                                                                                                                                                                                                          -
      VOL'UME  X X I V   `.                                                        April 15, 1948 - Grand Rapids, Michigan                                                       ..NUMBER   1 4

                                                                                                                                  Listen, Pharaoh of  ihat  -mighty Egypt! Here is
            M~EDI~Tq'P`  IoN . an important message of %e -Most Bigh : "that .ye may '
                                                                             _'                                   know how that the Lord doth p&a difference .betw&n
                                                                                             -.                   the Egyptians and, Israel !"

                                   Divine                               Djf+fjnction               -"'     -i               _          "`.       :-        1     *  :*-  +  --* .  :.  .-  .'  j

                                                                                                                                  We listen to.  3 message of wonderful Divine  ,,dis-  '
                                "That  ye may  knoti  how `that the Lord  doth' pnt                               tiuction  1                                            -.,_                 ,.
b      :                 a difference betw,een  the Egyptians and Israel." _ -'                                        I
                                        _
             0                                                                                                                    But how is this  possible"?                         -'                       .'
                                                                                    Exodus  lJ.:7b.               /               .Hbw  can there he su& 2; terrible di.&&ion  be- ,
            There `is one thing in  l&is history which has puzzled  `tween  peq&  a&  people?   '  .                                                                                  -  .                      _
       us no end, and that is the fact th`a,0 Moses and Aaron                                                                     &e  liot  Egypt-  and Israel of  one common stock?
       could freely move in Egypt, appeai'at Pharaoh's court, Are they not of one flesh and blood- relation? Their
' tell him in no uncektain  terms his sins against Gad, and father is Adam, and their mother is Eve, the woman `.
       disappear unscathed.                                                                 . .                   who was' so nam&l by her. husband `"`bec'atise  she was
            It must be .that the fear. of God had .fallen upon - the l&other  of  all living".                                                                                                      `_
                                                                                                                                                                                        1  ~1  -ye
       Pha,rao.h and his- servants, on $he$ne -hand ; and, on                                                                      Divine distin&ion"between  people and people?
       the other hand, that Moses was a.$`proper" man, -even                                                                     But Egypt and- Israel were- together in .the ark that
       as,he was a proper child ,at his .bi$h. There  mu&  have was made to the saving o&Noah's  house ! And to the :
      *  .been something singular in the appearance of this great 1!.ouse of Noah belonged both Egypt and Israel ! From
       man of G.od. .We know<definitely.that  when he'$vas 120 where then  ihis `awful distinction, so that the- one
       years old "his eye was not diin, nor hfs natural force people  .is,  -stricken ten times with ever increasing ,
       abated". .                                                                                                 vehebence,-  while the other :
            We see him. now, in .the history recorded in the
       context, standing before the face of the great.Pharaoh `-                                                                          "He suffered none to do  teem  wrong
       of Egypt, boldly telling him of the results of the. last                                                             i                           In all their pilgrim way ;
       plague w&h Jehovah. shall send. up& him and his                                                                                         Y&a, for their `sake were kings rep?oGed
       servants.                                       .           "                                                                              . And covered with-  dism$y  !"
            Moses minces no .words :' he t$ls: `him not only of                                                                   ( Moreover, it is very evident that the awful distinc-
       the plague, but also of the. terrible results.. `Qn the- one "Lion m&t not be sought *in .the extreme godlessness of *
       hand, there shali be no. harm, done t,S the, Israelites at the one, and the great piety of the other for both be-
       all, -while th.e Egyptians &all come and `beg Israel to 1ong to the falleh  race of (Adam: they are sinners all,
       depart,  I laden  `.c$th gold and .silver.  and beasts in and therefore, they al:e equally guilty -before a just
       multitude.,                           ,v,`,           ~     I                                              God.
            And not  onjy  do&$ Moses  speak.  ireely and  even,                                                                   And they have proveil.  it .abundantly in their life
       boldly and .defi=tly to the great tyrant, bu* he spoke and walk. Stay with this history  an,d,weep.  YOU will
       this last  announcemoizt  "in a  grgat anger".                                               He is see the people that is favored by  ,God, but they will
       filled with the Holy,:Spirit of Jehovah, and the indigna- :. .murmur  and turn against the ,God that favored them.
       tie; of outraged righteousness and justice thril!s iti his-. They will -increase their murmuring  and- tempt -God
                                                                                                                                  .
every word and action.                                                  s                            > .:  &Massah  .and  Meribah..  They will turn against the
            Marvel!o& courage of fa%th !
                              . .  :                                                                              God-sent Moses- and Aaron, and only a few chapters

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 314           ; .                      `f H E        STAND:ARD  B E A R E `R

 hence, Moses will go a-cry&g to Jehovah and say to bour next unto his house, and .they would have their
 Him : "they'be dmost ri?ady to stone me !" (17 :4)           ; li!tle lamb together. IAnd these latibs had to be v&y'
   . And if you would say to me, Yes, but Moses at least:' select stock : without blemish, a male of the first ye&r.
 is *orthy of this awful distinction, together with those; These lambs were prepared for their eating  ifi the
  of a kindred spirit, with the great Man of <God  ; then night in which they departed from the house of looed-
  I would point you to two ihihgs. First, the 90th psalm' age, but they acted rather strangely with the blood:
 l{ihere we read &l&es own testimony. "Thou hast set they would. strike it on the two side posts and dn tile
our iniquities before  The&, our  secret'sins! in the  liiht: upper door-post of .the houses in which .the flesh was
  of%hy cotigttinance.;. F,or all O'UV: days are passed away eaten. And the strange -supper was eaten in the night.
  ili Thy w&h : :ywe spend our years as a tale that is' Moreover, they ate of it with their loins girded, -their
 t o l d . "And, se&bd,  God's testimony concerning Moses, I, shoes on their feet, and their staffs in their hand ; and
 x&en we read : "And the Lo&d was. angry with me for, they had to be in a great hurry with  &is  noetukal
  y&r sakes, saying, Thou shalt not go in thither." You' `supper. A strange proceeding indeed  !.
 know the history: (God said to Moses : "Take the rod'                     But in it, dear reader, you would- `have seen the
  .  ; . . and speak: ye unto t&e rock before their' &y& ;' difference which the Lord "put" `.between  Egyptptian
  and it shall bring forth his water. . ; . And Mo$es took              and Israelite. .
  th;he  rqd. . . . and he said unto them, Hear now,  jre`  '              Let us patiently wait until. midnight, and we will
  rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And: see and hear most marvellous things, things of Jehovah,
  Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote things of a distinction that is really eternal.in SCONE,
 the rock  tzuice. . . . And the Lord spake unto Moses' everlasting in its fruit.
  and Aaron, Because ye believed Me not, to sanctify Me,
  in the eyes of the children of Israel.. . . ."                          "`And the Lord God spake unto Moses and Aarbn
     0h no, neither Moses nor Aaron deserve this won-; m the Ian-d of Egypt, saying. . . . they shall take unto
  drous. distinction'of whi&h the text speaks.                          them every man a lamb. . . . ahd the whole assembly
     And all through the life and history of this distinct' of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in theceven-
  people they have proved it in th&ir sinful walk  and, ing. And they shall take of the. blood, and strike: it
conversation.                                                 i. on the two side posts, and on the upper door-post `of
     And yet : "that ye may know that the Lord doth puti the houses. : . . . %`or I will pass through the land iof
  a difference between the Egyptians and Israel."             ! Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn `in
                                                                        the land of Egypt, both man and beast. . . . And the
     Strange, passing strange, Divine distinction !           ' blood shall be to you for a token upon the-houses wh&e
                         8 `Q *  *                                      ye are: and when I see the blood I will pass over you,
                                                                        and the plague .shall not be upon you to destroy you,
     We may as* well admit  that if viewed from the' when I smite the land of Egypt."
  natural, historical aspect, there is no distinction at all.;             And when Moses, the man of God, had heard ;a11
  Paul says as tiuch when `he advances  the question : the Word of God concerning this difference which God
  "What then, are we i better than they? for we have, would pu't between the Egyptians and the Israelites,
  before proved both Jews `and `Gentiles, that they are: he proceeded to call all the elders, and gave them in-
  all under sin. . . . that every mouth may be stopped,, structions according to all that the Lord had said. j
  arid all the world.may  become guilty before God." '             .       And in'their turn, the elders told the congregati&,
     No, there is no distinction in,us as`we are by nature, j and they made ready the passover of the Lord.
 but God has nevertheless always addressed a certain!                      .Try to visualize the scene, and wonder at the wqn-
  people in most wonderful language, whi!e the other' derful  distinction that the Lord had made.                              1
  people IIe addressed in language that makes us shud-                     The whole congregation, both the parents and the
  der; tremble and shake.                                               little ones, are wide awake at midnight, and they stand
     What may be the s&l&on' to this "problem"?                         as if ready for a journey, their' loins girt a,bout, and
     Let u's look `at the text once more: "how that the shoes on their  f&, and their staffs in their  hands.
  Lord doth put a difference. . . ."                                    .And they `eat of the slaughtered lambs, in a great haste,
     There is the solution. The difference is "put" by according to the word of `Ihe Lord.
  the Lord.                                                                M&k you well the blood that is on the  hous'es:
     If you `ivould have journeyed among the Israelites it makes all th& difference!
  at this period in this history, you would `have seen,                    At midnight it ought to be very still: it is the t&e'
  someming' strange among them. Every father of `the for rest. and slumber.
  families "took unto him a lamb, according to the house                   But what means that great cry in Egypt at mid-
  of their fathers, a latib for an house." And if a man's night ?
 `family was somew-hat small, he- would go `toohis neigh-:                 Really, there was no `great differknce between the
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            '                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                315,  ;
 run of them and the run of the .Israelites: those people              It is even more tfian its historical fulfillment on the
 loved their firstborn son also ! And they `loved their day of the fkast just outside of 6umultuous  Jerusalem,
 father who happened t? be-the firstborn in his genera-          anno Dominus 33. 10h yes, there.we saw thelpassover
 tlons. They even loved  their old grandfathers who lamb fulfilled. But it is greater than that. We agree
 were born fir&-so long ago. In some houses of the with yod :' .Golgotlia  and,Golgotha's Je&s is the differ-
 Egyptians .ther.e were three dead bodies at, midnight. ,ence which God "put" betweeh Egypt'and Israel. But
 Perhaps  th&e were  four,  .if the old patriarch lived both the typical slaughter of the innocents and the
 longer than th.e usual allotted span of the life of man.        fulfillment in  the fulness of time hark back to the
     The Lord God passes through Egypt that night, Divine distinction of eternity. The love of God is
 and his passing was terrible. At midnighti  there were above and beyond our history. Golgotha is a yevel&ion
 many dead bodies. Neither was there any respect of of that which is beyon'd and above time and place and
 persons. There was one dead in Pharaoh's house, and history.
 there were the dead in the dungeon. And there were 0                  Eternaily God has put a difference between Egypt
 many dead in between these extreme categories: More- and Israel.,  -
 over, all the firstborn of the. cattle died also.                     Harken to His `own words: I have loved you with
     l&t in the houses &f the Israelites it was very still.      an everlasting love, and therefore. have `I drawn you !,
 When the Lord saw tine blood oli the posts of the door,         It is the gromld,  reason and motive  for the erecting of
 He passed over them and destroyed them not.                     thit wondrous Cross, that sl&ughter  of the Innocent !
    Wonderful, Divine distinction!  '  `,                                                      *     `8     *     8

                 *      *      :i:     4:                               What may. God's purpose be in this great distinc-
     How must we explain all  this?               ,              tion ?
     Did  tie not agree amqng ourselves that there iS                   That ye may know ! That is the lknguage of the
  no real difference between the run .of them and the text.                               -
                                                                        Ye has reference to Egypt.. Yes, and  `co all  the
  run of Israel?         c'                                      miserable people that are spiritually Egypt and Sodom,
     [Are they not of one common stock of evildoers?             tihere also the Lord Jesus was crucified. The awful
  The people of Israel, in their leaders, would accentuate decree of reprobation is historically realized. in the
  that and cry: All our days are passed away in' Thy sins-  and guilt  df Egypt. They are  wort%y of the
  wrath! And the reason: bur s,e&et sins stand in the plague of their destruction.
  light of `Thy countenance ! .                                         But that marvellous Divine distinciion is also, and
     First, let us' return  <to -that awful midnight, so long    primarily, that Israel may know how that the Lbrd
  ago in Egypt land.                                             has "put" a difference between them and Egypt.
     No, there is no,suffering,  no death in Israel.             Israel must know unto all eternity that the Lord has
    But what of the lamb?                                        given the Lord Jesus to,-be slgughtered  as the Lamb
     And note that the lamb is without blemish, a male           of God, so that it may pay the ransom for Israel of
  of the first year!                                             the ages. Israel, and that is <God's church of all the
     Study the bleeding lambs in Israel. Their blood ages, must know that the Lord lbved them with an
  made,all the difference as we have clearly seen. When everlasting love, and therefore has given the blood
  He saw the bldod, He would pass over *hem.                     on the doorposts' of their hearts. And seeing this
  Well. then, these lambs are tokens, signs, types,' blood, He' passes over them, and they are not de-
  shadows -of a wonderful Lamb of-  IGod that was  td stroyed.
  come !                                                               `And, finally, the Lord has "put" the difference
     No, none of' the firstborn of  the. Jews were de- between Egypt and Israel so that He `might. showy to
  stroyed that night, and yet, in a sense, .their firstborn them and the world and the .fallen spirits, how utterly
  wm destroyed by  (God. In a sense, Jesus died that lovely, gracious, wopderfully wise qpd &orious He is
  night for. the ,children of (God in Israel. And Jesus, as' that dwelleth between the cherubtm `where the blood
  concerning the flesh, was among them that night.               rjf Jesus is sprinkled.                                             L1
     According to the. w&d pf the Lord, .many lambs                     Remembrance is made. of ;that blood from `genera-
  died tl@t night. And in the slaughter  of the innocents tion to generation.
  there. was a very pregnant promise : I will kill My                   If our children ask: Why this  -wonderful  distine-
  firstbprn for you, that you may live, and live forever !       .lion ?
     Divine' distinction! .                                             Then father speaks; and mother confirms: The
   ,Oh yes, and it is mo?e  than historical,- more than Lord has put this difference, that He be praised for-
  typical, more than: prefigured ,among the children of ever and ever!
Israel in that early  .day.                                       .                -Y-                                 _  G .   V o s .


     316                                                                                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D .   B E A R E R
                                                                                                                                         .-
                                      The  Standard Bearer
                 Semi-Monthly,  ecxcept  Monthly  in  July   and  August                                                                                                    ,               --EDITORIALS                                 I
                                                       Published   By
                             The  Reformed   Free   Publishing  Association   _                                                                                                                                                          !
                                                   1463  Apdmore  St.,  S.  E.                                                                                                              The'  Crestsn  Overture  :
                                         EDITOR: -  Rev.  H.  Hoebsema.-
     Contributti'g   Editors:  - Rev. G. M. Ophoff, Rev., G. Vbs, Rev.,                                                                                                               The overture, treated at `our April meeting `of
     R.  V'eldman,  Rev. H. Veldman, Rev. H. De Wolf, Rev. B.  .Kok,                                                                                                              Uassis East, is the following:
-    Rev. J. D. De Jong, Rev. A. Petter, Rev. C. Hanko, Rev. L. . .
     Vermeer, Rev.  G: Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev. J. A. Heys,'                                                                                                                                              `Grand Rapids, Mich.
     R e v .   W .   Bofman.                                                                                                                                                                                     January 6, 1948.             ,'
       Communications relative to contents should be addressed to'
     REV. GERRIT VO'S,  Edgerton, Minnesota.                                                                                                                                             To the Synod of the P&t. Ref. Churches               :
                                                                                                                                                                            0
       Communications relative to subscription should be addressed'                                                                                                                       to convene in Grand Rapids, June, 1948
     to MR.,GERRIT  PIPE, 1463 Ardmore St., S. E.., Grand Rapids,: Esteemed Brethren :
     Mich. Announcements, and Obituaries must be mailed to the'
     above address and will be  publishe.d  at a fee of $1.00 for each'                                                                                                               `The Consistory of the Creston Prot. Ref. Church
     notice.                                                                                                                                                                      at Grand Rapids, Mich., hereby calls the following!to
                    . .              (Subscription Price $2.50 per year)                                                                                                          your attention :
     Entered as Second  Class-   Mail  ,at Grand Rapids, Michigan.
                                                                                                                                                                                      1. In the "Rules of Order of. the Synod", Article' 4,
                                                                                                                                                                                  it is stated: "No proposals of importance shall be pre-
                                                                                                                                                                                  sented to Synod that have not appeared on the agen-
                                                                                                                                                                                  dum, so that consistories and classes may have oppor-
                                                                                                                                                                                  tunity for previous deliberation." The evident pur-
                                                                                                                                                                                  pose of this rule is to prevent all danger of hierarchy,
                                                          CONTENTS                                                                                                                all ruling from the top and all boardism.
                                                                                                                                                                                     2. These same "Rules of Order" state in Article ,6:
     M E D I T A T I O N -   '                                                                                                                                                    "All cases that shall be treated by Synod mustcbe sent
            Divine! `Distinction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313            directly by the Classes with their recommendation.
                           Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                            To the above rule are the following exceptions  :/
                                                                                                                                                                                   (1) Consistories or-members who are in disagreement
     EDITORIALS-                                                                                                                                                            .! with cert,ain classical decisions. (2) Suggestions by
            The Creston Overture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .316 '                                      -~
                                                                                                                                                                                  various standing committees". It seems to us point
            R e v .   G .   V o s                                                   _                                                                                              (2) under this article implies that the various standing
     O U R   D O C T R I N E -                                                                                                                                    I                committees can make any kind of recommendation
                Our Covenant God . . . . . . .._. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 : they please to make, while neither the classes nor the
                           Rev. H. Veldman                                                                                                                                        local churches receive opportunity for previous cleliber-
     THE DAY OF  SHADOWS-                                                                                                                                                         ation.  (art. 4).
                The Men Of -Keilah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i 324  ;             3. Finally; Article 9 of the same "Rules" states:
                           R e v .   G .   M .   O p h o f f                                                                                                                      `."The reports of all committees, except of the standing
     THROUGH THE AGES-                                                                                                                                                             committees shall be published three months before
                The Papacy During the Period of the Reformation  ..:.327                                                                                                           Synod convenes, so that all the churches may be duly
                                                                                                                                                                                   informed." Also here we notice once again on the one
                           .Rev. G. M. Ophoff                                     -.                                                                                              hand that the churches must be duly informed, on the
     IN HIS  FEAR-                                                                                                                                                                 other hand as far as the reports of the standing com-
                False Doctrine and the Fear of the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  830j mittees is concerned information is not deemed neces-
                           Rev. J. A. Heys                                                                                                                                         sary, no .matter  how important the "suggestions" of
     FROM HOLY WRIT-                                                                                                                                                             these committees may be. A standing committee or a
                The Objective of Christian Education  `. .                                                                                                                         committee of pre-advice at `synod, or even one delegate
                                                                                                                        . . . . . . . . . . . ..I........... 332
                           Rev. C. Hanko                                                                                                                               -           at synod can come with a proposal to synod which has
                                                                                                                                                                                 j far-reaching consequences, still, neither the classes nor
     CONTRIBUTION-                                                                                                                                                               .the `local churches receive opportunity to deliberate
                Report of Classis West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :..: . . . . . . . . . . . . i....: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335 u p o n   i t .
                           Rev. J. Blankespoor, Stated `Clerk                                                                                                                         Brethren, we believe that here is an element of dh-
                                                                                                                                                                                 crepenacy and inconsistency which can lead to -very


                                            T%tE  STA-niDABD  .BEARER                                                317  /

  unpleasant situation&. On the one hand it is said that when.it-comes  to paying the full amount of the Synodi-
., churches tiuBt be duly informed and receive the oppor- cal assessments for the various fLmds. Furthermore,
  tunity for deliberation, on the other hand there may be tlnere is also a danger that if Synod does not do its  i
  very iqportant last minute suggestions by standing. utmost to keep thk assessments clown to a minimum '
  committees and yet the local churches are not informed "needy churches" will stay "needy" and other churches
  and cannot deliberate upon them.                               iirill apply for financial support in order to meet their
      NaTurally, we realize that every little detail which obligations. After all if would be Very uvlfair to expect .
  is to. appear on the agendum of Synod cannot be dis-           of the ministets  in some of our smaller churches to pay )
  cussed  by the local consistories. Synod tiust have a indirectly a large share of the high assessmen&.
  certain amount of leeway and frkedom  of action. The  -           In connection with the foregoing we suggest the
  Synodical  agendum cannot .be put into a strait-jacket. following:
  We also realize that after important matters are de-                                                                         I
  tided upon it is still `possible for the local consistories       1.. That, if at all possible, the churches should be '
  to come to the aext Synod-with a- protest against such- given an opportunity to discuss all matiters  that come
  decisions. However, this  is usually not done, and there before' Synod, including financial matters  like proposed
  are many drawbacks to such a procedure.                        assessments, salaries, etc. Under our present set-up /
      We believk that the matters which our Synods de-           our classes cl0 not even have this opportunity,-and at
  tide upon should come from tile local  consi&ories  or the classical gatherings' we have at least representa- `,
  that our loca! consistories and classes *are granted a tives of the                     lo& consistories. .                  :
                                                                                                                        -  i
  voice in proposals by various standing committees or              2': That it. should be made the r,ule that decisions j
  any and all. important proposals $hat require a de- which involve a considerable o&lay of money be pro-.
  cision by  Synod; This also seems to be the intention posed to .the -churches, stating the definite sum, and !
  of the "Rules of ,Order", besides, to us it appears to that such decisions do not go into effect till the next ;
  be the proper Reformed  ,Church: Polity.. As churches year. That would give opportunity for deliberation,  :
  we should by all means avoid everything that has btit          suggestions, counter proposals, protest, etc.                 ) .
  a sembla.nce of hierarchy or boardism.
     It was' especially in  connectipn  with the question  0        3. That under no circumstances a standing corn-  /
  of finances which prompted. us to write this letter to mittee  has the power to raise the assessments for a I
your honorable body. It is no secret @at a good many particular fund during the course of the year.  we  ;
  of our-people, e.g., have made statements to the effect had a glaring example of this in the past year when .'
  that the Synod of 1947 was. on a spending spree and the Mission Committee raised the assessments for the I
  that Synods do pretty much as they cl,ease.  `And it is -Mission Fund from $6.00 to $12.00 .per family. That ;
  true that far-reaching decisions were  made,.  assess- this, figure was subsequently lowered to $6.00 per  1
  m&ts were raised without our people having' ahy'idea' family is due to the consistory and  congregatiori  of
  as to tihat'was going ori ,because hothing .was discussed Fuller Ave. But we feel that the printiiple  of the thing
  and there were no definite proposals for "deliberation". is wrqng. ,Other  committees might do the same thing,
  We do not itiply that'this tie+er happened before, but and where would be the end?
  we use  19417 as  ati  exampl-e.1    1                            4. That Synod be very sparing in making decisions
     Brethren, after `all, our peoble are ifiterested iti the -to the effect that a standing committee "use its own
  things that are going-on and they also must pay the discretion" in determining or raising the amount of
  bill when finances, are involved (which is usually, the salary of brethren that are paid by the .churches.
  case) and they do not like to. have the fe&ng that                Finally, brethren, this is really not a protest but
  Synod makes all kinds of important decisions and it is a .request  of OUT consistory that. Synod take these
  financial commit.ments  about vi;lii&h  the local churches matters under advisement, deliberate upon them, and
  ha.ve nothing to say, unless it would  be by way of pro- if at all p.ossible make such rules which prevent even
 , test.  IOn  our congregational meeting several voices the slightest  semblatice  of dictatorship  and-the like.
  were raised opposing the budget for 1948 and `all for          After all, Synods should remain in touch with the
  thk reason of the unexpectedly high assessments for people and our people must have the conviction that
  some: of `the Synodical.funds.                                 our Sytiodical decisions are in harmony with that which
    We believe that if future Synods  do not act very lives in the churches and has the approval of the
  cnGfully  in these mitters and keep in touch with the churches. We believe that our ipeople are willing to
  ljeople  and give the local consistdries an bpporttinity give and to sacrifice for the  .causd of the Kingdom,
  to voice their opinion, our people will not back up some but they like to be fully informed; be convinced.of  t&
  of the Synodical decisions but `strenuously disapprove need, they like to have an opportunity to express them-
  of them and, accuse the Synod(s) of dictatorship. Otir selves before vital decisions'are made, especially wheri
  people will also become discouraged, to say the least,         it means that they have to pay for them. And if it


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      318                                        T H E         ST'AND'AR,D  BEARER-

      should come so far Ithat our people get the impression               Practically the entire session of  Classis East was
      that the Synod is a super committee dictating to our' spent in seeking. to come to a decision which would
      churches from the top and assessing our people at will, j enlighten Synod, `as to the sentiment with respect to
      or that a few men, which happen to be Synodical  dele- the material of ,Creston's  overture.
      gates, assume the power and the authority to decide:                    The first motion made on this material was to send
      about the purse strings of our people as. they please,: it through to Synod without our recommendation,
      our Synods will have lost their prestige and eventually thus indicating disapproval.
      our people will not go along. We believe it is time for,                IA very lengthy discussion followed as to what
      reflection and to move cautiously.              '                   is `the right procedure. It was argued that  Classis
                  Wishing  you  the  guidance  of the  Spirit  of the. should voice something more specific  SO  that  Synod
      Church, we remain,                                                  could  .receive  more of a directive from our  Classis.
                                                                          It was also pointed out that the very manner in'which
                             Pour brethren in  (the Lord,                 this over,ture was treated by classis implied that classis
                                    The Consistory of the  Creston -should say more than was indicated in this motion.
                                     Protestant Reformed Church,          It was maintained that even if classis did not desire
                                             Grand -Rapids, Mich.         to support the overture it should motivate its decision
                         (was signed) John D. De Jong, President          and not simply send a bare statement, since classis
                                        P. Vanden Engel, Clerk            was bound to treat. the material and therefore should
                              .
      *                                                                   furnish Synod with a decision, properly motivated, as
                                                                         a directive for Synod.
      Subscript  :                                                          ~ The support for, this motion and the motion i&f
                                                                          were finally withdrawn, and consequently were  drqp-
                  The above overture might be styled an important ped.
      overture, not so much from the point,of its content,                    Then a motion was made to treat the four sugges-
      but rather because of the treatment it received ; which             tions of  ,Creston's  overture seriatim, that is, one  by
      -certainly revealed that  Classis East considered it one.  You will find these four  suggestions,   numbered
      important.                                                         ;o one to four, near the bottom of .the above transcript
                  In a very objeotive way we will give our readers of Creston's overture. This motion was passed.                 ,
      the history which was made anent this overture of                       It is not possible'for me to acquaint our people .with
      our  Creston Church of Grand Rapids.                                all the arguments and discussions that followed. The
                  It first appeared at the January meeting of Classis     greater part of the session of  classis was spent on
      East, that is, January 1948. From there it was re-? this motion.
      ferred to all. the consistories of Classis East for study 1             A motion was made to adopt Suggestion 1. After a
      and recommendation.                                                -lengthy debate the motion was dropped.
                  It again appeared on the recent April meeting of' i         The same action prevailed with respect to  SL&-
      our  Classis, together with four replies from our con-  : g&ions  2-4.
      sistories.          These four were: the Second Church of               After this it"was called to the attention of classis
      IGrand Rapids, the First Church of (Grand Rapids, that we should motivate our decisions.  Zt was also
      South Holland consistory and Grand Haven consist- i pointed cut th& th.e overture contained elements whi&h
      o r y .                                                            ) classis could and should approve.
                  One of these consistories (Grand Haven) advised I           Thereupon a motion was made as follows: Classis
      classis to send the document'through to Synod without , East expresses that it is in favor of the suggestign
      recommendation.
           -_       _              The Second and South Holland j of Creston  that all'matters pertaining to the Agendum
      Churches advised to send it through with the agree- of Synod be publicized as soon as possible in order
      ment of  Classis, while Fuller Avenue consistory ad- that all our churches may be acquainted with the mat-
      vised the adoption of suggestion No. 1. (see bottom ters that are to be treated, but that classis deems `it
      of  Creston Overture), eliminating the phrase "if at not wise to approve the posi,tive suggestions of Creston. '
      all possible", and adding: and here I have not avail- This motion was supported and after some discussion
      able the phrase which Fuller Avenue consistory would was passed.
      see incorporated in the suggestion that is labelled No. 1.              Immediately afterwards a motion was made to re-
-.    The, same consistory advised the elimmation  of sug- consider the, motion just passed, on the ground that
      gestion No. 2. And they advise the elimination of t.here was not enough ,opportunity  for discussion. This
      the phrase "except the standing committees" which motion to reconsider was passed, and after a lengthy
           appears in Article 9 of the "Rules of-,Order of Synod", discussion,, the original motion was dropped:
      which rule is quoted in Creston's overture, see para-                   The status quo with respect to Creston's overture
           graph 3 in the beginning of their document.                     at this stage was that we disapproved of the four


 Suggestions of Creston's overture, -but that we had tion. But the sad part is that Classis East sends these
 not appended our grounds for such action.                   four NO's to Synod without a shred of motivation.                   '
  , Finally, a motion was made as -follows:  Classis And that is  arbi%trary,  and therefore, destructive to.  j
 East sends the Creston's "overture through to Synod our Reformed set-up' of church federation.                   Both
 with this notification, to wit, that Classis East; in its Creston`s consistory and the Synod of 1948 will have ,
 April meeting, rejected the four suggestions of Creston .reason to .be offended at the arbitrary action of Classis
 on the ground that they militate against our Reformed East. Here  his a consistory which sincerely labored  /
 set-up with respect to the authority of Synods as re- regarding a certain matter which concerns the whole
 flected in Articles 30, 31, and 51 of our Church order. church federation. They follow the correct procedure,
    After lengthy discussion and deliberation-this mo- that is, they send an instruction to Classis East with 1
 tion was also dropped.                                      the request to deliberate on it, and, if possible, express
    .And that is the end of the matter, that is, as far its adherence to it, and then send it through to the  I
 as Classis East is concerned.                         1     broader gathering of our churches.
                                                               -And here is a Synod which will receive an over-
                                                             ture from one of our consistories regarding a matter
    `The matter of Creston's overture could rest at this that could not, from the very nature of the case, be .:
 point, to be resurrected at the gathering of our next finished in the minor assemblies. But it is sent to  :
 Synod, were it not for a few considerations.                the intermediate body for previous consideration. Well,
    First, at the meeting of our recent classis, as also the consideration was there. `There never will be any i
 in the overture of Creston,  mention was and is made doubt of that in the minds of the constituency of  !
 that the matters of Synod should Abe publicized and         Classis East in its April meeting, 1948. I think you
 discussed in the open, so that all our people might read    may even put an exclamation point there. But here
 and know what' is going on.,                                is the point: Synod of 1948 ,in particular, and the his-
    `The present editorial is an answer to that sugges- tory of our Protestant Reformed ,Churches in general, *
 tion. There is truth in the suggestion anent this mat-      will never know why we did as we did in this im-
 ter. There is a Holland:,proverb  that says: Onbekend portant  overture. .A11 that Synod of 1948 will receive- 1
 maakt onbemind, that is, the unknown is unloved.. In _ on its agendum is this : Four  gr,eat NO's as answer :
 as' far as we are able we would like to take the first to the polite suggestions of Creston's consistory. Clas-
 step to remedy this lack of publicity.                      sis East should have given-a'directive to Synod. That
    Second, even if the suggestion had not been made,        is what Classes are for with respect to matters like
 we would have written on the matter of Creston's over-
                                           .~                this. Synod of 1948 will have to guess as to the
 ture, and that for two reasons.                             grounds for our `negative action on the four  sug-'  I
    And our first reason is that according to our con- gestioi?s  of  Creston.
 viction Classis East has made-a serious error in this          There are those who may say: Yesj but there are
 history of Creston's overture. A precedent has. been four ministers and four elders of  Classis East that  :
 set that may have far-reaching consequences, and then, will go to that Synod of 1948, and they will be able :
 consequences of a destructive nature. I say "destruc- to enlighten Synod as to the grounds for the action
 tive" nature, and I have chosen the term deliberately.      of  Classis East in `April of 1948. But that is not  I
    Let us see.                       :                      true. These delegates have no right to mention the
    The overture of Creston came before Classis East grounds at all, for even Classis East was not able to /
 in its January meeting. Evidently, Classis East con- come to a majority decision respecting the ground for
 sidered the contents of this overture of such great their action. `Twice, the matter of possible grounds  :
 impor,tance. that, befor,e it could come to its own de- was tested, and twice it was rejected. So if  Classis  :
 cision regarding it, Classis wished to have the advice East  could not state the grounds for their action,
 of all the consistories of its resort.                      -how  ,can the eight delegates, to Synod be trusted to \
    And when this overture, together with answers formulate and express  the.grouncls  for our action?
 of four consistories, appeared again on `its agendum,          My second reason for writing on the overture of  !
 Classis spent almost its entire sessions on this overture Creston is of an entirely-different nature. It has been :
 alone; debating, arguing, deliberating, making mo- said that matters coming before Synod should be dis- !
 tions, retracting or dropping them, etc. And it is an cussed in our'church  papers: Well, the present writer
 important overture, no one will deny that.                  agrees with .that sentiment, and therefore he wou1.d .'
    Finally, it goes on record, four times in succession,                                                                  a.
                                                             write something about the overture of Creston.                 /
 voting  N,O on the four suggestions made by Creston's          Several times it has been called an important over-
 consistory.     '     I                                     ture, and that  is. true, not so much because of its  :
  -' No one will deny that the majority of classis, vot- ' content, but evidently, because of the treatment it
ing NO on the suggestions, had grounds for their ac-
      F ,                                                    received of the hand of classes and consistories.
      ,$                                                       .-


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       320                                       T H E '  STA'NDARD  B E A R E R

            ,Overagainst the above sentiment I would say and a $100,000 school, without asking the advice of the
       defend, that the  Dverture  of  Creston is a very  ini- classes `and of the `consistories, what must we do'?"
       portant  overture as to its content too. The under- I would say: First, I would not pay the assessment of
       signed does not question the sincerity, good faith,. and                    such a silly move at this stage of our `history ; and,
       motives of Creston's consistory at all, but neverthe-                       second, I would take steps to undo the foolish move `of.
       less I am convinced that if we would accept its pro-                        such a synod in the legitimate way, that is, by way
       posals and sentiments, we would militate against our of protest through consistory, classis, and synod.
       Reformed Church Political set-up with respect to the                               Accepting Creston's, overture by our synod of- 1948
       authority of synods in certain specified Kingdom activi- would be hamstringing the synod, for it would mean
       ties. If Creston's overture were adopted by the next that all matters- of a financial nature, and all matters
       Synod, we would make a rubber stamp of that body,                           depending upon the matter of `finances, would have
       and that is congregationalistic heresy.                                     to lie over for one year,, so that all the consistories and
           Article 30 of the IChurch Order of Dordrecht speci- tne' classes could deliberate on them, and finally tell
       fically states that "In.major.assemblies  only such mat- Synod what to do! How on earth could the churches
       ters shall be dealt- with as could not be  finished  in through their synods ever condu&  mission endeavour,
       minor assemblies, O"I` such as pertain to the churches and the study .of theology, the training of men for the
       of  the  *major  assernblp  in common." (Italics mine,' ministry?
       G. V.)                                                                             `The overture.of Creston is also rather weak, in that
              Moreover, a spe'cific field of such matters that per- it does not come with specific claims, convictions, and
      tain to the churches in common is mentioned in Article instructions. Neither does it protest against certain
       51 of the Church Order. There we read: "The mis- concrete things the synod of 1947 has done.- Although
      sionary work of .the churches is regulated by the gen- it seems to condemn certain things that were done, tie
       eral synod in a mission order."                                             are left in the, dark as to what they `refer to. And
              From the above quotations of the church order that certainly is not the way to remedy ills.                                                      .
       under which we `labor and conduct out ecclesiastical                               In fine, let me say that it is, the right of Creston
       affairs it is plain that Synods have `authority, dele- to protest against abuses. Also, that we grant the
       gated to them `by the churches in common, to conduct .possibility that the Synod of 1947 has made errors.
     some activities which no local church could take upon But let Creston, or any other consistory, point out the
       itself alone. A'very. plain matter is mentioned in Art.                     errors or abuses and use .the appointed and correct
       51;namely, Mission endeavour. Another such activity way to. remedy the errors. But let us not change our
       is the training of future ministers, the study of theolo-                   Reformed Church Political set-up of the authority of
      `        g     y     .                                                       Synod to initiate steps in its particular work that can-
              In order to conduct the kingdom aCtivity..of mission not be done by the churches individually.
       and. theology, standing committees are "appoined by                                                                                         G. Vos.  :
      Synod, and they- operate under an order, or constitu-
      tion which is carefully drawn up, criticized and finally
       adopted, and then publicized iri the chuwhes. YOU find
      it in our church order book.                                                                                                                                  .,
              Also, these `standing committees have their reports                                             50th ANNIVERSARY ,
      printed in the acts of synod, together with the action
      the various synods make respecting them. So there is                                     On April 21, 1948, the Lord willing, our beloved parents,!
       ample.publicity  with regard to the work and endeavour
       of these standing tiommittees.                                                                MR. and MRS. DERK  VAGDER VENNEN                                I
           `And   if  a  certain  standing.  cokkitfee  of  synod,   or  boie  to  cel.ebrate  their 50th Wedding anniversary."
J      if a Certain synod would do things contrary to Holy ,
       Scripture, the Reformed Confessions, or the' adopted                                    We thank and praise-the Lord- iyith them that He has. kept
                                                                                   and provided for them through these years.
       Church Order, `on which their constitutions and Rules                                                                                   It is our  sincere
       of Order are based, there is al-ways recourse to redress s prayer that God Aay' continue to bless them in His great lope
                                                                              i
      in the way of protest, according to Article 31 of the ! and mercy.
       `Church <Order.                                                                                            Their grateful children :
                                     \
              But if we go the way that is pointed .out by Cres- :                                                         Rev. and Mrs. R. J. Frens
     ' ton's consistory, our future synods- will be hamstrung :                           "                                n/rr. &nd Mrs. John  M. Faber
      in all `their- legitimate work, `at least,, in as far as ap-                   _                                     Esther Vander Vennen
       pointnient of professors, salaries of professors, assess'- ;                                                            5      grrindchildren  ,
     men&, and other financial matters, are concerned.'                                                                     . 1 great-grandchild.  `-
           You  say : "But suppose a future Synod would build'; -Grand Rapi& Michigan.                                                                   -. .  i
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                                                                              I


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          321  :

                                                                    (verses 14 and 19). Why, -it is asked, should so much
             `csua  D6CTRINE.  ,:'                                 significance be attached to one  pakticular portion of  !
                                                                   the Word of God? . We must have -all of Scripture, not
                                                                   merely  a part of it. The entire Word of God must :
                                                                   speak to us, not merely  an isolated text here and  1
                     ur  Covenant  God                             t h e r e .
                                                                     This reasoning should not concern us too much.
         God's Covenant a@ The Promise. (Ram. 9)                    Firstly, if it be said that we must have all bf Scripture 1'
                                                                   and not Inerely a part of it, I agree but hasten to add
     We concluded our previous article with the state- .that we must also have Rdmans 9. Did you ever hear
.' ment `"And now we. purpose to show' in subsequent of a person, who objects to undue emphasis upon Rom. :
 articles the particular and wholly mlconditional  char- 9, also object to.other portions of Holy Writ, such as j
 acter of this promise or. these promises of the alone the Serlllon on the Mount, which he considers more-in 1
 blessed  G~cl, the God of our salvation." In that article harmony with the tone of the gospel and is probably
 we called attention to the fact that any discussion bf quoted' oftener by him than Romans 9 is quoted bjr. i
 the'Covenant  must include a" discussion of the- promise. those who have learned .to bow the knee before the 1
  The two are inseparable. This, we observed; is &ident             sovereignty of Him Who alone is the God of heaven
  from  -maily  things. Fact is, the covenant and its and earth Secondly, ,Scripture is not in conflict with
  realization may surely be regarded  as the very heart itself. Romans 9 is therefore important. In- this chap- '
 and core of the promise-a  person9s conception of  the ter the apostle is revealing unto us the entire truth of i
  promise will determine- his conceptioi  of the promise. the Word of -God but as applied to Israel and the pro- '
  As Protestalit  Reformed Churches~  we believe the pro- mise of Jehovah. The apostle places ,himself in this '
  mise of Gocl to be, not an offer which He graciously particular Word of God before the problem'.of Israel i
  extends to all men wpo hear the gospel (the doctrine and their rejeetion ili the light of the protiise of the
  of the Christian Reformed' .Church), but the Divine Lord. And what are his findings? Led by the  infai-
  pledge of eternal salvation in Christ Jesus, a pledge lible Spirit of God he is enabled to-regard this vexing
  which God I'rim&elf and which God alone fulfills, and -question, this heart-rending problem  in the light of the
  which is therefore particular and>wholly  uncotiditional.         irtith that God is God alone. And this truth  .is, we
  This idea of the promise is the Scriptural presentation know, -the teaching of Holy Writ throughout. In thk
  throughout the Word of God. We purpose to call at- thi?d place,. in our present effort to establish Scriptur- :
  tention to this. in a .few subsequent articles. Let tis,          ally that God's promise is particular and unconditional, ,
  particularly as Protestant Reformed young people, we will not limit ourselves to Romans 9. Indeed, we.
  become more fully -acquainted also with this particular will.permit the Scriptures to speak. Fourthly, Romans ;
  pa.rt of our rich heritage of the' truth h the ,light of          9 is extremely significant also for another reason which
  i;he Word of ,God. These truths are surely of the great- `ke have as yet not mentioned. Let. us please bear in
 _est significance. What can possibly be more conifort-, mind that the apostle is not treating an' isolated case
  ing and assuring to us than to know that the work of here. Paul' is not discussing a "little" thing here,  :
  salvation is exclusively Divine, from  the beginning some -"p&" incident which he experienced in his own
  even unto the erid, that His promises never fail, that .life. `He  is, if you please, throwing the "spotlight" 1
  tl>ey never fail only because of Him Who is not a man upon the history of the development of' God's covenant s.
. that He should lie or the son of `man that He should' re- thronghotit the ages.' That, and nothing less than that,
  pent but the almighty and ever faithful Jehovah Whose is-the issue iq-this $cripture of the Lord:' He is spe&- :
 " mill none can resist. and Whose .promise must be ful- ing, mind you, of ihe promise to Abraham,`the father :
  f i l l e d ?                              ._                     of all `the believers, of whom we also read in Romans 4
                   The                                              and the epistle to' the ,Galatians. He calls attention to :
                           Importance of  Romans  9.  -      .      the rej&ion of the Jews, the salvation of the Gentiles, i
      There.`&;  as we all. undoubtedly surmise, consider; and therkfore  the development of God's coirenant- thru- :               .
`: abie aversion to this ptirticular  porti?n of Holy Writ. out the ages: He does this `in chapters 9-11 of this
  This is unde&&dable in the light of the content of dpistle.                  The  ,apostle,  `therefore, throws light  tipon
  t$is  chaptkr.  pne need but read this chapter hastily tlle e&ire `Old Dispensation, an&on ihe New Dispens&  '
  and stiperficially  and very soon he will experience.with- . tiori, and that iti the light o$ the pro&&e  -of Jehovah.
  in his own heart &d mind a definite reaction against It is cle&, is it not, th&t Rbtians 9, and the two subse-
  the truth. revealed `in this :S&ipt&e of ,God.           This is .quent &apt&s call attention to the realization `of God's (_
  evident from the chapter itself. Twice the apostle, proinise  of salvation. The significance of this  parti-
  Paul,, intercepts a qu&ion which is directed, by the GU!EW  part of the-Word of  God  otighi;, therefore, to be
                                                                                              *              ~
  nat!lral man against the truth that &God is God alone w;ell established.


                                         -
I            322                                    T H E   S - T A N D : A R D   `B E A R E R   _
                                       Romans 9.                            the.apo&le: Nevertheless, only then can he have coin-
             Verses 6-8.                                                    fort and only then can we have comfort.if we regard
               `.                                                         :  this fact in the light of the sovereignty of God. The
                     In these verses we read: "Not `as though the word' fact itself we cannot change or alter. Let the -Lord
             of God hath taken none .effect. For they are not all' explain His own work. He, and He'alone,  can fill our
             Israel, which` are of Israel ; Neither, because they are `hearts and minds and souls with rest and peace.
             the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, in               We are aware, I am sure, how some would explain
             Isaac shall th.y seed be called. That is,, They which are the phenomenon of God's promise and this rejection'of
             the children of the flesh, tliese are not the children of      Israel according to the flesh. They would have `us
             God: but the children of the promise are counted for' believe that the promise of salvation is given to All,
             the seed."                                                     in the sense that the Lord would bestow upon all salia-
                     We should note in the first place that the apostle, ?ion, but that the actual fulfillment of this promise is
             Paul, is struggling h&e with a tremendous problem., dependent upon man. The question, we understand, is
             There is, first of all, the word or promise of `God. We. not whether the promise as such comes to all, whetlier
             need not doubt the identity of this word or prdmise of it is announced or proclajmed  to all. d general  .pi-o-
             God. The words of verses 7-8 surely reminds us of the, clamation  of a particular gospel is not the same, we
             word of the Lord as it came to the father of believers, understand, as the proclamation of a general go_sp'el.
             according to chapter 1'7 of [Genesis. The Lord had' The gospel must surely be preached to others besides
             promised Abraham that He would establish His cove-, ihe elect. The question, however,  is whether the plo-
             nant with him and with his seed for an everlasting mise comes to all iti the sense thtit whoever is born
             covenant, that He %ould make him the father of many' within the covenant is entitled to, has a ribht`to all. the
             nations, and that he and his seed would inh&it ths .blessedness  of life eternal. God, then, has simply pre-
             land o-f Canaan for an everlasting possession. Briefly :, scribed, willed salvation for all. `Our actual .receivihg
             expressed, God's promise to Abraham- had  been that of this salvation is contingent upon our acceptance :of
             he and `his seed would partake of the salvation of the it. God promises it to all, that is, He declares that
             Lord forever. And, secondly, the apostle is confronted He would have all men be saved, that He is ready and
             with the rejection of Israel. As a nation the Old:  ea.ger to, bestow salvation upon all if only they  will
             Testament people of God had been cast out, and Christ's accept this proffered salvation.
           . blood had indeed come upon them and tipon their child- ;          This view, we understand, is arminianism. Arm&-
             rm. This rejection, however, also &ppli&d to thousands, ianism is humanism, manism.              Arminianism is the
             of individual Israelites already in the Old Dispensation. ' humanizing of salvation. Arminianism finds in rngn
     ,I    Thousands, we know, perished in that fearful wilder-' the beginning, the continuance, the end and purpose ,of
             ness journey of forty years, and of them the Scriptures ! salvation. In the arminianistic scheme. of things all
             tell us that the Lord had no pleasure in them. They, things revolve about man. He preaches a predestina-
             had perished, also everlastingly. Moreover, it should  `iion upon foreseen faith-hence, the Lord's election
             be noted that this constitutes a problem for the apostle,  j of the sinner has been preceded by an .act of that sin-
             a personal problem. ,O, he does not glory in the eternal ner, his faith in Christ. He preaches a Christ Who `is
             da.mnation I of _ these Israelites. He does not glory in : primarily concerned, not with the gldry of the ever-
             reprobation as such. `To the contrary, the truth is most lasting Father and His righteousness, but with the sill-
           ~ painful to him. In verses l-5 he declares of himself  j  vation of men-hence,. this Christ of the  -arminiys
             that there is great heaviness and continual sorrow in : dies for. all men. And he  alsq preaches a gospel  in.
             his heart, atid also that he could wish himself accursed I which man is the center figure. The success of his
             from Christ for the sake of his brethren, his kinsmen ) gospel preaching is determined by the amount of souls'
             according to the flesh. This must also -charaeteiize us. : wcn for Jesus. In his preaching of the gospel he there-
             Gsd forbid that we should glory in reprobation as such, i fore offers salvation to all. This view is also Heynsiab-.
             that the doctrine of the Lo&s sovereign reprobation ism. According to this view, t&e sacrament of Baptis'm.
             should afford us special delight and satisfaction. How i is an undoubted seal and testimony of `God to every
             could this be? Is `it a matter of person51 indifference child that is baptized that the Lord would bestow Sal&-*
             or personal satisfaction for`us when our children begin tion upon him, but that the Lord's will to save him is
             to reveal themselves as opposed to the things of the contingent upon his acceptance of. the proffered `salvh-
             LoFd and of His covenant? Does and should it not fill : tion. `And this is also the official doctrine of the Chris-
             our heart with great heaviness and sorrow when they : tiah Reformed Church as expressed in the First of ti?e
             refuse to heed the commands of ,God `and walk in the / Now famous Three Point%, although of late that church
             precepts of Jehovah? Yet, however true this may be, j has "repudiated" Heyns because she would court or
             the truth mu& be proclaimed. The fact of  Israkl's woo favor of the Reformed `Churches of the  Nether-
             rejection is indeed a fact of tremendous sorrow for lands.                                                       .


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        - 323

     However, if this  be. true, then, according to the we not: "Not `as though the word of [God hath taken
' apostle in these verses, the word of God had taken none noni?effect." This, if you please, is the apostle's first
  effect, that is, the word or promise- of the ILord has statement when he begins to treat his difficult problem
  failed. We `must notice the argumentation of the in this epistle to the Romans. He does not begin to
  apostle here. Paul is distinguishing in these verses reason and finally arrive at the conclusion that the
  between a universal  and. a particular view  of. the word of the Lord hath taken none effect. He declares
  promise of (God. He writes for example: "Not all are this at the very outset. He first makes this positive
  Israel which are of Israel ; not  all are children al- assertion and then proceeds to confirm it.             "Not",
  though they are the seed of Abraham according to he. writes, "as though the word of God hath taken
  the flesh ;:not all are the children of God ; -not all are none effect". `Whatever `may be the solution of this
  counted for the seed. The reasoning of the apostle is problemj  one thing is sure: it cannot be true that the
  clear. If the promise were Divinely intended for all, word of.,God hath `taken none. effect. Why? For the
  then that promise did not take`effect; the word of the simple reason that it is the word, the promise of God.
  Lord failed. True, if the promise be regarded merely And for a word  of  God not to take effect is simply
  as an offer, one could hardly say that it failed simply impossible. The promises of the Lord are Yea and
  because many had not accepted it. The fact that man Amen. They never fail. They cannot fail., ,God never
  does not accept salvation offered him .does' not annul "lets His people down".
  tile fact that *God ,had earnestly'desired his salvation.       But, how must we account for, the fact that thous-
  If the promise of Jehovah `be merely. an offer, ,that        ands of Israelites perished in the wilderness; yea, that
  offer stands and' is well-meant regardless whether I the nation itself was rejected because of their rejec-
  a.ccept  or reject it. Besides, if this word of ,God where- tion of  .the  :Stone  which was made the head of the
  of the apostle speaks in verse 6 be merely an offer the corner? Why is it true that the promise of ,God has
  words that follow, "hath taken none effect" would not failed? And the answer is simply this: the pro-
  have no sense. One cannot say of an offer that it hath mise of God was never given to all. Let us ask the
  or hath not taken effect. An offer is simply impotent. question honestly and in all simplicity.' Are all Israel
  No power proceeds from an offer.. Ta offer salvation because they are of Israel?  (Are all children merely
  implies that our receiving of it depends not upon the because they are the natural seed of Abraham? Are
  one who makes the offer but upon him to whom the all the children of the flesh also `children of !God and
  salvation is offered. How difficult becomes the picture must all be counted for the seed? What must we say
  in Romans 9 if we bear in mind that the apostle is to our children when they,come to years of discretion?
  speaking of the promise of ,God ! If it be true that The Liberated Churches of the Netherlands declare
  th.e promise of Jehovah to Abraham that `he and his that we must have something positive to say unto them.
  seed would partake of (the salvation of Jehovah was What must we tell them? Must we say to them that
  Divinely meant -for all, than it must follow that the tine promise of salvation. is also Divinely intended.for
  word of God has failed. Why? Please bear in mind them? That is what the late Prof. Heyns would have
  that we are all by nature children of the devil, objects us say to all our children.
  of wrath and children of disobedience. That some in             The answer of the apostle to this question is clear.
  the Old Dispensation were saved and believed is surely In the first. place, we read that in' Isaac shall `Abra-
  not to be ascribed `to the fact that they accepte,d an ham's seed be called. The idea of the apostle is that
  offered salvation of  ,God. This they could never do Isaac only shall be called the seed, accounted for, the
  of themselves. That they believed and were saved is seed. Abraham, we know, had many children. He
  ,only because the promise of God had taken effect in was the father of Ishmael, born to him of Hagar.
  them, that-is, ,God had fulfilled in them His Word of After, the death `of Sarah he married Keturah and
  salvation by His grace and Spirit. If, on the other several children were born to him of Keturah. The
  hand, others were not saved (and we know that many Lord had declared to the. father of believers that He
  th.ousands perished in" the wilderness), and the Lord would establish with him and with his seed His cove-
  had given them also His promise, then their destruc- nant for an everlasting covenant and that He would
  tion can only be attributed to the fact that the Lord cause him and his seed to inherit the land of Canaan
  had failed to do what He had promised. The Lord for an everlasting- possession. Did this promise of
  God, then, had failed to carry out His Word. His <God pertain to all the seed of Abraham according to
promise had become void, worthless. Then Jehovah the flesh? Would all the children of Abraham, because
  had ceased to be the dependable, unchangeable, ever- they are the natural seed of Abraham, also be ac-
  lastingly faithful God of His covenant. This is the counted as the seed whereof we read in'Genesis  17 :7-8?'
  thought implied by the apostle in'the first part of vs. 6. And the answer is that only Isaac would be accounted
     Now notice, if you will, that the apostle immediately as the seed;he and not the others. In other words, the
  declares in verse 6 that this cannot be. We read,` do promise of' the Lord' did not apply to all the natural
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      324                                       :iTmz  'mAN~:A-R-D  BEARER

      descendants of Abraham, but'only' to Isaac, .the child
      of  the  promise. `And &his leads us to another element '
     in the answer of tlie apostle. We read, do we,not,  that 1
      "the children of the promise are counted for the seed".
     The expression, "children of the promise",,is a beauti-
     ful expression. The children of the promise are not  I
     merely promised children, children that had been pro-
     mised,. or children to whom the promise pertains. The                     So had Saul smitten `Nob, the city  o$ priests. All
                                                                             had died with the'exceptio? of Abiathar, one of Ahim,e-
     reason is self-evident. The apostle is treating exactly lech's sons
     the question to whom the promise' of `God applied when                                  '
     He appeared to  1 Abraham according to Genesis 17:  I ' David, at the time, was `in hiding in th'e forests
     What sense would it giye to say that the promise of of Hareth in the territory of Judah. Hither he  h&d
      God applied to the children of the promise, that is, to                removed with his men in obedience to the Lord's com-
     those children to whom the promise applied. Wouldn't 1 mand communieal;ed  to him by the prophet ,Gad, "Abide
     this be "begging the -question"? The children  bf the not in the hold ; depart and get thee * in the land of
     promise are the children born of the promise.  .They  Judah.,' "Thel~old", it will be recalled, Fati the "moun-
     are the children born through the power of the promise.  : tain height" in the land of Moab, where David for
     Only to them--does the promise of God apply. Hence,                     a while had  be&. entrenched after his escape  f&n
     how can the word of God fail to take effect when the Gath. As driven by fear  .of Saul, he had  oh&  moie
                                                                  :I
     Lord Himself fulfills it, brings forth His people ac- departed from the "land of the living", and cast him-
     cording to election and by irresistible grace? !                        self, his men, and his father's .house upon the me&y
        ' This truth is -now i!lustrated  by Paul in the history Of  a  heathen  king*- The Lord had ordered his  se&
     of Isaac. .&saac,  we read, in distinction' from the other j vant to return to God's country", definitely to Judah.
     children of IAbraham, is counted for the seed. Besides, ; For here  I&e had work for David  to  do..  ,The  IPhilig-
     he is  the child of the promise,  brought forth by the  ' tines had to be repulsed ; they were making inroads
     power of the promise. He was the child of parents : into the territory of Judah and plundering  GodTs
     who had ,died as far as the bringing forth of children                     MO sooner has David arrived with his men in t&e
     was conceyned. , To these "dead" parents had come the forests  ;of Hareth than he  receiv'es  tidings that the
     word of the Lord that "according to the time of life                    Philistines are fighting against Keilah and rob the
     Sarah would have .a son." And Abrahalfi. and Sarah : threshing:floors. The latter are situated in the open
     `had believed.      And through their faith the mighty country outside the walls of the city.- `David is eag&
     power  lof God  ai He alone fulfills His promise had to attack the adversary. Before he bestirs himself,
     operated ; Sarah had conceived and had brought forth however, he enquires of the Lord, saying, "Ehall I go
     a son  ; Isaac was indeed the child of the promise, and smite these Philis.tines  ?" The Lord -answers him,
     brought forth by God Himself through. the faith of "Go and smite the Phi&tines  and save Keilah." :Keilih
     Abraham and Sarah. Their faith, we understand, was :. iS a fortified city (VS. 7) in the lowland of Judah (Josh.
     exactly this, not that `they could bring forth* this son, : 1.5 :44). David's men object to the venture. They say
     `but that God could.and would fulfill His dwn word. / to him, `"Behold, we are afraid in Judah: how m&h
     And thus this Isaac is a type and shadow of all the .: more then if we come to Keilah against the armies
     spiritual  people  of God  throughout  the  ages.  We  can-  of  the Philistines." These men are not cowards.  It
     not bring forth children of `~God. We can only bring is not the prospect of a cla,sh of arms with the Philis-
     forth children like unto ourselves, children. of wrath : *Lines that makes them afraid. Their fear has anothdr
     and of disbbedience. We can only bring forth children cause. Taul had just smitten- the city of priests ;. and
     `unto death and themselves characterized by death. It ; thereby he let it be known that any man or communi&y
     is God alone Who can bking forth children of the light of men failing to assist him. in apprehending David
     and that by the irresistible grace of His promise.                 may look forward to being destroyed on the -ground hf
             The conclusion is clear. iGod's promise  never faili, ; "ireason. ~AS can be expected and as also the squel r&
     always takes effect. Why? Firstiy,  because it per- veals, the king's terrible threat has its effect. `The
     ta.ins only to the children of the promise, not to all'the people are afraid. Taking thought of their lives, only
     natural seed. God's promises simply are not given to, too  many  s&d ready to give Saul `their  fulie&
     intended for ,all. And, secondly, <God  Himself realizes : co-operation in ridding the earth of David. Let m&n
     His own Word.            He is Jehovah, the unchangeable, 1, but catch sight of him and his band, and before long
     faithful Covenant God. He will faithfully do  whit the reports will  ,come pouriqg in at Saul's place of
     He promises to do. Hence, the promise of God, accord- residence that David has been seen and can be cai-
     ing to Romans 9 :6-8, is particular and wholly uncon- ; tured at the place designate&
      ditional. .                                  H. Veldman.                  Humanly speaking,  D&id's danger is great,  and
                                                                                                        .
     *  _                                                                                               13
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                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R ' .   ,   '                            3 2 5
                    _
       likewise' that of his men. And they are `afraid. But promise of victory necessarily implies that He would
       they realize that their danger would increase a hundred be to. them a shield  against Saul.-)
       fold should they leave the forests in whose thickets they      ..So did. David, fugitive and outlaw, do the men of '
       are hidden -and venture into the open spaces of the Keilah, his own tribesmen, a great service by a success- 1
       country. Yet, .their leader requests that. they do. just ful feat of arms against the hereditary enemy. H e   de-
       that; he is, urgent on them that they follow him to .livered  them out of the hands of the Philistines. T h e r e
       Keilah to fight the Philistines. But they demur, It is evidence in the text that they are keenly aware of
       is not the Philistines as such that they fear ; the `object their great indebtedness to David.     After the battle
       of their dread is Saul. He will learn Bf their venture ; they allow him &d his men ,to retreat into their city.
       seeing his opporttinity,  he will not sit still. Suddenly And they refrain from tellini Saul that they ,hav6 the 1
       and without warning he will come upon them there in fugitive in their midst. The text makes also this plain.' i
       the lowlands df Judah perhaps just at the time when          Hearing that  DBvid has come to Keilah, Saul calls
      the battle with the Philistines is in full progress. Op- all the people together .to war to go down to the city
      portunity for ,flight there will not be; fight Saul they to beseige David and ,his meti. Saul  woul~!I have no
       may not. What hope of escape will there be then to reason to form that purpose--he purposes to beseige '
       tlnem? None whatever.                                        the city-had the men of Keilah sent the king word
           But Da+id is,insistent. The Philistines harrass his      that David had- entered their city and that they are '
       brethren in Keilah; and there is no one to help, He holding him captive for their master. No  such  coni:
       will  &me to their rescue. And the venture will suc- munications were sent  bjr them to Saul. It is plain  a
       teed. David will save Keilah. The Lord had said ; and from David's `prayer -that they do not even order, the :
       therefore there need be no fear of Saul., But the men        son of Jesse to depart out of their midst. But neither ;
       are still afraid. For their sakes, David again enquires are they saying that they will stand by him in a crisis. :
       of the Lord ; and back .come& the answer, "Arise, go         For they are agreed that'they cannot very well allow
       down to Kellah; for I will deliver the Philistines into themselves to `be destroyed for David's sake. But they  1
       th$ hand.". The men are now quiet. Reass&ed, th'ey           lack the courage. openly to declare their intention,
       follow David to the theatre of the impending conflict. seeing that they are indebted-40 him for `their very  :
       They go to Keilah, and fight with the Philistines, "and lives. But it is imperative that David learn what they :
       brotight away their cattle, and smote them with a great purpose doing with him  anclbis men. If their  inten-
       slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Ke~lah." tions are evil, he must  lea% at once; for there are  i
           (An additional word  abdut the fear of David's gates and bars to their city ; it is a walled town so that,
       men. The  interpretatioli  according. to which the  ob- should Saul arrive on the scene with him and his men `.
       ject of their dread wa.s the Philistines as such cannot still in their midst, he is trapped. So he' puts the
       well be harmonized with the glowing account that the question to the Lord, "0 Lord God of Israel," he prays,
       Chroni`cler  gives of the deeds of valour of, these men.     `"thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul  seeketh   I
       As we' saw, he sets them before us  "mighty men, to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake..
       helpers of the war, men of war, fit for the battle, that .Will `the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand?
       could handle shield and buckler,- whose faces were like will Saul come down as thy servant has heard? ,O Lord
       the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roe on the God of  Isra$, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And
       mountains.?? Besides, David's! men do not say that they the Lord said, `He will come down. Then said David, j
       dread to clash arms with the Philistines. What  they `Will the men of Kkilah deliver me and my men into  I
      say in effect is tnat if they have reason to be afraid the hand"of Saul? And the Lord said, `They will deliver
       in Judah, Judah's forest of  Hareth, where they are thee up".
     now in hiding,- they have much more reason  td be  * The prayer is formed of two distinct questions.  (
       afraid in Keilah. Their presence there soon will be %Vill Saul come down?" is the one to which the Lord i
       reported to one-king Saul-who seeks their lives but first replies. _ Saul will .come down. But will the men
       against whom they are not allowed to defend them- of  Kkilah deliver him into-Saul's hand?  `Or  will,.they ,
       selves by force of arms. How with such an adversary shield him, their  saviour, against Saul's wrath even  '
      to cope. can they risk appearing in the open spaces           unto the  death? That he asks  the. Lord to tell him  :
       of the lowlands of Judah to fight Philistines? With would seem to imply that, if the' answer would have
       Saul on their hands they cannot ,engage iiz wars with been favorable, he would have abided in the city, to f
       foreign dominations. They have all they can do to continue taking advantage of the protection of its gates
       keep themselves from being trapped by Saul's troops. and bai-s; It shows how he dreads being chased about ,,
       The c&plaint 6f .the men, so `construed, agrees fully by the man Saul. It is a hard and dangerous way of !
       with the inquiry that David directed to the Lord, life in which he walks. He hopes that the  tien of
       `%hall I go and smite the Philistine,?? That precisely Keilah will take him in permanently. Has he not  a  :
       was, the question with all concerned.` And the Lord's right to expect it? He has just saved them. But the , ,


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        Lord's will is `otherwise. David's training is nst yet. to be a lie, Saul loves, thinks, wills and walks in wit@
I       completed. The Lord has not yet done with. him. ali his heart and mind and will and strength. For the
        There are still some lessons to be learned before-he Lord hardens his heart. Thus we read, "Then David
        is -meet for the Ma&er's use.. "They will deliver thee I and his men departed out of Keilah, and went wither;-
        uP"9 is therefore  the. Lord's answer to him. Then  soever they could go. . . . And David abode in the
        David and his men-about six hundred-arose and de- wilderness in strongholds and remained in a mountaih
        parted out of Kei1ah.Y                                                ' in the wilderness of Ziph." And, mark you, "Sad1
              Whether tiavid co&nunicated  his revelation to the sought him every day, but *God did not deliver him intO
        men of Ll;eilah  is .not stated. If  so, they might have j his hand."                        .
        shown surprise at hearing what, according to the                              ."Saul sought him every day," continually, withoat
        Lord's own-word, they would do with David, the Lord% 1 interruption. All his thoughts continue to be, `Samukl
        righteous servant and their saviour, if taking his side i is an imposter, a prophet of `lying words; David is
        was to run the Yisk of- losing their skins. They might reprobated ; Saul is &he blessed of the Lord. [God will
      have shown surprise at' hearing that they would not surely  deliveT him into my hand'.  This-#David  will
      run that risk, but would join hands  with' the wicked one day perish by my hal!d-is Saul's prophecy, which
        to destroy him. But their surprise.would be feigned. he opposes to that of Samuel. And his whole ambition
        For in their hearts they know themselves to be such of life now is to fulfill hjs lying prediction, and to slay
        men,-men who will do no  wroilg unlkss doing `right the prophecy of Samuel by destroying David.  Btit
        clashes with their interests. And therefore they areevery attempt of his to captur.e David ends in failur&
        glad ,that  he has departed. His going freed `them from For fhe Lord does not deliver David into his hand ; anid
        a painftil task. Indeed, how it would have hurt them thus the  evi'dence of the -vanity of Saul's prophecy
        to  have  been  colnpelled  to  deliver   such  a  man  into oOlltillues   *lo  accumulate                      But  by  this  very  accumul$-
        Saul's hand. David was not deceived by these men.  ' ".
                                                                               : tlon of evideilce God hardens his heart and thus, ter-
        He took to heart what the Lord told him about them, rible to say, urges him on to his eternal doom through
      and departed out of their  dity. Had he ignored that  the  lusts  of  his  heart
      . revelation, aildrem_ain_~~n~_their  midst, -al! the while :                                            - . .
        prating about the good that sinners ho, he would have                          Saul  t&en, taking, him now at his word, has  no
        perished at their hands.                                                   quarrel with God nor God with him. It is men who&
              Notice still must be taken of Saul's reaction to the he fights and who fight him-Samuel and David and
        tidings that David has come to Keilah. He jubilantly : their party. With ,God he dwells on- the best-of foot-
        exclaims, `"God has delivered him into my hands ; for : ing; and his spiritual life flourishes. 8  80 says Saul.
                                                                                   1 For, however perverse, he is a pious man. He makes
        he is shut in by entering into a town that has gat,es
        and bars". Saul. is certain that the men of Keilah are i mention of the name of the Lord. $Says he not, "Go?1
        holding David captive for him or that the fugitive of ;hath delivered him into mine hand..,'
        his own accord  will remain in the city until the king                         As tb David and his man, "they went abotit withe?
        can get th,erem  to take him prisoner. He imagines `there- they went," as circumstances dictated, without fixed
        fore that David is. as good as in his hands. For he plali or  pur,pose.  Learning that David escaped  fro&
        wants to believe that David has commi@ed  and per- Keilah, Saul abandons his march thither. He does nqt
        sists in committing a blunder of such amazing stupid-                      call the Keilites to accoun;t on account of their allowing
        ity as to allow of but one explanation: The Lord has " David and his men to depart `out of their midst.
        rejected David into Saul's hand (rejected is the word                          Escaping from .Keilah,  David henceforth wanders
       . found in the original text). The  implications  of his : from one sheltering height to another in the wilderness
        imaginings  ar'e terrific, to wit, David is accursed of  0' of -Judah, a large tract stretching along the territory
II      God. Samuel is a false prophet who spake words of : of. Judah between' the mountains of Judah and t&p.
        vanity. The blessed of the Lord is Saul ; his kingdom Dead Sea. It was distinguished in various parts as the,
        will be established, and his house will stand for aye. 1 "wilderness of Ziph, " "of "Moan,?' etc., probably from
        Such are the dreadful illusions into  whicli Saul has  1  the  names of the neighboring towns.                                    During the
        fallen by blinding and self-deception.                                     ! course of  ,tllis period of his wanderings, David  hap
              But he soon receives  new evidence of his  being : his he&d-quarters on%he "mountain-heights" (vs. 14):'
        occupied with false images, lying imaginings. It is where he ca?x observe  the approach of the adversary.
        told him that David is escaljed  from Keilah. The most "And Saul. sought him every day, but God delivered
        he can say now iS that the `Lord will deliver -David into him' no'! into his hand."
        his hands in the way of his pe.rsistent  endeavor. to get 1                    Now the text (vs. 15) makes mention of the fir&
        the son of Jesse in his hands. But  it.  is* the same ' sljecial case of persecution, ."And David saw that Sad1
        terrible lie with the same dreadful itiplictitiohs. `And ! was' come to seek his-life : and David was in the .wildei-
        this lie, that Saul, as instructed by the Lord, well ktiows-  j n&s of Ziph in Atwood," that is, he saw, received in-


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        327 ,

  forkation  of Saul's. pursuit and retreated in the thick Saul attempts to surround and seize him. He has
  wood.. The forest was his chief means of  cqnceal- nearly succeeded, when he receives information of a
  m e n t .                                                  new Philistine incursion. He must desist from further
      While David is in "the wood" in the very heightof pursuit. So does the Lord `save His servant. The
  these first persecutions, he is visited by Jonathan who. Philistines had seized on the moment when Saul had
  strengthens his hand in  ,God. David is not to fear:       with drawn`his mento the south in pursuit of David.
  for the hand of Saul his father shall not find him.           How David cries out to the Lord in this danger,
  He shall be king over Israel' and Jonathan shall be next we learn' from Psalm 54: ".Saye me, 0 *God, by thy
  to him. And that Saui. well knows. A new covenant name, and judge me by thystrength.  . . . .For strang-
  is made by the two men before the'Lord (vss. 16-18).       ers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after
  David remains in the wood and Jonathan goes to his my sdul: they have not set God before them. . . . He
  house. The two friends here  meet-for the last time hath delivered me out of all rn$ trouble: and mine eyes
  in life. It was not ambition but his love of David and have seen my .desire upon" my enemies."
  his desire to be near Dvaid that made Jonathan want           The place was called &lam hamahlekoti, meaning
  to be next to the throne, when his friend should have rock of smoothness or escape. As  oft& as David
  come into  .his kingdom. How it would have been if would pass that rock and look up at its face, he would
  Jonathan.had  lived, cannot be said. `There might have rekember  that (God is "the escape",of  His people.
  been complications all of which-%ere avoided by his           And David went up from thence and dwelt in the
  death. Jonathan's life is the picture of the undying strongholds of Engedi.                      G. M. Ophoff.
  devotion of believing men to the Hope' of Israel, which
  is Christ Jesus. David has now to make &other  bitter                            -
  experieuce. The Ziphites come to Saul to Gibeah and
  betray to him David's hiding place among them. ' And
  they are his own tribesmen. They are pasSitiate ad-                                              AGES
  h&rents of Saul, and ,acquainted with his desires. Two
  things they say to him: 1) Come down to us, for all           me
  thy desire to get David in thy power may now be ful-
  filled ; 2) We make it our. affair to deliver him into                          e        Reformation                    :
  thy hand. Saul is elated. "Blessed be ye'of the Lord,"                   ADRIAN' VI.  - 1522-23
  says he to them, "Ye have compassion on me." Thus\
  he remains true to all his wilful illusions. David is         On August 31 (1522) Adrian was crowned in -St.
  plotting. to capture his throne ; and, accordingly, he' -Peter's: For many yea-s Rome had not seen such a
  seeks his life. Saul imagines that he is in a dangbrous pontiff. He was pious and sincere and of irr&roach-
  situation and that the Ziphites sympathize with him. able morals. He hated. luxury and dissipation with
  He instructs them how to go about gaining iliforma-        which Leo,  his`  predecessbr,  filled the papal palace.
  tion of every retreat of David in his shifting of place. When he was shown the group of"Laocoon (a famous
  "Go, I pray you, prepare yet, that ye may learn, and Grecian work in stone, representing a Trojan priest
  that ye may see in what- filace his foot be," that is, who distrusted the wooden horse and was `destroyed
  where he fixes himself in his-wanderings.     Saul af- by serpents sent by Athena), he expressed his disdain
  firms the necessity of this espionage in the words, "For by saying, "They are idols of the heathen." "I- would
  it is told me that he is very subtle." SaJl cannot say rather serve God," said he, "in my,deanary of Louvain,
  enough to stitisfy.  himself in exhorting them to search than be pope at Rbme." The Romans wondered at his
  in every place. "Return to me unto what is certain," habits.. His household was simple. He had as cook
  that is, when ye have obtained reliable information. an old Flemish woman; two pages waited on him at
  He with confidence declares that he will then &ize table. On  Sept, 1 he held a consistory. He told the
  him "among all the thousands of Israel." The Ziphites cardinais that the manners of Rome were sorely in
  return to their region before Saul, who, according to need of reform$ion.  He warned that their revenues
  the agreement, is to follow.                               would be reduced, and told them that they ought not
     `The danger which now threatens David is greater to hoard their money but use it for the common needs.
  .than any previous or af$erwards. Perceiving his pre- He bade consider that many of them were men with-
  dicament, he .marches further southward to the wilder- out the benefit of learning and that they  .ought to
  ness of  Noan.  Having gotten information from the employ their time in qualifying themselves for their
  Ziphites, Saul and his men go to seek David. He is         duties. He insisted that they conform to .regulations.
  told and descends "the rock" in ordeP to conceal him- Thus he requested them to shave their beards and pre-
1 self in the lowland, and here he abides. Saul pursues scribed their. dress. His personal exp&ses he reduced
  and David has great difficulty to escape him. For to the simplest necessities, and dismissed frQm the


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       328                *                TBiE      -STANDARD                   -BEARER                                       j.I
       palace the needless crbwd of officials who lost their ti&tenance  of the peace of Christendom thai all-the
       places. "The pope leads an exemplary and devout life," world and particularly France  and the Turks might
       wrote the Venetian envoys. "Every day he says his know that he who broke the place would be deservedly
       hours; rises-from bed for early services and then re- : punished.' The ieague iyas formed but no peace ensudd.
       turns to rest ; rises at daybreak, says his mass, and What is more, every one tried  to seduce the pope i&o
       then comes to give audience. He,dines  and sups very an alliance with himself by, proving that he had pro-
       temperately, and it is said that he spends only a ducat moted his election to the papacy. Francis I had the
       a  clay, which he takes from  his.  purse every evening first chance. He told the pqpe* that it was not Charles
       and gives to the steward, saying, "For tomorrow's but he who had made him pope, because he believed
       expenses." He  is a man of good and holy life, but him to be a holy man. It was not true  Ijut Adrian
       he is slow in his doings and proceeds with great cir- felt flattered., He had an uneasy feeling that his
       cumspection. He speaks little and loves solitude."         , election was entirely political and was due to Charles.
         . Adrian's cardinals imagined  th&t his simple life Shortly thereafter Charles paid the pope his respects.
       ivas due to greed. They held him guilty of -hoarding. `He sent Adrian iyord that he esteemed him as `his true
       Oil his deathbed they `tried to compel him to discover : father and protector, and would be always his obedieht
       to them his hoard. In vain did he tell them' that all son, ready to share  his fortune'. The  in&rest of  tpe
       he possessed was .a thousand ducats. With growing rulers in the pope was purely mercenary. Each want-
     \ anger they persisted in their examinatiori until corn- ed his permission to `tax his dominions. But Adrign
       pelled  to withdraw by the Duke of Sesse. When he refused to join either the alliance that  Henry and
       died the cardinals were glad to be rid of a severe Charles had formed or al-ly himself with the king of
     master. They rejoiced at,the prospect of the.return  of France. He wanted to be `independent of both. His
       the good old times. The Romali people were no, less j aim was to free the papacy from all political  complic&-
       happy to -be rid of the morose foreigner. They, hung  : tions,  thinkitig that .only in this way could he m"ake
       a  wre&h on the door of his physician in which was peace in Europe and unite Christendom against the
       inscribed, "To the deliv'erer  of his country." On his i Turks: To Charles he wrote, "My intention is to lab&
       temporary tomb were graved these words, "Here lies : to procure peace among Chri.stian princes that-we may
       Adrian VI., who thought nothing in his life moie un- i resist the Turks" ; and accordingly he besought Charles
       fortunate than that he became pope."                       to negotiate peace with Francis with a view to a truce
          As. pontiff  Adrian  had  impre`ssive  plans.      First of at least two years. He  ,communicated  an  -identical
       he, wished to make peace between Francis I of France I 1' petition to Henry.          Both replied that they had  re-
       and emperor Charles ,V. When Charles was. but nine- ceived such injuries,from the French that t&y would
       teen years, he fell heir to the -crowns of four dynasties: j have neither peace nor truce, but would settle the dis-
       To  th.em  was' added, by the vote of the Electors of  pute.with  the sword. Wolsey declared that the French
       Germany, the crown of the.. Holy Roman Empire.  : `were the real Turks, the enemies of Christeridomj  and
       Thereafter he was known as Emperor Charles V, while said that they must be exterminated. Charles V re-
     hitherto  :he had  .b&n the  titJe of Carlos of Spain.  peated the same advice. If the pope would join the
       Charles'. greatness aroused the fears and jealousies of emperor, he would most effectively prevent bloodshed
      his neighbaring.rulers,  particularly Francis I of France i among the Christian powers and enable them to com-
       and Solymon, Sultan of Turkey,  both of whom `at- bine against the Turks;
.     tacked his dominions during all the first part of his j              Then the Turks became  .very bold. They  mabe
       reign. Francis almost incessantly made war against I themselves masters of the city `and island of Rhodes
       Charles, whose enormous possessions I now nearly `sur- and threatened Hungary with invasion. Adrian vaini.y
       roupded  his kingdom.     Much of the fighting was  i hoped that the shock of `the disaster might unite
       done in Italy, the object of +hk-rivals being to secure Christendom against the common fde. He issued more
       dominions in that peninsula. The wars between Charl.es : exhortations to peace and offered to mediate' between
       and Francis proved a blessing for the Reformation. ( the belligerants. Charles let the pope. know that un-
       Charles had pledged all his resources  ts the extirpation less he adopted his political pians and permitted him
       of that-movement; btit by those combats his attention to tax the clergy as he pleased; he must take t'he co&
      was drawn away from a  seriou's   con,&dera&on  of  ) sequences and bear all' the blame.' Then Adrian  e$-
       church questions and the result was that in the m&an- 1 horted the French king to go to Charles with overtures
       time  protestantism  so firmly established itself in of peace. Francis replied that a truce was. useless, as
       Northern Germany and other countries as to render  I 'It would' only give his fivals - Henry and Charles 4
       abortive all later attempts for its destruction. *               time to niake greater preparations. Adrian was `over-
          Adrian was desirous of putting an end to, those i whelmed with' grief.  But. he refused to forsake. his
       wars. So he expressed to Henry VIII of.England  and principle of neutrality. Then Francis threatened to
       Charles the wish that -the two unite i,n a league for the 1 invade Italy and cross the papal frontier, and Adrian

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                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   .BE~ARER                                             3%                ~
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* yielded. He signed a defensiie league with Henry and -1y in favor bf reform ; but the emperor must stamp otit
      Charles and five principalities in Italy. But he did `not Lutherenism.  And the authority of the pope must be j
      long survive the signing of this confederacy. He was maintained.            He was opposed to free discussion of
      seized with a slow fever on the day be subscribed it, doctrinal differences on the basis of the Scriptures in i
      which was the 4th of August, and died'on the 14ih of a church council.                                                     1
      the following September.                                         ,Something actually was attempted by Adrian in the i
          Though Adrian. failed in his attempts,, to restore" way of `reform ; -but he accomplished nothing worth- ;
      peace to .Europe,  he hoped to accomplish something in while, and his  7 reforming schemes quickly vanished
      the way' of reforging the church.`. Andr indeed there away. On one thing all were agreed  Tuther must  i
      was need of reform of the church; for ili her there ex- be  crushed. `Her&$`, said Cardinal Soderini, `has  :
      ,isted frightful scandals in both head and members. always been put down by force, not by attempts at re- I
      This was recognized by all earnest and spiritually formation ; such .attempts  can only be.partial,  and will
      minded men. Thus Adrian had a considerable weight seem to be exhorted by terror; thejr will only confirm I
      of opinion back of him. There was much outspoken- the heretics in the belief that they are right, and will
      ness  c&cerliing.  the. abuses in the church and the not satisfy them. The princes of Germany must be
      wicked lives of the clergy. It was pointed out to Adri- taught that it is to. their `interest to  pub down the
      an by the reform party that the only remedy was a Lutheknn  heretics.'
      general council and the strict enforcement of discipline.      There was little in .Germany that could give Adria.n
      In the past all previous troubles in the church were comfort. . Luther had *been  excommunicated by Ad-
      appeased by a General  Council, iti which diseases were rian's successor, Leo X, June 16, 1520. The following
      brought to `light and proper remedies applied.- The year `he was summoned to Worms. He decided to at- : I
      pope must call together grave earnest, upright, and tend.and on April 17, 1521- the first year of Adrian's
      peace-loving men to inquire into the cause -of all the pontificate - he appeared before the emperor and that ,
      troubles. The time was past for exercising authority Reichstag.  He was asked to recant the 41 heresies
      against the rebels, meaning' all thdse who were taking of which he had been accused but refused, and was put
      part in the Lutheran revolt. `The time is past,' wrote under the ban of the empire. On his return home he
      Allexander, `when  IGbd will connive  ate faults. The was captured by his friends and removed to the Wart- : -
      age is changed, and popular opinions no longer thinks burg. Here and there his books were being burned by
      that  tile charges brought against us  `are partly' false,    order of. the emperor, but his movement was steadily
      an& partly capable of better interpretation. The axe gaining in monientum; the number of his inherents  1
      is ia.id at the root of the tree, unless we choose to re-     were  in&easing  bji the day and  pr_actically nothing
      turn to wisdom. There is no need of issuing new lawr;, was clone against them. In Wittenburg abrupt changes I
      of fulminaiing Bulls; we-have the canons .and the in- were made  in the ritual of the Church. Infant bap-
      stitutes of the fathers,' and if only they `are observe&      tism w&s attacked. Images were `removed. The ma%
      the evil may be arrested. Let t&e pope and the curia was abolished. War with France for the control of  :
      (the curia, the body of tribunals and offices troukh          Italy was making it impossible for Charles V-to `exe- i
      which the pope governs the Roman Catholic Church), cute the Ban on Luther. Sympathy with Luther was
      do away their error by which *God and mati are justly         rtipidly' spreading in Germany. The Tucks  wer;e. a- :
      .offended  ; let them bring the cler&y once more under gain threatening the eastern frontier  of Germany. A
      djscipline:    If the. Germans see ~ this done, there will Diet held early in  .Nurnburg  in 1522 occupied itself  ~
      be no further talk of Luther. The root and the cure solely with the question of finance." It adjourned
      of the eGi1 are alike in ourselves.' Erasmus advised without saying and doing anything about Luther.                            :
      the pope to lay aside- authority and'trust to reason-            But if the upholders of the Old Church were stand- :
      ableness ; to promise amnesty, and to allow' free dis- ing still, not so the reformers. Great changes followed
      cussion, to minimize differences, and to leave all as- one  upon another. An-  Augustinian brother; Gabriel
      sentials open to free .duscussion. The advice was bad. Zw-ingli, preached. again'st all Ronian Catholic institu- :
' Not reasonabieness  but `the Scriptures should be made tions an&usages that did not have the sanction `of the
      to take the place of the authoritjr of the Pope. `This        Scqiptures.  The  gospbl derives no authority from the  !
      was the Reformers stand. Engidius, the genera! of the church. Salvation is by faith alone. The mass is  n6t  I
      Atigustinians, submitted to the  pop&.  a memorial in al sacrifice' of the b,ody  and blood 02 Jesus. Good works '
      which he inveighed against indulgences in language as are non-meritorious. The intercession of the saints  ;
      strong as that used by Luther. Indulgences were an in-
 ~                                                                  is- valueless. Monastic  VOWS are not binding. Purga-  j
      centive to sin, a. s&&&e  of danger to souls. Never&e-        tory is non-existant. The church `has but one head,
      less, Iutheranism must be rooted  out. The very name the Lord Jesus Christ. The clergy should marry.                  3
      of such a monster  must be forgotten. '       '                  In  the meantime  .Lut&er  r&turned to Wittemburg,  1
         This, too, was Adrian's conviction. He $a,&hearti-         and the governinerit'took  no notice of it. But the' pro-


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I                                                                            I                                              :
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           330                                       T H E           STANDB.&D   +ARER                                                         *
I          testants were somewhat distrubed by  Luther's violent  '
I reply to Henry VIII's defence of the seven sacraments. ' -- IN HIS FEAR
           In his book Luther called the king of England a fool,
           an ass, an emptyhead, accused him of flattering the
I pope, whose conscience was as bad as his own.- He : False Doctrik and The. Fear '
           poured scorn on all the authorities `of the church, and '
           denounced all the doing of the past as the work of the /                               '  `Of  The  Lord
           devil'.                                                           ' An Inevitable  Warfwe.                  -
               The government in Saxony did nothing about it
     .     except express its regret that the king  sl&ld have                        We live in an age that may be called one of religious
           been treated with so little respect.                              ' tolerance. And we may surely appreciate the fact that
               On November 16p 2623 the diet of Nurnburg opened j in this age we are able without the pressure-of persecu-
           its sessions. The papal nuncio communicated to the tion for our faith'to worship our Covenant God as He
           assembly Adrian's willingness, for reform, and dwelt has revealed Himself to us and to instruct our children
           ofi his efforts for peace and urged the princes to res- even in their day schools along the lines of the truth
           cue Hullgary from the Turks. He said that the pope as we know it. However we ought not to be deceivkd
           admitted that Luther had done a good servive in un- into overlooking the fact that this qery age of religious
           covering  abuses, but that he became absurd and in- tolerance is in the service of the' Antichrist and will
           tollerable when he attacked tile order of the church, i ultimately realize his final dreadful appearance as pic-
           and sacraments and the authority of the pope; the- 1 tured to us in Rev. 13.and other passages of Scriptul;e.
          .fathers  and the councils. Accordingly, he demanded                         Our very Government promises us freedom of  r,e-
           a vigorous execution of the ban of the emperor, issued ligion, and we do wrong to despise this protection. We
           against Luther and his followers at the Diet of Worms.                  must see in this the hand of the Lord Whom  we fear
           In reply, the princes if *Germany drew up "a memorial whereby He makes it possible for the Church to develop
           containing a hundred grievances, which, they said,  : the truth and to spread geographically so that all na-
           gave the IGeFmans just-. reasons to complain of the  1 tioris, tongues an,d tribes may receive the truth and
           court of Rome, and which they desired his Holiness : every last elect may be brought to saving faith. How-
           would take care to remedy, since they would no longer ever, at the same time, we mtist realize that this very-
           tubmit to such  exto&i&s.  That memorial they sent  [ freedom of religion, which makes it possible fpr the
           LO Adrian. He admitted the necessity of a reformation true church to develop and grow in faith and number,
           and also wanted to take action, bdt the opposition he 8s a@ favors all the falsk doctrines of the false church
           met with on the -part of ,the cardinals compelled him                   and paves the way for the false Christ in his final form
           to move so slowly th&t whe'n he diefl shortly thereafter ' in the last-days of this: world. It affords the Arminian
           nothing had been accomplished. `The only  m'eans  of  j and the Modernist not only, bht also the Communist
           restoring the peace of the church and correcting `her I_ and Aeneist the opportunity to approach YOU and your
           abuses was by a -church council. What was needed children. It gives them equal rights with you and
          ., was a free discussion on the basis of the Scriptures tq , your church and doctrine. It gives the chief priests
           determine the meaning and bearing of Luther's teach- I and elders, the Judases and Pilates of today the right ,
           ings. ~ But to this Adrian was opposed. His word to say anything about the Christ they desire.  It giv'es
           alone was all that was needed. He had condemned  I them the right to condemn Him as an impbster  and
           Luthers ideas; and that should be enough for men.                       leader of insurrection or' to extol Him as a social r,e-
                                                       G. M. Ophdff.              i former whose body has returned to the dust as that
                                                                                  , of all men and who lives only in the lives of men atid
                      a                                                           the teachings he left behind. It allows the forces of
                              YOUNG MEN, ATTENTION!                                darkness to prophecy 2nd point out a new saviour of
                  Young men who desire a limited Pre-Seminary  course of           the world ji the person of the Antichrist.
           instruction in our Theological School are r&quested  to meet with i        And what of the fear of the Lord in this age  ?f  '
           our Cbmmittee the evening of May 14 in the Fuller Ave., Church. religious tolerance? Is it idle? Does it compromise
           If because of  the distance involved you are not able to attend  'i with these'false presentations of the Christ? Does :it
           this meeting, write  .our,secretary  before that date.
                  Young men who desire to attend our seminary in September seek to uphold them and say that they too should be
           to prepare themselves for the Ministry of the Word of God are           given freedom to spread their lie? Let us answer this
           likewise requested to be present ,at this meeting.. Tliey should in a philosophical way and present our idea of  the&
           come wi'ih  a statement of health from a reputed physician and a things.         That  has  no  value.    But  let  the  Word  of_G0.d
           testimonial from their consistory  as to their membership and Fpeak ! And then let us be silent in reverence and awe
           walk  ~of life.              The Theological School Xpmm.
                                         Per Rev. John A.  H&s                    before Him . L&t us answer these `questions in the fear
           1551 Wilson Ave., S. W., R.  `5 - Grand Rapids,..Michigan         . of the  Zord.


                                  T    H     E          ST'AN'DARD  BEAREk                                           331

     No sooner had false doctrine and the beginnings of with false doctrines at .all.
  the antichrist's kingdom  appeared on this earth and           Gf course the battle against false doctrines which i
  God declared that He in  His grace will put  enmit`jr the fear of the Lord incites is and must be waged in
  between His Church and all the seed of antj-Christ's the fear of the Lord. It must be waged in order to
  kingdbm. He not only prophecys  a battle ; He prom- defend `the truth and because we desire to have God
  ises it to His Church. He tells His IChurch in the land receive all the glory due unto His name. ;And then it
  of Canaan, the land of promise that she must utterly must. be waged in such a way that we do defend the ,
  wipe out all the unbelievers. He gives His people the truth and not violate some other phase of it by our  :
  ability to do so, and when they have  -not even the actions and so that we ourselves in our deeds ascribe
 `weapons of warfare, He gives them the victory never: to God.the  glory due to His name. It must be waged:
  theless.   You' may say that this was all typical. Let not to -split denominations, not to set` the father and
  it be so, it scirely does not teach even as a type that     son against each other, although this may be the result j
  the Church recognizes the right of these false doctrines as Matthew 10 teaches.  .But the purpose of our de-  1
  and worships. to exist. And  time  .,and again in the fense of the truth must be to save the brother and/or
  New Testament the Church is told to fight a spiritual `the church from the  "lie. And it must  :h&n be waged
warfare. Jesus said once, "Think not that I am come           out of th&t principle and not for self-advancement or
  to send peace: I come not to send peace, but a sword." because we like to argue and fight.
  Matt. 10 :34. And listen to what follows in the' next          In this connection it may also be stated that we :
  verse, "For I am come to set a man at variance against must wage warfare with all false doctrines in order to ~
  his father, and the daughter against her mother, and save our children and the future church from the lie;
  tlie daughter in law against her mother in law. And a The lie grows as a cancer; and any doctrine which
  man's foes- shall be they of his own house." To this is presents the truth of Scripture in a wrong light, if it
  likewise added, "He that loveth father or mother more       is not condemned, will soon produce more foulness and
  than Me is not worthy of Me." This last verse reveals presently death. It is simply an undeniable truth that '
  that the variance, the warfare, the conflict is there if we do not fight false doctrines, we further their
  because of their attitude and r,elationship  to Christ. cause and help to estadlish-them, . I-t is -to be regretted ~
It teaches us that we may not even allow our closest that churches must be split in this `way, that families :
  relatives according to the flesh the right to their own must be broken up and friendships be lost, but Christ
  opinion of the truth. We must dare to differ and to reminds us $hat so it will be. And that this is the. case .:
  defend the Word of God and His honor and  &lory!            is not due to'our fighting the false doctrine, but it is
  We mu'st live in the fear of the Lord and not in the due  .to the refusal  oi"  those:-who hold  on  to that false
  f,ear of the wrath of our father or mother. ,Our rever- doctrine to accept the truth of God's Word in His fear.
  .ence and awe before God, our desire to uphold the          The fear of the Lord does not make these divisions  ;(
  honor and glory of Him, should be first and last. The and does noi destroy the church. Let -0s bear in mind '                    '
  fear of the Lord will inevitably ?ight false doctrines.     that the false doctrine and the tenacious adherence to :
  Note that we say that the fe$r of the. Lord will fight it sets the father against his son and causes a man's I
  fa,lse doctrines. We do not fight the flesh. Paul de- foes to be those of his own house. If all those who  .i
  clares in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 6 :ll-17,    adhere to false doctrines would live according to the :
  that we must put on the whole .armhur of God in order fear of the Lord, they would renounce the lie, and the 1
  that we may withstand the wiles of the devil. This is schisms and divisions would be healed. . But thk church :                  .
  necessary, he declares, because we wrestle aot with that holds the truth may never renounce its stand to ~
  flesh and blood. Here too we are told. that the fear        enjoy a little fleshly peace. Christ came to bring a  i
 of the Lord fights. It does not simply defend the truth sword, He  declares it Himself. And for the sake of
  and fight a defensive battle. It also, according to this    our children, for the sake of the church of the future
  passage, tells us to take the sword of the Spirit which     as well as for the glory of God, we in the fear of His :
 4s the Word of God and wage `an offensive warfare.. `&me must take up  th.at sword of`the Spirit which is ;
  In his epistle to Timothy he `speaks. of having fought +lne Word  6f God and stand against the wiles of the  :
  the good fight. 1; his first'epistle to the Corinthians devil as they come to us in the form of false doctrines.
  he speaks of having waged warfare with the beasts at           It grieves us therefore when friends and advocates ;
  Ephesus. `The fear of the Lord fights false do&r&es.        of Christian instrtiction  fail to see ihe need. of defend-
 `That is inevitable just because it is the fear of the ing the truth and of fighting the lie in the daily train-
  Lord. Because the believer, and in the measure' that ing. of God's Covenant children in the day schools. It  j
  the `believer, loves iGod, has respect ,for Him and His is disappointing to  hear such say that schools which  :
, Truth, he cannot be quiet and idle. He will defend, propose to teach the children along reformed lines
  maintain and promote the truth. And that means and to protect the children from false doct&nes tihich
  fikhting the lie. That means making no compromise present erro;eous  `and danyerous  world and life views
                                                                          -                                                  1.


 3 3 2                                     T    H    E         STANDAR'D  bEAREli  -

o,re not necessary. Although we have, not- personally t.aught in  th truth as  tie know it. The fear" of the
 ever heard the matter, it ha> been brought td our at- Ilord. isnever selfish, never seeks to advance the inter-
tention that there is a "new vacuum cleaner" and "new cSt of a few men but seeks the"welfar,e of the enti?e
automobile" story circulating to defend this- stand. It. Church p_f God to the glory of His name. It. is vepy
is pointed out that when a salesman comes to sell you : doubtful whether many oukside our denomination will.
a new vacuum cleaner or new automobile-that is, so send their children to be taug@? the doctrines we be-
we heard the story, and we hope that we could be mis- ~ lieve. They now liake no attempt themselves tq im-
ta.kenly  informed-the salesman knows better than to prove their own' schools. But. if there are such, &e
run down your old vacuum cleaner or automobile. He, surely in the fear of the Lord would rejoicd in teach&g
knows that he iS apt to lose a sale by such tacti.&. By : their children the truth. The fear of the Lord fights
borrowing this illustration from business life the .prin- faise doctrines and does so just exactly to build up a@d
ciple of not "running down" the schools which depart, ! prosper the spiritual life of the brother in Christ.
from the truth in their instruction is degended. Now, '                                                J. A. Heys.
let `it be clearly understood that we stated a moment                               i     ___-
ago that we may  not fight false doctrines except for                                                                 -
the defense of the truth, the glory of God and to pro- :
tect and deliver others from the lie a<d `its influence.                     FR6)M  HOLY  WRIT
                                                                                          -J                          /
Let it be clearly understood, then, that we too thor-
oughly condemn "running down" `any school for its
false doctrine. However, we do.believe  in condemning
false doctrines and we have a few remarks to make in                     The  Objective  of  Christian-  '  _
application of this stand of Scripture that a battle for                            Education
the truth is inevitable for the fear bf the Lord.                 1                                                   ;  _
    1. The truth we  1oQe  and believe is  d.enied, and  TZi.e  oB.iective.
though we may not "run down" the,schools  which deny ~                 Turnitig  once more to the  `<General Course of
it, we must inform o.vr children of it and provide some- Schools, we find that their objective is, `a thorough
 thing better for them. Such schools are necessary.  j indoctrination of the  pubi in the fundamentals of
The old vacuum cleaner no longer gives sal$sf&tory 1 Study' as prepared by the Lutheran.  Evangelic,+
service, .and we ought to lobk for another. 2.' Repair- ! Christianity."
ing the old.vacuuni cleaner has been proven to` be im- - To this general siatement  the following is added,
possible. It is &eadily  becoming worse. Not only are ' "Whi!e substituting for the public school in the sense
we and will we always be so far in the minority that that it provides its pupils with the same general edti-
we can never realize a change, but it is i&reasingly  i cation, the Lutheran school is not a dual institution,
becoming plain'that we are not wanted.. Witness, for 1 say in part like a S,!mday School and in part like a'
example, the recent wholly unfounded and  uiexplainl I public school. It is a religious school throughout. TQe
able refusal to consider our dendmination .worthy  of 1 whole educational progr&n is aimed at Christian train-
having. delegates at the next Reformed Ecuinenical  : ing, though the particular subject taught may be geo-
 Synod while  others are accepted in spite of their graphy, `history or  .music. This unity is often  o&r-
Arminianism. ?ur world and life vi& is not wanted : looked, however, or the teacher is misled by textbooks
in the schools ,either.          With our -&en in the boards : not tiritten from a Christian,. viewpoint. The course
a few minor. changes may be achieve& the glaringly i in religion (Bible) lays the foundation for all other
Arminian statements may be toned .dotin, btit we will 1 subjects and forms the celiter of the curriculum. Each
never to any degree get our world and life view taught j of the other. stibje& is presented from the Christian
by those who themselves do not believe:it. 3. To. de- j viewpoint and made to serve as a course in Christian
fend these schools which teach' false  do&rinks and training. This is particularly true of the content subi
therefore false world and life views and refusing to ; jeets. At the same time, no common school bran&h
get behind and support proposed or already existing is turned into a co.u&e of religious training. ,Its pei-
-schools, which have for their purpose the purer in- mary purpose is nowhkre disturbed, but its religiocs
struction,  is to run down these schools which seek to  :  sig@icance  and viewpoint set forth."           (Fo&ewor$
protect  OIX children from the lie and to teach  them General Course of ,Study of ,the Lutheran ,Schools.)
SO that in all things #God's name receives the glory due
unto it.                   `.                                          And from the  "&+stian teacher's philosophy  of
            In that case it is the one called upon to buy educa'iion,~" taken from the same `book, allow. me $0
the vacuum.cle&er  who runs down the better product quote the following: "This philosophy imposes on the
of the salesman, though his own is in bad shape; 4. The a Chri&ian educator the duty ahd responsibility .of pre-
fear 6f .the Lord can only'move us to open the doors of paring his .pupils adequately for the common requir$-
our schools to aZZ who are eager to have the'ir children 1 mints. qf life-on earth, -in order that they may accov-


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                                     THE,  S T A N D A R D   BEARER                                                           333         :

plish their divinely intended purposes also in secular                   to read ,God's revelation aright.               '
a.ffairs and promote the best interests of their com-                  "2, `:Spe&ial  revelation is a light which dispels the
munity and human society in genkral. The Christian`               darkness of this  woAd occasioned by sin-"in
educator therefore aims to safeguard and improve the                       Thy light shall we see light."
physical health of the pupils, to sharpen their intellect,             "Objective IV. A restoration of the.image  of God,
to stimulate their emotional life, to direct their will, the educator functioning as an instrument -in God's
to discover and develop native skills and interests, and h a n d .
to enrich their minds and memories with knowledge
indispensable for successful living in this world. and                 "Explanation :
with a deep appreciation of the culture which past ages                "1. Man must be in~ellectzmlly  God-like.
have bequeathed to the present generation. As he pre-                      "a. Man must consistently think Gods thoughts.
pares  the child to assume duties and responsibilities. in                 "b. Confusion must be removed.
this life, his major concern is always that the child will.                "c. Man must understand the God-intended con-
incorporate the teacher's philosophy of education into                         tribution of creatural and providenti'al from
his *philosophy of life and thus go through life with                          reality.
eyes focuSed on heaven."                                        -  "2.. Man must be  emotion'ally   .God-l&e.
   Although we would not agree with every -statement                       %. Man must be perfect and holy, even as #God
that is made in the, above quotation, the sobriety is re-                      is perfect and holy.
fr'eshing. . Our chief objection would be, of course, that                 "b. `The effects of sin must be removed.
the Lutheran system is parochial, assuming for itself                   "c. Man must donsistently cultivate sanctifica-
.the task that properly beldngs to the Church, namely,                         tion.
"a thorough indoctrination of the pupil in the funda-                  "3. Man must be volitionally GocMike.
mentals, of ,Christianity." In that respect they foster                    "a. Man's will must be conformed to aGod's will..
the idea of a church school.                                               "b. Mah must not be self-centered.
   The book given out by the National Union of Chris-                      "c. It must be man's desire to render service
tian Schools also gives a rather extensive list of general                     to God and man.                      a
objectives of Christian education. I quote from pages                  "4. Man must be efficiently  God-l&e.
31 and 32,                                                                 "a. `Man's competence must be restored.
   "The ultimate aim of Christian education is THE                         "b. Maximum development of personal capaci-
GLORY OF GOD `through:                                                         ties must be effected.
   Objective I. A recognition  (on.  the. part' of the                     "c. Adjustment with mali's environment musf
pupil) of reality as a God-centered pattern:                                   be -established.
                                                                           "d. Man's dominion over creation must be
   Explanation :                                                               established. . .
   1. All things are from God, tlnrough God, and unto                  "Summary :
      `God.                                                            "Education is a restoratiye  process for `giving sight
   2. All creatural and providential forms of reality' to the blind, hearing to the deaf, release to the prisoner,
      are the embodiment of divine ideas.                      recovery to the sick'."
   3. All forms of reality are revelatory in character.                Much of the criticism offered in our discussion of
      i.e., they reveal God's thoughts to man.                 the philosophy of ,education  could  .be repeated here.
   4. There is a unity back of these forms of reality.         .Btit also other objections must be raised.
   "Objective II. A recognition (on the .part of the                   It is not correct to say that creation'is a revelation
pupil) of the destructive effects of sin relative this of God's thoughts to inan. That may serve nicely`as a
God-centered pattern.                                          basis for the idea that the-child must'be made$ntellect-
   "Explanation :                                              ually God-like, but-it is far from Scriptural. Scripture
   "1. Man's ability to read God's revelation in natureteaches that creation is  ,Gpd,s Self-revelation; God's
        has been sadly impaired.                               handwriting wherein He reveals His power and divin-
   "2. The very forms of revelation have been dis- ity. Romans l:?O. That is something entirely differ-
        rupted.                                                ent.                                                                   -.  I
   "Objective III. A recogriition (on the part of the                  Also the statement, "man's ability to read God's  :
pupil) of the need of spiritual rebirth and special revel-     revelation  in. nature  has been  s'adly impaired," is a
                                                               denial of the fact that the wicked hate God and hold :
ation. .                                                       the truth under in' unrighteousness. Romans 1 :iS.                              '
                                                .  -
  Explanation  :-                                                      But our chief objection must  be, that  :Christian
 _  "1. Only the spiritually- reborn individual is able education  is'called a "restor&ive  process."


                                                    - .
       334                                         T H E   --tiTANDAR.b  B E A R E R   (-
                                     \
`_           In as far as this is based on the~restitution theory                         Briefly we might reiterate, that it is the calling
       :-
        it is a gross error. In as far as it lends itself  toi of  th,e Christian school to labor in its  own domain,
       Arminianism and Modernism; it is to be despised. apart from the  chu&h and the home, to furnish the
       And in as far as it creates an altogether wrong ob-. child with covenant training, in order to equip the
       jective for Christian education it is -to be rejected-.                         man of ,God with all that he needs to fulfill his calling
             0 The task of the school is not to become a mission in the midst of the world to the glory of God.                                    :
        station and to exert a salutary  influ&nce  `upon the                             The covenant child must be enriched With know-
       world, attempting to save all humanity. .By collecting ledge necessary to live his life in this world, eniotiob-
       a lot of "bad apples" that need "restoration", the bad ally and morally  he must be directed in the fear of the
        apples are not improved by their c&tact with the good Lord.                            His intellect must be sharpened, his native
        appl,es, but the spots of the bad are soon transferred talents and interests must be discovered and developed,
        to the good.                          c                                        his health must be safeguarded. In one word, intellect-.
              Moreover, education must not be confused with ually, morally, physically. he must be prepared to take'
        sanctification.  : -That this is actually the error that has his place in life according, to ,God's purpos& that he
        crept into the handbook for Christian School teach&s may serve and glorify his God with his whole being,
        is plain throughout,. Allow me just one example from :. even antithetically overagainst  a world that lies. in
      page 29, where the author speaks of education as a re- j wickednetis.
        demptive process. "It is clear that redemption itself
        is the work  ;@f the Holy  Gpirit. . Regeneration is `a  ;The  Appkation  of  this Objective.                                             .(
        work far too delicate to entrust to man. The Spirit                               From a practical aspect the question arises, hqw
        Divine takes car,e of that. But in that redemptive pro- ~must this objective be carried out?
        cess there is the element of sanctification, of growing :                         In the first place, we must' not have- a school w&h
        in grace, of erasing the effects of sin. Sin's pollution the Bible.. Christian sehools must not be distinguished
       &tands  in the way of every attempt to give `the child fr.om public schools merely by the fact that they are
        a suticessful  Christian education. Educatidn is a God- private, that they open and close with prayer, and thBt
        ordained method qf removing some of the effects of they hbve a course In'Bible.
        sin. Jesus was the qnly redeemer and yet He placed i                              In the secbnd place,  the teacher must not attempt
        such practical emphasis upon the element of teaching ' to make pious applications to the, daily lesson, thereby
        that He became known as the RABBI. He was the attempting to add religion to' an otherwise thorou&ly
        Christian teacher. He said, `IAnd ye shall know the I secular training. That, to say the least; cheapens ie-
        .truth,.and  the truth shall make you free." (John 8 :32). ligion and only serves to add .a vafnish of superficial
        Christian education does not merely  save men from Christianity. For example,. the suggestion has been
        ignorance,  but from what is far worse than ignorance ' offered that a subject like arithmetic can be made
        and what lies back of ignoran<e, namely, the evil that "Christian,' by avoiding the mercenary idea and im-
        lurks in men's minds and hearts. If Christian gdu- ! pressing something religious on the mind of the child.
        eaters attkmpt  to reveal the thoughts of ,God .back of i As fdr example, the problem: "`John has ten cents. He
        creation apd providence; they cannot but teach re-  / earns five cents after school. How much does John
        demptively:: This conception of education ' raises the E1ave?" This might be revised to read: "John  gaie
        dignity of Christian education from the level of man's five cents in Sunday School. He also gave ten cents to
        work to the high pItine of God's tiork."                 `1               : the missions. How much did John give to God's king-
              Our objection. to all this would be, that sanctifica- dom?" Although every one will agree that great iti-
        tion is more than an erasing of the effects of sin. provement can be made on the word problems giv&n
        .Sa.nctification is the work pf the Holy Spirit through if children; an! the impression it leaves on them, we
        the inst?umentality  of the .Word of SGod,  whereby the must be'careftil  that we are not creating an entirely
        sinner is delivered from the pollution of sin  and re- wrong  @iritz in the heart of the child with  wrorig
        stored in the- ima-tie'-of  Christ. Education can never "Christian" principles. This matter is worthy of co&
      perform  that..work of  &ace.                                                    sideration. .
              Since we have already established that Christian': Finally, we will all agree that the school is no plaize
        education is: .coyeriant  training, proceeding from the j for a course in theology. `The teacher should not sacni-
        parents, who with their seed are included in God's cov& fice the purpose of the instruction for dogmatic disc<s-
        nant, tind ,thereftire  `ar.e' called to live as pilgrims and sions. .Doctrine  as such is no ,subject for a Christian
        strangers in th'e world, fu'lfilling their divine calling School, not in any of its branches. In the first place,
        as His covenant people' by procltiiniing  ~-His praises, the teacher is generally not trained to handle this sub-
        each in his -own'peculi& place in life, if rieed' ndt be ject, and in the second -place,  it is not her &k.                          i
        diffictilt  for-  US  i%y establish  the  proper objective of                      The first requirement of a Christian School .teacher
        C h r i s t i a n   educ&ion.,  .-         '       *           '     -         .iS ihat he or slie `is a teacher.. She must kn&$ how to
                                                                                                               .                            i  /
                                                                                  I


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                            335  :

  teach, and h.ow to teach children. `The second require-          lV@& more should and must be said about the prac-
  ment is, that she must be a. since?e< Christian, vriho pro- tical application of the true objective  of Christian
  fesses her faith.in her walk and life because it is pa@ education. Btit this will suffice to stress the point we
  and parcel of her soul. She must be- so completely have tried to make. In one word, the fear of -the Lord
  filled with the fear of the Lord that it spontaneously as the basic principle for all wisdom and knowledge,
  governs her teaching. But, thirdly, she must, also must be applied to every spher,e  of life in the educa-
  know and love the true Calvinistic conception of life, tion of the seed of the covenant. In that sense, the
  that life beljngs to God in its -entirety, that nothing man of God must be made perfect,. thoroughly furnish-
  may .be excluded from the service  of the living #God,        ed unto every good work.
  and that His glory is the chief end of all things. In                                                   C. Hanko.
  that respect, she must also be a theologian. And finally,
she must consider teaching her calling from  IGod, to
  which she must devote her life. `A real teacher do&
  not use teaching' as a stepping stone to some other                     &3port  Of  Chsiis  `Lwest
  phasecof life, but makes it her life-ambition.
     The result will be, that (he or) she will have very                  In Session March 3, 1948 at Hull, Iowa
  little difficulty-in applying her Christian principles to
  every subject she teaclles.  She will hate and oppose            The meeting was opened with the usual devotional&
 -every sign of evolution or atheism. She will apply the conducted. by Rev. J. Blankespoor, president of the
  criterion of the IScriptures  to every field of' learning. previous meeting..
_ She will` -maintain a thoroughly theo-centric life-view          All the churches of  Classis West were represented
  in all her discussions.                                       by two delegates except Bellflowe!,  a,nd Redlands who
     It is not difficult to see that a course in Bible in a represented only by their respective ministers. The
  Christian School should not be a course in dbctrine at `dglega&es present- for ,the first time signed the Formula
  all, It must not be` a re-duplicatioq of the instruction of  Subscr'iption.            -_
 .&f the catechism, nor must it replace the instruction            After the meeting was declared constituted, Rev.
  of -the church. The teacher should stress the facts of A. Cammenga took up the presidency, and Rev. J.
  Scripture, the geography, the chronology, leaving the Blankespoor officiated as clerk.
  interpretatioli  of the.facts inainiy to the church. The        .The president spoke a word ,of welcome to the mem-
  school should give the pupil a general knowledge of the bers of Class& especially to those present for the first
  books of the' Bible, the authors, the contents, but should time and' to Rev. W. Hofman who also was  ii1 our
  limit itself mainly to th&                                    midst.
     A course in history should be `givei to acquaiht the          The minutes of the  previou$ meeting were read
  pupil with the significant facts of history, but should arid approved.
  also interprete these  facts solely in the light of Scrip-
                  .                                                Rev.`$V. Hofman was given advisory vote.
  .ture. Stressmg the rapid strides of development in              The stated clerk reported on correspondence, s&t-
  &ivilization  and culture, or creating a hero-worship for ing that he had carried out his specific instructions.
  the great men of history should be condemned. History            A letter was read from Rev.`G. Vos, who accepted
  must be presented as the unfolding of. the counsel of a call to our congregation .in Budsonville,  Michigan,
  the living God and ,the ultimate realization of (God's        stating his heartfelt gratitude for the communion he
  kingdom. Then the church becomes tlie pivotal `point might enjoy with, us and for the labors he might per-
  of all history.  -                        1  _                form while in our midst. Later in the day Rev.  .C.
     Science should deal with God's-r&elation in nature, H&k0 expressed simil!ar sentiments, since he will soon
  teaching the child to see God's. handwriting in crea- le&e for .,his new field of labor in Fuller Ave. The
  tion and helping him to understand the signs that God p&dent  in turn spoke  a.g.e.w-appropriate   words of
  ljlaces in all the works of His hands. `Geography shoyld      gratitude to the latter, both ?or his York as delegate.
  give the child a working knowledge of the earth and &n,d .as stated clerk. The stated clerk was instructed
  its peoples as the history of God's covenant is unfolded td write Rev. Vos  ,a letter of thanks and  apprecia:
  upon the earth. Spelling and lsinguage and ar?thmetic tibn.
  should be taught in such a way, that the child realizes          The report of the Classical Committee was--read
that he needs these things to fulfill his task .on earth.       and-received for information.
  In fact, arith+tic can be made .yFry intriguing if. the         -Reports  ,of church visitation in  Iowa and Cali-
  teacher sees anything of the unity, the harmony, the fornia were given. Since f&e' m&ter'of church visit-
inescapable consi&ency  that God has`put in our numer- ation in Maehai&an. was to be taken up at this meet-
  ical system,                                        ..,'      -ing, Revs. P. Vis  &ng L.  Vermeer  were  apppinted to


                                                 ___-                                                   _____-.-_i
       .336 .                                    THE  ST'ANDmAkD  -BEARER

       do same while filling classical -appointments` in Man-; of-the fact that we have a definite shortage of students
       hattan. ,                                                   for the ministry in our  SeminBry.  Classis express&cl
         Doon consistory &quested  Classis to  make  pro-  i that according to its opinion all that should be done $0
       visions for making another set of sermon books for! further this cause is beirtg done.
       reading services, in the light of Ithe future need. De-1                        4. That synod encourage- the delegates, traveling
       tided-to  table th.is matter until the next `meeting.                        by auto, to travel together as much as possible to save
           Manhattan requested the appbintment of a moder-' expenies. This overture  was not adopted by the Classis
       ator. Rev. A. Petter  ~appointed.                           i ?or several reasons, even though it was expressed tGat
          Manhattan and Edgerton also requested classical all the_ delegates should. continually bear this in mind.
       appointments. It was decided to' grant thdse cbngre-  1                         It was decided to advise Synod regarding subsidies _
       gations such to the equivalent of one appointment  I as follows : Manhattan, $700 ; Doon, $800 ; Pella, $1300 ;
       every.other  Sunday, but that those going to Manhattan, and Orange City, $280.0.
       must preach there for two successive Suridays. Later' " The"floor was now.. given to. Rev. W. Hofman' who
       in the day the committee, .appointed to arrange these, ' gave  3 short resume of the mission work  perform'ed
       reported, which  repqrts.  were adopted with a  few, and `the prospects in Byron Center, Canada, and L&-,
       changes. As Classis `decided they are as follows:           `den, Washington.                             The president expressed a w&d
       For Edgerton,  Minn. : March 14, Rev. J. Blankespoor ; of thanks and also of encouragemen,t  to-the brother. j
         March 28, Rev.  A; Cammenga  ; April 11, Rev. J.  :                           The following were,chosen as delegates to-our ne$
      : Howerzyl; April  25, Rev. A. Petter  ; May 9, Rev.  '  Synod :  _
         J. Van Weelden; May 23, Rev. L. Vermeer;  ju'ne 6, :                             `.-      .
b        Rev. P. Vis ;' June 20, Rev. J. Blankespoor ; July 4, :                                                 MI N I S T E R S :  y.                     ;                       _
                                                                                                                                       Secuncli :
         Rev. A. Cammenga ; July 18, Rev. J. Howerzyl;                                  Primi :
         August 1, Rev. A. Petter; August 15, Rev. J. Van :                             J. Blankespoor                                 F. Vis                        -
         Weelder;;  August 29, Rev. L. Vermeer ; September 5;                         A.  Cammenga                                   - J. Howerzyl
         Rev. L; Dbezetia.                                                             L. Doezema                                     A. Petter
     For Manhattan no dates were specified since the exact  '  L*  V'?rmeer-                                .                        `*  ,De  Boer                  ",
         time of Rev. Hanko's departure `was llot yet certain. '                                                       E L D E R S : .
         The order in which the appointments were given is                                 P@ni i                                         Secuncli:                .  :  r
         as follows: Rev. P. Vis; Rev. L.  V,ermeer   ; Rev. J.                         H. Leep                                        R. Brunsting                       ;
         Van meelden  ; Rev. A." Petter ; Rev. J. Howerzyl; (                           W. De Tries                                    W. Huisken                         ;
         Rey.~ P. De Boer; Rev. L. Doezema ; Rev. A. Cam- ,                             G; Mesman -~                                 `,  .J. Broek                        !
        menga ; Rev. J. Blankespdor.                                :                   P .   H o e k s t r a              1         J .   Kuiper
          A  coiisis!ory requested  Classis to grant her. ap-  j  -  _-                                                                                                   :
       proval  `to proceed in applying further censure to twr;                         Rev. J. Blankespoor: was chosen to replace Rev. `c.
       members of her congregation. [After ample *light had (fi %Ianlro` as Stated Clerk.,                                                                                .
       been Shed on the case by the President of that Con- i                           In the place of  `Rev. G. Vos as  .-member `of the
       sistory;  Classis dec`ided to advise thkm to proceed.                        Classical Committee. Rev. A. Petter  was chos&t, an& `,~
                                                                    i
          Overture from Oskaloosa. The consistory request-  : as Dip ad Examina, Rev. L. Vermeer.
       ed Classis to overture, Synod to authorize the Theo- :                          Classis decided to `accept `the invitation of  Pella,
       logical School Committee to employ either a full or Iowa, ito hold our Fall meeting-in  the& church.                                                  `,
       part-time secretary to assist Rev. Hoeksema, when and  .:                       The questions according to &it. 41 of the Chu& -
       in the event he is able  tb  .resume  his labors, and-to Order were.  sa%sfactorily`answe&ed.                                                                           I
                                                                                                                                                       :
      raise the Theological  S.chool   assesstients  accordingly.  :                   The minutes of the day were adopted.
       Carried.                                                                        After `a f&w words of `alj;cr&iati&-w&e  spoken iy
         : The consistory of. Sioux. Center requested Classis j! the president for the splendid cooperation given him
       to overture Synod as follows:      :--                            j,.  *g the day and the  blesged   sljirit  of  Jove  ina+-
           1. `That Synod reconsider a previous decision that ' rested. ,Rev. C. Hanko closed the meeiting with pray&
       our churclies hav; a Theological $chool  Building, After ' ,to our covenant `God.                                        -
                                                                         /
       a rather lengthy and profitable discussion %lassis de-                                    : :                                 J. Blankespoor; S. C.
       ci.ded not to comply with this request.                           Sz&scri$~~~  `-`this morning, April 8, the Rev  Blankes-
          2. rrhat'synod assess all of the Churches an amount poor <rite; me, requesting the reason why ;he abode
     which  it deems proper for a Foreign Mission  Fund;.                           report di.d not appear in a recent issue of -the pap+.
       Classis decided .not to comply with *his -request.                The reason is that I never received it. It must be, as
          3. That Synod, which has supervision of our Theo- j he suggests, l&h& it was lost in the mails. He. instructs
       logica! School and E: B. P. Fund, take steps which are : me to print the ~report as it appeared in Concordia,
       in adherence to Art. 19 of our Church Order, in view ; which I. do at this time.-(Ed.)

                                                                              ,j                                 -.


