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                                                           societies "have given the first impetus to a movement
   PETITIONING PRESIDENT HOOVER FOR A                      of real moment for the entire nation" it is plain that
              NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER                       he feels pretty certain that the nation as a whole
                                                           would respond to the call and thus repent  in`"dust and
       So reads the caption of one of H.  J. Kuiper's ashes before the Lord.
articles in The Banner of Dec. 7, an article in which          However, in the sequence of his article, Kuiper
Kuiper comments upon the resolution passed by the          informs his :readers that the repentance "would not
Men's Federation of the Christian Reformed Churches be the product of the regeneration  of all the individuals
to petition our President to include in the customary who belong to the repenting multitude."
Thanksgiving day proclamation a call for acknowledge-          His appraisal of national conversion is a conclusion
ment of our nation's sins and to pray for the removal      arrived at from a study of the character of the con-
of the widespread economic depression in our country version of the Ninevites. Upon this conversion Kuiper
and in the world at large and further to inaugurate delineates as follows : "There is not  thO least bit of
next spring what he hopes may also become a national       evidence that all the Ninevites who repented were truly
custom, the appointment by proclamation of a National      converted to God. Their sorrows were indeed poignant.
Day of Prayer, or Prayer Day, inviting our nation to       They fasted, covered themselves with sackcloth and
supplicate Almighty God, for the Saviour's sake, for cried mightily unto God. Yet their prayers were in-
His blessings upon husbandry, industry, commerce, spired by a fear of destruction rather than a real ab-
and all other lawful activities.                           horrence of their sins."      .              I
       Kuiper's comment reads in part:                         To such an outward national conversion, Kuiper
       "Surely the Lord will command His blessings upon attaches considerable significance. He writes :  "Nine-
the nation that publicly acknowledges its dependence veh's repentance had a salutary effect upon the nation,
upon Him and humbly confesses its sins before His It served as a mighty check upon the gross sins in
face."                                                     which the inhabitants of that city bad wallowed."
       Kuiper makes known to his readers that he has no
"illusions that such an Annual Day of Prayer would             Another benefit sure to accrue from a repentance of
be observed in the proper way by all citizens." He the aforesaid character is the  reCurn  of prosperity.  He
continues : "In such matters definite action need not writes : "When the nations suffer hunger, pestilence,
wait for universal public approval. Our President will or the ravages of war, they need not expect prosperity,
be guided in such matters by the best sentiment of our health and peace to return until they have come beiore
people."                                                   God in sackcloth and ashes, confessing their sins be-
       What Kuiper meant by the statement that all citi- fore him. If one judgment is removed, another will
zens will not properly observe the day is that all citi- soon take place."
zens will not repent. Both the whole history of the            From what this quotation asserts it must follow
nations of the earth and Scripture will bear him out        that God, too, takes a keen delight in outward national
in this.                                                   conversion. Such is indeed Kuiper's view. Attend to         --
       The question arises whether Kuiper in entertaining the following from his pen: "National conversions are
the hope that with the exception of these profligate citi- not the product of the regeneration of all the indi-
zens the American nation as a whole will repent. It viduals who belong to the repenting multitude. Never-
seems so. Attend to the following: "It is our firm theless, God rewards the nation who repents thus as
conviction that the most urgent need of our nution is He rewarded the Ninevites."
not a restoration of self-confidence, but the humbling         That God rewards an outward repentance is cer-
of our hearts before God on account of our gross tain. The point is, however, whether this reward is a
national sins . . . . when nations suffer hunger, pesti- gift of  grace. According to Kuiper it is. He writes:
lence or the ravages of war; they need not expect pros- "He is the ruler of the universe, the God of nations,
perity, health and peace to return until they have come who in grace sends blesskys  upon thq? just and the un-
before God in sackcloth and ashes, confessing their j%st, but who in righteousness sends temporal judg-
sins before Him . . . The resolution mentioned above ments upon the nations which forget Him and with-
originated in the two Men's societies at Cleveland. draws them when they repent and cry for mercy."
A happy thought, brethren! It may appear that you              When contemplated, the reasoning running through
have given the first impetus to a movement of real this last quotation turns out to be sheer nonsense.,
moment for the entire nation . . . . "                      But this is another matter to which we shall attend in
       From the above-cited selections  it-is  plain enough the sequence.
that Kuiper proffers his felicitations to the Men's            The closing paragraph of Kuiper's article reads in
societies of Cleveland for being the first to hit upon part: "We shall take the liberty to send a marked copy
the idea of petitioning President Hoover to call for an of The Banner in which this article will appear . . . .
acknowledgement of our national sins. And from his to as many editors of church papers as we are able to
statement to the effect that it may appear that these reach. We invite the last named to express themselves


                                    THEE    S T A N D A R D   B E ' A R E R                                  1%

editorially on the proposal and if at all possible to give or rich. If poor, he might deny the Lord; if rich, he
it their hearty and unqualified endorsement."             might take the name of his God in vain.
   Kuiper forgot us as no such marked copy has as yet        What was the positive blessing he desired? Food
appeared in our mail. -Presuming that his forgetful- convenient for him. So then, the prayer for prosperity
ness was unintentional, we express ourselves on his is a forbidden prayer. Whether you like this doctrine
proposal and shall see to it that a marked copy of  The or not, fact is that it is thoroughly scriptural.
Standard Bearer in which this article shall appear is        Should the President advise the people to make the
sent to him. True, our magazine is no church paper. prayer of Agur their own, I am afraid he would be
Yet Kuiper must grant me that no other periodical is laughed to scorn. But who could not be coaxed into
taking such lively interest in his editorials as  The praying for the return of prosperity?
Standard Bearer. In view of this he might have sent          The term prosperity, as Kuiper used it, may be an
us  t,hat marked copy.    Our comments, I know, are innocent enough term. What he may have had in view
usually censorious. What of it? It is certainly no fault was the speeding up of the wheels of industry, that the
of ours if the disorder is of a kind that calls for a bitter 5,000,OOO  men now idle might have work. Let us con-
pill. And the brethren ought to be real thankful, I sider, however, that for two decades now these wheels
say it in all sincerity, that as often as they turn to the have been in rapid motion. The result was that in
medicine chest they can find the bitter pill they need. the process of a few years our nation became very
   As to Kuiper's comment on the resolutions passed wealthy. The substance of our rich assumed enormous
on by the Men's Federation, the sentiments circulating proportions. Fortunes were amassed by so many that
through this writing of his are of a questionable nature the millionair has ceased to be the exception.
to say the least. The American people should confess         The wage, and with it. the standard of living, of
their national sins that prosperity may return to our the working class rose to undreamt of heights. Money
land! To engage in penitence with a view to a return became plentiful. People of every rank lived sumptu-
of prosperity is equal to praying for prosperity.         ously and spent recklessly. Hardly a family is to be
   Prosperity is defined as advancement, gain. A found without an automobile; hardly a home without a
prayer for economic prosperity is a prayer for mate- radio. Recently I met a working man who a few years
rial riches. To such an extent does the soul of the ago paid seven hundred and  f!ifty dollars for a  player-
Spirit-filled saint recoil from praying for prosperity, piano which today he would gladly dispose of for a
that Agur of the book of Proverbs asked the Lord  not paltry sum of fifty dollars. In the words of the editor
to give him riches. The prayer reads : "Give me neither of  The Grand Rapids Press : "The present difficulty to
poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for a considerable degree is that people whose ancestors
me; . . . . (Prov. 30 :8).                                thrived and were happy on infinitely little have come
   This is a most remarkable prayer. The petitioner to consider luxuries as barest essentials. In part we
did more than refrain from praying for riches; he are not to blame for the change - as in the case of
prayed that God might not make him rich. How many the outskirt dweller really dependent upon a car. But
this day can pray from the heart, "Lord, give me no quite largely is it the fault of nobody but ourselves -
riches" ?                                                 that we have grown effete. War and postwar prosper-
   It startles one to discover a federation of Christian ity have softened the tissues of a generation of young
men and an editor of what is supposed to be one of people called upon to pioneer in nothing but pleasure
the most conservatieve  church paper of our country, and more pleasure, and out-of-work young men today,
delineating upon the great merit of a resolution to who in similar circumstances fifty years ago would
petition the President to advise the nation to petition have been glad of two coints clinking together, consider
Heaven for prosperity.                                    themselves destitute if they cannot maintain both car
   What is prayer? What is the state of the soul in and radio.
prayer? Said Christ : "Ask and ye shall receive ; seek       "Ridiculous cases turn up of waste of charity funds
and ye shall find." To pray, then, is to  ,ask and to by individuals with amazing notions of utter necessity.
seek. And he who seeks sets his effections on the            "The country has tasted of caviar and felt of silk
thing sought. To pray for prosperity is to seek the and it is hard for even the least of us to come down
things below. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures to earth - down to the old pioneer spirit of hardihood
upon earth . . . for where your treasure is there will and independence. We have become dependent upon
be your heart also" (Matt. 6 :19, 20).                    too many soft things we did not dream of expecting
   The reverse of prosperity is adversity, poverty. before. Perhaps the lesson that these things are not
These things we no more pray for than for riches.         really necessities and that society owns them to nobody
"Give me neither poverty." The things this saint is, in general, a good thing after all."
dreaded were the two extremes : prosperity and advers-       In view of all this, it seems to me that it requires
ity. It was not poverty or riches as such. that he dis- an amazing amount of carnal nerve to appear before
dained; what he feared is the trials he would have God with the petition, "Cause prosperity to return."
to endure and the sins he might commit if either poor Would it  net be more,  yea thoroughly in  accordance

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

with Scripture to tell the r&ion that it had better poor. When the wheels of industry were still in
keep itself to the humble prayer, "Lord, give us this      motion, it was these needy ones who in the sweat of
day our daily bread"?                                      their brow filled the coffers of this great American
       A prayer for the return of prosperity! Does not cornmonweahh  to overflowing.' Should the custodians
Kuiper realize that we as a n&ion are prosperous ; of American gold and food now neglect them?
that, therefore, we would be making sport of the Lord         it is plain now, I think, how H. J. Kuiper's com-
should we petition Him for a return of prosperity. So ment on the aforesaid  resohrtion of the Men's Federa-
laden down with foodstuffs are we as a nation, that we tion should have read. `It should have read as follows :
know not what to do with our surplus. Our over-supply Esteemed Brethren:-Resolve by all means to declare
of wheat alone runs into the millions of bushels. The your resolution to petition the President to urge this
yield has been so large as to have given rise to a real nation to pray for prosperity null and void. What
wheat problem  - the problem, namely, of how to dis- brazen affrontery, brethren! This great American
pose of the surplus without corrupting the market for family is prosperous, is rich; it had received from the
the wheat-growing farmer. Last summer our city God of nations food in abundance for its poor. Besides,
retail markets every day were so flooded with produce brethren, God's people do not pray for prosperity but
that the farmer who sold out and could return home for their daily bread. Brethren! I thought you know
with an empty truck considered himself fortunate. better.
Last summer's drought and the resultant shortage'of           If you desire to do anything at all, Brethren, sell
corn was hailed as a blessing in disguise. The farmer, as much of your worldly things as you can spare and
it was said, will now fatten his hogs on wheat and give the proceeds of the sale to the poor. Next ascer-
thus use up the cursed abundance that threatens his tain whether the needy are being cared for by the we&
well-being and stands in the way of his success as a to-do members of this great American family. If so,
wheat grower. The consensus of opinion'is that the hold your peace ; if not, get yourself on the housetops
chief cause of our economic ills is overproduction. Yet and cry out: "Go to now, ye rich, weep and howl, for
the Men's Federation and H.  3. Kuiper and others your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches
would have the nation pray for prosperity as if the are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.
nation were in need? Unbelievable ! Yet true !             Your gold and silver is cankered ; and the rust of them
       Our nation, our great American commonwealth, the shall be a witness &gain&  you, and shall eat your flesh
American family, if you will, is not in need today. To     as if it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together
the contrary, this family is enormously wealthy. The for the last days. Behold, the hire of the Iabourers
God of nations has literally laden it down with food. who have reaped down your fields, which is of you
It is a  .family full to the point of satiation. The kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries of them that
supply is so abundant that the cry is, Too much, too       have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of
much. Well then, should we urge this family to cry `Sabaoth. Ye have lived in  pIeasure  on the earth, and
for more, and as leaders say to a society of men con- been wanton ; ye have nourished your hearts as in a
templating doing so, Happy thought, brethren ! It may day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the
appear that you have given the first impetus to a just and he does not resist you" (James 5 :l-6).
movement of real moment for the entire nation. Should         Brethren of the Men's Federation, such is my ad-
we rush into print with a statement that the resolve       vise to you. Whether you will heed it, I know not.
of the Men's Federation to invite the nation to join it But whatever you do, resolve to nullify the resolution
in its cry for more prosperity deserves wider publicity to pray for prosperity. Pray, what ails you, brethren!
than the Federation Messenger, its official organ, is         Such should have been Kuiper's advice.
able to give it; and that we count it a privilege to          `Having done with the rich, James turns to the
bring this matter to the attention of all our readers? people of God and admonishes them to be patient unto
Should we in addition request our exchanges to teI1 the coming of the Lord. It shows that he flayed the
their readers about it and to give it their moral sup- rich not with the world but with the people of God
port? No, indeed. Yet Kuiper did this very thing.          before his eye. Life for this people was hard. In the
What splendid leadership he gives!                         discourse of James, cited above, they appear as poor
       Yet, someone may interpolate, there are today and needy. Yet though their interests lay close to
some  5,000,OOO  men out of work. True enough. And the apostles' heart, you do not read of him encourag-
it is safe to say that the great majority of these un- ing the ministerial association of his locality to urge
fortunate ones have no money to buy bread. Well, the commonwealth to which these poor belonged to
what of it? Isn't this great American family of ours pray for more prosperity.           He knew better. The
enormously rich and therefore  weil able to provide for particular  socia1  unit of the land where these poor
its needy members? Or would any one wish to con- dwelt was rich. It was a society of men constituted in
tend that a well-to-do family is not at all obliged to part of personages with treasures of gold and with
come to the fore as the keeper of such who, under the treasures of silver, - men who lived sumptuously,
management of those running the family, have become lived in pleasure on the earth and nourished their


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                      157

hearts. Their treasures, however, were the accumula- not the least bit of evidence that all the Ninevites who
tions of the hire of the Iabourers who reaped down repented were truly converted  to God.  Their sorrows
their fields, fraudulently kept back.                        were indeed poignant. They fasted, covered themselves
   Had James feared these rich, had he been reluctant with sackcloth and cried mightily unto God. Yet their
to offend them, had he formed the habit of following prayers were inspired by a fear of destruction rather
the path of least resistence,  he would have urged the than a  real abhorrence of their sins . . . . National
magistrates to admonish the commonwealth to which conversions are not the product of the regeneration of
he, those poor, and those rich belonged, to pray the all the individuals who belong to the repenting multi-
God of nations to send prosperity. James, however, tude. Nevertheless God rewards the nation which re-
feared God and no man. He dared to do his duty as pents thus, as He rewarded the Ninevites." So far
he was made to see it. And that duty was not to peti- K u i p e r .
tion the Lord to bestow upon a satiated commonwealth            It is plain, that the current argument of the above
more of this world's goods, but to flay the rich and to citation is that the ungodly should be admonished to
admonish the just, killed by the rich, to be patient unto repent that they may prosper. The steps in the argu-
the coming of the Lord. Brethren of the  Men% Feder- ment are three in number : (1) The two Men's societies
ation, you see your duty.                                    are to be commented for being the  .first  to think of
   May we not ask the Lord to speed up the wheels of petitioning the President to admonish the nation to
modern industry? someone may ask. We ask in turn: repent; (2) National conversions are not the product
Why not keep to the prayer, Lord, give us this day our of regeneration. From this it follows that the re-
daily bread, and leave it to Him how to provide for us? pentance is outward and with the exception of the
You may reply that the prayer for prosperity or the          people of God the repenting multitude destitute of sav-
speeding up of the wheels of industry 6 the prayer,          ing grace; (3) Yet the outward conversion of the
Give us this day-our daily bread, recast in terms of godless finds acceptance in the sight of God and with-
modern modes of thought and life. We deny this. The out fail turns out to be the source of rich blessing for
prayer for prosperity and the speeding up of the the entire nation including the godless.
wheels of industry is a prayer for material gain and            It is plain as can be, that the sum of this reason-
advancement, a prayer for radios and automobiles,            ing is that the godless also should be urged to repent
luxurious homes, magnificent church buildings, parson- that they and we al1 may prosper materially.
ages, college buildings, big salaries; it is a prayer for       A question now: Do the godless praise God when
the advancement of world culture and civilization, a they prosper? To the contrary, when the godless
prayer for the coming of the kingdom of the devil.           flourish they curse the Lord. We quote from Ps. 73:
These things the child of God does not pray for; but            "Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are
he prays for his daily bread, for the destruction of the of a clean heart. But as for me; my feet were almost
kingdom of the devil, and for the coming of the king- gone ; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was
dom of Christ.                                               envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of
   If anybo-dy feels constrained to fling into my teeth the. wicked. For there are- no bands in their death:-
that these views smack of Anabaptism, Iet him have but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as
the courage to do so publicly, in the open, that I may other men ; neither are they plagued like other men.
have a word with him.                                        Therefore  p&de  compasseth  them about  &T a chain;
   I have more fault to find with H. J. Kuiper's article.    violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand
This writing of his, to say the least, is shockingly out with fatness: they have more than heart could
mercenary and brutally materialistic. What is strongly wish. They are corrupt and speak wickedly concern-
recommended is that the ungodly, they destitute of the ing oppression : they speak loftily. They set their
life of regeneration, be urged to repent that they and mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh
we all may prosper.                                          through the earth . . . . "
   Am I overshooting the mark? Am I placing upon                The godless, then, do not praise when prospered,
the sentiments that circulate through Kuiper's article Yet they should be told to repent not that when pros-
a wrong construction, and distilling out of his words        pered they may praise but for the sole reason that
a meaning they do not have? Not at all. Consider             they may prosper. The repentance of the godless, then,
once more the following from his pen : "The resolutions is of great va1ue as it is the key that opens the door
mentioned above originated in the two Men's societies to the treasure houses of the earth. How thoroughly
of Cleveland. A happy thought, breth&! It may ap-            carnal, these sentiments.
pear that you have given the first impetus to a move-           Kuiper advances still other reasons why a national
ment of real moment for the entire nation. The story outward conversion is to be desired. We quote : "Nine-
of  Nineveh's repentance shows that God has mercy veh's repentance had a salutary effect upon the nation.
upon the nation that sets aside a specia1 day for con-       It served as a mighty check upon the gross sin in which
fession of sin and humble supplication for His favor,        the inhabitants of that city had wallowed. And so a
even  tho,ugh   thk repentance is  temporary.   There is national day of prayer, properly observed, would not

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

only be a proper recognition of our frailty and our           since the value and effect of prayer can only be sub-
dependence upon the favor of the Almighty Ruler of jective, do not voice the sentiment of the overwhelming
heaven and earth, but a challenge to the nation to con- majority of our Christian people. The rank and file
sider and to lament the many grievous sins into which of our church leaders and church members believe in a
we have drifted  - our materialism, our pride,  OUY living God, the God of Eiijah. They believe the in-
complacency, our rejection of the Word of God."               spired assurance that `the supplication of a righteous
       Kuiper has it then that outward repentance will man availeth much in its working.' If the God of
serve as a mighty check on sin. Further, that the man Abraham, who is also our God, would have spared the
who outwardly repents recognizes his dependence upon city of Sodom if ten righteous persons had been found
the favor of God, and confesses his sins. Astounding! among its degenerate, sip-sodden population, we may
       Can this be? Indeed not! Consider that an out- rest assured that the penitential prayers and the
ward conversion is not the mortification of the old man earnest supplications of the Christian people in our
and the quickening of the new man; it is not a sincere country to Him who is the King of kings will find ac-
sorrow of heart that God has been provoked by sin;            ceptance in His sight and prove to be a source of
it is not a firm resolve to hate and flee from sin ; it is    rich blessings to all our people."
not a sincere joy of heart in God, through Christ; it            Here it is stated in unmistakable speech that the
is not, finally, a determination to live with love and Lord will spare the wicked only for the sake of the
delight according to the will of God in all good works.       righteous dwelling among them; that in blessing the
Outward repentance is a thoroughly carnal fear for nation, He responds, not to the outward repentance
the judgment's of the Almighty. Kuiper agrees with of the wicked, but to the earnest supplication of His
me ; for in his article he wrote that the prayers of people.           In this particular paragraph, Kuiper over-
the Ninevites who did not truly repent were inspired turns what he sought to establish in the preceding sec-
by fear of destruction rather, than a real abhorrence tions of his article.
of sin, that further national conversions are not the            Let us now briefly take up the case of Ahab. Be-
product of regeneration. Consider that in the epistle cause he humbled himself before the Lord, He would
to the Romans the  ungodiy appears as a personage with not bring the evil in his days. Those remaining days
a throat that is a open sepulchre  ; with a tongue with of Ahab's life were days of peace and prosperity. His
which he uses deceit; with lips under which lurks the so-called outward repentance was rewarded. Who will
poison of asps ; with a mouth that is full of cursing deny it? `However, the plain teachings of Psalm 73 are
and bitterness; with feet that are swift to shed blood. that when the wicked prosper pride compasseth them
Is the conversion of the reprobate ungodly the sign about as a chain ; violence covereth them as a gar-
that the filthy sepulchre was cleansed ; that the poison ment, . . . and their mouth is set against the heavens.
lurking-under those lips was removed; that the mouth Would Kuiper want to maintain that the wicked Ahab
was cleansed from its dreadful curses; that those feet in that final stretch of his career ceased to corrupt bis
lost their swiftness for shedding blood? Not at all.          way before the Lord? I think not. Well then, Ahab's
The-outward conversion of the..godless  one is merely reward was to him a curse. Being wicked, he converted -             -
the sign that for the moment he is in the grip of a the prosperity of his latter days into a punishment for
paralyzing fear so that his feet, his tongue, and his himself. The only question that remains is whether
lips will not function. As soon as he recovers from the Lord would have it so or, to state the matter other-
his fright he again corrupts the earth with his curses, wise, whether the Lord continued to prosper this king
deceit, lies and murders. Sin is not checked in the           in His wrath or in His love. Kuiper's answer is: in
reprobate ungodly. And, though as Pharaoh and King His love. Attend once more to the following from
Saul later on, he may declare, "I  have sinned," his re- his pen: "The story of Nineveh's repentance shows
pentance is of a kind to which the Lord cannot possibly that God  /ZQX mercy upon the nation which sets aside
respond with a gracious reward as Kuiper tries to a special day for confession of sin and humbly suppli-
maintain.                                                     cation for his favor, even though the repentance is only
       Kuiper virtually admit this in the sequence of his temporary."       In his mercy, then, God bestows a graci-
article. We quote:                                            ous reward upon the sinner who repents outwardly and
       "We have no illusions that such an annual Day of who, contrary to His will, converts the reward into a
Prayer would be observed in the proper way by all our curse. The view running through this proposition is
citizens. In such matters definite action need not wait extremely repulsive. It has in the past so often been
for universal public approval. Our President will be shown up as false that we take no further notice of it.
guided in such matters by the best sentiment of our What we wish to emphasize now is that there is at
serious people. The fact that even some religious peo- least one point of agreement between Kuiper's view
ple would not wax enthusiastic over the proposal need and our view. We both maintain that, irrespective of
not be a deterrent. Religious leaders whose minds are whether God prospers the wicked in His love or in His
steeped in a naturalistic philosophy and who declare, wrath, the wicked convert the bestowed prosperity into
for example, that God does not answer prayer for rain a curse.


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                    159

   Such is indeed the plain teaching of Kuiper in his                        ONZE  ZENDING
The Three Points  of  Synod.
  This question now : What can there possibly be about        We hebben in onze bespreking over de taak der
an outward repentance that is so appealing to Kuiper Zending  in het laatste nummer der S. B. gewezen op
and the brethren of the Men's Federation? The out- het eigenlijke van den arbeid in de kerk zooals die  al-
ward repentance as such is an evil work and therefore reeds tot openbaring kwam. Uitgaande van de Heilige
an abomination in the sight of God. Kuiper himself, Schrift stond dit  we1 vast, dat er %n was die uitzendt,
we saw, admits this. And when the wicked prosper die de gezondenen een bepaald bevel gaf, dat de uitge-
they speak wickedly of oppression and set their mouth 7Andenen   worden  bekleed met gezag ontleend  aan den
against heaven. Why, then, should these men desire Zender, dat naar den inhoud getuigen en onderwijzen
an outward conversion of the reprobate ungodly? Be- en doen  onderhouden ziet op al hetgeen Christus ge-
cause it is thought that when the wicked prosper boden had, dat eindelijk dit "alles wat Ik u geboden
everybody prospers.                                        heb" gevoegelijk kan  worden  saamgevat in het woord
   Is this indeed the reason? It is if H. J. Kuiper is van den Apostel Paulus, dat het is een getuigenis geven
able to express the thoughts of his heart in under-        aangaande den vollen Raad Gods.
standable speech. From that article of his animates a         Ook nu nog is dit, zij het dan slechts zeer beknopt       :
most profane spirit. It is an article with a message       door ons weergegeven, het model waarna iedere arbeid                    L
that betokens a shifting of emphasis from the things der Zending  moet worden  ingericht, de leest waarop
above to things below.                                     bet geschoeid moet  worden,  zal de kerk die  zich de
   Let us now notice how altogether out of tune these zendingsarbeid tot taak zag gesteld, beantwoorden  aan
brethren are with the views and outlook of the. haar hoogheerlijke  roeping.
prophets of Scripture.                                        Alle andere wijze van werken is niet nlleen vruch-
   John the Baptist was preaching repentance in the teloos, maar in den aard der zaak niets anders dan ge-
wilderness of  Judea. Among those who came to his hoomaamheid ontzeggen  aan Christus, en dies  godde-
baptism were many Pharisees and Sadducees. But to loos. Men moge  schier  door ijver verteerd  worden,
them he said, 0 generation of vipors, who hath warned meenen dat men het beter weet, het Woord laat in
you to flee from the wrath to come. Bring forth there- dezen niets aan duidelijkheid te wenschen over. Wie
fore fruits meet unto repentance." What made the zich verbeeldt, dat werken  voor de zaak des Heeren
Baptist administer so stern a rebuke to this class of niet onder dezen regel valt, meent dat het zoo nauw
men was the character of their repentance. It was outr:    niet steekt als ge maar iets doet, hoe dan ook, leere het
ward. Its essence was sheer dread for the wrath to voor eens en altijd verstaan dat niet offer of ofierande
come.                                                      maar gehoorzaamheid  aau den Zender de eisch is die
   We have seen that to the brethren an outward con- door hem gesteld werd.
version is a commendable work ; to the Baptist, on the        Daar helpt nu eenmaal niets  aan.
other hand, an outward repentance was an abominable           Naar het model der Schrift te arbeiden is den
thing. To the brethren the treasures of the ungodly Koning der kerk ulleen  welbehagelijk.
are gifts of love and tokens of divine favor.. James          Dit geldt als vanzelf voor de methode ons in Zijn         `:  1::
has it, however, that the gold and silver of the rich is Woord  voorgehouden:  Er werd niet alleen een welom-
cankered  ; that their riches are corrupted. The brethren schreven taak de kerk opgedragen van wat gepredikt
come with a message of peace to the reprobate ungodly. diende te worden,  neen, de Heiland  zeide er uitdruk-
What prophet of Scripture ever did so?                     kelijk bij  waur dien arbeid diende te beginnen. De  '
    I am not through with Rev. Kuiper's article. Other Apostelen waren   we1 terdege gebonden  aan deze  wijze
matters brought up in his article are: Israel and the en mochten nergens heengaan, tenzij het hen eerst
nations, the prayer of the Old Testament saint for werd bekend gemaakt. Hun getuigenis is dan ook
material prosperity, the character of the repentance meermalen, dat, of de Heilige Geest liet het ons niet
of the Ninevites. About these matters we will have a toe, of, de Heere opende ons een deur, zoodat we het
word to say in a following article.                        Evangelie van  Christvs  aldaar  konden  verkondigen.
                                              G. ME. 0.       Nadat de Apostelen het zendingsbevel ontvangen
                                                           hadden is er zelfs een wachten te Jeruzalem op nader
                                                           orders. Weliswaar stond het heugelijk Pinksterfeest
                                                           en de uitstorting des Heiligen Geestes hiermede in
                                                           nauw  verband,  nochtans had ook dit wachten nog een
    Johannes Huss zag te  midden van de vlammen op ander doel. Slaat ge Luk. 24 :46-49 en Handel. 1:8 op,
naar den  hemel  en riep: In  TJwe  handen beveel ik,      en zet die beiden met elkander  in verband,  dan trekt
Heere Jezus, mijn door U verloste ziel!                    het de aandacht, dat in deze beide teksten &n uitgangs-
    Melanchton door zijn bloedverwanten gevraagd : punt wordt gesteld vanwaar de zendingsarbeid dient
Wat wilt gij nog? antwoordde op het sterfbed: Niets t,e beginnen.
dan den hemel!                                                In beide gevallen is bet Jeruzalem.

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

                                                                ten that it was before the meeting. Certain it is that it
        A  C!ATECHISM  ON THE HISTORY  OF THE                   was never submitted to a vote.  -
        PROTESTANT REFORMED CHURCHES                               8. Which other substitute motion is. worthy of
                                                                mention ?
                  V.  WHAT  SYNOD  DECIDED                         The motion that was offered by Rev.  Manni. It
                                                                read as  :follows:
        1. Did Synod readily adopt the report of the ad-           `Synod, having duly considered the advice of the
visory committee on the matter of Common Grace?                 Committee of Pre-advice in `the matter of the protests
        At first it appeared as if the advice of the commit- and objections against the opinions of the brethren
tee would be received very favorably by Synod ; but Danhof and Hoeksema, decides to drop the Common
this first impression proved to be false when the doc- Grace case for the present, with the earnest admoni-
trinal part of the committee's report was reached in tion that thorough study be made of  this matter, but.
the discussion. Then the trouble started.                       in the spirit of brotherly love and mutual appreciation.
        2. What especially impeded the progress of Synod           "In order to execute this thorough study Synod de-
in the adoption of the report?                                  cides to appoint a large committee of which also the
        The declaration of the committee concerning the brethren Danhof and Hoeksema shall be members,
grace of God on the ungodly reprobates, which in dif- which shall serve the next Synod with more light on
ferent form was adopted in a later session as the  well- this very significant problem.            '
known First Point.                                                 "Finally, Synod declares that the protestants
        3. To what declaration do you refer?                    (whose good intentions Synod appreciates) must be
        After quoting quite at' random from the writings satisfied with this decision and abide by it, considering
of the Revs.  H: Danhof and H. Hoeksema passages in that Synod is of the opinion that the time is not yet
which they limit the grace of God to the elect only, the ripe for a more  definite  expression on the problem  be-
committee advised Synod to adopt the following state- .fore which it was placed by the protestants."
ment : "These expressions your committee deems to be               9. What was done with this motion?
in conflict with Holy Scripture, since, according to               It was  dicussed till it beoame time to adjourn.
Scripture and the Confession, it is established, that Synod then took a recess till July 7.
God is  .favorably  inclined and gives grace to those              10. What happened when Synod reconvened on
whom Scripture designates as ungodly and unright- July 7`~
eous, which, of course, includes the reprobates."                  We learn from the Acta (p. 145) that first of all
        4. Did this declaration demand the attention of Dr. C. Bouma addressed the Synod to explain the re-
Synod a long time?                                              port of the committee. This address occupied almost
        Yes, it received the lion's share of Synod's consider- the entire afternoon session. Then the motion last
ation and discussion. The other of the Three Points mentioned, that would drop the matter and appoint a
were hardly considered. At least nine of ten sessions committee to study the question of Common Grace,
were devoted to deliberation on this First Point. Even was submitted to a vote and it was rejected. Finally,
though the committee had referred to various passages another substitute motion was submitted, that had been
from Scripture and from the Confession to prove their prepared during the days of recess. It was discussed
point, and though they quoted passages from Calvin briefly in the evening session of July 7 and adopted.
and Maestricht  to substantiate their view, Synod did             1 1 . What can you say as to the contents of this
not appear prepared to share the committee's concep- decision?
tion and adopt its advice.                                         It consists of four main parts, namely: 1. A doc-
        5. Were any substitute motions offered?                 trinal declaration consisting of three points. 2. A judg-
        Yes ; some desperate attempts were made to give ment of the views of the Revs. H. Danhof and H. Hoek-
this first point a Reformed appearance.                         sema. 3. A testimony to the Churches. 4. A statement
        6. Will you mention one of these?                       regarding the Common-grace question in general.
        On the evening of July 3, when the Synod was still         12. Which is the first point of the doctrinal
in confusion on the matter in consideration, the fol- declaration?
lowing substitute motion was before the house : "Synod             It deals with the alleged grace of God over the
declares that according to Scripture and the Confes- reprobates and reads as follows:
sion it is established, not only that God is wrathful              "Regarding the first point, touching the favorable
over the reprobates because of their sin, but also that disposition of God toward mankind in general and not
He is favorably inclined and bestows blessings upon only toward the elect, Synod declares that according to
those whom the Scriptures call ungodly and unright- Scripture and the Confession it is established, that be-
eous, which, of course, includes  t,he reprobates."             sides the saving grace of God shown only to the elect
        7. Was this motion adopted?                             unto eternal life, there is also  a certain favor or grace
        No ; and it does not seem certain what became of it.    of God which He shows to His creatures in general.
Perhaps in the general confusion it was simply forgot- This is evident from the Scripture passages that were


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       163

quoted and from the Canons of Dordt, II, 5 and III, writings of the Revs.  II. Danhof and H. Hoeksema
IV, 8 and 9, where the general offer of the Gospel is cannot very well be harmonized with what Scripture
set forth; while it is also evident from the citations and the Confession teach us regarding the above men-
from Reformed writers belonging to the most flourish- tioned three points. Synod also judges that the pastors
ing period of Reformed Theology, that our fathers          referred to in their writings use some strong expres- .
from of old maintained this view."                         sions, from which it is evident that in their presenta-
   13. Which is the second point?                          tion of the truth they do not sufficiently adhere to the
   It deals with the alleged restraint of the progress way in which our Confessions express themselves,
of sin in the world and reads as follows:                  especially point I of the Utrecht Conclusions.
   "Regarding the second point, touching t.he restraint       "On the other hand, Synod declares that these min-
of sin in the life of the individual man and of society isters in their writings, according to their own re-
in general, Synod declares that according to Scripture peated declarations, do not intend or purpose anything
and the Confession there is such a restraint of sin. This else than to teach and maintain our Reformed doc-
appears from the Scripture passages that were quoted trine, the doctrine of Scripture and the Confessions,
and from the Netherland Confession Artt. 13 and 36, and it cannot be denied that they are Reformed in re-
which teach that God by a general operation of His         spect to the fundamental truths as they are formulated
Spirit, without renewing the heart, restrains the un- in the Confessions even  thcugh it be with an inclination
bridled manifestation of sin, so that life in human to onesidedness."
society remains possible;  while citations from Re-           19. What can you say about this judgment?
formed authors of the most flourishing period of Re-          That it is partly true ; partly false ; partly self-con-
formed Theology prove, moreover, that our fathers tradictory.
from of old maintained this view."                            20. How is it partly true?
   14. And which is the third point?                          It is true in as far as it declares that the two pastors
   It deals with the alleged ability of the natural man    do not intend or purpose anything else than to teach
to do good and reads as follows:                           and maintain the Reformed truth. And not only did
   "Regarding the third point touching the perform- they never purpose anything else, but they also faith-
ance of so-called civil righteousness by the unregen- fully accomplished this purpose. It is also true, when
erate, Synod declares that according to Scripture and it declares that it cannot be denied that the two pastors
the Confession the unregenerate, though incapable of are Reformed in respect to the fundamental truths as
doing any spiritual good (Canons of Dordt, III, IV, 3)     they are formulated in the Confessions. The two
are able to perform such civil good. This is evident pastors may well be grateful to Synod for this testi-
from the Scripture passages that were quoted and monial respecting their soundness in doctrine, espe-
from the Canons of Dordt, III, IV, 4 and from the cially because it was an admission made by a Synod
Netherland Confession, Art. 36, which teach that God, that was supposed to try them and to condemn their
without renewing the heart, exercises such an influence teachings. And, on the other hand, the Christian Re-
upon man that he is  .enabled  to do civil good ; while it formed Churches may well be ashamed that they never-
is, moreover, evident from the quotations of Reformed theless deposed two pastors concerning whose doc-
writers of the most flourishing period of Reformed trinal soundness they offered such a splendid testi-
Theology, that our Reformed fathers from of old main- mony.
tained this view."                                            21. How is this judgment partly untrue?
    15. What is your opinion regarding these three            It is false, when it declares that several statements
points ?                                                   in the writings of the two pastors cannot very well be
   That they are ambiguous, deceptive, certainly not harmonized with what Scripture am-i the Confessions
in harmony with either Scripture or the Confession,. teach regarding the three points. It is true, that none
and Arminian and Pelagian in spirit and tendency.          of the statements referred to, and that, in fact, no
    16. How do you prove this judgment of the three statements in the writings of the two ministers agree
points ?                                                   with the three points. But it is untrue, that these
    For this I refer you to the Second Part of this statements are in conflict  with whut  Scripture  and the
Catechism, where the errors of the three points will be Confession  teach  us regarding these points. For proof
fully set forth.                                           of this statement I refer you to the Second Part of this
    17. What can you say of the second part of the Catechism.
Synodical  decision, namely, the judgment it expresses        22. And how is this judgment self-contradictory?
upon the views of the Revs. Danhof and Hoeksema?               It is in conflict with itself when, on the one hand,
    That it contains a judgment proper and an admoni- it declares that the two pastors deviate in their views
tion.                                                      from the teaching of Scripture and the Confession
    18. Which part expresses the judgment proper? concerning the three points, and, on the other hand,
    It reads as follows:                                   give them the testimony that they are fundamentally
    "Synod expresses that several statements in the Reformed.           For it must be admitted that the three


164                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
~-

points deal with some of the most fundamental truths of discipline before Synod. It was the task of that
of Reformed doctrine, namely, the particular character body to render a definite verdict as to the soundness
of God's grace and the total depravity of natural man. or unsoundness of the teachings of the two pastors in-
Surely, if the Confession teaches what the three points volved and having expressed an opinion to give advice
,have  to say about these fundamental truths, and if the with a view to their being subject to discipline or not.
views of the t;wo  pastors deviate from the teachings         But after more than three days of wrangling about the
of the three points, they cannot be fundamentally Re- report of the committee those members of Synod who
formed. On the other hand, if they are fundamentally were anxious to effect the expulsion of the two pastors
Reformed, if, as the Synod declared, it cannot be denied from the Church began to realize that they would never
that they are Reformed in respect to the fundamental succeed to obtain an extreme decision in their favor.
truths as formulated in the Confessions, it follows, Fearful lest the two pastors should be wholly exoner-
that they cannot be in conflict with  the teaching  of the ated, they were willing to compromise and, like the
Confession  regarding the three points. In the latter Sanhedrin in the case of Peter and John, they decided
case the three points themselves must be regarded as          to admonish them and let them go.
in conflict with the Confession and Synod condemns               27. Why do you say that it reveals a spirit of
its own declarations.                                         cowardice?
       23. And what is the admonition of this second             First, because the admonition was never admin-
part of the Synodical decisions?                              istered. Synod decided to admonish the brethren, but
       It reads as follows:                                   they never carried out the decision, neither by word of
       "With a view to the deviating sentiments of the        the president on the floor of the Synod, nor by letter
Revs. H, Danhof and H. Hoeksema regarding the three through the Clerk. Fact is, that the Rev. H. Hoeksema
above mentioned points, and with a view to the con- was not present when Synod decided to admonish him,
troversy that arose in our Church regarding the doc- neither was he summoned to receive the admonition.
trine of Common  or General Grace, Synod admonishes He never heard of it that Synod had decided to ad-
the two brethren to abide in their teaching and writing monish him until he received the  Acta. Secondly, be-
by the standpoint of our Confession regarding the cause Synod was fully aware that the two pastors
three points that were discussed, and at the  same time would certainly refuse to receive the admonition and
she admonishes the brethren and the Churches in gen- would not abide by the  t,hree  pdints.  They had ex-
eral to refrain from all onesidedness in the presenta- pressed their opinion clearly and revealed their atti-
tion of the truth, and to express themselves carefully tude to Synod's decisions unmistakably. And even
and with sobriety and modesty.                                after Synod had decided to admonish the brethren to
       "On the other hand, in as far as the pastors H. abide by the three points the Rev. H. Danhof filed a
Danhof and H. Hoeksema in their writings warn protest against the decisions of Synod the contents of
against worldly-mindedness, Synod judges that there which were by no means ambiguous. Yet Synod de-
is, indeed, reason for such warning with a view to a cided to admonish the brethren and adjourned without
possible misuse -of the doctrine of Common Grace, and, further -action!                        .-
therefore, Synod considers it its calling to send the fol-       28. What Testimony did Synod decide to send into _
lowing TESTIMONY to the Churches." (Then follows the Churches?
the Testimony.)                                                  It reads as follows:
       24. What is your opinion of this part of the              "NOW  Synod expressed itself on three points that
Synodical decisions ?                                         were at stake in the denial of Common Grace and
       That it is very improper, unworthy of an eccle- thereby condemned the entire disregard for this doc-
siastical gathering, and reveals a spirit of cowardice.       trine, she feels constrained at the same time to warn
       25. Are you not somewhat severe in your judg- our Churches and especially our leaders earnestly
ment ?                                                        against all onesided  emphasis on and misuse of the doc-
       I am; but not too severe nor without reason. It trine of Common Grace. it cannot be denied that there
has  often been ascribed to a motive of leniency and          exists a real danger in this respect. When Dr. Kuyper
good-will towards the two pastors, that Synod took no wrote his monumental work on this subject he revealed
action and took no measures to discipline the two that he was not unconscious of the danger that some
pastors. But one who is acquainted with the facts would be seduced by it to lose themselves in the world.
knows how false this interpretation of Synod's motives And even now history shows that this danger is more
is.                                                           than imaginary. And also Dr. Bavinck reminded us
       26. Why do you say that this part of the decisions of this danger in his  Dogmatics.
is improper and unworthy of an ecclesiastical gather-            When we consider the direction in which the spirit
ing?                                                          of the time develops round about us, it cannot be de-
       Because it is not the calling of a Synod to admonish, nied that our present danger lies more in the direction
but to express a  definite opinion and give  advice in of worldly-mindedness than of false seclusion. Liberal
matters of discipline. In this case there was a matter theology of the present time really obliterates the  dis-


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                             165

tinction between the Church and the world. It is more Belial, righteousness and unrighteousness. -4nd the
and more emphasized by many that the great signifi- practical fruit is worldliness.
cance of the Church lies in her influence upon social              30. Was this Testimony actually sent into the
life. The consciousness of a spiritual-ethical antithesis Churches?
becomes increasingly vague in the minds of many to                 No, it never was. Outside of those that secured
make room for an indefinite notion of a general                 for themselves the Acta of Synod 1924, no one ever
brotherhood. The preaching of the Word concerns it- heard of it.                     1
self largely with the periphery of life and does not                                                            H. H.
penetrate into its spiritual centre. The doctrine of
particular grace in Christ is more and more pushed
to the background.      There is a strong tendency to
bring theology into harmony with a science that stands
in the service of infidelity. Through the agency of the                             ZWIJGEN?
press and various inventions and discoveries, which as                  Zou ik van U moeten zwijgen,
such are, - undoubtedly, to be regarded as good gifts                     Omdat ik zoo zondig ben?
of God, the sinful world is to a great extent carried                   God, wie zou dan mogen spreken ?
into our Christian homes.                                                 Wie is rein van die ik ken ?
   "Because of all these and similar influences, exerted
upon us from every side, it is peremptorily necessary                   Vrome duivel, zijn uw dronken
that the Church keep watch over the fundamentals;                         Zoo benevelend, dat gij `t oog
and that, though she also maintains the above men-                      Floerst voor wat in eigen boezem
tioned three points, she vindicate the spiritual-ethical                  Vaak het bronstig hart bewoog?
antithesis tooth and nail. May she never permit her
preaching to degenerate into mere social treatises or                   Ik doorzie uw doe1 we1 brave ;
literary productions. Let her be vigilant that Christ                     Sluiten wilt gij mij den mond.
and He crucified and risen always remain the heart of                   Opdat ik niet langer lovend
the preaching. Constantly she must maintain the prin-                     Jezus Christus' Kruis verkond.
ciple that the people  0-f God are a peculiar people, living
from their proper root, the root of faith. With holy                    God doe mijne liederen ruischen,
`zeal she must constantly send forth the call to our                      Geef mij psalmen  in den nacht.         .
people, especially to our youth: `And be ye not con-                    Leer me oprechte zondaars troosten,
formed to this world, but be ye transformed by the                        Met Uw heilzang: `t is volbracht.
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is
that good and acceptable will and perfect will of God.'                 Ja, voor U wil ik bekennen,
With the blessing of the Lord this will keep our                          Mijner  driften  droeve  schuld,
Churches from worldly-mindedness, that extinguishes                     Maar geen duivel stuit mijn lofzang,
the flame of spiritual ardor and deprives the Church of                   Als Uw Geest mijn ziel vervult.
her power and beauty."
   29. What is characteristic of this Testimony?                        `k Wil op zijn bevel niet zwijgen,
    That it proves clearly how conscious the Synod was                    Noch op dat van zijn geslacht.
of the conflict between the so-called doctrine of Com-                  Liet Ge ook toe dat mij hun  woeden,
mon Grace and the maintenance of the spiritual-ethical                    Aan den put der wanhoop  bracht.
antithesis of which this Testimony speaks. Not only
is this consciousness evident from the very fact that                   0 zij zouden gaarne dragen,
she deemed it necessary to accompany the declaration                      Op dien put, wanneer ik zonk,
of the three points by this Testimony, but she also                     Eenen Steen, opdat mijn stemme,
plainly expresses this consciousness of the existing                      Nooit meer tot U overklonk.
conflict in the words : "and that, though she also main-
tains the above mentioned three points, she vindicates                  Maar nog zou ik op U hopen,
the spiritual-ethical antithesis tooth and nail." And                     Nog U wachten in dien nood.
in this respect the Synod was right. She is sadly mis-                  Want het is onmogelijk Vader,
taken, however, when she labors under the impression                      Dat Ge Uw kind van `t harte stoot.
that a pious testimony will prevent the influence of a
false doctrine. The false doctrine is the theory of
Common Grace, even in as far-as  it is officially adopted
in the three points. The inevitable result of that doc-
trine is obliteration of the distinction between the                  Welk  maatgeluid  mij ook bekoor',
 Church and the world, light and darkness, Christ and                 De Jezus-naam klinkt `t schoonst in `t oor.


166                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
~-

                                                                 A. Yes sir. Of course, If you understand that to
                   I N G E Z O N D E N                        mean  - of course that they did the work, that is, we
          Waarde Redacteur !                                  did each a separate part of it, that would not be true,
       Mag ik een klein plaatsje in uw blad? Ik had het because we worked all of it together.
we1  aan De  Wc~chEer  kunnen opzenden, want ik ben              Q. Yes, that is what I mean. A. Yes sir.
overtuigd, dat die mijn stuk ook niet had geweigerd,             Q. Is  Plaintiff?s  Exhibit 2 the sole work of the
want  De Wachter  werkt het werk des Heeren en daar-          people who signed it?
om recht en gerechtigheid.                                       A. Do you mean if any others - is this the mean-
       Ik heb namelijk uw Catechismus van de  geschiede-      ing of the question, have any others? Yes, we have
nis uwer kerken gelezen. Maar, ofschoon u zeker nog advised with my brother for instance.
niet klaar is en er nog  we1 meer zal volgen, mag ik             Q. How many others? A. How many others?
tech  we1 de regelen der pers overtreden. De beschul-            Q. Yes. A. Well, I might say, that Mr. Sevensma
digingen, die u daar neerschrijft tegen broeders van typed it for us.
de Chr. Geref. Kerk kunnen tech zeker niet waar zijn,            Q. I don't mean typing, Mr. Hoeksema, I mean
want de Chr. Gereformeerden  moeten  het werk des the authorship of it, the combination of it.
Heeren werken en Gods Woord  zegt, dat hij vervloekt             The Court. How many?
is, die het werk des Heeren bedriegelijk werkt, Jes.             A. That is all, as far as I know.
48:lO.  En dan zou Ds. G. Hoeksema het protest ge-               Q. Who wrote plaintiff's exhibit  2?
schreven hebben, dat de drie door u genoemde broeders            A. Well, parts of it, of course, we had all written
indienden ! Het kan niet waar zijn, want hij is een something about the matter that we was trying to
van onze gevierde predikanten, die het werk des  Hee-         bring to synod, and we asked him to correct it for us
ren werkt, en die het werk des Heeren bedriegelijk and to go over it, the first'part  of it.
werkt, die is vervloekt. (1)                                     Q. Who is him? A. That is my brother  1 just
       En dan zou Ds. Schans  zoo het recht vertrappen, referred to.
dat hij zijn protest voor een  instructie  van  Kellogs-         Q. Continue. You asked him to  -
ville  zou  laten doorgaan?  Ik kan dit niet gelooven,           A. To correct it and put it in the proper form.
redakteur, want al die mannen zijn herders en leeraars           Q. And he did? A. Yes sir.
van het kerkverband, waartoe ook ik behoor, hoewel               Uit bovenstaande, dat genomen is uit de Court
ik  al tamelijk ver er van verwijderd ben. En daarom Records, waarin nog veel meer wetenswaardige  dingen
verzoek ik hen allen,  om zich in uw blad of in De Wach- .staan,  die we op den bestemden tijd  we1 zullen gebrui-
ter van dien blaam te zuiveren. Het zal hun gemakke-          ken, is het  we1 duidelijk, hoe de "gevierde predikant"
lijk genoeg vallen, want  zij  allen  werken het werk des achter mijn rug om en zonder zelf ooit met mij te spre-
Heeren en die des Heeren werk bedriegelijk we&, die ken, samenwerkte met leden  uit mijne gemeente en
is vervloekt.                                                 protesten voor hen schreef en corrigeerde.
       Mocht er misschien iemand zijn, die er aan twij-
felt, of  ai die beschuldigingen in de S. B.  te`vinden          ( 2 )    Dat het Verzoekschrift van DsLS&hans,  dat __
zijn, die gelooft mij maar, want ook ik werk het werk verscheen onder het opschrift:  "Instructie  van den
                                                              Kerkeraad van Kellogsville," door dien Kerkeraad
des Heeren naar mijn vermogen, en die het werk des
Heeren bedriegelijk werkt, die is vervloekt, ja  ver-         werd afgewezen en nooit als instructie  van den Kerke-
vloekt hij, die zijn zwaard van het bloed onthoudt (het raad is doorgezonden, heb ik van den toenmaligen
                                                              scriba des kerkeraads, die thans bij mijne gemeente
bloed der leugenaren) .
       U, redakteur, dankend  voor de opname,                 behoort.
                                                                  Wat ik schreef is de eenvoudige waarheid.
                             L. Steenwijk, Oak Lawn, Ill.                                                     H. H.
       (1)    Hier volgt het getuigenis, dat Mr. W. Hoek-
sema gaf voor de rechtbank te Grand Rapids:
       Question. Who is the author of Plaintiff's Exhibit
2. This pamphlet that was presented to the Classis?
(Dit was het protest, waarover de inzender schrijft.)                      For every tribulation,
       Answer.     Well, it would be absolutely impossible                    For every sore distress,
to say who was the author, because there are several                        ln Christ I've full salvation,
of us, who worked on that.                                                    Sure help, and quiet'rest.
       Q. Did you do any of the work yourself. A. Yes,                      No fear of foes prevailing ;
sir.Q. And (I cannot recall the names of the other                            I triumph, Lord, in Thee;
two men who I believe signed it with you) did they do                       0 Jesus, Friend unfailing,
some of the work?                                                             How dear art Thou to me !


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  Vol. VII, No. 8                                                                JANUARY 15, 1931                                    Subscription Price, $2.50

                                                                                                   them in the way, guides them by day, watches over
                  M E D I T A T I O N                                                              them by night, is in them to fill them with good things,
                                                                                                   dwells with them in their homes, permeates their food
                                                                                                   and drink, keeps their enemies from harming them,
                                                                                                   makes them step upon the serpent and the young adder,
         GOD'S BLESSING,  SPRE AND CONSTANT                                                        turns all the evil for them into eternal good, causes
                                        Thy blessing is upon Thy peoplei                           those to be their servants that rise up against them,
                                                                                   Ps.  x:9.       guards them in danger, strengthens them and makes
       God's blessing is His creative Word of good-will them invulnerable in. battle, comforts them in sorrow,
   over us.                                                                                        makes them patient in suffering, follows them all the
       One who blesses, according to the picturesque literal way to the eternal inheritance that is prepared for
   significance of the original Hebrew, speaks a good word them from before the foundation of the world . . . .
   over him that is blessed, whether it be in the form of                                               For that, indeed, and that only is a good and that is
   a mere wish, as we frequently do with respect to one truly a blessing, which may be conducive for our ever-
   another, or in the form of a prophetic reading from lasting salvation !
   the counsel of God, as the old and dying patriarchs did                                              Whether anything is a blessing or a curse, and it
   over their sons.                                                                                surely is either, is a question that may be answered
       PeculiarIy  divine is the power to bless.                                                   only in the light of eternity.
       Man's efforts to bless man are impotent. He may                                                  The human criterion of blessing and good is false.
   bestow many gifts upon his fellow-man, but blessing is                                               It is earthly, temporal, subjective, shortsighted.
   not in things, and though he enriches his neighbor with                                              We are inclined to judge alI things in the light of
   abundance and wealth according to this world, he still this world and of the present time, frequently of the
   is powerless to bless his brother. He may express all immediate present. Of eternal values, of uItimate  ends
   the good wishes of a kind and loving heart upon him, we are apt to lose sight. The  fulfilment  of our desires
   but his word cannot realize the thing it conveys, it is and the realization of our aspirations we consider a
   impotent to create the thing it ardently desires, it is good. And failure to reach the desired end, disappoint-
powerless to bless.                                                                                ment with respect to our personal wishes, things that
       He is no source of blessing for he is not the are contrary to the longings of the flesh we deplore
   Fountain of good.                                                                               as evils. And so we confuse blessing and success and
       A divine prerogative and power it is to bless.                                              look upon prosperity as a good, long for it, aspire after
       For God speaks and it comes to pass. His word is a it, pray for it and strive for it and stand weeping and
   creative word. He speaks before things are and they wailing and murmuring against our lot, when our
   are caused. His word calls the things that are not as chastisement is there every morning. For we forget,
   if they were. And so we understand by faith, that the that what appears to us to be a good may be an evil in
   things that are seen are not made of things which do disguise ; and what present itself to our earthly per-
   appear. When He speaks well upon a creature, the ception as a present evil may be a means to our eternaI
   blessing comes ; when He speaks ill, who shall prevent glory. Foolishly we inquire whether the road is smooth
   the certain curse?                                                                              without caring for the direction and carefully we would
       His blessing is upon His people !                                                           avoid the rougher and steeper stretches of the way,
       His powerful, almighty, creative word for their though without them we cannot reach the promised
   good is constantly upon them, proceeds towards them heavenly country . . . .
   from His mouth continuously, surrounds them, meets                                                   The man of the world prospers in his business and

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

accumulates much weaIth  and claims that a kind Prov- Neither is it one blessing for all men in general, an-
idence is blessing all his efforts,  - and everybody is in- other for His people in particular. The blessing is in-
clined to believe him. And we forget that the almighty clusive of all His people ; it is exclusive for all others.
word of the Most High may be in his goods, cursing The curse followeth all others to the grave!
him to damnation . . . .                                            Thy blessing is upon Thy people ! .     *
       The farmer's fields yield well and an abundant crop          It could not be otherwise !
he harvests, so that he must increase the capacity of               There could be no blessing of Jehovah upon the
his barns, and he will be considered a man well blessed.         ungodly; neither could the blessing of our covenant-
And we seem oblivious of the fact that the Lord may              God fail, even for the slightest conceivable moment, to
even now take his soul from him and cast him into be upon His people. It is upon them surely, constantly,
eternal destruction . . . .                                      without fail, uninterruptedly . . . .
       In these so-called bad times of depression our soul is       For blessing is the word of Jehovah that proceeds
inclined to bewail the passing of the wave of abnormal toward the objects from His eternal counsel of good
prosperity of recent years. Hardly is the hand of the will and sovereign grace.
Lord touching us, but we are inclined to pray to Heaven             And, therefore, the recipients of that blessing can
for `prosperity. And we can hardly be taught to see be only those, whom He has so determined to love and
that the good times were bad and the bad times are to ordain unto eternal glory in the everlasting likeness
better than the good for the people of God . . . .               of His only begotten Son.
    A nation is blessed when it prospers and grows                  For God's people is not self-determined, but divinely
mighty according to the world. An army is  biessed               chosen and ordained. They are God's people because
when it may claim victory. A church when it grows He sovereignly ordained them to be such in His eternal
in numbers . . . .                                               thoughts and purpose. It-is the very counsel, from
       Always the same false standard of blessing and which the word of His blessing must proceed to all that
good is applied, the standard that is earthly, tem- are  truly blessed, that also ordained them to everlast-
poral, carnal !                                                  ing bliss in His tabernacle, to be partakers of the
       But God's blessing is not so !                            divine life through His Son, to rejoice forever in His
       It is upon His people to their eternal salvation. It blessed covenant-friendship. And it is the very counsel
is upon ,them, when every word He speaks over them in and by which He determined upon  all things that are
flows, from His everlasting good pleasure unto their and shall be. The chief purpose of that counsel is the
eternal glory, from His counsel of salvation, from His self-glorification of His adorable Being, the manifesta-
eternal thoughts of grace and mercy and peace upon tion of the gIorious  virtues of His divine nature. That
them.                                                            all dominating purpose He counselled to realize in the
       When that word is spoken upon them it causes what fulness of glory manifested in the Lord Jesus Christ,
it expresses. It changes every apparent evil into an in whom all the riches of the Godhead dwell bodily.
eternal good. For it is the cause that all things work And the complete radiation of-that blessed glory He
together for good to them that love God, to them that counselled to issue  forth_in the members of that Body
are called according to His purpose.                             of which the Lord Jesus Christ is ordained to be the
       The irresistible operation of God's unchangeable, eternal Head. And all things in heaven and on earth
efficacious, almighty, all-comprehensive grace, through and in the abyss are by that counsel so arranged that
every means, in every way, in all the experiences of they must be means to the realization of that eternal
this present time,  - that is blessing.                          purpose of the glory of God in Christ, radiating
       God's blessing is His creative word of grace!             through the members of His Body . . . .
                                                                    Nothing is excluded ; the counsel is all compre-
                                                                 hensive.
                                                                    Nowhere in that counsel is there a mistake ; the
       Thy blessing is upon Thy people!                          counsel is full of eternal .wisdom.
       The text is concise and draws the line sharply !             It all moves and works around and toward that one
       God's blessing is singular, not plural ; it is one, not purpose: the eternal  gIory  of Jehovah, the manifesta-
many ; even though in the singleness of the blessing tion of the fulness of God in Christ, the eternal salva-
of Jehovah there is a plurality of manifold riches and tion of the people of His choice. Good and evil, grace
g r a c e s .                                                    and sin, friend and enemy, angels and devils, godly and
       It cannot be divided, neither distinguished into a ungodly, prosperity and adversity, health and sickness,
general and a particular, a common and a private joy and sorrow; whether the way is smooth and even
blessing. For .God is one, His everlasting counsel is or rough and almost impassable ; whether we sing
one, His word is one, His blessing is one . . . .                songs of joy in the daytime or cry for grief in the
       And even as the blessing is one, so the object upon darkness of the night; whether we are surrounded by
which it is bestowed is one. Thy blessing is upon T1~y peace and plenty or whether the enemy harasses and
people !         It is not a blessing that is upon all men. persecutes us ; Iife and death, - all things are  sover-


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                              __                                                                                   171

eignly and with infinite wisdom so determined in the every way and in every experience upon His people!
everlasting counsel of the Most High, that they must            Quite contrary to experience this would seem, when
be infallible means to reach that one purpose: the we regard the things that are seen. How directly in
highest manifestation of the glory of God in and conflict with the life and way of the author of this
through the salvation of His people in Christ , . . . very psalm, how contrary to his experience as he
    And every word ever spoken by the Almighty pro-. relates it in this song of his, seems the assertion that
ceeds from that eternal counsel, must be a realization God's blessing is upon His people! He complains that
of it.                                                      they are mightily increased that trouble him, that the
    Other word He never speaks !                            number of them that rise up against him is great, that
    Hence, every word, that ever leaves His lips, tends the taunt of his enemies is constantly in his ears, who
to the realization of that counsel, moves toward the say that there is no help for him in God. Contrary it
final manifestation of that glory, works together for seemed to the experience cf Asaph for a while, when
the ultimate-realization of that salvation of His people ! he looked at the things that are seen and considered
    Hence, His blessing must be upon His people!            that the ungodly all around bim were prospering, that
    It could be on no other!                                their eyes stood out with fatness and knew of no bonds
    Impossible it is, forever impossible, that this bless- in their death, while his own punishment was awaiting
ing of the Most High should fail to be upon them even him at every dawn. And so it seems always, if we
for a moment ! Every word of God upon His people is regard the things that are seen and have no eye for
a word of blessing, working toward their everlasting the hidden blessing of God's almighty and gracious
joy in God's covenant!                                      word over His people. How are they afflicted, that are
    Thy blessing is upon Thy people !           .           called the chiIdren of God ! How all things seem to turn
    It is the people whom He redeemed by the Word of against them! Not only receive they their goodly por-
reconciliation.    He spoke the Word and Immanual, tion of the sufferings and ills of this world, but they
God with us, dwelt among us. He spoke again and all are often the reproach of all and their enemies seem to
the enemies cooperated to shed the blood that must triumph over them! . . . .
redeem His people. He spoke once more, and redeemed             Small. wonder that considering the things that are
they were in the glorious resurrection and exaltation perceived in this world, looking at them with an eye of
of the Lord Jesus Christ!                                   the flesh, judging of them in their own mind and ac-
   The central Word of blessing has been spoken upon cording to the standard of this world, there are those
them !                                                      who would change the words of the psalmist and
   How shall He then fail to speak every last word of maintain: God's blessing is promiscuously upon all.
His counsel of salvation? How shall He not with Him It is not particular but general, it is not peculiar but
also freely give us all things?                             common, even as are all the experiences of this present
    God is for us ! Who shall be against us?                life . . . .           .
   They are the people, whom He delivers by the re-             Small wonder, that some of God's children com-
creative Word of His almighty grace. By nature they plained that there is no knowIedge  in the Most High,
are darkness, but by the word of His blessing He makes that His way is not equal, that, indeed, the ungodly are
them children of light. And so they that were no people the objects of God's richest blessing!
become His people, gladly confessing that they are              God is God that hideth Himself!
children of the living God.                                     His ways are in the deep ! His paths are untrace-
   And it is only in the way of that people, in the way able frequently, His wisdom is unsearchable always !
of light, in the way of the Lord, that one can truly say        Therefore, we look not at the things that are seen,
that the blessing of the Lord is upon him,                  but at the things that are not seen ; we regard not our
   For God's blessing is upon His people!                   earthly experience to judge our God and His work in
                                                            the light of them, but rather with the eye of faith
                                                            look at Him first, then at .our way.
                                                                Then we know, that He is unchangeable in His
   God's blessing is a constant, ever present reality! counsel of love !
   For, mark you ,well, it & upon His people !                  And trust, that His blessing is upon us in time and
   The text does not say: ultimately God's blessing eternity !
will be upon His people, though now it is upon the                                                        H. H.
godly and the ungodly in common.
   It does not implore : Oh, that God's blessing may be
upon His people, though in the present time it so often
leaves and forsakes them !                                  Menschzijn is een walgelijk aanzijn, als de zonde uw
   It is positive and expresses a present, a sure, a             hart beheert ;
constantly present fact. The blessing of Jehovah is Menschzijn is  een prachtig  leven,   als de  Christus  U
always, is now, is every day and every moment, is in             regeert,


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                             179

denis voor die tweezijdige Godsbeschouwing. Voor mij               Kom, Prof. Volbeda, aller oog is thans op u gericht.
is de tweezijdige Godsbeschouwing gelijk  aan  twee-            Wil u het niet eens probeeren?
godendom. De Q&e God wil wel, de andere niet, dat                                                              Ii. H.
alle menschen zalig worden. En die twee zijn nooit te              P. S. En nu hebben we nog geen  schoon boek.
vereenigen. Maar de Schrift leert mij, dat onze God Sommige vragen en ingezonden stukken moesten  oak
een eenig God is, &n in wezen, willen en werken, en deze keer nog blijven liggen.
dat er geen God is  behalve  Hem.
    (18) Zeker, dat  schijnt  niet alleen, maar dat  is  on-
gerijmd. En de ongerijmdheid komt niet uit de
Schrift, die altijd duidelijke taal spreekt, maar in den                   ISRAEL AND THE NATIONS
grond der zaak uit de neiging van ons zondig hart, om
tech eenige macht  te laten in de handen van een nietig            Our readers will againget before their eye my com-
mensch. Het is zoo tegen onze zondige natuur, om ment on one of Rev. H. J. Kuiper's articles on the mat-
God werkelijk God te laten, ook in de zaligheid en ver- ter of praying for prosperity. To what I wrote a word
doemenis van een mensch. Maar het is geen wonder, must be added respecting such matters as Israel and
dat broeder Stoppels, die eensdeels Gereformeerd wil the nations and the prayer of the Old Testament saints
zijn en andersdeels iets uit vergiftige  planten van for material prosperity.
Arminius bij die leer der Gereformeerden wil invoe-                In my comment on Kuiper's article, Scripture was
gen, zich niet anders kan uitdrukken. Het onredelijke quoted as teaching that God's people in speaking to
last zich in redelijke taal niet uitdrukken. Laat Prof. the Lord respecting their material needs should keep
Volbeda het maar eens probeeren. Die heeft een rijke themselves to the humble prayer, "Give us this day our
taal. Als iemand het op redelijke wijze kan zeggen, dan daily bread." Agur of the book of the Proverbs prayed
kan hij het. Maar ik sta u borg, dat hij het ook niet neither for riches nor for poverty, but for food con-
kan en dat hij het nooit in het publiek probeeren zal. venient for him. Yet the saints of the Old Testament
                                                                do often appear in Scripture as petitioning the Lord
    (19) Ja, broeder, maar ons hart is arglistig en ons to send prosperity. We quote: "Save now I beseech
gevoel, al schijnt het ons nog zoo vroom toe, bedriegt thee, 0 Lord ; 0 Lord, I beseech thee, send now pros-
ons. Daarom  moeten we altijd met ons gevoel naar perity" (Ps. 118 :25). "That our sons may be plants
Gods Woord, opdat ook ons.,mediteeren  mag loopen in grown up in their youth, that our daughters may be
de lijn van Zijne openbaring. Dan kunnen we gerust as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a
zijn, dat het Hem welbehagelijk is.                             palace ; that our garners may be full, affording all man-
    (20) Welmeenend  wil zeggen : met de ernstige be- ner of store ; that our sheep may bring forth thousands
doeling het ook te schenken. Nu stemt de broeder toe : in our streets. That our oxen may be strong to labour ;
God moet het niet alleen voorzetten, maar ook  schen- that there may be no breaking in, nor going out; that
ken. Welnu, als de Heere dan welmeenend een schotel there may be no complaining in our streets. Happy is
Evangelische gerechten voor den verworpene zet,  waar- that people, that is in such a case; yea, happy is that
om schenkt Hij het hem dan niet?                                people, whose God is the Lord" (Ps. 144 :12-16) ;
    (21) Neen, dat is ook geen mysterie. Een mysterie              The question cannot be suppressed whether the
is te groot en te diep voor ons klein en eindig verstand prayer for daily bread and these prayers for prosperity
om  te doorgropden. Maar dit doorgrond  ik heel  ge-            are not expressive of contrary sentiments. And the
makkelijk: God wil en Hij wil niet. Want mijn klein answer is ready : Rightly considered it will be seen that
verstand zegt aanstonds: daar zit geen diepte in; het these petitions, though contrary, involve the earnest
is eenvoudig onzin en daarom niet waar. Ik zeg dit believer in the consistency of the teachings of Scrip-
met temeer vrijmoedigheid, omdat de Schrift dit  nim- ture in no  difhculty whatever. What must be taken
mer leert.                                                      into account  he&is the difference in character between
     (22) En te  vatten  is dit voor niemand. Ook kan the old and new dispensation. The former was an age
het nooit voorwerp van geloof zijn. Het diepe ,en mys- in which a specially designed typical-symbolical ap-
terieuze aanvaardt het geloof gaarne en het aanbidt. paratus was doing service as a concrete representation
Maar het onredelijke en ongerijmde verwerpt ook het of the kingdom of God and its spiritual blessings. The
geloof.  Er is geen mensch ter wereld, ook broeder Israelitish nation, its land, its institutions, and theo-
Stoppels niet, die gelooven zou, dat God denzelfden cratic form of government, were but the emblems of
mensch wil zaligen en tech niet wil zaligen.                    heavenly things.
    Maar de lezer zal opmerken, dat we nog geen stap               It is evident from the discourses of Moses and from
verder zijn gekomen. Broeder Stoppels  heeft  zijn the vicissitudes of the Israelitish people that material
schrijven van de vorige keer eenigszins verzacht. Maar prosperity  - the full garner, the sheep bringing forth
de vraag blijft nog altijd onbeantwoord : welke genade thousands, the oxen. fit for labor - ranked with the
Gods is er voor den verworpene in de prediking des types and symbols as tokens of a surpassing good. Said
E v a n g e l i e s   ?                                         Moses to the people: "And it shall come to pass, if thou

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

shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy once more to the folIowing statement: "He is the Ruler
God, to observe and to do all His commandments which of the universe, the God of nations, who in grace sends
I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will        blessings upon the just and the unjust, but who in
set thee on high above all the nations of the earth : and righteousness sends temporal judgments upon the
all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee nations that forget Him . . . . "
if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy          The view circulating through this last-quoted
God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt phrase is of a kind that comes pretty close to defying
thou be in the field. Blessed shalt be the fruit of the all criticism. Consider that nations which forget God
body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy are unjust so that what Kuiper would have his readers
cattle, the increase of thy kine,, and the flocks of thy take home to their hearts is that God in grace -sends
sheep" (Deut. 28 : l-4).                                   blessings upon the just and the unjust but inflicts pun-
       The above selection is an  annoeuncement  that if ishment upon the unjust. What is to be our appraisal
Israel kept cover~~mt  fidelity it would be blessed; that of a God who blesses and curses the unjust? Further,
further the blessing was to take the form of material why should He want to punish the unjust, if He can
prosperity, so that kine and sheep bringing forth thou- bless them. Finally, if unjust men are the blessed of
sands were to be the tokens that the loyal nation en- the Lord, why should they repent and cry for mercy?
joyed the favor of its covenant God.                       Is it not true that the one thing the God of Scripture
       In the light of the foregoing, the prayer of the  Old would have us take home to our hearts is that He is
Testament saint for abundance is seen to be altogether a friend of just men only - men just in Christ and con-
in keeping with his piety. It `was no lust for earthly sequently showing themselves up as lovers of justice.
gain as such that he craved but a visible sign and            Further, from the view broached by Kuiper it must
pledge that he walked in the light of Jehovah's counten- needs follow that, not the relation which Israel sus-
ance.                                                     tained to Jehovah, but that the relation in which the
       The apostatizing nation, on the other hand, was n&ions  stand to God is altogether unique. Mark you,
furnished with ample proof of the hot displeasure of God blesses the unjust  - unjust men, unjust nations;
the Lord. It was cursed "in the city, and in the field, but as to His covenant people of  oId, when they forgot
in its basket, in its store." Cursed was its land, the him He cursed them (with the exception of the rem-
increase of its kine, and the flocks of its sheep ; it was nant) untiI they were destroyed.
vexed and rebuked and  finally destroyed.                     Let us now try and get at what Kuiper had in his
       The question now is whether the nations of this mind. From certain sentence elements contained in the
day, laden down with material abundance, may think paragraph last quoted it is evident enough that what
of itself as in the possession of an unmistakable sign Kuiper would have his readers know is that when an
that it enjoys the favor of a covenant God. Such is in- apostatizing nation repents, the Lord in grace with-
deed the contention of H. J. Kuiper. We quote: "God draws His judgments and blesses the repenting nation.
deals with the nations on the basis of certain un- Let us think our way into this view and lay, hold on
changing principles which He has made known in His its implications. To begin with, if God  iagrace sends
Word. Whether that  n&ion   is  IsraeI  or the United blessings upon the nation that repents and cries for
States, whether the time is 1000 B.C. or 1930 A.D. mercy, what difference may there be between the rela-
makes no difference. Even the fact that Israel, being tion He sustains to that nation and the reIation  He
a theocratic nation, stood in a unique relation to sustains to Israel of old? Kuiper will repIy (in private)
Jehovah, makes no fundamental difference in this par- that Israel in distinction from the nations, was a theo-
ticular matter. His dealings with Israel were not in cratic nation. Indeed! But did this brother fail to
all respects different from His dealings with other sense that the contention that the Lord in grace with-
nations. He is the Ruler of the Universe, the God of draws His judgments when apostatizing nations re-
Nations, who in grace sends blessings upon the just pent and cry for mercy is equal to the contention that
and the unjust, but who in righteousness send temporai these nations, too, are theocratic nations?
judgments upon the nations which forget Him and               What is a theocracy? God's dealings with Israel and
withdraws them when they repeat and cry for mercy. the reIation in which He was pleased to stand to this
The Lord said through Jeremiah both to Israel and people, is the answer. To Israel assembled at the base
the surrounding nations: `If they will not hear, then of the mount, the Lord announced that He was its God.
will I pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying His claims upon this people were most sure. As the
it, saith Jehovah.'  "                                     Lord its God He had brought it "out of the land of
       The views coming to the surface in the above selec- Egypt, out of the house of bondage." In the words of
tion are a sad mixture of truth and untruth. The rela- the song, He found this people "in the desert land, and
tion Israel sustained to Jehovah is conceded to have in the waste howling wilderness; He led him about,
been unique. Yet the relation that other nations sus- He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.
tain to God is so defined that the relation in which As the eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her
Israel stood to Jehovah ceases to be unique. Attend young, spreadetn abroad her wings, taketh them, bear-


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eth them on her wings : so the Lord did lead him, and destroyed to make room for the true city of God. Con-
there was no strange God with him. He made him ride sider what it was that vanished; the one and only
on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the nation or commonwealth who might claim the Lord as
increase of the fields ; and He made him to suck honey its covenant God in Christ Jesus; who might pray for
out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock ; butter of material prosperity and be glad when prospered with
kine and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the tokens of the Lord's mercy. To petition the Presi-
the breed of Bashan,  and goats, with the fat of kidneys dent to advise the American nation to pray for mate-
of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the rial prosperity and to deem itself, when prospered, a
grape" (Deut. 32 :ll-13). This the Lord did, that this nation loved and blessed by the Lord, is to propagate
people shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord its the view that this American commonwealth of ours
God, and into His oath which He made with it: that and in fact every nation on earth is to be ranked with
He might be its God as He had sworn unto its fathers, that typical theocratic state of old.
to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Deut. 29:12,  13.              I say it again, the corresponding reality of that
   The term theocracy, then, is the signification of a typical state is not the American nation, but the church
nation the Lord loves, saves, and establishes unto Him- of the living God. If so, the question may arise
self for a peculiar possession, - a nation who in His whether it is not permissibIe for the people of God to
infinite mercy the Lord reclaims from death and capa- pray for material advancement and to count them-
citated by His grace to dwell as His friend in His house selves blessed when enriched. The question has already
to tell His praises forever.                                    been answered. To pray for material riches is to pray
   The true theocracy is that chosen generation, that for an typical, earthly, and thus perishable salvation.
royal priesthood, that holy nation, that peculiar people, What the believers are now bidden to seek is not the
showing forth the praises of Him by whom it was shadow, the type, but the corresponding reality, to-wit,
called out of darkness into His marvelous light, - the the kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness, the
church of the living God, chosen unto eternal life, - things above, the Iife that is hidden with Christ in God,
the church which the Son from the beginning to the the inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled,  and that
end of the world and out of the whole human race, fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us. What we
gathers, defends, and preserves unto Himself by His should love is not big cars and sumptuous living,
Spirit and Word.                                                luxuriance, splendid homes, big salaries, magnificent
   The typical replica of this royal priesthood was the church buildings, the fineries of life, the pomp and
Israelitish nation of the old dispensation. Israel was glory of this world, - but the appearance of Christ.
not the true theocracy, but merely an earthly repre- Let us labor, not to make our mark in this world, but
sentation of it. It was this as a nation, and as a nation to enter into the rest there remaineth for the people
as to its salvation, as to its journey through the wilder- of God.
ness, as to its toil, its conflicts and conquests, as to its       I am not unmindful of the fact that, whereas God's
land, as to its government and  all its institutions such children  stilI bear the image of the earthy, they have
as the priest and the sacrifice, as to the  materia1  pros- earthy needs. To the multiplicity of these needs our_
perity which it enjoyed when keeping covenant fidelity. attention is directed by the editor of The Banner in
With the advent of Christ, however, and even long be- one of his articles. He wrote: "One of the results of
fore, this typical state with its typical theqcratic gov- the financial depression, which is lasting  longer than
ernment, its typical institutions, its typical land flow- our shrewdest financial leaders anticipated, has been
ing with milk and honey, its  typic01 prosperity  - the the serious curtailment of needed material improve-
typical demonstration of the love of Jehovah - had ments in our churches and schools, our mission fields
served its purpose and was destroyed to make room and benevolent institutions. Even the spiritual prog-
for the true city of God.                                       ress of some of these institutions has been hampered
   The one matter deserving special attention in this on account of lack of funds. There are schools which
connection is that material prosperity, the kine and can scarcely enroll new pupils because they lack room.
the sheep bringing forth thousands, was the one side of There are missions where attendants are being turned
a typical salvation, the other side of which was the away because funds are not available for providing
bringing up out of the house of bondage and the typical more spacious quarters.           There are denominational
cleansing from sin. Whereas to be saved was to pros- funds which face a serious shortage and as a result
per, the saint of that day prayed, Save now I beseech workers and beneficiaries must either wait for their
thee, 0 Lord ; 0 Lord, I beseech thee, send prosperity.         checks or take a Iarge reduction . . . " (The Banner,
And to the lovers of Jehovah's name the sheep bringing Dec. 26, 1930). It was with a view to these needs that
forth thousands was the symbolical-typical demonstra- Christ taught His followers to pray not, Send us pros-
tion of Jehovah's great love so that on the part of these perity, but, Give us this day our daily bread. When
saints the petition for full granaries was a petition for petitioning Heaven for the  fulfilment  of our needs, let
the tokens of the mercy of their covenant God.                  us make sure that we do not mistake a luxury for a
   However, as was said, this typical, theocracy was need.


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       Kuiper continues, to return to his article: "We see man frets with sheep bringing forth thousands. Grain
more clearly than even before that though prosperity and sheep have so little value today when expressed in
is often a strong temptation to neglect our spiritual terms of the dollar; and whereas the  latter is the prized
life, material wealth is, nevertheless, one of the re- possession, there is much complaining."
quisites for the expansion of the Kingdom of God."               Our visitor enters our great industrial plants with
       The closing sentence of his article reads: "Mean- machines running at top speed turning out the respec-
while we wish all our readers a blessed New Year. May tive commodity. "Mass production ! What a marvel  !"
it be a year of spiritual as well as material prosperity!" Our visitor looks about him. He spies the efficiency
       We again feel constrained to register a protest. man with watch in hand timing the crafsman  at his
The prayer for prosperity is a forbidden prayer. What bench and the mechanic at his machine. He under-
is more, it is nothing short of a untruth that material stands. The workman, laboring on a commission basis,
wealth is  one of the requisites for the expansion of the exerts himself to the utmost, animated by the prospect
Kingdom of God. What requires wealth is not the ex- of a large pay envelope. While in this state of over-
pansion of the Kingdom but sumptuous living, the pur- exertion his capacities are measured and standardized.
chase and upkeep of big cars, the execution of elaborate By means of this standard the less efficient of his class
building programs, and the taking out of fifty thou- can be weeded out and thus production speeded up.
sand dollar life insurance policies. But with these we "More evidence," sighs our visitor, "that men of this
can do without.                                               strange world worship at the shrine of the dollar
       Consider the following and realize how extremely mark." He leaves the scene and is ushered by request
repulsive a prayer for prosperity must be to the Lord. into the presence of the captain of the institution.
One of the ancients, let us imagine, returns from the "How,? he asks, "do you manage to keep production
realm of the dead. He perceives that the measure of and consumption in step?"
wealth is the dollar..                                           And the answer: "By high pressure salesmanship ;
       "Strange," says he, "in my day it was not so. by an irresistible kind of whimsical and grotesque
Wealth was measured not with a cold coin but with a advertising; by encouraging the consumer to purchase
unit of grain, with such living concrete objects as on the installment system."
sheep, and oxen, and kine."                                      "You realize," asks our visitor, "that your methods
       The thoughts of the visitor are in agreement with are reproachable?"
truth. To illustrate, Isaac appears in Scripture not as          "How so?"
a millionaire but as very great ; for  "he had possessions       "Sir," replied the visitor, "lead on by your un-
of flocks, and possessions of herds, and a great store of satiable crave for gain, you awaken by your fantastic
servants."                                                    advertising the lust of the consumer for the fineries of
   The visitor feels that this new commercial termin- life, Then you urge him to go in debt for a com-
ology must have a meaning. Says he, "It may be the modity he cannot well afford."
sign of a new state of affairs; the index to the heart          "That," answered the captain, "is no concern of
and mind of this strange world. I will investigate."          mine."
   So he visits the great commercial and industrial              `Have you no competitors?" asked the visitor.,
centers of our commonwealth. What does he see?                   "Indeed we have," replied the captain.
Men prostrating themselves at the shrine of the dollar           "How do you prevent them from invading your
mark as they say, Thou art my God.                            home markets?" the visitor asks.
   Our visitor is greatly puzzled. Approaching the               "By setting up high tariff walls," came back the
nearest devotee, he asks, "Why do you hold the dollar reply.
in highest esteem?" to which he receives the following           "How do you protect your interests abroad?"
reply : "My friend, I perceive you are a stranger in             "By the unsheated sword."
this world? Know that the dollar is the highest con-             "One more question," pleaded the visitor. "Do you
ceivable go.od.  The dollar spells power and influence. not fear the wrath of nations your tactics are sure to
It is the key that opens the door to the pleasure houses arouse ?"
of the world  ; the stepping stone to social distinction ;       "Not with Uncle Sam's men o'war cruising the high
the measure of genius, the sign of success, the crown seas," replied the captain.
of glory. Why, my friend, the dollar will get you any-           Our visitor is again on the street, hustling along.
where, anything and anybody. Whether you are a From a spacious entrance at his left come shrieks and
truly good man or a wise man, who cares. The great shouts. The visitor enters, for he would know what
lure is the dollar. The main shaft of our judicial the tumult might be. -What he sees startles him. A
machinery is the dollar, so that the culprit with a face half-crazed, yelling, shrieking, shouting mass of
wearing the dollar mark is safe."                             humans ! Some clutch at their hair ; others swing their
   "I see," said the visitor, and went his way. "Now arms wildly like an  a>e ; still others beat the air, stamp
I understand," he mused, "why the husbandman com- their feet, or rush madly to and fro, dash hither and
plains with garners full to overflowing; and the  ranch- thither.             '


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        183

     "Where am I?" asked our visitor of a bystander.         no rest. By the great force of my disease is my gar-
     "You are in the New York stock exchange," was the       ment changed ; it bindeth me about as the collar of my
reply.                                                       coat. He hath cast me into the mire, and I have be-
     "Why do these poor humans carry on so?"                 come like dust and ashes. I cry unto thee, and thou
     "You should ask that? My friend, here a man may         dost not hear me: I stand up and thou regardest me
gamble into his pocket in the space of a few moments         not. Thou art become  crue1 to me: with thy strong
a good size fortune, go home and take a trip to              hand thou opposest thyself against me. Thou liftest
Europe."                                                     me up to the wind ; thou causest me to ride upon it, and
     My brethren, in the foregoing dialogue you may be- dissolvest  my substance . . . .  " (Job  30:154X).
hold a faint image of that vile thing men call pros-            The unmistakable testimony of the above-cited
perity.                                                      quotations is that the Lord prospers the wicked and
     Let us return to the main argument of this article smites the just. Job was a man of singular  piety;,yet
and bring it to completion. It ought to be plain enough so extremely heavy did the hand of the Lord rest upon
 now that the Old Testament saint's prayer for pros- him that his sufferings became proverbial. Strange,
perity was, when rightly considered, the outgoing of some may say ;  esy;ecially  so in the light of the Lord's
a soul that thirsted not for the treasures of this earth, manner of dealings with Israel. When this nation kept
 but for the living God; that, further, to say that the covenant fidelity, it prospered ; the sorrows of the
Lord in grace will prosper the repentant nation is to righteous Job were many. Did not the Lord deal with
propagate the view that the nation so prospered ranks this faithful and pious servant of his in a manner
with the shadowy Jewish theocracy of old. Material differing from that in which he dealt with His covenant
prosperity, taken ns the token of the favor of Heaven        people Israel? Indeed He did. Is the Lord then given
. and national contrition do not go hand in hand today, to double dealing? There is, to be sure, an apparent
not even if we take prosperity to be the fruits of honest    difficulty here which disappears as soon as it is seen
toil; much less if by prosperity is meant that ungly that  .not Job and his kindred but Israel was a typical
thing whose image you may behold in the above dia- covenant people raised up to do service (at least this
logue. Do you suppose a nation brought under the was one of the purposes) as a concrete and eternal
benign influence of divine grace could tolerate that corroboration of the divine maxim that the people
vile beast? Yet you pray for its well-being, brethren? whose delight is in the law of God, is blessed ; but that
 Shame ! Shame ! !                                           the ungodly who refuse to keep covenant fidelity and
     The unmistakable testimony of Scripture is that set their mouth against Heaven have many sorrows
not piety and material prosperity but that piety and and come to eternal grief. Respecting this typical cove-
adversity often go hand in hand, and that the wicked nant people, material prosperity did service as a typical
 prosper. Hearken unto the complaint of Job : "Where- and tangible demonstration of the divine favor of a
 fore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in covenant God; on the other hand, the typical  exhibition
 power? Their seed is established in their sight with of the divine curse was material adversity and national
 them, and their offspring before their eyes. Their destruction. Israel could render this service because
 houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God it was a nation- constituted of a reprobated and a
 upon them. Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; chosen and thus holy seed. The latter was the remnant
their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. They send that came to eternal bliss. Loosed from its typical
 forth their little once like a flock, and their children and reprobated shell (the carnal seed) this remnant
 dance. They take the timbre1 and harp, and rejoice at descended to the level of"Job  and the believers in gen-
 the sound of the organ. They spend their days in eral.
 wealth, and in a moment go down. to the grave"' (Job           As to Job, he appears in Scripture as a man whom
 21:7-15).                                                   the Lord is His great love chastened. His career, at
     Attend to the expression of grief of Asaph:  "I saw least that stretch of it appearing in Scripture, yield an-
 the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands other great lesson - the main lesson at that `- which
 in their death  ; but their strength is firm. They are not I cannot consider here.
 in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like         "My son, despise not thou the &hastening of the
 other men . . . Their eyes stand out with fatness: Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked by him.' For
 they have more than heart could wish . . .  ."  (Ps. whom the Lord loved he chasteneth, and scourgeth
 73 : 3-7) .                                                 every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening,
     As to the righteous, "all the day long are they God dealeth with you as with sons ; for what son is he
 pIagued and chastened every morning." "Terrors," whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without
 mourns Job, "are turned upon me: they persue'my  soul chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye
 as the wind ; and my welfare passeth away like a cloud. bastards and not sons" (Heb. 12 :5-K)
 And now my soul is poured out upon me ; the days of            The reprobated children of Israel were bastards.
 affliction have taken hold upon me. My bones are They were therefore without chastisement. To be sure
 pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take upon them, too, the hand of the Lord rested extremely


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heavy. They refused, however, to humble themselves ceiveth? We all, including the exponents of the theory
under this mighty hand, but revolted more and more of common grace, know better.
and thus gave evidence  t.hat they were not of that                Let us now approach Scripture with the questions:
Israel with whom God dealt as with sons. On the other What is the present status of the nations of the earth;
hand, the sons - the just ones  - endure chastening; and, What is the attitude God assumes toward them?
kiss the divine hand that smites them.                             We quote: "Come near ye, nations, to hear; and
       The Lord prospers the reprobate wicked. In His hearken ye people; let the earth hear, and all that is
grace as Kuiper would have it? No, indeed. He pros- therein; the world and all things that come forth of
pers in  .His grace His sons. More often by far He          it.
applies to them the rod that they might be partakers               "For the indignation of the Lord is upon aEZ nations,
of His holiness, so that to these sons all things  - and his fury upon all their armies; he hath utterly
tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the
peril, sword, herbs, grass, rain, drought, fruitful and slaughter.
barren years, meat and drink, health and sickness,                 "Their sIain also shall be cast out, and their stink
riches and poverty, yea all things must work together shall come up out of their carcasses, and the mountains
for good. All things, these sons must believe, befall shall be melted with their blood.
them by the direction of their most gracious and                   "And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and
heavenly Father and as the tokens of His abiding love.      the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll ; and
Consider then that the Lord deals as graciously with all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off
His children when He lays them low with sickness and from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.
disease as when He fills their garners so that it is not           "For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: Behold,
at all certain that repentance and contrition will be it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people .
followed by material prosperity of whatever nature. of my curse, to judgment.
Asaph had cleansed his heart, and washed his hands in              "The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is
innocency ; yet was he plagued all the day long, and made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs
chastened every morning, Ps. 73 :13, 14. Irrespective and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the
of the complaints of Asaph and Job, Rev. H. J. Kuiper Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrak, and a great daughter
rushes into print with a statement that in this day in the land of Idumea" (Isaiah 34 :l-7).
contrition and material prosperity go hand. in hand. I             In this passage the nations of the earth appear as
wonder how this brother reads his Bible. The only people of the Lord's curse to be utterly destroyed.
commonwealth the Lord  &  HzY.s   yrace was sure to                A remnant of each nation, however, escapes. To
prosper when repentant was the typical Israelitish those who escape the prophet declares: "Assemble
commonwealth of the old dispensatioh and that for yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are
reasons already given.                                      escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that
                                                            set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto
     Let us now institute an inquiry into the Lord's a god that cannot save . . . .
dealings with, and the attitude He assumes toward the              "Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take
nations. There are in all three views only one of which counsel together; .who hath declared this from ancient
has the support of Scripture. There is the view that time? who hath told it from that time? have not I, the
the Lord in His grace invariably prospers the nation        Lord? and there is no god else beside me ; a just God
that repents, and smites and destroys in His fierce         and a Saviour ; there is none beside me.
indignation that same nation when it forsakes Him.                 "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the
As was said, this view (the view defended by Kuiper earth: for I am God and none else.
in the article we criticize) ranks the nations of the              "I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of
earth with the typical theocracy of the old dispensa- my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That
tion.                                                       unto me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall
     Then their is the theory that the Lord deals with swear . . . . . .
nations as with sons whom He receiveth. This view                  "In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified,
has it that the Lord in His common love smites a and shall glory" (Isa. 45  :20-25).
nation when it apostatizes, blesses the same nation                The above-cited passages, taken together, declare
when it shows contrition, but destroys the nation for that hidden in each nation is a remnant, those that
persisting in its unbelief. Divine love, then, finally escape, that this remnant shall look to the Lord and
has to gave way for consuming wrath. It will be seen be saved.
at once that between this view and the one that ranks              This constituted the substance, the nucleus, of the
the nations with the typical Jewish theocracy of the old message with which the prophets of the Lord came to
dispensation there is no essential difference. A ques- the nations. This message the church of the new dis-
tion now: Are the nations of the earth so many theo-        pensation is duty bound to make its own.
cracies? Are they sons whom the Lord in love  re-                  The announcement that the Lord in His love will


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prosper materially the nation that repents is thor-                    WERELDSCHE VEREENIGINGEN
oughly fallacious ; for it is equal to the assertion that
in this day prosperity and contrition go hand in hand,                                       V
that the nation, not as to its chosen remnant, but in its
entirety is the chosen race, the son the Lord in His            Tot dusver zagen  we in onze principieele verhan-
love receiveth.                                              deling, dat:  1) In God alle recht zetelt. 2) Dat de
   The declaration : "Repent nations and the Lord will mensch bij het ontvangen van de aarde een verleend
prosper you" may be very pious sounding. Fact is, that recht geschonken werd. (Hij  mocht  er God mee die-
it is a bold untruth in flagrant contradiction with the nen.)         3) Dat de mensch dat verleend recht door de
message with which Scripture comes to the nations.           zonde absoluut verloor en in  verband  met de aarde
   The nation as to its reprobate element the Lord voorts een onheilige dief werd. 4) Dat  Christus  de
prospers to be sure ; but this nation He prospers in verkorenen, naar Gods  Raad, opving in Zijn  armen en
His wrath, and as the righteous Judge of all the earth hen doet strijden den strijd aller eeuwen tegen den
plucks it up when the measure of iniquity is full.           duivel en het goddelooze rot.
   This, too, must enter into the make-up of the                Die strijd aller eeuwen is direct begonnen na den
message with which the servants of the Lord come to val van den mensch en het opzoeken Gods ter  oprich-
the nations.                                                 ting van Zijn verbond. Dat hebben we aangetoond
                                               G. M. 0.      door het schetsen van den broedermoord, waarin ons in
                                                             schrille kleuren die Iange, bange worsteling van de
                                                             twee volken geschilderd werd. Die strijd van Abel en
                                                             Kain is type van den strijd aller eeuwen.
                                                                Nu  willen wij in dit artikel dien krijg naar den
                   COMFORTED OF GOD                          Woorde Gods in xijn hoofdmomenten beschrijven. Dan
       When  filled with sorrow and despair,                 zullen wij zien, dat we daarin een stap nader komen
                                                             tot oplossing van de zoogenaamde sociale problemen.
       O'er trials more than I can bear;
       These  preciouskords dispel each fear:                    In de eerste plaats, merken we op, dat die strijd
                "Comforted of God  !"                        geen ongeluk is, maar dat hij door God gewild is. We
                                                             lezen in Gen. 3 :15 : "En Ik  zal vijandschap zetten  tus-
                                                             schen  u en tusschen deze vrouw, en tusschen uw zaad
       When lonely and forsaken, too,                        en tusschen haar zaad . . . . " Het is daarom onzin
       By those I thought were friends, and true,            om te kwinkeleeren gelijk zekere zot-sentimenteele  zan-
       How precious are these words, though few,             ger :
                "Comforted of, God!"                                     "Ocd,  waren  alle menschen wijs ;
       When weak the body, racked with pain,                                     En deden daarbij we1 !
       And, suffering, seek for rest in vain;                              Deez' aarde ware een Paradijs ;
       There comes the soothing, sweet refrain,                                  Nu is zij vaak een he1 !"
                "Comforted of God  !"                            De strijd  meet gestreden. Als wij al het bewijs uit
                                                             den Bijbel zouden neerschrijven tot staving van deze
       In moments dark, and sorely pressed                   stelling, zou er geen ruimte overblijven in dit artikel
       With cares, from which there seems no rest,           om verder te gaan in onze verhandeling. We zullen
       I go to Him, and on His breast,                       eenige plaatsen noemen. We lezen in Jozua 4  :13, dat
                Am "Comforted of God."                       Israel uittoog "voor het aangezicht des Heeren ten
                                                             strijde"; Ps. 18:35  leert ons dat de Heere Davids han-
       When from loved ones I'm called to part,              den "leert  ten strijde"; I Kron.  523 zegt,  dat "er vie-
       And naught can soothe the aching heart;               len vele verwonden, dewijl de strijd van God was"; en
       He bids my sighs and tears depart.                    in II Kron. 20 :14, 15 leert ons, dat de Geest des Heeren
                I'm "Comforted of God."                      door den mond van  Jahaziel  zeide: "de strijd is niet
                                                             uwe maar Gods", ; denk  aan de woorden die  Paulus
       I thank Thee, Lord, that Thou dost hear               sprak in I Tim. 6 :12 : "Strijd den goeden strijd des ge-
     0 When sorrow's weeping brings Thee near:               loofs . . .  "; Ex. 1'7 :I6 en Num. 21:14  openbaren ons
       And giveth to the heart this cheer,                   dat de oorlog tegen Amelek "de oorlog des Heeren" is
                "Comforted of God  !"                        en getuigt van het "bock  der oorlogen des Heeren"; en,
                                                             het boek der Openbaring  schildert  ons den eigen Zoon
       Believe His Word, 0 suffering one,                    van God als den Strijder die uitgaat ten strijde  "over-
       When thou art burdened and undone.                    winnende en opdat Hij overwon," Openb. 6 22. Genoeg.
        Rejoice in Him, that blessed One :                   Wij zouden dit bovenstaand getuigenis nog we1 kunnen
                Be "Comforted of God." .                     vertiendubbelen,  doch het is niet noodig. Een ieder die


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                                                              feel its significance, so that they become increasingly
        A CATECHISM ON THE HISTORY"BF  THE                    conscious of this part of the contents of their faith.
          PROTESTANT REFORMED CHURCHES                           " (3)    It will, undoubtedly, in the course of a few
                                                              years, lead to a consensus of opinion in this matter, ,
                    V. WHAT  SYNOD  DECIDED                   and thus it will gradually prepare the way in our
                           (Continued)                        churches for a united confession concerning Common
                                                              Grace."
       31. What decision was made by Synod concerning            32. What is your opinion of this part of the Synod-
the Common Grace question in general?                         ical decisions ?
       It decided to declare the following:                      That it stands in direct conflict with the preceding
       "In connection with the overtures that would urge parts of Synod's decisions ; that it is self-contradictory ;
Synod to express itself on the doctrine of Common that it is hypocritical ; that it is useless ; and that it is
Grace as such, or to appoint a committee to study the fruitless.
matter, Synod decides as  follvws:                               33. Why does it contradict the preceding parts of
       "a. At the present to formulate no statement rela- the Synodical decisions ?
tive to the standpoint of the Church regarding the doc-          Because :        1. In the preceding Synod established
trine of general or common grace in every detail and three new dogma's without caring about preparatory
all its implications. Such a statement would presup- study and general discussion; in this part it declares
pose that this doctrine had already been thoroughly that dogma's cannot and may not be established in this
considered and developed in all its details, which cer- way. 2. In the preceding decisions Synod fundament-
tainly is least of all the case. Preparatory study,           ally accepted the main tenets of the theory of Common
necessary to this purpose, is almost entirely wanting as Grace ; in this part it  decIares  that a formulation of a
yet. Consequently, there is in the Reformed Churches dogma on this question is still impossible, because the
as yet no consensus of opinion at all in this case.           matter has not been studied. Synod here signs its own
       "b. Neither to appoint a committee to devote itself condemnation by finally declaring that it was not at all
to the study of this matter,  in order to reach the prepared to do what it actually did. In this respect
formulation  of a dogma concerning this mutter, .which this last part of the Synodical decisions is the truest
eventually muy be received  as parC of the Confession of all its declarations and decisions.
(Overture, Muskegon) .                                           34. How is this last part self-contradictory?
       " (1)     Because dogma's are not made but are born       On the one hand, it tacitly assumes that the theory
out of the conflict of opinions, and, therefore, it is de- of Common Grace is a Reformed truth that is worthy
sirable that the establishment of a certain dogma be to live in the consciousness of our Reformed people.
preceded by a lengthy exchange of opinions. Par- On the other hand, however, Synod confesses its total
ticipation in such a discussion must be as general as ignorance concerning this question. Even all prepara-
possible and must not be limited to a single group of tory study is still lacking. This is supposed to be
churches  ;                                                   derogatory of the work of the Revs. Danhof and  Hoek-
       " (2)     Because a certain truth must live clearly in sema, but is certainly contemptuous of the "monu-
the consciousness of the Church in general, or in the mental" work of Dr. A. Kuyper on De Gemecne  Gratie.
consciousness of a particular group of churches, before But the point of contradiction is that it asserts  .that to
the Church is able to profess such a truth in her Con- be a true doctrine of which even the very tist prin-
fession. It cannot be said, that this indispensible con- ciples have not been sufficiently studied and digested !
dition exists `at the present or will exist after two or         35. Why do you consider this part hypocritical?
four years.                                                      Because of its urgent request and advice to all min-
       "c. But to urge the leaders of our people, both isters and professors to make a careful study of the
ministers and professors, to make further study of the question of Common Grace. Forsooth  ! in the preceding
doctrine of Common Grace ; that they give themselves parts the Synod upon the advice of its committee killed
account carefully of the problems that present them- all incentive to study this question and, in fact, to study
selves in connection with this matter, in sermons, lec- any question at all, by  condemning  the work of two
tures and publications. It is very desirable that not a ministers that did make serious study of the matter in
single individual or a small number of persons accom- consideration! If ever there were two men in the
plish this task, but that many take part in it. Grounds : Christian Reformed Churches that did apply them-
       " (1')    This will be most naturally conducive to a selves to the true development of this question, they
fruitful discussion of the question of Common Grade, were, without fear of contradiction, the Revs. Danhof
and such an exchange of thoughts is the indispensible and Hoeksema. And Synod, without giving due con-
condition for the development of this truth.                  sideration to what they had produced and published,
       " (2)     It will be instrumental to concentrate the without even considering it possible that their view of
attention of our people upon this doctrine, will serve to the matter might be correct, with most of the delegates,
elucidate- their conception of it and to cause them to it is safe to say, totally ignorant of what they had writ-


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                      189

ten, sits in judgment and blindly condemns. the fruit of
their labors! This certainly is some nervous example                          ONZE  ZENDING
of hypocrisy ! For after it has so condemned the work          We zijn bijna toegekomen aan het einde van onze
of the two pastors and killed all incentive to study as beschouwing, die we onder bovengenoemde titel  weer-
far as the interest of the Church is concerned, it gaven. Net was er ons niet om te doen  om slechts een
brazenly adds, that it is very desirous that as many as beschouwing te geven van de  zending   zonder  meer,
possible shall make study of this matter!  * In plain reden waarom we er niet alleen boven  scbreven   DC:
language Synod might have put this request in the fol- Zending, maar onze Zending.  Wat we de lezers voor-
lowing form: Who is anxious to be hanged next?              hielden was: Waarom we zending  dienen te drijven;
    36. Why do you think it useless?                        wie die zending  diende te verrichten; hoe die zending
    1. In the first place, because it is a request to all diende uitgevoerd te worden  ; en eindelijk, waar ens
the leaders in general, without appointing anyone in zendingswerk dient te beginnen.
particular. The leaders of the Christian Reformed              Letten we  nu op eigen kerken en dien arbeid.
Churches need a stronger incentive than that of a gen-         Reeds van het begin onzer wording als kerken heb-
eral request to set them to work on the question of ben voornamelijk onze voormannen en onze Persver-
common grace. Everybody's work is nobody's work.            eeniging, de R. F. P. A., in. den weg der Zending voor-
2. Secondly, because of the fact, that Synod virtually bereidenden arbeid gedaan.  Op ons geheugen  afgaan-
adopted the main tenets of the theory of Common             de meenen we, dat de vroegere gecombineerde  kerkera-
Grace and coined it a dogma. There is no room left den al dadelijk besloten om, op de aanvragen die moch-
for real and independent study on the question. 3. In ten komen uit verschillende plaatsen, Ds. Hoeksema
the third place, no Christian Reformed minister or volmacht te geven, in zulke plaatsen met raad en daad
professor loves to work in the shade of the gallows and de broeders en zusters bij te staan, hen voor te lichten,
in sight of the noose. It must have become quite plain en hen tot Protesteerende Chr. Geref. gemeenten te
to all the leaders from the history of 1924, what Synod organiseeren.  -
means when it broadcasts an urgent request to study            Het eerste resultaat  of. vrucht hiervan was, de
on a certain problem!                                       organisatie van onze gemeente  te Hull, Iowa, gevolgd
    37. And why do you say that this decision is fruit- door anderen in wier midden het zaad met kwistige
less ?                                                      hand gestrooid was. Vooral Sioux County, Iowa, bleek
    Because, at the time of this  .writing more than six een vruchtbaar veld voor  onze kerken en meer  Clan in
years have past, and not a single "leader" has revealed eenige andere omgeving is er in die gewesten gespro-
any desire to heed the request of Synod. It has become ken en gepredikt en werd die arbeid door den Heere
quite plain, that, as far as the Christian Reformed bekroond.
Churches are concerned, the matter is settled, the             Zelfs durven we zeggen, dat we vooral daar op
dogma of Common Grace has been coined and accepted meerdere vruchten mogen rekenen. Doch daarover.
in the Three Points, and the question is killed. There later.
is neither ambition nor courage to work at the prob-           Naast en in verband met het gesproken woord was
lem. The final part of the  Synodical  decisions has het de S. B. die dezen arbeid opvolgde, ons volk  voor-
proved utterly fruitless. And we are safe to predict ging en onderwees aangaande de  dingen waarover het
that it will continue to do so in the future.               ging. En de R. F. P. A. gaf naast haar orgaan ook we1
                                                 Ii. H.     geschriften, brochures, uit door onze voormannen  ge-
                                                            schreven. Naast het gesproken woord, was het vooral
                                                            Ons Blad dat in dienst onzer kerken middel  was tot
          KENNISGEVING  AAN DE LEZERS VAN                   verspreiding der waarheid. Ware het niet voor de
               THE STANDARD BEARER                          breuk in eigen gelederen we houden er ons verzekerd
                                                            van, dat de zaak des Heeren, wat omvang betreft groo-
    Thans is verschenen de brochure  "Genade.*Geen          ter zou zijn geweest. Het heeft  echter zoo niet mogen
Aanbod" van Ds. Hoeksema tegen de artikelen van Ds. ' zijn.  '
Keegstra  in "De Wachter" zooals ze ook verschenen             Zien we terug op de eerste twee jaren van ons be-
zijn in de Standard Bearer.                                 staan dan ging het, de omstandigheden in aanmerking
    Deze zijn gedrukt om gratis te verspreiden onder genomen, alle verwachting te boven. Er ligt in die
belangstellenden.                                           eerste periode iets dat weldadig aandoet en  prat voor
    Gaarne ontvingen we van de lezers van The Stand- ens altijd een aangename herinnering is. De vrucht
ard Bearer een of meer namen en adressen van dezul-         van den arbeid bovengemeld ondervonden we  toen   .we
ken die geen lezer zijn van ons blad.                       in Sioux County, Iowa, een tweetal  jaren arbeidden.
    Zend deze namen en adressen zoo spoedig mogelijk Alreeds  voor dien tijd verkeerden we een viertal maan-
op  aan 1Mr. F. Prins, 2145 Lake Drive, S. E., Grand den in de gemeente te  Doon en  zagen  we in Sioux
Rapids, Mich.                                               Center een gemeente tot stand komen terwijl een jaar
                                     The Committee.         later Rock Valley tot de bestaande gemeenten werd


