NOWINPAPERBACK THREE FAMOUS
book reviews
by Arnold D. Ehlert, Librarian, Biola College
feature is the excellent research into the oft-disputed early connection of the Jehovah’s Witnesses with the Ad ventists, the Diaglott story, etc. These two sects were influenced by each other in their date-setting and their similar views of heaven, hell and soul sleep. Mr. Thomas’ account o f the “ miracle wheat deal” and the domestic difficulties o f C. T. Russell do not agree wholly with other au thors, such as the objective H. H. Stroup history o f the sect, but Mr. Thomas claims his information is the truth; he bends over backward in order to be “ fair” to the Jehovah’s Witnesses. In Part II the teachings of the cult are examined and handled very well in the light o f the Scriptures. The chapters on Jehovah, the Trinity and hell are impressive and the treat ment o f the Blood Transfusion issue the best we have seen. This is a sub ject of vital concern for, as the au thor states, in the last ten years alone in the U.S. 50,000,000 trans fusions were administered and the present war is sending up that figure by leaps and bounds. We cannot agree with Mr. Thomas that all of the book of Revelation is symbolic. We could wish he had related more o f his own experience of deliverance; perhaps an autobiography will fol low. He is a gifted writer — concise, readable, compassionate in the ex treme. There are no indexes and no bibliography but quotations are iden tified. — 159 pages; cloth; Zonder- van Pub. Co., Grand Rapids, Mich.; $3.95. Reviewed by Mrs. Betty Brue- chert. BOOK ENDS (A Review of Current Publications) THE CHURCH PROCLAIMING AND WITNESS ING edited by Erwin L. McDonald. 135 pages; cloth; Baker Book House, Grand Rapids; $2.50. Messages delivered at the Arkansas Evangelical Conference of the Southern Baptist Convention. Ten contributions from as many leaders in the evangelistic pulpit and itinerant ministry. HELP! I'M A LAYMAN by Kenneth Chafin. 131 pages; cloth; W ord Books, Waco, Texas; $3.50. The real strength of the church is in Its lay witness. The author, while now teaching in Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has been in the pastorate and has a keen insight into the layman's problems and opportunities.
SMIER’S TRILOGY! Here are three sterling surveys which any layman can read with pleasure. These broad outlines of spiritual history, by Erich Sauer, late principal, W iedenest Bible School, Rhineland, W est Germany, are thoroughly B iblical and have been translated and embraced by Evangelicals in England, Holland, Norway, Sweden, and Germany. Now popularly priced, so you can enjoy all three! THE DAWN OF WORLD REDEMPTION First of the famous trilogy on the divine purposes, plan and history of salvation in the Old Testament. 206 pages, $1.95 THE TRIUMPH OF THE CRUCIFIED Continuation of the history of salvation as related in the New Testament and culm inated in Je su s Christ. 206 pages, $1.95 FROM ETERNITY TO ETERNITY Stresses the historical unity of the Bible and outlines divine purposes. Features a large, full-color prophecy chart. 206 pages, $2.25 " . . . a tru ly m o n u m e n ta l c o n trib u tio n . , ." — Moody Monthly " . . . a m asterly pre se nta tio n o f the pla n o f C o d . . . " — Dr. Frank E. Gaebelein
by Melvin E. EUiott The author has given us a dic tionary o f words from the King James version o f the Bible which are archaic, and likely to be either not understood or misunderstood by the modem reader who has not been made familiar with Shakespeare or who does not take the time to look them up in a good dictionary. There is an old work of similar nature, now long out o f print: The Bible Word- Book, by William A. Wright (2d ed., London, 1884), which included also archaic words and phrases from the Book of Common Prayer. One can never do enough word study. A good example is the fact that the word world actually means a lifetime, gen eration, or age. Such an expression as the end o f the world is better un derstood when one knows the ety mology o f world ( wer, man, as in werewolf, and eld, as in elder, relat ed to old, and meaning age; thus the age of man). — 227 pages; cloth; Doubleday & Co., New York; $4.95. This is a valuable addition to the growing number o f exposes o f Je hovah’s Witnesses by former ad herents of the cult. The author, a legal clerk and registrar of the Su preme Court o f Ontario, formerly filled responsible positions in the sect, in Canada, finally becoming a congregational “ Ministry School Ser vant” who taught public speaking and Biblical exposition to the men o f his congregation. As one whom God has led out o f darkness into His light, he writes with authority and “ inside” knowledge. The book is divided into two parts, Part I covering the early history of the cult, through its development un der Russell and Rutherford down to the present. Its leadership and meth ods are described. One noteworthy J e h o v a h 's W itn e s s e s a n d W h a t T h e y B e lie v e by Stan Thomas
THE KING'S BUSINESS
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