DE DINGEN DIE ONS VAN GOD GESCHONKEN ZIJN. Catechism Sermons on the 52 Lord’s Days of the Heidelberg Catechism. Author B. Holwerda. Reviewed by John De Pater, Escalon, California. This book of sermons will become of great value to Reformed Christians in America with its forthcoming translation in the English language to be published by the Credo Publishing Company Ltd., Ontario, Canada. The sermons are unique for their freshness of style and practical approach. The messages on each Lord’s Day show profound thought as well as deep pastoral concern. The fact that the majority of them were delivered during the years of the German occupation of the Netherlands, demonstrates the fact that the Heidelberg Catechism is a book of comfort fitting the need of troubled times. Professor Holwerda is startling in his clarity and has a way of driving his point home. His strong emphasis on the biblical teaching of the covenant fills a need for the time in which we live. He makes a conscious effort to stay with the Scriptures in his explanation of the Catechism. One would be hard pressed to find a clearer explanation of the Reformed-Biblical doctrine of the sacraments than that which he gives in the sermons on Lord’s Days 25-30. Also his approach in the preaching of the Law is unique and worthy of consideration. It is somewhat strange that his sermons seem to be designed for believers only since there is no expressed address or appeal to unbelievers. He touches on this point in his sermon on Lord’s Day 31, but does not make it very clear. This book is an excellent book for the preparation of Catechism-sermons as well as a great help for anyone who wants to learn more about this wonderful Reformed Confession. THE FINE ART OF PREACHING by Andrew W. Blackwood. Published by Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1976. (A reprint of the original 1937 edition.) 168 pages. Price, $2.95. Reviewed by Joseph Brink, Pastor, Noordeloos CRC, Holland, MI. Andrew W. Blackwood, who lived from 1882-1966, was born in Clay Center, Kamas of Scottish Covenanter background. He attended Harvard College, majoring in English. After graduation he attended Princeton Seminary, He finished his seminary studies at Xenia Seminary in Ohio. Following seminary Blackwood served several Pastorates. Then in 1930 he began teaching homiletics at Princeton Seminary. At about this time Princeton went liberal. Blackwood did not leave the faculty, as some others did. But his sympathies seemed to lie with the conservatives. Blackwood authored or edited 22 books during his lifetime. He authored this book in 1937. This 1976 Baker edition is a reprint. I mention these biographical facts because the’ reprint does not mention them and the author, though well-known in homiletical circles, may be unfamiliar to some potential readers. This book will interest primarily the preaching minister, though some laymen may have an interest in the subject. This book deals with the “how-to-preach” aspect of homiletics. Blackwood received almost no practical homiletical training in his seminary days, and he later resented that omission. Thus his own teaching and writing always emphasize his own desire to teach practically to make up for this felt weakness. This book, like all Blackwood’s books, amazes the reader with the depth and breadth of the author’s reading. Blackwood shows evidence of wide reading and good ability to use the short, poignant quotation. We ministers do well to read as widely and to use short, pithy quotations as relevantly. Blackwood’s subject is that of making the sermon. He deals with the construction of the different parts of the sermon. What he says is good and helpful, especially the material about the sermon as an art, and about the introduction and conclusion of the sermon. Most CRC ministers will agree with most of what Blackwood says in this book. His material is general and useful. He deals very little with his recommendations concerning approaches to the text and kinds of sermons, something he treats more in other books and something to which many CRC ministers will and themselves objecting in various ways. In general this is a good book for ministers who want to spend some time-reviewing practical homiletics.