Adventures In Reading
The Origin And Destiny Of Man,
W. W. Otey, Firm Foundation Publishing House, (1951) 179 pgs ($2.50)
The first edition of brother Otey's valuable book was brought out in 1938, but recently a second edition has been printed. While a student in Freed-Hardeman College thirteen years ago, we used this work as a text-book in a class, and some of the lessons have remained impressed upon my mind.
Brother Otey assumes the task of showing that man is a creature who originated by Divine creative activity, and in whose concern Jehovah God has continued to work. The opening chapters deal with such questions as, "What is Life?" and "What is Man?". The author's answers to these are about as good as can be given, but the reader will necessarily be left with some other questions. The author however does come firmly to grips with the evolutionist and pseudo-scientists who deny that God created man, and shows the absurdity of their reasonings.
THE ORIGIN AND DESTINY OF MAN can be read hurriedly in a few minutes with much profit, or it can be studied more closely for hours with even more. To meet the scientist who denies God's existence and care for man, this book is well worth reading.
The Living Oracles,
Alexander Campbell, The Harbinger Book Club, (1951) 593 pgs ($5.00)
This latest reprint of the Harbinger Book Club is proving to be a popular seller and rightly so. Any of Alexander Campbell's writings makes profitable reading. The 141 pages of preface material in this book makes a valuable addition to anybody's library, and that is especially true for the student who prefers to delve more deeply into the scriptures.
Campbell, as a close student of the scriptures, very early in his career saw the flaws in the King James Version, the popular one of his time. Language changes in the course of two centuries had made some of the words in the King James Version obsolete and almost meaningless to the average reader. A translation of the New Testament into more understandable words, Campbell felt, would be a valuable help to the restoration. He welcomed the publication of a four volume set containing the words of George Campbell, Phillip Dodderidge and James Macknight, printed in London in 1818. Four years later when Mr. Henry Errit, a book-seller of New York City, promised to print the same book in this country for $3.00 a copy, Campbell ordered 100 copies. This project fell through, and was one of the chief reasons Campbell determined to print the work himself.
THE LIVING ORACLES is printed in large, clear, readable type. It is well worth a close study by every Bible student.