Full Text for CTM Theological Observer 12-1 (Text)
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"Were I a responsible religious leader, I would not be content with the
fact that religion boasts of over 232,000 church edifices throughout these
United States. I would be deeply concerned with the fact that most
of them are unable to fill their pews. I would worry considerably about
the 17,000,000 children and youths of America who are without direct
church affiliation. I would be distressed over the growing apathy toward
church among young and old. I would be ashamed to admit that the
church plays so little a part in the lives of millions of adolescents
as to leave them barren of spiritual development. And I would plead
guilty to a lack of vision which sets the church aloof and indifferent to
social and economic currents which lash at the human mind and heart
in swirling orgies of hunger and want and death and destruction."
Augustana College and Theological Seminary in Rock Island, Ill.,
mourns the death of Dr. Gustaf Albert Andreen, who for thirty-four years
had served as president of the dual institution. He retired in 1935. At the
time of his death he was 76 years old.
The press reports the death of Katherine Mayo, known the world
over as the author of Mother India. Toward the end of her life she
was particularly interested in fighting the evils of the international
trade in narcotics.
The Index of the Pope still functions. Recently the works of
a prominent Fascist author, Alfredo Oriani, were put on the list of
forbidden books for their "offensive attacks upon the Holy See."
Recently there died Mrs. Maud Ballington Booth, who with her
husband had been at the head of the Volunteers of America. In wide
circles she was known as "the little mother" of the Volunteer Prison
League.
The Christian Index, a Baptist paper published in the State of
Georgia, quite properly calls the Pope "the great straddler." The Pope
wishes to be a political figure, but at the same time it is clear that he
has the desire to throw in his lot with the victor in the present war.
When it comes to politics, the Pope strikes one as the greatest oppor-
tunist living.
At a recent meeting in Chicago it was reported that attendance at
divine services is much lower now than it was twelve years ago. At
that time, so it was stated, on the average 34 per cent. of the member-
ship of a congregation were found in attendance, and now the figure
has sunk to 23 per cent. This is an alarming situation indeed. The
figures, we take it, refer to the Reformed churches. Is the low atten-
dance due to the Modernism which now is heard from very many
pulpits?
He who always or at least as a rule reads Reformed authors, to whom
the distinctively Lutheran, i. e., Biblical, doctrine sounds strange, will
easily himself become estranged from it.-Dr. V. Koren, quoted in
Luthersk Tidende.
A venerable father in Christ departed this life November 10. It was
the Rev. Erdman Pankow, member of the Wisconsin Synod, who from
1890 to 1899 served as teacher at St. Paul's College, Concordia, Mo.
A.
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