# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Juli 1864_S213
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Christian Catechism; A Guide to Religious Instruction. 213

and are supposed to have strong probative force are: Hebrews 1:12, 2 Peter 1:21, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Timothy 3:16. In mentioning the Apocrypha, the author expresses the wish that they should either be excluded from the Bible, or added in smaller print. Neither of the two is necessary. Whoever reads the title will know everything he needs to think of them. They are "good and useful to read"; why, then, leave them out? But they are "not to be placed on a level with holy Scripture"; this judgment corresponds, without doubt better, to the purpose of the proposed smaller print, which in any case would be of no use to weak eyes. Finally, the good Doctor presents the content of the New Testament books in the form of a comparison. He writes: "The historical books form the foundation, the didactic books the walls, Revelation the dome, in the temple of the New Testament. The three classes of books relate to one another as conversion, sanctification, and consummation, or also as faith, love, hope." All honor to the writer's wealth of spirit, but it is nevertheless hard to see what practical benefit children could derive from it. It is well known, omne simile claudicat — every comparison limps — and so it does here too. Not only in the epistles, but also in the words of Christ, there is found an inexhaustible store for "hope" (to keep to the chosen expression). According to the order already given, the first part deals with the Lord's Prayer. Now although the little book is supposed to present Christian doctrine "briefly and to the point," it may nevertheless be permitted to observe that this is not always the case. When the catechism, for example, answers the question "Why should we pray?" with: "Because we are poor, needy creatures, and receive all the gifts of body and soul from the goodness of God" — this is indeed brief, but is it to the point? We think not. For precisely the two chief motives for prayer are omitted here. Compare, then, against this the answer to the same question in Dietrich: "Not only because of our own need and want, but also because of the divine command and promise." Likewise, in answering the question of for whom one should pray, the catechism leaves out one's fellow believers, to whom the apostle so emphatically exhorts us to do good above all (Galatians 6:10). "Even for our enemies" we are to pray — this is put in a way that can be misunderstood. Is it meant to say that this is really contrary to all expectation? The hymn-verse appended here gives occasion to see what a high power of comprehension and imagination the good Doctor demands of our schoolchildren: "Prayer is of all tongues the nearest, which already trembles on children's lips; prayer of melodies the highest, which lifts us to God's throne. Prayer is the breath of life to the heart, its refreshing draught and feast of joy, its last comfort in the pangs of death, its song of praise in heaven's hall." "The first three petitions," says the author, "treat of the riches and the honor of God, which we entreat down to earth." How are children supposed to grasp this easily? As simply as the chief articles of Christian doctrine are written in the Bible, just as simply, in fairness, ought a children's catechism to be. Or do not even confirmands still need simple and easily intelligible instruction?