Full Text for CTM Theological Observer 12-1 (Text)

nurnrbitt nd> • .8eit\1efc9ic9Uid)e~ "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. More Tools for Your Workshop t THE LUTHERAN TEACHER'S HANDBOOK By Prof. W. O. Kraeft. $2.50 Offers helps in solving extracurricular problems. "There is hardly a situation which may be imagined in connection with the outward work of our schools that has not been taken up in its relation to the real purpose of our schools and discussed from the standpoint of Biblical pedagogy." - D1·. P. E. Kretzmann. :-: OUTLINES FOR CATECHESES AND THE TECHNIQUE OF QUESTIONING. By Prof. H. B. Fehnel'. $1.25 Covers the entire Catechism. The second part treats the matter of questioning. Helpful indeed ,for the beginner as well as the experienced teachers. ':.: RELIGION FOR ·PRIMARY GRADES IN UNITS OF LEARN- ING. By Prof. W. O. Kraeft. $ .80 Every teacher of Grades 1, 2, and 3 will be thankful for this book. Each of the thirty units it offers constitutes a lesson of several periods and coordinates Bible-story, Catechism, Scrip- ture-text, hymn, and prayer. Time- and labor-saving! :-: TEACHING THE BIBLE· STORY By Prof. Alfred Schmieding, M. A. $ .75 A practical manual on methods, sufficiently complete to serve the experienced teacher and still sufficiently fundamental to be of definite assistance to the beginning teacher. 1:.:1 CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE 3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Mo.