Full Text for CTM Book Review 10-6 (Text)

tunbe batin 3U faffcn im~ flanbc waren!" Sl)a3u ift aU bemeden: 0'in11101 gibt bet 5te~t auc(l niel)t ben 476 Book Review - 53itetatur geringiten ~lnla~, bas fficfotmiltogramm :;Sofeilgs bon cinem ®otte ®ottes fJet ab3ufeiten. SDie SUu§lc\]ung bes :ortaums, bC5 'Elottes ®ottes an ql1)orao, god mit sn. 32 auf. sn. i33-36 ift bet ffiat ~ofeill)s, bes bon ®ott mit Defonbmt ftaats~ miinnifdjer ®eisl)cit begabten :;SUngfin\ls, ben ex aliet teineshlcgs bicfem ®ott (l)ottes 3U berbanfen ~otte, bas ia bOll einem jofcf)en qltogtamm allcl) nicf)t mit e i net iSifbe tebet. Sum anbern, ®ottes ®ort, bas 9eiilt, bie .\;?eifige 0cl)tift, ftellt nitgenDs ein lieftimmtc§ ftaag, unb roit±fd)aft§politiicges ffiefocmprogramm auf, an bas smenfcf)en, bie itd) bem ®otte ®otte5 untccil)erfen rooHen, fid) 9aften mit[Jten. Sum britten: ®enn man bon einem nocl) !)cute an uns ergd)enDen 'fiatt ®otte5 !Chct, bas neoen unb au[Jec bcr .fJeHigen 0d)tift ctSd)t unb bod) bon gleid)em ?illert linD gfeid)er ~lutotitiit fein joll roie bie in alien il)fcn ®orten bon ®ott eingcgc!lcne 1mb Datum unfCDl1J(1l'C 'Bi6cf, fo ift bas lt1tDihlijd)e, )l)ibet~ 6ibHfd)e 0d)hlQnnerei, bot bet man jiCij olt l)iitm 9at. ?illit0altm cO; tiit unfree qlflid)t, aUf biefe i\'e9{et aufmcrrfam 3U mad)en, bie jid) neoen anbetn in bicfen fonft fa ttefflicf)en lSiid)ern flnDCll, Deren 53eftUte einem 53cfer mit geUbtetl 0itmen ®etlUB unb ®eroinn betfd)affcl1 witb. :or 9. 53 1i t [ cf) No Other Way. By N. M. Ylvisaker. Augsburg Publishing House, Min- neapolis, ]\/Iinn. 255 pages, 5%X8. Price, $1.00. May be ordered through Concordia Publishing House, 3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Mo. Dr. N. ]\.!I. Ylvisaker, a graduate of Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, and of Luther Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., is at present executive secretary of the Young People's Luther League and vice- president of the Youth Commission of the American Lutheran Con- ference. As such he is deeply interested in the doctrinal training of the young people of his Church, and it is chiefly in their interest that he has written his books, The G!OTY Rand, Face Tow((Td Goel, and now No OtheT Wny, i. e., no other way of salvation than through faith in Christ Jesus. While the first two works are preeminently devotional and directional, the last is chiefly doctrinal, covering almost the entire field of Christian doctrine in close conformity to Luther's Catechism. It contains twenty-three chapters, which are divided into five chief parts, following Luther's well-known division. The book is written with deep earnestness and presents, largely by way of new approaches and in a new garb, the old Lutheran doctrines of sin and gr2ce, justi- fication and sanctification, centered in the cardinal doctrine of the sola fide. It is refreshing to note how the author emphasizes not only the doctrines of verbal and plenary inspiration and the inerrancy of Holy Writ, but also those of sola Scriptum and sola gmtia, rejecting every human authority in theology and every form of synergism. While the chapter on "Awakening" is free from all pietistic and sectarian taint, we wonder whether it is not somewhat misleading to young Ileople not sufficiently acquainted with our Lutheran doctrine. Occasionally the author quotes Barth and refers to Kierkegaard, though he proves him- self a better theologian than either of them. But such quotations are exceptional. Again and again Luther and our Confessions are cited, together with Professor Hove and in many cases the dogmatical publi- cations of our own Synod. We recommend this new popular and practical doctrinal theology to our pastors, not only in order that they Book Review - 53iteratur 477 may discover what leading men in other synods are teaching, but also that they may rejoice at the deep interest in the study of Christian doctrine manifested by this doctrinal compend, and the pure presentation of our Lutheran doctrine in this new form. If Lutheran dogmaticians continue to publish works like Dr. Ylvisaker's No Other Way, there is yet hope that the Lutheran church union may be secured for which so many have worked and witnessed these many years. J. THEODORE MUELLER The Resurrection of the Human Body. By Norman H. Camp. The Bible Institute Colportage Association, Chicago. 127 pages, 51f4X7%. Price, 75 cts. This treatise on the resurrection both of Christ and of all the dead, on the reality and the nature of the resurrection, and on the importance of the doctrine, and on the fatal consequences of its denial is in the main Scriptural. Presented in simple language and with the assurance of faith, it is instructive and edifying. However, towards the end it gets into the millennium and presents the false teaching of premillen- nialism, or the double resurrection, the "first resurrection" proceeding in three stages (first the New Testament saints are raised, about seven years thereafter the Old Testament saints, and at the end of the seven years the tribulation saints, 144,000 Jews and the great multitude that has been saved through their preaching) and ushering in "the mil- lennial reign of Christ on earth: Christ returns to Jerusalem in power and glory, and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord; it will be a warless kingdom, in which the animals, too, will lose their ferocious natures." It is tragic. - The author presents the Scriptural teaching concerning the glorified, spiritual body of the resur- rection. The use of the term "material body" in this connection is un- fortunate. - The teaching that the wicked will be raised from the dead by virtue of Christ's resurrection, is an old Calvinistic idea. TH. ENGELDER The World's Religions. A Short History. By Charles Samuel Braden, Ph. D. Cokesbury Press, Nashville. 256 pages, 5x71f2. Price, $1.50. This is, as the subhead indicates, a short history of the religions of the world, written by a man who has done extensive work in the field of missions and in the history and literature of religions. We have here a great deal of information, in very readable form, for everyone who wishes to consult some of the fundamental informational material in the field of comparative religion. The bibliography for further study is fairly comprehensive. The author discusses, in thirteen chapters, religion as such, the religions of primitive peoples, the religions of Egypt and Babylonia, the religions of Greece and Rome, the religions of Northern Europe, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, the religions of China, the religions of Japan, Judaism, Christianity, and Mohammedanism. No special attempt is made to present Christianity as the absolute religion. In fact, the chapter on Christianity is by far the weakest in the whole book, since it contains many misrepresentations, as when the author states that the "early Jewish religion was quite certainly tribal" (p.164), that Jesus "may have become a follower of John for a time" (p.180), 478 Book Review - \J itetatut and that the disciples on Pentecost Day spoke "in strange inarticulate sounds" (p.185), whereas the text clearly states that the people heard the apostles speak everyone in the tongue in which he was born. The author's discussion of the resurrection is extremely weak. If the reader will omit the chapters on Judaism and on Christianity, he may derive much value from a study of the book. P. E. KRETZMANN Those Gely Middle Ages. By Frederick D. Kershner. Willett, Clark & Company, New York. 235 pages, 53/4X8. Price, $2.00. May be ordered through Concordia Publishing House, 3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Mo. This is the way the other hali lived in the Middle Ages, not the barons and princes, knights in steel and fair ladies, the priesthood and the hierarchy, - the life of the common people is in the foreground in these well-written chapters, each of them dealing with one large aspect of medieval life - sanitation, education, marriage, etc. The author is dean of the School of Religion at Butler University in Indianapolis. The theme of his book is: "We need all of the good things which the Middle Ages can present, but from the rest, good Lord, deliver us!" While Dr. Kershner appreciates the scholasticism of the Middle Ages as "one of the most remarkable triumphs of the spirit of man," he has no illusions regarding the inutility and ineffectiveness of the work done by the scholastics, here treated under the heading "The Hair-splitting Brigade." The book is written in a racy style, and it is, all in all, a stream-lined sketch of the Middle Ages that we have in these pages. Dr. Kershner has no reverence for the feudal nobility, glorified in verse and song; it was in fact "arrogant, callous and cruel, coarse and fre- quently contemptible." The inhuman cruelties practised, especially in the treatment of heretics, are pictured in a chapter headed "Where Was the Humane Society?" and the chapter describing the filth of the medieval cities bears the title "Pigs Is Pigs." These journalistic excrescences of Dr. Kershner's style are, however, a mere artifice used in order to make attractive a story which is highly unpleasant in most of its features and which, we should add, is here told on the basis of very sound scholarship. TH. GRAEBNER mtniaturcn IlU§ mcinem £clien. mon &;lUllS \l5reu\l. metrag bon C);. \BetteH;, mann, ®Utctijfo~. 1938. 140 6eitcn 5lj4X8. \l5rcis: .r.attoniert, RM.3.60. ?IDieDer~oft ~a!len toit an Diefer 6teffe 6cl)tiften bon D. S'dalls \l5reu\l, \l5ro' fefrot bet .\{itd)engefd)id)te an bet Uniberfttlit ~tIangen, angeaeigt nnb em1lfo~len, namenHid) bie gro%e 53ut~ettrifogie "lffiartin 53utf)et bet .r.Unftfet", "lffiattin 53utf)et bet \l5ro1lf)ct", "lffiartin 53utf)er bet :Dcutfd)e" unb feine ieben 53efer feffe1nbe .\titd)engc[d)id)te "mon oen .!tatafomben iliS 3U ben .8eid)en bet 3dt", eins bet intereffanteften ?IDette, Die toit in ben fe~ten :Juf)ren gefefen f)aben, unb bon bem ein 53efer bicfet ,3citfcfJrift uns fd)tieo, ba& iuit i~n Durd) uufett \Bef.ptecfJung "betfuf)r±" f)iitten, bas \Bud) ftd) an3ufd)affen, bat et es abet toa9tfid) nid)t be" teue. SU:US anbetn 6d)riften unb SU:rtifeln ift liefannt, bafl D. \l5teu% 3u9ieicfJ ein f)etbonagenbet ~unft1)iftotHer ift, bet QUOtecl)t :DUter nnb :Jof)ann 6ebaftian \Bad) mit !Jted)t a(g bie .leUnftfer bet !Jtefotmat1on 3U fdJUbern toei% unb ben nod) Book Review - mtetatut 479 lebenben WCafer ffiubolf 6c!)tifet mit fciuen feinen ~Uuftrat1Duen 3U 5.Jut~et~ unb ~aul ®cr~atbt~ mebcrn Hub iu fetuet j8ilbcrDiflel als beu "lut~erifcl)ften aHct JHinftfct" (6. 61) edannt nnb gebeutet ~at. :;Sn bem bodiegenben Heinen I.ffiede, bas tulr in einem ,81tge bntc!)gclefen ~aben, eqii~[t nun qlreut aus feincm etgc~ nen lSeuen unb fiicl)t baud fo ntanc!)etfei j8collael)tungm'unb !;S;tfaf)J:tmgcn e1n. ~mmet fel)aut bet Iut~etifc!)e st~eolDg unb bet feinfinnige r~unft~iftorHet butcl) , unb et ~at biefe maunigfaLtigen j8ifber mit ffiecl)t "WCiniatmen" genannt. !;S;~ ift witUic!) .mcinmafereij benn qlmtil ift in feiner SDariteUungsltJeije feIojt ein .I1'linftfet. GTr er3iifJlt ba in interejianter unb bocl) gans einfacfJet I.ffieife au~ fcinem 5.'e6en, aus feiner '\~illbl)eit, bon feiner re!igiojen GTntmicfIung, aus fcinen 5cl)it1erc unb 6tubentcnjul)ren unb entmitft bauel nC!mentlic!) ein a113iel)cnbes j8ilb llUll bem befannten lJebmtenbften ncuteftamentlld)cn ®elel)rten ber l)/cu3eit 5rl)cODut ;<:)af)n, feinem iiftctm .li'oUegen in GTrIangen. GTt erotil)ft bolt fcimn 6c!)ulnteifterja!)rcn, al~ et ®~ntnafial!e~rer in \'l'reibutg unb SDtesben mat, bon feinent j8efucl) bei ben "WCaletebangeliftcn" I.ffiUl)e1m 6teinl)uuim 1mb GTbuatb bon ®ebl)atbt, fd)tIbert in Iel)tteic!)et I.ffieife, ItJie e~ 3Ut metabfaffung feinet j8licljet l1etommen iftj unb boclj tut et bies lcttm in gan3 unaufbtinglicl)er, befcljeibenet I.fficifc, nl)Jte baB et fid) [cluft tiil)men wi!1j bCltu if)lll fcl)webt babet illll1lct bas bnn il)Ut ,Hiette DeIanllle 5.'utl)Crluott bot: ,,®reif bit [cluet an beine D1Fen, unl:J grcifft bu red)t, fo mirft bu finben eln fc~on qluut gtn!let, langer, ruuf)ct GTfels~ DI)eetL 00 mage boUenb bie .I1'oft !latan unb fel)1l1iic!c fie mit glilbenClt 6d)cllen, aUf bali, luo bu geI))!, Ulan bid) ~iiren forme, mit \'l'ingem aUf bid) weifen unb fagen: 6el)et, fd)et, ba ge~t bas feinc stiet, bas [0 ril[tlid)c j8iicljet fc!)reiben fann!" (6.93; in bet 6t. 530uifet l3ntl)etausgabe 14, 437.) (!;r teHt feine j8e~ obad)tungen mit, mCltn er an eiuent .I1'urort fid) aUfgtiTt ober eiu .reon3ert UlH aul)or!, gibt cine fcillC j8cicf)reibung bon eincnt io1cl)C1t, in bem 9Jl03uris grn[les "ffiequiem" batgeboten it1Utbe, Hub bon einem unbem mit 3etfa~tenct mobemet 9TIufif. Hnb aud) bet ©untor fe~H nid)t, menn et fo maud)es aus jcillCm eigmen 5.'c6eu, llnn fcinen .I1'inbetll UllD iScf)ii£em et3Li~It ober bon feinen 5.'cfJrcrn, UUl:J immet finb tteffenbe, metlboUe ®ebanren uub l.ffia~t~eHen eingefttcut, fo bat wit, wenn es bet ffiaum geftatten mlitbe, mand)e~ ausfli~tncl)et mHteHen wlitben, 3. j8. bat et, nod) nicljt 3wii1f ~a~te aft, bie gan3e j8ibeI butdjgelefen ~atte (bie gun3e &)eiHge 5d)tift ift e1n .reunftwetf, abet "etft bem ent~liHt fic~ bie !Sibe! guu" bent fie nicljt mCfF 5.'iteratur ift " , 6. 120) unb baB eln 5.Je~ter i111111Ct fid) belour]t fein [oU bet WCal)uUu\l, bie in bem 6d)riftluorl :;Sef. 8, 18 negt. (iJau3 be" fonbere IlXcf)tung unb grnflc lSievc ~at et flit £luH)ers qletfiinHcljfeit. mOll fcincm ffieHorat an bel' Unibetfitiit, bem ~iicl)ften arabemifcl)en IlXmt, fagt qlteut, bali es flit i~n eine 6d)ufe bet SDemut mat, befonbets in ben et[ten :;Sa~ten bet \)Cot naclj bem l.ffieHhicg. Unb es fe~1t auclj nicljt an ernften llXusfii~tungen libet mobetltHtcljIid)es unb cljriftncljes £leben. I.ffielcljen itfeit qlreuli aUf feine 6tubien berluanht flat, ge~t unlet unbetnt bataus ~etbor, bali er flit feine 53ull)erlrirogie fiimtlid)e I.ffietfe l3ut~ets nac!) bet gtoten I.ffiellnaret \~(u!lgabe gelefen ultb mit ber \'l'ebet uusge30gen ~at, natiirHc~ mit mancljedd Qro[le11 Unterlmcl)1!11ge11. Cis fe~lt auel) nic!)t an 6eIuftftitif, muncljntaI ~umorboller, loenn et 3. j8. gall, oHen gefte~t, baB 1eine &)anbfcljtift in IIf~iiteten ;sa~ten teicljHd) unlefetficlj" gewotben fei, ma~ ficl) attclj uns befttitigt ~at, fo bat einet unfetet ~iefigen \'l'teuube bie 6cljrift3lige in einem ~iet~et geric!)teten j8tiefe aIs "cljinefifd)" be3eicl)nete. - ~n bem &efagten fiegt genug !;S;m~fe~lung biefes an3ie~enben j8ucl)es. 53. it li r b tin get 480 Book Review - Xliteratur The Faith of Betty Starn. In Poem and Verse. By Elizabeth Alden Scott Starn. Arranged by her parents, Clara and Charles E. Scott. FlemL'lg H. Revell Co., New York. 129 pages, 51fzx7lj2. Price, $1.00. May be ordered through Concordia Publishing House, 3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Mo. In 1934 John and Betty Starn, missionaries in China, were murdered by Chinese Communists, martyrdoms that stirred the entire Christian world at the time. The brief published story of their lives and early death was reviewed some time ago in our church-papers. The present volume is a collection of the poems of Betty Stam, collected by her parents, Dr. and lVIrs. Charles E. Scott. They were written over a period of seventeen years. Some of them were found in the wreckage of the Starn home in Tsingtah, Ahnwei. Betty Stam was a poet. Naturally, not all poems in such a collec- tion will be of signal merit; but there are many both clever and beau- tiful among them, and a simple childlike faith in Christ runs through all the religious poems which we have had the time to read. Outstand- ing are such as these: "A Jingle of \i'ITords"; "Praise to Christ"; "Christ- mas." A fine quatrain (and there are a number of others) is entitled "Nevertheless" and reads: Nevertheless Thy will is best; Nevertheless Thou lovest all. The bird Thou stirrest from her nest; Thy wing prevents her fall. BOOIe == ==:::7ED From the Meador P1Lblishing Company, Boston: W.G.POLACK John H the Inseparable Union. An Authentic Biography of a Revolutionary Leader, Patriot, and Statesman. By Jacob A. Nelson. 146 pages, 51fzx7%. Price, $2.00. From the Fundamental Truth Publishers, Findlay, 0.: 101 :Eye-Catching Objects. By Rev. Elmer L. Wilder, Th. D. 212 pages. Price, $1.50. NOTICE TO 0 __ .J_ ~SCRmERS In order to render satisfactory service, vlfe luust have our current Inailing-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 because no 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) \vill take care of the addresses for several publications. \Ve shall be very grateful for your cooperation. Kindly consult the address label on this paper to ascertain whether your subscription has expired or will soon expire. "June 39" 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 HOUSEl St. Louis, Mo.