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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
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Eutljcr iiberfett ljat "oljne", niintHclj ~atobum, beo .r)®rrn mruber. SDer
jlJerfafier re£lt bie @icljroierigfeit fo bar: "mei ben fatljoHfcljen @icljrifJ:edHi~
retn, bie im Sjefrrnbruber ~afobuo ben W1JofteI ~afoflUo, ben @Soljn beo
WI1Jlj1i:l@ (SlclO1Ja~), erbHden, ift me~ £lana f eIliftberftiinbficlj. ~fber auclj bie
1Jroteftantifcljen 5tljeolo(!en beboraugen biefe Wnfcljauun(!, unb bie ~nficljt beo
bor furaem ljeim(!egan£lenen ,Baljn, bel' naclj bem jlJor(!an£l bon ®rotiuo bao
eE fl') im @iinne bon ,fonbem' fatt unb ben .r)®rmbruber bon ben ~1Jofteln
in jebem @iinne au§£lenommen flnbd, ift fo gut tuie £lana auf£le(!eben. 9leue~
jien§ beaeicljnet lIn. be la ®arenm bie @iterre £lerabeau or§ ,en±fcljeibenb'
bafUr, bat ber .r)efrmbruber au ben W1JoftIn £leljiirt ljd6e. ~ft fie bie~
wirfIiclj ?"
SDer jlJerfaffer £leljt bann auofUljrHclj auf ben fra£lIicljen ~uobrud ein,
wobei er befonber~ auclj bie @:)ieUen lInattlj. 12,4; Buf. 4, 25-27; lInatilj.
5,13; 17,8; 13,32; ~olj.13,10; ~1Joft.27,22; ffiiim.14,14; ®aL1,6.7;
2,16 ljeranaielj±, um au beweifen, baf3 bel' ~u§btud mit "fonbem" wieber~
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LXX, au§ @:~1Jrian unb au§ 9lobatian. SDa§ ffiefurtat feiner Un±erfucljung
faf3± er aUfammen in bet ~u§fa£le: "SDa miif3±e alio ber @Sat iilJerfett wer~
ben: einen aweiten bon ben ~1Jof±ern falj iclj nicljt, f 0 n b ern (nul' noclj)
~afobu§, ben .r)