Full Text for CTM Miscellanea 4-12 (Text)

loflWl, Art. ~ If the trumpet live an UDcertain IOUDd. who .h:lll prepare hlDUleif to the battle t 1 OM. ~.8. Published for the Ev. Luth. Synod of lttissouri, OhiO, and Other States CONCORDIA. PUBLlSHIN'G HOUSE, St. Louis, Mo. Miscellanea. 935 Accept Him who comes to us as the Lord of hosts, the Messenger of the Oovenant, the Purifier of His people, Rev. '7, 14; Titus 2,12. Then we need not fear His coming to Judgment, but: Titus 2, 13 ; Luke 21, 28. This is most certainly true; for thus says the Lord of hosts, the 1'Iessenger of the Oovenant, the Purifier of His people, the Judge of the world: v. 6. T. L. Miscellanea. ~iue bendjten~luerle Stimme nuB S)eutfdjlnub. ~ie firdjIidjen morgiinge unb (freigniffe in ;3)eu±fdjlanb briingen fidj fo aufeinanber, baB man faum mit i~nen @:ldjritt ~aIten fann, audj tuenn man regefmiiBig 3uberIiiHige faeridj±e er~iiIt unb Heft. (f~ ift f djtuer, aUf oeidjriinfiem maum ein einigermaBen berf±iinbIidjc~ unb bo[ftiinbige~ faUb bon ben morgiingen 3U enttuerfen. ~ie Wrtifel in ben l'irdjIidjen faliittern unb 2ei±fdjrif±en finb 3a~IIo~; baou fommen iSlugfdjriften auf iSlug~ fdjtiften, bie bon ben berfdjiebenen @:ltanbpunfien aui3 bie firdjHdje 2age .6el)anbeln. Woer HiroHdj erfc~ien ein ~rrtifeI (in ber @:lcptemoernummet ;:'ct ,,:t~eorogifdjen R:lli:itter" in 2eiiJoig) bon llSrof. &;>ermann @:laffe in (fr~ langen, bem fTeiBigen 1mb gefdjicHm .l;?erauBgeoer be§ oefannien "Sl:irdj~ Iidjen ~'{l~roudj§u, bet liefonber§ lieadjten§tnett erfdjeint. ;3)et merfaffet l)at in freunbIidjet lffieife perfi.inHdj i~n un~ ilugefanbt. @r iff lie±iteIt ,,~ie beu±fdje Union bon 1933" unb ±tiff± bie @:ladje. lIDit teilen einige Wlifii~e baraui3 mit, ba bie @:ladje liefonbet~ liebeutfam unb lDidjtig erfdjein± unb tnit bet f8mr±eiIul1g bet morgiinge nm: oUftimmen fEnnen. ;3)er ~rttifer lieginn± mit biefen lffior±en: ,,;3)er 11. ~uIi 1933 tnirb tn ber (frinnerung fiJi:i±eret @efdjledj±et aI§ einet ber bunfeIften :tage tn ber @efdjidj±e be5 2ut~et±um~ fortIelien. ;3)enn an biefem ~age ~alien bie faifdjofe bet ru±l)e~ rifdjen 2anbe§fitdjen ;3)eu±fdjIanM ein ;3)ommen± unteraeidjnet, ba§, tuenn feine @ebanfen fonfequent burdjgefiil)r± tnerben, ba;ll @nbe ber ebangeIifdjen ~irdje Wug~liurgifcljer Sl:onfefflon im beu±fdjen 2anbeMitdjentum liebeuten muB. (fine @n±l1JiclIung, bie mit bet bet~i:ingni~bo[en ~uoeIfeier bet ffie~ formation im ~al)re 1817 liegann unb bie bon ben lu±l)etifdjen SHtdjen SEleu±fdjlanM ein ~al)t~unbcrt lang djaraftetbo[ liefi:iU1jJj't tuorben ift, fjat bamit i~ten borIiiujigen 2rlifdjIuB gefunben. SElie Union ift aUf lJa5 ge~ famte meidj5geliiet atl~gebe~nt tuorben. ;3)enn nidjg anbete~ aHl cine Union ift bie @inigung, bte je~t atuifcljen ben Iut~etifdjen, reformierten unb unieden SWtdjen aUftanbe gdonunen ift. lIDenn am 10. lllobemliet bet 450. @eliurgtag bei3 beutfdjen meformatot~ mit unetfjortem @Iana gefeiert tnirb, tuie man e§ liealifidjtigt, bann fonnte e~ fein, baB bie @locfen biefe5 iSef±tag~ bte @:lterlieglocfen ber Iutfjetifdjen ~itc~e tn ~e1ttfdjlanb finb./I msei±et unten ~etnt e~ bann in bem Wttife!: ,,;3)ie lu±fjettfdjen ~irdjen finb, ol)ne msibetfprudj au et~elien, @Iieber einer ~irdje geroorben, bie nadj bem Haren unb unmi13betftiinbHdjen lIDortIau± be§ 7. WttHeHl bet Ilfuguftana teine S'Hrclje im @linne bet Iut~etifdjen meformation ift. @lie ~aben bamit in einet @ntfdjeibung;llftunbe bet ~itdjengefdjidjte i~r fae~ fenn±ni~ an einem gana tnefentlidjen llSUnfte iJtei~gegelien unb tuerben nun bie iSolgen biefet llSrei5gaoe tragen miiifcn." 936 Miscellanea. \lStof· 6riffe toeift fobann fdjlagenb nadj, bal3 Me fBeteinigung bet 2anbe~~ fitdjen in bet jetigen ~orm eine edjte Union unb bie neue ~itdje arfo eine Uniowfitdje ift. '@'it befiniett ben ?Segriff "Union" mit bem befannten ~itdjenqiftorifet ~nbett .\)aud' fo: "mtdjtidje Union ift bie lBeteinigung lonfeffionell geitenntet ~itdjen au einet fitdjtidjen @emeinfdjaft oqne 2BedjfeI bet fonfeffionellen iibetaeugungen"; 1) unb biefe SElefinition unb ebenfo jebe anbete, bie man geben fonnte, itifft au auf ben neuen 8ufammenfdjluf3 bet beutfdjen mtdjen. SElenn in bet \lStiiambeI obet @'iinleitung aUt neuen fitdjtidjen fBetfaffung qeif3t e~: ,,~n bet @5tunbe, ba @ott unfet beutfdjes fBoIf eine gto13e gefdjidjtIidje 2Benbe etfeben Iii13t, betbinben fidj bie beutfdjen ebangetifdjen mtdjen in ~ottfUqtUng unb fBollenbung bet butdj ben SEleut~ fdjen @'ibangeIifdjen SHtdjenbunb eingeIeiteten @'iinigung au einet einigen SEleutfdjen @'ibangeIifdjen ~itdje. @5ie beteinigt bie au~ bet !Reformation etlDadjfenen gIeidjbetedjtigt nebeneinanbetfteqenben ?Sefenntniffe 2) in einem feietfidjen ?Sunbe unb beaeugt babutdj: , @'i i n 2ew unb e in @eift, e i n .\)@'itt, e i n @Iaube, e in e 5taufe, e in @ott unb fBatet unfet allet, bet ba ift wet allen unb butdj aIle unb in allen.' II SElie neue mtdje ift eine edjte Unionsfitdje audj be~qaIb, lDei! Me ein~ aeInen 2anbe~fitdjen, benen man ben ~amen ~itdje geIaffen qat, e~ eigent~ tidj nidjt meqt finb. @5ie finb tatfiidjIidJ nut nodj mtdjenptobinaen mit einet befdjtiinften @5elbfHinbigfeit; fie befiten feine ~utonomie me!}t; fie muffen e~ fidj gefallen laifen, ba13 iqnen bie !Ridjtlinien fiit bie lBetfaffung botgefdjrieben toetben. @5aife fagt: "mdjt einmaI ba~ eIementatfte !Redjt einet fitdjIidjen @emeinfdjaft, b~ !Redjt, iqte obetften Wmt~itiiget ftei unb oqne ftembe ?Seeinf!uffung au lDiiqIen, ift iqnen gebIieben"; benn ~ qeif3t in bet neuen mtdjenbetfaffung au~btud'Iidj: ,,@'iine ?Setufung fii9~ tenbet ~mt~ttiiget bet 2anbe~fitdjen etfoIgt nadj ~uqIungnaqme mit bet SEleutfdjen @'ibangeIifdjen mtdje." Unb feine 2anbe~fitdje !}at meqt b~ !Redjt, iqte 8ugeqotigfeit au biefet allgemeinen ~itdje aufaugeben, lDenn fie 2anbesfitdje bIeiben Will. SEle~qaIb finbet fidj audj bei Mefet neuen mtdje ~ ~erlmaI febet Uniowfitdje, baf3 niimIidj b~ ?Sefenntni~ fUt fie bieI geringete ?Sebeutung befit! ars Me fBetfaffung. SElie fBetfaffung ift b~ einaig toitfIidje @'iin~ l}eit~banb. \lStof. @5affe toeift nadj, baj3 bie 2eqtbetpf!idjtung bet \lSteMget jett illietall ba~ toetben toitb, tDa~ fie bisqet fdjon in aal}Iteidjen 2anbe~~ fitdjen lDat, niimIidj eine nidjt~fagenbe 8etemonie, bei bet fidj jebet benfen fann, to~ et Will. SElie SElienet bet ~itdje in lutqetifdjen @ebie±en lDet~ ben aUf Me ~ug~butgifdje ~onfeffion betpfIidjtet, in beten 7. ~ttifel, "fBon bet mtdje", e~ qeif3t, baj3 "au lDaqtet @'iinigfeit bet djriftlidjen ~itdje genug ift, baj3 ba einitiidjtigIidj nadj teinem fBetftanb ~ @'ibangeltum gepteMgt unb bie @5aftamente bem gottIidjen ~ott gem(if3 geteidjt toetben". SElie @'iinqeit bet mtdje betuqt auf bet @'iinijeit bet 2eqte, unb b~ ?Se~ fenntni~ betlDitft bann in ben einaeInen ~ttifeIn biejenigen, fo anbet~ qaUen obet anbet~ Ieqten, "improbant secus docentes". ~et in bet neuen !Reidj~fitdje toetben Me fitdjIidjen ~mt~itiiget augleidj auf Me neue lBet~ faffung betpfIidjtet unb mUffen bamit befennen, baf3 foldje lBetlDetfung bet ~nbet~Ie!}tenben grunbfiitIidj falfdj ift, lDei! ja aIle ,,~ bet !Reformation 1) 9'tealenalJfIojJlibie fiU: jJtoteftanttfdje i:ljeologte unb mtdje, 20. 253. 2) ~Ufo ba9 Iutljetifdje !8efenntt$ unb ba~ tefotnrlette !8efenntni~. 2.3. Miscellanea. 937 crruacljjenen )Befenntniffe" gleicljoerecljtigt finb unb gIeicljoerecljtigt neoen~ einanber fteljen. jjSrof. @5affe ljeot auclj mit ffieclj± ljerbor, bafj burclj bie neue lUerfaffung taifacljIiclj eine s.;,ierarcljie, ba~ ~apfttum, in ber ebangeIifcljen Sl'irclje auf~ gericljiet ift. ~~ ljeij3i in ber neuen lUerfaffung bon bem ffieiclj~oifcljof, ber an ber @5pite bet ganaen Sl'itclje fteljen forr: "Sl)et ffieiclj~oifcljof ljat b~ fficcljt, jebe geiftIiclje 2I:mti3ljanbIung borouneljmen, infonberljeit au prebigen, Sl'unbgeoungen im Wamen ber beuifcljen ebangeHfcljen ,~irclje 3u etIaffen unb auj3erorbentIiclje )Buj3~ unb ~eftgo±±e~bienf±e anauorbnen." "lffia~ ift ljier", fragt ~rof. @5affe, "au~ bem fu±ljerifcljen )Bifcljof~ami getoorben ~" "lffia~ filt cine lUorrmacljt! ~~ giOt nur e in 9Imt, ba~ mit Nefem au betgleicljen ift: ba~ 2I:mt be? romifcljen jjSapfte~ feU bent lUatican1l1n." linb ruenn man bann in ben SHrcljenofiittew Tieft, ruie bie 2anbe~oifcljofe bcrfaljren - mit ber lffialjI be~ ffieiclj?oifcljof~ ljat e? ia arrerfei @5cljlnierigfeiien gegefJen -, 1na~ filr @bHte fie erIaff en; ruenn man fieft, ruie e~ aUf ben @5lJnoben au~ geljt. ruie lminorHiiten bergeruartigt ruerben, fo muj3 man fagen, baf3 ruidIiclj ein neue~ jjSapftium in ber S1irdJc auffommt. \lIlir mocljten noclj manclje? anbere alr? bem frei11liitigen, bortrcffIicljen 2I:rtiM jjSrof. @5affe~ mi±±eHen, a.)B. bie mancljerlei ernften iJragen, bie er auftuirfi, ruoilen aocr fcljrteten mit feinen eigenen @5cljIutruorten: ,,~nbem toir jenc lYragen fterr±en, ruoIfien ruir niclj± ffagen ober anfiagen. lffienn h(J? beutfclje 21ttJ:jertum eine ~rllnage au erlic6en ljat, bana ljat e~ ftc gegen iiclj rdoft ilU ridjten. lUierljltnbert :;Saljrc ljat e~ bie !ScHeIn be~ @5±aat~~ fircljentum? geiragen unb ber rucItricljen Dorigl'eit eine l),nacljt in ber Sl'itclje dngeriium±. bie iljr naclj ber Beljre unferer Q3efenn±niffe niclj± aufommt. 2ruei ~aljrljunberie fang ljat e~ cine 5tljeologie gcbuIbet, ruefclje bie )Bot~ j'djaft ber ffiefj)~",,,~ion berfiilfcljen mutte. iilla? 11Jl113±en 1111r noclj bon bem 2Xrtifel ber ffiecljtferiigung, bCI11 articulus stantis et caclentis ecclcsiae? lffia? ruat aU? ben @5aframen±en geruorben? lffia~ mU13 au;:; dner eban~ geIifcljen Sl'irclje ruerben, in ber man nngeftraft bie 2I:ofcljaffung be~ mten ~eftameng - unb ba~ ljeifjt bie lx6edaffung ber s.;,eiIigen ®cljrift an bie ratljofifclje Sl'irclje - prebigcn barn lffiir ljaoen gefcljruiegen, ruo ruir ljiiiten reben forren. \lIlir ljaoen ,iJriebe, U:riebe!' gerufen, ruo rein iJr1ebe inar. ~un wmmt b~ ®ericlj±, unb inir miiffen un~ iljm oeugen. 2I:oer inbem ruir e~ aUf un~ neljmen, glaulJen ruir an ben, bon bem Butljer gefagt ljai: Occidendo vivificat unb ber auclj 3u einer fteroenben Sl'irclje fprecljen fann: ,lffiaclj auf, ber bu fcljIiifft, nnb ftelj aUf bon ben ~otcnl'" ~er un~ llriingt ficlj auclj dne ~ragc auf: jillail Melo± in biefer Bage bel1jenigen, Me aUf ®o±±e~ jillori unb aUf ba~ )Befenntnt0 ljar±m, iiorig? ~enn ba?, rua~ im erften 2I:rtifeI ber neuen lUerfaffung ag "unantaftoare @runblage ber Sl)eutfcljen ~bangenfcljen Sl'irclje" oeaeicljnet ift, l1iimIiclj "ba~ @bangefium bon :;S~fu~ @:ljriftu~, ruie e? un? in ber ~)eHigen @5cljr[ft oe~ seugt llnb in ben )Bdenntniffcn ber ffiefonnation nell an? 2icljt geire±en if±", ba!;; ift nllr eine jjSljrafe, bie id)on flingt, aber gemij30raucljt ruerbcn fann llnb gemi13orauclj± ruirb. jillir fagen: iJiir aUe, bie ruirfficlj @rnft macljen ruorren mit ®otte~ lffior± 1mb Butljer~ Eeljt', oIdot fcljIiej3Iiclj nur ein~ iiorig, unb ba~ iff ber lffieg in bie bom @5±aa±e unaoljiingige iJreHirclje. lffiir ruiffen, bat biefe @5aclje fcljon feljr ernftljaft erruogen ruorben ift unb noclj erruogen toirb. lffiir fennen auclj ettDa? bie grofjen @5cljruierig~ Mten, bie iiclj in ben lffieg fegen. Sl)a~ ift nicljt nur bie feU ~aljrljunberten 938 Miscellanea. liefteljenbe @:inridjtung ber 6taat~. unb 2anbe~firdjen, fonbern bor allem audj bie ~euroanbrung, bie iett im 6taate bor fidj geljt. s/)ie perfiinHdje fjreiljeit ift - fo fann man ttJoljI fagen - baljin. S/)er 6taat iff aIle~. S/)a~ 9tedjt ber iiffentridjen S\!orporationen ift in ber Umliifbung liegriffen. 6ellift bie riimifdje Sl!irdje mUll einen grollen ~eH iljr~ !Berein~ttJefe~ aufgelien. @tiillete fjreifirdjen - um bie fieineren, iett fdjon liefteljenben fjreifirdjen fiimmert man fidj ttJeiter nidjt - ttJiirben einem bollfommen neuen 9tedjt unterroorfen roerben. S/)er "totafe 6taat" trill an bie 6telle bet S/)emofratie. s/)ie~ aIl~ barf man in biefer 6adje nidjt a~ ben l2rugen laWen. Unfer !munfdj unb unfer @eliet fann nur fein, ball @ott allen, benen e~ um b~ ~efenntni~ ein roaljrer, ljeUiger @:rnft ift, redjte !me~. ljeU unb ljeiIigen mut gelien, Ujnen ben !meg ttJeifen, ben fie geljen foIlen, unb audj turmljolje 6djroierigfeiten iilierttJinben ljelfen roolle. 2. fj. Why Should Parents Attend Sunday-School? Under this heading Warren R. Ward, pastor of Westminster Pres- byterian Church, Philadelphia, whose Sunday-school attendance recently amounted to 1,182, of whom 419 were adults, pleads in a recent issue of the Sunday-soh.ool Times for greater cooperation between parents and teachers for the purpose of fostering the Sunday-school. Quoting the statement of a prominent Sunday-school leader: "The weakest point in our Sunday-school work to-day is the lack of vital, cooperative, active interest of the parents," he closes his plea with the words: "In the tre- mendous work of Christian education there should be the utmost co- operation between parents and teachers. Therefore parents should attend Sunday-school, breathe the atmosphere of this great work, know the prob- lems of the teachers, and join hands in carrying this burden. Parents who attend Sunday-school not only receive untold blessings for them- selves, but help share the vital responsibility of the Christian education of their own children." The following paragraphs, we believe, deserve wide publicity also in our own circles. Pastor Ward says: "Why should fathers and mothers attend Sunday-school? . .. Parents need the Sunday-school as much as the children. The average parent is lamentably ignorant of the Word of God. The Apostle Paul is quite up to date when he tells the Corinthians: 'And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither now are ye able,' 1 Cor. 3, 1. 2. The average parent to-day is a babe in knowledge of the Christian truth. The average child of twelve years, trained in an effective Sunday-school, knows more of the Bible and of its meaning than do its parents. Many parents have said to me, 'I wish I knew the Bible as well,_ and understood its meaning as well, as my child.' One of the catastrophes of modern church-work is the hindering influence of Bible- ignorant parents, who stand in the way of their own children and dis- courage them in their desire to unite with the Church on the ground that 'they do not understand what they are doing,' when these children under- stand far better than their own parents. One of the problems of modern home-life is found in the fact that the children of to-day are educated Miscellanea. 939 beyond their parents. But the problem becomes far more serious when parents do not keep pace with their children in Christian education and experience. Neglect or failure here is disastrous to the influence of the parents over their children. The average parents can and should keep ahead of their children in all matters pertaining to the Christian life and experience. Attendance of Sunday-school will help very much." Again: "When the Sunday-school was in its infancy, parents began to shift their responsibility for the Christian education of their own chil- dren to others. Parents sent their children to Sunday-school for religious training as they sent them to day-school for secular training, and they feel as little responsibilHy for one as for the other. This is a great error. When and where did God transfer the responsibility for Christian training from parents to others? Again, if parents are to be allowed to pass this great work over to others on the ground that others are better trained and more capable, they must not be allowed to increase the difficulties of this work and relieve themselves of the final responsibility for the Christian education of their children. The gTeatest problem of the Sunday- school is not the scholar, but the scholar's parents. Refusal to attend Sunday-school, together with carelessness and indifference on the part of parents, adds very much to the difficulties of the Sunday-school problem, A little thought along this line might he helpful to Christian parents. Why should parents ask other people to assume the responsibility of teaching their children and then put stumbling-blocks in the way of the work?" To a large extent the thoughts of the article apply also to our Christian day-schools and must be stressed in that relation with no less vigor than is done in Pastor Ward's plea. J. T. M. Why Hebrew? The cause for Hebrew is well stated in an editorial in Bibliotheca Sacra (XC, July, 1933): "Why Hebrew in the theological curriculum? vVell, why Latin in a course in botany or in the medical curriculum or Greek and German in a thorough course in philosophy? Because no one ever completely, not to say correctly, understands anything in a translation. The ordinary photograph reproduces every color in black and white; so does every translation - it leaves the OOlO1"S behind. It is fashionable in certain eircles to jeer at the study of Greek and Hebrew, the original languages of the Bible, as mere pedantry. And laymen sarcastically sug- gest that a little study of modern science, especially psychology, in order to be able to understand people as well as the message, would be better. And many theological seminaries are yielding to the clamor. Is there any- thing to be said for Hebrew? - It is often said, and not without justifica· tion ... , that missionaries 'westernize' quite as much as Christianize people. Everyone who knows Bible lands and their customs and understands Hebrew and so is able to taste the flavor and perceive the colors of the inspired message, knows that preachers who do not know these things often 'westernize' quite as much as evangelize the multitude. As the man who would expound Aristotle's Metaphysics must know Greek, or Kant's Pure Reason must know German, or Shakespeare's writings must know English and the English of Shakespeare's time, so he who would expound the Old Testament must know the Hebrew in which it is written." - And, we may add, this applies to the Greek of the New Testament as well. P. E. K.