instruction, the matter and not the form is the vital thing.
Catechization is _not a method_ of instruction by means of questions and
answers. Neither the original meaning of the word nor the history of
catechization justifies such a definition. (See my article, "A Brief
History of Catechization," in the Lutheran Church Review, January, 1902;
comp. v. Zezschwitz: System der christl.-kirchl. Katechetik, vol. i. pp.
17 seq., and vol. ii., 2. 1., pp. 3 seq.) And since Christian truth is
not something to be brought forth from the mind of the child by means of
questions, but something divinely revealed and hence _to be
communicated_ to the child, the most natural form in which to set it
before him in a text-book is the thetical. Luther's catechism itself is,
indeed, in the form of questions and answers. But his catechism is
confessional as well as didactic, and its words, memorized by the
catechumen, are to become a personal confession of faith. The
explanations of a text-book, on the other hand, are not to be memorized,
but are meant to aid the catechumen in grasping the _thoughts_ of the
catechism. For this purpose, the thetical form is better than the
interrogative, because the explanation is not continually broken by
questions, and is thus better adapted to give the catechumens a
connected idea of the doctrines taught.

Each chapter of this explanation is followed by a number of questions.
After the pastor has explained a lesson at one meeting, the catechumens
should prepare themselves to give an answer to the printed questions _in
their own words_ at the next meeting. The pastor may, of course,
substitute other questions, assign additional ones, or eliminate some.
The proof passages for the teachings set forth are cited in the margin.
The more important passages, particularly those which the catechumens
may be expected to memorize, are specially indicated by a dagger (+),
and are printed in full at the end of the chapter. The use of a