Full Text for CTM Miscellanea 6-5 (Text)

(ttnurnrbta lUqrnlngtrnl anutqly Continuing LEHRE UND WEHRE MAGAZIN FUER Ev.-LuTH. HOMILETIK THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY-THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY Vol. VI May, 1935 No.5 CONTENTS Page Notes on Chiliasm. Th. En&,e1der ••••••••••••••••••••••• 321 Der Zeitgeist und die zeitgemaesse Predigt. J. H. C. Fritz •• 335 Das Verhaeltnis der Apokalypse zu den prophetischen Schriften des Alten Testaments. P. E. KretzmaDD • • • • • •• 340 Der Schriftgrnnd fuer die Lehre von der satisfactio vicaria. P. E. Kretzmann • • • • • • • • •• 347 An Anniversary We Forgot. Theo. Hoyer • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• 349 Sermon Study on 1 Tim. 2, 1--6. Theo. Laetach • • • • • • • • • •• 356 Dispositionen ueber die altkirchliche Evangelienreihe ..... 365 Miscellanea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 376 Theological Observer. - Kirchlich-Zeitgeschichtliches. . . .. 379 Book Review. - Literatur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 391 EID Predlger muss nlcht aIleID tociden, also daaa er die Scbafe unterweise, wle .Ie rechte Obrl~ lOlleD aelD, 80ndem auch daDeben den Woellen toehr,"" daaa ale die Scbafe nloot angreifen und mit blocher Lehre veduebren und Jrrtum eln· fuebren. - wIlier. E. 1st kelD Ding, daa die Leate mehr bel der Klrche bebaelt denn die &'Ute Prediljt. - Apologie, Arl. 4 Ii the trumpet give an UDcertaln sound, who shaU prepare hlmaelf to the battle ' 10or • .q,8. Published for the Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE, St. Louis, Mo. 376 Miscellanea. Miscellanea. Raising the Average Attendance at Holy Communion. It is a well-known fact that the attendance at the Lord's Supper in our Church is too low, the average being below the figure set by Luther in his well-known saying about the necessity of partaking of the Holy Communion at least some four times a year. This fact was the subject of a paper at a recent conference, and we here offer the gist of the remarks. 1. It is self-evident that we must constantly and unremittingly set forth the glorious promises of Christ as pertaining to the proper use of the Sacrament. This is done, as a matter of fact, in the regular catechu- men classes and should be done as frequently as possible when the text permits of the exposition and application, especially on Maundy Thursday and in confessional addresses. It is by no means out of place to devote a special series of sermons to the consideration of the blessings connected with the Eucharist, so that all our members from time to time receive de- tailed instruction concerning its benefits. Talks before the various church organizations, the young people's societies, the ladies' aid, the men's club, etc., will likewise be of some help in keeping the Sacrament before the minds of our people. 2. It is very important that the so-called announcement, or registra- tion, for the Holy Communion be utilized by every pastor. Under no circum- stances should it become a perfunctory taking of names with a few words of stereotyped well-wishing. In this connection it may be said that one may well use cards announcing the celebration of the Eucharist, with a well-worded invitation to all communicant members. Direct reminders sent by mail have proved their value in many congregations. 3. Above all, we ought to have the celebration of the Lord's Supper far more frequently, in keeping with its blessed purpose. If we do not give our members the opportunity to receive the Sacrament frequently, we need not be surprised if they do not come often. In large congregations we ought to celebrate the Holy Communion every Sunday and, where the number of communicants exceeds 400, at least twice a month. 4. It is necessary that we stress the importance of the Lord's Supper also by admonishing those who are lax in attendance. Non-attendance at the Holy Supper is certainly as serious as non·attendance at church ser- vices, and few pastors would neglect the admonition of those who make it a practise to stay away from church. If Matt. 18 were applied in time, the laxity of many communicants would never become a habit. And we should not think of recommending such a lax member to a sister congrega- tion until matters have been adjusted. P. E. K. Two New "Saints." Under date of January 29 the Associated Press reports from the Vati- can City: "Preparations are under way for the canonization as saints of Sir Thomas More, Chancellor of England, and John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, beheaded by King Henry VIII of England for refusing to recog- Miscellanea. 377 nize the legality of his divorce from Catherine and his marriage with Anne Boleyn." On February 10, in St. Peter's Cathedral, in the presence of Pope Pius, "deeretals were read recognizing the martyrdom of Cardinal John Fisher and Sir Thomas More" (Ohicago Tribune Press Service). There are a few things that make this impending canonization, which will take place the latter part of May, peculiarly interesting. In the first place, it should be settled definitely why these two men were beheaded. According to the above dispatches the cause was their opposition to the king's divorce and remarriage," amI so this canonization will be a symbolical reaffirma- tion of Catholicism's irrevocable opposition to divorce; "it is said in Vati- can circles that the canonization of the two is in one way a form of the exprcssion of the Church's wishes to emphasize what it thinks of divorce in modern society." This will sound better in England than the cause given by Hilaire Belloc (in his Shorter History of England, 1934) and by the Oommonweal (February 22, 1935): refusal to "take the Oath of Su- premacy," "refusal to recognize him (King Hemy VIII) as head of the Church in England." That should be authentic expression of official Cath- olic opinion. Belloc appears to be the historical mouthpiece of Oatholicism in England to-day; and the Oommonweal in the same number reports that the Oatholic Action Medal was conferred on the editor, Michael 'iVilliams, on February 3, for distinctive service to the Ohurch; and Pope Pius XI said: "Approbam1Ls et applaudimus." "Thus the distinction may fairly claim to carry with it genuine ecclesiastical endorsement." The Ohicago Tribune adds: "The deeretals are a step further toward the canonization of the two Englishmen whose names will be later added to the calendar of saints as another gesture of the Vatican toward Catholics in England." One wonders how the Protestant majority of England views this "gesturc," a renewed condemnation of the King's supremacy in the Ohurch in England; above all, what were the thoughts of Sir Eric Drummond, British am- bassador to Italy, and Sir Oharles Wingfield, British envoy to the Holy See, who were present at the ceremonies, when the Holy Father spoke as follows: "I turn my eyes toward that country, and I repeat the wish, which is not only a prayer, but a prophecy of the divine Redeemer, that there be but one flock and one pastor." (Oommonweal.) Moreover, one wonders whether it is altogether forgotten in Oatholic circles that Sir Thomas More on the occasion of the publication of King Henry's Assertio Septem Sacra- ment01'um "thought that the king had gone too far in asserting divine institution for the primacy of the papal see" (Fisher, Politioal History of England) and told the king so. More would trust neither the Pope nor King Henry as absolute head of the Ohurch. And do English church- men remember that More later on changed his mind and in a speech, after being condemned to death, declared that the act of Parliament (Act of Supremacy) was repugnant to the laws of God and the Holy Ohurch, a vio- lation of the Magna Oarta and the coronation oath; nor could the realm of England refuse obedience to the See of Rome any more than a child could refuse obedience to its natural father. Nor should Lutherans and other Protestants forget that More in his writings against Luther used language so coarse and obscene that even Grisar (who surely did not love • S(} Lucas, Renais8ance ana Reformation, p. 542. 378 Miscellanea. Luther) refused to translate it; he says (Luther, II, 195): "Die Stelle sei im lateinischen Originalte(lJt, der ih,' aUein ansteht, der Anmerkung vorbehalten." .And finally, if More is now to be a "saint," we may surely without fear of challenge on the part of Catholics quote his Utopia as an authentic picture of his times. -.As for Fisher, it is said that he fell a victim to one of the rather rough practical jokes of Henry. Fisher was imprisoned in the Tower; the Pope, to aid him in regaining his liberty, made him a cardinal- surely even Henry would not dare to lay his hand on a prince of the Church! But the Pope had as yet no idea of what Henry could dare to do; Henry declared that rather than have the cardinal's hat brought from Rome to England for Fisher's head, he would send Fisher's head from England to Rome for the cardinal's hat. T. H. "Sur Jafl.lli1t~frage, &aL 1, 19." linter biefer illierfcljrifJ: beljanbeIt .r)ugo Slcoclj~lIniincljen in .r)efJ: 2/3 1934 bel' ",Beitfcljrift fUr me neuteftamentriclje m5iffenfcljaft" bie e±wao fclj,wieri£le Slconftruftion ber @itelle, in ber man eine uniiberluinbHclje @icljwierigfeit fUr Die ~[nnaljme £lefunben ljat, bat ber bori erwiiljnie ~afobu~ nicljt mit ~afo~ Duo minor aU ibentifiaieren fei. ®o ljanbeIt ficlj um me )$artifeln el fl~, bie Eutljcr iiberfett ljat "oljne", niintHclj ~atobum, beo .r)®rrn mruber. 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