book reviews
Most books reviewed may be obtained by mail from the Biola Book Room, Mail Order Dept., 560 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 17, Calif.
By Arnold D. Ehlert, Th.D. Librarian and Professor of Library Science at Biola
Onak and the Talking Box By Marie Barham Here is an authentic account of mis sionary work on the Island of Min doro, one of the rugged interiors of the Philippines. The talking box is, of course, the portable phonograph that carries the gospel in song and spoken word into the villages and homes of those who would never get out to hear it otherwise. There is much of local color and one gets an interesting look at primitive peoples and their practices. The challenge of direct missionary endeavor comes strongly out of this volume. 189 pages; cloth; Moody Press, Chicago; $3.00. The Letter to the Hebrews By Johannes Schneider It is difficult to find a truly evan gelical scholar in the American sense of the term among the European universities, but Schneider will be found quite acceptable at most points. He is Professor of New Testament in Berlin University and, a Baptist him self, he has lectured in Baptist insti tutions in America. In the sixth chapter he takes the position that those described in verses 1-3 are real Christians and that the falling away involves a situation in which the backslider is “ completely delivered up to God’s judgment . . . a mystery that baffles our ultimate knowledge and evaluation” but a verdict which “ stands like a granite block in the New Testament.” Few authors, if any, have a completely satisfactory solution to this problem. 139 pages; cloth; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids; $2.50. Jonah: Fact or Fiction? By M. B. De Haan Dr. De Haan states in his introduc tion, “No book of the Bible has been subjected to more scorn and ridicule by skeptics and infidels than the little Book of Jonah. Yet no book of the Old Testament is better authentica ted.” Twenty-one chapters in this book combine a defense of its authenticity and integrity with an exposition of its contents. Every pastor ought to preach through this book at some time. De Haan’s title would provide
helpful material at all points. 168 pages; cloth; Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids; $2.50. The Wonder of the Word By Gwynn McLendon Day The purpose of this book is to an swer the question, “How do you know the Bible is true?” The answers given are primarily on the popular side, the kind of thing that the technically untrained teacher or Christian lay man can understand and use. The miracle of survival, the proof of prophecy, the evidence of universal appeal, its influence upon civiliza tion — all these are set forth in an interesting way. One of the most use ful chapters is on the witness of great men. Here one can read quoted state ments of more than 75 men of our own and previous ages. Citations are given in notes at the end of each chapter. 222 pages; cloth; Fleming H. Revell, Westwood, N.J.; $2.50, Elbows Off the Table By Faith Coxe Bailey Uniquely and h u m o r o u s l y the author answers her own question, The Book Ends THE GOLDEN QUEST OF WORSHIP by Mary Constance Clapp. 106 pages; cloth; Vantage Press, New York; $2.75. This essay on worship is by a woman preacher—pastor or the Congre gational Church in Windsor. Mass., who got her training at Bangor Theological Seminary in Maine and at William Penn College. Oskaloosa. Iowa. The study is primarily of tne informal type of worship. She believes in the new birth. MEDITATIONS IN MARK by August Van Ryn. 247 pages; cloth; Loizeaux Bros., New York; $3.00. A series of short chapters takes one through the text of Mark. The second half of the book is devoted to speciol subjects: mir acles, parables and miscellaneous themes, such as the baptism of Christ and John the Baptist's death. HE IS RISEN by Harold Paul Sloan. 186 pages; cloth; Light and Life Press, Winona Lake, Ind.; $2.00. Believing that the resurrection of Christ from the dead "is so powerfully certified as to be little less than a historical demonstration; and that it is olso the very keystone of the Christion arch of truth," the author argues over a wide range of aspects the validity and sig nificance of the event. THE THINGS WE KNOW by Oswald J. Smith. 128 pages; cloth; People's Press, Toronto; $1.00. Nineteen passionate and pungent messages of the famous pastor of the People's Church in Toronto. Several of the cults are analyzed in the latter messages. ROMANCES AND INTRIGUES OF THE WOM EN OF THE BIBLE by James Faulkner. 162 pages; cloth; Vantage Press, New York* $2.50. Snort studies of 30 Bible women ana their affairs. There is some picturesque writing here, but many studies are too short and there is too much simple retelling of the biblical record.
“Manners are manners — or are they?” When it comes to Christian young people, she maintains that manners are different; they entail special problems and require special handling. AJong with the usual treat ment of introductions, eating out, tipping and all the graciousness re quired of “ 14-carat” ladies and gen tlemen, she covers the peculiar prob lems of Christians in saying grace in restaurants, dates for church and tract distribution. This is not just another etiquette book but one geared to teen agers and, more than that, Christian teen-agers. It is a must for every church library and youth worker. 160 pages; cloth; Moody press, Chi cago; $2.50 — Reviewed by Pat Bar nett. Dr. Sa'eed of Iran Through teaching the Persian lan guage to a Christian evangelist, Sa’eed began to doubt his own religion — Islam. A long period of spiritual struggle followed, until finally he made an open profession of Christian ity. Led by his brother, Kaka, the By Jay M. Rasooli and Cady H. A llen STUDIES IN THE BOOK OF EXODUS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ISRAEL'S JOURNEY- INGS by George Henderson. 128 pages; cloth; Calvary Book Room, Covington. Ky.; $2.00. This is a reissue of a spiritually rich exposition of a great passage of Scripture. IMPROVED FUNERAL MANUAL compiled by William H. Leach. 224 pages; cloth; Baker Book House, Grand Rapids; $2.00. The compiler is editor of Church Management and has included in this useful handbook all aspects of the be reavement experience and funeral service. The historic and the contemporary are both here in helps for the minister. 139 SERMON OUTLINES ON THE OLD TES TAMENT edited by W. Robertson Nicoll. 292 pages; cloth; Boker Book House, Grand Rapids; $2.95. This is a reprint of the 1887 edition of Hodder and Stoughton. Over 40 preachers are represented and the selection is pretty well spread through the Testament. There are sub ject and scriptural indexes. JUST WHY by V. Raymond Edman. 88 pages; paper over boords; Scripture Press, Wheaton, III.; $1.25. Helpful expositions of some of the Bible's "why's" with poetical pieces matched to each. Covered are such well-known texts as "Why art thou cast down?" "Why hast thou forgotten me?" "Why are ye so fearful?" etc. MAN-EATER'S CLAW, A MISSIONARY AD VENTURE STORY by Charles Ludwig. 67 pages; paper over boards; Scripture Press, Wheaton, III.; $1.25. A supposed leopard incident, which turned out to be phony, makes up the central theme of this African adventure story. A VERSE A DAY (POETIC MEDITATIONS BASED ON SCRIPTURE VERSES) by W. H. Little. 367 pages; cloth; Vantage Press, New York; $3.75. It is quite a feat to write a poem for every day of the year on a theme suggested by some scripture verse. Each is a five-stanza poem with a uniform pattern of iombic lines, al ternating tetrameter ond trimeter.
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