(!tnurnrbiu m~tnln!1kal AtutlJlg Continuing LEHRE UND ~EHRE MAGAZIN PUER Ev.-LuTH. HOMILETIK THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY-THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY Vol. vm October, 1937 No. 10 CONTENTS Pace The Pastor and Synod. J. w. Behnken -__________ . __ ._._ .. _______ . _________________ .... 1!9 Schrift, Bekenntnis, Theologie, Plarramt und verwandte Geren- staende. Th. Encelder ._._ ..... _. ___ ............... _ ............................ _. 736 The Doctrine 01 Justillation According to Bernard 01 Clairvaux Theo. Dierks .... __ .. _. __ ... _ .. 748 nas Verhaeltnis der Schmalkaldischen Artikel zur Augsburgi- schen Konlession. o. F. Hattstaedt ..... _ ..... _ ...... _ ... ___ .. _ ._._ ... .. __ .. _ .. 753 Study on Reb. 4, 9-13. Theo. Laetsch ..... _ ..... _ ........ __ ...... _ ...... __ .... _ ... __ 753 Outlines on the Eisenach Epistle Selections _ ........ _ .. _ ... _ ... ____ ....... _ ..... 774 Theological Observer. - Kirchlich-Zeitreschichtliches ._._ .... _.,_._ ... 788 Book Review. -Literatur . _ .. __ ._ ..... _. __ .. _ ..... _ .... _ .. _ ... __ ... ___ ..... _ .. 891 Ein Predlger muss nieht aDeln toei- den, alao dass er die Schafe unter- weise. wle ale reehte Christen sollen seln. londem aueh daneben den Woel- fen tDeht'eft, dUll ale die Schafe Dieht angrelfen und mit falseher Lehre ver- fuehren und Irrtum elntuehren. Luther Es ist keln Ding. das die Leute mehr bel der KJrehe behaelt denn die gute Predigt. - AJIOlogle, Arl. Z4. If the trumpet give an uncertain sound who lIbaD prepare hImaelf to the battle? -1 Cor. 14, •. Published for the Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States CONCORDIA PUBUSHING BOUSE, St. Louis, Mo. Book Review - .\!itetatut 801 Book Review - £iterlltur The Bible Guide Book. A Companion to Bible Study for Young People and Their Teachers. Arranged by Mary Entwistle. Cokesbury Press, Nashville, Tenn. 236 pages, 5lf2X83J4. Price, $2.50. If we could eliminate approximately twenty pages from this book, we should be able to recommend it almost without reservation. For the discussion of the Land of the Bible (peoples, climate and weather, moun- tains and hills, lakes and rivers, trees and flowers, animal life, wells and springs, cities and villages, roads and travel routes), Life in Palestine in Bible Times (dwellings, occupations, dress, food, games and play, musical instruments, writing-materials, education, etc.), Times and Sea- sons (springtime, harvests, feasts), Rulers (in the Old Testament, between the Old and the New Testament, in the New Testament, in the Christian era), are, on the whole, very well done, and the illustrations are valuable. But the section on Religion and Religious Leaders must be discounted almost one hundred per cent. because the author is evidently under the domination of evolutionistic, modernistic ideas. The chronological list on page 221 must also be corrected, especially since it places the Pastoral Letters and Second Peter at the end of the century and in 150 A. D., respectively. It is too bad that an otherwise valuable book is spoiled by such aberrations. P. E. KRETZMANN Trends of Christian Thinking. By Charles S. Macfarland, General Secre- tary Emeritus of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. Fleming H. Revell Co., New York. 1937. 207 pages, 5lf2 x73J4. Price, $1.50. A Faith for Today. By Harris Franklin Rall, Professor of Systematic Theology, Garrett Biblical Institute, Evanston, Ill. The Abingdon Press. 284 pages, 53J4X8lf2. Price, $2.00. The title of the first book is much too narrow. Dr. Macfarland is examining all sorts of religious or allegedly religious thinking, and being an avowed Liberal (pp. 31. 190), he feels at liberty to designate the un- scriptural teachings of the Modernists and the purely naturalistic cogita- tions of the theologizing philosophers as "Christian" thinking. He dis- cusses these cogitations with much respect and reverence. "Prof. B. E. Meland summarizes worship as living in vital relationship with the best of our environment and that 'which religious language terms God' (note the absence of divine personality, in which he follows H. N. Wieman) ." And "happily Meland is both deep and constructive" (pp. 133. 193). His and Wieman's philosophies of religion are "well worthy of the time and thought of every preacher" (p. 9) . Prof. Georgia Harkness believes that "the religious consciousness lays three high demands upon men ... : (1) belief in a God or gods giving man cosmic support, (2) acceptance of moral obligation in human relations as divinely enjoyed, (3) the impulse to worship" (p.160). "And," says the secretary emeritus of the Federal Council, "it is heartening these days to find professors of phi- losophy in our colleges giving sympathetic study to religion" (p.159). 802 Book Review - ~ttetatUt Dr. Macfarland, himself a Modernist, thinks highly of the theology of the Liberals within the Christian Church, the Modernists. Discussing Professor RaIl's A Faith for Today, he states: "This volume is wholesome, sane, readable. . .. We need just now more teachers who maintain perspective and poise" (p. 165). What, then, does Dr. Rall think of Christ? He accords Christ high praise. He is ready to call Him Lord. He subscribes to the statement that "Jesus stands forth as the supreme discoverer of the laws of power" (p. 196). But he is careful to refrain from calling Him God. What does this leader of the Methodist Church think of the Bible? He rejects as "impossible the old theory of a book verbally inspired and infallible." "You cannot accept the supremacy of Christ and hold to the infallibility of the Bible." "Strictly speaking, not the writings were inspired but the writers." "We cannot say of every word in the Bible that it is the word of God." And so the Bible is "not the final authority for our faith" (chap. XVI) . What is the way of salvation according to Dr. Rall's thinking? "Man is made over in that he comes up to a certain standard. This is not a matter of rules to be followed; it is our higher self waiting to be achieved." And how is this achieved? "Follow the example of Jesus: get outside of yourself, share your life with others, find your life in others." "For the Christian, God is Person speaking to person, love and truth claiming the understanding and free loyalty of man" (pp. 159. 183-199). (Modernism, it will be seen, is full-blown Arminianism.) Dr. Rall, like H. E. Fosdick and the others, likes to ridicule the old Christian way of thinking. He will not have God made "a doting grandfather, feeding lollypops to each hungry child, removing stones from its path," nor a "magnified nurse-maid, keeping mankind in perpetual infancy" (pp. 118. 125) . The Atonement must not be made "a courtroom affair, a plan by which a debt can be paid or a penalty remitted." "The old preaching was otherworldly. It was narrow, absorbed in some 'scheme' of atonement or plan of salvation by which a man could be forgiven and get to heaven" (pp.167.188). If the sola gratia is maintained, "salvation will have to be a one-way affair, every step of which is determined by God, and God alone." "Man becomes a helpless pawn in the game that God plays" (pp. 151. 185). And in the estimate of Dr. Macfarland this is "wholesome and sane" thinking, maintaining the Christian perspective and poise. (The Lutheran of April 7, by the way, finds it "useful as a way of clearly outlined entrance to the deep things of God.") To get back to Macfarland's book. Most of the writings discussed there as indicating the trend of Christian thinking are written by Liberals and ultra-Liberals. Biblical theology is scantily treated. Our volume therefore is representative only of that part of the external Church which is represented by the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. And it will serve the purpose of showing the state of mind obtaining in the circles dominated or influenced by the liberal theology. These circles are discussing the need of a "new reformation," a "new theology" (pp. 125. 137. 191} . The old theology has been discarded. "Of over three hundred contemporary volumes that have been read or have passed under my eyes during the past year there is a conspicuous absence of the subjects of the earlier day, at least in terminology. They are: Book Review - S3itetntut 803 the Trinity, the Atonement, Christology, the Incarnation, Miracle, Biblical Inspiration, Eschatology" (p. 197). And this new theology concerns itself, says "Ivan Lee Holt, former president of the Federal Council, with the great ideals of a warless world, a Christian social order, and a united Christendom" (p. 136) . The Church, declares Macfarland, "must find its way to unity or be submerged" (p. 146), to a unity, declares John R. Mott, which does "not sink differences," but pools "vital merits" (p.157). As to the social gospel, many declare that "it has been an illusion and a delusion" (p.197); but "the champions of social Chris- tianity refuse to abandon the field" (p. 72) . Others are looking for help to the theology of Barth (concerning whose book God in Action Mac- farland says that "it is not ordered thinking," p. 27), to the Oxford Group Movement, the liturgical movement, and other helpers. Macfarland pins his hope on the philosopher. "Perhaps the main trend revealed is the awakening of theology and its need of the philosophic background" (p. 191). "American Philosophies of Religion, by Wieman and Meland, which makes clear the 'present need for philosophy of religion,' is well worthy of the time and thought of every preacher" (p. 9). TH. ENGELDER Communism. A Deadly Foe to the Christian Faith, Assuming the Guise of Christianity. By John Horsch. Bible Institute Colportage Asso- ciation, Chicago, m. 28 pages, 5%X7%. Price, 15 cts. Order from Concordia Publishing House, 3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Mo. We are more than glad that Mr. Horsch, an outstanding antagonist of Modernism and similar destructive trends of our time, has given us this new pamphlet, showing the prevalence and viciousness of Com- munism as it seeks to inveigle itself into the favor of American church- members under the guise of Christianity. Also this brochure exhibits the excellent graces of Horsch's controversial writings: a clear, en- trancing style, careful and accurate thinking, moderation in attacking the opponent, and, above all, constant backing up of all statements by de- pendable source-proof. If that which John Horsch here writes is true (and there is no reason to assume that it is untrue), then it is high time for us to study more generally also this new insidious snare of Satan now threatening millions in our country in order that we may rightly warn those entrusted to our care. We heartily recommend this new booklet on Communism for careful perusal both to our pastors and our laymen. J. THEODORE MUELLER ~bolf bOll Sjntnnrf. mon ~l1nes bon 3a1)n~.\datnncf. .\dans~~otbmerlall, !Berlin. stem\Je!liof. 1936. 579 SeHm 5% X8%. !J)teiS, lattoniett; RM.6.50. '!lie bodiellmbe, 3iemlid;es ~lllffcgen etregenbe ~iollra\Jgie bes bdannten llnb bicl~enannten ®elegtten - er tvar nm 7. ~ai 1851 geboren unb ift am 10. ~llni 1930 Ilcftorben - gat mid; aus mel)! aIS e in e m ®runbe fo intmfpert, ball id) pe uollftiinbig unb fotgftiltill troll i1)tes nid;t geringen Umfangs gelefm 1)ube; unb boeg T)abe icf) fd)lie\llid; bail !Bud) mit Hefem !Bcbauern nus bet .\danb ge!ellt. ,slud. mal1)abe id) (Slelegenl)eit Ilel)abt, .\datnac! \Jerfonlicl) 3U l)ilten unb fut3 3U f\Jtecf)en: bas etfte lJJlal, als id) in !Bedin cinet fitd;engefd)id;Uicl)en lllor1efunll bon il)m tibet ba~ lJJlittelaltet beirool)nte, ha~ anhere lJJlal, alS et mit %tiiltfcl), !J)f!eibctet unb 804 Book Review - 5.Jtteratut anbem l)erbonagenben slJUinnem bet ~eu3eit bet ber 6t. 5.Jouifer lffieltausfteUung im ~al)re 190-i aUf bem srongre~ ftir ~tinfte unb lffiiffenfe£)aften dnen feffelnben !!lortrag l)ieH tiber bie ~ingliebetung ber ~ite£)engefdJie£)te in bie aUgemeine lffieU~ gefd)icI)te. 1\)er ~inbtucf, ben man bon iljm ~erfiinlie£) unb bute£) bas 5.Jefen ftinet Sd)tiften getuanu, tuitb burd) biefc 1\)atfteUuu\l ftines 5.Jebens unb lffiitfenil bet~ ftiitH. ~r ift ol)ne aUen 8tuetfe! ein ljoe£)'bega'bter, gan3 liebeutenber !Dlann ge~ tuefen, lInb tuenn man feint langjiiljrige, bielfeitigc %iittgfeit Ulierblicft, fo fann man fid) nur tuunbcm, tute et aUes ljat fJetuiiltigen fonnen. 1\)ie @efdJie£)te bet %ljeologie uub Bum %eil aue£) ber lffielt iu ben betgangenen ftinf3ig ~al)ren 3iel)t tuie im ll'luge an ben ~ugen be~ £lefers bortiber: feine 5.Jel)rtiitigfeit an ben Uniberfitiitcn 5.Jei~5ig, @ie~en, !Dlarliurg unb biet3ig ~al)re in merlin, ber Streit um bas ~~oftolife£)e S~mbolum, ber mabel~mibelftteit tiber bie angeblie£)e ~bl)lin~ gigfeit be~ ~lten %eftaments bon mabel, bag "lffiefen bes (S;ljrifientum!l", bo.!! .\'.?atnacf felbft ftir fein befies lffierf erUlitte, gegen bas unter anbern aud) unfet D. !j:lkper im ~o.ljte 1902 feine fe£)ilnen, im S!)nobalberie£)t uub bann befoubetll gebrucftcn morirage uuter bemfelben %itel rid) tete, bie iett audJ bon D. !DltiUet untet bem %itel What Is Christianity? ius ~u\llifd)e tiberfett finb, .\'.?atnacfll %litigfett iu ber !Serliuer ~fabemie ber lffiiffenfe£)aften, ciner ber befanntefien ge!el)tten mminiguullen bet lffielt, feine %iitigfeit 0.15 1\)irdtot ber groflen !Ser= liuer !Sibliotljet, alil @rUnber unb morfiter bet ~aifer=lffiil~elm~@efeUfe£)aft, al~ @Heb bes lReid)stags, bet lffieltfrieg unb feine ll'o!gen uub anberes. 1\)er £efer bctfolgt mit ~ntercffe bie tfntfte~ung ber bie1genannten .\'.?arnacffe£)en lffierfe: bet 1)o\lmcnyejcl;icl;te, in bet er bie %ljeo(ogie ber ~fitdje ali! ein lffierf bes gtiee£)ifd)en @eiftei! aUf bem !Soben be~ ~bangeliums ljinfteUt, ber (£'ljronologie bes a~ofio~ lifc!)en 8eitalters, iu ber er aus tuiffenfe£)aftlid)en @ttinben oft 3U fonferbatiben Ulefultaten fommt, ber ~rbeiten tiber bie 5.Jufasfe£)riften, bie er, luieber aus tuiffen~ fcl)aftlto)en @ttinben, im gan3en ag co)te unb 3uberliifjige berteibigte, fiber ben tfr3feter lJJlarcion, ftir ben er eine befonbcre morHebe ljatte, ben Ct ag ben recljten, eigcnHtcl;en %ljeolollen bes 3tueitcn ~aljrljunberts oe3eie£)nete, tiber bie !Dliffion unb ~usbtettuug bes (s;~riftentums, tuo et bie Utf~ttinglid)feit bes %auf~ oefelj15 in ~nJtebe fteUte, uub anberc meljr. Um fo tie fer 1ft eil BU beHagen, bat tin fole£) reio)bCllabtet, unetmtibHe£) tiitiger nnb eiuilutrcie£)er lJJlann nie£)t bet %ljeologie 1mb ber ~itdje beffcr unb tuirfHe£) gcbient ~at. ~ber aue£) bas £leben unb lffiitfen folcl;er !j:lerfonen ge~ott 3ur @efdJio)te, unb tuer bie @efe£)ie£)te bes letten ~alben ~a~r~unberts ree£)t berfte~en tuiU unb fie£) iiber~au~t fUr tljeololJifd)e ll'tagen intetefjiett, mUfl jie£) bamit auseinanberf eten. ~e£) ljabe mir biele lJ1oti3en aus bem lffierfe gemae£)t: tibct .\'.?atllacfs !!latcr %~eobojius .\'.?arnacf, ben ttie£)tigen metireter bet ~taftifd)en %~eologie in 1\)or~at uub IXrlallllen, ben !!lerfaffer beil ttcfflidjen lffierfes ,,5.Jutljers %I)eologie" (bgl. bie !Sef~red)un\1 in ,,£lel)re unl> lfficljre", 7 -i, 373) j tiber feine geiftig ~oe£)bebeutenbe lJJlutter, tiber fein Stubium; tiber fcine ll'teunbe unb Se£)tiler, 3U bmen 5.Jeute tuie @tegor\J, !Dlommfen, lffitla~ motuit=IJJlBllenborff, lRabe, £loofs, .\'.?oll, !Sartlj unb anbere befannte @eleljrte bet lJ1eu3eit geljoren; tiber feine Sl'oUegen, tuie Sdjtim:, Stabe, ~attenbufd) unb an= bere; tiber feine tljeologife£)e ~b~iingtgtett bon ~lbree£)t lRitfdJI unb bie %rauer, bie ben ftommen matcr tuegen ber ~btueid)ung bes So~nes bon Sdjrift unb . !Se~ fenntniS befiel; liber fein ~erborragenbes 53e~rgefe£)icf, fo ba~ fetne Sd)iHet ftir il)n begeifiert tuurben; tiber feine mielfeitigfeit, fo bab er in !Serlin auf aUen @ebieten tueitreie£)enben ~inf!u[l ausitbte unb in ben Sl'reifen ber SJJHnifier unl> bei bem staifer felbft gto~es ~nfeljen geno~; tiber rein ll'amilienleben mit feiner Book Review - .9iteratur 805 beoabten @lattin ~malie, oeb. ~~ierf~, nie, Illenn er einmal Illegen .Rranl~eit eine !llorlefung im ijaufe ab~ielt, ~inter ner ~ilr 3roif~en "Staubroif~en unn lUrab rourftbraten" 3u~Brte; ilber feine ~iitigfeU aUf foaialem @lebtet; aber nann au~ ilber feine ganae moberne ~~eologie. ~r roollte aroar ni~ts llon lReligion!l, gef~i~te lUilfen unn edl1irte felbft, nail er fein ~~ilofop~ fei unb fein lUolle; aber er leugnete bie ;;sungfrauengeburt unn bie ~uferfte~ung ne!l {rleif~e!l, be' alUeifelte na~ ;;so~annesellangelium unn nen ~p~eferbtief, llerlUarf tatfiid)li~ nas ~lte ~eftament, leugnete bie @lott~eit @;~rifti, beftritt namentli~ bie ,slUetnatUten, le~re, glaubte feinen perfBnlid)en ~eufel, fette nie ijauptfa~e ner !llediln'otgung ;;s~fu in @lotte!ledenntni!l unn !lRoral. S)ie!l alle!l lieft man in 'otefem metfe; aber babei btingt es fo lliele intmlfante ~inael~eiten, nail e!l lUirUiclj ein lUeitrag 3Ut neumn .Rttcljengefcljicljte ift, freUiclj llom &'Jarnadfcljen Stannpunft aus. ~m' mer ftieg in mit net munfclj auf, nail i~ noclj beftimmte ~nbeutungen finnen mii~te, nail feine libetale ~~eologie ni~t bie ~~eologie feine!l ijet3ens, fonbern nur feines !lletftannes geluefen fei. ~r ~ielt ijausannacljten; an feinem ffieburts' tag rebete et ilber bas ;;saroMlUort ,,~cIj bin au getinge aller lUarm~et3igfeit unn aller ~reue, nie bu an neinem .Rne~te getan ~aft"; am ~age feinet golnenen ijoclj3eit ilber nas ScljriftlUort ,,~!l ift nicljt gut, ball ner illlenfclj alleht fei". ~m @lrabe feine!l Rinnes fpraclj er in @legenlUart feiner annern .Rinber ben lllets "S~reib meinen !nam'n aUf!l befte in!l lUuclj nes .geben!! ein". ~r Hebte bor annern 'ote .9iebet ~aul @ler~arnts, namentndJ "Warum follt' ic~ midJ benn griimen 1" ebenfo auclj, gana befonbers in feinem ~lter, H~erufalem, bu ~ocl)\Jebaute Stabt"; aber es l1illt ficlj audJ edennen, ball er ben ;;sn~alt 'otefes mebes gana naclj feinet ~~eologie llerftanb unb ball et 'ote UnftetbtidJfeit net Seele unb bie {rortnaUet naclj bem :tobe nidJt aUf bie SdJrift, fonbetn aUf !llernunftfcljlUffe grilnnete. lllon einem ~toftfprudJ aus @lottes Wort aUf feinem Sterbelager - er roar in feinem ~o~en ~lter nodJ 3U eincr !llerfammlung nadJ ijeibelberg gmtft unb etlranfte nort - lUirn ni~ts erroii~nt. Seine .9eiclje lUurne eingeiifcljert. - ijarnad lUar auclj in unferm ~anbe befannt. ~tiifinent~. w. ~liot llon bet ijatllatb"Unillerfitiit ~at i~m lUieber~olt eine ~rofelfur an niefer ~nftalt ange" ttagen, namentlidJ a{g et nurdJ ben ~poftomumftreit beril~mt geroornen lUar. lUei feiner ~metifareife im ~a~te 1904 ~ielt er !llorttage an befannten Uniber" fitiiten unfet!! ~anbes; er lletfe~rte btiefliclj mit {rrancis ~eabob\J unb anbetn amerifanifdJen ffiele~rten. ~r ~atte audJ ein ~uge filr nie geroaltige lUiffenf~aft" liege unb inbufttielle ~ntroidlung ~merifas, bie nurdJ !Rodefellet, @;arnegie unb annere fo ftad in bie mege geleitet lUurbe, unb fiirberte ne!l~a(b an feinem ~eUe in. ber .Raifer,mil~elm,@lefellfegaft ben ~uffcljlUung nnmentndJ bet fUr bie ;;sn, nuftrie bebeutfamen miffenfcljaften. Sogar ber beutfclje @lefanntfcljaftspoften in maf~ington lUurbe i~m angeiragen. lUei ner ~inlUei~ung bell &'Jarnad,ijaufd, bem ,sentrum bet Raifer"Wil~elm"@lefellfcljaft, ~ielt ner befannte bamalige amett, fanifdJe lUotfcljafter in lUedin ;;sacob @loulb Scljurman eine !Rene, in ber er ,,~nt~os unb ijumor in unUbertrefftidJer Weife au llerbinben" llerftanb. - !noclj ein mort Uber bie !llerfaffertn ner lUiograp~ie, ~arnad!l eigene ~od)ter, bie mit groller Sa~fenntni!l unb lUarmer ~ietat bas ~eben unn mitfen i~res lllater!! gefclji1bert unb namentliclj aullerornentTiclj lliele ~us3ilge aus feincn lUriefen unb !Renen, nie fonft nicljt augiinglidJ finb, gemacljt ~at. Wit ~atten lUieber gerabe bet bem ~efen 'otefer lUiograp~ie ben ~innrud, ball, lUenn man lUitftid) einen !mann unn feine ,seU genauer fennenlerncn luill, man befonnet!l auclj in feine lUtiefe bliden mull. S)as gilt llon ~ut~er, unb ba!! gilt auclj llon malt~er. - 806 Book Review - ~iteratur ~atnacts 8eit unb fein (,finf{ub finb botlibergegangen. (,ft mubte es feIbft edeben, buil bet Sjiftorismus, bie tein ge[cl)icl)tlicl)e l8ettacl)tungsrodfe - bie @e[cl)ic!)g~ \uiifcnfcf)aft roUt fein eigentlicl)es @ebiet, mit bet et aucf) bie \ytagen bes (.£~rtften~ tums unb ber .reitcf)e Iletbanb - ubgetun routbe unb baf! einet fdner eigenen Scf)lilet, ~ut{ l8att~, dne neue (,f~ocl)e in bet :t~eologie begrUnbet ~ut. ~ie tief et in ben ~am~fen fdnes ~ebens unb bel bem uUmti~ Iicf)en Scf)roinben feines (,fin~uffes bisroeilcn getroffen roUt, 3dgt eine ~anbfcf)riftlicf)e l8emedung in [einet l8ibef, uls er libet :;Sef. 40, 27-29 bie Sjuusunbucf)t ~ie{t: ,,:;Scf) rociil bot grof!er :truutigfeit nief)t, lt10 tef) micf) ~inlt1enbe." !Ritfcl)l ift borbel, ~(!tnacf ift borbet, l8utt~ rohb borlibergelJen, dner nucf) bem anbetn, dne :t~eotie nacf) bet unbern; ubet bie :t~eologie, bie fief) feft aUf ben il'els im Mem, @otteg ~ott, gtUnbet, bfeibt. ~. \Y. Marriage in the Lutheran Church. A Historical Investigation. By Ger- hard E. Lenski, Ph. D., Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Wash- ington, D. C. The Lutheran Book Concern, Columbus, O. 377 pages, 5X71h. Price, $2.50. Order from Concordia Publishing House, 3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Mo. This book at once makes a favorable impression because it is care- fully written and printed in large, inviting type. The description of the work placed on the title-page, "A Historical Investigation," is borne out by the contents. In dwelling on the Lutheran position with respect to marriage, the author expatiates particularly on Luther's attitude and on that of the Lutheran Church in America. The volume will be found interesting and informing, and on account of its excellent documentation and bibliography it possesses a high value for all who wish to engage in independent studies in this field. In his doctrinal views, which naturally come to the surface, the author will on the whole have the approval of conservative Lutherans. Statements which I have queried are the following: "Whether the so-called innocent party is free to marry is not made clear," namely, in the words of Jesus pertaining to divorce (p. 35); "Lui.her stands for ending an unsatisfactory marriage rather than for the patient endurance of a wrong" (p.108), a too sweeping statement; the apparent criticism of Luther (p.109) for looking upon impotence as a reason for divorce, a criticism which ought first to have investigated whether the impotence which Luther has in mind existed before, or was contracted after, marriage; the questioning of the correctness of the position which de- clares secret engagements invalid (p. 290); the lament that in the Lutheran Church of America there has not been developed "a social philosophy acceptable to, and influential in, the present order" (p. 319), a lament which, appearing at other places, too, comes dangerously near to being the author's Leitmotif. That the Lutheran Church of America, in the sphere of matters pertaining to marriage, has not been the power for good that it should have been is very true; but the same charge can be raised with regard to every other sphere, for instance, the evan- gelization of the unchurched masses. The reason is not to be sought in the lack of a proper message, but in our human imperfections and weaknesses. W. ARNDT Book Review - mtetatut 807 Fourth Lutheran Hour. By Walter A. Maier, Ph. D. Concordia Publish- ing House, St.Louis, Mo. 355 pages, 5lJ4x7%. Price, $1.50. The Lutheran Hour, on a nation-wide hook-up, is by this time an established radio feature. The 90,000 letters received during the fourth Lutheran Hour broadcast are sufficient evidence not only for the fact that the Lutheran Hour has registered with the people of our country, but that many are being blessed by the Gospel-messages which they heard. The Lord, our Savior, does not hold us responsible for converting the world or even one single soul, - that is His own prerogative, - but He has commanded us to preach the Gospel. The evident good results of preaching the Gospel by means of the Lutheran Hour puts all those to shame who have little faith in the power of the Gospel. And this very Gospel is so much needed in our day. In one of his addresses of the last series Dr. Maier said: "Before it is too late and Liberalism seizes control of more American pulpits, we should have a determined counter-movement among all conservative Christian groups. Instead of supporting efforts to unite superficially entire church-bodies saturated with this unbelief, Scripturally-minded Christians should consider ways and means of breaking away from denominations where the deity of Christ and His sacrificial redemption are discarded. History shows that, the longer orthodox Christians remain affiliated with Christ-denying groups, the weaker and less effective their protest becomes. The time is here for a new alinement of Christian forces in America." In another address of the last series he said: "Jesus Christ, the same self-giving Savior yesterday, the same loving Redeemer today, the same sin- removing Atonement tomorrow-yes, forever! Can you think of a greater God and a deeper love than our heavenly Father and His holy com- passion in giving His own Son, the Sinless for the sin-stained, the Ever-living for the justly damned? Can you picture a more glorious Savior than the Christ who thanked His Father for the privilege of redeeming the world and who in His unchanged love still intercedes for the sinner, the Christ for every man and every day and every place; the Christ for the sick-bed and the death-bed, yet the Christ for the health and strength of life; the Redeemer of the deserted and destitute, yet the Ransom for the applauded and acclaimed? Can you- or anyone else - construct a better faith than the changeless Gospel, that has never put a price on its promises or demanded payment for its blessings?" No doubt many who have heard the addresses of the fourth Lutheran Hour will be glad to have them in print. And many others who could not or did not hear them will, we take it, welcome the opportunity of receiving the blessings of these messages. A map of the United States, found on the inside covers of the book, shows the stations that carried the Lutheran Hour. A few of the subjects treated are herewith given: "Rest for a Rest- less Age," "The Word-Forever Unbroken," "Building a Better Nation," "Grace without a Question-mark," "Christ Solves the Mystery of Sor- row," "The Changeless Christ for a Changing World," "The Glorious Christ in Every Home," "Power through Prayer," "Christ's Youth Pro- gram," "The Resurrection Reality." J. H. C. FRITZ 808 Book Review - ~itetatUt My Redeemer Liveth. - Ye Shall Be Witnesses. - Streams of Living Water. - Perfect in Every Good Work. Concordia Publishing House. Price: Single copy, 5 cts., postpaid; dozen copies, 48 cts., and postage; 100 copies, $3.00, and postage. Booklets of 64 pages each, in attractive covers, containing medita- tions for daily devotions, consisting of a passage to be read from the Bible, a meditation of one page on a topic suggested by the Bible-reading, ending with a question for meditation. Each booklet contains weekly prayers. The period covered by the four booklets extends from Easter Monday to October 9; the authors are the Revs. O. P. Kretzmann, G. Chr. Barth, Walter E. Hohenstein, and Richard R. Caemmerer. - A practical tone prevails in the meditations, the topics presenting the application of the divine Word to the daily life of the Christian. There could be no better way of stimulating the private devotional life of Christians as well as of encouraging the practise of family devotion than to do what many congregations are doing: ordering these booklets for every home in the parish. THEo. HOYER BOOKS RECEIVED From the Stockton Press, 516 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Md.: Snappy Sketches for the Church Blackboard. By Rev. Paul E. Hold- craft, S. T. D. 60 pages, 6X9. From the Westminster Press, Philadelphia, Pa.: Toward a Vital Christian Experience. By John A. McAfee. 158 pages,5x7Jh. TO OUR READERS The Editorial Committee has decided not to publish sermon outlines during the coming year. The sermon studies on the Eisenach Epistle selections will be continued, and a number of outlines for occasional sermons will be published as space permits. The Committee takes liberty to call the attention of the brethren to the Thomasius Gospel Selections recently put on the market by Concordia Publishing House and suggests that the brethren choose this splendid selection for the year's preaching and in their preparation make use of the material offered by our Pub- lishing House in its recent publication. NOTICE TO OUR SUBSCRmERS In order to render satisfactory service, we must have our current mailing-list correct. The expense of maintaining this list has been materially increased. Under present regulations we are subject to a "fine" on all parcels mailed to an incorrect address, inasmuch as we must pay 2 cents for every notification sent by the postmaster on a parcel or periodical which is undeliverable becau"p HO forwarding address is available or because there has been a change of address. This may seem Insignificant, but in view of the fact that we have subscribers getting three or more of our periodicals and considering our large aggregate subscription list, it may readily be seen that it amounts to quite a sum during a year; for the postmaster will address a notification to each individual periodical. Our subscribers can help us by notifying us - one notification (postal card. costing only 1 cent) will take care of the addresses for several publications. We shail be very grateful for your cooperation. Kindly consult the address label on this R.aper to ascertain whether your subscription has expired or will soon expire. 'Oct 37" 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.