Concordia Triglotta - Pieper's introduction (Pt 4a)

This continues from Part 3 reviewing the newly available book Concordia Triglotta from CPH.  (See Table of Contents here)  This Part 4a begins my translation of Franz Pieper's essay on the appearance of the original book in 1921.

So what does The Twentieth Century Luther, The Second Walther have to say to introduce the monumental work called the Concordia Triglotta?  A lot... topics such as World War I, German language in America, the English language in the old Missouri Synod, modern theology, Martin Luther, the Reformation century, the Church fathers, etc.
No one, not even the highly praised Prof. F. Bente, speaks with more authority since 1921 than ... Franz Pieper.

My interspersed comments are in green. Underlining is in the original.  Highlighting is mine. 

Hyperlinks added including page links to original essay in Google Books.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

"Concordia Triglotta"

by Franz Pieper

Lehre und Wehre, vol. 67 (1921), pgs 297-301

What caused our Synod to organize a trilingual edition of the confessional writings of the Lutheran Church is expressed in the petition from the theological faculty of Concordia Seminary–St. Louis to the Delegate Synod in 1917. The petition reads:

"As a result of the European war [World War I], the Latin-German edition of our symbolical books of [J.T.] Müller currently cannot be obtained, and we will already in next year's classes at St. Louis probably have to make do with the bare German text edition of the St. Louis edition; also already in America there is an ever growing need of an English edition of Concordia, not just with Latin and German text; furthermore, since the study of them is easier and promoted by such a Latin-German-English edition of our symbolical books, and all over the Lutheran Church of our country would be provided a great service and the best advance of true Lutheranism in America; that finally, through the publication of such a trilingual Concordia would be a worthy, useful and God-pleasing monument established for the 400-year anniversary of the Reformation which would allow us to experience God in these troubled times: so have we, the members of the faculty of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo., decided herewith to address the petition to the venerable Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States, [Page 298] as gathered here rejoicing in Milwaukee, to take the necessary steps without delay to establish as soon as possible a Latin-German-English edition of our 'golden Concordia' – for the commemoration of the four-hundred year jubilee celebration, for the service to the Church, and for the praise and glory of God and his glorious name." 

The Synod proceeded willingly on the request of the St. Louis faculty, and unanimously decided for the publication of the now completed Concordia.

Does the reader see how God used the hardship of World War I to bring about the Concordia Triglotta?  ... and how He used this monument to comfort those German American Lutherans?

Pieper proceeds with some details on the editors and this printing:

The editorial work was done by Professors Bente and Dau.  Prof. Bente says in the preface concerning this edition of the work:

"While I alone am responsible for the Latin and German texts, the English translation of the Triglot is throughout the joint effort of Prof. W.H.T. Dau and myself.  It is based on the original German and Latin texts, respectively, and on the existing English translations, chiefly those incorporated in Jacobs`s Book of Concord." 

The Triglotta has a total of 1556 pages, of which 453 pages are devoted to a Preface, Historical Introduction, Visitation Articles, and Register.  The text of the confession itself takes 1103 pages to complete, because it presents the three languages ​​in three parallel columns.  The fourth column (half page) is open, a welcome feature to add comments, literary supplements, etc.  From the Triglotta, reference information is given at the top of each page to the editions of J.T. Mueller [Müller], J.G. Walch, and A. Rechenberg so that orientation is easily possible because the pagination of Müller and Walch is at the top of the page which is also accompanied by text in parentheses from Rechenberg's Latin edition.  Other information relating to the treatment of the texts as they exist in the printing can be found in the preface. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  continued in Part 4b - - - - - - - 

Now with some details out of the way, Pieper approaches the heart of the matter, the heart of the Lutheran Confessions... in the next Part 4b.