Full Text for CTM Book Review 3-9 (Text)

Book Review. -S3itetatur. 713 Book Review. -2itCftltUf. ~ijeubgifdie~ jillilrietbudi 5um ~euelt ~eitnmettt. ~etaus\Je\Jelien bon @ e t ~ l) arb .re itt e r. metrag bon W . .reol)lljammet, <3tuttgact, 1932. :;Sebe S3ieferung in ber <3tlide bon bier mog.en (64 <3eiten), 8% X 12. \\!rets jebet 2ieferung in ber etften <3uliffription: RM. 2.90. Wir lieeHen uns, bie atueite meferung biefes monumenta!en We des l)iermit 3ur Illnaetge BU liringen, bamit man gegebenenfaUil icine <3uliffription mogficljft lialb betuedfteUigen fann. $:lie atueite S3iefetung fiil)rt ben mUcljftalien Ill!pl)a lueiter, nnb til finben ficlj l)iet meitriige bon <3d)nietuinb, @runilmann, bon lll:ab, .reitter, \\!rodfclj, .reul)n; muHmann, B'daud, miicljfel unb ~. 13. <3cljmibt. $:ltd unb Illusftattung flnb afS gans boqiigHd) au bqetd)nen, befonbetil in Illnlietracljt ber ~atfaclje, bali gtiecljifclje unb l)eliriiifclje Wiirter immer in ben oetreffenben \lettetn ausgebrudt tuerben unb bie bitTen lScaugualimen unb ~rnmerfungen bie peinHd)fte @enauigreit erljeifcl)en. ~§ icrnn mit lllecljt gefagt tu erb en, bali bas Wert bie \leiftungen a: remers ludt iiomagt, tuenigftens tuas illiffenf cljaftHdje @riinbHd)teit an!angt. $:let neuteftamentrid)e j}'otfd)er tuitb hus Wert balil unentbeljtliclj finilen. \\!. ~ . .re te ~ man n. ;1)er nl1DftDHfd)e Urfl1rung ber bier (\;bnltgeHen. lJJ1it dner fuqllefailten ~in~ feitung in bie neucfte @efcf)icf)te ber <3cf)aUanaH)fe. mon D. Dr. :;s 0 lj a n ~ n e § :;s e t e m i a §, il5fanet in l3imoncf), <3acljfen. metIag bon $:liirff~ fing & j}'tanfe, S3eiP3ig. 1932. 165 <3eiten 6 X9. il5reis: M.6. Wenn man biefes Wed Heft, tuitb einem 3Uniid)ft faft unljeimHcf) 3umute. @iM til tatfacf)Hcf) \leute, bie bas @ras lll(ld)fen I)oren {onnen 1 ~s fclieint faft, alS I)aoe mun e~ I)iet mit folcf)en fauel~aft befltl)igten il5etfonen au tun. :;Sn biefet <3cf)tift tuirD niimHd) bie lSeljauptung aufgeftefft, man fonne burclj genane Unter~ fucf)ung bet mangber~iiHniffe be~ ~leuen ~eftament5 feftftellen, tuer bie betterren~ ben ~httoten getuefen feien. Dr. :;Smmias ICQt etfreultclje <3cf)hlb:refuHate bor. (l;t bel)auptet, bie <3cf)allanalt)je lief ere ben metuei~, bali uUlere ~bangeHen tab fticljlicf) bon ben Illpofteln ftammen unb 'oab fie nicf)t, tuie bon iYeinben ber B'deHtgen <3cf)rift beljauptet iuhb, bie! f~ltteten $:lat1lms finb. ~et merfafier ftiitt fid) aUf bie Illrlieit· bes fiit3licf) berftorbenen Dr. ~'ouatb <3iebers, bet aUf fptacf)Hdjem (!leliiet ein @enie iUat unb l)iet @toBes geleiftet ljat. Dr. :;Smmias fagt bon ben memilljungen biefe~ @e!eljrten artgermanifcl)e <3d)tiftftilde lietrerrenb: ,,~ie ge~ fid)erten ~tgefJlliiie bet .\1:{angfotfc!)llltg (mf aHgermanifcf)em <3pmcf)gebiet il)(tten bon feinen j}'ad)genoffcn rangft anedannt, unb auclj bie Iiterardritifcf)e Wertung ber <3timmenicf)eiilung l)atte auf bcm getll1aniftifd)en @enict faft alfgemeine Wilr~ bigung un'o @eftung gefunilen. /I :;Sm ~ellen ~eftament beg ann <3iebers feine Unterjucf)ungen mit ben il5uftota!btiefen. Wie unfet Wert fagt, fteUte et feft: "ilic mticfe an ~imotljens unb stitus tueiien eine B'dauptftimme auf, bie ltelien (mbern buret) bie l)tei mtiefe f)in'ourc!)gel)t. /I ~§ loar bies ~hllto 1917. ~cf)t :;Saljre f~ater fteUte er Unterfud)ungen an mit bet Dffenbarung <3t. :;)'o9annis unb urteiItc, bie <3timme bes i'je'6ebaiDm :;Sol)annes jei barin nid)t bOtljanDen. lJCad) feinet 2Jleinung iit eg ber ~reglil)tet :;Soljunnes, 'ocr I)iet alS lll:e'oaftor gebient !Jat. 5I)iefe mt;tljijd)e ~erfon tuirb bon H)l1t aud) aIS !Rebaftot beg bierten ~bangeTiums gebacf)t. <3iebers mcint, ber \\!resut;±et :;Soljannes ljane bas Urebangelium bes i'jeoebaiilen :;Soljannes t)ineingearlidtet in bie <3cf)ttft, bie uns iett im bicrten ~bangelium bor\tegt. <3ptitet ~at <3ie\)er~ bann auclj ilie anbern ~\Jan\1enen 714 Book Review. -~itetatut. untetfu~t. ~m ~atfullebangeIium ift ell iqm, lDie et henft, ge!ungen, hie fo,," genannten tlenflDUthigfeiten hes !l\ettull betmilge het S~ananaIl)fe qetaUs3u. f~iUen. ~n ben fl)no.ptif~en ~bangeIien qat et 3aqIrei~e ~ullf.prU~e gefunhen, hie feines ~ra~tenll bon hem ~.pofteI ~oqannell qettUqren. ~benfo Hifit fi~, IDk er unll berfi~ert, bie Stimme bes ~afobus im ~atfullebangeIium etfennen. ~m bietien ~bangeIium qilren lDir na~ Siebers' i)'eftfteUungen untet anbern ben ~.pofteI ~nbreas, im ~ufasebangelium ben tliafonen lllqili.p.pus. Unh fo geqt es lDeiter. tlem ~efet lDitb es au~ oqne lDeitm ~inaeIqeiten f~on f~'lDinblig genug fein, unb lDit filnnen abbte~en. !illenn nun in gtofiem ~tftaunen geftagt lDitb: !illas ift benn SieberS' ~etqohe1 fo Hiflt fi~ bas ni~t futa unb einfa~ beantlDotten. Dr. ~mmias faot (15. 5): II~~ betone ausbtUcm~, bafl i~ mit bie ·~etqoben ber mangfor. f~ung ni~t 9abe aneignen filnnen. ~mmet9in fonnte i~ mit bie .I1enntniffe bet. jenigen .I1onttoUmitteI, bie nu~ bem ~aien 3ugiingIidj finb, namenUi~ bie ~otorit ber Stimmen mittelll bet lSinbefurben (na~ iqtem ~rfinbet lSeding • .I1Utben ge. nannt), nadj unb na~ 3ugiingIidj ma~en, fo bafi idj burdj fottgefettell ftben einiget lDenigen, befonbets matfanten Stimmen, fUt beten ftimmfreie !illiebergabe bie Bjanb9abung bet o.ptifdjen SignaIe nidjt unbebingt notlDenbig ift, mit ein eigenes UtieU batUbet 9abe bUben filnnen, bafl eine beftimmte unb feine anbete Stimme an einet au .ptUfenben SteUe tebet. lSeif.pierslDeife finb bie Stimmen bes ~Ungets unb bes !l\tellbl)tetS, abgefe9en bom Sad)inqaIt, nidjt f~lDet au unterfdjeiben. SDie Stimme bell ~Ungerll ~oqannell 3ei~net fidj hurdj befonbetll einbrudllboUe unb anf~aulidje ~otorif aull. ~an fann fie aiemIi~ ftimmfrei f.predjen, lDenn man fie mit einet lSelDegung beiber Bjiinbe begIeitet, bie mit em.porgefttedten SDaumen aUfbogenb aufeinanber au belDegt lDetben unb bann nadj aUfien bogenb benfdben !illeg auriidgegen. SDiefe etlDa einen tomanif~en lSogen batfteUenben .I1urben betfidjtbaten ben t9lJt9mifdjen i)'Iufi bet !Rebe./I tlem ~efer lDitb bie Sadje ttot biefer ~tWitung immer no~ te~t bUftet fein. !illet lDeiter in biefe @eqeimniffe einbtingen lDiU, mUfi fidj hie einfdjIiigigen Sdjtiften -unb befonhets au~ bie bodiegenbe -anf~affen. 09ne .8ilgern geben 1Db: au, bafl, lDenn aUes qier aIll etlDief en BjingefteUte oqne lDeitetes angenommen lDerben filnnte, man bie ~ilfung bidet i)'tagen in Bjiinben qiitte. mom S~Iufi bes ~atfusebangeIiumll aum lSeif.pieI betfi~ett uns bet merfaffer: /I~t ift nidjt bon ~atfull gef~tieben, abet et ent9iiIt edjtes a.po. ftoIif~es @ut. ~ll teben in iqm ~oqannes unb !l\ettull./I (15.117.) tlie in ben Ietten fUnfaig ~a9ten fo oft lDiebet90Ite lSe9au.ptung, ell qabe bot ber ~bfaffung unfetet ~bangeIien eine SammIung bon ~usf.ptUdjen ~~fu beftanben, bie man jett mit bem lSu~ftaben L (~ogia) obet Q (OueUe) beaeidjnet, lDitb aIs unqaItbat betlDotfen. lI~ine eingeUlidje fdjtiftn~e ~ogienqueUe (Q) qat ell nie gegeben. tlie S.ptUdje ~~fu finb teUs aull ben otiginaI.gtiedjifd)en OueUen bon lllettus unb ~oqannell entnommen, teUs aull OueUen, lDeIcr,e bie S.prU~e aus bem ~tamiiif~en inll @riedjif~e Ubetfett qaben. tlamit ift D. tlalmanll metmutung beftiitigt, bafl ball iiItefte ~tiftridje S~tiftlDetf botneqmIidj in gtie~ifdjet S.pra~e berfafit fei./I (15.123 f.) IItlie UrUbedieferung ift lDebet gana aramiiif~ no~ gana gtiedjif~./I (15.127.) Dr. ~eremias fommt au bem S~lufl: IItlie lSeqau.ptung, bafi hie ~ban. geIien bes ~attqiiull, ~atfus unb ~ufas nt~t bon ~Ungern ~~fu, au~, ni~t bon ~ngeqiltigen ber Urgemeinbe ftammen, fonbern ,OueUen aull 3IDeiter Bjanb' finb, ift aufaugeben. tlie .I1rangfotf~ung 9at ben a.pofto!if~en Urf.prung bet OueUen, bie unfern bier ~bangelien augrunbe Iiegen, mit einleu~tenbet @elDtfl. geit in bas m~t gefteUt./I (15.139.) Book Review. -l3itetntur. 715 :iDie \lnnae l5d)tift 3eugt bon \lto~er @e!efJrfnmfeit unb bon fJin\lebenber mer~ fenhtng in bie befJnnbert !JJ1aterie. 'illirb bie !JJ1etfJobe bet l5d)nrrnnnl~fe jid) aU~ miiWel) butel)ieten? 'illit glaulien niel)t. l5elbft aUllclleben, 'oa~ jie nicf)t gnn3 unlitauel)liar ift, fo llJcrben boel) nael) unfercr ftbctacugunll bie [tgebnijfe, au benm ber l5el)a!lanal~tifcr ge1nngt, immct mel)t obct llJenigct iubjeftiben \l:fJnrnfter tragen. Dr. :;Seremias bctid)tet (15.2 f.), ba~ es [buarb l5iebers feineqeit nid)t Ile!ang, einen bon mc(jmann borllelegten :tq;t, beffen berfd)iebene OueUen nut bem le(jteren liefannt maren, befriebigmb in feine mefinnbteile 3U 3edegen. \}reUid) ljat l5iebers biefes merfnllen feitter 9J1etljobe burd) bie befonDcren in Diefem \}aU olilnaltcnben Umftiinbe au etfliiten berfud)tj nber bie mciiten \}orfd)er fteljen nae!) luie bot biefen Unterfud)mtgen fklltifd) gegeniilier. Q'l.lit frcuen uns, ban mit auel) D~nc l5d)a!lana!~fc in ba.iJ icf)iine mefenntnis DCS l!.lerfaffers, momit ct feine 'ttlif)unb!ung fclj!ie~t, einftimmcn Wniten: ,,:iDie '\(irely ift etbaut aUf oem @runb ber !j.\rojJljeten unb ~ljJofte!, ba ;;s[fus \l:ljrifhtil ber l5d)hlf3ftein ift.1I ([jJ~. 2, 20.) 'ill. 'tl t n b t. The Truth Which Makes Us Free. By Martin S. Sommer. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo. 106 pages. Price, 60 cts. This book, the foreword says, is not a substitute for the Bible. And the publishers' announcement declares : "No book can take the placc of a faithful pastor." I would add: Nor can any book on the market take the place of the Catechism as a text-book for the instruction of con­firmands, be they eighth-graders or adults. Nor does this book aim to do that. But after the faithful pastor, on the basis of the divine Word and at the hand of the Catechism, has instructed his class of catechumens, does he not feel the need of a brief, simple, yet comprehensive exposition of Christian truth in printed form to impress the spoken word and to recall it when necessary? That this need is felt is proved by the many requests for such a booklet. Professor Sommer has done pastors a distinct service in offering them this book, which, in simple language, in a clear, interesting manner, sets forth the fundamentals o.f our Christian faith, "God's direction for the life which pleases Him and thus frees us from error, delusio.n, and perplexity." That the (to. us) simplest truths are treated as well as the more difficult is commendable, though it has been criticized. One reviewer thinks that children confirmed in o.ur Church should, after all, know that Adam and Eve were the first man and the first woman whom God created (chap. XII, "Concerning God and Crea­tion"). I do not know how much pastoral experience that reviewer had, if any; every pastor knows that one of the chief dangers threatening our youth to-day is doubt o.f the reliability of the Bible, and that usually begins with the creation story. The truth cannot be stated too. o.ften nor too. emphatically. That, as another reviewer has it, "the author lets fly a Missourian dart or arrow against lodges and the :NIasonic Order o.n the last page" is only an added recommendation. THEo.. HOYER. The Gospel of St. John. By Paul Harrison, jJ1. D. Grand Rapids, Mich. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 1932. 166 pages, 4l;2X6% .. Price, $1.25. This book is conectly characterized, in its subtitle, as "Meditat.ions of a Layman," for it is not a commentary of the customary kind, but a book o.f edifying reflections o.n the outstanding thoughts of the fourth gospel. 716 Book Review. -~iteratur. It is the work of a Christian physician who has, on the whole, caught the spirit of this spiritual book. There are a few weak spots in the book, ali when the author says, p. 128: "He [Jesus] did not seek the fonnulation of exact creeds," whereas the Lord repeatedly asked for a definite declara­tion and confession on the part of His disciples and commended Peter for setting forth His deity with such unequivocal words. The thoughts of the book sometimes flow at random or are suggested only remotely by the context, as on page 25, where the statement is found that Christ was not looking for an opportunity to preach, whereas this is the first activity that is reported of Him after the beginning of His publio ministry, Mark 1,14. 15. A few sections, as in chap. 9, verge on the blasphemous, and the author's conception of Christ is not in keeping with the Biblical teaching. -But the book also abounds in splendid paragraphs and sen­tences, as when the author writes, p. 130: ".Au effort to bring eternal life to men by means of wanner clothes or better food, more comfortable houses, or a more extended education would have seemed to Him insanity, utterly at variance with God's truth and will. . .• We are keen to bring to the service of the Kingdom all the resources of scientific knowledge. We imagine tha,t the first step in proclaiming the good news of Christ is to make the message philosophically reasonable. Christ wasted no time trying to make His message reasonable. He made not the slightest effort to bring to its support the resources of human knowledge. He presented a message straight from God. Far from mixing it for expediency's sake with the science and the philosophy of the day, nothing gave Him more concern than keeping it absolutely uncontaminated by such elements." One is tempted to quote larger sections, for the book abounds in such reflections. Such parts may prove to every Bible student a most welcome antidote to the flabby, oratorical sentimentality of our day. It is encour­aging to know that others are fighting the social theology of Modernism. P. E. KBETzMANN. Ten :Burning Questions. By WilZiam B. Riley, M . .4.., D. D. Fleming H. Revell Company, New York. 200 pages, 5X7l;2. Price, $1.50. In this book these questions are treated: Is the Bible a Human or a Divine Book? The Old vs. the New Faith, or, Why Fundamentalism? Shall It Be Theological Liberty or License? What of the Church after Nineteen Hundred Years? Humanism -Is It Also and Only Heathenism? Is Twentieth-century Society Rotting? Shall the United States Reenthrone King Barleycorn? Shall Affinities and Free Love Displace the Family? Shall It Be Christianity or Communism? Are World Governments Doomed? What Redemption? The following statements show the conservative re­ligious position of the author, which in these times of indifferentism and apostasy is very refreshing: "The age-old question is, Who wrote the Bible? Two millenniums ago Peter answered it, and up to this good hour 110 man has marked improvement upon that reply. God the Holy Ghost is the one and only Author. It is a book having many authors in it, but only one Author of it. If you looked into the word Paul used to express the original source of the Bible, you would find it reading, 'Every Scrip­ture is God-inspired.''' "The old faith holds the universe to be a divine Book Review. -~itcratur. 717 creation. It accepts without controversy the opening statement of Gen­esis: 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.''' "The old faith receives the Bible as a divine revelation. It doesn't hold that 'the Scriptures contain the Word of God,' but rather that the Scriptures are the 'Vord of God.''' "The old faith claims a religion of outright super­naturalism. It not only holds that the universe is the product of God's thought, the material answer to His will and 'Vord, but it holds that life is alone from Him, and consequently it is a supernatural thing. It holds that the Old Testament was supernaturally inspired by the Holy Spirit; that Jesus, the Babe of Bethlehem, was supernaturally begotten, born of a virgin, God manifest in the flesh; that supernaturalism char­acterized His works and His words, His death, resurrection, and His ascension; that man's redemption is the supernatural product of His shed blood and man's final salvation and glorification is the plan of His super­natural grace." "Some have supposed the object of the Fundamentalist movement was bolstering the Bible. Not at all! The Bible needs no bolstering. It is its own defense. The internal eyidences of its inspira­tion are unanswerable; the external proofs of its yeracity multiply daily. It has stood on its own feet for millenniums and was never so well estab­lished as now. The British and Foreign Bible Society deela.red the sale of Scriptures in 1929 exceeded that of any previous year of history. The opposition to the Bible is futile; the rage against its revelations is im-· potent. A granite mountain would be far more easily shaken or moved from its base than would this sacred Book." "Strange, to say the least, that to this hour neither one historic nor one ethical or moral mistake has been discovered in the Bible." "The children of no generation have ever been menaced in mind or morals as those of this day are being menaced. If such books as The Early History at Man, The l'ree-dwellers, and The Later Gave-men -wild fancies palmed off as facts -continuc in our public schools, exploited by false statements of false teachers, we will produce a generation who believe themselves to be beasts in the process of evolution, and we will reap the bestial results." "America has long borne the reputation of being a 'Christian land,' but modern educa­tion and modern social conditions are combining to change that reputa­tion as rapidly and as radically as Russia has accomplished it." -With the author's idea of "God's millennium" we cannot agree nor with his idea of national prohibition. We do not wish the legalized saloon back, and we also appreciate any effort made in the right direction and in the right way for the curbing of drunkenness, but we do not and cannot ap­prove of the attitude of a large number of sectarian church-bodies; these have been promoting and supporting the Eighteenth Amendment because they would reform man with a policeman's club instead of regenerating the sinner by means of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. -vVe recommend Dr. Riley's book to our pastors because of its stimulating influence ap­plied to the present very serious situation in our country and in fact throughout the entire world -economic, social, political, religious. We believe that the present revolutionary conditions in the world are not being sufficiently studied from a viewpoint of the Church's opportunity and responsibility. JOHN H. C. FRITZ. 718 Book Review. -£itetatut. 'The Climax of Revelation. By Julian Scales Sibley, A. B., B. D., Min­ister, First Presbyterian Church, Shelbyville, Tenn. Fleming H. Revell Co., New York. 175 pages, 5%X7%,. Price, $1.50. Books like the present volume clearly indicate that the absolute sway ,of Modernism in sectarian circles is on the decline, for here again a rep­resentative of orthodox Presbyterianism expounds in unmistakable terms the tenets which were all but swept away by the deluge of rationalism. The book consists of eleven addresses, which center in the basic theme that Jesus is the Christ, the only Redeemer of sinful mankind. While the reviewer would not subscribe to every statement in the book, -the author avoids the distinctive Calvinistic doctrines, -he was delighted to read the fine Gospel testimonies set forth throughout the volume. To mention just one: "Christ did not come to be only a teacher of a new morality or a founder of new ceremonies, as some have vainly asserted. ,He left heaven and dwelt for thirty-three years on earth for higher ends than these. He came to procure eternal life for man by the price of His own vicarious death. He came to be a mighty fountain of spiritual life for all mankind, to whieh sinners coming by faith might drink, and drinking, might live forevermore. By Moses came laws, rules, ordinances, ceremonies. By Christ came grace, truth, and eternal life" (p. 170). The apologetic value of the book lies in its consistent refutation of the lies of Modernism through direct Biblical testimony. J. T. MUELLER. 1. [l5a~ fort: bit ~~fu~ Iiebcuten? 2. @i\it e~ cin iYortfc6en nadj bem S::obe? 3. [l5atum fdjlueigt @ott tjum ~ilfcn? mon iY tit fill it e 1, ~ban~ geHft bet fillid)ern~meteinigung. Iftgcntut bes ffiau~en &';)auies, ®. m. v. &';)., &,;)amburg. ~tets:;;se M .. 25. :In biefen brei Heinen, jc cHua gtuBff 5eiten ftaden fdcften finben tuir hiiftiee ~1\llle[(e, bie tuicl)tigefillal)r~eiten in bie &';)cqcu ~tneinbtiic!en tuollen. 5l)ic 511tac9C ift milgIid)ft einfad). SDet 5tanbllunft ift bet bibIifcge. SDie 5c9tift lI~a~ foll bit ;;s~fus bebeuten1/i ljiitte me~t ®etuic9t aUf bie satisfactio vicaria regen follen. &,;)iet unb ba ift ein lftusfllruc9 ettuas berfiinglic9. SDoc9 ift es etfreulic9l bail fofc9C 5c9riften erfc9cinen unb berbreitet ltJetben. Ol)ne .(3tueifef ftiften fie trot einiger 9Jcangef bier ®utes. ~. 1ft r n b t. 'The Way of a Man with a Maid. -Sermons by Ola1"ence E. Maca1"tney. Cokesbury Press, 1931. 176 pages, 8X51h. Price, $1.50. While tIw author, contrary to Matt. 19,5 and 1 Cor. 7, 15, seems to hold that divorce is under a.ll circumstances prohibited, while in all his references to Christ's redemption not once the vicarious atonement is men· tioned, still a Lutheran pastor may perhaps profitably read these sermons for his preparation of sermons or talks before his societies. The author states the purpose of this book in his foreword as follows: "In these Sunday-evening sermons, dealing with men and women, husbands and wives, lovers and sweethearts, men who protected or betrayed, women who tempted or inspired, as they pass before us on the stage of the Bible, I endeavor to state the unchanging conditions of happiness and honor between man and wonlan," The sermon on Jael amI Sisera is altogether unsatisfactory in the interpretation and application of the story as well as in the verdict on Book Review. -5.JUeratut. 719 ;the song of Deborah: "Then, a.nd what is repulsive to our feelings to-day, with a characteristic feminine note, Deborah, not content to rejoice over the death of the enemy of her country, gloats over the sorrow of Sisera's mother. . .. ,Judged by the standards of Christianity, Jael was a treach­erous murderess who violated the sacred laws of hospitality in order to accomplish the death of the Canaanitish captain." We were particularly impressed by the sermons on Ruth and Boaz and on Joseph and Potiphar's wife. We quote a passage from the latter in 'order to acquaint our readers with Macartney's style: "He had lost his coat of many colors stripped from him by his brothers, and the coat which ,Potiphar had given him he left in the hands of Potiphar's wife, only to be used against him to prove his wickedness and infidelity. But 1l0W Joseph is to have another coat. The angels of heaven are weaving it for him. Alld what a coat it is! Through its fabric there runs the red strand of sacrifice, the blue of hOllOI', the purple of the favor of God and man, and the gold of fadeless glory. Put it on, Joseph, and wear it forever! Wear it, so that, even as thy cruel brothers saw the coat of many colors flaming afar off on the plains of Dothan, thy brethrell to-day, young men of thy .age, of thy temptations, of thy grace and charm, may see it afar off alld be helped and warned thereby! Walk in thy wondrous robe down the aisles of onr church this night, Joseph, and display that coat which the angels made for thee in prison!" T. LAETscH . .statistical Year-Book of the Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States for the Year 1931. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo. 210 pages, 5%X812. Price, $1.00. It would seem a matter of routille to refer to the appearance of this 'annual publication, whose value the Delegate Synod of this year has ap­preciated by expressly continuing its publication as an annual. But the gathering of the statistics and the information here offered Tepresents a really prodigious amount of painstaking labor, and the statistician of Synod, the Rev. E. Eckhardt, is to be congratulated upon the high mark to which his work has attained. The book is indispensable to all those who desire informatioll on any phase of the Missoul'i SYllod in the statis­tical field. Not only are the customary Presidents' reports givell in a thoroughly adequate fashion, not only are complete parochial reports offered in an amazing percentag'e of completeness, but there is informa­tion on the language of the services throughout our Church, the age alld years of service of pastors and teachers. the various missions con­ducted by Synod, the educational and charitable illstitutions conducted withill Synod, both the synodical and the private schools being duly rep­resented, and there are many other interesting alld valuable data. "Va have every reason to thank the Lord of the Church for the abundant blessillgs which He shed upon us also in the year 1931. P. E. KRETZ MANN. BOOKS RECEIVED. j/'rom Oonc01'dia P1lbli.sh ing H 01lse, St. Louis, Mo.: -Congregational Board of Education. Suggestions for Meetings. Rules and Regulations. Published under the Auspices of the Board of Edu­cation of the Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States by A. O. Stellho1'1L 16 pages, 312X512. Price, 6 cts. 720 Book Review. -S3iteratur. Curriculum in Art for Lutheran Schools. Prepared under the" Direction of the Curriculum Committee of the Board of Christian Edu­cation of the Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States by Emil Definer and Arthur E. Diesing, M. A. 47 pages, 8XlO%. Price, 50 cts. Sing I A Song Service Featuring Hymns by Great Lutheran Hymn­writers for Congregation, Choir, and Children's Chorus. 6 pages, 6 X 9. Price, 5 ets.; dozen, 30 cts., and postage; lOO, $2.00, and postage. Concordia Collection of Sacred Choruses and Anthems for More Ambitious Organizations. No.20: My Soul Longeth. Mixed chorus. Soprano solo. 4 pages, 7Xl1. No.2l: Pentecost. Mixed chorus. No. 22: In Lowly Manger. Mixed chorus. No.23: At the Cross. Mixcd chorus. By Matthew N. Lundquist. 3 pages, 7Xll. Price, 15 cts. each. The Seminary Edition of Choruses and Quartets, Classical and Modern, for Male Voices. Edited by Walter Wismar. No. 14: Lord Jesus, Who Dost Love Me. By Matthew N. Lundquist. 1 page, 7Xll. Price, 10 cts. The Male Church-Choir. By J. C. Wohlfeil. 14 pages, 7XIO%. Price, 30 cts. Chorale Anthology. :For children's or female chorus, with organ accompaniment. Compiled and arranged by Herm. M. Hahn. 48 pages, 10%X7%. Price, $1.25 . .8eitfdjrift fur fIJftematifdje ~ijeJJlogic. &jernusgegeben bon ~ a t1 6 tan g e, ~ a u r ~ I t ~ au s, ~. &j i r f dj unO anbetn. ~erteIsmann, ®iltetSlD~. 10. ~al)r~ gang; 1. mierte1jn~ts~cft, 200 6eiten. :totften ~o~Un (Utlfafa): "stlie 6e1bfb be3eullunll ®ottes"; l\'etb. oRattenbufdj (&jane): "stlie biet l\'ormen bes iRedjtfcrti" gungsllebanfens" ;\}riein:. straub (:tiloingen): ,,(\'denntniSfttttf cfJe l\'ragen 3U &jeims ,01aube unbstlenfen'''; ~bm, 6d)1inf: "Sum 18egtiff bes :teleologifdjen. unb feiner augenbIidHd)en 18ebeututlg filt bie :t~eofogtell; ~atl 6djneiber (iRtga): ,,~fi)cfJofogifdje ~~egefe"; :;So~. &jemtlef (®iittingen): ,,6ilnbe unb Offenbatun\l. nadj aft" uno neuteftamentHcf)er ~tlfdjauung"; ein\lefallbte S3itetatnr. 9teue fitdjHdJ'e .8eitfdJtift. &jerausgegeoen bon :t~. b. S a ~ n, l\'. me it, S3. ~ I) mel S unb anbetn. stleicfJett, S3eilJaill. 43. ~al)rgang; 6. &jeff, 64 6eUen. ?ill. SiUtnger: "stlag ~1te unb ball ~leue steftament in ®octl)es S3ebcn unb?illetf"; oR. l\'riir: "stlte ®efensbeftilttlttnng bell ~at1Joli3gmus unter bet (\,inttlh:fung bes &jegelf cfJen :;Sbealislttus"; ~. ~etgbolt: ,,{jeitf d)riftcn,iRunbfdjau." ~ijeJJrJJgie bet QlegcnltJad. &jerausgeg.eben bon ~. ~ e t I) I O. ~ b e r ~ arb, ®. ~ i dj to b t unb anbetn. stleidjett, S3eiNtg. 26. :;'lal)rganll; 6. &jeft, 20 6eb ten. Otto ~bet~al'b: ,,~leuerfd)cinungen aUf bem 0cbiet ber ~iii:lagogif." Please Take Notice. Kindly consult the address label on this paper to ascertain whether your subscription has expired or will soon expire. "Sept 32" on the label means that your subscription has ex­pired. Please pay your agent or the Publisher promptly in order to avoid interruption of service. It takes about two weeks before the address label can show change of address or acknowledgment of remittance. When paying your subscription, please mention name of pub­lication desired and exact name and address (both old and new, if change of address is requested). CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE, St. Louis, Mo.