Walther and sex education, "secret sins" (Der Lutheraner 1886)

      This subject matter was covered briefly in a small blurb by Walther in Der Lutheraner.  It was of interest to me – how would he handle it?  What specific sexual sins were covered? Walther gives brief comments on the books of two authors, one from the opponent Iowa Synod, one from Germany. One is "wretchedness", one has some merits. From Der Lutheraner, vol 42 (1886), p. 100-101 [EN]:

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I. America.

“Know Thyself, or Our Secret Sins, by Dr. Ossian Hartmann, Iowa City, Iowa.” Under this title a pamphlet appeared at the beginning of this year, which, as it says on the back of the title page, “is dedicated to all chaste hearts, and all (?!) who wish to live chastely and purely and happily,” but against which, rather, all chaste hearts are to be warned. A more miserable work, both in terms of its medicinal and its religious content, has hardly ever been written about self-abuse. We would not have mentioned it at all if it were not for the Herold und Zeitschrift. This paper writes incomprehensibly and irresponsibly: “Written for the instruction of the youth (!). This booklet, written by a pastor of the Iowa Synod, who is also a medical doctor, can be highly recommended.” On the contrary, we must say that the pamphlet is written in such a way that, if one wanted to prove its wretchedness by excerpts from it, one would have to put all shame out of one's eyes. The religious material, however, is nothing but the most miserable rationalistic gibberish. Therefore, young and old be warned against it. — The so-called silent secret sins are a subject about which a book that could be put into the hands of the youth is an urgent need. The sin of unnatural fornication, which corrupts body and soul, is spreading like a cancer among the youth of our time. It is more widespread than many parents and teachers realize.  

As much good as [Sixt Karl] Kapff's [Wikipedia (de)] “Warning of a Friend of the Youth” [German book; Google Books] contains about this subject [see WorldCat listing for the specific Subject], this booklet also contains some things, the reading of which is not suitable for every young man and for every young woman. *) We believe, however, to be able to give hope that a similar writing from the pen of a godly, experienced man, well-grounded in pure doctrine, will make its appearance in the not too distant future. W. [Walther]

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*) A good English translation of Kapff's booklet has just been published in the second edition by Schäfer and Koradi in Philadelphia under the following title: Admonitions of a Friend to Youth.

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      Walther did not avoid the matter of sex education, rather he promoted it if handled in a Christian manner.  Walther clearly disapproved of the Iowa Synod's Pastor/Doctor Hartmann, but Walther only specified general areas of disagreement with the medical and religious content.  The specifics in each area are not given, but it can be assumed that Hartmann did not hold to Scriptural teaching. What were the "shameful" portions?  Walther remained silent about this with his readers. Hartmann's book does not show up in WorldCat to research it. We are however given a clue to Walther's position on Hartmann by his mild approval ("as much good as…") of another book on the same subject by a German pastor, Sixt Karl Kapff. His book is entitled (in English) “Warning of a Friend of the Youth” and deals with this subject. (Google Books copy here) Since Kapff's book is available online, (Google Books copy here)  I took some time to polish at least the first 25 pages of the German text so that a rough translation could be made.  One finds that the "unnatural fornication" that Walther refers to is sometimes referred to as "Onanism" which is more popularly called masturbation. It does not appear to refer to homosexuality, although much of the religious instruction would be the same. — It is not known yet whether or not Walther's hope for a better book than Kapff's book, one "well-grounded in pure doctrine", was ever made available that he approved of, or would have approved of.  In lieu of this, I wonder that Kapff's book is one of the better books available for Christian "sex education".  It is truly ghastly what Christian children are subjected to in state supported schools, where most LCMS children attend, because congregational schools have largely disappeared.