        VoImvlE  XXXVI.                             MAY I,` I960  1 GRANI~RBPIDs,  M~HIGAN                                                  NUMBER 15
                                                                                                           ._- "
                                                                                     entire Being. Even;the so$alled  innocent little children are
        - ~M~EDI-fA-i-l,O~N~`~~                                                    ,-under that guilt :of sin;-. even at birth. Even if you are ab-

                                                                                     solutely holy in your condition, you are nevertheless guilty
II.
                                                                                     before God, and .that means that you are worthy of eternal
                 THEGREATBENEFACTOR  -'.                                             doom. When you are guilty you are damned. And you bear

                "Who forgive tlz at1 thine iniquities; who healeth                   that doom dways. There is a terrible name which. we bear:
                 all thy diseases; zvlzo redeetizeth  thy tife fromchildren of wrath. The wrath of God is your mother.
                 d&r~~~.ction;  whom droz~~fh.  thee' zwi#z  loving-                     `- And allthis  according to strictest justice.
                 kindness .a.md tender mercies."  Psalm- 103 :3; 4
                                                                                            I know, I know,' there are many who bewail this, and

       When all is said and done, we are but poor-sinners !.                        say : those poor people who never heard of the Gospel ! Alas,
`That is your name, no matter what kind of*.i-eputation                             alas, those teeming millions in the hinterland .of India and
you may ,have  for nobility and goodness; .no smatter  how                          China who even now do-not know of Jesus i
"beautiful you look unto men."--, ,'                  '                                     But,  remember, that God. is just in His judgment .of
       If only we may admit this : how different our lives prove                    them.:  They earn that name of. CHILDREN OF WRATH;  1
t,jbef          `, _. -3             . .                                                    Oh, the thought of the Judgment Day is a comforting

       If `only -your  heart is broken. and `contrite, -and your spisit             thought.' '
lowly, how different your life proves to be!                          `_            You know why? Because then God shall be justified?
       Then the floodgates of .God's  everlasting love are opened                   *Think  on that.
and a ireritable  flood of goodness of the Lord descends upon                               I spoke' of strictest justice, and indeed I might: iniquity
you. Then you stand irn a `rain- of blessings. .- ~-~                               means that we make the straight crooked. And `that's the
       But that estate'& humility is also a gift. ,&id  when that'                  burden which oppresses us. '
gift is received you bow down and :fall  into thetdust.  And                                Here we read that all our iniquity` is. forgiven,

from thereon your blessings are multiplied.                -.    .                        -So it includes the guilt of Adam, our iniquitous nature,
       Such a one was David, the sweet`.singer.of  Israel.                        and the things. we have thought, spoken and done : the whole
       Come, let us listen. to one of the -strains  -of his sweet                   burden is forgiven.
                                                                                 ,^ ,y..>:  .L` - 1
singing. He will. chant of the Great,Benefactor.
_ *                                                                                                               *. * * *
                             ..~ I
                              ,* * * *
                                            `..                             .               Forgiven !

                                                                                           There is an unutterable sweetness in that word !
       Who forgiveth all thine iniquities !                                                                                                              "
                                                                                           It means to lift up and to cause'to  disappear.
       Here we have to do with the guilt of sin.
       Because the pollution of sin is mentioned in the next                               And.  at once the thought arises : how is that possible, for
clause where we hear lof "diseases? Because. the guilt' of sin                      God is just?
is always stressed in Holy Scripture. -Because the singular is                             And the answer is the beauty of the Gospel. Of course,
used in the _ original. Because the .word  "forgiveness"                           ,Gdd.  is just., But He takes your load of guilt and places it
stresses the guilt of sin.                                                          on Himself, that is, on Jesus who is Jehovah Salvation !

       And that; dear reader, brings' us to the greatest of our                     Listen to Isaiah : "He laid on Him the iniquity of us .a11 !"

d i s t r e s s e s .             ,`Z <                                                    And John the Baptist., will give you the wonderful,

       Oh, it is miserable' to be .a sinner. That hurts. But                        miraculous sequence: He bore our sins away!

guilt of sin is worse, for then God is against you' with His                               It's not- long. ?tgo that we went. through the passion


338                                           TSIE   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                                                                             -

weeks. Well, that first New Testament Sabbath in Joseph's                  Is God not an overflowing Fount of blessings ?
garden told the wondrous story: Jesus returned from a                      Our life: what is it?
long ( 7) journey. The last time we saw Him He hung on                    Life is that we grasp everyone and everything we have
the cross with His guilty children in His bosom. He took              under our dominion and walk singing to the `Godhead. That
them to hell, and was cleansed. In Joseph's garden He stands          is life.
and He still has you in His bosom, but now you are in-
                                                                           That life you have is being destroyed from your earliest
Inocent.
                                                                      infancy. You are born dead, but you become deader as you
       What wonders of love and lovingkindness !                      progress in life. Of course I know that this sounds silly. But

                               * * * *                                it is the truth nevertheless. `The trouble is that I have to
                                                                      give a name to your present existence on earth in this dis-
       Who healeth all thy diseases.                                  pensation of damnation and darkness. And imagine, that

       We are diseased, we are sick, and do not think now of          existence is called "life." What can I do ?

natural sicknesses. That would be against the context which               Well, whatever you have when you are born, and with
speaks of the guilt of sin, of iniquity, of forgiveness, of           whatever name you allude to it: it is being destroyed from
,redemption  and of the crowning with the virtues of God.             your earliest infancy. Look at a little child in the cradle, and

       No, this is a spiritual disease.                               then look, SO years later, to that godless corrupt human

      Attend again to Isaiah: "And the inhabitant of Zion shall       being in your path ! What a difference ! Of course ! That
not say, I am `sick, for the people that dwell therein shall          man was being destroyed from day to day. -
                                                                                                                     ./._
`be forgiven their iniquity." 33 :24.                                     T h a t   i s   " l i f e : "

       Note also that the healing is the result of the forgiveness        ~There  is's `destroying influence of God upon man. He

of iniquity. Only `those that are forgiven their iniquity are         sins from day to'day,  and God strikes him and bruises him

healed.                                                               day `after day. And he becomes -deader and more corrupt as

       What kind of disease is this ? Note the imagery `of Isaiah     he goes on. That's the truth !

-in the first chapter : "wounds, bruises, and putrifying sores."         And the consummation takes place at the judgment day.

It is the corruption ,of sin. ,Tbat  word "diseases" spells all       Then all the wicked souls and bodies, because of their sin

the issues of our life. Whatever proceeds from us is corrup-          and iniquity, shall be further and eternally destroyed in the

tion. Oh, sometimes that corruption seems so lovely. But it           lake of fire. That is the second death.

is not.     Just look through God's spectacles : and you will             But when you are forgiven and healed, that will not
loathe yourselves because of all your abominations. Job 42 :6         happen to you. He redeems you from destruction ! That's
tells a dreadful story. Job looked at himself and likens him-         the Gospel.
self to a running sore. But `the translators were fastidious              And you can tell it day by day.
men: they softened that word and made it "abhor myself."
                                                                         -You  are redeemed. That is, you are ransomed, bought,
But, remember, the Holy Ghost said (Job speaking:of  him-
                                                                      purchased with a price. Jesus was destroyed for you. The
self), "I am like a fetid, *stinking,-  running sore" !
                                                                      great Outcast, roaring between all worlds.
       Do you think you need healing ?                                    .Practically,  redemption from destruction means its very
       A good Dutchman wrote a book once, and the title of his        opposite. You are not destroyed, but you are edified, built
production comes to my mind at this instance: "Genade                 up, restored, quickened, enlivened,. brought ever nearer to
Geneest."     That means : "Grace heals."                             the loving Bosom `of God where you may rest unto all
       The grace of God comes toward you, in you, and heals           eternity.
you.                                                                      It is wonderful to be a Christian! Redeemed, hallelujah!
       If you would speak dogmatically, you  would say: God                                          * * * *
regenerates, calls, converts, and sanctities you. .He makes

you a saint. In your deepest heart.                                       Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness `and  tender

       God does that through the Bible and the Holy Ghost.            mercies.

       And the result'is that you look at yourself and you weep.          There are men who chose the most sweetly sounding
       Really, beloved, the child of God weeps every day. He          names in any language I read a list of such names. The
always weeps in his heart. And he will weep all his life              supreme name was "melody." Well, it does sound sweet.

until he goes to heaven. And in heaven God wipes his tears                But to me the, sweetest sounding word is "lovingkind-

away.                                                                 ness."

       God heals His child.                                               It is the virtue of God. It tells .us that God loves to be

                               * * * *                                kind, that everything in the great God desires to be good to
                                                                      His people whom He loved from before the foundation of

.-     .Who.  redeemeth thy life from destruction.         _          t h e   w o r l d :
                                                                .


                                               T H E   S T A N D A R D   -BEARER                                                                                                                     339


    It means that God uses everybody and everything to

be good to the elect of God. Even His own Son. He spared                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

Him not.                                                                       Semi-monthly, except monthly during June, July and Augutt

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excellency in the sky. It means that the heavens drop dew,
                                                                                                         Editor  - I&. HERMAN HOEKSEMA
upon your weary head. It means that His armies are always
                                                                               Communications relative to contents should be addressed to
fighting for you. Think of the hosts of God around about                                       Rev. H. Hoeksema, 1139 Franklin St., S. E.,

that city when the prophet's servant was so afraid.                                                                  Grand Rapids 7, Mich.

    Shall I give you a wonderful example of that sweet virtue                  All matters relative to subscriptions should be addressed to Mr.
                                                                                                  James Dykstra, 1326 W. Butler.Ave., S. E.
of lovingkindness of God ? Listen : Peter is cursing and                                                         Grand Rapids 7, Michigan

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and Jehovah is my witness !                                                    RENEWAL: Unless a deiinite  request for discontinuance is`re-
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    And there comes our lovely Redeemer. And He turns                          to continue without the formality of a renewal order.
                                                                                                          Subscription price: $5.00 per year
the head and looks at Peter. Peter stares into the depth of
                                                                                 Entered as'  Second Ciuss'matter  at Grand Rapids, Michigan
that look. Oh, be assured that the look of Jesus was a look

of lovingkindness, because at the same moment Jesus said

within His heart : Father ! do not take faith from Peter !
                                                                                                                        C O N T E N T S

    Now then, that lovingkindness is given to you.
                                                                           MEDITATXON-
    And tender mercies. Tender mercies are the groaning                          The Great Benefactor. ____. __ _._  _.... ..__. ._ ___ ___ ___ _.._ :. _ . . . . . . . . . . . ..337

mother as she yearns over the cradle and her sweet- child                                     Rev. ,G. Vos

who is burning with fever. That's mercy.                                   E~TORULS  -

    It's compassion in -all your agony.                                               Christian          Education            In Our Country . .._ ___ ._. ._...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340

                                                                                              Rev. H. Hoeksema
    That is given to you. It is worth more than a. thousand

worlds.                                                                    As To Boo= -

                                                                                      The Gospel According to St.' John ___. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
    Look at God's children!                                                           The Epistle of Paul to thePhilippians  _................................. 342

   -They are filled with lovingkindness and tender mercies.                           The Epistle to the Romans ._.__..  ..____...  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342

                                                                                               Rev. H. Hoeksema
    These virtues of God found them and filled them.

    0, let our God forever blessed be! Amen.                               OrmDocrm~~-  "
                                                                                      The Book of Revelation . . . . . . . . . ..____._.....................  ~.._._.............. 343
                                                                  G.V.
                                                                                              Rev. H. Hoeksema



                                                                           b CLOUD OF i?hNESSES-
                                                                                      The Ten Brothers With Benjamin Before Joseph _.__........___.  348
                CALL TO SYNOD OF 1960'                                                        Rev. B. Woudenberg


    In harmony with the decision of the Synod of 1959, the                 FROM HOLY WRIT-

Consistory of the First Protestant Reformed Church of                                 Exposition of I Corinthians                           15 (5) . . 348

Grand Rapids, Michigan, hereby notifies the churches that                                     Rev. GI Lubbers

the 1960 Synod of the Protestant Reformed Churches will                    INHISFE~R-

convene on Wednesday; June 1, at 9 :00 A. M. in the above                             And What About The Children? (2) ._..__._________'  ______________........  350
                                                                                              Rev. J. A. Heys
mentioned church, D.V.                             .'
    The pre-synodical service will be held on Tuesday eve-                 CONTENDING FOR THE Fm-
                                                                                      The Church and the Sacraments . . . .._......._..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
ning, May 31, at 8 :00 P. M. in ab.ove  mentioned First                                       R e v .   H .   V e l d m a n
Church. Rev. J. A. Heys, president of last year's Synod,
                                                                           THE  
will lead the service.                                                           VOICE  OF &JR  FATHERS -
                                                                                      The       Canons          of Dordrecht . . . . . .._..__.__._.__..................................  354

    Synodical  delegates will kindly meet with the  consistory                                Rev. H. C. Hoeksema

before this service.                                                       DECENCY AND ORDER-
    If any of the delegates need lodging, please contact our                          Precedents .Considered                         . . . . . . . . . . . . .._. ______ ___ ___ ___ ______ __ .356
                                                                                              Rev. G. Vanden  Berg
clerk, Mr. G. H. Stadt, 754 Prince St., S. E., Grand Rapids
7, Michigan.                                                               ALL ARouIiD  us -
                        Consistory of the First Protestant                            The Churches of the Dakotas. _. _..._... ._ _. .._ . . . . . _.. ._ __.__ ._. ..: .358
                                                                                               Rev. M. Scbipper
                        Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Mich.
                                                                           NEWS FROM OUR C~onrx~s . . ..____........._....................... :..........__..._~ . . ..___ 360
                                      R E V .   C .   ~ANKO,  Presidqzt                 M r .   J .   M .   F a b e r
                                      G. H. STADT,  Clerk.  I:


 3 4 0                                         `THE ~S'TANDARD   B E A R E R



                                                                            Of course, the chief question that immediately arises
                ED'ITORIALS                                            here is : what is the Christian interpretation of life and the
                                                                 II    universe ; is it interpretation of the Bible? And what is the

                                                                       life' philosophy based on this interpretation ? It is all very

                                                                       vague and general. Those that drew up these principles of
          Christian Education In Our Country
                                                                       education certainly do not mean to `adhere to the biblical in-

                                                                       terpretation of history, of life, and of `the universe. That
    In our last issue we discussed some of the principles that
                                                                       interpretation would be that, according to God's immutable
are supposed to be the basis of Christian education in the
                                                                       counsel, Christ, the .crucified  and risen Lord, who received
 Sunday school as they were adopted by the International
                                                                       all power in heaven and on earth, stands in the very center
 Council of Religious Education in 1932.
                                                                       of all history. It claims that man sinned and that because of
    We did not finish this discussion. There are three more
                                                                       the sin of the first man, Adam, the whole universe is under
principles. To these we wish to call your attention now.
                                                                       the curse. It implies that there is redemption and salvation
    The fifth principle reads as `follows :                            in Christ-only. It implies, too, that in the end Christ will come
    "Christian Religious Education seeks to develop in grow-           again for the salvation of His own and for the damnation of
ing persons the ability and disposition to participate in the          the wicked, and that, in the day of His coming, He will make
organized society of Christians, the Church."                          all things new.

    We wish to call special attention to the definition that                These. things must be definitely taught, not only in the

is here given to the Church of Christ : "the organized society         Sunday school, but also in the Church, in the home, and in

of Christians."    This definition is, as anyone that. has any         the school.

knowledge of the Church of Christ in the light of Scripture                 But true Christian education cannot be based on such

and the. Confessions will admit, thoroughly modernistic and            vague and good for nothing principles as the one we just

Pelagian. A%  society is a freewill organization established by        quoted above.

men, an organization which anyone may and can join, and                     The last of the so-called principles of Christian education

from which anyone may and can separate himself.' But this is           reads as follows :

not the Church. It is the Body of Christ and is also instituted             "Christian Religious Education seeks to effect in growing

on .earth for the preaching of the Word and the administra-            persons the assimilation of the best religious experience of

: tion of the sacraments. One becomes a member of the Church           the race, pre-eminently that recorded in the Bible, as effective

(of which all the elect are members) not by a freewill act             guidance to pr,esent  experience."

of man, but- only by the efficacious grace of God in Christ.`               This is probably the worst of all the seven so-called prin-

    Thus it is expressed in the Westminster Confession,                ciples of education.
chapter XXV :                                                               In the first place, note that also this principle is ex-
    "The Catholic or universal Church, which is invisible,             pressed in very general and vague. terms: "assimilation of
consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are,        the best religious experience of the race . . . as effective
                                                                       guidance to present experience." I doubt whether the authors
and shall be gathered into one, under Christ the head thereof;
                                                                       of these seven so-called principles understand themselves
and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of him that filleth
all in all."                                                           what they mean by it and whether they would be able to
                                                                       define their.own  terms.
    `Thus, you understand, the Westminster defines the in-
                                                                         - What do they mean by religious experience? Do they
visible Church. And of the visible Church the same Confes-
                                                                       mean the experience of sin and grace ? Do they mean
sion speaks as follows :
                                                                       the consciousness of regeneration, the consciousness of
    "The visible Church, which is also catholic or universal
                                                                       faith by which they know that they are in and belong to
under the gospel (not confined to' one nation as under the
                                                                       Christ, that they are justified, that they have the.forgiveness
law) consists of all those, throughout the world, that profess
                                                                       of sin and the adoption unto children and heirs of eternal
the true' religion, and of their children ; and is the kingdom
                                                                       life ?
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, out
                                                                            It is evident ,that they cannot mean this for they also
of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation."
                                                                       speak of the best experience of the race ! And the whole
    I could quote more, also from other confessions. But let           human race certainly does not have the experience of faith
this suffice.                                                          in Christ. But what then ? I cannot understand the meaning
    But the Church is not a society of. organized Christians.          of this so-called principle of education and I doubt very
    The sixth principle reads as follows :                             much whether the authors themselves or the Sunday school

    "Christian Religious Education seeks to lead growing               teacher that is supposed to instruct "growing persons" ac-

persons into a Christian interpretation of life and the uni-           cording to this "principle" can give a clear account of its

verse ; the ability to see God's purpose and plan ; a life             meaning.

philosophy built on this interpretation."                                   Certain`it is, however, that this principle so-called means


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                 341


to be very general. It speaks of the best religious experience        No wonder that the same Dr. Jones could write: "Let us
of the race. This means, of course, such religious experience      be careful not to set Jesus off from all other revelations of
as that of Jew and Gentile: Pharisaism, Buddhism, Confu-           God . . . he was one in. whom sonship of God had been
cianism, Mohammedanism, etc. Besides, the authors of this          perfected."    It is. evident that Dr. Jones did not hear the
seventh principle really place the Bible on a par with the         Word of God in the Bible that speaks of His unique sonship.
"religious experience" of the heathen writings as may be              Again, it is also evident that Dr. Jones never heard the
found in their books;  It. is true that they, claim that the       Word of .God  in the Bible when it speaks of Christ's
"religious experience""recorded in the Bible is pre-eminent.       death as atoning. For, in the same book she writes (I quote
The Bible is comparatively better than what is found in the        from Chris~iannity  Today) :
books of the heathen authors. Yet, the Sunday school teacher          "With all its .goodness  and beauty, the life of Jesus
must also attempt to make the pupils assimilate the "religious     ended in the most ignominious death that could be inflicted
experience" found in the heathen authors as well as that           upon man in his day. He was condemned to be executed,
which is recorded in the Bible. And this also implies the          publicly, by crucifixion. How can we interpret this fact to
denial. of the truth that the Bible is the infallible Word of      boys and girls ? Of course, we shall not tell the little children
God.                                          /\
                                                                   about the crucifixion of Jesus . . . but after they go to school
    I pity the Sunday school teacher that must instruct            we could not keep it from them even if we would ; so we
"growing persons"        in harmony with this "principle" of       must be prepared to interpret it to them. The basis `of our
`religious education.                                              interpretation must be the fact that people suffer for being
    And I ,also pity the pupils that must absorb such instruc-     good as well as for being bad."
tion !                                                                This is supposed to be Christian instruction!

    I must still call attention to a few more items as they are       But in reality it is not Christian but heathen !
mentioned in Ch&ianity  Today.                                       In all this so-called "Christian Education" there is no
    One of these items is from the writings of a certain Dr.       mention of sin and guilt and, therefore, no room for atone-
Mary Alice .Jones.  We are informed that she "is held in           ment. One may just as well adopt the principles of Buddhl
high esteem by her colleagues" and also that she "is director      ism instead of such a Christianity. Jesus is a good man. He
of the Department for Christian Education of Children."            lived a beautiful life. It is simply a shame that He died

    This Dr. Jones wrote a book on the subject "The Faith          such an ignominious death. We are really ashamed to tell
of our Children." In this book she writes : "The Bible is the      little boys and girls about this death of Jesus. If we could,
Word of God to `those who through it hear God speak to             we would avoid it. The children are all so good and in-
them . : . . what we are saying is that the text! of the Bible     nocent. If we explain this death at all we must only instruct
as we hold it in our hands may be or may not be the Word           them in the moral lesson that men suffer .for being good as
of God."                                                           well as for being bad !

    This is pure subjectivism, mysticism, and a denial of the         No, Dr. Jones has never heard the Word of God in the
objective written and infallible Word of God.                      Bible that speaks of the atoning death of Christ.
                                                                      Why not? Certainly not because the Bible does not
    It is subjectivism for the Bible, according to the view, is
                                                                   speak clearly about this central fact. The reason is that she
not from cover to cover the objective Word of God. -Whether
                                                                   is an unbeliever. But the pity of it is that she is supposed
it is the Word of God depends entirely on the subject that
                                                                   to give leadership in Christian education in the Sunday
reads or hears the Bible. If, reading a certain passage of
                                                                   school.
Scripture, the reader hears the Word of God speaking to
him, that passage is, to him, the Word of God ; if he does not        No wonder she can write as follows about the resurrec-
so hear the Word of God .in and through that particular            tion of Christ: "We shall be equally unwise, however, if the
passage -well, then it simply is not the Word of God. One          story of the resurrection is emphasized to the neglect of the
may hear the Word of God in Gen. 1 and believe that God            simpler phases of the life of Jesus . . . For a life such as
created the. world in six days ; another may not hear the          his could not be ended when his body was broken by sinful
Word of God in this chapter and believe the theory of evolu-       men. His life has expressed abiding vaiues,  deathless love,
tion. One may hear'  the Word of God when it speaks of             and so we may teach our children that Jesus lives today, not
the fact that Jesus was born of a virgin ; another may not         because of some isolated wonder-inspiring event, but because
hear this Word of God and deny the virgin-birth. One may           there was in his life that quality, that spirit, that is of the
hear the Word of God in the Bible when it speaks of the            very essence of eternity."                                    ";

fact that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for our             Surely, it is evident from this that Dr. Jones never heard

sins ; another may not hear this Word of God and maintain          in the Bible the Word of God concerning the resurrection of

that Jesus was the Son of God in the same sense that we all        Christ from the dead in spite of the fact that it is so abun-

are children of God. It is evident that in this way .we have       dantly attested in Holy Writ.

no Word of God in the Bible left..                                                                                            H.H.

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


                                                                      far fetched and certainly not in harmony with the Scriptural
  I/' ". ASTOBOOKS ./ .,/I use of the term "salvation."

                                                                          But I say this in order to exhort the reader that they

       The Gospel According to St. Job, by R. V. G. Tasker.           must always read critically, even commentaries.
  Published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand                                                                       H . H .

  Rapids, Mich.  Price $3.00.
                                                                          The Epistle to the Rowmns,  by John Murray. Published
       This volume is one of the series of Tyndale Bible Com-         by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids,
  mentaries.     In a preface the author writes that the aim of       Mich.  Price $5.00.
  these commentaries is "to place into the hands of students
  and serious readers of the New Testament, at a moderate                This is a commentary on the first eight chapters of the
  cost, commentaries by a number of scholars who, while they          epistle to the Romans. It is designed to be a commentary,
  are free. to make their own individual contributions, are           not only for scholars that are acquainted with the original
  united in a common desire to promote a truly biblical theol-        languages of Scripture, but also for the general reader.
  o g y . ) )                                                         Writes the author in a preface: "In accordance with the
                                                                      aim . . . that these commentaries could be freely used by
       As to the general plan of this commentary on the gospel
                                                                      those who are not familiar with the original languages of
  according to St. John, the author has divided the fourth
                                                                      Scripture, I have consistently refrained from the use of
  gospel into different sections in order, first, to offer general
                                                                      Greek and Hebrew terms in the text of the commentary."
comments on each section, and this is followed by some

  exegetical notes on some of the individual texts of the section        In my opinion, this is the best commentary written in

  that is discussed. The book .makes  very easy reading and           recent times. The style is clear and the exegesis is thorough.

  the exegesis is on the whole quite sound and biblical. I            I would like to quote a few instances of. what I expressed in

  would have liked a more careful and thorough interpretation         the preceding -sentence.    Writing. on the well-known section

  of some of the terms of the text. To give just one example          chapter 1 :18-32,  the author interprets the last clause of vs.

 of what I mean by this: in the text of John 3 :16, "for God          20 as follows: "The concluding clause of vs. 20 may require

  so loved the world," I would have `expected an explanation          the rendering given in the version (R.V.H.H.) `that they

  of the term `rworld."  For this I looked in vain. The same is       may be without excuse,' expressing purpose and not merely

  true of the same term "world" in John 17 :9: "I pray not for        result . . . . Besides, even if we regard the clause in question

  the world, but for them which thou hast given me: for they          as expressing result rather than design, we cannot eliminate

  are thine."                                                         from the all-inclusive ordination and providence of God the

       .Nevertheless,  I am glad to recommend this rather popular     design which is, presupposed in the actual result. If inexcus-
  commentary to our readers.                                          ableness is the result, it is the designed result from the aspect
                                                            H.H.      of the decretive  ordination."

                                                                         Explaining the much-debated question whether in Rom.

                                                                      7 :14-25 the apostle is speaking of himself as a natural
       The Epistle of Paul  to the Philippians, by R. P. Matrin.
                                                                      or .a regenerate man, the author chooses for the latter in-
  Published by the Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company,
                                                                      terpretation and adduces five reasons or grounds for his ex-
  Grand Rapids, Mich.  Price $3.00.
                                                                      planation and then concludes: "For these reasons we are
       Also this commentary belongs to the Tyndale series             compelled to conclude that 7:14-25  is the delineation of
  mentioned above. After a general introduction in which the          Paul's experience in the state of grace."
  author writes about the Church at Philippi, the authorship
                                                                         Again, the clause "whom he foreknew" in chapter 8:29
  of the epistle, the time and place of its composition, etc., he
                                                                      the author rejects the interpretation of those that explain:
  offers his commentary of the epistle. This I find rather
                                                                      "God .foreknew  who would believe; he foreknew  them as his
  careful and thorough., I recommend also this volume to our
                                                                      by faith." Instead he shows from Scripture that the verb to
  readers.
                                                                      know often includes to love. And he concludes: "It means
       This does not mean, however, that I agree with all the         `whom he set regard upon' or `whom he knew from eternity
  exegesis that is here offered. Thus, for instance, I must           with distinguishing affection and delight' and is virtually
  differ with his explanation of chapter 2 :12, 13 : "work out        equivalent to `whom he foreloved.' "
  your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is .God
                                                                         I recommend this commentary to all our readers.
  which worketh in you both to will and to do. of his good
  pleasure." The author prefers the interpretation of the term                                                                   H.H..

  "salvation" in this text as referring, not to the individual

  salvation of each member, but "to the corporate life of the

  Philippian church." And "the readers .are  being encouraged            "When the wicked rise men hide themselves ; but when

  to concentrate upon reforming*  their church life." This is         they perish the righteous increase." Proverbs 28:28


                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                 343


                                                                   for their. `wickedness is great." And in Isaiah 63 :3 we have
11 OliR  D O C T R I N E                                    -' II the vision of the man that cometh from Edom, with blood-
                                                                   stained garments from Bozrah - a passage - of Scripture

                                                                   which is so often erroneously quoted as referring to the

           THE BOOK OF REVELATION                                  suffering Servant of Jehovah. There we read: "I have

                                                                   trodden the winepress alone: and of the people there was
                           PART TWO
                                                                   none with me:. for I will tread them in mine anger, and

                      C                                            trample them in my fury ; and their blood shall be sprinkled
                           HAPTER TWELVE
                                                                   upon my garments."' Evidently in both these passages we
               The Harvest and tt%e Vintage                        have a picture of the end of the wicked in the symbol of the

                                                                   winepress of the wrath of God. And therefore we may regard
                     Revelation 14 :14-20
                                                                   it as established that also in our text the distinction is made,

                                                                   and that in the first vision we have a picture of the removal
   First of all, I would say that our text gives us reason
                                                                   of God's people from the earth, in the second a symbol of
to believe that the elect of God, the church of Christ, will be
                                                                   the end of the wicked power of Antichrist.
taken up just before the end. I do not mean from the point
of view of time, but rather that of order. There is in ourtext        Secondly, we may remark that also this portion teaches
a reference to a wheat harvest and a vintage, the gathering        us that the people of God shall be removed first. Their
of grain and the cutting off of the clusters of the vine of the    removal is mentioned first: the wheat harvest shall be
earth. Now there are interpreters who maintain that both           gathered first of all. And although the fact that it is men-
these visions refer to the reaping of the wicked, to the           tioned first in the vision does not at all establish beyond a
worshippers of the beast and his image, and that there is no       doubt that thus it shall be in reality, other parts of the Word
mention here at all of the removal of God's children from          of God give us the same impression. In chapter 11 of the
the earth. Naturally, many are forced to adopt this inter-         book of Revelation we found that the two witnesses, rep-
pretation for the simple reason that they have caused the          resenting the church, after their three days of shame and
church to go to heaven at a much earlier period. But these         suffering, when they were as outcasts in the world, were
interpreters. fail to explain to us why the Lord in that case      called up to heaven and ascended thither. And in Matthew
gives us two visions of such an entirely different nature. The     24:22  the Lord says: "And except those days had been
first vision merely speaks of the reaping, but the second          shortened, no flesh would be saved: but for the elect's sake
leaves immediately the impression of being a harvest of a          those days shall be shortened." Also this word gives us the
different nature. In connection with it we read of the altar       same impression.    Not history shall be shortened ; but for
and of the angel that has power over fire, of the winepress        the elect the days shall be shortened. That is, they shall be
of the wrath of God, and of the blood that reaches up to the       taken away first of all. Besides, this is practically in the
horses' bridles. In a word, the first harvest leaves no im-        nature of the case. The removal of the wicked shall be a
pression of judgment and vengeance while the second does.          scene of general destruction and upheaval. It shall be a scene
Interpreters that refuse to make a distinction fail to explain     in which the people of God may not participate for the
the fact that we have nevertheless two .visions  of a different    simple reason that it is the manifestation of the wrath of
nature. Besides, what we read elsewhere in Scripture gives         God. Hence, they must be removed first. And so the order
us reason to maintain that in our text we have reference to        in iyhich  these two visions are given us is supported by other
the gathering of -God's people and of the wicked both. The         passages of the Word of God. The first harvest is the re-
wheat harvest generally is a symbol that refers'to the gather-     moval of the people of God. They shall be gathered by the
ing of God's people. In Luke 3 :17 we hear John the Baptist        holy angels from the four winds, and they shall leave the              .
testify of Jesus: "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will           scene of their suffering and affliction to enter into glory.

throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into             To this may finally be added that also the events that are

his garner." True, the figure may be taken as referring to         mentioned in Scripture as being typical of the harvest of the

both God's people and the wicked, seeing that there is chaff       latter days corroborates this view. God sends the flood to

among the wheat and that the tares have grown up among             destroy the wicked world ; but that destruction of the world

it. But the purpose of the wheat harvest is nevertheless the       may not strike His own people. And therefore the destruc-

gathering of the wheat, not the gathering of the tares or of       tion does not come till Noah and his people are separated

the chaff. And the gathering of the wheat is a symbol of           in the ark. `God means to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.

the removal of God's people from the earth. So also the            But again, there are people of God in that city. And the

harvest of the wicked is more than once referred to in the         destruction that shall lay the city in ruins may not destroy

Word of God as the cutting of the grapes and gathering of          the people of Jehovah. Hence, the destruction does not begin

them in the winepress, to be pressed and trodden. In Joel          till Lot. is led outside. So it shall be also in the time of the

3:13 we read: "Put, ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe :    end:.  Two shall be in bed : the one shall be taken, and the

come, get you down ; for the press is full, the fats overflow ;    other left. God'speople must first be removed ; and after


                                                                         a
      344                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R


      they have been removed, the destruction of the wicked, the              Antichrist is still Christianity. And what has already become
      harvest of the grapes, may proceed.                                     Babylon is still Jerusalem in the estimation of those nations.

         We obtain therefore this conception of the future, that              That is the situation. There is one universal kingdom.

      there shall be a period - not very long, in fact-but never-             And.  in that. one universal kingdom there is peace for a

      theless a period in which there will be no more people -of              time, complete peace. But there are two elements in that

      God in the earth. And it is this period that is utilized to             kingdom nevertheless. In the first place, there is the element

      end the existence of the wicked upon the earth. That this               of the Christian world, of the civilized nations that have

      is meant to be the vision of the vintage we have already shown.         become antichristian. But in the second place, there is also

      Let us notice in connection with the words of the passage               the element of the heathen nations, as, for instance, China

      we are now discussing that the reaping of the grapes is                 and Japan and all that refuse to embrace the cause of Chris-

      symbolic of the gathering of the nations into one place. The            tianity. And they never become an integral part in the

      clusters of the earth, the various nations and peoples, must            kingdom of Antichrist. Now what shall happen in the

      be cut, in order that they may be gathered into one place.              future? Gog and Magog shall finally be aroused against the

      Notice, in the second place, that the place where they are              Christian nations in the outward sense. You must clearly

     gathered is the winepress of, the wrath of God, a place                  understand the situation. There are no true Christians any

      designated as being outside of the city. And notice, in' the            more. No, they have been taken away from the earth. But

     third place, that from this juncture the scene changes into              outward Christianity, outward Jerusalem, still exists for a

     one of battle and bloodshed. The grapes are pressed ; and                short time. And that outward Christianity, that nominal

     as they. are pressed blood comes out, so much that it reaches            Jerusalem, which is in reality Antichrist and Babylon, shall

     to the bridles of the horses, and that for sixteen hundred               be looked upon by these heathen nations as Christianity

     stadia, or furlongs. It is, therefore, a tremendous battle that          itself and as the real Jerusalem. And they shall be aroused.

     is here pictured. The nations shall finally be gathered for              They shall say : "Let us go up to Jerusalem. Let us break loose

     battle, and such a battle as the world has never seen before             from.the bondage of the Christian nations and destroy them."

     shall be fought. The winepress of the wrath of .God shall be             They think that they strike at the people of Christ, whom they

     trodden in that place.                                                   hate. And they shall come against them. And thus the

         But the question is : how can we picture this in reality ?           greatest, bloodiest battle of history shall ensue, although, I
     You remember our explanation of Jerusalem and the temple                 repeat, all this shall last but a little time in the history of the
     in connection with chapter 11. Then we said that the city                end. Antichrist shall prepare himself for the battle, shall
     of Jerusalem at large stood for nominal Christendom in its               beat the plowshares again into swords, and shall. gather his
     widest sense, that the outer court stood for the show-                   armies. All the kingdom of Antichrist, all Babylon, shall
     church, or the hypocrites in the church, and that only the               gather together for the great battle. In their estimation
     holy place represented the true people of God. Now what                  this battle will be the last.. It will wipe out heathendom.
     has happened ? Jerusalem, as nominal Christianity, still                 And the nations of `heathendom will do the same. They
     exists. The Christian world is still there, in distinction from          shall gather their armies and prepare for the battle. And
     heathendom. But it has become the kingdom of Antichrist.                 the place where they shall meet will be the winepress of the
     Jerusalem is Babylon, the center of the power that opposes               wrath of the Most High. It will be outside of the'city, outside
     the kingdom of God. We must clearly grasp the situation.                 of nominal Jerusalem, outside of Babylon, outside of the
     At the end of time nominal Christianity shall be antichristian.          Christian world, perhaps in the literal sense of the word.
     Jerusalem in the outward sense shall be Babylon in character.            Terrible will be the bloodshed in that battle. In fact, the
     Still more, the people of God have been removed. The holy                nations shall destroy one another, and the wrath of God shall
,    place is no more. And therefore, all that is left is outward             tread upon them till they are destroyed completely. For the
     Christianity, which is in reality the antichristian kingdom.             blood shall form a stream which denotes the completeness of
     ,That  antichristian power is for a time lording it over all na-         their destruction. It will reach to the horses' bridles and
     tions. The kingdom of Antichrist is universal. It is also                will be sixteen hundred furlongs in length. Sixteen hundred
     supreme over those other nations that do not belong to'the               evidently denotes the lifeblood of the world in its complete-
     outward Christian world, the nations of heathendom, called               ness. Four is the number of the world. Ten is the number
     Gog and Magog in Scripture. For a time all is well. Gog                  of completeness. Sixteen hundred is forty times forty, and
     and Magog, the heathen nations, are ruled over by the nut-               therefore denotes the lifeblood of the whole world. At the
     ward Christian world, which is in reality antichristian, or              same time, the scene already pictured in the sixth trumpet
     outward Jerusalem, which .is in reality Babylon. These na-               shall be realized. It shall be a day of thick darkness. The
     tions are as yet not aroused, but `they  never become an                 sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall be changed into
     integral part of that universal kingdom. They never em-                  blood. Earthquakes and thunder shall add horror, till the
     brace its cause. They never truly adopt$ts  religion. They               entire power of Antichrist and Gog and Magog is actually
     remain heathen. And therefore they stand)  diametrically op-             destroyed.

     posed to the Christian world. For them the kingdom of                    Let me call your attention to the fact that this is in


                                               T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                       345


 harmony with the Word of God in general. Isaiah pictures                that these things shall come tomorrow, or even today. They

 to us the same scene in chapter 34 of his prophecy. There               shall not. First must be the man of sin. The antichristian

 we read: "Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye               kingdom must come to complete manifestation. Then must

 people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world,         the people of God be oppressed and pushed to the wall, and

 and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of            live as outcasts upon the earth. Then must Gog and Magog

 the Lord is. upon all nations, and his fury upon all their              be aroused ,from its sleep and contemplate the great war

 armies : he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered              against the power of Antichrist. And then all things shall

them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out, and           come as we are told in Scripture. Christ shall remove His

 their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the                people. He shall stir up the nations against one another. It

 mountains shall be melted with their blood. And all the                 shall be an awful day. But the people of God shall then

 host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be             be on earth no more. But once more: these things shall not

 rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down,        happen tomorrow. They may happen quickly. We are mak-"

 as,the leaf falleth  off from the ,vine,  .and as a falling fig from    ing history fast. Let, then, our eye be fixed on the promise.

 the fig tree. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven : behold,          And let us not be afraid. Christ is our King, and He rules

 it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my               now and forever. And He that sits in the hkavens  shall

 curse, to judgment. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood,         laugh. At the last battle of Jehovah He shall gather them

 it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and            all together and tread them in the great winepress of His

 goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the Lord hath           wrath. Let no one then take our crown ; but may we be

 a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of             found faithful even unto .the end.

 Idumea. And the unicorns  shall come down with them, and                                                                                H.H.

 the bullocks with the bulls ; and .their  land shall be soaked

 with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness." Or a still

 more vivid picture and graphic description of the last great

 battle is given in Joel 3 :9-17 : "Proclaim ye this among the                                      ANNIVERSARY
 Gentiles ; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the

 men of war draw near ; let them come up: Beat your plow-                      On May 1, 1960, our dear parents,

 shares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let                               MR. Ad MRS. JOHN C. LUBBERS

 the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come,
 all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about:             hope to commemorate their t\;venty-fifth  anniversary.

 thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, 0 Lord. Let                       We give thanks to our heavenly Father, who has spared them
 the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jeho-              for      and each other these many years. Our earnest prayer is
                                                                               US 
                                                                         that He may further `bless them in the way which lies ahead.
 shaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round

 about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come,                                          Their grateful children:

 get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for                                              Mr. and Mrs. Richard VanBalen
 their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the                                                 Mr. and Mrs. Edward Miedema
 valley of ,decision:  foi- the day of the Lord is near in the                                            Mr. and Mrs. Donald VanOverloop
 Galley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened,                                              PFC Gary L. Lubbers
 and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also                                                Joan Kay Lubbers
 shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from  Jerusalem ;                                            and 4 grandchildren

 and the heavens and the earth shall shake-: but: the Lord will          Hudsonville, Michigan
 be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children

 of Israel. So shali ye know that `I am the Lord your God

 dwelling in Zion, my holy mou+ain; then shall Jerusalem

 be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any
                                                                                                    IN MEMORIAM
 more."

                                                                               The Mr. and Mrs. Society desire to express their sympathy with
    _ Such shall be the .order  of events. When shall all these          auk fellow members in the loss qf their little daughter
 things be ? Of course, no one knows the day and the hour.
                                                                                                    JANICE MARIE
 But nevertheless it may be said that the picture of the harvest.

 is significant in this respect: it tells us that the harvest must             The Lord Jesus heal the deep wound that is ,made in your

 be ripe and that all history must pass through its own neces-           hearts, and may you rejoice in the thought that Janice sang His
 sary process before these things shall be. The church must              praises  so often. May the God of our salvation drop His balm in

 have been completed. The gospel must have beep preached                 your sorrowful  hearts!

 to all men. And the wickedness of the wicked must be full.                                           The Hudsonville Mr. and Mrs. Society

 History must finish its course. And therefore it teaches us                                              Rev. Gerrit Vos, President

 that we mu& not look out of the &qdow  in the  expectation              _'                               Mrs. Harold VtiOverloop, Secrekry


346                                        T H E   `S-TANDARD   B E A R E R
                                                                    , Obediently and filled with fear they followed him. Why were
I/I A'CLOUD OF WITNESS& j
                                                 :           . L       they separated so swiftly from the other buyers in the
                                                                       marketplace ? Were they to be- accused of nonpayment for

                                                                       the grain they had gotten before ? Would they be thrown into

         The Ten Brothers With Benjamin                                prison once again ? What would happen to' ,their  father if
                                                                       they did not soon return ? Hastily they `began to make ex-
                       B_efore  Joseph
                                                                       planation.    "0 sir, we came indeed down at the first time

              Avd t&e men took that present, and they took             to buy -food:  and it came to pass, when we came to the inn,
            do&l&  `pjtoney  in the+  Isand, and Benja&n; and          that we opened our'sacks, and, behold, every man's money
            rose up, and ivent  dowi  to Egypt, and stood be-          was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight, and
                                                                       we have brought it again in our hand. And other money have
            fore Joseph; - GENESIS 43 :15                              we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell
   The extended stay of Joseph's `brothers in Canaan before            who put our money in our sacks." In a quiet, reassuring
returning for more grain to Egypt was not without effect               manner the'steward  gave answer to them. "Peace be to you,
upon them. The longer they stayed the more they thought up-            fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given
on the things that had happened, and.the  more the conviction          you treasure in your sacks: I had your money."
grew within them that G.od was punishing them for the sin
                                                                          There are several thi.ngs  in the answer of this steward
that they had committed, especially against their younger
                                                                       that are worthy of special note. In the first place, the steward
brother. Thus; when finally Jacob had granted permission
                                                                       had evidently been taken into the complete confidence of
and once again they set out for Egypt, it was with heavy
                                                                       Joseph. Joseph could not have anticipated this concern of
hearts, and their consciences pricked them deeply. They
                                                                       his brothers for the money which had. been returned and
trembled before the hand of God and feared lest their chastise-
                                                                       instructed the steward what to reply to their explanation.
ment might become even greater. The purpose of Joseph to
                                                                       Nonetheless, the steward by himself .was fully capable of
lead his brothers in the way of repentance was having its
                                                                       presenting them with a wise.`and  discreet answer. In the
desired effect.
                                                                       second place, the steward was evidently a believing child of
   Meanwhile Joseph in Egypt was impatiently waiting their             God. The reference to God, especially as the God of their
return. It had been hard to send them away without having              fathers, implying a recognition of the covenant, rings genuine
made himself known. How..he would have liked to talk to                and sincere. Finally, the answer was well adapted to serve
them as a brother, learning from them all that had happened            the plan of Joseph. It was a truthful answer, for the steward
in his father's house during the years of his absence. Once            had had their money ; it was he that restored it to their sacks.
the brothers had departed, doubts began to assail him even             Nevertheless, the answer did not expose the plan of Joseph.
more strongly. Only through constant prayer and supplica-              Rather it pointed them again to the all important fact that
tion could he be maintained in the faith that the way he was           they were in the hand of God. This they might not be
treating them was right. Eagerly he counted the days that it           al1owe.d to forget.
would have taken them to travel to Canaan and return, and
then he began to scan the market place once again for their               Much to the amazement of the brothers, Simeon was im-
faces. His efforts were to no avail, for they did not appear.          mediately brought forth out of prison. They were taken into
Almost unconsciously he began to calculate how long their              the house of Joseph, and they were told to prepare them-
grain supply could have lasted, and again began daily to look          selves to share in his midday meal. Such kindness they could
for their return. But still they did not appear. Countless..days       not understand. They had come expecting to be treated
seemed to pass until at last Joseph's courage began to fail.           harshly again. Instead they were received as the guests of
Had `he been too severe with them so that they dared not               royalty. They were given water to wash their feet, and
return to his presence ? Were they still such untrustworthy            provender was provided for their asses. When Joseph finally
men that they would leave Simeon. to perish in prison with-            appeared they presented him the presents which they had
out trying to redeem him ? Would his father Jacob rather               brought from Canaan and prostrated themselves at his.feet,
starve without grain than entrust Benjamin to the care of              once again fulfilling the dreams of his youth.

his brothers? Beset by these questions, Joseph hardly dared               For Joseph it was becoming ever more difficult to contain
any longer to look for their coming, or to hope. `Not know-            himself. He longed to be able to talk with his brothers
ing what he should do, he committed his way unto the Lord,             openly about their own. Unable to restrain himself, the
trusting that He would make it right. Finally one day he               questions. began to pour forth. "Is your father well, the old
lifted his eyes and saw them, the nine brothers with another           man of whom ye spaka ? Is he yet alive ?' Had the brothers
whom he did not' recognize, but whom nonetheless he knew.              been at ease and alert, they might have questioned the reason
They had come, and Benjamin was with them.                             for his extreme interest in their father. As it was, they were

   Joseph, not trusting his own self-control, gave directions          too confused to do anything but meekly provide the answer.

to the steward of his house to bring the brothers to his home.         "Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive."


         :s                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                    347


 But still Joseph's interest was not satisfied. Turning to            events they did not know, .but they appreciated it just the

 Benjamin, he asked, "Is this your younger brother, of whom           same. It seemed as if the hand of God's judgment had been

 ye spake unto me ?"     But the question needed no answer.           lifted from off their souls. However, they had barely left the

Although he had not seen him since he was a very small child,         city when they heard loud shouts coming from behind them.

 he knew instinctively that this was his brother. His heart'          Turning they saw the steward approaching very rapidly.

 went out to Benjamin, his only full brother, and with strained       Anger was written across his face as he spoke. "Wherefore

 feelings he said, "God be gracious unto thee, my son."               have ye rewarded evil for good ? Is not this it in which my

    Once more the tension of the moment became too great              lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth ? ye have done
                                                                      evil in so doing."
 for Joseph to bear. Turning from his brothers he fled into

 his chamber -and wept. His heart yearned to be able to talk             Once again a cloud of confusion settled upon the brothers.

 with them in a more natural manner. Only his firm resolve            The dark face of the-steward.-sent quivers of fear into their

 to care for their spiritual lives first, kept him from yielding.     souls ; but they knew not of what he spoke. "Wherefore saith

    Only after he had once more gained control over his feel-         my lord these words ?" they answered. "God forbid that thy
 ings. could Joseph return to his brothers. Washing his face          servants should do according to this thing." Had not they
 to remove all traces of his tears, Joseph commanded that the         proved their `honesty? "Behold, the money, which we' found
 meal should be served, and returned to the dining hall. Three        in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the
 different tables were set, one for the Egyptians who custom-         land of Canaan: how then should .we steal out of thy lord's
 arily did not eat with foreigners, one for himself by reason         house silver or gold?'     As they spoke, confidence returned,
 of his rank, and one for the brothers. It was necessary for          and almost rash was their promise. "With whomsoever of
 Joseph to maintain this distance toward his brothers lest the        thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will
 relations should become more intimate than he could bear.            be my lord's bondsmen."           Speedily they alighted from their
 One by one he assigned the brothers their place in order of          asses to help the steward in his search.

 their age from the oldest to the youngest. To the brothers              `The steward yie1de.d  to their suggestion: "Now  also let it

 this was amazing for they were all grown men and their               be according unto your words." But first there was one

 differences of age were not very apparent. It only increased         qualification which he, had to make : "He with whom it is
 the feeling among the brothers that their lives were being           found shall be my servant ; and, ye shall be blameless." There-
 controlled by a hand much greater than they could under-             upon he began his search. Starting at the oldest he proceeded
 stand. At last Joseph was ready to begin the test he had             toward the youngest.         -
 planned from the beginning, feeling that it was so very im-             One by one the baggage of each man was.  opened.
 portant. As the meal was being served he had a portion five          Money was found in each one ; but the steward. .had no
 times as great as that of the others placed before Benjamin.         interest in that. He had eyes only for the silver cup. Gradu-
 It was a common sign in that day of special favor. It mattered       ally the confidence of the brothers grew as the search of
 not whether the person could eat it or not; it singled him out       each man's belongings in turn failed to produce the cup.
 for special distinction. Anxiously he watched the faces- of          Finally only Benjamin's sacks remained, and they were al-
 the others. Was there any sign of displeasure ? of jealousy          most gay again. He would be the least likely of them all
 or envy? Joseph could ,detect none. Rather the brothers              to perpetrate such a petty theft. But alas when his sacks were
 seemed pleased that Benjamin was received with such favor.
                                                                      opened, there lay the silver cup.
 The ten brothers ate and drank ; their merriment appeared
 sincere. With relief in his soul Jose+  felt more confident             Years or even months before there would have been little
 than he had for many a day. He was taken up `into the                question among the brothers as to what to do ; they would
 merriment of his brothers.                                           have left the one against whom the evidence pointed to make
                                                                      his way alone. But now things were quite different. Each
     Still Joseph was determined' not to be overly `hasty in
                                                                      man in turn had just passed through a strenuous search of
 his conclusion. He would prepare one more test, the most
                                                                      his own soul. Each one felt himself to be the greatest among
 difficult of all. It would be the final test, after which his own
                                                                      sinners and not nearly so ready to point his finger at another.
 identity would have to be made known. He called his steward
                                                                      They could not believe that this was something that Benja:
 to him and told him to give the men as much grain as they
                                                                      min had .done,  Rather, it was the judgment of God resting
 could carry and again restore their' money to the mouth of
                                                                      upon them all.
 their sacks, for Joseph would not take money, from his
 brothers. In addition he was to place Joseph's silver drink-             Rending their clothes in grief, they mounted again their
 ing cup in Benjamin's sack and send the brothers on their            asses and turned back to the city with common consent.. As
 way.                                                                 silently they rode together, there went up from each man's
                                                                               a prayer .that God would forgive, each man his own sin,
     Cheerfully the brothers set out on their journey. home.          soul 
                                                                      that the `family of Israel be not destroyed:
 Their conversation was more gay and lively than it had been
 for many a month. The reason for the sudden change of                                                                              B.W.

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


                                                                         Now one may argue that the phrase "otherwise what shall
I/1           F R O M   H O L Y   W R I T                            they do who are baptized for the dead" is a continuation of
                                                                     the thought in the verses 20-28  or that it is a picking up

                                                                     of the thread in the verses 12-19. In either case it is difficult.
                Exposition of I Corinthians 15                       to show the logical connection. According to Dr. Kling in

                                  V.                                 Lange's Coutzmenta~ry'.  on I Corinthians, Stanley remarks
                                                                     that we have here ". . . one of the most abrupt (transitions)
                      (I Corinthians 15 :29-34)                      to be found in Paul's Epistles."

                                  a.                                    It would seem that this very sudden transition of thought

        -It is not too easy to determine the exact connection of     from verse 28 to verse 29 is not a logical one. We hold that
these verses with the foregoing from the pen of Paul.                this is a psychological transition. Paul suddenly reverts to
                                                                     the main argument in this entire chapter from verses l-34.
        There are, in the main,. two views concerning this rela-     It is the that of the resurrection. Not the manner of the
tionship of these verses to the foregoing. There are those
                                                                     resurrection is at issue. That follows on the part of scoffers.
who hold that the phrase "else what shall they do who are            But the very fact of the resurrection.
baptized for the dead" refers to Paul's argument in the verses
20-28,  namely, that if Christ is not the firstifruits  of them         The point of departure of Paul here is therefore against
that fell asleep, what shall they do who'are  baptized for the       the background of the assertion of the scoffers that there is
dead. Others seek the connection between these verses and            wholly no -resurrection of the dead. The dead rise not at all,
the foregoing in the general argument of Paul against those          so the unbelievers contend. Such were the evil communica-
who deny that resurrection from the dead.                            tions that corrupt good manners, sound Biblical ethics.

        To our mind it really does not make any essential differ-       Against these is Paul's apologetic!

ence which of these interpretations one chooses. The argu-              And he `does it masterfully in verse 29, where we read:
ment of Paul is not changed in either case. For his argu-            "Else what shall they do who .are baptized for the dead ? If
ment is clear and lucid. It is an argument with those in             the dead rise wholly not, why are they baptized in behalf of
the church at Corinth who say that there is no resurrection          them ?"
of the dead. Paul asserts the resurrection of Jesus Christ              There are various attempted interpretations concerning
as the first-fruits and, therefore, he posits the resurrection of    the phrase, "those who are baptized for the dead." We shall
those who fell asleep in Jesus.                                      here present a few .of them. We should bear in mind that
        Had he not shown in the verses l-11 that he had preached     according to A. T. Robertson in his Word Pictzwes  In The
that Christ died according to the Scriptures for our sins,           New Testavvcertt  this phrase "remains a puzzle." He tells
and that he .rose again on the third day according to the            us that Stanley gives thirteen interpretations of this passage,
Scriptures ? That thus all the apostles had preached together        and that over thirty have been suggested. Obviously all can-

with Paul, and thus they had believed ? And does Paul not            not be what Paul had in mind in this phrase under considera-

thus take his apologetical stand foursquare in the blessed           tion. Neither do we intend to give them all. We shall only

gospel of Christ ? Thus the status qsco,  the point of departure     give the more representative views of this phrase.

of Paul's argument is established.                                      We believe that the first interpretation meriting our

       - `And in the verses 12-19 Paul had shown the serious con-    attention is the one given by Dr. Kling. Writes he: "The

sequences of a denial of the resurrection. These were serious        simplest explanation of the act here spoken of, is the suffer-

consequences for the content `of the gospel itself. It would mean    ing of one's self to be baptized for the benefit of deceased
that the preaching would be empty, be void of content. lf            persons, or in their stead, so as to redound to their advantage,

Christ is not raised then faith is empty and `we would still be      i.e., that the salvation mediated by baptism, might fall to

in our sins. It would have the serious consequence' that the         their lot, so' that those who themselves died unbaptized,

preachers of the gospel are false-witnesses. They would then,        might pass for baptized, and thus have part in the resurrec-

as eye-witnesses, simply be bold pretenders. They would claim        tion and in the kingdom of Christ." And he adds : "A custom

to have seen what they never did see, if Christ is not raised.       of this sort is discoverable in subsequent times ; yet, however,

And it would, thirdly, have the very serious consequence that        only among heretical sects, such as the Cerinthians and the

we are still in our sins. Then those who died in Christ have         Marcionites."

perished. And we are of all men most miserable.                         Niander writes : "We might imagine that many, having

        In the verses 20-28 Paul has shown positively from the       come to the exercize  of faith, resolved to receive baptism, but

Scriptures the grand implication and significance of the resur-      died ere the rite could be performed. This was so much the

rection for the unfolding of the counsel of God, in which            more likely, inasmuch, as according to chapter 11 :30! there

resurrection all things become subjected or subdued to God,          was an epidemic prevalent. If, then, a relative had suffered

and God is all in all!                                               himself to .be baptized in the conviction that he was only


                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   ` B E A R E R                                            3 4 9


  doing what the deceased would have done had he survived,            never be destroyed. Death would have a complete and total

  the proceeding would not be quite so superstitious."                victory. All would -go  to the grave, Christ included. None

                                                                      would ever come forth. The gospel is empty, the preaching
     There is really none who hold that Paul in citing this
  rite, which was evidently known to the Corinthians (other-          is vain, the apostles are false witnesses of God and we are
  wise the argument here, would have not force). thereby .also        still in our sins. All that' fell asleep in Jesus are perished.
  validates it as a custom in the church. It is interesting to        There is no hope. We are all without God in the world. We
  note that such interpreters as Meyer, Alford  and others,           simply go down into death and hell.

  point to the fact that Paul uses the third person plural in             Such is the position of the deniers of the resurrection.

  the text. Otherwise what shall they do who are baptized for             Now Paul will elicit a very strong argument from the
 the dead. Dr. Bisping considers the "third person" in what           facts of life, from the hope of those who actually live in it.
  shall "they do" as an indirect intimation of disapproval. Thus      Let it be true that this ritual of being baptized in behalf of
 also Meyer.                                                          the dead had in it the elements of superstition and that it

     There is also yet the view of Lightfoot to consider. With        was not founded upon an ordinance and institution of Christ.

 him agrees the view of Rosenmtiller,.  and Robinson follows          It is a rite with which the Corinthians are acquainted. And
 the view of Lightfoot in his N. T. Greek Lexicon. This               he asks them in effect : How do you account for it ? What is
 view takes "those who are baptized" (baptizoumenoi) in the           its meaning ? That too is then vain., even in this form. But

  sense of "being immersed in sufferings" as parallel to "being       since Christ is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen
 in jeopardy" in the next clause in verse 30. It then refers          asleep, even this rite, proves that in the mind of these who
 to all the saints as they are overwhelmed with calamities,           have themselves baptized for the dead, it is the clear under.-`.
 trials and sufferings in the hope of the resurrection, or with       standing that these dead shall rise. Otherwise why would
 the expectation that the dead shall rise. (See Lange Series          they have themselves baptized for them ? !
  Comwientary.)                                                          This form of argumentation is an argumentation from              *
     There are other interpretations which are not essentially        pointing to resurrection hope in action.
 different from these which we have caused to pass in review.            There is a reason, a rationale in this.     _
  Thus' there is the explanation of Barnes who follows the
  Greek Fathers, which takes the baptism here alluded to as              Paul does not hold it forth as something which must be
 that which is applied to all the believers, who, in receiving        emulated by the skeptics. Nowhere in Scripture is such a rite
 the rite, witness to their faith in the resurrection. Thus we        advocated or taught. Paul only brings it forward as an
 could paraphrase the phrase, `(those baptized in behalf of the       evidence of resurrection faith. That is the truth even in this
 dead," by "those who are baptized in behalf of their, faith in       wrong custom and rite.

the r&rrect~ion  of the dead."                                           And as such it is an argument that has weight. It proves

     It is our considered opinion that most of the explanations       that these people believe the resurrection, and live in the
 attempt to not allow the apostle to say what he actually says.       silent hope of seeing-their dear ones in the resurrection morn-
                                                                      ing. Ultimately not even the skeptic can rid himself of the
     In the first place it should be-noticed that Paul literally
                                                                      fact that he will not cease to exist. The entire world some-
 speaks of those "who are baptized for the dead." The force
                                                                      how betrays the fact that God has made man originally after
 of the preposition in Greek (huper) means in behalf of, in
                                                                      his image, and that for man the grave is not the end. The
 stead of. And the fact that Paul does not say what shall "ZUE
                                                                      dead will rise.
 do" but rather what shall "they" do who are baptized for
 the dead rather indicates that Paul has definite people in              Only here Paul is speaking of the blessed resurrection.

 mind who have done this for definite dead. And that Paul                Life has not any meaning and has no end without the
 asks the question of these Corinthians tacitly assumes that          hope of resurrection. The denial of the resurrection is the
 this rite was well known to them.                                    death-blow to all Christian heroism and all Christian ethics

    +In the second place it seems to be the natural sense of the      and striving for perfection.

 words that this baptism was for those who had already died,             The slogan "let us ,eat, let us drink and be merry" is the
 but were now no longer living. Those interpretations which           only other alternative if we deny the resurrection.
 seek to insert for "the resurrection of the dead" really do
                                                                         But such have not `the knowledge of God.
 so contrary to the plain meaning of the term. There is really
                                                                                                                                 G.L.
 nothing in the context to suggest it.

     It is for these. reasons that we hold with the interpretation

 of Dr. Kling and Niander. (See above.)                                  "For to the man that pleaseth  him God giveth good wis-

     The meaning of Paul then is quite clear. He is answering         dom, and knowledge ancl joy; but to the sinner he giveth

 the contention of those who hold that' the "dead rise wholly         travail, to gather .ani-l heap up, that he may give to him that
 not." And that would imply that death as our "enemy" would           pleaseth'God."  Ecclesiastes 2 :26.                 .I


      350                                            T H E   STA.NDARD   B E A R E R


                                                                           Word of God and the Confessions. However this is not the
      Ii              .I N` ;Hd S F E-A R                                  case at all. Those who left us have no doubt in their minds
                                                                      /I that this will not be `accomplished. The Contact Committee
                                                                           gained absolutely nothing in that respect at all. But instead
                   And What About ,The Children?
                                                                           concern has been expressed and published that the committee

                                        (2)                                yielded and embraced that lie, at least in part. Which indeed

             "We propose that our Synod send a letter . . . which          is the case. When upon that background the statements are
      contains, among other things, the following: 1. -A request           knade  and advice to the classis and synod is submitted that a
      that our two denominations be reunited only upon the basis           reunion be realized upon nothing more than the Word of God
      of the Word of God and the Three Forms of Unity . . ."               and the Three Forms of Unity, then that becomes a very big
             "We do urge Synod . . . To propose : . . that . . . the       question to ask, What does that mean ?
      three points should not be made a binding document and a                Does it mean, You let us in without signing those three
      standard for church unity ; but that contact be sought on the        points and we promise not to agitate against them  ? You
      b+sis of Scripture and the Three Forms of Unity alone . . ."         demand nothing more of us than that we declare that we
            ' "The Consistory . . . comes to your gathering with the       believe the Word of God, as interpreted in the Three Forms
      earnest plea.. . . That our two denominations be reunited            of U&y, to be the true and perfect doctrine unto salvation,
      on the basis of the Word of God and the Three Forms of               and we promise not to argue about your three points ? We
      Unity . . ."                                                         will let you believe  what you wish about the grace of God if
 ,           What do such statements mean ?                                only you let us also believe what we wish about  that grace.
            It is quite. evident what the statements as such mean.         We can stil! be united on all the rest. And tve will bring OF
      The Church of God must be united on the basis of the Word            children to you to be taught, and we will not contradict what
      of God and of the Three Forms of Unity, the Heidelberg               you `teach them. We promise not to interfere with your
      Cat&hi&, The Netherlands Confession and the Canons of                work amongst our children and grandchildren, if only you
      Dordrecht. The Word of God is and must be the rule of c&r            let us have your chuich roof bver us. What is under that
      life and the basis for our church affiliation. But there are         roof, we do not agree with, surely not wholeheartedly ; but
      hundreds upon hundreds of ways in which the Infallible               to`:be-..under  your roof we desire, and our children better
      Word of God is interpreted. And we believe that the only             look but'  for themselves. If they can harmonize the three
      correct and Divinely approved interpretation is the one you          points with-the Three Forms of Unity and Scripture, we will
      will find in the Three" Forms of Unity. To adopt anything            not argue with them either. We' promise you, you please
      more than that is to adopt the lie. To deny any part of that is      promise us.
to deny a part of the truth. And churches that agree that                     Is there any possibility that this plea will be heeded ?
      these Three Forms  of Unity are the pure and unadulterated              Time alone will tell. No one' at present is in a position to
 interpretation of the -Word of God no; only may but by all                say whether such a door is to be made through the "three-
      means m&t join together as one denomination. We find no              points-wall" or not. It surely is in the realm of the prob-
      fault therefore with the statements above as far as their            able. There may be an assist from another faction in the
      literal expression is concerned. Would to God that our               denomination, one that seeks the same thing froin  a different
      denomination could and would join with this same denomina-           angle and for a different reason.

      tion referred to above, the Christian Reformed Church, upon             But reunion on that basis is impossible.

      the basis of the Word of God and the Three Forms of Unity.              In the abstract such a reunion can be made. Tolerance
      The angels in heaven would rejoice in that, and we would             of divergent views can be practiced. Ati undenominational
      with  them.                                                          attitude can be practiced even in a denomination. People
            But  when we ask the question, What does that mean ? we
      r~' _                                                                with fiercely opposing views can be very democratic in their
      are. speaking in the full consciousness that something new           church life and respect the other fellow's opinion without
      has been added which is not simply an additional interpreta-         believing a part c~f it. The spirit of "live and let live" even
      tion of some unexplained or partially explained phase of the         seems quite the teaching of Jesus Himself.
      truth of Scripture not sufficiently covered by tie Three               But before God such a reunion may not be accomplished.
      Forms of Unity, but as something that, conflicts with the doc-       In His fear there is union only on the truth. And those who
 trine of those Three Forms and mean's a denial of it and of               believe the three points to be the truth of the Word of God
 the~scriptures  upon which they are based.                                must before God's face and for conscience' sake demand. it
             That is the sad yet very real state of affairs.               of every single meqber  .who  coties  to reside under the roof

             What can it mean then, in light of this fact, that reunion    of that church. And those who before God are ,convinced

 is'sought uljon'the  Basis-cif  the Word of God and the Three             that this is the lie may not be silent about it, may not - as

 Forms of Unity?  In itself it could  mean a demand that the               we said last time - subject their children to it and support

 thr`ee..pdints  be retracted and declared to be the lie and on            it with their contributions and pi-esence. The very desire t'o

      that basis reunion could be realized tipon  the basis of the         keep silence, and the promise of either side to keep silence


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R .                                               351


and to tolerate the other view is to militate against these very     the basis o$$&epting  the Arminian-emphasis  of the three

Three Forms of Unity and the Word of God. Articles                   points. We $2~ again, Reunion oi; the &`is'of the Word of

XXVII through XXIX of the Netherlands Confession have                God and the Confessions, is impossible--between a group that

something very definite to say about this matter of reunion          denies the the&-y  of "common grace" because it is contrary

and ought to be read thoughtfully and carefully by all tiho          to the Scripture.:.and  Confessions ai& at group,,.ihat  holds to

fear that reunion and rebel in their sbuls & the very thought.       these three points as the proper interpretation of Scripture
    Besides, there is a denomination that subscribes to the          a n d   t h e   Confessior&                     t, _

Word of God and the Three Forms of Unity that does not                   Or does it mean that once inside the Christian Reformed

have the three ppints and will never demand signing them             Church through the ddor'of non-binding-three points it is yet

of you. In fact they will ask you  to repudiate them instead         your intent to oppose that theory of "common grace" and

of confess them. And you need not raise that argument that           to continue to warn your children against it? To ask to be

they have the Declaration ,of  Principles. This they do have         allowed to come in without signing the three, points is one

but not as a fourth foml,  and no; as something that contra-         thing,  to deny those in their own church the right to maintain

dicts and denies the Sci-iptures  of the Three Forms of Unity.       and propagate their. view is quite another thing. In His fear

And its strong stand in regard to these three points of "com-        we advise you to be honest with the Christian Reformed

mon grace" ought to please you highly `and assure you that in        brethren. They have a.right to know and to ask you before

these churches the desire to preach and maintain the truth           yqu join what you are going .to do and promise to do in

of God's Word still,' by His grace, is to be found. We sug-          regard to the instruction they will give  to your children.

gest that you read once again that document, and we assure           Entering in by their good graces without agreeing  to any-

you that you will not need to sign it to bd a member in our          thing more ihan  the statement that you subscribe whole-

denomination. But it will reveal  to you what is being taught        heartedly to the trtith of Scripture and the Three Forms of

in our churches. And it will give you an idea ,of what your          Unity, you will haGe to concede their right to thkir own

children and grandchildren will be taught in these churches.         interpretation of that Word of God and the Three Forms ol

   In His fear, before God's face is, there any acceptable           Unity. And you know that their interpretation is expressed
reason why you should not seek for a church roof those               in their three points. To substantiate those three points they
churches that still repudiate Jhe three points' and all the prac-    quote from the Scripture and the Confessions. You may not
tices which have sprung foi-th by their adoption, defense and        deny them the right to teach in their own sphere what they
acceptance as the ?ule of life?                                      believe to be the truth. And you do not simply conic irt tiith-
                                                                     out signing. Consider that those three points are not simply
   What of the future ? Let 4s assume that congregations
                                                                     a wall through which you must enter and having entered you
are taken inio  the Christian Reformed `dendmina&on  i&act,
                                                                     aye through with them. They are the whole city behind that
but the congregation has no minister. She calls one from the
                                                                     wall. All within the city is characterized by those three
greater denomination. But on what basis ? Remember that                                                                                   .
                                                                     points. We say again, Be honest with the Christian Re-
entering in through the gate of not being bound by the three
                                                                     formed brethren. You want to be in the city, under the
points, no agitation against this theory may be voided or
                                                                     whole roof and not simply get through a wall. Be sure for
practiced. You have not signed, but your new minister has,
                                                                     God's sake that you enter for the good of His Church. -Be
and he is full of that doctrine. Will you really find a reunion
or a resumption of the old battle ? And the individual who           sure for your own sake that you enter for your spiritual well-
enters thrbugh  that door, if he does not find a resumption          being and growth in faith and righteousness. Be sure for your
                                                                     children's sake and their faith and covenant joy. Be sure for
of the battle will find. that it is. due only to the fact that he
                                                                     the Christian Reformed brethren's sake so that you deal
has changed and that he was tiore concerned'with `a church
roof than the truth after all. And the ministers . . . . ? ? To      honestly with them and seek their good and peace and pros-
be accepted and to be welcomed, will they be able to be              perity.
positive or evasive? Will they have a message or struggle                If in His fear, if before God's face you cannot and may
for forty-five minutes'  to avoid a message, to please man or to     not repudiate the statements that separate  us Since 1953 and
please God ? Dr. Peter Sr, De Jong, in the Torch and Truwz-          confess that you have been deceived, then be sure that you
pet of April, 1960, writes on page four, "As long as the             belong in that city built upon .the three points and consider
substance of the decisions of 1924 is regarded as suspect by         that this theory of "common grace" is more than a wall. It
the Protestant Reformed brethren, serious consideration on           is the whole city. If you belong in that city, seek to get in
their part to reunion with the Christian Reformed Church             as soon as possible. Only go through the gate in broad day-
appears very unlikely. Should unanimity of `emphasis' be'            light and only because you believe that there afid there alone
required, all hope of reunion will vanish like summer morn-          will you live and thrive to the pi-aise of the glory of God's
ing mist." Will these ministers agree with Dr. De Jong that          grace. Only because there  and there only your children will
this matter of "common grace" is not an essential but a              grow up in His fear and thrive as covenant seed. `Do not de-
difference of emphasis ? Then it.. has not been a reunion on         ceive yourselves, and do not ti-y to deceive the Christian

the basis of Scripture and the Three Forms of Uhity but on                               (Continued on page 355)


352                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R ' E R


                                                                    And, Rome's conception of traditions is surely contrary to
II Contending For The -Faith                                        the .Word  of God. Never does our Lord Jesus Christ quote
                                                                    anything except from the Old Testament Canon, and  com-

                                                                    pletely exclusive of the Apocryphal books. And in the

         The Church and the Sacraments                              Scriptures Rome's-  doctrine of Tradition is clearly denied by
                                                                    such passages as Matt. 15 :3, 9, I Cor. 4 :6, Isaiah 29 :13, and

         THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION                                Rev. 22 :18-19.  Permit us to quote the first and last of these
                                                                    passages, We read in Matt. 15 :3, 9: "But he answered and

               VIEWS ON THE CHURCH                                  said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the command-

                                                                    ments of God by your tradition? But in.vain they do worship
                  FORMAL PRINCIPLE                                  me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men." And

                                                                    in Rev. 22 :18-19  we read : "For I testify unto every man that
                           (continued)                              heareth the words of the prophecy  of this book, If any man

                                                                    shall add unto these things, God shall' add unto him the
   Tt is indeed an historical fact that the Scriptures have         plagues that ai-e  written ,in this book : And if any man shall
been made of no account wherever the authority of tridition         take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God
has been admitted. `As soon as tradition and decrees of             shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of
churches are viewed as having- equal value and authority            the holy city, and from the things which are written in this
with the Word of God, or as soon as people simply accept            book."
the decrees and decisions of ecclesiastical assemblies, the
                                                                       We conclude &r discussion of the Roman Catholic doc-
inevitable result will be that the masses will become in-
                                                                    trine `of Tradition with one more observation : we can speak
creasingly ignorant of the Word of God. It is true that we,
                                                                    of traditions in a good sense of the word. Rome, we know,
too, have  our Confessions.. However, our Confessions must
                                                                    interprets Tradition as a doctrine which has been handed
never be regarded as having equal authority with the -Bible.
                                                                    down by the apostles and preserved and definitely confirmed
Our Confessions must never serve any other purpose than
                                                                    by the bishops and especially by the pope. This conception,
to lead us to the Scriptures.    They must never be received
                                                                    we have noted, is untenable. However, we do well to re-
and venerated apart from them. They must never stand next
                                                                    member that also the Bible is a book that has been written
to `the Word of God, but are always to be approached as the
                                                                    in past ages and under various historical circumstances. The
expression of the faith of the Church of God in the truths
                                                                    different books of the Word of God bear the character of
of that Word, and must therefore always be interpreted,&
                                                                    the `times in which they were written. How plain the Word
the light of Scripture.     '
                                                                    of _God  may be as far as the doctrine of salvation is concerned,

   Finally, we have the following' observations. Why does           and how true it may be that the Bible is and remains the

Rome insist on its doctrine of, Tradition ? Rome surely does        Word of the living God, the various historical and geo-

ndt maintain the authority of traditions because it would           `graphical features of the different times should always be

maintain the truths of the Word of God. On the one hand,            borne in mind. Tradition, in the good sense of the word, is

it is .surely  a fact that the Romish Church corrupts and dis-      the interpretation of the eternal truths in the language and

torts the fundamental truths of the Word of God. And, on            life of a presept  generation.

the other hand, Tradition is not necessary to maintain the

Sciiptures.  Rome needs traditions exactly because it would             THE RIGHT AND POWER TO INTERPRET
maintain and teaches doctrines which are not taught in. the                                T H E   B I B L E .
Word of God. We do. not need traditions to maintain doc-

trines such as: the Divine creation of all things as by the            We will recall that the two main principles of the Ref-

Word of His power and by the breath of His mouth, the               ormation of the sixteenth century are the formal and the

advent of sin into the world and the depravity of the sinner,       material principles. The formal principle implies that the

the coming of Christ and His atoning suffering and death,           Reformers acknowledged but one source of authority: the

His resurrectiofi  and ascension, the Divine institution of         Holy Scriptures. With this principle they stood opposed to

Baptism and of the Lordfs  Supper, the power and efficacy           Roman Catholicism, False Mysticism, and to Rationalism.

of Divine grace, the return of Christ upon the clouds of            Over against the Roman Catholic Church the Reformers re-

heaven, etc. Rome needs traditions exactly because it would         jected everything as having authority except the Word of

maintain doctrines such as : the infallibility of the pope, the     .God, `whereas Roman Catholicism also acknowledged Tradi-

pope as the ,successor  of Peter, the worship of Mary, the          tion as a sburce of authority. To this we have now called

seveli  sacraments, the Popish mass, justification not solely by    attention. Another point of difference between Protestantism

faith but also by works, etc. Rome must have its traditions,        and Roman Catholicism was that the Roman Catholic

not because it would maintain the Word of God but because           Church claimed that the right and power to interpret the

it defends teachings that are foreign. to,. the Word of God.        Bible belonged to the Church, i.e., the clergy, whereas the


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D `   B E A R E R                                               353


Reformers maintained the principle that every Christian is          of the holy Scripture ; and the heavenliness of the matter, the

able and has the right to interpret the Word of God.                efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style,: the consent

   Protestantism, of course, sets forth the.principle  that the     of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which..is  to give all
Holy Scriptures, consisting of the Old and New Testaments,          glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of
and exclusive of the Apocryphal Books, are in themselves            man's salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies,
the one and only rule of faith and oft-life.  In the Formula of     and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it
Concord, a Lutheran confession, adopted toward the close            doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God ; yet,
of the sixteenth century, we read in Article 1 the following:       notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the
"We believe, confess, and teach that the only rule and norm,        infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the in-
according to which all dogmas and all doctors ought to be           ward work of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with
esteemed and judged, is no other whatever than the prophetic        the Word in our hearts . . . The whole counsel of God, con-
and apostolic writings both of the Old `and of the New              cerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salva-
Testaments; as it is written (Psalm 119 305)  : `Thy word is        tion, faith, and life, is either expressly set downin  Scripture,
a lamp unto my feet, and a `light "unto my path.' And St.           or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from
Paul saith (Gal. 1%) : `Though an angel from heaven preach          Scripture ; unto which nothing at any time is to be added,
any other gospel unto you, let him be accursed.' But other          whether by new revelations of the Spirit, `or traditions of men.
writings, whether of the fathers or of,  the moderns, with          Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumination of the
whatever name they come, are in nowise  to `be equalled  to         Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving `understanding
the Holy Scriptures, but are all to be esteemed inferior to         of such things as are revealed in the Word ;- and that there
them, .so that they be. not otherwise received than in the          are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and
rank of witnesses, to show what doctrine was. taught after          government of the Church, common to human actions and
the Apostles' times also, and in what parts of the world that       societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and
more sound doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles has been           Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the
preserved." - end of quote.                                         Word, which are always to be observed . . . All things in
                                                                    Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear to
   Also the Westminster Confession of Faith, the English
                                                                    all ; yet those things which are necessary to be known, be-
Protestant Confession and adopted in 16q7,  expresses itself
                                                                    lieved, and observed, for salvation, are so clearly propounded
on this subject, as in Articles 1-7, 9-10, and we quote:
                                                                    and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only
"Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and
                                                                    the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary
providence, do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and
                                                                    means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them . . .
power of God, as to leave men inexcusable ; yet are they not
                                                                    The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scrip:
sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will,
                                                                    ture itself; and therefore, when there is a question about the
which is necessary unto salvation ; therefore it ,pleased  the
                                                                    true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold,
Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal him-
                                                                    but one), it must be searched and known by other places that
self, and to declare that his will unto his Church ; and after-
                                                                    speak more clearly . . . The Supreme Judge, by which all
wards, for the better preserving.and  propagating of the truth,
                                                                    controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees
and for' the more sure establishment and comfort of the
                                                                    of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and
Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of
                                                                    private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence
Satan .and of the world, to commit the same. wholly unto
                                                                    we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking
writing ; which maketh the holy Scripture to be most neces-
                                                                    in the Scripture." - end of quote from the Westminster Con-
sary; those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his
                                                                    fession of Faith. We should note that this Westminster Con-
people being now ceased . . . Under the name of holy
                                                                    fession of Faith declares in Art. 7 that "All things in Scrip-
Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained
                                                                    ture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto
all the Books of the Old and New Testament, which are
                                                                    all ; yet those things which are necessary to be known, be-
these, etc. All which are given by inspiration. of God, to
                                                                    lieved, and observed, for salvation, are so clearly propounded
be the rule of faith and life . . . The books commonly called
                                                                    and opened in some place of Scripture or other, 
Apocrypha,  not being of divine inspiration, are no part of                                                            that rtot only
                                                                    the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary
the Canon of the Scripture ; and therefore are of no authority
                                                                    waea.ns,  may attain unto a sufficient ztndprstanding  of thevut
in the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or
                                                                    (italics ours). ,And in Art. 9 we read that the Scriptures
made use of, than other human writings . . . The authority
                                                                    must be searched and known by other places that speak more
of the holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and
                                                                    clearly. And the idea, of course, is that the Scriptures must
obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or
church, but wholly upon God' (who is truth itself), the             be searched and known by other places that speak more
Author thereof ; and therefore it is `to be received, because it    clearly by all the people of God and not only by the learned.
is the Word of God . . . . We may be moved and induced by           The Lord willing, we will continue with this in our following

the'testimony of the Church to an high and reverent esteem.         article.                                               H . V .

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


                                                                                their fundamental error. For this is what they do in the

11             The V&e of Our Fathers                                    11 present instance by their statement that no certainty of future
11                                                                              perseverance can be had in this life without a special revela-
                                                                          `I
                                                                                fion. Let.me  attempt to make this plain.

                    The Canons of Dordrecht                                        In order to do this, I must point out, first of all, that it
                                                                                is certainly not the intent of the Arminians to maintain that

                                    PART Two                                    the certainty of future perseverance is possible as a general

                                                                                rule, that is, for all believers. They would perhaps maintain
                        EXPOSITION OF THE CANONS                                that there were a few believers who attained this certainty,

                       F                                                        and who did so by means of a direct and .personal  revelation
                            IFTH HEA; OF DOCTRINE
                                                                                from God. They almost had to maintain this, that is, that
               O      TI-IE P
                F                ERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS                      there were at least some of the saints in the past who had this

                      REJECTION OF ERRORS                                       assurance, in the light of Scripture. For there surely were
                                                                                saints who were told that they were saved and that they
                Article 5. Who teach: That without a special revela-            would be saved, and who through God's direct Word to them
                tion we can have no certainty of future perseverance in         hacl this assurance. They also spoke of this assurance. Never-
                this  Iif?.  Fo?  by this doctrine the  sure comfort of the
                true believers is taken away in this life, and tbe doubts       theless the Arminian would maintain that this is the rare
                of the papist are again introduced into the  church, while      exception. And his `general tenet is that the certainty of
                the Holy Scriptures constantly deduce tbis -assurance,          future perseverance is impossible, that it is by no means
                not from a special and extraordinary ,revelation,  but          evkryone who can say with the apostle Paul, "I am persuaded
                from tbe marks proper to the children  of God and from          that . . . no creature shall be .able to separate me (us)
                the constant promises of God. So esp'ecially  the Apostle
                Paul: "No creature shall be able to separate us from            from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our .Lord."
                the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,"            The general purpose of the Arminian is to teach that per-
         Rom. 8:39. .And  John  declares: "And he that  keepetb                 severance is not certain, but conditional and uncertain, and
                his commandments abidetb in him,  ana  he in him.  And          that therefore the certainty of future perseverance is im-
          ,     hereby we know that  he abidetb in us, by the Spirit            possible. Yet consider now that in the article under discus-
                which  he gave US." 1,Jobn  3:24.
                                                                                sion he nevertheless posits the possibility of such assurance

      We have no significant corrections to make in the above                   of future perseverance, concedes it at least by implication,
rendering of this atticle.            However, apart from our usual             though he hastens to add  that it is possible only by special
remark that the Scriptural quotations should consistently                       revelation; And he do& this all with the intent of destroying
foilow the Authorized Version, we have a few minor correc-                      the general truth. That is a very wicked and corrupt `busi-
tions which may at the same time serve to make the article                      ness, a playing around with the truth !

a bit clearer and more emphatic. 1) The first sentence is                          Consider, in. the second place, that the Arminian very

more emphatic in the original: "That no certainty of future                     piously makes an appeal to the'idea  of special revelation here.
perseverance can be had in this life without a special revela-                  Of course, even this he corrupts, as we shall see presently ;

tion." 2) The second sentence is :, "For by this doctrine the                   but nevertheless he attempts to make such an appeal. He

solid comfort of the true believers in this life is taken. away,                means, of dourse, t6 say that no one could possibly know
and the doubt of the papists (literally : those adhering to, or                 and be assured of the' fact that he will persevere to the end
pertaining t6 the pontificate) is reintroduced in the Church."                  unless God Himself directly and personally told him so.
3) The third sentence is more literally: "Indeed the Holy                       Again, I remind you in the meantime that the Arminian
Scriptures throughout derive this assurance, not from a                         does not want to, teach that God as a rule thus assures His
special and extraordinary revelation, but from the pioper                       people. The very opposite is the case, according to him.

marks of the sons  of God and from the most faithful promises                   Nevertheless this is a piece of hypocritical piety. For by
of God." In connection with the last phrase we may remark                       implication he presents matters -as if perseverance and `the
that the Dutch translates by "de zwer sta~~dvmtige beloften                     assurance of perseverance are after  all God's doing, and as
Gods." The original Latin Las : `"comtantistimis  Dei prom&-                    if after all only God therefore can supply such certainty of
sion.&us."      `The idea is not that of constant in the sense of               future pers&erance.  The Arminian does this and is com-
"repe&edly  given," but constant in the sense of "unchanging,                   pelled to do this because the Scriptures plainly  teach that
steadfast; immovable, faithful." And this is emphasized :                       there were saints who had such assurance and who indeed
these promises are ."most  faithful."                                           received that assurance from God Himself, just as His people

      This is a very peculiar article, or rather, the article speaks            always do. But mark you well, that.is not the Arminian doc-

of an error which is very peculiar and strange in the mouth                     trine at all. The Armitiian  does not teach that God is the

of the Arminians.             But perhaps it is not so strange that             author of our perseverance and of the asiurance  thereof. The

heretics would  use one error, or even tb .a certain extent                     very opposite is true. Perseverance, accoqling  to him, iS

make  an appeal to one truth, in order to defend and cover up                   dependent  upon the will of man ; and man is the real author


                                           THE.STANDliRD   B E A R E R                                                            355


of his own perseverance.      Hence, also, according to the          again not so strange that Arminian rationalism and false

Remonstrant, the only assurance of perseverance there is is          mysticism go to bed together:. For they are fundamentally

that which depends on a changeable and uncertain condition.          agreed in their denial of the authority-&the  :only-`%peciay

That is the Arminian position as to the assurance of election,       revelation" of Holy Scripture. And so it is not unusual

and it is also his fundamental position as to the assurance of       either, practically- speaking,. to find. a tendency toward such

perseverance. Perseverance the work of God ? God the author          false mysticism in many Arminian circles.          . .
of assurance of future perseverance? The Arminian wants                 We could not refrain from the above observations in con-

nothing of it ! Special revelation, whose author is divine ?         nection  with. the underlying tone of the error' treated in this

The Arminian does not acknowledge it or its authority. That,         article. Now, however, let us return' more directly to the

by the way, is quite basically characteristic of Arminianism         matter at hand.

also today - I `mean  not only in regard to this particular             The error that is rejected here we have already treated

error in Article 5, but generally in regard to the truth of the      in the remarks made above. We need not say more on that

Word of God. After all, the most basic fault of Arminianism          score.

is that it will not bow before the Word of God, will not                We must, however, still give our attention to the answer

acknowledge its authority. If it did, to put it somewhat para-       of the fathers.

doxically, Arminianism would become Reformed. The Ar-                   First of all, they point to the very serious, practical, *

minian  would then acknowledge the same truth we do: for             spiritual consequence of this view. For they say:. "For by

the authority of that truth is the Word of God, God Himself.         this doctrine the solid .comfort  of the true believers is taken

And :so the peculiar thing comes to pass that you find so            away,, and the doubt of the papists is again introduced into

many so-called fundamentalists, who as a general rule are            the church."       This is, not difficult to understand. The Ar-

Arminian, who wage a continual warfare against modernism's          minians  set a standard of assurance which it was impossible

denial of the infallible authority of the Scriptures, but who       to attain: a special revelation was made necessary. But even

themselves-when it comes to the content and teaching of             according to the Arminians it was only a specially privileged

those Scriptures- refuse to bow before its authority. ' It          few who ever received such a special revelation. They were

reminds one somewhat of what the Lord Jesus said of the             the exception, not the rule. The vast majority of believers

scribes and Pharisees that "sit in Moses' seat." He warned:         never received and never would receive such a special revela-

"All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe        tion. Hence, if it be true that assurance of future persever-

and do ; but do not ye after their works : for they say, and        ance is possible only by a special revelation, and if' it be true

do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be              that the believer must look for such assurance in the way

borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves         of;-such a special revelation, then the vast majority of be-

will not move them with .one of their `fingers." They attempt       lievers, even according to the Arminian position, can never

to lay upon the shoulders of the modernist the burden of            attain the solid comfort of such assurance. But the fathers

acknowledging the authority of Holy Writ; but they them-            go a step farther. They-maintain that then no one of the true

selves will not move that burden with one of their fingers!         believers can ever have the solid comfort of this assurance:

To put it otherwise, when Arminian fundamentalism accuses           it is taken away. In other words, if one must look all his

modernism of` denying the authority of the Scriptures, it is        lifetime for such a special revelation of the certainty of his

truly a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Let Reformed      future perseverance, he will look absolutely in vain, and there-

people beware of those who like to say, "The Bible says . . .>"     fore he will never have the solid comfort of that assurance.

and, "Jesus says . . .," but who after all deny the teachings of     The Arminian position in itself takes away that solid com-

Scripture. They are deceitfully dangerous !            x            fort. And the Arminian argument that such assurance is pos-

   But, in the third place,' the Arminian, by implication at        sible only by special revelation takes away that solid com-
                                                                    fort. The believer is adrift in the sea of doubt, with no
least, propounds a false idea of special revelation here. He
makes the false .mystic his theological bed-fellow. The false       anchor for his faith and hope.
mystic is characterized by a belief in so-called special revela-                               (to be continued)               H.C.H.

tions rather than in the only "special revelation" of the                                      In His Fear
Word of God, of which Holy Scripture is the written record.

He believes that God speaks, apart from the Scriptures as                                  (Continued from page 351)

such, by inner whisperings of the Spirit and by dreams and          Reformed Church. No good can come from that. Unite on
visions and special signs and heavenly interventions. And           their basis or continue a separate existence. But better still,

he can sometimes concoct the most weird "revelations"               reunite with us in the repudiation of all well meaning offers of

imaginable. But this is not the peculiar trait of Arminianism       salvation to all who hear the preaching of the gospel and all

at all. Arminianism is rationalistic: its position is arrived       conditional promises to all who hear that preaching of the

at in the way of mere human reason, and it exalts human             _ gospel. In His fear what other course is open to you ? May

reason above the Word of God. Mysticism lives by feeling,            God grant the grace and courage and the joy of such a re-

inward enlightenment, special revelations. And yet it is            union.                                                     J.A.H.

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


                                                                           be aware of this, it would proceed to treat the matter and
               DECENCY and ORDER                                           it would then go through to the Synod and thus result in
                                                                           endless duplication of effort. To avoid this the rule was

                                                                           adopted that before matters were placed on the Synodical

                                                                           Agendum by the Classes, the minutes of the previous Synods
                   Prededek  Conkdered ,                                   ,had to be read. At first this was not too difficult to do

        "Instructiofis  conc.er&ng  matters to be considered in            because, as a rule, the minutes were not involved and there
  txajor  assemblies shall        .be written until the decisions of'      were `not too many' of them. However, as time moved on
                               not 
  previous synods touching these matteus.have  been reud, in               this became more and more of a practical impossibility and
  order that what wa8 once decided be not aga:in  proposed,                so the rule was modified to read that only those decisions
  unless a revision be deemed necessary.JJ                                 "touching upon the matter" had to be read. Today this is
                                               -Article 46, D. K. 0.       no longer because every consistory member receives a copy
                                                                           of the Acts of Synod and can and should consult the previous
        It would seem that the reason for the ruling expressed             decisions before sending any matter to Classis and Synod.
  in the above article of the Church Order must be foundin the             Our major assemblies need not be burdened with the lengthy
  principle expressed in the thirty-first article of this same             reading of Synodical decisions. This is time consuming and
  body of rules. There it is stated that "whatever may be                  entirely unnecessary. The principle underlying this rule,
  agreed upon by a majority vote shall be considered settled               however, remains and that is that former decisions by
  and binding unless . . . etc." What is once decided stands.              ecclesiastical bodies`may not be ignored when new decisions
  Decisions of ecclesiastical bodies are not made to be changed            are made with regard to the same matter. Precedent deci-
  although revision of these decisions is neither impossible nor           sions have weight. A decision once made is of significance
  improper.    The underlying-idea, however, is that after serious         not only for' the church of today but for the future as well.
  and prayerful deliberation and decision concerning a given               The decisions of the church are not made to be buried in
  matter, that particular matter, if brought up again at a later           oblivion or to be contradicted and overthrown at random by
  time, ought not to be decided otherwise unless there are                 later assemblies but rather to be enforced and maintained.
  very cogent reasons for doing so.
                                                                              All of this does not mean that matters may not be re-
        The main purpose of Article 46, however, is not to ex-             considered or that decisions may never be reversed. That
  press the "binding" character of ecclesiastical decisions. This          would be the case only if and when it could be established
  was expressed with sufficient clarity in Article 31 and it               `that Synods or Classes are infallible. This, however, is not
  would be quite needless to repeat that here. Rather, the                 the case. When mistakes then are made by the assemblies
  idea is exactlyto avoid needless repetition in the ecclesiastical        of the church, it is always in the best interests of the churches
  assemblies that the rule of Article 46 is introduced in our              that these be corrected as soon as possible. This must be
Church Order. This is a good rule. If a certain matter has                 done in an orderly manner so that confusion and disrespect
  once been decided, it can serve no good purpose to have that             of ,the ecclesiastical bodies may be carefully avoided.
  same thing brought up again and again to consume valuable
                                                                             Quite correctly the 51st Article of the Christian Reformed
  time in discussion and debate at the major assemblies of the
                                                                           proposed revision of the Church Order expresses the intent
  churches. Before such a matter then may reappear on the
                                                                           of Article 46 for our present day when it states: "Matters
  agendum, the past decisions regarding the point in question
                                                                           once decided upon by major assemblies shall not be resub-
  must first be read and then, unless it is evident that there is
                                                                           mitted, for consideration and action unless a revision is re-
  a good reason that the matter should be reconsidered, the
                                                                           quested. For such suggested revisions grounds must be
  matter is to be dropped. Such is the meaning of Article 46
                                                                           given."
  today.

        Originally, this article of our Church Order .had a dif-
                                                                                                    The Synod
  ferent intent. Like the preceding article, it arose at a time

  when copies of the decisions of the Synods were not very                     "(Every year (OY if need be oftener) fog or five or m.ore

  plentiful. The Acts of Synod were not printed and made                   neighboring classes `.&all wze&  as a p.arti&ar  synod, to

  available at a nominal cost to any interested member of the              which ea.ch classis  shall delegate two minis'ters  and two

  church. Even all the Consistories did not have in their pos-             elders. At the close- of both the particztlw and the general

  session a copy of the decisions of the Synods. It is said that           synod, some church shall be empow'eued  to detmkne  with

  it was customary for the clerk of, the Synod to read the                 advice of classis,  the time a.nd place of the nen-t synod.),,

  decisions of the assembly and the delegates would copy them                                                      -Article 47, D. I(. 0.

  and take them home with them: AS a result of this it would
  frequently happen that a Consistory would unknowingly                        One may wonder somewhat why this article and the two
  bring a matter to the Classis  which had already been acted              following appear in our Church Order in parentheses. The
  upon by a former Synod.              If the Classis did not happen'to    reason for this is obviously that they deal with a matter that


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E ' A R E R                                                       357


 is non-existent in our churches, namely, the matter of partic-     our case the time of each Synod is determined by a standing                 .

 ular synods, We have only a general synod. Particular              rule and the place is determined by each Synod in the ap-

 synods have not been introduced and it is not until Article 50     pointment of a calling church. However, it appears rather

 that the Church Order speaks of the general synod. Con-            plain that the Church Order does not empower any individual

 sequently, the content of Articles 47-49 inclusive does not        (i.e. the Stated Clerk) to determine these things but gives

 really concern us and we will, therefore, but briefly comment      this authority to the calling church in consultation with the

 upon their content.                                                classis.  If this principle had been observed by the Michigan

                                                                    Supreme Court in the case of the Second Church, they
    As the names themselves indicate, the difference between
                                                                    would never have arrived at the foolish conclusions they did
 a Particular and General Synod is that one is broader in
                                                                    in regard to the "legality of the March, 1954, Synod."
 scope than -the other.    The Particular Synod receives dele-

gates from a limited number of'classes while all of the Clas-                                                               G . V . d . B .

ses of the denomination are represented in the General

 Synod. When a denomination of churches becomes very

large, particular synods may be instituted although this is
not absolutely necessary. The ecclesiastical structure is really        "Conversion consists in that activity of the regenerated
complete with consistories,  classes and synod.                     man, whereby he learns to see sin in its true nature, to hate
                                                                    the same and to flee from it; to return to God as Father
    As to the origin of Particular Synods, we may state that
                                                                    in Christ, and to walk in his ways with joy and gladness."
they began already as early as 1568 in the Netherlands. At
                                                                                                 H. Bavinck, Geref.  Dogwatiek,  
least the Convention of Wezel in that year advised the in-                                                                         Vol. IV

stitution of these synods and three years later the Synod of

Emden  decided that there should be three such particular           Chzmh  News:
synods. These were to be located, one in Holland, one in
                                                                        Bulletin quote (Rev. R. C. Harbach's) : The natural man
Germany and one in England and the reason for this selec-
                                                                    delights to tickle his fancy with "another gospel" which
tion was that refugees from the Reformed Churches had
                                                                    "invites"           absolutely all men to Christ, which comes with
been dispersed mainly in these three countries. Later, how-
                                                                    overtures of peace to "accept Christ as Savior," which offers
ever, when the persecutions subsided and the churches be-
                                                                    saving grace to all who hear, which bestows "non-saving( ?)
came more settled, it was decided to limit each particular
                                                                    grace" on even those who never hear, and makes the human-
synod to four or five classes. In 1905 an added, stipulation
                                                                    istic claim that the totally depraved can do a certain "natural,'
was made that the particular synods, with minor exceptions,
                                                                    good outside of Christ. Modernism has always spread this
should' coincide in scope with the confines of the various
                                                                    "gospel."
geographical provinces. This provision, however, was never

adopted in this country and, should the time come that par-

ticular synods are instituted here, the whole matter would

likely undergo revision depending upon local needs and cir-                                        IN MEMORIAM
cumstances.
                                                                       It pleased our Heavenly Father to take unto Himself our beloved

    The article itself mentions three matters that are note-        daughter
                                                                                                   JANICE MARIE
worthy. First, it designates an mnztal  meeting of the partic-

ular synod and allows for even more frequent meetings if               Our only comfort in this sorrowful experience is that His cov-
                                                                    enant promises are sure. VVe  wait for the glorious resurrection!
necessary. Secondly, it specifies two ministers and two elders
                                                                    Matt. 21:16.
as delegates from each classis  which is to be represented.                                                 Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Zwak

Undoubtedly the number of delegates is not an unchange-                                                     Thea Gail

able rule. The above arrangement with five classes rep-                                                     Robert Alan

resented at the Synod would- make a delegate body of                                                        Beverly Jo

`twenty men which is reasonable. If, however, each of these
                                                                                                   IN MEMORIAM
classes were very large classes, the delegation could be
raised to three ministers and three elders, making an aggre-           The Hudsonville Sunday School teachers hereby wish to express
                                                                    their sympathy with their fellow teacher and his wife, Mr. and Mrs.
gate of thirty men. The size of the particular synod should
                                                                    Henry Zwak in the loss of their daughter
be reasonably proportionate to the' size of the classes rep-                                       JANICE MARIE .
resented in it. Finally, the Church Order makes provision           aged 7 years and 8 months.
whereby the Synod empowers a particular c~$ur&  to deter-
                                                                       The God of all comfort give grace to them to bear this heavv
mine the time and place of the next synod. This must be             loss, knowing that all His ways are majesty.
done with the advice of the classis  in which that church
                                                                                ,. ,                   The Hudsonville Sunday School
resides. It is interesting to note that this provision applies                                             Mr. Harry Zwak, Superintendent
to the General Synod as well as to the Particular Synod. In                                                Mrs. Henry Boer, Secretary

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


I/ .'                                                              Loveland, and about 300 miles from the nearest of our
             A L L   ARCNlND  toIS                           .e--II churches which is the church in Edgerton, Minnesota. Two
                                                                   of the families live in Aberdeen, one family lives in Leola

                                                                   about 20 miles from the church, and three of the families and

                                                                   one individual live in rather close proximity to the church.
The Churches of the. Dakotas.
                                                                   This church carries the hope of internal growth since most

       We depart from the usual format of this rubric and make     of the families are young married people with small children.
this article to appear in the form of a report- to our .readers    Undersigned is of the belief that if a minister were stationed
of some of the activities and experiences of the undersigned       here permanently extension work could be carried out in the
in the land of the Dakotas. While we write these notes we          Leola and Aberdeen area with people of the same background
are a little more than a thousand miles from the privacy and       as the members of this church.

the materials of our own study-room in the manse of the             The Church' of Isabel is composed of seven families and
Southwest Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Usually                one individual and is located about 160 miles from Aberdeen
there we are surrounded with church periodicals and other          to the south and west. The two churches are approximately
material from which we choose the things we ordinarily com-        180 miles apart. All of the members of this church live in
ment -on.  But -here we have none of this equipment to help        close proximity to the church.
us in the preparation of an article. We thought therefore             The country in these parts is typical western prairie,
that. our readers would not mind this little. departure, and       with rolling landscape and is quite suitable for ranching.
perhaps relish a bit of news concerning the land and the           Most of the people here are farmers who graze sheep and
churches of the Dakotas in which we have been working for          cattle. They raise enough grain to feed their stock which
the last three weeks in April.                                     seems to be their main industry. The people are all of
       Rev. George Lubbers, our missionary, has labored faith-     German heritage. Most of them are of Reformed background,
fully in this area for the space of about two years and in         but a few of them have come into the church through mar-
earlier issues of TJte  Standard Beayer  he has given brief        riage from different religious backgrounds, some from the
reports of his labors. To him, therefore, what we write will       Lutherans and others from the Baptists. That they are of
not be news. Nor will this article prove to be news to our         German stock is no hindrance to our being conversant with
Mission Committee which has been rather thoroughly in-             them since most of them understand the American language
formed concerning the possibilities this area has to offer. Nor    better than the German. Especially is this true of .the
will what we write be news to those ministers who have             younger generation.
served the Dakota churches by appointment of the Mission
                                                                      What immediately intrigues one who comes to these
Committee since the Synod of 1959. All of them must have
                                                                   parts to..preach  to and instruct these people in the doctrines
had the same experiences, performed the same labors, and
                                                                   of the Reformed faith is the keen interest they show and
gained the same impressions the undersigned has had. Our
                                                                   the response they give. It is refreshing, indeed, to witness
prime purpose' in this article is to inform those of our min-
                                                                   how these people lean on every word' you say and how easily
isters and people who have not had the privilege to observe
                                                                   they grasp the truths you expound to them. There was a
first hand what one experiences when he meets and visits
                                                                   time in the history of this people. when this was not so.
with those who at present are outside of our churches, but
                                                                   Earlier in their experience they resided in churches where
who to all intents and purposes belong with us.
                                               I >.                doctrinal distinctions were not so pronounced, and where in-
 Most of our readers know, of course, that at the next             struction was rather superficial, and church services were a
synod it must be decided whether or not the Protestant             mere. formality. About the only confession they knew was
Reformed Churches will take into their bosom the Churches          the Heidelberg Catechism," and this they learned in a rather
of Isabel and Forbes who have asked to be accepted. The            superficial and formal manner. When Mr. Herman Mensch,
Synod of 1959 decided.to postpone any action for one year in       a graduate of our Protestant Reformed seminary, became
order that the Mission Committee might make a more                 their pastor, for the first time -their eyes began to open not'
thorough survey of this area and the Synod of 1960 could           only to the truths of God's Word, but also to the errors in
thus be in a better position to judge of the matter. Our ad-       their churches. And when Rev. G. Lubbers came to labor in
vice to the synod of 1960 we will reserve for the conclusion       their midst the love of the truth began to grow -in them.
of this article. First, allow us to say a few things about the     These people, no matter into'which home you go, are full of
churches and people of this area, and then a little about our      thanksgiving to God that these men were providentially
work here.                                                         directed to them. And-now they tell me that no matter who

       The Church of Forbes is composed of six families and        of our ministers comes to preach to them, they all speak the
one individual and is located about 41 miles to the north and      same truths though with each his own presentation.

west of Aberdeen, South Dakota. This is about 941 miles               To give our readers a little idea of the work we are

from Grand Rapids, about 600 miles from the Church of              doing here in our three-week assignment, allow us to present

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


 a brief schedule of operation. We arrived in Aberdeen on           ducted the Sunday School and the two worship services. This

 Saturday; April 9th,  and stayed over night and enjoyed            being Resurrection Day, both sermons were devoted to the

 the warm hospitality of the family of Enock Hauck.  Sunday         truth concerning the resurrection. After the evening service

 morning we traveled the 41 miles to the Church of Forbes.          we all retired to the home of another member of the con-

After conducting the Sunday School which all the members            gregation for an evening of Christian fellowship. Incident-

 attend and in the discussion of which. all participate, we con-    ally, the man of whom we spoke earlier whom we' had visited

 ducted the morning worship service. For two and a half             but who was not a. member of this church, was in attendance

 solid hours we were busy handling the Word of God. After           at both the Sunday School and the morning service.

 this we enjoyed a German meal in the home of one of the               It is now Monday morning as I write these lines. Tonight
 members and then began our trek to Isabel. On the way of           we will conduct Catechism for the final time in Isabel and
 this more than three-hour drive, we tuned in the broadcast         on .Tuesday  night deliver a lecture. On Wednesday we will
 `of the Reformed Witness Hour which is sent out from the           take our leave to return once more to Forbes. There on
 Jamestown, North Dakota station. Coincidentally on this            Thursday night we plan to conduct the Catechism Class and
 program Mr. Edward Ophoff sang the anthem "Beside the              on Friday and Saturday visit in the homes of our people
 Still Waters."      As he was singing and telling us in song       there. On Sunday, we plan to lead the Sunday School once
 about the Still Waters by which the Shepherd was feeding           more and preach twice, On Monday we again leave for
 His sheep, we were driving past a small lake by which a            home. To me these three weeks were a pleasant vacation
 rather large herd of sheep were grazing. We beheld the             and change from the rather strenuous routine we follow .at
 physical picture of the spiritual truths of which he sang. Then    home. We enjoyed-every minute of it. And anyone coming
 followed the passion sermon of Rev. H. Hoeksema. This              to these environs who loves to speak the truth will have the
 spiritual refreshment helped to pass the time it took to reach     same treatment.
 our destination.
                                                                       Now what shall we say about the matter of receiving
    Arriving at Isabel and the home of Mr. Jacob Reichert,          these people into. our churches ? Let me say, first of all, that
 whose hospitality is typical of all the people in this area,       at the- last `synod undersigned served on. the committee of
 we found a few moments to rest and enjoy an evening meal.          pre-advice which proposed that our synod should not accept
 Soon it was time for the evening service, and we preached          these churches. On the basis of this advice the synod was
 to ti little congregation of spiritually hungry people. After      reluctant to accept them also, but decided to give the whole
 the service all of the members, except one family, retired to      matter more thorough examination.
 the home of another of the members where we visited, talk-
                                                                    ' Some, of the objections presented- by the committee bE
 ing about the sermon and other doctrinal truths until the
                                                                    pre-advice are still valid in our opinion. The objection that
 late hours of the night. During the next two days we were
                                                                    the distance between these two groups is too great for one
 busy visiting, observing the annual sheep-shearing, and
                                                                    man to serve both. churches efficiently still obtains. And
 preparing ourself  for the Catechism Class. On Monday
                                                                    the very serious objection that there. is no Christian school
 evening the-entire congregation came up for Catechism which
                                                                    in this area and.no  hope for one for a long time to come is
 is conducted in the church. Only those who have been here
                                                                    still a very serious objection.
 can understand me when I say this was the most refreshing

 experience.    Even -the-children  of 12 years and older par-         On the -other  hand, we have talked with- most of the

 ticipate in the discussion in which one of the Lord's `Days        people here about the possibility of `consolidating into one

 of the Heidelberg Catechism was treated. On Wednesday              church. This is easier said than done, yet the.  people in

 we also had the privilege of calling on a man who is not a         Isabel do. not conceive of this as an impossibility. If this

 member of the church. This man had recently lost a son and         could be done, the situation in the Dakotas would be very

 found comfort in the Word of consolation we presented to           hopeful. Moreover, I am now convinced that-  our ,churches

 him from the Scriptures.                                           may not neglect to take these people into our bosom. They

                                                                    are Protestant Reformed people who are eager to become
    On Thursday, we traveled back to Leola, where we had            more thoroughly indoctrinated. In this we may not fail
 supper in the home of Mr. R. De Wald. After enjoying an-           them. Again, I- believe there is room for expansion and
 other delicious German meal and visiting for a few hours,          growth, not only from within, but also from without, espe-
 we proceeded to the Church of Forbes where we led the              cially in the neighborhood of Forbes and Aberdeen. A minister
 Catechism Class. Again the entire congregation made its            coming into this area and remaining here for some time- has
 appearance.    Even the young mothers attend, holding their        a large field in which to labor.
 babies.on  their laps. What a rewarding experience it was to

 hear the questions they asked and the answers they gave to            We therefore recommend that the,synod  of 1960 follow

 our questions. On Friday evening almost the entire congrega-       the advice of the Mission Committee in their annual report,

 tion kame up for the Good Friday services.                         and accept these churches immediately.

    On Saturday we returned to Isabel, and on Sunday con-                                                                     M.S.


        .                         ,_           ___~~_______                                      ___~ ~~ __
360                                            ..-THE `STANDA'RD                 B    E    A     R     E    R    '           : .


                                                                               Rev. A. Mulder thanked the ladies of Hope Church for

  Y@VS FROM OUR,CHURC.HES                                               their excellent datering  serviCes.
                                                                               `Cl&s decided to meet next time on July 6th in South-
                  "All  the saints salute thei  . . .T' PHIL. 4:21 "
                  ,'                                                    west Church:              .

                                                                        '      Questions' of Article 41 of .the Church Order` were `asked

                                                   April 20, 1960       and answered satisfactorily. .
                                                                        -7.
                                                                               After a .few  closing remarks by. the chairman in. which
`.- Qak  Lawn's pastor, .Rev.  G. Vanden  `Berg; .decliried the         our churches -were committed to `the blessing of Godj Elder
call from Randolph: The congregation at Hull extended. a                J. M. Faber. closed, the meeting. with thanksgiving.
call to Rev. M. Schipper of Southwest Church, `Grand Rapids.                                                               M. Schipper, Stated Clerk


                        Report  of Class& Etist                                The installation of Rev. B. Woudenberg took place in
                                                                        Edgerton  on the evening of March 25. Rev. H. Veldman
        April 6, 1960, Hope Church, Grand Rapids, Mich.                 preached the sermon and Rev. G., Vanden  Berg read the

       Rev. C. Hanko, chairman of the January Classis,  led in          form: After the service a short welcome program was given

devotions. All the churches of Classis  East were represented           by the congregation. While refreshments were being served

by two delegates each. Three delegates appearing on the                 opportunity was given for the new' pastor and his -wife-  to
meeting for the first  time. Rev. B. Woudenberg, who had                become acquainted with the members of the congregation.

transferred to Classis West since our last meeting, was                 There was a goodly number of visitors from the congrega-

noticeably absent.                                                      tions of Doon and Hull, Iowa. The evening was a very

       Rev. H. Hanko, .pastor  of the `host  church, presided           pleasant experience for all.

efficiently at this meeting, while his father, Rev. C. Hanko                   The Prot. Ref. Men's Chorus gave a- `Lenten program in
transcribed the minutes. This meeting of Classis  was very              Hudsonville Church.after,  the evening service, April 10. The
brief. We were fmished.with  our work by noontime. We                   newly enlarged auditorium was filled down to the front row,
breathed in a very .brothtrly atmosphere throughout this ses-           with chairs set up in the aisles. The Chorus served God
sion of Classis.                                                        with songs of. praise-worship with their usual high class selec-
       Much of `the  work was routine : reading and adoption            tions of male chorus arrangements, including one by their
of minutes, reports of the Stated Clerk and Classical Com-              director, Mr. Roland Petersen. The men were supplemented
mittee, appointment of committees of finance and classical              by a vocal quartet of ladies from the Hudsonville congrega-
appointments, etc. .                                                    tion. .Two  of the same ladies also rendered a piano-organ

       Classis  honored the:request of Classis  West in regard to       duet,.`completing  an evening of spiritual enjoyment for the

classical appointments.for  Randolph, `as well as requests from         entire audience, and, we believe,:one  of sweet smelling savor

Greston and Grand Haven. The following schedule was                     to the God of our salvation Who loves to hear His singing

adopted: Gj*and  Haven: April 24: A. Mulder, May 15 -                   militant Church. The -program  was sponsored by the Mothers'

G. Lanting,, May 29 - G. Vos, June 19- C. Hanko, July                   Club of- the Hope Prot. Ref. Christian School.

3 -H. ,Hanko,  Juiy.  lo.-. R. Veldman. Creston:  April 24
                                                                                                Revs. J. Heys and H. H. Kuiper  have been
- G. Lantjng, May'l.---  G. Vos, May 8 - R. Veldman, May                       CoGection:  
                                                                        appointed Church Visitors in Classis  West.
22 - C: Hanko, May 29 i A.. Mulder, June 12`ti.M.  Schip-               ._."          . -._-                                        .
per. Randol@  : April .24 - H. Hanko, May i - C. Hanko,                        Did YOU  ktiow : That through- correspondence upon re-

May 15 - G. Vos, June 12 7 R. Veldman, June 19,:  A.                    ceipt of a Christmas greeting it was discovered that Rev.

Mulder, June 26-G; Laming,  July 10-M. Schipper.                        Yoisiyi  Mo.rii  of Kyoto, Ja'pan,  has Rev. H. Hoeksema's ex-

       The Revs. H. Hanko and `M. Schipper were given. only             position on The'Heidelberg  Catechism in his personal library;

two appointments because of their service in Isabel-Forbes              that, the book committee of -`the Radio Committee has since

for three Sundays each.                                                 supplied that' Japanese minister with-. the remainder `of "Do:

       Classis  voted for Church Visitors and elected the follow-       minee's" .published  books to add to his library ; that, you,
ing: Revs. C. Hanko and G. Vos. Rev. R. Veldman is alter-               too, may `obtain-any or all of these books by ordering them
.nate for both.             .'                                          from the Reformed Witness -Hour, P.O. Box 8, Grand
                                                                        Rapids 1, Mich.  And, that Rev. G. Lubbers was scheduled
       Two churches asked Classisto forward to Synod amend-
                                                                        to lecture in Hull, April 19, on the subject, "The Serious
ments and corrections in their subsidy requests. This was
                                        . .                             Confrontation in the Preaching of the Gospel"; and, that
granted.
                                                                        the-Doon  Ladies' Society sponsored a hymn sing, April 1Oj
       Another church presented an. overture fork Synod which
                                                                        proceeds to go for a new tile floor in the church basement?
was returned to that church on the grounds`of Article 30 of,
the Church Order.                                                       .'
                                                                             -....    see you- inchurch.                                 `.  J . M . F .


