348                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

       van den menschelijken "geest" was bij Hem             waarvan destijds we1 werd gepubliceerd., dat de be-
       de tweede Persoon  uit het Goddelijk wezen.           trokken partijen bevredigd  waren,  maar het eigenlijke
                                                             waarvan  tech aitijd een geheim bleef.
                                                                 De laatste alinea van het artikel van den heer
         We hebben deze opvattingen van Prof. Wa-            H. A. lgra) zijn  miss&en niet  vrij van ironie. Het
       terink in den verleden tijd geschreven. Om-           schijnt althans, dat Dr. Waterink, die deze kwestie
       *dat wij niet  weten, of hij ze nog verdedigt.        behandelt in ,het "Calvinistisch Weekblad", vaart in
       Hij heeft er een discussie over gevoerd met           " `t kielzog van Dr. Hepp", om een uitdrukking van
       Ds. Steen van Andijk, waarbij hij tot het             Popma in de Soester  Kerkbode van 6 Maart  te bezigen,
       sluiten der discussie op zijn standpunt bleef         en aan de meening van Vollenhoven e. a. geen recht
       staan. Later is er een verklaring gekomen,            laat wedervaren.
       dat de heeren  hadden  geconfereerd. Maar                De heele houding van Dr. Waterink  in deze kwestie.
       hoe verder de zaken na die conferentie  ston-         is ons een raadsel.
       den, daarover werden we we1 wat in het on-                                                            H. H.
       zekere gelaten.

         We hebben dit alles gerefereerd  om een be-
       paalde reden.
         Toen Prof.  Waterink  zijn voorslag  verde-                             As To Beoks
       digde, o. a. op een predikanten-conferentie
       heeft hij er  zich over beklaagd,  zich gegriefd       What is God?
       gevoeld,  dat hij om dezen voorslag  zwrket-             by J. Oliver Buswell, Jr.
       terd werd, Er was zelfs een dominie geweest              Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids,  Mich.
       in Groot-Rotterdam, die de kwestie op den                A worthwhile book, presenting the orthodox doc-
       preekstoel had gebracht en in het gebed te-           trine of God, His Being, attributes and the various
       gen het Waterinksche gevaar had gebeden.              evidences for His existence, the cosmological, teleo-
         En in het bijzonder vond de Professor het           logical, anthropological, moral and ontological "proofs".
       geen manier, dat men een  ouden ketter ging              The style is lucid, popular. The book makes easy
       opsporen, wiens ketterij op den Mank af               reading.
       eenige overeenkomst vertoonde met  des  Pro-             The book should be read with a critical eye. Al-
       fessor'svoorslag, en hem nu tot een volgeling         though Dr. Buswell,claims  to present the Presbyterian
       van dien ouden ketter (Appollinaris) ging             view throughout and frequently quotes the West-
       verklaren.                                            minster Confession of Faith, he nevertheless presents
         Wij kunnen ons voorstellen, dat Prof.  Wa-          the Arminian view of predestination. To prove this
       terink in den strijd, die nu aan de V. U. is          statement the following quotation will suffice :
       ontbrand, en waarbij de eene Professor den               "The ground of our salvation is the `mere good
       ander van een lange reeks ketterijen beschui-         pleasure' of our gracious Lord. He is under no com-
       digt, door de ervaring wijs geworden, met             pulsion to save any of the rebellious race of Adam but
       klem  zich zal verzetten tegen het verketteren,       of his mere good pleasure he had elected to save those
       waarover hij zelf heeft geklaagd. Hij  zal            who, he foreknew, would put their faith and trust in
       weten,  dat de  rust  xu het  opyeplakte   etiket     the crucified and risen Saviour. All who will believe
       vaak een valsche, zelfvoldane rust is. En             will be saved bemuse God in his sovereign grace elects
       daarom zijn we blij, dat we hem aan de V. U.          to save them. All who will not believe will be lost  be-
       hebben als een man, die in staat is, en stellig       cuu.se they will not believe".
       ook  bereid,  om te voorkomen, dat men iemand            This statement is made in explanation of an article
       zonder meer aan consequenties wil binden, die         from the Westminster! And the proof of it the author
       een ander voor hem trekt, maar die hij zelf           finds in Rom. 9!
       verwerpt."                                               This is confusing and dangerous.
   `k Heb me verwonderd, en anderen met mij, dat                The price is : cloth $1.06 ; paper $0.65.        H. H.
inzake de kwestie der ziel Dr. Hepp zijne aanvallen
richt op  Vollen,hoven  e. a., maar niet op Dr. Waterink,
wiens beschouwing destijds immers lang en breed werd
besproken in het  "Theologisch.  Tijdschrift" en "De            The Gospel  of  the Cross
Reformatie", en die openlijk werd beschuldigt van               by Karl Heim.
Appollinarianisme. `t Zou der moeite waard zijn om              Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids,  Mich.
wat meer te weten  van die conferentie Steen-Waterink,          The book contains eleven sermons. The author is


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        349
                                                "--_l____l                                               -
the same as that of T& Living Fountain. He who read
the latter will also want to read  The Gospel  of  the                  Our Western Churches
0ross.                                                          It is quite some time ago since anything was
    The sermons are of,s practical, truly spiritual char-
acter. They are written in a clear style, make easy written about our Western congregation. Is all quiet
                                                             on the Western front perhaps? The same question
and pleasant reading, and although they are not as ex-
pository as we like to see sermons, and although the was asked some years ago in our paper and I do not
                                                             remember whether it was ever answered. We admit
Reformed reader will not always agree with the views that from all appearances, or from what does not ap-
of Dr. Heim, yet they may be read with spiritual             pear, that it seems rather quiet and not many activi-
edification.                                                 ties are recorded in our paper. Time was when, the
    The price: cloth $1.00.                      H. H.       West was known to be full of action. Especially was
                                                             (is) this true at the beginnng of our movement when
                                                             practically everywhere people seemed to be interested
                                                             in the cause we represent. However, the same can
                                                             be said of other places and the West was not the ex-
     The Glorious Revival under King Hezekiah                ception. Those days  b.elong  to the past and shall they
     by Wilbur  M. Smith                                     ever return?
     Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids,  Mich.           That beginning can never be forgotten. It proved
     In this brochure of forty five pages the author ap- beyond any doubt, that people were interested and
plies the history of Judah's return of Jehovah under eager to be instructed. Yes, those were the days. But
Hezekiah to present day conditions in the Church and let us not idealize the former days, For all the interest
our nation. The author deeply deplores the lamentable shown was not genuine and it was not all gold that
condition of the Church today, points to different glittered. At the beginning of a new movement it is
phases of its  apostacy  and urges a revival. He ex- easy to take all for granted of what we hear and see.
presses many things with which any Christian may The danger to make the mistake that all mean well,
heartily agree.                                              that ull are with us is more than imaginary. All do I
     In my opinion he overestimates the value of re- not mean well that gather with us. There is first of
vivals.                                                      all the element that will use the occasion for their own
     I do not agree when the author classifies the first selfish ends.       0, sure ! they are wholeheartedly in
Pentecostal conversion (Acts 2) with revivals; nor do favor of the new movement, even while it is yours.
I like to  see  the  ReformAom   (as applied to the re- I mean, your movement is first; if another happened
formation of the sixteenth century) replaced by  +re- to come along before yours, most likely the same people
                                                             could be found there. They have in their vocabulary
~ViVUl.                                                      the one word, Next. As a rule they make it their
    Price $0.35.                                 H. H.       business to float around, never being able to  find  a
                                                             haven of rest. Besides, you people have not such a
                                                             bad name and received a fine testimonial of being.
                                                             fundamentally reformed. Hence, it was not such a
     Behold Him!                                             risk to  afIXate  ourselves with the new movement.
     by J. Oliver Buswell Jr.                                The leaders were known and had a good name in the
     Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids,  Mich. churches that placed them outside of their circle. Why
                                                             I make these statements, you ask? Well,  fo'r the
     The title of the book is derived from John  129:        simple reason that history revealed it and history
Behold, the Lamb of God! The book is an apologetic may tell us to be on our guard.
argument for the historical Jesus and the bodily resur-         Why did such people ever desire to be in our com-
rection of Christ as well as for the inspiration and pany and fellowship? What moved them and why did
authority of the Holy Scriptures. The second chapter they leave us so soon? My answer is, because they
on  The Lamb  of  God  containes  an exposition  oiF the never asked themselves about the what and the where-
doctrine of Christ and the virgin birth.                     fore of our cause. A new movement is something
     I am not a great friend of apologetics. Neverthe- different, something that inspires (?). But the truth
less, the book makes interesting reading. The author as championed by our churches, that is the Reformed  '
leave the impression that he himself is a believer and truth that is not understood. It may for a while take
in no need of apologetics to sustain his faith. The style hold of the mind, but after all it must at the same
is clear and the argumentation easy to follow.               time have the love of our heart. No, I know not the
                                                             heart at the expense of the head, but both in close con-
     Price: cloth $1.00; paper $0.65.            H. H.       nection with one another. From all appearances, that


350                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEARE&
                            ll_-__-                                                    - -
was not always the case. Is it not true, that also in and we saw its growth. Hull stood the test and may
our midst we had such men, ministers, candidates, now breathe a little easier. The buildings had been
elders, and deacons, who, after the first enthusiasm redecorated and look very neat. A short visit to the
had died down, left us? They were at first more than Men's Society also convinced us that there  is interest
I()O$% in favor of all that was said and written (some     in the study of the Scriptures. And on the Sabbath
even improved upon these things). However, soon we were privileged to preach once for the `old' congre-
after, they could not be found in our midst? Why? gation - and that with joy.
We are not able to look in the heart of others, never-        That reminds me also of Hull's neighbour, nearest
theless, judging from what they said then, and say neighbour, Sioux Center. We preached for her in
now, they never loved the truth. Another explanation the morning on the same Sabbath by classical appoint-
is, that when they realized what it was all about, they ment. Also Sioux Center and her history is well known
could  n.o longer preach and teach the things they to us. As student, being sent to Doon for six weeks
once had championed. We doubt whether they ever            (that turned out to be sixteen weeks) we spoke an edi-
knew what it was all about. The exodus from the            fying word morning and afternoon, but soon, after
mother church brought us an element that had their being a few weeks in  Doon received the request to
own grievances, grievances that had nothing to do speak in the Town Hall at Sioux Center every Sunday
with our cause. History simply repeated itself, for evening. It was brotherwassink, who took the initia-
such have been the case with every movement.               tive and made innumerable trips from Sioux Center
    It may sound unbelieable,  but we lost half of -the    to Doon and back to get `things' started. Rent of the
number of those who started out with us and that           Town Hall was raised to such an extent that renting
without any exception.      If you look at the number became prohibitive. Soon a small number of our
of families (from 1924-1926) you will come to the people asked for organization,  .building  a  baseme,nt,
surprising conclusion that I did not exaggerate, if I strong enough to hold a regular church building, and
say this is the average.                                   the first time we spoke there, our pulpit was the water
   Thus was the case with our Hull congregation. tank, used during the week to put in the cement floor.
Organised in 1925 it numbered 3'7 families and soon in- At the time we were called in Hull, Sioux Center called
creased to  50. In 1927, after the reorganization, the Rev. Vos. And at this writing we are informed that
time was  serv,ed  until 1929, the number had dwindled the congregation sent a call for her first minister.
to 11. Rut I will leave the arithmetics out now.           With Rev. Vos we served in Sioux County for two
   As most of us know, Hull is in the possession of a years and he will agree with me, that although two
fine church-building and a beautiful parsonage. At years is not such a long time, yet they will never be
the time (1927) this spacious house of worship did forgotten.
not fit in with our small number. In fact we could            At Sioux Center things look about the same. Their
have done without it. For we had as many thousand place of meeting and parsonage are well kept. In
dollars of debt as we had number of families.              time, a church building on the aorder of Rock Valley's
    How surprised we were when on the eve of April         would be an improvement. However, also in that con-
9, to find that same church filled. The Hull Men's gregation changes took place. It was organized in
society had requested us tot deliver a timely lecture 1926 with about 10 families and some of the  charter-
and, of course, we had complied with their request. members passed into the eternal rest prepared for
No, we had not expected such a large attendance and God's people. But also others came, so that the con-
coul'd not help to compare the audience of this evening gregation consists of 23 families.
with the attendance we were accustomed to in our              Of course, we did not know the youth of Sioux
two years of service in the years 192'7-29. Well, the Center as well as the youth of Hull, but we noticed
surprise was a pleasant one.                               that in Sioux Center `Time Marches On' and the child-
    Hull numbers more than three times the families ren became young men and young women. They are
now than in the years just mentioned. Rev. L. Ver- the future families for our churches. Both Hull and
meer is their pastor, and from all indications his work Sioux Center enjoyed for more than 5 years the labors
is appreciated. The Sunday following we addressed of the Revs. Hanko and R. Veldman respectively. Ac-
the Young People Society which numbers about thirty cording to the testimony in both places their labors will
members. Imagine, what were children of nine, ten and not soon be forgotten. And Hull's neighbour is hoping
eleven years old, are now the young men and young and praying that they soon may receive again their
women of the congregation. We rejoice with out             own minister, who will lead the flock in the green  '
fellow minister and his flock that things turned out as    pastures of God's Word.
they did. Needless to say that the old times were             Sioux Center had been called "Storm Center" once
discussed and also compared with the present. We           upon a time, but this could not possibly refer to our
had been witness of Hull's organization (1925) its         Protestant Reformed congregation. Our congregation
pastor for two years (1927-29) we know its history         at that place is a peaceful one. We do not remember


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                      xi1
C___.ll___.                 ______II  --.......-                   .---- _... ^ .._                               -
the time that it was thrown into any kind of turmoil West. The preparatory work was done by the Sioux
or upheaval. No,  I do not mean as if they have no          and Lyon County ministers, De Jong, R. Veldman,
problems to solve. Such a congregation is nowhere Hanko, Cammenga. If we write the preparatory work
to be found in our denomination. Especially when the we do not exclude the work of Rev. H. Hoeksema,  for
number is small, the problems of finance, catechism as most of us know, it is true of him, that he worked
classes, and to find material for consistorial work are in every field, especially in the West, before, and more
some of them. But about them later, for these things than any other of our mnisters. What we heard of
are common in our congregations of Sioux Center size. Rev. Kuiper was, that also Orange City, although being
    We could not possibly in a few days visit with most small in number is a healthy congregation, only four
of our people in North-west, Iowa, although on the  ev.e    and no more than five years old.
of the lecture we met some from each congregation.             This  brin.gs me back to my own surroundings. We
We paid Rock  Valley's  pastor a visit and according have in South-Eastern Iowa two congregations, Pella
to his testimony, things go on as usual. Rev.  Cam- and Oskaloosa. Friday evening the Rev. Lubbers was
menga was the first and is the present pastor of Rock installed (April 16). He took the place of Rev. H.
Valley. Once upon a time Rock Valley and Rev. Cnm-          Veldman. Rev. Veldman labored here for a little over
menga were called Benjamin. The congregation was five years and with his congregation experienced that
?t that time the youngest in our group and its minister all does not belong to us. (That is our own experience
the youngest of our ministers. We remember how also). Pella received Rev.' Lubbers, after being vacant
Rock Valley before organization, met in an  ol,d garage. for only one month. On this occasion  R;ev. Vermeer
When I first saw the place, I could not imagine how we was asked, being at the time the first minister of Pella
could possibly meet in such an old, greasy and dirty and Oskalooza both, and at the same time Rev. Ver-
place. But leave it to the  Marthas,  they knew how to meer based his sermon on Isaiah  3:10, 11: Say ye
chase dirt and transform the old garage into a place to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for
fit to meet for worship. That was not so bad after all. they shall eat of the fruit of their doings. Woe unto
Also in Rock Valley we met first in a house. Three the wicked ! it shall be ill with him : for the reward of
rooms so arranged that some of the people in some of his hands shall be given him.
the rooms had the privilege to look at the speakers            It was a well worked out sermon fitting the occasion.
back instead of his face. Next to the pulpit we had After the sermon we installed brother Lubbers.
a coalstove that did not benefit anyone except the
speaker, who could just as well take his Prince Albert         At the end of the service the congregation remained
and his vest off, if he wanted to feel a little comfort-    to welcome the pastor and Mrs. Lubbers and a fine
able. But it did not take long, and Rock Valley became program was enjoyed by all. Pella again has its own
organized (it took place in the Hull church) bought         minister and we hope and pray that Rev. Lubbers may
lots and erected one of the smallest, yet convenient be able spiritually and also physically to serve his
buildings for the purpose. It lacks a parsonage, which flock. We noticed that Brother Lubb.ers shows still the
up till now is rented. Rock Valley and Hull are the signs of his recent illness, but hope that he will be
only congregations in the West that offer their Young his old self again in the near future.
people the opportunity for singing. Both have a choral         And now a few words about my own congregation,
society which is a Iuxury without extravagance. We namely, Oskaloosa. I have written about her some
often wondered how it must feel to be pastor of a time ago, and therefore can be brief as things did not
congregation for the second time, but Rock Valley's change much since. We have 30 families and no less
pastor assures us, that being away for a number of than seven widows. That means we have about thirty-
years seems only a matter of having taken a vacation. two families, although some of our widows are working
    We did not have time to visit Rock Valley's nearest in other places and we only see them in our midst
neghbour, Doon.  Its pastor was packing and getting occasionally.
ready for Pella, the congregation who called him away          We have quite a variety of work, something a
from  Doon. Doon  used to be the center for students minister must have. Not only on Sunday for young
who  were  sent to preach in the early stages in our and old, but also the work of the  soceties of young
movement in the North-western Iowa parts.           And and old is what he desires. Our young people show
in time to  come  , some of the former students may be some of their work in The Church News and I leave
willing to send in an article about our congregation, it to the reader to pass judgment on it. Both the
for I am sure that much more can be written.                Ladies and Young  PeopIe Societies meet the year
    We also paid a short visit to Orange City and spent around. Our Men's Society has been inactive this year,
a little time with Rev. H. Kuiper, who by the way,          but hopes to start D. V. again in the fall.
seems to be troubled again with an old stomach ailment.        What we miss here above all, is a Christian School.
We are not acquainted with Orange City's congrega- And how our:, heart longs for the day, that we also
tion.    Its organization took place after we left the could say: ,A meeting will be held to discuss the pos-


352                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
-_.._                                       --1-1              _.
sibilities of having our own school. That is our prob- tongue is no longer taught, with the exception of what
lem here.                                                     some of them may hear and pick up in their homes.
       Speaking of problems, in connection with our Is it not plain, that the only possible solution is, to
smaller congregations (like my own), they are in the introduce their language in our worship? No one is
main as I wrote above, those of finance, catechism able to say that it came ail of a sudden. For if we
classes and the consistoriai work.                            do not wilfully close our eyes we  must   admit that the
       How shall we raise enough money to meet our time has arrived to bring the Word in the language our
expenses? Mind you, if such a thing is not a problem, youth understands. Of course it has !
the alternative is simply that we make too freely use                Besides, have we not enjoyed, some of us at least,
of the Classical `Kas' for needy churches. If to the for more than a lifetime (30 or more years) these
contrary, we learn to realize our own responsibility, things and at the same time refused to prepare our-
financial matters are problems indeed. Problems we selves for the days when the transition must be made?
should face and solve. Problems that should be dis- Surely, we love the older element, the pioneers of our
cussed, not only when the classical questionaire arrives, movement, but after ail  our movement did not orginate
but with the congregation. We heard the remark once nor does it endure around the question, nay, but the
that the more a congregation receives support, that truth.  Therefore, for the truth's sake, we must be
much less a congregation will try to do its best and          un'lling to instruct the  mvmnt  youth  and prepare
support herself. After ail, religion must mean to us thmn, so that theg will be able to take our places when
that we are bound by our confession `that the ministry our task is m&d. There is no altemmtive!
of the gospel and the ,xhools be maintained.' Main-                  In close connection with this, we mentioned the
tained, not first of ail by others, but by us.                material for our consistories. Also there we often
       Another problem in a small congregation is the find it difficult to make the nominaton, that is, if I am
catecheticai instruction of the youth. Catechism classes informed correctly. History has proven, that the ones
are the only means to instruct the youth in the do=- we considered capable men, did not show it in any
trine of Scripture. The number of catechumens, in way, to the contrary, they Ieft with the least  littIe
some congregations, is so small, that it is impossible thing that comes along. It does take good informed,
to do justice to them. The ages vary and they are well  fo.unded  men,  filled with love to lead the flock.
often placed in one and the same class with two or All in ail, we are not simply in the church militant,
more different question books. ,No man can do good but also in the imperfect church. Do I compIain too
work in such cases. And when I write that the cate- much? I do not, for I surely rejoice that the Lord
chism classes are in some congregations the only means gave us our churches. And may we remain faithful.
to instruct the youth, I have a tw.ofold  point of view in           I wonder, now that we have a missionary, whether
mind. To begin with my own congregation, all our we could not find a place in our own vicinity to make a
children, except my own, attend the public school and beginning? Time was when we would have labored in
we do not have to spill words, when it comes to more places, but the problem remained, how must we
the question, whether  o.r not that is in harmony with take care of such places after we have once started ?
our confession. Sufficient to say, that from such Or perhaps we can make openings, for 1 am convinced
schools nothing can be expected, except that which is that people are to be found everywhere, if we only
contrary to ail that is dear t.o us. Moreover, in some looked for them and spoke to them.
aiaces where the opportunity presents itself and the                 And at the end of my little review of the Western
children can be sent to such. schools we meet some churches, I hope that the different correspondents  foi-
of our people who refuse to send their children there. Iow suit, and let us hear from one another.
In both cases this is a problem for us as ministers and              J am sure that our people are interested to hear
consistories. We know the ideal should be to have a from different localities.
school of our own, but if this does not become a living                                                       w. v.
issue with us, history will  revea1  that our coming
generation lacked something. Problems will remain,
but the one mentioned above should be solved, for they
did not come per chance, but placed before us as a  re-                                 NOTICE
suit or our distinctiveness.                                         Our new Society for Christian instruction, which
       Another problem is, the tradition from our mother has been organized will have its next meeting May  10thl
tongue to the language of the country of our adoption. at 7:45 o'clock in our church basement. The purpose
This is also a question we may not make light of. .Sure       of this meeting is to select a board for which a nomi-
we like to please all, if such were possble. However, nation has been made.
w,e cannot turn time and the developments that took                  Rev. H. VeIdman will give us a short talk. Those
place backward. Our younger generation is trained who have not yet joined us are asked to do so.
in the language of the land of their birth. Our mother                                             T h e   C;c?mmif&ee,  ,,*


354                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
__I--
                                                            covenant, and is thus a brief restatement of the cove-
            The Book Of Deuteronomy                         nant law, which signifies that the communication of
                                                            this code is to be regarded as an act of Jehovah, where-
       In our last article (appearing under the caption, by He renewed the covenant that was broken. Now
The Book of Deuteronomy), it was shown and we trust Moses again goes up into the midst of the mountain.
to the abundant satisfaction of every one who accepts Again he is with the Lord forty days and forty nights.
the Bible as being the infallible word of God that the He returns with the two tables of the testimony in his
book of Deuteronomy forms one united whole and must hand and imparts to the people his revelations. The
ther.efore  be the work of one author. Let us now pro- communications now made are found in the last five
ceed to show the unity between the book of Deuter- chapters of the book of Exodus and concern the exe-
onomy and the middle books of the Pentateuch cution of what is contained in chapters 30-35,  thus con-
(Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers), show that the book cern the building of the tabernacle.
of Deuteronomy forms an organical part of a larger             The legal material found  ,in the book of Leviticus,
whole and that this whole is the four above-cited books though it forms in its own compass a distinct code, is
(and in the final instance of course the sum total of most intimately related both to the preceding and sub-
books that comprise our Bible). To show this we have sequent legislation in that it takes up the development
simply to bring forward the content of these books, of the theocratic idea where Exodus left off and carries
to trace in them the history of the promulgation of the     it onward. This is evident. The first seven chapters
various code of law of which they (these books are are comprised of the laws for the burntofferings. Chap-
comprised, and point out the connection between these ters 8:lO describe the vesting of Aaron and his sons
various codes. As this has  abeady  been done, this with the priestly office. The command that for this
article partakes of the nature of a resume.                 office these personages be set apart is found in Ex. 28.
       First in order is the legal material contained in that Chapters 11-15 contain the laws concerning unclean-
section of the book of Exodus beginning with chap. 20 ness, purification and holiness. Thus the theocratic
and continuing through chap. 23. Examining this code, organization, founded as it was upon the laws con-
the nucleus of which is the law of the ten command- tained in the book of the covenant, and realized
ments, we discover that it is characterized by a brevity initially in the fulfilment of the laws respecting
and simplicity that clearly betokens that it was to the tabernacle, the sacrifices and the priesthood, is here
form the basic law of Israel. Hence, the name given to brought forward as to the fruits of purity and holiness
this code is "The Book of the Covenant". This funda- which it was designed to produce.
mental law of the covenant having been promulgated             Chapter 16 is comprised of laws that have regard
the covenant itself is now ratified in blood (chap. 24).    to the service on the great day of atonement, which
   The covenant having been establish.ed,  and the child- took place on the tenth day of the seventh month. On
ren of Israel by their declaration , "All the words this day atonement was made for all transgression, for
which the Lord hath said we will do", having expressed the entire year's accumulation of sin. The next section
their willingness to  b.e Jehovah's treasure, Moses goes    {chapters 17-23) is comprised of commands that re-
up into the midst of the mountain, where he remains quire not a ceremonial, but a spiritual doing away of
forty days and forty nights. The laws he now receives sin. So then, the laws concerning the sacrifice, the
are contained in a section beginning with chapter 25:1,     ceremonial purity, and the service on the great day of
and continuing through chapter 31. This second code atonement  - the service that most perfectly typified
is comprised exclusively of instructions concerning the the sacrifice of Christ - having been revealed, the
building of the `tabernacle. Its promulgation repre- Lord now passes from the shadow to the body by com-
sents  th.e initial step, taken by Jehovah, toward giving municating commands that require of His people that
the covenant just concluded a definite form and toward they reveal the true spiritual fruits of the atonement
bringing into being the instrument that was needed for through their eschewing evil and loving rignteousness.
its maintainence between the Lord and His people.              Next, the Lord communicates His laws concerning
This code therefore forms the logical sequence to the His feasts, or holy convocations. These feasts w.ere re-
one previously given.                                       ligious as to character. They consisted in the people
       There now occurs another cessation of revelation of assembling with the Lord, to present themselves before
law, occasioned by Aaron under pressure brought to Him as one body to bind themselves anew in covenant
bear upon him by the people, making a golden calf.          fellowship to Him, and to contemplate in that fellow-
The anger of the Lord was kindled. Moses prays for          ship His glories as seen in the face of `all that He as
the life of the nation and his prayer is heard (chap.       their  Saviour  had wrought in their behalf and was all
32-34 9). The Lord again resumes His revelation of along doing for them.
law. The communications now made are contained in               The instruments that are needed for the main-
some 15 verses (chap.  33:12-17).  With few exceptions tenance of covenant fellowship have been provided, the
the whole of this material is found in the book of the      time is now at hand for the people of God to be on their


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        355
__ .._.. --...-.A.. .-          _ - - - -                                                -_
way to Canaan, to *war the warfare of Jehovah. Ac-              So does Abraham attempt to put his guests at ease.
cordingly, instructions are now communicated that have They must be made to understand that they are very
regard to the conscription and the order of the camp welcome to any service that he can render them and
(Num. I-10). The ruling idea binding this material that he deems it a privilege to be allowed to administer
together is the external and internal organization of to them from his substance. Hastening into Sarah's
LN tribes as the army and congregation of Jehovah. tent, he bids her to prepare for his guests cakes upon
The same applies to the laws contained in the remaining the hearth. He himself runs to the, herd, fetches a calf,
chapers  of this book. All of them are required by tender and good, and gives it to his servant, who
the future possession of Canaan.                             hastens to dress it. Adding to the dressed calf, butter
   The book of Deuteronomy is, as was shown, a pro- and milk, he sets these before them and stands by while
phetical interpretation of the law. This interpretation t h e y   e a t .
was needed at this time, as Israel was at the eve of            Abram's hospitality is genuine Iove, (the love that
a new period in its history, which would bring the final
realization of the promises. The people of Israel are springs from the life of regeneration) for God's people,
now about to come into the possession  ,of Canaan. It the friends of Christ, thus for the stranger on the earth
                                                             and among men, for those who, because of their ex-
could not be allowed to make this transition without
the attending light of prophesy to guide it. Hence, pressed love of Cod, are quite a1on.e  and friendless.
in the book of Deuteronomy, Moses appears as making Strangers they are, some of whom have wandered in
provision for Israel's future. The circumstances in deserts, and in mountains and in dens and caves of
                                                             the earth, or have been stoned, sawn asunder, tempted,
regard to Moses himself, favored this. He has nearly
reached the end of his labors. So he, the greatest of slain with the sword. To such as these the heart of
                                                             Christ goes out in sympathy. For He Himself was
Old Testament saints, directs to his  peopIe  a series of
`discourses, the keynote of which is, "Fear Jehovah thy once a stranger, when He sojourned among us. A
God and live". It is these addresses of which the book stranger  was He then, friendless, forlorn, forsaken,
of Deuteronomy is comprised.                                 despised of men. To have compassion on these friend-
                                                             less ones, to invite them to retreat into your home, -
   How marvelously clear, even from this brief outline
(of the series of articles) that the laws found in the this is true hospitality. And whatever, favor is shown
book of Deut. and in those middle books (of the  Penta- to these strangers, is shown to Christ. So He has said.
teuch) forms one great  ooherent  system of legislation,        That true hospitality springs from the love of Christ
complete from the first and therefore admitting neither and  has for its object these friendless ones, whom the
of development nor internal change.                          warld  deems unworthy, is evident from an exhortation
                                             (2. M. 0.       found in the Hebrews, "Be not forgetful to entertain
                                                             strangers ; for thereby some have entertained angels
                                                             unawares". The implication of this admonition is clear,
                                                             "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers ; for unbenown
                                                             to thyself this stranger might turn out to be a friend
          Sundayschool lesson                                of Christ. Some, taking pity upon strangers, have
                                                             unawares entertained even angels. So thou canst never
                                                             know". As to Abraham, it was not merely angels that
       Abraham The Friend Of God                             he entertains, but the Lord Himself. Of this Abraham
                     Genesis 18                              is also aware, even when he stands by while they
                                                             eat. How indicative, this service here rendered, of
    The heat 09 the day is upon the plain of Mamre.          Abraham's covenant fellowship with the Lord. And
Abraham sits in his tent under a spreading oak. what a token of the Lord's regard for Abraham, the
Looking up, he sights three wayfarers not far off. He acceptance of this service is. How evident that Abra-
hastens to them. Reaching their immediate presence, ham and the Lord are close friends. With the fruits
he bows himself toward the ground. The leader of of righteousness that Abraham offers - fruits of which
the group, whom Abraham is quick to detect, is now the bread was the emblem  - the Lord refreshes Him-
addressed in speech of reverential courtesy. Favors self and thereupon reveals to Abraham His secrets.
are offered in terms most belittling to the favors. It It was this free, yet dignified and reverential com-
is but a little water that will be fetched them. Let munion between the Lord and Abraham that rendered
them then wash their feet, and rest themselves under the period of this patriarch's lifetime, prophetic of the
the tree. And he will fetch them a morsel of bread, gospel period. While sojourning among us, the Lord
that they may strengthen their hearts. After that was with His friends, brightening their homes with
they shall pass on. For therefore `are they come to His presence, refreshing Himself with their willing
him. The wayfarers allow themselves to be prevailed service, and imparting unto them by the word of His
upon. They say, "Do as thou hast said".                      mouth a knowledge of the mysteries of His Kingddm.


356                                  THE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                             .--____-...1_--                  -                     ._       _-_-
And afterwards He returned in the Spirit that He               The Lord's prediction of Isaac's birth moves Sarah
had merited for them and led them into all truth. And to laughter. It is the laughter not of joy but of un-
when He shall have prepared for them all a place in belief. Fear mingled with astonishment takes hold of
His Father's house, He will return and take them all        her when she hears the Lord say,.  "Wherefore  did
to Himself, that where He is, they too, may be. And Sarah laugh. . . . Is anything to wonderful for the
eternally will He and the Father be refreshing them- Lord ?" In her consternation she denies that she had
selves with the fruits of His cross made effective in laughed. But the Lord replies, "Nay, but thou didst
:hem.      And with His own likeness will He satisfy Iaugh." Her fault is that she doubts whether the pro-
them everlastingly.                                         mise of the Lord to the effect that she is to be the
    Jt is to be noticed that the above-cited event takes mother of the promised seed will be fulfilled. The fear
place after  Abraham in obedience to the voice of Cod has formed in her soul that in Israel, who was not her
has appropriated anew, the sign of the covenant. The child, Abraham's seed mght be called. To this fear her
previous chapter contains a notice that reads, "And doubt has given birth. And so deeply has this doubt
Abraham took Ishmael, his son, and all that were born embedded itself in her soul that when she hears the
in his house, and all that were bought with his money, Lord say that the time is now at hand for her to bear,
every male among the men of Abraham's house, and            she laughs. But her faith soon revives and she re-
circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the  selfsame    ceives strength to conceive seed. . .because  she counted
day, as Cod had said unto him". And thereupon we Him faithful Who had promised. And when the child
read, "And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains is born, she again laughs and says, "God has made me
of Mamre. . .  ." Must not the order of these events to laugh, so that all who hear will laugh with me. . . ."
be taken as so much more evidence that the Lord draws But this time it is not the laugh of unbelief but of a
nigh to such only who love His covenant and honor its joy that springs from the assurance that the Lord is
blood.                                                      her portion.
    Having eaten, the Lord inquires of Abraham after           Abraham's visitors now turn their face toward
the whereabouts of Sarah. Being informed that she Sodom ; and Abraham goes with them to bring them on
is to be found in her tent, the Lord declares that He       the way. Turning to His companions, the Lord says to
will certainly return according to the time of life and them, "Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I
that Sarah will have a son. The Lord kept Him to His do." No, He will not hide. This would not do, "Seeing
promise. He came in and through the birth of Isaac, that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty
who, as Abraham and Sarah were past age, is to be nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed
regarded as a wonder-child  - as a child risen and re- in him." It is only because in the.mind  and counsel of
claimed from death, and thus as a child whose concep- God Abraham is identified with Christ, that the Lord
tion and birth was meant to serve as an emblem and can say that in him,, that is, in Abraham, all nations
type of the rais,ing  up of Christ from the dead and thus will be blessed. And whereas it is only the chosen in
also of the spiritual and bodily resurrection of all those Christ who was blessed, the nation that Abraham is to
included in Christ.                                         become (Israel) and the nations to be blessed in him,
   With the birth of this child must be connected the must be narrowed down to the  .eIect  family of redeemed
faith of Abraham and Sarah in the power of God and to which Christ sustains the relation of head. Now
in His promised willingness to exercise His power in this family and in particular Abraham must know what
behalf of the salvation of His ill-deserving, yet chosen the Lord will do. For the Lord (verse 19 of chap. 18)
people.    "Through faith also Sarah herself received knows him (knew him in love in His counsel and
strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child brought him into being as His friend) in order that he
when she was past age, because she judged him faithful may (so this scripture should be read) command his
who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of children and his household after him (to keep the way
one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the Lord. . . . .) and they shall keep the way of the
of the sky. . .  .I' Not  consi,dering  his own dead body, Lord to do justice and judgment in order that the Lord
Abraham transported himself by faith in Jehovah his may bring upon Abraham that which he had spoken of
Saviour and said that for God nothing is to wonderful. him," Thus Abraham's calling is to command his child-
Therefore did he also receive testimony in his heart ren. . . . .
that he was righteous. And so we read in  Remans,              He must therefore of necessity know what the Lord
"And being fully persuaded that what he had promised, will do, know His counsel, His purposes, the goal to-
he (the Lord) was able also to perform. And there- ward which He moves in all His doings. In a word, if
fore it was imputed to him for righteousness". The Abraham is to command his children, the secrets of the
apostle continues, "But for us also to whom it shall        Lord must be with him and with his children, and this
be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus again for the reason that when they see the wicked
our Lord from the dead".                                    overtaken by disaster, they may know that what they


                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          357

behold is a doing of the Lord and that knowing this         greatness. Old and young will be there. And they
they may keep His way and estol His justice as re- will come from every quarter of the city. So will it
vealed in the destruction of the ungodly and in the re- become apparent that the Sodomites have fully done
demption of His people through judgment.          .         according to the cry of sin which is come to the Lord.
    So the Lord said, "Because the cry of Sodom and             After the Lord has done with telling Abraham of
Gomorrah is  gr,eat,  and because their sin is very His intention, "the men (the two angels) turned thkir
grievous ; I will go down now, and see whether they faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abra-
have done altogether according to the cry of it, which ham stood yet before the Lord." Drawing near to the
is come unto me; if not I will know." The cry which         Lord, he intercedes for the righteous that may be
is meant is the moral demand which sin makes for within the cities and asks that for the sake of these
punishment. What the Lord will see is whether these the place be spared. He realizes that, being but dust
cities have filled their measure of iniquity and are and ashes, that is, a vile sinner by nature, he by him-
thus ripe for judgment. This manner of speech must self is unworthy to take upon him to speak to the Lord.
not he taken to indicate that the Lord is uncertain.        Yet God has said that He is his God, his Friend and
There are for the Lord no uncertainties as all things Saviour. It is as resting on this promise that he pleads
and thus also the rioting of sin have as their necessity - pleads as' one who stands in the faith that he has,
His counsel and come forth out of the womb of His must have, power with God when he opens his mouth
providence. The reason that the Lord avails Himself to speak in behalf of the righteous ones. For these
of the above phraseology is that He desires to impress are the objects of God's mercy, whom He, the God
upon Abraham that as judge of all the earth He is of till mercy in His sovereign love knotis and thus wills
strictly just, that He always strikes in full knowledge to save. So he takes upon himself to speak in behalf
of the sinner's case, and that He daes not strike until ,of the righteous certainly (and thus not in behalf of
through a test to which He as judge subjects the sinner the reprobated Sodomites). What he desires is what
it has become evident to all that the measure of in-        the Lord also desires(  and therefore he has power with
iquity has indeed been filled, that thus His strokes are God) to wit, that the Lord remember these righteous
doubly deserved, that the ones smitten are therefore ones and destroy them not. But because, as he at this
without excuse in the judgment and cannot accuse moment sees it, the righteous in those wicked com-
Him of unrighteous dealings. It is to be  consider.ed       munities will live, will not come to lasting grief, only
that it is necessary not only that God but also that        if those communities be spared, he prays that the Lord
wicked man (the ungodly as well as His people, N;s          spare the place. So he prays, "Wilt thou also destroy
friends) know that the wicked overtaken by His judg- and not spare the place for the. . . . righteous therein.
ments have merited what is meted out to them by That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay
the judge of all the earth. For God must be justified the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous
and praised by all men, by saint and sinner alike,          should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: shall
praised for His excellent doing. This is the sole pur- not the judge of all the earth do right?" It must not
pose of His self-revelation. That is may become ap- be supposed that Abraham prays because he is addicted
parent that also His destruction of sinful (reprobated)     to the view that the Lord is capable of not doing the
man is an excellent work, He continually is subjecting right, prays theregore  as urged by the fear that the
them to trial by bringing them in contact with Him- Lord might place the righteous in a class with the
self, with truth and holiness and thus by compelling wicked and afford them both a like treatment. If
them to choose between God and not-God. And as this be his fear his prayer is representative of an
wicked, dead in sin, can only will to make the wrong attempt on his part to awaken in God whatever regard
choice ever, the result of the trial is always that sin for truth and justice he thinks there may be slumber-
abounds.                                                    ing in God's bosom in order that as constrained by this
   Before the Lord destroys the Sodomic community, awakened regard He do the right. Now if this is what
.He will subject it to one more trial. In this community Abraham attempted, he, praying, blasphemed God. For
the angels will make their appearance. They will turn if God can be influenced by the petitions of His crea-
for the night into Lot's household. The trial will con- tures, He is not God. And if He must be induced by
sist in the men of Sodom being placed before the choice an influence foreign to His being to do the right, `He
of disregarding or honoring the sacred rights of guests.    is an evil deity.
They will choose to do the former. They will assault           As to Abraham, he prays as a believer, certainly.
the house, shamelessly avow their pederastic purposes, His prayer is therefore not a denial (this it would be
and make an attempt upon Lot's life for his remonstrat- if it represented an attempt to cajole God into doing
ing with them.     Thus they will even prefer their the right) but an afKrmation  of God's righteousness.
demoniac raging to natural offences. So will the wicked-    Thus, he prays in the firm conviction that GOC? can
RCX$ of the city immediately  d.evelope  itself in all its will to do nothing else but the right, and that in doing


358                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                          __-
--."^" _-,., "..^___~  ..- ".--         __-..._-.
the right He acts solely under the impulse of His own But this concern springs not from a doubt respecting
sovereign and holy will.                                     God's justice and mercy but from :a profound regard
                                                             for the righteous ones and in particular for Lot.
       Why then does Abraham pray? Firstly, to  giv.e
expression to this conviction and thus to acknowledge
that God is just (his prayer is therefore indeed a
eulogy  of God's virtues) ; secondly to give vent to his
great love for the righteous ones. This he  does~ by
putting into words his ardent desire that God re-                     The Forbearance Of Isaac
member them when He  inilicts the cities with His
judgments.                                                                     Gen. 26 :X2-31
       Abraham's prayer is comprised of six distinct pe-        "Then Isaac sowed in that land. . . ." Isaac in dis-
titions.    Each petition is a pious syllogism: Jehovah tinction from Abraham, who was a mere nomad, begins
cannot destroy the righteous with the wicked. There to pursue agriculture along with his nomadic life. Un-
may be righteous ones in Sodom. If it should be thus der the blessing of the Lord, he receives in the same
the Judge of all the earth cannot destroy the cities, year an hundred-fold. This is a large and a rare pro-
as in doing so, He would be inflicting the righteous ones duct. So Isaac' "waxed great, and  `went forward, and
with a grief that in this case concerns, according to His grew until he became v.ery great: for he had posses-
own declaration, wicked men only, such men who have sions of flocks and possessions of herds, and *a great
filled th.eir measure bf iniquity. Tn his persistent pro- many servants. . . ." His material greatness draws to
gress in his petitins, Abraham descends from fifty to him the attention of the  Phi&tines  in whose territory
ten righteous persons. The reason that he ceases at he resides. They envy him. Hostilities begin in their
this number is not, of course, that he deems it hope- filling with earth the wells that Abraham dug at Gerar,
less to intercede for the righteous if their number there and which therefore belonged to Isaac. AS  water is
in the cities be smaller than ten, in that for so small a indispensible to life, as wit,hout wells it is impossible
number the Lord has no regard and will thus sweep that Isaac live a nomadic life at Gerar, this very act
them away with the wicked, but the reason is that he is an indirect expulsion, and indicative of a war-like
deems it improper to descend beneath this number and attitude. Soon Abimelech commands Isaac to go from
thus keeps silence, again in the firm conviction that the him; "for thou art much mightier than we". If con-
Lord, though He will not spare the cities for the sake vinced of this, how has he the courage to harrass Isaac
of the nine or less righteous ones that may be [found and to expel1 him from [his country ? It must be that
there, will  nevertheless  in his own way shield them Isaac is known to this Philistine chief as being a nomad,
in His mercy  from'His consuming anger, so that they who for principle's sake will not fight for this `earth,
will not be destroyed with the wicked. In a word, the and from whom therefore he has really nothing to fear.
heart of Abraham's prayer is that the Lord have mercy It is worthy of note that what the sacred narrator tells
upon His people in the doomed plain. And the prayer us is not that the Phi&tines fear, but that they envy
  therefore is heard. The `29th verse of the following Isaac, envy him on account of his might and material
chapter reads, "And it came to pass, when God de- advancement. Still, though they fear not Isaac him-
stroyed the cities of t.he plain, that God remembered self, they may be reasoning among themselves that, if
A braham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the over- they allow him to remain, he in his generations will
throw. . .  ." That Abraham descends in his interces- eventually be spreading himself over the whole country
sory prayer to the number ten, only shows how im-            and in this  ,way succeed in establishing himself so
plicit his faith is in the mercy and justice of God and firmly in it as to be able to claim it as his own. This
how great his love for God's righteous ones. It shows, may be their fear. And to this fear they may be giving
this descent, how well, how fully well he realizes that expression, when they say to him, "GO from us, for thou
he has power with God, when he intercedes for God's art much mightier than we". This same fear must
 people, thus when he wills in his prayer only what C&l      have constrained them to fill up with earth, Isaac's
WillS.                                                       wells. The digging of wells was regarded as a sort of
       It is to be noticed finally, that in replying to Abra- occupancy of the land, and as conferring a kind of
 ham's petitions the Lord does not say that there are not title to it. The conjecture is warranted that the Philis-
 to be found in the `cities 50, 45, 40, 30, 10, righteous    tines know of the promise made by the Lord to Abra-
 ones (this is left undecided), but that `He says that  if ham and now again to Isaac, "Sojourn in this land,
 a?~  of  these numbers be present, He will not destroy and I will be with thee, and will bless thee ; for unto
 the cities. Thus, as far as Abraham knows, the num- thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries,
 ber mentioned in each of the six petitions may be pre- and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abra-
 sent. That he nevertheless descends to the number ham thy father". It may be that Isaac's greatness is
 10, shows how great his concern for God's people is.        being taken by the Phil&tines as the token that the


                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           359

promise is already in process of fulfillment,  so that,, if such a land and among such men, God made room for
they fail to take the necessary precautions, they will him. So he declares. Thus he stands in the faith that
eventually be a people without a country. What pleads God is God and none else, that `being God He reigns in
for this view is that after they banish Isaac from their the midst of His and Isaac's enemies, that therefore
land, they return to him and say, "We saw of a cer- nothing can befall him without the direction of his God,
tainty that the Lord was with thee: and we said, Let who watches ov.er him with a paternal care, keeping
there now be an oath between us, even betwixt us and all the adversaries so under His power that not a hair
thee, and let us make a covenant with thee; that thou of his head can fall to the ground without His, God's
will do us no hurt. . . thou art now the blessed of the will. Standing in this faith, he understands that he
Lord (chap. 26 :25) ."                                       has to do in the final instance not with man, with
   It is plain from this address that the reason for Abimelech, but with his God in whose-hands all crea-
their expelling him from their midst was that they cer- tures are and that thus his bitter experiences of the
tainly saw that the Lord was with him. Why should past came by his fatherly hand, and therefore must
their having seen this have caused them to order him and will be made subservient to his salvation.
to depart if not for the reason that thy feared that,           The Lord makes room for him, and throughout the
whereas he was the blessed of the Lord, he would soon ages makes room for all his kindred spirits (the people
be `overreaching them in might and numbers and in- of God) who put their trust in Him, - makes room for
fluence so far that they would find themselves com- them in the midst of an unprincipled, suspicious, hos-
pelled to surrender to him their land.                       tile and thus ungodly race of men, - men who be-
   Isaac then departs thence and pitches his tent in grudge,  the faithful standing  room, on this earth.
the valley of Gerar. As he still resides in the territory Among such men, the Lord makes room for His people.
of the Philistines, the latter continue to vex him, Al- And His doing so is received by them as the token that
so here in this valley he digs again the wells of water, eventually this room will be so enlarged as to include
which they had digged in the days of Abraham his the gates of their enemies ; for the meek will inherit
father, and which the Philistines had filled with earth. the earth. Knowing this, Isaac is patient and as urged
And he calls their names after the names by which his by love of God and of the promise, waives his claim to
father had called them.  They even discover a well of the wells. He will not engage with the wicked in
springing water here, which was of great value, as the warfare for the possession of this earth. Should he do
herdsmen  could water their flocks from it with,Dut the so, he would repudiate the promise and thus lose every-
labor of drawing the water. This well is claimed by          thing, his God, his soul and the very earth for which
the herdsmen  of Gerar. They say, "The water is ours". he strives.         Knowing this he allows himself to be
Isaac waives his right to the fruit of his toil and gives    despitefully dealt with and thereupon again receives
to the well a name expressive of the malignity of the testimony that he pleases God. Drawing nigh to him
adversary. The meaning of the name Ezek is to sCri~c.        at Beer-sheba, whither he finally removes, the Lord
Isaac's servants dig another well, for which the  Philis-    says to him," I am the God of Abraham thy father:
tines again strive. Isaac again yields and calls the fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and
name of the well Sitnnh, meaning ccdversnry. And he multiply thy' seed for my servant <Abraham's  sake."
removes from thence. So is he driven further and This encouraging exhortation refers to his deposition.
further from them. And he continues to yield ground. Abraham needed such an encouragement, after. having
Not once does he meet violence with violence. Yet, as exposed himself to the revenge of the Eastern kings
the names he gives to the wells plainly show, he is on account of his having rescued the righteous Lot out
keenly sensible of the wrong they do him. Yet rather of their hands (thus not on account of having  success-
than avenge himself, he leaves the scenes of strife, yully engaged with them in a warfare for the possession
bearing his injuries with patience, and committing him- of this earth). Isaac needs it on account of the enmity
self to Him that judges righteously.                         of the Philistines.
   Isaac is now probably beyond the boundaries of               Mark you, the `Lord says to Isaac not, "I am thy
Gerar ; for he has removed from the valley of Gerar. God," but, "I am the God of Abraham thy father. . . ."
In his new place of residence, he digs another well "for Why does not the Lord on this occasion assure him
which they strove not." So he called the name of it `Isaac that He is  his God? This assurance is not wanting
Rehoboth, meaning, nm& room; and he said, "For now is this revelation. Consider the utterance, "I will bless
the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruit- thee and multiply thy seed." This certainly is equiva-
ful in the land." This utterance is significant as re- lent in meaning to the statement, "I am  ths God."
vealing the religious convictions and the truly pious But what in this revelation receives the emphasis is
temper of the man. He confesses  that the Lord made that He who now speaks is the God of Abraham, Isaac's
room for him - made room for him in a foreign land, father. And there is a reason for this emphasis. What
in a land inhabited by men who envy and thus hate him Isaac has need of, now that he is being persecuted by
and would therefore banish him from the earth. In            the Phi&tines,  is that his attenti'on  be directed to the


360                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
-                                                                 ___.                      ..-- _-..- "----
fact that Cod is faithful and that he has nothing to a covenant with thee; that thou wilt do us no hurt. . ."
fear. So the Lord said to him, "I, Who now speak              Many years ago  Abimelech's  predecessor had come
with thee, am the Cod of thy father Abraham  - with a similar' request to Abraham, "Now therefore
Abraham, to whom I said (such is the implication of swear unto me here by Cod, that thou wilt not deal
this part of the address) that I would be his Cod and      falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's
the Cod of his seed, thus would also be thy Cod. This son ; but according to the kindness that I have done
promise is in process of fulfillment. Thou art that seed. thee, thou shalt do unto me, and the land wherein thou
I am and have been visibly blessing thee. Thou art hast sojourned". How the patriarchs were feared by
become very great. I have delivered thee out of all these Philistine kings. Yet of all men they were the
thy troubles, and made room for thee in a hostile land. most peaceful.
Be mindful of these evidences of my faithfulness and          As to the Abimelech with which Isaac had to do,
fear not.                                                  he too, as his predecessor had done, points to his kind
       Then, too, Isaac must understand that he is being treatment of Isaac in the past; "As we have not touched
blessed for Abraham's sake, "I will bless thee and mul- thee and as we have done unto thee nothing hut good,
tiply thy seed for Abraham's sake" that is, because I and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the
know, love, have regard to and take delight in, Abra- blessed of the Lord". This kind treatment, Abimelech
ham; because my blessing thee and multiplying thy means to say, has brought Isaac under the moral neces-
seed is what he in faith hoped for, longed and prayed sity of yielding to his request. `But this boasting
for. But the saying, "for Abraham's sake" concerns assertion of his kindness toward Isaac is not sustained
in the final instance Christ, whom Abraham as the by facts. Abimelech must realize this as well as Isaac.
father of all believers represented and in whom he Yet, instead of contradicting the king, Isaac holds his
and all believers are included. It is for Christ's sake peace and prepares for the king and his companions
that believers are blessed.                                a feast, a feast of peace, and permits it to precede the
       At Beer-sheba, Isaac erects an altar and calls upon the making of the covenant. Compare these reactions
the name of the Lord. He thus establishes in this place of Isaac to those of Abraham. The latter had not
a regular worship. The notice that here he pitches kept silent, but had reproved  ,the king to his face,
his tent and that here his servants dig another well, "because of the well of water, which thy servants had
points to a fixed settlement.                              violently taken away". The Philistine king had pro-
       Having driven Isaac out of their country, the Philis- fessed his ignorance of the matter and rebuked Abra-
tines are still ill at ease. They still regard him as a ham for having kept the thing from, him. Abraham,
threat to their future well-being. If instead of  ill- however, was not satisfied until the king had openly
treating him as they had done because they saw that declared that the well belonged to him (Abraham).
he was the blessed of the Lord, they for some reason Abraham allowed the king to return to his land with-
had blessed him and done him well,`they  would have out first preparing for him and his companions a feast.
had nothing to fear. Eut as it is, having cursed in At least, we read nothing of this. There is then a
their hearts him whom the Lord blesses, and whom marked difference to be noticed between the characters
they themselves have learned to know as the blessed of these two patriarchs. Of the two, Abraham is the
of the Lord, they have everything to fear, not from more aggressive, Isaac the more passive and tranquil.
Isaac, but from the Lord, the avenger of his wrongs. Abraham is the man of strong and heroic faith, who
.&d not the Lord said to Abraham, "I will bless them against hope believed in hope, that he might become
that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee". If the father of many nations. Isaac is the seed, who sub-
as they confess, Cod is for Isaac `and is resolved to give mits to suffer Moriah, and thus receives a mysterious
him their country, what did it avail them that they,       consecration as a type of the suffering and dying
to safeguard their own interests, drove him out of Saviour. This difference in character between father
their land. Can they fight the Lord? They know they and son is traced through their entire  carreers.  Be-
cannot. Yet they will do what they can to frustrate cause they did differ, each could serve the purpose of
the designs of the Lord. So they resolve to attempt to Cod in his own way.
extract from Isaac an oath to the effect  that he will        As to the treatment Isaac affords Abimelech, it
do them ne hurt. So, with this resolve in their hearts again brings him forward as a person of remarkable
they set out for  th.e place of Isaac's encampment, gentleness, as a most patient and lovable saint. But
Abimelech,  Ahuzzath,  one of the king's friends, and his composure and endurance, when not supported  by
Phichol, the chief captain of his army. Once in his a power of the spirit and faith are seen as imfirmities:
presence, Isaac says to them, `Wherefore come ye to           Having feasted and drunken together, Abimelech
mc, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from and his comanions and Isaac rise up early in the morn-
J~OU".     `They say,  "We certainly saw that the Lord ing, "and sware one to another". And Isaac sent them
was with thee: and we said, Let there now b.e an oath away, and they departed from him in peace.
betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make                                                 G. M. 0.         ,


                                A   R e f o r m e d   S e m i - M o n t h l y   M a g a z i n e
                PUBLISHED BY THE REFORMED FREE PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.





                 - -                                                                              __-
Vol. XIII, No. X6 Entered  88  second  class  mail
                           matter at Grand Rapids.  Mich.            MAY 15, 1937                             Subscription. Price, $2.00

I          -              -           -           -             -           -
It                                                                                  There is a year, a month, a day, an" hour, a minute,
          M E D I T A T I O N                                               II a second, a moment, the twinkling o,f an eye for all
                                                                                 things under the sun.
                                                                                    Such is time; God's time!
                 Filled With The Spirit                                             And in that course of time, fixed with divine cer-
                                                                                 tainty and exactitude, there are moments, "fulnesses",
                          And when the day of  Penitecost   was when the heavens rend and the God of our salvation
                    fully come,  fihey  *were all with one ac- reveals that He is mindful of His covenant. In fact,
                        cord  in one place.  And  sudde&y  thee it is more especially with a view to these wonders of
                        came a sownd from heaven. as of a rush                   grace and to the realization of God's program of sal-
                        ing mighty wind, and it filled  alb the vation that all things have been  tied at their appointed
                        house where they were sitting. And place, occur at their appointed moment and serve their
                    there appeared fAnto them cloverz tongues divinely ordained purpose. When the exact number
                        like as fire, and it sat upon each of them. of years have passed, the appointed number of sum-
                    And they  *were  a.11 filled with the Holy mers and winters have succeeded one-another, the  fixed
                        Ghost,  and began to speak  ,with other number of seconds have been ticked off by the clock,
                        tongues, us the Spi& gave them utter- so many children of men have been born and have died,
                    ance.                                                        so many birds have sung their song, so many battles
                                                             Acts 2:1-4.         have been, fought between the nations, so many winds
      When the day of Pentacost  was fully come!                                 have blown, so many hairs have fallen from our heads,
      Exactitude with respect to t.ime and place. char- so many sins have been committed, so much blood of
acterizes the divine program, both with regard to the saints has been shed, so often the clouds have
"nature" and grace.                                                              gathered in the sky, so often the sun has returned
      Creation is a  w*ell ordered whole, in which all after the rain, the lightning flashed, the thunder rolled,
things occupy their own place and serve their own the seas roared, the flood clapped their hands, so many
purpose in their particularly appointed time. There prayers of the saints have been mingled with the in-
is, in  all the universe, nothing arbitrary. Each mor- cense that rises to Him that sitteth on the throne,  -
ing the sun appears at the appointed second and at its it is then that a "fulness of time" is come and that
f?ixed  spot above the horizon, each day it pursues its                          heaven reaches down to earth for the salvation of
prescribed course through the. heavens, each evening God's people. . . .
it finishes its circuit when and where the Most High                                When the fulness of time is come God sends His
ordained it to set from the beginning.                                           Son, born of a woman, born under law.
      And in that well ordered whole all things occur,                              When the hour has arrived He descends into the
even the apparently most arbitrary, the chirping of dark vale of His suffering and agony, that He may
the sparrow, the stroke of lightning, the withering bear our sins on the accursed tree.
of the lily of the field, the movement of the murmuring                             On the fixed third day He breaks the bonds of  '
brook through t,he lowland, the falling of a hair from death and rises from the dead, immortal, glorious,
our head, the gathering of the clouds and the dropping incorruptible, because of our justification.
of the rain, the rising of each emotion  in, man's heart,                           Four times ten days He tarries, appears in the
the formation of each thought in his mind,  - all newness of His resurrection-body, speaks to His dis-
happen at their appointed moment. . . .                                          ciples concerning the things of the Kingdom of God,


362                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
-.~___                                              .."--..
commissions them to preach the  gospe,l  to every crea-            But make no mistake!
ture. Then He is taken up from them before their                   Do not look, on this day of spiritual firstfruits, for
eyes into the heavens.                                         the Church, for the Israel of God, in the old temple,
    Another ten days of waiting and prayer and fellow- whose veil had been erroneousIy  repaired by profane
ship in the upper room in Jerusalem; then He returns hands of unbelieving Jews, and where even  o,n  this
to them in the Spirit.                                         bright and blessed morning the ministering priest
       When the day of Pentecost was fully come!               offers the morning sacrifice and burns the incense be-
    Or does, perhaps, the text convey the thought, that fore Jehovah. Not among the multitude waiting in
the  *day of Pentecost was fully past and that it was not the court, nor even., probably, in the temple at all,
on, but the day after the old dispensational harvest but in one of the upper rooms - was it in the house
feast, that the wonder of the outpouring of the Spirit of  J.ohn Mark? - you must now find the Church of
took place? This is not impossible. The text reads God.
literally: when the day of Pentecost was fulfilled. And            There were gathered the apostles ; the women,
the order of events would seem to suggest that the Mary, the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Salome
last old dispensational day of Pentecost was allowed to and others; the brethren of the Lord, who believed
pass by before the new Pentecost was ushered in by on Him after the resurrection ; the one hundred and
the coming cf the Spirit. Was it not the day after twenty mentioned in the first chapter of Acts; and,
the fourteenth of Nisan, when the paschal lamb was perhaps, others had joined themselves to their com-
sacrificed and eaten that the lamb of God sacrificed pany. .
Himself to take away the sin of the world? And was                 The Church under the leadership of the apostles !
it not the day after the sixteenth of Nisan, when the              One in mind and heart, concentrating all their
firstling  of the harvest was presented to Jehovah in thoughts on the things of the Kingdom of God, dis-
the temple, that Christ, the  flrstfruits  of the dead, cussirrg one subject, the promise, waiting, longing,
arose from the grave? Must it, then, not have been praying. . . .
the day after the celebration of the Old Testament                 Then, suddenly, their waiting is rewarded, their
Pentecost, when the heave-offering of the two loaves prayer is heard!
was brought to Israel's God, the feast of the firstfruits          Under visible and audible signs the Paracleet made
of a completed harvest, that the firstfruits  of the Spirit His everlasting abode in the Church of Christ.
were bestowed upon a waiting Church?                               There was a sound as of a mighty rushing wind,
       Such, to be sure, is the idea of God's program.         filling the house. Merely the sound. For the rest all
    The last typical lamb is slain in the temple when was quiet. There was no wind that could be felt an,d
the Lamb of God sheds His lifeblood on the accursed the effect of which could be seen. Nothing stirred.
tree.                                                          But the sound as of wind, mighty, rushing, was plainly
    The last possible sheaf is presented to Jehovah heard, filled the room where they were sitting. For,
when the Firstfruits of the dead appears from the as the wind so is the Spirit, mysterious in His opera-
grave in incorruptible glory.                                  tion.    You know not whence it  cometh,  whither it
   For the last time Israel rejoiced in the firstfruits goeth. But it is there. You hear it. So is  evenone
of a completed harvest, when the firstfruits  of the that is born of the Spirit. As the wind, so is the
Spirit were poured out and filled the saints.                  Spirit: invisible in Himself, yet plainly manifest in
   The day of Pentecost was  fulfilled !                       His fruits ; and mighty, irresistible in His operations.
   And God realized the promise!                                   And as the sound as of a mighty rushing wind filled
                                                               the room, so they were all filled with the Holy Spirit!
                                                                   There was the sign of the fire, cloven tongues that
                                                               sat on each of them. And again, there was no fire;
   Blessed fulfillment !                                       there was merely the appearance of fire. Nor should
   They were all tiled  with the Holy Ghost !                  special significance be attached to the fact that the
   With one accord they were gathered in one place.            fire appeared on them in the form of cloven tongues,
In Jerusalem they were, as it might be expected. Had except that it teaches us that the fire appeared nat as
not the Lord enjoined them to abide in Jerusalem and gIowing coals, about  to be extinguished, but as a living
there wait for the realization of the promise? There flame, symbol of the living fire that began to burn in
the Lord had been crucified. There He had risen from them as they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. For,
the dead. There was the Holy City, the city of God. as the living, flaming fire, so is the Spirit, burning
There was the temple that was to be destroyed in ord.er        away from our hearts all the rubbish of iniquity and
to be rebuilt, the temple whose vail had been rent for- kindling within them the  fire of the love of God, mani-
ever. There was the very center of God's covenant in fested in Christ Jesus our Lord!
the world. . . .                                                   And as the cloven tonges as of  fire appeared on
   And there was on this memorable day the church!             each of them, so in each heart was kindled the marvel-


                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          363

lous love of God, consecrating, enlightening, sanctify- prophets, priests, kings and through the shadows. They
ing. . . .                                                  looked for the promise, but the promise was not yet
   There was, finally, the marvel of the tongues. For realized. The fulness of the riches of grace that are
they all spoke, as the immediate effect on them of the in Christ Jesus the church of the old dispensation
mdwelling  Spirit. And they spoke, not in one language, possessed only in hope ! . . . .
but in various tongues of the multitude that presently         And now : they were all filled with the Holy Ghost!
rushed to the scene and gathered to see this thing that        This Holy Ghost is, indeed, the Spirit of God, the
had come to pass. For, the Promise is not limited to third Person in the adorable Trinity, the Spirit of the
the nation of Israel, but is to them and to their Father proceeding to the Son, the Spirit of the Son,
children and to as many as the Lord God shall call!         proceeding to the Father. He is the Spirit that is
   Blessed day of Pentecost!                                given without measure to Jesus, the Holy Child, the
   Once more the heavens, whither the disciples had servant of Jehovah, in His state of humiliation; .and
seen the Lord ascend, had rent!                             in this Spirit He labors and ministers and suffers and
   The Word of the Lord had come to pass!                   dies and offers Himself up a perfect sacrifice for sin,
   The waiting Church saw the salvation of the Lord         and rises and is glorified. He is the same Spirit of
   His glorious Day!                                        God, that is given to Christ after His exaltation in
                                                            order that in that Spirit He might return and abide
                                                            with us forever and as the quickening Spirit may make
   Blessed Church of the new dispensation!                  us partakers of all the glorious grace and blessings He
    For, it is not a group of individuals that on that merited for us, give us the victory and make us like
first day of N:ew  Testament received the Spirit, but the unto Himself! . . . .
Church.                                                        Through that Spirit He is with us, in us, as our
    The Spirit was poured out, not merely on the Prophet, Priest and King!
apostles, nor yet only on the small gathering of single-       Our Lord!
minded disciples that waited for the promise in the            And through that Spirit He makes us prophets,
upper-room in Jerusalem, but on the Church universal, priests  *and kings of God forever!
in heaven and on earth, to abide with her and to dwell         Blessed day of Pentecost!
in her forever!
    Never before had the Church, never before had any
individual saint received  this Spirit.                        All were filled!
    Surely,  the Church was in the old dispensation as         That entire gathering ; the whole Church!
well as the new; the day of Pentecost is not the birth         And all were filled.
of the Church as some wrongly interpret the event              ,For, the Holy Spirit always lays hold of the entire
of the outpouring of the Spirit. And, surely, there man, filling him according to his capacity, his mind
were operations of the Spirit of God under the old and will and his desires, dwelling in his inmost heart.
dispensation as well. as in the new. As the promised He renews the heart, kindling therein the Iire of the
Spirit of Christ he was in the prophets, who diligently blessed love of God, the love wherewith He loved us
searched concerning the sufferings of Christ and the in Christ, and causing our hearts to respond to that
glories that should follow; in the priests that minis- love; He enlightens the mind, so that we may spirit-
tered before Jehovah, expecting the fulfillment of their ually discern the things which eye hath not seen and
office in Him that was Priest forever after the order ear hath not heard and that never arose in the heart
of Melchisedec ; in the kings on David's throne, that of man ; he directs the will, so that we may confess
looked for the sure mercies of David and the eternal that we hate all sin and have a delight in all right-
establishment of the Kingdom.        More: also in the eousness. He glorifies Christ in us; He guides in all
old dispensation the Spirit of God worked regenera- the truth ; .He makes us more than victors through
tion and faith in the hearts of the elect, and they were    Him that loved us.
saved even as we.                                              They were all filled with the Holy Ghost!
    But it was under the law!                                  What a tremendous, what a blessed change these
    It was all in the form of promise !                     men and women must have experienced when of a
    The salvation of the Lord had not yet been mani- sudden they were translated from the old dispensation
fested. There<  was as yet no  C.hrist.  The blood of into the new, from the law into freedom, from servants
atonement had not yet been shed. Propitiation for to sons!
the sin of the people had not yet been made. Life had          Is it wonder that they spoke?
as yet not appeared from  dath. There was no exalted           And shall we, then, not speak of the marvellous
Christ and there was no Spirit of the exalted Lord ! work of God?
And in the old dispensation the Spirit directed the            He is our God forever!
faith and hope of the faithful to the promise, by the          The God of our salvation!                 H. H.


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                    375
                               -_- ._....__..-.-..  "- ---_                    --I                                      ll---.--        -
bet vuile. Ik verzekcr  U, dat ge gelegenheid en te over
zult hcbben om Uw kleedig te ge%ruiken.                                                     The Christian's Isolation
         Psulus noemt die actie:  Verdragende elkander en
vcrgevende  de e&n den ander, zoo iemand tegen iemand                            "IYhcreJore   cvmc out from  clmong them, and bc
eenige Macht he&.                                                            ye separate,  s,aith the I+o,rd, tmd touch not th.c rwxkrrn
         Dat kunt ge met 1Jw sjofele kleeding van weIeer                     thing;  amd I  ,will receive you,  and I will be  `a Father
niet doen. Ja, misschien we1 met het nangezicht, doch                        unto you, und ye shall be my sons wnd my dcwght.ws,
daar gaat het niet over. Dat doet men in de he&he                            s&h the Lord Almighty".
wereld, want daar wordt men alleen en uitsluitend                                Thus wrote the apostle Paul to the church at
door den duivel geinspireerd. Daar  zing-t men: "For                         Corinth, chapter  6:17,  18.
he is a jolly good fellow ; as nobody can deny !", doch                          Was Paul, too, an Anabaptist ?
tegelijkertijd  stekcn ze elkaar met het mes in den                              Our Protestant Reformed churches are constantly
rug.                                                                         accused of being Anabaptistically inclined. Do we not
         Doch als kerklid is het `Uw roeping om U anders te                  maintain, that all the imaginations of man's heart
openbaren,  ,dan ge van nature geleerd hebt. Daar moet are only evil continually, that the world is utterably
ge verdragen en vergeven de een den ander. En dat incapable of performing anything but sin, that God's
is niet makkelijk,  want daar zijn klachten die de een people and the world have in the final analysis nothing
heeft tegen den ander. En het vloekt tegen Uw naam in common and that Zion's calling in the world is
en belijdenis  als ge zoudt leven, zoo ongeveer als volgt :                  to be an other, a distinct, a peculiar people unto God?
0, ik heb den Heere zoo ontzettend lief: Hij gaf mij                         Such a doctrine necessarily implies, so they say,, that
Zijn lieven Zoon, doch  wat is deze of die broeder zoo                       the ideal would be to avoid all contact with the world
en zoo  tech  een vervelende kerel! God heb  ik lief,                        whenever and wherever possible. If those Protestant
want die getrouwe Heer, hoort mijne stem. . .  .,  maar                      Reformed people could realize such an ambition they
wat een $ellendig  wijf is zij en zij en zij. Het gaat niet would establish a small kingdom of their own in some
aan om Uw wandel te hebben onder dcgenen die God remote corner of the globe.
kennen en dan den ganschen lieven dag te  loopen met                            With equal right this same accusation can. be hurled
een "chip on your shoulder" en  maar steeds te  veroor-                      into the teeth of the apostle Paul. We, too, was un-
deelen:   FLi,i deugt niet; sij is een mispunt;  dat  huis- compromising in his condemnation of the world. Paul
gezin is ook al niet veel bijzonders; ik heb een  gruwe- also taught that the believer has no more concord with
lijken  hekel  aan A  ;  ik kan B al veel minder  staan  ; the infidel than righteousness with unrighteousness,
bier  is ook niet veel soeps; gine?s is ook een luchtje light with darkness. Christ with  Belial,  the temple
aan!" Last ons altijd-voor den aandacht houden, dat of God with idols. He, too,  admcnished  the congrega-
die stakkerds het misschien nog veel beter  weten  dan tion "to come out from among them and be separate
gij. En dat zij het ook beweenen in het verborgene. and to touch not the unclean thing". Did Paul also
Bovendien, hoe ziet ge er eelf uit? Zijt gij geen stin- desire a kingdom of his own in some obscure nook of
kend,  ellendig  vuil mensch,  als ge Uzelven beschouwt the world? Paul must have been  afllicf~d with the
in het  licht van Gcd's wet? Och, `t is vaak  266, dat                       same dreadful disease.
de pot den ketel `verwijt, dat hij zwart is.                                    However, the apostle Paul was no Anabaptist.
    Verdraagt ,dan elkander ! Zoo Iuidt de vermaning                            Originally the Anabaptists were not as evil as some
tot U en mij. En als er dan al een klacht is, meet people might suppos:                                They counted among their num-
haar niet uit  don,h vergeeft dan elkaar. Dat is God.de-                     bers many sincere children of God. These  "Weder-
lijk.                                                                        doopers" were people who came to deny the doctrine
    Want dat is het groote Voorbeeld. in Christus. of infant baptism, thus denied also the value of their
Pau1u.s zegt dan oak:  Gelijkerwijs als Christus TJ ver- personal bant%m and so rermitted themselves to be
geven heeft, duet ook gij  alzoo.  If you please! Hoe                        boptised  a,,oni?z  (ana-baptist  ; weder-dooper) as adults.
heerliik. Doet ge dat, dan zal de mcrgen en de svond They originated at the time of the Reformation and
`IJ vinden in zaligheid, rijk van  genade.                                   were a movement reactionary to the dead formalism
    Christus  verdroeg en verdraagt ons. En Hij is and externalism of the Roman Catholic Church. They
heilig. Ge hebt  tech zeker geen klacht tegen Hem?                           were. however, also characterized by other errors.
Doch Hij  we1 tegen U.  Doch  Hij vergeeft. Wilt  .gij                       They believed in a local separation of the Church from
het dan we1 tegenover Zijn broederen?                                        rthe world.     They considered it their  bounden  duty
                                                                             to withdraw wherever possible from  earthlv life it-
    Doch nademaal wij uit en van onszelven daartoe self. They desired to "dwell alone" in a physica sense
ten eenemale onbekwaam zijn, zoo  !aat ons  Zijne heilige of the word and deemed themselves secure and pious
Naam aldus aanroenen: Och, schonkt Gij mij de hulp in the measure they attained to this ideal. The latter
van IJwen Geest ! Amen !                                                     tendency of Anabaptism our friends have -in mind,
    En dan zal `t gaan.                                        G. v.         who persist in accusing us of heresies in this direction.
                                                                        \


376                                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
I ---_.- "-I~........,............._._ .^^_ ._^._.. .^".._ .."._ .._....-  ll_.-                                 .__I .-..-..  ".--                 _-
     maul was certainly not Anabaptist and neither  are the world. Nothing, however is further from the truth.
we. Paul does not exhort the church of God to a Does it not lie in the very nature of the  case, that the
merely outward, local separation  from  the children of SQ~O people of God's covenant have the snmc ailing
darkness. This would be too superficial and utterly (over against the same world? Moreover, do not the
unworthy of the apostle. His words mean ever so New Testament Scriptures come to us with the same
much more when he so earnestly admonishes the exhortation? John on Patmos heard another voice
church at Corinth: "Wherefore come out from among from heaven, saying, "Come out of her,  my  pe~ople,
them, and he ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive
not the unclean thing".                                                                        not of her plagues." Rev. 18 :4. And Paul exhorts in
                                                                                               no uncertain terms, "Wherefore come out  from  among
                                                                                               them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord". II Cor. 6 :17.

     Nothing is more clearly taught in Scripture than
this calling of the Christian in the midst of the world.
Well may the apostle write "saith the Lord". God's                                                According to many people this  "  be ye sepumte"
Word constantly  emphasizes  that there are spiritually has reference to a physical, local, external isolation
two distinct people in the ,one sphere of this earthly fnom the world and its activities. Our calling would
life. There is the people of the world, the reprobate then be to find some isolated spot on earth, where we
nhell, comprising the children of wrath, the workers might be as far as possible removed from ali physicai
of iniquity, the seed of the serpent, those who hate contact with the world. A  smali town is a more ideal
God and love darkness rather than light. Over-against place to live than a large city. -4 farm, again, is nvOre
this carnal shell  is the people of God, the elect kernel,                                     desirable than a city home. The less we see and meet
composed of the children of grace, Ithe vessels of honor, the people of the world the better. Then we have
the seed of the woman, those who believe in the Lord "come  out from among them and are truly separate".
Jesus Christ and walk not after the flesh but after the Where people apply this principle collectively the result
Spirit.        These two peoples have in deepest reality is a locally isolated aommonwealth  like Zion City or a
nothing in common. They must be separate. God's colony such as the Mennonites prefer to establish in
people is  "a holy and peculiar people, that they should some obscure retreat. Often people apply this prin-
shew forth the praises of Him Who has called them ciple individually, thinking that by withdrawing them-
out  wf  darkriess  into  a marvelous light".                                       COIlSES    selves from exOerna1  contact with others they are heed-
quently, we must  "rome  out from among them, and be ing the Scriptural call to be separate.
separate".                                                                                        This is certainly  n.ot the Scriptural idea of separa-
       "Snith  the  Lord"                                                                      tion. First, such isolation avails nothng as far as the
       Thus the Lord slJ&U In the Old Dispensation. He                                         spiritual ideal is concerned. Does such a local separa-
did so when He laid I& Word in the mouth of that tion insure our safety? Are we then out of the world?
greatest of hypocrites, Balsam,  and caused this arch-                                         Have we then "come out from among them?" Do we
lover of filthy lucre to prophesy so beautifully. "For not carry the world with LU in our own hearts and in
from  the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills                                       those with whom we thus isolate ourselves? It is not
I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and true, that we can separate ourselves physically from
shall not be reckoned among the nations". The Lord all contact with the world and yet live in its very
spoke this Isy the mouth of that greatest of all prophets, midst? We may be externally isolated and at  Lhe
"whom the Lord knew face to face"`, when in his final same time be spiritually homogeneous with the king-'
discourse to the Feople of God Moses prophesies "Israel dom of darkness. Secondly, it is not our calling to
then shall dwell in safety alone." Isaiah admonishes, isolate ourselves in this sense of the word. This does
"Depart ye,  d*epart ye, go out from thence,  tquch not mean that we may not prefer farm life to a home
no unclean thing; gu ye out of rthe midst of her, be ye in the city, neither does it imply that our spiritual wel-
&an that bear the vessels of the Lord"  52:1X And                                              ,fare may never demand that we leave a certain com-
Jeremiah says, "My  ~,`eor,le,  go ye out of the midst munity in favor of another, where God's kingdom  is
of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the                                             more manifest.     However, the idea of isolation in
fierce anger of the I..ord"  51:54.                                                            Scripture is not physical and local. God's Word never
       Thus the Lord spclzks  in the New Testament. Many demands that we withdraw from life itself. This  is'
people differentiate here b&ween  the Old and the New nothing less than the principle of the Roman Catholic
Testament. In the old dispensation Israel had to be monastery applied to our own lives. This is nothing
an isolated people. Then separation was according to but a cowardly retreat in the battle of faith, a carnal
the will of God. Now,  however, this is no more man-                                           fear to meet the enemy face to face and a refu,sal to
datory. We who live in the glorious liberty of the reveal our  colors in the midst of the world. Such a
new dispensation speak no more of separation from procedure does not proclaim the virtues of Him who


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                         377
-                          -"- .             - -                                                         -.-.--.----
has called us into the light. This interpretation of "be spiritual amalgamation and fornication with the people
ye separate" is decidedly Anabaptistic. Neither is it round about it. Israel might not walk in their sins
true that the fruit of such isolation is, "I will receive and worship their gods.
you, and `will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be           Our place, too, is one of spiritual isolation. God's
my sons and daughters." Frequently this conception people today stand over against God in the same re-
of separation has led to nothing but greater worldli-       lation as did Israel  in the ol,d dispensation, a relation
mindedness and depravity. Mistaking their outward of covenant-friendship and  love.               As such we may
isolation for true separation, many people have neglect- stand in the midst of the world, where, makes  no, essen-
ed the genuine sanctification of the heart. Finally, tial difference. This isolation is possible in Chicago
such local isolation is not to the eternal welfare of as well as in Grand Rapids, in Grand Rapds as well as
God's people.     The victory is more glorious in the in Byron Center, or one of our western villages, in
measure the battle is more fierce. We receive crown town as well as in the country. In fact, the more the
according to cross.                                         world  manifes~ts  itself on every side of us the more
     In close connection with this, we may affirm, beautiful will be our spiritual isolation. And standing
furthermore, that the ChristianTs  isolation is not an in the midst of the world we must spiritually "come
outward retreat from certain spheres  of life. Accord- out from among them". In antithesis to that world
ing to this notion, a child of God may not be active        we must be a peculiar people unto God. Whatever  the
in politics or business or art. He may not sing or world does we may do, but differently. We may sing
.write or amuse himself in any other way. This spirit, and play, be active in business and politics, work side
too,  is definitely Anabaptistic. Does God then promise by side with the man of the world in the same factory
to "receive" us and "be a Father" unto us? We are           and at the same bench, but in all that  w,e do we must
God's people in every sphere of life. Life's spheres are proclaim Jehovah's praises and be ethically different
not sinful in themselves. Politics, business, art, etc., from the world. We must eschew  all evil and cast
are neither good nor bad in themselves; they are the from us all that implies that we commit spiritual forni-
spheres in which ethical perfection or corruption are cation with the children of darkness and make our-
revealed.                                                   selves guilty of abominations. There may be no co-
     The Christian's isolation is a spiritual one. The operation with the world upon  2s basis and along the
language used by Paul in  e,xhorting  the church at lines of if8 principles. In home and at work and on
Corinth to separation from the world is as potent as        the street, in our clothing and language and every
it is beautiful. "Co,me  out from among them". "Be ye manifestation of life we must proclaim to the world,
separate", that is, confine and  define yourselves. Draw that we are a peculiar people, serving an other God,
definite lines between yourselves and the children of motivated by othw desires and striving toward other
the world. As there are definite boundaries between ideals. We must stand in the midst of the world and
the various nations on one continent, so there must be thus "come out from among them". Outwardly one
clear lines of demarcation between us and the people with the world, we must be inwardly separate. The
of the world. "Touch not", that is, do not cleave fast "uncIean  thing" we must recognize and condemn as
.to, do not unite yourself, with "the unclean thing".       such and then refuse to "touch" it. We need not go
And this all must be applied spiritually.                   out of the world, but we must turn our backs upon the
     Israel's isolation in the old dispensation was es- realm of darkness.
sentially a spiritual one. Indeed, in Israel's existence
there was also an element of physical separation. Be-
fore Christ the covenant of God followed the line of           ". . . . . saith the Lord."
Israel as a nation. For that nation the Lord had pre-          In these  wvrds  the text quoted above gives the  cb-
pared a separate country.  This physical aspect of jective reason for this exhortation. Jehovah com-
Israel's isolation, therefore, was due to the typical mands ! Your God! The Creator and Sustainer of
character of the old dispensation. Nevertheless, that all things! The sovereign Lord of heaven and earth
physical separation was not the essence of Israel's and hell! Has He not the right to demand that all
isolation.    If Israel's safety had depended on local creatures shall know and worship Him and separate
isolation, God could better have led His people to some themselves forever from all that is not in harmony
remote corner of South Africa. As it was, Israel as         with the sanctity of His will? In this sense of the
a nation dwelt in the midst of the nations of the world. word this call comes to all men. Paul, indeed, is err-
Its isolation, too, was spiritual in character. Accord- horting the Church of God in the world.  It, lies in
ing to the will of God, Israel had to exist in the very the nature of the case, however, that no man has the
center of the world. In that place it was Israel's call- right to cleave to sin and unrighteousness.
ing to maintain God's covenant, to live God's life in          Subjectively, this same "saith the Lord" gives the
family and society and state, to reveal God's Name sufficient reason why God's peoplre will and must heed.
and proclaim His virtues, and  to abstain from all          There is also a speaking of God to the heart, an inward,


378                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
l_lllll" ..-.." --                                             "___-_l_
spiritual, efficacious, irresistible calling according to ciples and determines the methods. You say: "But all
which the Almighty calls the things that are not as      I do is pay my dues. I do not attend the  meetin,gs,
though they were. "He speaks and it is done, He neither do I actually cooperate in the things that are
commands and it stands fast". Psalm. 33  :9. This done. I am not responsible for the crimes that are
speaking of God comes n;nly to the elect. And when perpetrated". Indeed, you are. Every member is re-
God thus speaks to the heart of God's people they sponsible for the principles and methods of the organi-
actually "come out from among them" and become a zation to which he belongs. In fact, every member
spiritually isolated people, saved by grace, called to is responsible for what the other members perpetrate
light and life.                                          in the name of, or with the manifest appro,val  of, or,
    Friends, pause a moment and  consifdcr  this.        in fact, without the clear disapproval of the organi-
    These words are not mine.                            zation. The principles of the union, dear Christian, are
    Paul does not speak this.                            your principles. Its class distinctions and anarchy are
    "Saith the Lord".                                    also yours. Its sit-down strikes and manifest disre-
                                                         spect for all instituted authorities are your strikes and
                                                         rebellions. Its bloodshed and murders, both potential
    "Wherefore. . . . .  ."                              and a&d, are yours. When you affiliate with these
    In the same 6th chapter of the second epistle to the unions you should acknowledge your responsibility in
Corinthians Paul writes, "Be ye not unequally yoked      the matter. These things are  tru,e where a position is
together with unbelievers." These words and the "Come involved no less than where nothing of importance
out from among them and be ye separate" of verse 17 is at stake. What is wrong when it is not a matter
are essentially the same in meaning. The one is nega- of losing a job does not become right as soon as our
tive. "Be ye not". The other is positive. "Be  Iye".     bread and butter is at stake. I deeply appreciate  `ihe
The metaphor in the mind of the apostle is plainly that predicament of the Christian labourer in our day and
of two different animals e.g., an ox and an ass, yoked age. Nevertheless, if the mere possibility of losing
together. Such animals would have to pull and work one's job can justify a matter that is as inherently
together in the same manner toward the same purpose c,orrupt  as afiiliating  with the labor unions of our day,
of the master. In  Lsrael  such a yoking together of where will the end be when it becomes a question of
animals of different species was emphatically pro- life and death? Paul says, "Be ye not unequally yoked
hibited.                                                 together"`.    Of  caurse, then ultimately all cooperation
    The idea of the apostle is very clear. We and the between believers and unbelievers will become practi-
children of darkness are spiritually different. This cally impossible, for the children  amf the world are
does not mean that a child of God may never work to,- oftentimes more consistent in their wickedness than.
gether  with a child of the world. We should in this     the children of light in their walk in rghteousness.
case have to go out of the worl,d.  But, whatever co-        And why must we not be unequally yoked together
operation there must be shall have to be on our stand- with unbelievers? "What fellowship hath righteous-
point and along the lines of our principles. We may ness with unrighteousness? And what communion
not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. We hath light with darkness?" Any? Are they not
may not place ourselves under  the@  yoke. We may mutually exclusive? "And what concord hath Christ
not pull with them but they must pull with us. We with Belial  ?" Can you conceive of Christ placing His
may not place our necks und*er a strange yoke whereby neck under the yoke of Belial and toeing Satan's mark?
we place ourselves in the service of unrighteousness. "And what agreement hath the temple of God with
If there is to be any cooperation between us and the idols?" Ye are the temple of the Living God. God
world, not the latter, but we will lay down the prin- dwells in us and walks in us. "What part hath the
ciples. We may not toe their mark; they must toe ours. believer with the infidel ?" Yes, as unbelievers we may
Not their principles but ours will be followed; not their be yoked together with unbelievers. Then it is not
methods but ous must be employed.                        unequally but equally. Then, too, you will have the
    Applying these general principles to the labor ques- testimony of the world that she recognizes you as one
tion it is not difficult to determine what our attitude with her, and your own consciences will testify that
should be toward the present-day unions. In these you are not only in the world but also of her. As be-
modern organizations God's peopl,e  very decidedly yoke lievers this is impossible.
themselves unequally with unbelievers. The world does        "Wherefore, come out from among them and be ye
not adopt the yo,ke of the Christian. God's people do separate, saith the Lord".
not lay down the rules. Scripture does not determine                             -     -    -
the principles and methods of the modern unions.
Rather, the Christian places his neck under the yoke         W&at a glorious privilege to be thus isolated from
of  the world and in effect says, "Brother, I'm with the world in this spiritual sense of the word!
you". The  anti-Christian world lays down the  prin-       Apparently, I know, this-Christian separation brings


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                     279

nothing but grief. "Come out from among them" and
you will be despised, ignored, ostracized. The world                    Nieuws Uit Pella, Iowa
will hate you and ultimately draw its sword to kill YOU.
Follow the world and you will be her friend. Her                De Prediker zegt: "Alles heeft een bestemden tijd
doors will open to welcome you. She will listen to en alle voornemen onder den hemel  heeft zijnen tijd.
your reasonings and you will occupy a place of esteem           Dat woord werd ook bewaarheid aan ons als ge-
in her council-chambers. The world will return the meente te Pella, Iowa. Na eenen arbeid van ongeveer
sword to its sheath and you will have peace. Peace vier en een half jaar in onze gemeente ontving onze
wi,th men! But not with God ! Peace in the world at leeraar.            Ds.  I-I.  V*eldman,  een  roeping van de  ge-
the expense of the peace that surpasseth all under- meente Creston,  tee Grand Rapids, Mich. Na ernstige
standing. Consequently, do you desire the peace and          overweging sprak hij  bet uit: mijn arbeid hier in
the treasures of the world?  Place  then your neck           Pella is klaar en de Heere roept mij tot een ander
under her yoke, woo her friendship and all will be well. arbeidsveld. Zondag, 14  Maart, sprak Ds. Veldman
                                                             zijn afscheids-predikatie uit naar aanleiding van  Efe-
   In reality, however, the fruits of this spiritual
isolation are glorious. "I will receive you, and will zen  593: "Want gij waart eertijds duisternis, maar
                                                             nu zijt gij  licht in den Heere; wandelt als  kinderen
be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty". No, this  mu& des  lichts. Den volgenden dag vertrokken ZEW. en
nut be understood in an Arminian sense of the word.          zijn gezin  naar hun nieuwe woanplaats. Dat de God
It is not so, that we must first separate ourselves be- all,er genade hem en de zijnen stelle tot een rijken
fore God will receive us and be our Father. Objectively      zegen in zijne nieuwe gemeente, is onzer aller harte-
God has received us as our merciful Father before            lijke  wensch.                                    f
there can be any suggestion of spiritual isolation from         Zoodra het bekend was, dat onze leeraar ons ging
the world. Is this not plain from II Cor.  6? "Ye are verlaten, werden er pogingen in het werk gesteld tot
the templ'e of the living God ; as God bath said, I will het verkrijgen van een anderen leeraar. Eene roeping
dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their werd uitgebracht op Ds. G. Lubbers van Doon, Iowa.
God, and  *hey  shall be my people". And upon the basis Na dagen van  gespannen  verwachting (want ZEW.
of this the apostle adds. "Wherefore come out from had nog eene andere  roeping,  namelijk van Sioux
among them and be ye separate". We come out from Center, Iowa), ontvingen wij het  bericht,  dat Ds.
the  wo,rld because God has received us, not vice versa.     Lubbers na ernstige en biddende overweging de `roe-
N'evertheless,  God continues to shower the blessings ping naar Pella meende te  moeten opvolgen.
of His covenant upon us in the way of separation from           Op Vrijdagavond, 16 April, werd onze nieuwe  lee-
the world. And it is indeed true, that the benefits of raar in zijn ambt bevestigd.
that covenant are tasted only in the measure we %ome            We  hadden het voorrecht om Ds. L. Vermeer en
out from among them".             The more wholeheartedly zijne gade, van Hull, Iowa, in ons midden te hebben.
we say "no" to the world and "yes" to God and His Deze  sprak bij de bevestiging van Ds. Lubbers de
covenant the more deeply conscious will we be of our         predikatie uit. Hij preekte over  .Jes.  3:10, 11: Zegt
part in the salvation of the people of God. Then the den rechtvaardige, dat het hem we1 gaan zal, dat zij
world will cast us out and thus bear us testimony that       de vruchten hunner werken  zullen  eten. Wee den
we  are not of them. Then God's people will receive us goddelooze, het zal hem kwalijk gaan, want de ver-
and thereby acknowledge that we are one with them. gelding zijner handen zal hem geschieden. De hoofd-
Then our own consciences will give us testimony that gedachte was, dat de profeet  geroepen werd om het
the  pramise is ours forever:  "1 will receive you, and volk des Heeren ten allen tijde en in alle omstandig-
will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons           heden  des levens toe te roepen: het zal u  we1 gaan ;
and daughters".                                              in en door alles zal het u zeker wel gaan, ook dan,
   How glorious! "I will receive you".                       wanneer  de goddeloozen over u heerschen en u vertrap-
   How  sure! "Saith  the Lord .&mighty".                    pen; in tijden van voorspoed, maar ook in tijden van
                                                  R. V.      tegenspo-ed.  Ook dan, wanneer de kerk des Heeren
                                                             er schijnbaar ondergaat vanwege de  god,delooze   ge-
                                                             weldhebbers, dan moet de  profeet  nog tot dat volk des
                      -      -       -                       Heeren zeggen,  dat bet hun we1 zal gaan. Maar tevens
                                                             moet hij dat  volk toeroepen: wee den goddeloozen, het
                   BEKENDMAKING                              zal hun kwalijk gaan! Zijn eerwaarde wees er op, dat
                                                             er niet staat : zeg den goddelooze, dat het hem kwalijk
   Classis-vergadering  staat, D. V. te  worden   gehou- gaan zal.
den Woensdag,  .Juni 2 om negen uur, in de Eerste                        Zoo  wordt  het  we1 gewoonlijk gelezen en
Prot. Ger.  Kerk  te Grand Rapids,  Mich.                    verklaard.  Dan is het tiende vers tot Gods volk, het
                                                             &de tot de goddeloozen gericht. Doch  zoo staat het
                           M. Vander Vennen, S. C.           er diet. Neen, ook het elfde vers komt tot Gads volk.


380                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
_-- .-.-....-.-.                                      --.-
Zij  moeten  weten  en verstaan, dat het den goddeloozen lichtwoord komt thans tot ens door de apostelen in
altijd kwalijk zal gaan, dat het hun kwalijk gaat ook het beschreven Woord, de Heilige Schrift. Dat is ook
wanneer zelfs hunne oogen uitpuilen van vet. .Daarin nu nog een profetisch  woord, want het wijst ons henen
is troost voor Gods volk.                                         naar de eindelijke  heerlijkhei.d,  die ons  wacht in de
       Na  deze predikatie ging Ds. Verhil van Oskaloosa, toekomst van onzen  Heere Jezus Christus. Nu is het
Iowa, over tot het bevestigen van Ds. G. Lubbers. En noodig, dat wij op dat Woord acht hebben. Als leer-
nadat door Ds. Verhil de zegen was uitgesproken over aar en gemeente  worden  wij geroepen om altijd maar
onzen nieuwen leeraar, zong de gemeente hem toe Ps. weer te gaan staan voor dat Woord en te turen in zijn
134:3.  Aan het einde van den dienst sprak Ds. Lub- zoeklicht. En naarmate wij daarop  acht hebben,  nnai*
bers den zegen uit over zijn nieuwe gemeente.                     die mate zullen wij ook vrucht ontvangen, namclijk
       Na den dienst des Woords vergaderde de gemeente daarin, dat de morgenster opgaat in onze  harten.
nog een wijle. Er werd een welkomsprogramma  ge-                     Geve de Heere, dat wij als gemeente en als leeraar
leverd door de jeugd  der gemeente. Ds. Verhil opende ten  allen  tijde mogen  acht geven op dat profetisch
met gebed en sprak een woord van welkom toe aan Ds. Woord, dat zeer vast is. Dan zullen wij thans in be-
Lubbers en zijne gade. Daarna vergaste ons de jeugd ginsel en straks in eeuwige uolmaaktheid den lof  uit-
op een program, dat zeer  goed  van stapel liep. Ds. galmen :
Lubbers sprak een woord van waardeering en ging                      "Door U, door `U alleen, om `t eeuwig welbehagen 1"
daarna voor in  dankgebed.  Hierna kwam er leven                                        Namens den Kerkeraad,
in de keuken. De ijverige Martha's der gemeente  had-                                             W. Boender, scriba.
den gezorgd, dat er ook iets was voor den "inwendigen
mensch'. Koek en koffie werden rondgedeeld en we
mochten samen een zeer aangenamen tijd genieten.
We mochten kennismaken met onzen  nieuwen leeraar ;
en ook Ds. 2. Vermeer, onze oude leeraar, en zijne gade                             Paul `s Prayers
alsmede Ds. Verhil en gade ontmoeten.
       Vol dank  aan  onzen  getrouwen verbonds-God  keer-           It is of necessity a matter of doubt whether or not
de een ieder huiswaarts. Want de ETeere had groote there ever was a man in the New Testament dispensa-
dingen  aan ons gedaan,,  dies waren  wij verblijd.               tion more concerned about God than the apostle Paul.
       Na slechts twee en dertig dagen vacant te zijn  ge- Still, the more I study the life and work of Paul in
weest, schonk ons de Heere  den man Zijns raads om the iight of God's Word, the more I come to the con-
voor ons in en uit te gaan en het Brood des levens te clusion that there was not.
breken. Dat de Heere hem sterke naar lichaam en                      All of which is also the reason why he was so con-
ziel  om dat werk te kunnen verrichten, waartoe hij van cerned about the church.
Godswege geroepen  is, opdat er van hem en van de                    And the reason is as follows: He knew by revela-
gemeente eene goede reuke van Christus moge uitgaan, tion that God had predestinated all things from before
is onze bede en wensch.                                           the foundation of the world with but one purpose in
       Bij dezen danken  we ook hartelijk de vrouwen en view; that is, the praise of His own great glory. Paul
                                                                  knew that this purpose, namely, the praise of God's
de jeugd der gemeente voor het aandeel, dat zij ge-
nomen hebben in het  doen  slagen van dit program. glory, was-beginning to> be realized in the Church of
Ook onze dank aan Ds. W. Verhil, die ons als consulent Jesus Christ. Therefore, because he was so concerned
                                                                  about God, did he weep with many tears when he
diende, en aan Ds. L. Vermeer.
       Den daarop  volgenden rustdag deed onze nieuwe thought of the  manifold  enemies that were lurking
                                                                  around that church. The less progress there was on
leeraar zijn intree-predikatie. Hij sprak tot ons over
II Petrus 1:19 :                                                  the road to sanctification, the less God was glorified.
                         "En wij hebben het profetische woord,
dat zeer vast is, en gij doet wel, dat gij daarop acht               That this is so appears very clearly from the first
hebt, als op een  licht schijnende in eene duistere plaats, chapter of the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians.
totdat de dag aanlichte en de morgenster opga in uwe                 Paul had spoken' of  thal, glorious purpose which
harten".            De hoofdgedachte was:  Acht hebben op het God purposed with Himself. And with variations he
profetisch Woord. Dit Woord is een goddelijk  licht- spoke of that purpose in twelve verses, concluding
woord ; en het schijnt in eene duistere plaats, name-             that we (that is, the church around about Jesus
lijk in deze wereld, die verduisterd is vanwege de Christ) should be to the praise of His glory. . . ."                       I
zonde Dat  Wool-d  is gelijk  aan een zoeklicht. Ret                 Thereupon he connects the life of the Holy Spirit
begon  te schijnen met de rijke moederbelofte van Gen. of Christ which became evident in Ephesus  with this
3:15 en bleef schijnen door de gansche oude bedeeling eternal purpose of God when he states in verse 15 that
heen, door profeet,  priester en tempel en al de  schadu- after he heard that there was spiritual life in Ephesus,
wen van den ouden dag; totdat het Woord,, namelijk, he did not cease to give thanks for them.  In other
Christus, verscheen als  het  licht der wereld. Dat words, when he heard of the strong faith and fervent


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                                   --.-...-- ".._"...    -_.--                      -              -_I__
love of the Ephesians, he  mwhes forward to the                Be asks of God that the Spirit of wisdom be given
heavenly state by beginning to sing hallelujahs to the to them.
praise of God's glory evidenced in Ephesus.                    What does that mean? Does it mean that the Holy
   At the same time Paul knew that all this faith and       Spirit works wisdom? Is the `Holy Spirit the Agent
all this love was only a small beginning, great as it       through which t.hey  might obtain that wisdom? And
may be in our eyes now, when compared with the the answer is: not at all. It means that that Spirit is
"mark for the prize of the high calling of God in           wisdom? We have here what is called the  genitive  of
Christ Jesus". Because this goal is perfection. There- description, or of definition. It means that if this
fore, even while thanking God, that is, singing halleL      prayer is fulfilled the Ephesians will receive that Spirit
lujahs to His praises, he also remembers the Ephesians in their hearts and having that Spirit they ~11 have
in his prayers, SD that those that have the Spirit of       received wisdom. The Spirit does not merely bring
Christ may receive more of that Spirit, so that the wisdom as the Agent employed, whereupon He might
wise in Ephesus may receive more of that wisdom, so leave them again, but being Wisdom He gives Himself
that those at Ephesus that have seen things through and remains. That is the boon asked for.
the Spirit of Revelation in God's knowledge of salva-          And not otherwise with the second member of this
tion may see more of it; and all this may result in the prayer. He asks for the Spirit of revelation in God's
increase of the knowledge of three things, namely, knowledge. That is the Spirit. That is the Spirit
the hope of God's calling, the riches of the glory of essentially. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of all revela-
God's inheritance in the saints and the exceeding great- tion. He reveals when He gives Himself to the church.
ness of God's power which came to manifestation in That is clear when we remember that the Holy Spirit
their own faith, a power which is the same in kind as as well as the Father and the Son is a light and there
the wondrous power that raised Jesus from the dead. is no darkness in Him.                 When Paul prays for the
   That, as to the apostle Paul's holy intention, the Spirit of revelation of Gcd's knowledge, he prays for
church at Ephesus must know. Do they know these the light of knowledge, which is not merely given by
things, then they will have stronger faith and more that Spirit. Because then He could depart again after
fervent love, whereupon Paul will not only continue having bestowed that revelation. No, but He is the
his song of hallelujahs on account of them, but then light of revelation and therefore remains for aye.
his song will become sweeter day by day.                       The revelation of God's knowledge means, as is
   And God shall be praised through Christ Jesus his clear from the context, the knowledge which God has of
Lord.                                                       the plan of redemption; That is clear from the con-
   And that was Paul's life.                                text preceding this prayer as well as from that which
   The content of the prayer of Paul is, properly follows. In the context before this prayer was uttered
speaking, verse 17 and the first clause of verse 18. We we read of that plan of redemption. It is the theme
read there :                                                of the first twelve verses.
                "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,                                    We might sum it up in the
the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom verse that speaks of God's purpose, namely, to gather
                                                            together in one all things in Christ. ) See verse 10.
and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of
your understanding (or the heart) being enlightened."          Wisdom is that virtue which always uses the best
That is, strictly speaking, Paul's prayer for the  Ephe-    means to the most glorious purpose, namely, the praises
                                                            of the Almighty.
sians.                                                         All this ought to make clear that the receiving of
   The last clause written is really the same thing as th+e gift Paul prayed for is the same thing, but from
the receiving of the gift he prays for. When you re- a subjective point of view, as the opening of our eyes
ceive the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation of the heart through the light that beams from God's
in the knowledge o,f Him, you have enlightened eyes ccuntenance.
of understanding. They are, respectively, the objective        Now we come to a description of the glorious result
and the subjective view of the same thing.                  which will follow such boor.
   In this instance it reveals to us a wondrous law of         If you receive that Spirit of wisdom and revelation
the Kingdom of God. And that law is, that he which you will in the first place know the hope of His calling.
has shall have abundantly. Unto him who has shall              What does that mean ?
be given. The merciful are the  perso,ns that obtain           His calling evidently means the calling of God. That
more mercy.                                                 this is so appears from verse 17. Paul prayed that
   So also- here. The Ephesians had already the Spirit God may give the Spirit. The whole passage is strong-
of Christ as is  evi,denced  by verse 13. They were ly  theological. God is blessed, verse 3 ; God chose and
sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. But Paul, predestinated, verses 4 and 5 ; Go,d's grace is to our
knowing the wondrous law of the Kingdom, prays for praise of Him, verse 6 ; God's wisdom and prudence
them  SO  that they may receive more of that Spirit, shone abundantly in redemption of the church, verse
ever richer dispensations of that Spirit.                   7 and 8. And so it is with every single blessed verse


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in this chapter. The point of view is God who does all              Finally, when the Spirit  of'Wisdo,m  and revelation
these wondrous things.                                        has found the eyes of your heart, you shall also experi-
    So also ,with the calling. It is God calling.             ence it. You shall experience power. Power is the
    What is, however, the hope of God's calling?              outgoing, the working of might.
                                                                    And here it is the outgoing might of God in re-
    `Hope as to its action is the working of the love of
God in our hearts, which yearns and hungers for Him demption.
and His promises. But hope is also used in the Bible                That outgoing might or, if you please, that power
                                                              of God was manifested first of all in Jesus Christ's
to denote the object of the hope. Then it stands for resurrection. As ,to His human nature He was laid
the things hoped for. It stands for the things we see low in death. But God is powerful to save. Jesus
and hear in prospect. Hope here is the perfection of having raid the price of God's righteous requirements
C-od's  covenant, that is, the blessed, perfect, glorious, could not be holden of death. Therefore God raised
heavenly life with God eternal in the heavens. That Dim. God called with powerful voice on that first
is the hope from this point of view. And unto that            Sabbath morning  IIe arose, Christ Triumphator.
hope God calls you  *and me. God stands as it were,                 And this is the Gospel of Christian experience, that
in the heavens and bends down to us in unending
lovingkindness; He points to the blessedness of the the same power is constantly operative in the Church,
                                                              calling with powerful, mighty voice, God raises the
everlasting commonwealth which is being kept in the
heav,ens for us and calls and calls and calls. ,4s it is      Church.
                                                                    That is faith. Through faith we are raised from
expressed in another place: Seek ye the things that the dead.
are above ! That is the hope of God's calling.                      And that powerful operation shall continue until
        Now it is also plain how we have this knowledge of the entire commonwealth of God's loving thoughts shall
the hope of His calling only if we have the Spirit of be called from the state of corruption and death, so
Wisdom and the revelation of the knowledge of Him. that with body and soul, with creation of a new world
The Spirit of revelation in God's knowledge you need and powers and principalities, we stand around about
to see those heavenly things; and the Spirit of wisdom Jesus in the heavenly heaven and the heavenly earth.
you need in order to know the way and the ability to                Ah, my Lord and my God, send then Thy Spirit, as
use all things with a view to that way.                       so that I  haply may see and know.
        In the second place, the resultant blessing of the the Spirit of Christ and of the Church, into my heart
gift of the Spirit is that then you will know the riches            And seeing and knowing, my eyes shall behold the
of the glory cf His inheritance in the saints. The dazzling glory of Thy blessed countenance in the face
inheritan.ce  in the saints is the very same thing as the of Jests Christ.
hope, with this difference, that here we have                       And with you and me, the saints, the angels and all
a more objective description of it and in the of the recreated world shall be to the praise of God's
second place, that here we have an indication how glory.
it was prepared. It is an inheritance. It came about                It seems I hear them: "They shout for joy, they
through the suffering, death and resurrection of the also sing!" Ps. 65  :13b.
B e l o v e d .                                                                                               G. V.
        And what blessing!
        The Holy Spirit describes it as the riches of the
glory of this inheritance.                                                              -.l--l__-                 .--.-
        The inheritance is glorious. That means that the
blessed exaltation and perfection of God's covenant                        Sundayschool Lesson
is a manifestation of God's virtues. His virtues of           7
                                                              .-            -~__-
love, mercy, lovingkindness, goodness, longsuffering,
light, truth and life all entered in to make this in-                        The Profanity Of Esau
heritance possible for you and for me.                                     Genesis 2597-34; 28:11-22
        And when virtue of God is manifested the radiating
light of  it. is called glory in God's Word. Glory is               "And the boys grew : and Esau was a man who
radiation of virtue. So here also. All the inheritance        had knowledge of the hunt (so the text reads in the
is a manifestation ef the above-mentioned virtues of original), a man of the field ; but (not  and) Jacob
God.       And they shine and shall brightly glisten in was an uptight (not plain as the translation has it)
dazzling splendour unto all eternity. For this glory is man dwelling in tents". The Hebrews word translated
rich. They are even riches. So rich that  t.he Sun of by plain in our English versions of the Bible has the
Righteousness shall never set. It shall stand at the meaning of upright in all other places where it occurs
zenith all the everlasting day of God's indescribable         (in Job  1:1, 8;  820;  920; Ps.  64:5). There is no
love.                                                         reason why we should not hold to thii meaning here.


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                           -.-
___--._"  ..-.        ___-._  _ ~- .._I_I ~.-~.."~~.~-~~ _-...
`Doing so; we at once' apprehend the thought that the pects among the heathen than Jacob, who was so
sacred narrator means to convey. Es~u, he would ha; e similar to himself in respect to mode of life and char-
us understand, is a profane man. Of this, the very acter. This may even be the chief influence that Esau's
mode of life he adopts the very occupation he chooses        venison exercises as to the stand he takes toward
is the token. What appeals  to1 him is not life in tents.    Esau.
but the wild, perilous, ramblings of the hunter. What           So Isaac loves Esau more than Jacob, and is thus
he craves is action, thrill and excitement, fame and         resolved  in his heart to bestow upon him the patri-
renown. For hunting he pursued for the sake not of archal blessing. This, although it can  be explained,
mere pleasure, but of self-defense as well. Thus in cannot be excused. For the Lord had spoken plainly
his wild ramblings, he becomes in all likelihood an enough, "And the Lord said unto her (Rebekah) , Two
afterplay  of the mighty Nimrod.       The wild beasts nations ave in thy womb, and two manner of people
of the field are making life unsafe. Against this foe shall be separated from thy bowels ; and the one
&au goes forth to make war and is therefore hailed           people shall be stronger than the other people; and
as  a benefactor of mankind. Thus so  so,on as he at- the elder, the stronger, the more powerful, the larger
tains to the season of manhood, he begins to live by         (people) shall serve the younger, the smaller people,
his sword. And by his sword he lives all the days            the people fewer in number and in estimation, petty,
of his life and in his generations. In his after-years, ignoble and mean (from the point of view of nature)
he, as Nimrod, even founds a kingdom again by his condemned  and despised."
sword, when he establishes himself in the mountains             This text in the English version reads simply,
of Seir. Thus he is a man, urged from his youth on "And the elder (people) shall serve the younger." But
by a lust for fame and power. So, setting out in life the Hebrew word, translated by elder, has the follow-
as a hunter of beasts, he continues his career as  a ing meanings : ( 1) many, much, numerous ; (2) large,
hunter of men (he fights against the original inhabi- great, vast, mighty, powerful and major in years and
tants of Mount Seir and expels them from their strong- thus elder. The Hebrew word translated by younger
holds) ; and when he finally comes to rest, it is as one     has these meanings: (1) In number few; (2) in age
of the world's mighty, who by his sword has succeeded ~OU~QU-; (3) in estimation and value, pet.@,  ignoble,
in establishing himself in this earth. Thus Esau is mean, contemned,  despised, worthless. We need and
a profane man indeed !                                       should not choose between these various meanings.
      In distinction from Esau, Jacob was an upright But that the word translated by elder has in the text
man, dwelling in tents.     This notice certainly does under consideration also this meaning of  *mcr'%~, large,
more than paint out a man in a purely natural sense          mighty,  powerrful,  and that the word translated by
modest, correct and sedate in contrast with the wild, younger has also the meaning of  small, petty, ignoble,
unsteady, roving and proud manner of Esau's life. is evident from this clause,. "And the one people shall
It points  o,ut a man with true nobility of soul and be s&-anger  than the other people." This shows that
with a quiet and contemplative manner, a man with the comparison here is between natural &en&h,  powe"r
a truly religious outlook upon life, thus a man who and  might.  The one nation (the Holy Spirit speaks
lives not by the sword but by faith in the promise here not merely of two individuals but of two nations,
and who therefore lives in tents because with Abra- thus not simply of Esau and of Jacob by them-
ham and Isaac he expects the city that hath founda- selves but of Esau and of Jacob in their genera-
tions, Whose maker and builder is God.                       tions) will be stronger than the other nation; but
     Yet Isaac loves Esau more than Jacob. This can the stronger nation shall serve the weaker nation.
be explained. He eats of Esau's venison. The notice Edom (and I now speak of the nation), the reprobated
(Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his venison)         world of which Edom was the type, exceeds throughout
speaks volumes.     It sets Isaac before our eye as a all the ages in natural strength, power and glory.
man with a strong crave for good living  - at least Jacob, the people of God, the holy nation, is without
for game. It, this notice, brings Esau forward as power. It is a people, petty, mean and despised in the
the son who takes pains to please his father's palate. sight of E&au, but precious in the sight of God and
But there are, must be, &ill other  reasons (identical chosen. Thus the stronger therefore ever serves the
as to their essense to the one given by Scripture) why weaker. The world (reprobated) is servant to the
Isaac takes to his eldest son. Esau is a hunter, a church, to Christ, to the God and Father of Christ
man of the field, and thus in contrast to Jacob superbly and to His counsel.
strong, courageous and aggressive. A man  was he,               Such then had been the speech of the Lord just
full  Of animal vitality. It can be expected that to such previous to the birth of the brothers. What now was
a personage, the gentle and quiet Isaac feels himself the task of Isaac? And the answer: to discover by
especially attracted. Then, too, in all likelihood, he close observation which of these two sons was poten-
considers  Esau in his character of a strong hunter          tially the stronger nation. And this discovery was
more capable to maintain and defend Abraham's  pros- not hard to make as both sons bore in their person


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354                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   .  '
__:
_-                          -.-"             -                     - - - -          _- .___..    -_
and being the very marks of what they were to. be in be blessed. Though Esau was not the man to ponder
their respective offsprings. The individuality of the the revelation made to the fathers, though he was de-
twins is  manifesteti  immediately by corresponding void of power to discern the things  of  God and to
signs. Esau, in distinction from Jacob, comes into the esteem spiritual values, he nevertheless must have
-worl,d  first and with a red body, covered with a  luxur- know? that what he was asked to part with for some
ient growth of hair, indicative of his superior, natural food was not merely land but the very salvation of his
strength. The lads grow up. Because he is strong, soul, true life, covenant fellowship with God in His
Esau, as promted  by a carnal lust for fame and power, holy temple. But Esau is a profane man. He there-
becomes first a hunter of beasts and eventually a hunter fore replies, "Behold, I am at the point to die; and
of men. His choice of this occupation is clearly indi- what profit shall this birthright do to me?" Esau's
cative of his  pro.fanity.  The  stalely  hunter, strong, view is that death ends all. His expectation therefore,
vain and proud, moves about in his paternal home as extends no further than the grave. What possible
a youthful Lord.                                            benefit can he therefore derive from a promise that
      As to Jacob, he is by far the less vigorous of the    reaches beyond his life, far in to the future and thus
two. And whereas the worldly ambitions that stir refers to  the invisible? None whatever. The sole
in Esau's bosom are not his, he, being an upright realities are the things of this life, and of the things
man, dwells in tents to follow the peaceful pursuits of this life, the visible and the sensual only. Hence,
of the shepherd. Jacob is the youth of quiet disposi- with no effort whatever, he sells his birthright, yields
tion, who loves the stillness of the home and who is ad- the entire higher import of the birthright, the specific
dicted to domestic leisure, a youth is he who loves to blessing of Abraham, for breads for the earthy, yea,
lie down in his tent and dream. What a difference for the satisfaction of the moment. For he is a pro-
between these two brothers ! Had Isaac pondered the fane man.
revelation given Rebekah and in its clear light studied        Jacob demands an oath in the transaction, "And
his sons, he would have experienced little difficulty in Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto
discerning which of the two the Lord had selected for him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then
the patriarchal blessing. As it was, his inordinate Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of Lentiles; and he
love for Esau rendered him incapable of serious reflec- did eat and drink, and rose and went his way ; thus
tion and impartial judgment. He may even have Esau despised his birthright."
doubted the objective validity of the revelation, op-          It is to be praised in Jacob, that he appreciated so
posed as it was to the customary right of succession.       highly the birthright, the right of the covenant bless-
And he must have deemed it strange that the Lord had ing, the invisible spiritual good that formed the con-
not spoken to him.                                          tent of the promise.  To  acquire a rightful claim to
       What especially should have brought Isaac to the these, was the principle aim in the bargain. This being
realization that Esau was not the one selected by his aim, he is a true believer, the possessor of the life
Heaven to hol,d and defend the prospects of the cove- of regeneration already at this juncture. He is plainly
nant, was his sale of his birthright. Esau came in a man, with affections scrt upon the things above. Yet
from the fiel'd, weary and faint with hunger. Jacob sod for all this, he sinned in proposing to the profane Esau,
lentiles, the savoury fragrance of which is smelled famished with hunger, that he sell to him his birth-
by Esau as he approaches the tent of his brother. His right. Jacob's sole calling was to rebuke at all times
ravenous appetite developes into an intollerable craving Esau's profanity, to admonish him to fear God and to
that  calls, so he thinks, for instant satisfaction. So     love God's covenant and to esteem his, Esau's birth-
he directs to Jacob a plea for the food in process of right. This Jacob does not. Instead, he urges Esau
preparation, "Let me swallow, I pray thee, some of to sell his birthright and thus seduces him to sin. In
that red, that red there." Aware of Esau's gross bon- the bargain that he here drives, he ceases to fight
dage to appetite, and equally aware of his unbelieving the good fight of faith. True, the Lord had selected
insensibility to the higher interests of the covenant, him for the actual blessing. But he should consider
Jacob responds, "Sell me this day thy birthright." that his calling is to come into the actual possession of
The birthright! The right of the firstborn has its it in the way of a holy strife (and thus not in the way
external and internal  aspects. The external preference of a carnal driving of unholy bargains), and this
consisted in the  headship over the brothers or the holy strife should consist also in rebuking Esau's
tribe, and later also in a double portion of the inheri- profanity.           This action of Jacob springs not from
tance of the father. The internal preference was the faith but from carnal impatience. Jacob cannot abide
right of the priesthood, and in the house of Abraham, the Lord's time. Hence, he takes matters in his own
a share in the blessing of the promise, which included hand.        And this is the sin in which he repeatedly
the possession of Canaan, and the covenant fellowship falls. To have an eye for this, is to understand why
with Jehovah, and still more, the  progenitorship  of the Lord wrestles with him at the Jabok.
Him in whom all the families of the earth were to                                                       G. WI. 0.


