(!tnurnr~iu m~rnlngttal :!Inutltly Continuing LEHRE UNO VVEHRE MAGAZIN FUER Ev.-LUTH. HOMILETIK THEOLOGICAL QUARTERL Y-THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY Vol. X October, 1939 No. 10 CONTENTS Pap Lather's Position on the Lord's Supper. H. B. Hemmeter _ ___ m Kleine Prophetenstudien. L. FuerbrlDger ______ ___ __________ 742 The False Arguments for the Modem Theory of Open Questions Walther-Guebert ____ ._ .. ___ .. ___________ 752 Predigtentwuerfe fuer die Evangelien der Thomasius- Perikopenreihe __________ _ .._________________________ .. ______ .. ____ 758 Miscellanea _______ . __ . ______________________ _ 7n Theolorical Observer. - Kirclilich-Zeitgeschichtliches ___ ._ .. ___ 7'19 Book Review.-Literatur ______ .... __ .... ___ ._._ .. ____ .. _________ .. _ 793 EID Predl8er mUll! Dfcht aIleln toet- cleft. 1180 da8I er cUe Sc:hate unter-we_ w1e lie rechte Chrlaten IOllen IeIn. IODdem aueb daneben den Woel- ten to.lan". d ... lie dle Schate Dlebt lIII"lten UDd mit talacher Leme ver- tuehren UDd Jrrtum elntuebren. Luther. Es fat kel.n DIn& do dIe IAutI mehr bel der ltlrche behaalt dena die lIUte PredfCt. - ApoloQte. At1. ... If the trumpet I1ve lID UDcertaJn IOlDld who aball prepare Idm8alt to the battle? -1 Cor. If ••. Published for the £Yo Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States CONCORDIA PUBLISHING BOUSE, St. Louis, MOo Book Review - £iteratut 793 Boo Re' All books reviewed in this periodical may be procured from or through Con- cordia Publishing House, 3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Mo. The Spirit of the Shepherd. An Interpretation of the Psalm Immortal. By M. P. Krikorian. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Mich. 125 pages, 51fzx7%. Price, $1.00. The Twenty-third Psalm is truly the Psalm Immortal, having as firm a hold on the hearts of believers as ever in the entire history of the Church. Within a short time three books offering an explanation of the psalm have been published: My Shepherd Life in Galilee, by Stephen Haboush; A Shepherd Remembers, by Leslie Weatherhead; and now the book by Krikorian, whose childhood home was near the Cilician Gates in the Taurus Mountains, the pass which was repeatedly used by St. Paul on his missionary journeys. The author of this book is a Fundamentalist and presents his exposition on Biblical grounds, in a most reverent and impressive manner, which is truly edifying to preacher and layman alike. The first two chapters are introductory in c;:haracter: The Spirit of the Shepherd; A Psalm of Solemn Beauty. The remaining five chapters are given titles from the Old Testament designations of the covenant God: Jehovah-Jireh (The Providing Shepherd-Lord), Jehovah- Tsidkenu (The Pioneering Shepherd-Lord), Jehovah-Shalom (The Paci- fying Shepherd-Lord), Jehovah-Nissi (The Prevailing Shepherd-Lord), and Jehovah-Shammah (Permanently at Home with the Shepherd-Lord). The exposition throughout is given with the background of Oriental conditions, as the author was familiar with them. It is strange that he should speak of the rod as the shepherd's crook, whereas other Oriental writers distinguish between the rod or bludgeon, as the weapon of offense, and the staff, or shepherd's crook, as the crook for the guidance of the sheep. (See p. 74.) We cannot, of course, countenance the strange abuse of the Lord's Supper which is related with approval on page 98, when a Christian facing death used the sand of the desert as the external means for the Eucharist. There are passages of exquisite beauty and power throughout the book, and one will benefit much by reading and studying the small volume. P. E. KRETZMANN Seven Saved Sinners, or How God Saves Men. A study of God's varieties of religious experience in the Book of Acts. By William Ward Ayer, D. D., Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, New York City. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Mich. 126 pages, 51J4x8. Price, $1.00. While by no means a work of deep theology, this book treating of the conversions of the eunuch, Paul, Cornelius, Sergius Paulus, Lydia, the Philippian jailer, and Apollos can be of help to the pastor who wishes to preach sermons on the Book of Acts. Each one of the seven sermons here submitted is preceded by a simple historical study. Not everything in the book can receive our endorsement. We cannot share the view that Cornelius, before Peter came to him, was an unconverted man. The story in Acts shows that he was a true child of God. What he 794 Book Review - 2itetdut lacked was the knowledge that the Messiah had appeared. That re- baptism is sanctioned (p.124) likewise is an item which we have to oppose. It strikes us as infelicitous, to say the least, when the writer divides the conversions under discussion into two classes, the "calm" and the "hilarious," and when he puts that of the eunuch, Sergius Paulus, Lydia, and Apollos in the first group and that of Saul, Cornelius, and the Philippian jailer in the second (p. 8). Certainly a better adjective than "hilarious" could have been found. The same stricture applies to "uproarious" as describing some of these conversions. The many refer- ences to the experiences of Billy Sunday have their explanation in Dr. Ayer's conversion in a Billy Sunday campaign. W. ARNDT A Summary of Christian Doctrine. A Popular Presentation of the Teachings of the Bible. By Edward W. A. Koehler, Instructor in Concordia Teachers' College, River Forest, Ill. Koehler Publish- ing Co., River Forest, Ill. XV and 292 pages, 6X9. Price, $2.00. Prof. Koehler has the reputation of being an excellent teacher. That this reputation is justified readers of this book can definitely confirm. There is, in the first place, an orderly arrangement of the topics to bQ presented with carefully chosen chapter and paragraph headings. Next, one is struck by the clarity of the discussion, enhanced by the absence of superfluous technical terminology; if there is an obscure statement in the book, this reviewer has failed to see it. Finally, the work abounds in analogies and illustrations, adduced to make the abstract material take on meaning for the student. The purely formal side of the book hence entitles it to high commendation. Still more important is the question whether the doctrhle presented here is thoroughly Scriptural. Everybody who intimately knows Pro- fessor Koehler is aware that he is an ardent Lutheran, a staunch defender of the faith once delivered to the saints, and always intent on submitting to what the Scriptures teach. The present work is in keeping with what has just been stated. It is sound in its teaching and a reliable guide for those seeking instruction in the truths revealed in the divine Word. The author is likewise on the alert to ward off error and, while not giving the antithesis much space, does not hesitate to mention it when speaking of a doctrine. It ought to be added that it is the author's aim to cover the whole field of Christian doctrine. In respect to his purpose he says in the Foreword (p. m f.) : "The reason for writing this Su.mmary was to provide students with a suitable manual to be used in connection with the Bible as the basis for class discussion of Christian doctrines. Between the Catechism used in elementary instruction, and the larger works on Dogmatics used in theological seminaries we have at present no book which in a concise form and yet in a fairly comprehensive manner systematically treats the doctrines of the Scriptures. While not sup- planting the more scholarly works used in theological seminaries, . . . the Su.mmary may supply a real need in Christian colleges." In addition, so the author remarks, he hopes the book will serve pastors as a convenient review in Christian doctrine, furnish topics and material for conference essays and for lectures, and especially aid Book Review - 2tteratut 795 teachers in parish and Sunday-schools in their blessed work. Very correctly he says: "Confused teaching is often due to confused knowl- edge." And finally he thinks that his book, written in a plain style and eschewing technical terms, will appeal to the average layman. Laymen, of course, ought to strive to grow in Christian knowledge, and here they are furnished a good means. In thinking of the character of the book, we are reminded of the popular doctrinal compends reprinted more than half a century ago by our fathers, written by Hunnius and Loeber. What these men of God hundreds of years ago undertook, our author has attempted for our own day and generation, and in the opinion of this reviewer he does not have to fear a comparison. W. ARNDT When God Died. By Herbert Lockyer, D. D. Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub- lishing Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. 118 pages, 5l/zX8. Price, $1.00. Dr. Lockyer was brought to America from England by the Extension Department of the Moody Bible Institute, under whose auspices he made a number of evangelistic tours of American cities. He is author of a large number of books, mostly evangelistic and apologetic in nature. When God Died presents a series of meditations for Lent, including de- scriptive messages on the seven words of Christ on the cross. The very title of the volume shows the Christian belief that he holds of Christ. In his Preface he writes: "Yes, God Himself became the Lamb (John 1: 29). . .. What is this but the death of Deity? God spilling His blood in order to acquire the ChurCt"1! :r-~ot orJy representatively but intrinsically Christ Himself was God. Some there are who vainly try to separate our Lord's two natures." Very stoutly he defends the Scrip- tural truth that on the cross God died for our sins. This does not mean that the reader can accept every statement the author makes. He speaks of a change which the incarnation of our Lord made in the composition of the Trinity. (Cf. Preface.) This statement goes beyond Scripture as also does another: "Flesh and bones have become a part of the Trinity now!" Again, when in the chapter "Mystical Transfusion" he speaks of the transfusion of Christ's blood into our own bodies for the sake of c.piritual healing, he apparently forgets that justification is a forensic and not a medical act, and his paragraphs reflect a mysticism which, too, goes beyond Scripture. But there is in this book so clear and fearless a confession of what Modernists have derided as the "blood theology" that one can hardly read this series of Lenten meditations without abid- ing pleasure. J. THEODORE MUELLER ~ofjann ~Ujtedjt )Bengel. 'Iler SUofter~rii3~tor bon 'Ilenfen!lorf. l:5ein mJet~ ben unb mJitten na~ ~anbf~tiftli~en Ouellen batgeftellt bon .Rad .\;}et~ mann. ~aHller metein~bu~l)anbrung, I:5tuttgatt. 488 6eiten 6X9. ~rets: :In ,\Jeinmanb mit :3)edel~ unb lJWdentiteI l1ebunben: RM.7.80. mielleidjt barf id) mit dnet .perfilnlidjen ~rinnerung Iicginnen. ~l!!l ffeinem .Il:naben, ber, lDie .Il:inber bies oft tun, feinen matet bei bet mtbeit Deoba~tete, fier mit fdjon aUf, bali et beftnnbig bei feintt morbeteitung auf bie ~tebigt tin mudj, bas i~ f.pnter als mengeIil I/@lnomonl/ fennen lernte, aUf bem I:5tubiertifdje liegen ~atte unb jIeijiig 3U jRate 30g. 11m idj bann ins ~rebil1tamt trat, f~enUe mit mein mater biefes mud), unb es ift feitbem ein mertbollet meftanbteil meintt t~eologif~en iBibliot~ef, ben i~ nie milfen mlidjte. mus ben bielen .3eugnilfen 796 Book Review - ~itetatut Uliet !Senge! unb feinen //@Snomon//, bon fe~r berfei)iebenen qlerfonen, bie iei) in mein ~;remplat eingettagen ~abe, will iei) nur ,ttlei anfU~ten. 5Det befnnnte qlro~ feffor bet 5Dogmatif unb neuteftnmenHiei)en ~;regefe j}'. sa. qI~mppi ~at gefngt: //5SengefS Gnomon novi testamenti ift ein Wed bettlunberunggttlUrbigen @3ei)arf~ finneg unb j}'einfinnes nael) ~n~a1t unb j}'otm. . .. 5Dng @3tubinm oietet im ®an,en fe~r rdel)e sausoeute unb liieibenben ®ettlinn.// Unb ~o~n Wesle~, ber @3tiftet bet met~obiftifel)en ®emeinfel)nft, fagte 1755, er fei entfel)loffen gettlefen, nnr fcine eigenen 5Scmerlnngcu ,um IJteuen ;teftament ,u geben. IJtad)bem alier bas grOne mel)t ber el)tiftlid)cu Weft 5Senge1 befannt gettlorben f ei, glanve er, bet @3ad)e bet ffieligion niel)t beifer bienen 3U fiinnen, al~ ttlenn er ben //®nomon// Ubetfete. Unb fo ift biefes ,uetft 1742 erfel)ienene Wed auter im lateinifd)en Dtiginal fel)on langft auel) in engHfel)er unb beutfei)er ftberfetung in lja&en. 5Das ~eben unb m!iden biefes ;t~eologen ttlirb nun in bem bodiegenben m!erfe gan, gtUnbHei) unb einge~enb gefel)Hbert, nnb es ift Iiei ttleitem bie befte 5Siogral'~ie, bie bon 5Sengel etfei)ienen ift. 5Das erfte 5Suel) be~anbe1t feine ~inb~eit unb ~ngenb,eit. 5Das ,ttleite fei)Hbett unter bem ;tite{ //5Der ~lofterpra3eptor bon 5Denfenborf" feine prnUifel)e unb ttliffenfd)aftlid)e ;tiitigfeit. 5Das etfte 5SUel) ,et~ fallt in elf ~apitel, bas ,ttleite in fieoen, unb namentlid) intereffant ift im 3ttleiten 5Snd)c bas fUnfte ~apitel, bag Ubetfel)rieben ift: //~m 5Dienfte ber 8;}eHigen @3el)rift lJecuen ;teftamenW' (@3.368-40S). 5Der merfaffer ljat auel) bie ;tiitigfeit 5Senge{g gefc~ilbert, bie bet ~ritH unterHegt, unter ben iiberfel)riften //~m 5Sanne apofal~p~ tifel)er \'l'orfd)nngen" unb //5Die 5Segegnung mit 8in,enborf//. lJJtit ttle!el)er ®rUnb~ Hel)feit bie(e 5Siogral'ljie gearbeitet ift, ,eigt bie ;tatfael)e, ba\3 bas mer3eicl)niS bet Ouellen nnb sanmetfnngen breiunb31nan3ig @3eiten umfatt, unb am @3d)luffe finbet fiel) ein qlerfonenregifter, bas ael)t @3eiten fUllt. ~s ift ein fo etngeljenbes unb mit fo [taunenslnertem iJ'leiil ausgearbeitetes m!etf, ttlie man es nut fdten finber, nnb es ift ba3u, lute man bas auel) bDn bet metlagsbnel)~anblung ge\l)Of)nt ift, au§~ ge,eiel)net gebtudt unD ansgeftattct unb mit einer gan3en ffieU)c ~lboilDnngen berfe~en, b!ll'unter fieben stafefn aUf ~unftbtudl'apier. 5Senge1 ttlujite Die tieHte \'l'riimmigteit mit bet grii\3ten ®elef)rfamfeit 3U berbinben unb ttla~re \'l'riimmigteit ttlar ilJm bas befte IJJtUteI 3U ciner gtUnbliel)en ®e1ef)rfamteit. Erudita pietas! ~s ift etttlas bon e1ner saufgabe, bas 5Suel) 3U !efen, abel' niemanb ttlirb es be~ rcuen, ttleH er eben mannigfael)en unb reiel)en ®ettlinn babontragt. 53. \'l' U r b ri n g ex ~ic cincn gntcn Slnmpf gcfiintPft. mom ffiingen unb ffieifen el)riftnel)er 5Deutfel)er. mon lJJtartin 8;}aug. ~alttler merein~fJUel)~anblung in @3tutt~ gart. 272 @3eiten, 4%XS. qlreis in ~einen: RM.3.S0. 5Dies feffelnb gefel)riefJene 5Suel) bietd eine fficilJe bon biograjl~ifel)en em33en, ilie ttlenigftens 3um ;tei! auel) fUr ben ;tf)eologen intereffant finb. 5Der merfaffer bef)anbc!t Die folgenbcn qlerfonen: ~rnft 1JJt0tit sarnot, ~o~annes \'l'alf, sabolf @3tiider, \'l'riebriel) bOll 5Sobelfel)ttlingf), 53ubttlig Wommenfen, saoolf 5Damafd)fe, ®taf iJ'erilinanb bolt 8eppelin, ®otd) \}od, ~afpat ffiene ®regor~, ffiuboif ~oel), ~~ren~ frieb ®lintlJcr \'l'reif)err bon 8;}Unefelb, santon ~ubttlig \'l'riebriel) ~luguft bon lJJtadenfen. ®it fdjliejien Hns bem UdeH einer beutfd)liinbifel)en ,{lcitung an: "IJHel)t bollftcinbige 53eoensvefd)tcibungen in ermUbenoer 5Sreite finb es, fonbern bie padenben lJJtomente nno bie tragenben @Sefel)e~niffe, bie lJicr fJifbf)aft gefel)Hbert ttlcrben." Wet ~nformation livet oiefc ~erborragenben ®eftaHen fUel)t oocr aud) ttlo~l cinem ~ngenbberein etttlas ®ebiegenes aUf bem ®ebiet bel' el)rifUiel)en 5Sio~ gtapljie bieten miid)te, ttlirb bies \Buel) mit @3pannung teren. qI. ~. ~ t e t man n Book Review - S3itetntut 797 The Radio for Christ. Radio Messages Broadcast in the Sixth Lutheran Hour. By Walter A. Maier, Ph. D. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo., 1939. 417 pages, 5lhx7%. Price, $1.50. The Lutheran Hour addresses by Dr. Walter A. Maier are too well known by this time to need any comment. The sixth Lutheran Hour brought an abundance of letters, about 130,000. There is no doubt that the Lutheran Hour has not only made our Church known to many thousands in our country, but has also brought a knowledge of the truth and its spiritual edification and comfort to not a few. It has also added members to our churches. The expense of broadcasting over sixty-six stations we believe to be warranted. The Lutheran Hour presents an opportunity to make the many listeners acquainted with the great doc- trines of the Christian religion, and this Biblical indoctrination is much needed in our country just at this time. The broadcasts will be resumed this fall. The present volume of addresses has been dedicated to Edmund Seuel, the Treasurer of our Synod and manager of our Con- cordia Publishing House. J. H. C. FRITZ The Institutional Missionary and His Ministry. By E. Duemling, In- stitutional Missionary, Milwaukee, Wis. 64 pages, 5lJ4x8. Price, 50 cts. Order direct from the author, 1737 N. 52d St., Mil- waukee, Wis. This booklet is written from the background of a rich and varied experience of a man well known in our circles, Pastor Enno Duemling, who for thirty-seven years has served as a full-time institutional mis- sionary in the Mihvaukee area. It is a thank-offering which the author has laid down at the throne of God in sincere gratitude for the privilege of serving the Lord in the ministry among the unfortunates, the physi- cally sick, and the mentally deranged, the prisoners and other outcasts from society. We find interesting and instructive chapters on the institu- tional missionary and divine services, the physically and the mentally sick, the Christians at public institutions, the rehabilitation of the pris- oner, the volunteer worker, the nurse, the relation to the doctor, etc. Some of these chapters have appeared in recent issues of our CON- CORDIA THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY. We recommend this booklet to all our pastors, particularly to such as are doing institutional work besides their regular pastoral duties. TH. LAETSCH Bible History Outlines. By Wm. A. Kramer. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo. 1939. 233 pages. Price, $1.50. This is another number in the growing list of teaching helps offered to the instructors in our Christian schools. As the title indicates, it is a series of outlines on the Bible-stories contained in the Advanced Bible History, in use in our schools. Of the practical value of the book others whose calling it is to teach children will be better able to judge; but it is evident that as a guide, suggesting and stimulating, it is well worth the money; and this alone the author wants to offer. In the Preface he states: "It must be remembered, of course, that outlines of religion are in themselves only a dead thing and that they serve a useful purpose only when they become the vehicle of the teacher's own methods, per- 798 Book Review - ~itetatut sonality, enthusiasm, devotion, and faith. Outlines prepared by another can rarely be used effectively without adaptation to one's own particular needs." To which I would add: Outlines prepared by another should not, or at least rarely, be used without adaptation, etc. That's not good for the teacher; the temptation to do so, however, is present whenever such a complete set of preparations is offered, and one should recognize the danger. Each outline points out the central thought of the lesson; then fol- lows devotion consisting of hymn, Scripture-reading, and prayer; ap- pr.oach to the story; transition; telling of the story (author's remark in Preface: "It must be told in a manner that indicates the teacher's personal interest, enthusiasm, and, above all, his personal faith." Right! Impress it upon the children in every way that this is not just another lesson, a more or less arduous task; here the object is not a gain in temporal knowledge, but knowledge unto salvation); discussion of story; a number of review questions; a closing hymn; special assignment, which, very properly, often directs the child to consult the Bible directly and again to correlate the story discussed with the Catechism. The very first outline tells the pupil to use Bible C.oncordance. Fine! THEo.HoYER The Burden Made Light. Meditations and Prayers for Sick, Con- valescents, Invalids, and Afflicted. By Alfred Doerffier, St. Louis, Mo. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo. 103 pages. Paper cover. Price, 35 cts. This is the same book reviewed in this magazine Vol. n, p. 559, and well known to many of our pastors. In compliance with a request for a cheaper edition, this paper-bound book is now offered. May this serve to give the book even wider use than before! THEo. HOYER Thinking Youth's Greatest Need. By Dan Gilbert. Zondervan Pub- lishing House. 154 pages, 5xH4. Price, $1.00. It is difficult to refrain from becoming enthusiastic when reading this book, even though we cannot agree with every statement of the author. His doctrinal position in the field of eschatology is neither clear nor adequate (Antichrist, p.86; millennium, pp.1l3, 122). But one may well, in the parlance of the day, "skip" these sentences and paragraphs and enjoy the author's fearless and trenchant defense of the truth of the natural sinfulness of man, of the verbal inspiration of the Bible, of the atonement through the blood of the only-begotten Son of God, of saving faith, and many other fundamental truths against Modernism and many other strange isms of our day. Some of the author's sentences are like bombshells, which are intended to blast away the false claims of the enemies of Christianity. Gilbert's prescription for the greatest need of youth may be summed up in one word: faith. This he describes in the chapters: A Transcendant Faith; A Living Faith; A Revealing Faith; A Progressive, Forward-looking Faith; A Personal, Individual Faith, etc. His remarks on "Inspiration" and on birth control alone are worth the price of the book. P. E. KRETZMANN Book Review - ~itet(ttur 709 Stories of Hymns for Creative Living. By Charles Arthur Boyd. The Judson Press, Boston. 248 pages, 8X5¥2. Price, $2.00 This volume is the handbook for the hymnal Hymns for Creative Living, prepared by the Baptists in response to a demand for a com- paratively small hymn-book. The volume therefore is of most practical value to those who possess this hymnal and thus have all the texts and tunes before them. The author devotes, on the average, about a page to each hymn with its tune. Of special interest to this reviewer were his treatises on authors and composers less generally known to the Church at large. W. G. POLACK Tricks Our Minds Play on Us. By Karl Ruf Stolz. The Cokesbury Press, Nashville, Tenn. 252 pages. 5¥2 X8. Price, $2.00. According to the notice on the jacket of the book, "the author ex- tends a helping hand by clarifying the art of mental hygiene, that branch of psychology which specializes in help for individuals who are hampered by passions, nervous apprehensions, unwarranted self-abasement, and other forms of mental maladjustment." The book rather disappoints the high expectations raised by this announcement and leaves the reader unsatisfied, even though some of the things the author has to say on the eleven mental and nervous abnormalities described and some of the advice he gives on the treabnent of these tricks of the mind may be helpful to the beginner. Only too frequently the advice amounts to nothing more than to cure the evil by overcoming the evil. This is especially apparent in the chapter on "Morbid Fearfulness," where we read: "The existence of fcarsome CirCUlTIstances and conditions should be frankly recognized. Not that fear should be onowed to domLTlate and shatter the personality. Nobody ought to be afraid to die. A whole- some view of life absorbs death, the fate which will overtake all sooner or later, and strikes down the most devastating fears. After all, in the final analysis, any fear is occasioned by man's aversion to his partial or complete annihilation. . .. Man endowed by courage conquers death itself, the last enemy that even the saint must face." (P.80.) Yet God Himself who surely has a little knowledge of psychiatry assures us that through fear of death all men are all their lifetime subject to bondage, and that the only way to overcome this fear of death is through faith in Him who through death destroyed him that had the power of death, Heb. 2: 14. Sad to say, Stolz does not know this Savior, at least he does not speak of His vicarious atonement, even in his final chapter on "Men without God." "Jesus, assuming that God exists, devoted Himself to the task of demonstrating that God is easily accessible and that His purpose for every man is constantly benevolent." (P.242.) "Religious meditation is one of the most potent correctives for the tricks that human nature plays on itself. It helps one to achieve harmony with the Infinite through relaxation, the exposure of the personality to God, and the disinterested adoration of God." (P. 249 f.) "The practical applica- tion of the fundamentals of the religion which Jesus made imperative, rather than an explicit interpretation in terms of a system of doctrine, is after all primary." (P.252.) This philosophy leaves man without Christ and therefore without God and without hope in this world. TH.LAETSCH 800 Book Review - £literatut Statistical Year-Book of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States for the Year 1938. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo. 263 pages, 6X9. Price, net, $1.00. Besides the usual reports of the District Presidents and the congre- gational and other statistics and information the Year-book for 1938 contains a centennial chronology of the years 1838-1938. This alone is worth the price of the book. A number of mistakes crept in which were later corrected on a sheet sent to the purchasers. Much makes interesting reading, as, for instance, the fact that in 1900 only 281 adults were confirmed; in 1910, 663; in 1920, 3,161; in 1930, 6,346; and in 1938, 11,060. In 1920 only 40 per cent. of the services were conducted in the English language and 69 per cent. in 1938. At the end of 1938 our Synod had 1,345,833 baptized and 894,785 communicant members. As we read of the progress which our Synod made in the course of years, we should thank and praise God for it. J. H. C. F. BOOKS RECEIVED From Fleming H. Revell Company, London and Edinburgh: We Have God, and Other Addresses. By Edward F. Dunlavy. 189 pages, 5X7¥2. Price, $1.50. From Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Mich.: The Adventures of a Modern Young Man. By T. T. Shields. 132 pages. Price, $i.OO. The Higher Path. Sermons from a Southern Pulpit. By F. B. Thorn, D. D. 155 pages. Price, $1.00. I :eart Reaching Object Lessons. Sight Sermons on Sin, Salvation, Separation, and Service. By Elmer L. Wilder, Th. D. 152 pages. Price, $1.00. From Evangelical Publishers, 366 Bay St., Toronto, Canada: Zonya, Daughter of Abraham. The story of her quest for light. By Agnes Scott Kent. 314 pages. Price, $1.50. 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 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) will take care of the addresses for several publications. We shall be very grateful for your cooperation. Kindly- consult the address label on this paper to ascertain whether yOUI' subscription has expired or will soon expire. "Oct 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 HOUSE. St. Louis, Mo.