit lilludJer unb aUer~anb anbern unfauomn @eIb~ gefdJiiften, unb ba .\ladt i~n bie e~rIidJ·e beutfd)e lillut", unb et fagt: ,,~ein molt- untet bet €ionnen ift geitiger geltleft, benn fie finb, nodJ finb unb immerfort oleilien." ,,;[larum ltlo bu .einen redJten ~uben fie~eft, magft bu mit gutem @e~ ltliffen ein ~teUa filr bid) fd)lagen unb frei fidJer f.\lredJen: ,;[la ge~t ein leili~aftiger :teufeL' . " mor aUem iirgett fidJ 53ut~er aud) lioer i~re unberfd)iimte €ieIlift~ einfd)iitung unb €ieIliftem.\lfe~lung unb i~re f.\ltidJltlottrid)e tYtedJ~eit." (€i. 85. 86.) m:liet mit lRed)t ~elit ~teu~ audJ ~erbor gegmillier ber gegenltliirtigen falfdJen beutf d)liinbifdJen €itriimung, ba~ 53ut~ers ,sorn gegen bie ~uben' fi,d) nidJt aUf bas m:Ue :teftament etfttedt; bail m:Ue %eftammt ift unb lileilit i~m @ottes ®ort unb nidJt "jlibifdJe 53itetatut", unb "ltlo~l ae~n ~a~te lits lur3 bot feinem :tob ~at er ii!m bas etfte mud) bes m:Uen %eftamentil motIefungen ge~aHen" (€i. 88), bie un~ betgleid)HdJ gro~e m:uillegung bet @enefis, bie et am 17. SJ/;obemlier 1545 mit berr lillorten Ji,efdJHe~t: ,,:i)ail ift nun bie Helie @enefiil. Unfet &;)~ttgott gelie, ba~ es anbm nad) mit lieffer madJen! ~d) fann ntdJt me~r; id) liin fdJltladJ. mittet @ott filr midJ, ba~et mir .ein gutes, feHges €itilnbfein berrei~e." (€it. 530uifet m:uilg. II, 2091.) lillit milffen alilmdJen; alier ltlit fagen nodJ einmaI, ba~ biefe brei miinbe illier 53ut~et 3U bem ~ntmffanteften unb €idJiinften ge~oten, ltlas ltlir in letter ,scit geIef en ~alien. 53. tY il t li r in g e r. madin Eutijcr. m:usgeltlii~He ®etfe. €idJtiften, ~tebigten, ,seugniffe filt bie @emeinbe bon ~eute, bargeooten unb betbolmetfdJt. manb IV. €idJtiften aUt m:uslegung artteftamentridJer €itiide. ~aIltler mminsoudJ~anblungr €ituttgatt. 415 €ieiten 5X7~. 53einltlanblianb. ~reis: RM.5. @eme litingen ltlit audJ biefen manb ber ~alltler 53ut~erauilgalie aur m:naeige. ,stoar ltlin uns audJ in biefem manbe fdJeinen, ba~ 53ut~er etltlail bon feincr ur~ ltliid)figen ~raft betIoren ~at, ltlenn er in bet €i.\lradJe ber ~ett3eit reben foU; alier ltler 53ut~et gem in bet €i.\ltadJe bet gegenltliittigen @,eneration au ®otte fommen laffen rom, roitb fief) liliet bies mud) nut bon &;)ewn fteuen. ~s ent~iirt bie foh genben €itlide bon 53ut~ers ,aItteftamentrtdJet m:tlieit: ben €ienblitief bom ;[lor~ 158 Book Review. - ~itetatut. metfcl)en, bie mon-eben 3um ~men :teftament unb Bum 15faftet, bas fdJiine Con- :fitemini (15f. 118) bom ~al)te 1529, llluslegung bon 15f. 1, 5 unb 22 nus ben ~al)ren 1519 Ms 1521. - ~n ben lllnmetfungcn bet iBeatlieiter ift uns mandJes nUfgefa[[cn, ttJa~ jebenfuUs nid)t S3utl)ets iBeifaU gefunben l)atte. \~ruf Geite 40 lDitb bcm 'Uaron bet ;tile{ .\doi)erl.ltieftet aligef1JtodJen mit bet iBemerfung, ball es ein fold)es ~hnt erft nael) bcr oabt)[onifel)en @efangenfdJaft gegeocn l)abe. lllbct bie lllmtsocBeid)nung ttlit'b fel)on 3 1))101. 21, 10 geliraud)t, unb bet xdebtaetbdef rebet gan] ullgemein bon bem '\dof)c1Jrieftettum im lllften :teftnment, i d)on Bur 3eit Det Gtiftsl)iitte. Gcife 308 (bgl. 409) ift bie '!latlegung nidJt abliquat; benn Si::abib rebet im 22. 'Pfalm nid)t 3uniicl)ft bon ~eiben, bie et feloft edebt flat unb bie bet irtllmme immet tDicbet untcr ben @ottlofen erbulben mull, fonbem e5 iit bet 'JJ1efflas felbet, bet butd) ben 9Jhmb nnb bie irebet '!l·abibs rebet. mgL 2 Gam. 23, 1 ff.; 15f. 45, 2. 'P. ~. ih e \l man n . .Henry Ward Beecher's Art of Preaching. By Lionel G. Orocker. The University of Chicago Press. 145 pages, 8118 X5%. Price, $1.50. This new book on homiletics was first published in January of last year; a second imprint was made in June. What the author did he tells us in his brief preface, saying: "I have attempted to confine my research to the following limits: to formulate the rhetorical theory of Henry Ward Beecher as expressed by him in the Yale Lectures and elsewhere, to illus- trate briefly this theory with examples from his works, and to evaluate it in relation to past and prescnt rhetorical theory." In his book Nine Great Preachers, Dr. Currier also gives space to Henry Ward Beecher and says of 11im: "This man may be regarded as the greatest of American preachers." From a theological viewpoint Beecher certainly was not thc greatest of American preachers, not even in his own circles; from the viewpoint of {)ratorical pulpit efficiency he no doubt was one of the great preachers of America. Beecher had his own mechanics of preaching and used it suc- cessfully. Crocker's book makes both interesting and profitable reading. It shows us how a man like Beecher prepared his message for the pulpit. But ninety-nine per cent. of the preachers must bear in mind that none of them is a Henry Ward Beecher and that therefore they cannot absolutely follow Beecher's method in evm-y respect. Beecher himself warned his Btudents against so doing; so also does Crocker. Theological students who, like all students, are inclined to frown upon old methods, and young preachers who may be inclined to use what they think is a short cut to pulpit efficiency, must especially be warned against attempting to prepare a sermon in the way in which such men as Beecher, Schleiermacher, and a few others have done. These men were not only rarely gifted, but, after all, did actually put much preparation into their sermons by lifelong and very intensive study; because they were filled up with knowledge and possessed unusual gifts in assembling, organizing, and presenting what was in their mind, they conld sermonize successfully in a way which, if tried by the average preacher, would make a failure of him. But there are some things which a preacher can learn from these men. Good preach- ing still has its place in the Church and ever will have. However, the message may be theologically sound, but if it is not well organized, if the thoughts are not clearly presented, if the application to the needs of the hearer is not made, and if the sermon is not well delivered, preaching will not serve its purpose. Book Review. - ~itetatUt. 159 Under the heading of Style Orocker also calls :il,ttention to the difference between the recluirements for spoken and for written discourse. We feel that many preachers - writing their sermons, as indeed they should- have not fully grasped this difference. After all, we do not speak as we write, and we do not write as we speak. For instance, in the one case we address the hearer whom we must carry along as we go, while in the other case we address the reader who can leisurely ponder over what he is reading. Again, whEn we speak, we can with facial expression and gesture explajn and emphasize what we are saying, while when we write, we must do this with words. There are other differences. He who would oe a very effective pulpit speaker - and such a preacher should strive to be - must learn how to speak to a Hving audience with which he has been brought face to face. Reading a sermon in the pulpit or merely reciting what he has learned by heart is not preaching. We have a sound theology in our Lutheran Ohurch and for that need not go to others. Yet, as far as the mechanics of preaching are con- cerned, the homiletical make-up and the delivery of the sermon, we can .and should learn from such men as Beecher, McLaren, Phillips Brooks, and others outside of our own Ohurch, not forgetting, however, that we also have had great preachers in our own Ohurch. Applying the 'Word of God to the needs of the people without mincing words and without fear or favor, speaking in a way that even the common man can well under- stand, from whom could we better learn that, besides from our Savior Himself and such men as Paul, than from our own Martin Luther? Luther, of course, also had his faults. For instance, he often was long- winded. His faults, of course, we should not copy. In short, anything that we can learn that makes for more effective preaching we should learn. To this end Orocker's book will serve those who carefully study it. J. H. O. FRITZ. Lutheran Annual, 1935. P'rice, 15 cta. f!hnetifllltifditct ~llrcnll·Ct fut lleutfd)e 2utijetllncr. 1935. !llteis: 15 lrts. Oon- cordia Publishing House, St. Louis, ~o. THE OOKCORDIA THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY has been listing these publi- cations in its roview section under "Books Received" and letting it go a.t that. They do not deserve such ca.va.lier treatment. The rea.ding-matter the,y offer - only with tha.t we are here concerned - is. inde€d cast in a· light mold, as he·fits. a.nnuaIs. of this nature., but it is we,ighty with sub- stantial theology. Our ministters know tha,t; but for the informa,tion of those, readers, of the, OONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY who never saw one of these annuals we pass on this· notice: "v Then sta;rting this paJ·t of our Ann1wl, we, first asked our good Lord for wisdom and good thoughts and tllen began reading church periodicals and. calenda,rs and books in which we hoped to find something suitable for our Ann1wl. Out of the seventy to eighty periodicals. on file in our office we mention only the Australian Lutheran, Kiroh~nblatt fuer Suedamerika, Kirchenbote des A1'yentinischen Districts, Missions and Oharities, Lutheran Witness, and Lutheraner. Many an evening we read story afte,r story, hundreds of them, la,id aside' perha,ps ninete'en out of twenty, and selected the twentieth." And we pass on the furthe'r information that this selecting was done by a wide-awake thoo- 160 Book Review. - lJiteratur. logian. Furthermore: vVhile the calenda,r section and the roster of pastors and teachers aTe the same in both annua,ls, the reading-maHer is entirely different. That means tha,t those of our pastors (and laymen) who a,re in the ha oi t of investing only in the English Annual (and 't' ice v01'sa,), a,re losing something. They are losing more than 15 cents worth. TH. ENGKLDKH. BOOKS RECEIVED. F"om Fleming Revell ,t Co., New' York, London, and Edinburgh:- Bible Light on Everyday Probiemsi. By Marie Lemoine Ha,-rison. 247 pages, 5 X 7%. Price" $2.35. A New Guide to Christian Discipleship. Its What, Why, and How. By John TV. McLenna,n, M. A., B. D. Introduction by Francis Shunle Downs, D. D. 95 pages, 5X7%. Price, $1.00. From Gonaordia Publishing House, St.Louis, Mo.:- The, Blessed Birth. Cantata, for Christmas. For chorus" quartet, and two soloists, with organ or piano a.ccompaniment. Words selected and partly written by the ·.composer. Music by F. Leslie Calver. 66 pages', 7 X 10. Price, $1.00. Concordia Collectio,n o·f Sacred Choruses and Anthems for More Ambitious Choral OrganizationS!. No. 43: Jesus, Savior. F'or mixed chorus. By Matthew N. Lundquist. 4 pages" 7Xl1. Price, 20 cts. Memorial Collection of Organ Preludes. Composed by G. C. Albert Kaeppel. 24 pages, 12 X 9. Price, $1.00. The' Cross of Canyon Crest. By George Melvin Hayes. 1934. 250 pages. Price, $1.00-, postpaid. 2utijertum. .ldetausgegeoen bon :;So IS erg b 0 It, @? @? d) ii f f e I, .\;J. ~ e i fer unb anbern. SDeicf)ertfd)er met1ag, 53 ei.)J3 ig. lJ'teue tyolge bet IIlJ'teuen ~hcf)1icf)en ;i3eitfd)rift". 45. :;Saijrgang; .\;Jeft 11. - \It. ,otto: IISDie aus bem lJ'teuen :teftament erjid)tlid)en motLlebingungen ftir bie lSefteUung her bcrant)uortlid)en ~mtstraget bet: d)riiHicf)en ®emeinbe" (@?dJru~); .\;J. SD. Wenblanb: lI\ltcicf) ®ottes unb ®e[d)icl)g)uelt"; ~. @?tra~er: ,,~ann bas ~fte :teftament ®Iaulien ertllecren?"; .\;J. @?cf)ometlls: lI\1tanboemerfungen"; :;So lSergbo1t: ;i3eitfcf)tiften~ unb IStic~er~ bericf)t. ;tijeolo!}ie bet @egenlUllri. .\;Jetausgegeben bon O. ~ 0 e r ~ arb, lID. ~ i cf) rob t, ®. ® r ti t mad) e r unb anbern. :Deicf)ertfdJet mttIag, 53eillaig. 28. :;Sa~rgang. - .\;Jeft 9 unb 10: II SDie neuere 53iteratur tioer :Dogmatif unb ~tf)if"; ®erf) . .\;Jeinaelmann. 40 @?eiten: 1I@?cf)Ieietmacf)et~®ebacf)tniS; bag Utingen um ben letten '~nfatlJunft; Utetcf) @lottes; @lottesreicf) unb menfd)Iicf)es :tun." NOTICE TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS. In order to render satisfactory service, we must have our current mailing-list correct. The expense of maintaining this list has been materially increased. Under present regula· tions we are subject to a "fine" on all parcels mailed to an incorrect address, inasmuch as we must pay 2 cents for every notification sent by the postmaster on a parcel or periodical which is undeliverable because no fonvarding address is available or because there has been a change of address. This may seem insignificant, but in view of the fact that ·we have subscribers getting three or more of our periodicals and considering our large aggregate subscription list, it may readily be seen that it amounts to quite a sum during a year; for the postmaster will address a notification to each individual periodical. Our sub- scribers can help us by notifying us - one notification (postal card, costing only 1 cent) will take care of the addresses for several publications. We shall be very grateful for your cooperation. Kindly consult the address label on this paper to ascertain whether your subscription has expired or will soon expire. 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