StL6c: Conversion not by own moral improvement, but by grace; best, most reliable edition

      This concludes from Part 6b (Table of Contents in Part 1) in a series on the St. Louis Edition (StL) of Luther's complete writings in English. — In this last installment of sub-series #6, Walther distinguishes Luther's writings from others that either begin to or blatantly mix our works with God's grace in the matter of our salvation. Then comes his trustworthy judgment of the St. Louis Edition.

(From Der Lutheraner, vol. 38 p. 81-82 (No. 11, June 1, 1882)[EN] (all underlining and bolding follows Walther's emphasis):

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Eleventh volume.

Church-Postils. Gospel Part.

[review by C. F. W. Walther; concluded from Part 6b]

 

O dear Lutherans, rejoice then that the precious book, Luther's Church Postils, is presented to you again, and indeed in the most beautiful form and according to the original printings in the pure original text! In this book Luther, in the time of his first love, laid down his true divine teachings, which were opened to him by the Holy Spirit in the hot struggles of his own soul, so deeply, so richly, so ardently, as in no other of his incomparable writings. Whoever has Luther's House Postils already has a priceless treasure, but whoever wants to dig deeper in order to recognize the gold of the thoughts of the all-merciful God that lie hidden in the depths of Scripture and to build his soul on it, has here a treasure trove the like of which cannot be found anywhere else. It is true that Luther's Church Postils demands such readers, who do not find dark spirits in them, who seek only glittering, splendid words, and who do not, in their blindness, regard moral improvement by their own efforts as the true conversion to God, but rather such who have hearts hungering and thirsting for righteousness by grace: but such will not only have their hunger and thirst quenched at this richly laid table, but they will also be made spiritually drunk and given a foretaste of eternal life. 

By the way, this new edition has been prepared with an admirable diligence as well as with exceptional expertise. The entire Lutheran Church is indebted to Professor Stöckhardt in particular, but also to his assistants, for their painstaking and skillful work. Thus we have the best and most reliable edition of this jewel of our Lutheran Church that has ever existed. A new preface of 19 columns gives an exact account of the principles that have been followed in this new edition. Our “Luth. Concordia-Verlag” [Concordia Publishing House] has also done everything to make the work, which is far above all our praise, also worthy of praise and to give it as cheaply as possible. This volume exceeds in size both the first and the second part. It comprises LXXIII (73) and 2429 columns or 1251 pages in large quarto; and yet the copy is sold in good marbled leather binding with gold spine title for the price of $4.75. This is an almost unprecedentedly low price. Whoever can still spare so much, should not hesitate for a moment to purchase the golden book; all the more so, as no one is obligated to purchase the other volumes, if he buys this one part. W. [Walther]

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In the next sub-series we present Prof. A. L. Graebner's short but powerful remarks on the new volume 9, the volume that contains Luther's famous commentary on the Galatians, beginning in Part 7a.