                                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                  523
      __.,..-. -...".-ll_."l.-  ._____.            -............   __ll.."             .-..-              _-..""
           Hij schikt Zich nooit! Hij weet van geen plooien!
           Och, verstaat dit to&, dat uw God GOD is.                                                     Training the Child In the Way
           Daarom zijn het we1 uwe zonden, die scheiding ma-                                                         He Should Go
      ken, die het aangezicht voor u verborgen doet zijn,
      doch de allerdiepste oorzaak ook van dit feit ligt tech                                      The Word of God brings to us a most earnest ad-
      altijd weer in God, in Zijn God-zijn.                                                     monition and adds, for those that heed it, a most won-
            Omdat Hij de absolute Norm is en Zich nimmer derful promise, when it says in Prov. 22 :6 : "Train the
      schikt of plooit, van geen compromis  weet; en omdat child in the way he should go; even when he is old he
      Hij de volstrekt Rechtvaardige is, de Heilige en Waar- shall not depart from it."                                         ,
      achtige, Die te rein van oogen is, dan dat Hij de zonde                                      When this issue of the Standard Bearer appears
      zou kunnen aanschouwen ; Die een Licht is en er is in vacation-time is again past, and it may not be super-
      Hem gansch geen dusternis ; Die in Zijn heiligheid en fluous to call the attention of. our readers to the im-
      rechtvaardigheid, in Zijn waarachtigheid en reinheid, portant matter of the education of their children.
      onveranderlijk is ; daarom moet alles zich, daarom moe-                                      We all agree, of course, that the training of the
      ten ook wij ons naar Hem schikken ! . . . .                                               child is at once a most important and a most difficult
           Daarom moest onze Heere Jezus  Christus  uit  diep-                                  work.
      ten van ellende tot Hem roepen!                                                              We also agree that in this most difficult  work the
           Daarom moest Hij Zijn hartebloed storten voor u; Word of our God should be our guide.
      voor mij, voor al de uitverkorenen !                                                         Let us, then, attend to that Word, when it admon-
i          Daarom werd Hij slechts in den weg van volkomene ishes us, that we shall train the child in the way he
      gehoorzaamheid verhoord, uit Zijn lijden verlost, in should go and when it comforts our hearts with the
      den weg van een zich volkomenlijk schikken naar Zijn sure promise, that the child that is so trained will not
      God! . . . . .                                                                            depart from his way, even when he is old !
           Daarom rechtvaardigt en heiligt Hij u, opdat gij                                        The  child  must be trained.
      Zijn volk zoudt zijn, ijverig in goede werken, opdat  ge                                     Different periods may be distinguished in man's
      heilig en onberispelijk voor Hem zoudt zijn in de liefde life, due to the. fact, that with all things he is carried
      en straks eeuwiglijk bij Hem zoudt  wonen  in  heerlijk-                                  on the stream of time and, as he thus borne onward, is
      heid.  Daarom gaat Zijn vriendelijk aangezicht  nim- subject to change and development. Not, of course, as
     . mer met u mede in wegen van zonde en ongesechtig-                                        if these periods in the life of man could be sharply
      heid, is het voor u verborgen, als gij in die wegen wan-. demarcated, so that each were definitely marked and
      delt en  maken uwe zonden scheiding tusschen ulieden distinguished from the others by clear and well defined
      en tusschen uwen God . . . .                                                              points of division. Life's development is too gradual
           Daarom moeten wij ons bekeeren van onze booze for that. The different periods of which we speak
      wegen en ons altijd weer achikken naar Hem!                                               `gradually flow into one-another. The transition is
           Dan  zal Hij  Zich onzer ontfermen, want Hij is  goe- imperceptible.                                     Yet, the periods of childhood, ado-
      dertieren  en barmhartig over'degenen,  die Hem vree- lescence and manhood may easily be distinguished-and,
      zen, van eeuwigheid tot eeuwigheid !                                                      from the viewpoint of education each has its own pecu-
           Dan zullen wij  roepen  en Hij zal antwoorden: Ziet, liar characteristics.                                                 .
      hier ben Ik !                                                                                The period of childhood is characteristic by recep-
            Want de Heere uw God is GOD !                                                       tivity.. The child is easily impressed, easily receives
                                                                              H. H.             what he is taught. He has a strong memory, and
                                                                                                easily retains what he learns. And he has a strong
                                                                                                imagination, even so that in early childhood he does
                                                                                                not always clearly distinguish between his images of
                                           BEKENDMAKING                                         perception and the images of his imagination.
           Classis-vergadering staat,  D. V., te worden  gehouden Woens-                                                                         The age
      dag, `7 September 1932, om negen uur in den voormiddag te of adolescence is the springtime of life. It is no longer
      Grand Rapids, Mich.,  in het F'uIler Ave. kerkgebouw.                                     the age of receptivity and passivity merely. Neither
           Volgens besluit der Classis  zal de President der vorige ver; is it as yet the time of stability and manhood, of full
      gadering, ids. A. Cammenga, aan den avond voor de Classis- activity and established judgments. It is rather the
      vergadering, een predikatie Ieveren in het  F'uller   +4ve.  kerkge-                      age of transition in every respect. In the years of
      bouw  in de  Engeische   taal.  De dienst  zal  aanvangen om  7:45.                       twelve or thirteen to twenty the child or youth begins
                                                     AI. Vander Vennen, S. 6.                   to reflect upon what he learnt in the days of his child-
                                                                                                hood and is still learning and experiencing of the world
                                                                                                round about him. He is beginning to declare his in-
           Als we ons waarlijk zwak gevoelen, zal God ons niet dependence. While the age of manhood and woman-
      aan onszelf overlaten, maar wanneer we  ons onze hood is characterized by the fact that the mind is more
      zwakheden niet bewust zijn, moeten we ze door erva-                                       definitely moulded. The ideas are formed and estab-
      ring leeqen  kennen.                                                                      lished. You cannot impress the man as you can the


 524                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
 --..- -.-.. "____ ___ --..__                                                        ^_"          ___- ._.,,...........    .______
 child. You cannot shape his thoughts, you cannot form or: according to the demand of his way, the text would
 his character, you cannot bend his will to your purpose offer very precious advice which we cannot disregard
 as.you can that of the boy or girl.                           with impunity.
        When the text speaks of the child it uses a word in           Yet, this is not the meaning.
 the original that is of a rather wide application. It is       That it cannot be the proper explanation of the
 employed in Scripture to denote the age of infancy, it text ought to be evident from the last part of it: even
 is also used with respect to the youth, to the age of when he is old he shall not depart from it. It is clear,
 adolescence. We are, therefore, safe in using it here that in this last clause Scripture means to say that the
 in that widest sense, as not merely including the age child shall not depart from the way in which you have
 from birth to twelve or thirteen years, but the entire taught him to go in early childhood, even when he is
 period from infancy to manhood.                               become old. But then it is also clear that the first part
        That child, until he has reached the age of man- enjoins upon us to train the child, not according to the
 hood, must be trained.                                        demand of his age and disposition, but in harmony
        Our English word: to train, does not literally ex- with the way in which he must walk in the midst of
 press the very suggestive meaning of the original the world. His training must teach him to walk in
 Hebrew word. The original word really signifies  iiter- the proper way.
  ally: to stuff  one"s mouth, to give one to taste.  The             Scripture loves to compare man's life to a way.
  Dutch word:  opvoe&ng, is a better rendering. As the From a spiritual-ethical viewpoint man is not adrift
  child must be nourished physically, so he must be fed aimlessly, but he walks in a definite path. There is
  spiritually and mentally. And the process of education progress,. advance in his life. There is direction in
  is a good deal like the physical process of taking, this progress. He walks in the way of righteousness
  digesting and assimilating food. He must receive or in the paths of unrighteousness, in the way of light
  spiritual and mental food. You must fill him with or of darkness, in the way of God's covenant or in the
  knowledge of the truth, make him see the truth as you way of the world. And there is destination. He is
  see it, believe it as you believe it, walk in it as you walking in the way of sin to eternal desolation or in
  walk in it. And the child must take it, digest it, assim- the way of righteousness to eternal glory.
  ilate it and make it part and parcel of his spiritual               According to the way in which he should go, must
  possessions.    And for this process the age of child- be' the training of the child.
  hood is the proper period. Train the child! You can-                That is, his bringing up, his education must be
  not train the man. Do not let the age of childhood and such that it leads him in the way of God's covenant,
  adolescence pass by without training him, for after for that is, undoubtedly, the way in which He should
  this it is, humanly speaking, too late.                      go!
        The text, however, adds an important detail, which            A question, parent-reader: Can you say before God
  must not be overlooked.                                      and your conscience that you heed this admonition to
        It admonishes God's people to train the child +n tltc the utmost of your power?
wa,y in which he  sho&d  go.  A.  ~.-.                           .-That is what you and I promised- when tw-pre;
        The original has it literally: according  to the de- sented  our children in baptism unto the Lord.
  mand  of  his  way. As the Holland rendering is :  rwutr            How much time do we personally devote to the
  den eisch zcijns wegs. Interpreters of Holy Writ have training of our children in the way in which they
  therefore explained the expression in its subjective should go? Do we ever take them around us in our
  sense.     The meaning then must be: train the child home to instruct them in the fear and admonition of
  according to the demand of his age and character, the Lord? Do we teach them `in the Word of God, in
  according to his receptivity and power of assimilation, the knowledge of the truth? Do we admonish them,
  according to his ability and disposition. And even so pray with them and for them? Do we know where
  the text would give us very proper and precious advice. they are, when they are not at home? Are we
  It demands of the pedagogue, of him that would train acquainted with their companions, with the friendships
  the child, that he first of all sets himself to study them they form? Do we know what they read? And do we
  child. Children are not all alike. They differ as to teach them to read proper literature, so that they may
  age. They differ as to character. They differ with develop a taste for what is wholesome spiritually?
  respect to mental capacity. You cannot train the child              Where shall your children attend school in the
  of six as if he were twelve years old. You cannot de- coming season? Have  .you, perhaps, made up your
  mand of all the children that must be trained the same mind that in these times of "depression" you cannot
  power of perception and understanding. Parents with afford to pay the necessary tuition and send your chil-
  a family of four and more children will be able to tell dren to the Christian School? Can you affort to give
  you, that not one of them is exactly like the other, and your children food and drink, shelter and clothing?
  that, therefore, they all demand a different training as Would you not rather yourselves go hungry than to see
  to method. And, therefore, if this should be the mean- your children starve? How, then, can you allow it, that,
  ing of the phrase: in the way in which he should go, spiritually they receive stones for bread, that  &hey are


                                           T H E S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                   525

educated by those that do not teach the way in which
your children should go?                                                              De Kennisse Gods
       The time is presently there again when the cate-                                           IX
chetical  classes will open again. Do you co-operate                                                               I Cor.  13:12.
with your pastor in the training they receive there?
Are you always sure they are present? Do you inquire                      Dat de mensch God kan kennen is duidelijk in &n
whether they are? Do you encourage them to study onzer  .vorige artikelen aangetoond. In de hoogere, dat
their lesson and the Word .of God in connection with is, de geestelijke zijde van zijn bestaan, ligt het aan-
it?                                                                    knoopingspunt,  waardoor  hij Gode verwant, dien God
       And do you let your children gather with the chil- kan verstaan, omdat zijn God in menschelijke taal tot
dren of the Church in the Sunday School ? Do you hem spreekt.
peruse their lesson with them?                                            Dit bewuste kennen is echter meer dan een  zich
       In a word, let us put our hand in our bosom and                 rekenschap geven van bloote formeele feiten. Kennis
see whether we are found faithful in the training of voor het eerste menschenpaar kwam op uit en werd
our children in the way in which they should go to the gekarakteriseerd door de werking der liefde zijns  har-
utmost of our power, as we promised once before the ten, zoodat hij zijn God begeerde als het hoogste  goed.
face of the Lord.                                                         Zoo ook wordt het door den Heiland bedoeld als Hij
       Must we not, one and all, acknowledge our guilt zegt : Dit is het eeuwige leven, dat zij U kennen.
and unfaithfulness in this regard?                                        Tech, zoo  zagen  we, werd door middel dier kennis,
       And yet, only according as we have been faithful in het hoogste kennen Gods niet bereikt. Het is we1 waar
the training of our children can we lay hold on the dat Adam zijn God kende, Hem zag in Zijn Almacht,
promise that is added to the admonition: even when schoonheid, wijsheid, maar als de God van genade en
he is old he shall not depart. from it!                                barmhartigheid had hij Hem nog niet gekend. Voor
       Of course, also this promise is, like all the prom- die kennis wil de Heere `s menschen val gebruiken.
ises for the seed of the covenant. ,& does not imply Eerst als de val des menschen feit is geworden, zal, de
that all your training can make one child of God. But zonde niet slechts ten spijt, maar de zonde als middel
it does surely mean, that the child of God's covenant, Gods dienst  doen,  om, tot verdere verrijking dier  ken-
regenerated by His grace, trained according to the nis, ten behoeve van den mensch, dienstbaar te worden
way in which he should go, will not forget that train- gesteld.
ing, will not depart from the way of it!                                  De verdere ontwikkeling der kennis, door midde1
       What a beautiful picture, always realized in actual der openbaring, wordt dan op antithetische wijze  voort-
life, this promise calls to our mind ! He that was once g e z e t .
a child is now old. His eyes are dim, his hair is white,                  Aldus wordt de mensch dieper  ingeleid in de heil-
his form is stooped, he goes leaning on his cane ; he geheimen Gods. En dat al direct na den va1.                               . . .
hardly remembers what happened yesterday. But he                          Feitelijk is dan ook, wat we in Gen. 3 :15 vinden,
will tell you of the training he received when he was niets anders dan de ontplooiing van gansch den raad
young. He will sing the psalms he committed to mem-                    des Heeren, zij het dan als in  een. hoofdsom. Wat de
ory when he was still a child. He ,&s still walking in Heere aldaar openbaar maakt, reikt tot  aan het kruis
the direction in which he was taught to go when he                     van onzen  Heere Jezus Christus toe, en vandaar straalt
was in training. And he does not depart from it!                       er, op grond van ditzelfde Woord,  licht tot  aan het
       Train, then, the child in the way he should go ; and einde dezer bedeeling, tot op den tijd dat de strijd
Iay hold of the promise: even when he is oId, he wilI                  voor eeuwig beshst zal zijn en al Gods  kinderen  zullen
not depart from it !                                                   instemmen in den lof des Heeren, die zeer groot zal
                                                          H. H.        zijn.We hebben dan ook na den val niet enkel te doen
                                                                       met de voltrekking  van het door God bepaalde dood-
                                                                       vonnis, ook dat natuurlijk, want ten dage  toen zij daar
                           IN MEMORIAM                                 van aten  stierven zij zeer wezenlijk den geestelijken
       In den morgen van 15 Augustus ontsliep in zijnen I$eere  cn     dood, maar tech, hoe waar dit alles ook zij, treedt tege-
Zaligmaker, onze geliefde Vader en Grootvader,                         lijkertijd het Ieven uit dien dood te voorschijn, aIs de
                       TJITSE M. KOOISTRA,                             Heere Zijn genade uit en om Christus' wil, dadelijk in
in den hoogen ouderdom van 81 jaren  en 5 maanden.                     werking doet treden.
       Eene korte  doch hevige ziekte maakte een  einde   aan  zijn       Het zal geen tegenspraak verwekken en het werd
vQ0r   ons  dierbaar leven. De wetenschap echter, dat hij  nu de       nog door geen Gereformeerd mensch ontkend, dat de
eeuwige rust en vrede geniet en Gods doen  enkel majest& e:n           Heere onze eerste ouders, onmiddellijk na den val
heerlijkheid  is, doet ons  rustig  zijn in dezen weg.                 wederbaarde. Weliswaar, zegt de Heilige S&rift ons
                        Uit naam der kinderen en kleinkinderen.        dit niet met dezelfde woorden  geIijk  wij het  bier  neer-
       Grand Rapids, MZch.,  15 Augustus 1932..                        schrijven; we Iezen  b.v. ook niets van hun  bekeerings-


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                    527  j
                                                                                                    _~ _-_...... _ "^_.-_  _-.. ---
-"...".,._  ._... -- ..-     -
     Aldus  begint de geschiedenis der kerk en der
wereld, en ontrolt God Zijn Raad. En in de ontvou-                                  True Giving
wing van die Raad, openbaart de Heere Zich als die                     (Spoken in the Holland language at the occa-
God, Die alle  dingen  doet en we&t om Zijns Zelfs wil.                sion of a donation sale  held for the benefit of
Door middel van dien strijd, waardoor de belofte  ver-                     the Sioux Center Christian SchooI)
vuld staat te  worden;  openbaart Hij hoe langer hoe           It stands to reason that an occasion as this is not
meer : Ik ben God en er is geen maeht nevens Mij ; Ik the most appropriate for a discussion of God's cove-
ben-God die alle  dingen naar Mijn bestek zoo doet  ge-     nant, our covenant youth,' our covenant obligations, or
schieden, voor de eere Mijns Naams, de zaligheid van any such subject that is more closely related to our
Mijn volk, de wegwerping en volkomen nederlaag van Christian School as such. The time allotted me is too
alle goddeloozen met den Satan  aan het hoofd, en Die brief; the occasion less fitting. I have therefore at-
voor de verwerkelijking van dat doel, Mijn wijsheid tempted to find a topic more appropriate to the present
en liefde en genade doet uitstralen, door de meest  ge-     occasion and thus concluded to speak briefly on "True
schikte en volmaakte en door Mij bepaalde middelen te Giving." With details we  ,will not concern ourselves,
kiezen, die Mij daartoe  moeten dienen.                     but rather discuss the subject of  giving`in its cardinal
      Een dier middelen waarvan Hij zich belieft te be-     points.
dienen is wel, dat Hij Zijn volk  aan Zijn zijde doet          The first question before which we wish to place
staan in de ternederwerping van allen en alles wat zich     ourselves is : What are the fundamental principles gov-
tegen Hem stelt. Dat is wat de kerk geleerd werd van erning all true giving? What is required if our giving
den aanbeginne. Dat zal haar groote  task  worden           is to be truly spiritual  and-spiritualIy  true? In answer
gansch  de geschiedenis door. Het wachtwoord is altijd, to this I call your attention to the following underlying
hetzij Abel  offer-t,  Henoch met God wandelt,  Noach  de principles.
ark bouwt, Abraham land en maagschap verlaat : I,`OOT
God en tegen den duivel.                                       At the deepest root of all giving, that can meet the
                                                            approval of the Holy One, lies the fundamental prin-
      Dan  worden  Abel gedood en Henoch  gezocht  en ciple, that God and God alone is the sole Possessor and
Noach  bespot. Het verbrijzelen van den hiel doet dan Proprietor of all that exists. Of this we must be ever
geweldig pijn en het sijpelende bloed wast al spoedig in conscious and with this uppermost in mind we must
de geschiedenis tot een geweldigen stroom ;  doch give. The reasons for this are evident. In the first
dan kan Abel gedood,  als hij  terwille van de eere place, God created all things by Almighty power, and
Zijns Gods, de betere offerande brengt, heenziende in the most absolute sense of the word it may be said
naar het Zaad Wiens bloed betere dingen  spreekt, hem that creation implies possession. Man cannot create,
reinigend van alle zonden ; dan mag Henoch  gezoeht, therefore he cannot possess. God is Creator over all,
door datzelfde slangenzaad, dat ook hem wil dooden, consequently He is Possessor, Master, Proprietor over
maar dan neemt zijn God hem weg, en daardoor ont- all. Secondly, it is God, Who from moment unto mo-
vangt hij getuigenis, dat hij Gode behaagde ; dan wordt ment sustains and keeps all His creatures through His
Noach  bespot, als hij, na door zijn God kennis te heb- all-comprehensive Providence. "For of Him, and
ben ontvangen van de  dingen,  die nog niet gezien wer-     through Him, and to Him, are all things ; to whom be
den, de ark bouwt, doch dan verstomt het slangenzaad, glory for ever, Amen." Thirdly, it' is the will of God
omkomend in den vloed als Gods oordeel over hen  - that this shall remain so. God wills to be forever sole
en wordt Noaeh erfgenaam der gerechtigheid des ge-          Possessor of all things., Nor could this be otherwise,
loofs.                                                      for God is God. Never, therefore, does He give aught
          En zoo  loopt die bloedstroom en die smadelijke to any creature in the sense that He is no more the
 hoon uit op het bloed des Nieuwen Testaments, als het sole Possessor or actually withdraws His sustaining
bloed van den Getrouwen Getuige, die bloedend de zege and governing interests from that particular gift.
 behaald in de zaak des Heeren, en Die de Vervuller is Neither is this at all possible, for the very moment that
 van de belofte aan Adam en Eva en alle kinderen  Gods God should withdraw Himself from anything that He
 gegeven : "Wet zal  u den hop vermorzelen,`! en kunnen Himself has made, that moment such a creature would
 ze in dien strijd blijmoedig het hoofd omhoog steken, disappear into oblivion. This basic principle we must
 wetende dat de overwinning zeker is, en wetende, dat bear in mind. When we then speak of a giving of God
 hun God Zijn voorgesteld doel bereikt,  als die  &+ne to us, this can never imply that the creature becomes
 Mensch vervuld wordt met de wijsheid en kracht en proprietor in the stead of the Creator. In the deepest
 genade Gods, de Voltooier van al de werken van Gods sense of the word we cannot give, that is, in the sense
 handen,  in Wien al de volheid der Godheid  lichamelijk    that we distribute of our own unto others. It is essen-
 woont en uit Wien zij  ailen  ontvangen genade  voor tial to all true giving to realize deeply, that in the final
 genade: De mensch Jezus Christus.                          analysis we cannot give at ill. When we give we do
                                                w. v.       not give of our goods but of God's. This basic ,principle
 I.-_.                                                      determines t,he spiritual-ethical character of all our


!                                                                                          a$!
      5223                                   T H E   STANDAkD   B E A R E R .

      giving, whether it be to church, to a school, to the poor,     primarily we must be governed by love for God for we
      or to any needy cause.                                         are but stewards in God's house to serve our Master
         From this deepest principle proceeds as a matter only. And he, who in God's house uses God's goods
      of course the second essential truth, that man, with for himself or others, ignoring the Master Himself, is
      respect to God, is never more than steward. This in- a thief in God's house. The steward's entire life must
     eludes all men, as this expresses the relation in which be solely to please his lord. Thus only our life will be
      man stands to his earthly possessions and with these to a glorious reflection of God's life in us. For that reason
      the Lord of all. Being a steward implies much. In we must give. God is a giving God. He is such as the
      the first place, that we possess not a hair of our head,       Three Persons in the One Divine Essence. In their
      not a second of our time, not a penny of our money,            life of blessed covenant fellowship, They, from ever-
      not a crumb of bread, nor a drop of water. Moreover, lasting to everlasting, give themselves' to one another
      that we are conscious of the fact that all we have be- in perfect friendship and love. The Triune God is a
      longs solely to our Master. Thirdly, stewardship im- giving God with respect to His creatures. Oh, the
      plies that all we nevertheless receive is loaned unto us wondrous depths of divine grace !              We are but
      by the Lord of all and placed in our trust as His creatures of the dust, damnworthy, corrupt, by nature
      servant. Furthermore, that all our borrowed goods lost in sin and transgression. And behold His great
      must be used in God's service, with all prudence and gift unto us, who have been chosen in eternal love. For
      discretion, unto His glory. We cannot do with our He gives His only begotten Son, the Son of His eternal
      possessions as we please. Our will is at all times sub- love, the Second Person of the adorable Trinity ; and
      ject to God's will. The sole question that may ever in that Son He gives His all, His own heart, Himself.
      govern our entire life is: "What is God's will with To be sure, Immanuel is God's own.Son and the Son is
      respect to this my possession? What can I do that will God eternally. He descended into this sin-darkened
      be most unto the praise of His glory? Finally, our world, suffered for us from Bethlehem to Golgotha,
      stewardship implies that we are responsible for all from the cradle to the cross, suffered for us all the
      that God entrusts unto us in this life, and that we will untold agonies of dark Gethsemane, was nailed for us
      one day be called to account before the jealous God of on the accursed tree, entered for us into the dark
      heaven and earth. Whosoever realizes the full signi- abyss of eternal death and descended for us into all the
      ficance of this must fear having great abundance. I agonies and torments of hell. Indeed, He gave His
      fear riches, especially in these times of depression and own precious life blood, in His Christ, for detestable
      `want, when funds are low, treasuries depleted, church sinners such as we are. Acts 20 98. And this God did
      and school cry unto us for aid, poor are abundant and eternally, for in as far as Christ is the Lamb crucified
      God calls unto us: I have loaned you whatever you from before the foundations of the world, in so far
     have in order therewith to serve Me ; what will you do God has from everlasting given Himself to a lost
      with it all? Also this principle of stewardship must world.
      be deeply understood in order to know what is im-                 Now our life in all its aspects must be a reflection
      plied in true giving.                                          of God's life in us. The apostle exhorts: "Be ye, there-
              From the principles thus emphasized flows of neces-                                 .  ..~-
                                                                     fore, followers of God as dear children ; and walk in
      sity this third tenet, that giving is the God-given duty love, as Christ also has loved us, and hath given Him-
      of every man. Naturally, we at present concern our- self for us an offering a.nd a sacrifice to God for a
      selves with the children of God and members of the             sweet smelling  savour,`7  Eph. 5  :l, 2. And certainly
      church of Christ. The choice is not ours whether it this implies that we give, give in love, give ourselves
     pleases us to give or not. Such is the conception of the in gratitude to God, Who gave His own adorable Self
      natural man in his godless conceit. We have God's for us. And  the more we by the grace of God are con-
      money ; we are God's stewards ; God brings us into stantly mindful of God's great gift to  us, the more we,
      contact with His Kingdom in various ways, and now it           by the power of that same grace, will give ourselves
      is our God-given duty to give of our possessions unto wholeheartedly  ,anto God. And giving ourselves we
      the upbuilding of God's kingdom.and the praise of His will give all we are and have. That is true giving.
      Name. If we then adhere to this calling and distribute Every penny we give, every moment of our time, every
      wherever there is need, there is in this work no special ounce of our strength must essentially be a giving of
      merit, God need not thank us, church and school are ourselves to God. Neither can God be satisfied with
      not obliged to favor us in any way ; but we merely do          aught less. He does not regard that which is merely
      our duty, the ignoring of which must make us guilty outward. He desires the heart. And all that does not
      and abominable before God, whereas the respecting of proceed from the depths of our hearts is hypocrisy and
      which does not yet make us more than "unprofitable an abomination to God. Therefore, "the sacrifice of the
      servants."                                                     wicked are an abomination to God," and Paul says,
              True giving implies furthermore, that we give out "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
      of true love, for God first of all, and hence also for the and though I give my body to be burned and have not
      manifestation and people of His covenant.          Indeed, charity, it  profiteth  me nothing."


                                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          529
     -........  ^_^ ..-_l.-.....l.l...  ^_~--..-".""-  "...            -.._.. _I_
          The final fundamental principle to which we call the background and not infrequently despised, who
     your attention,, a principle naturally following from usually gives more with his pennies than the rich man
     the foregoing, is, that true giving demands of us that who gives of his abundance.
     we give according to our means. We must give until                              The question naturally arises: but who is capable
     it hurts and it must not hurt tbo soon. Did not God of giving in this manner? Who can in his giving fulfl
     give until it hurt, when He gave His own precious all these necessary requirements?
     blood and descended for us into all the eternal agonies                         The natural man is in the most absolute.sense  of
     of death and hell? Indeed, this may mean that it will the word incapable of such giving. His giving never
     be some years later before we retire from active work proceeds from the principle mentioned. Man by nature
     on the farm to a  hose in town. Be it so. After all does not acknowledge God as the sole Possessor of all
     we are not here to live as retired farmers but as that exists. In all his life he constantly says : There is
     stewards in God's house. "Rentenieren" and  "rent-                        no God. He refuses to be steward in God's house but
     meester  zijn" are two Holland expressions that sound invariably promotes himself to lord of all he possesses.
     much .alike,  that also are frequently confused, but that Consequently, he does not regard giving as his God-
     nevertheless are widely different in meaning. I am. given duty. Nor has he love for God, His kingdom;
     convinced that not the least here in the west the idea His people. "The flesh is enmity against God," and
     of  "rentenieren"  (living as retired) has led to much "we are by nature prone to hate God and the neigh-
     sin. That is the goal of too many, who live miserly bor."
I    all their active days in order to amass a capital large                         Therefore there is but little giving, even externally,
     enough to retire, and later on live miserly until their in the wicked world. After all, what ddes the world
     death in order that nothing may be taken from the give? Loaning at a high rate of interest is common.
     capital and they may live from the offspring born from But what is really given? Tell me, if that beautiful
     the capital in the bank. And is it not true that not a public school we have here should have to exist of
     few retire from active service when they might have nothing but free gifts, how long would it exist? The
     worked'another ten or fifteen years for the cause of very fact, that the world must obtain all necessary
     God's kingdom  with: their God-given strength and funds by means of taxation is a testimony of the world
     means ?                                                                   itself that it refuses to give. Taxation implies mere
          Of a truth, giving until it hurts may mean that we force. And in as far as the world still gives this never
     cannot leave behind such large inheritances for our proceeds from true motives. What is a donation from
     children. Very well. Cannot our children as well as a business man, even though it be for a sale for the
     we earn their bread in the sweat of their brow? In- benefit of the Christian School, if his only motive be
     heritances may be  all right (although they seldom business? He actually says: What I will not do for
     prove to be a blessing and more often are the cause                        God or His kingdom I will do for my business. Neither
     of endless strife and bitterness), but our obligations is this a less pure form of giving. Such giving is
     must first of all be fulfilled. And even then I  am abominable in the sight of God. What is giving if the.
     amazed, that even children of God, who have  b&e& en- deepest motive is to be praised and respected by men,
     trusted with great riches, who confess to have a part to have a name in the world, to see one's name printed
     in the salvation of God's people and rejoice in the in a certain publication or engraved in a certain public
     glorious fact that God has given Himself also for them, building, or in order not to be regarded as a slacker
     can draw up a will and distribute their abundant among men? At the very best, what is the giving of
     riches without ever considering the kingdom of God, the godless man if it is not done as God's steward, out
     which after all should occupy first place.                                 of love to God and His kingdom?
           Giving until it hurts may imply that our bread be                         Therefore it is, that also in the church of Christ,
     more thinly buttered, that we ride less in our cars, or giving is yet so imperfect and polluted with sin. By
      possibly have no car at all, or that we use less tobacco. nature we refuse to give. We would rather make a
      Be it so. Surely, to have nothing that we can give to loan to God's church at a high rate of interest, and
      church and school and annually send up twenty-five or then only upon the best of securities. We live too much
      thirty dollars into thin air in the form of tobacco for the sake of receiving instead of giving for the sake
      smoke cannot be reconciled  bith our responsibility to of giving. Is not this the plain testimony of this dona-
      God. We must give according to what we have re- tion sale that was conducted during this very evening?
      ceived of the Lord and then the mite of the poor widow Does not this very occasion testify against the Chris-
      is more precious in the si.ght of God than the thou- tians of Sioux Center? No, I am not casting' reflections
      sands of the rich (which usually do not appear). It upon the women of the society "Bear One Another's
      is detestable indeed that even in the church of Christ Burdens," who have sponsored this sale and attempted
      the man of means is so frequently upon the throne, to make the best of a sinful and sad state of affairs.
      voted in the consistory, treated with an extra measure I rather admire their courage in these days when our
      of longsuffering; while the poor man is placed upon school appears to be on the verge of disruption. But


530                                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
_-..........___"  --..-...... -"-.           " -.__. - ~_                              -....-."  ..-. -.                     " ..-... - ..__ ~ ._........__._
does not this sale itself testify that we are not giving
as we should, and moreover, that if we desire funds we                                         Uit Zuid-Holland
must give something in return?
      True giving is possible only when God's sanctifying                                                   ( INGEZONDEN)
grace is revealed in us. Also herein the truth of God's
Word is manifested: "All that is not of faith is sin."                          Het is deze maand juist zes jaar geleden,  dat onze
God must regenerate the heart. The old principle of gemeente tot stand kwam. En de vorige maand, den
greediness and selfishness must be destroyed and God 22sten Juli, werd onze eigene leeraar, Candidaat P. De
must give a heart of flesh, that loves Him, and is filled Boer, door Ds. G. M. Ophoff in het ambt bevestigd.
with the sole desire of being unto the ,praise  of His Onze gemeente had zes  jaren  bestaan sinds Augustus
glory in the midst of the world. Thus true giving is 1926.
not a gift of man to God but ever a gift of God to us.                          Het ontvangen van een eigen leeraar heeft vdor ons
If we then in principle may give in the true sense of veel beteekenis. Want voor ons,  als Gereformeerde
the word, let us always remember, that we are not Christenen, was er  v66r deze  zes  jaren nog een ander
making God a debtor to us, but  that it behooves us to zestal  van jaren  voorafgegaan, die historisch ten grond-
be grateful to our God for this blessed gift of His                          slag liggen van ons Prot. Gereformeerd gemeentelijk
grace.                                                                       zijn. Een periode die voor het heden  en voor de toe-
      Those that are taught to truly give by God's grace komst, indien niet vergeten, karakter en veerkracht zal
may also look forward to a blessed reward.                                   waarborgen. Dat was de periode  19X3-24,   toen  wij
      A poor giver must of necessity forfeit a rich bless- nog verkeerden in den kring der Christelijke  Gerefor-
ing of God's covenant. Such an one suffers spiritual                         meerde kerken. Net was een tijdperk van kamp. Een
poverty in the faith and of consciously enjoying the kamp, waarin het edelste van ons Gereformeerd geloof
blessings of God's covenant. But after all such a man in het gedrang kwam.
lacks one of the most striking earmarks of a regen-                             Allereerst, wist de listige Satan de Institutie aan te
erated heart and reveals that he is yet seeking the                          tasten   waar jongelingen werden opgeleid om  straks te
things of this present time. At the best he miserably dienen in  `s Heeren wijngaard, namelijk, de  Theologi-
fails to reveal his faith in his deeds.                                      sche school te Calvin.. Ja, het was reeds zoo erg, dat
      For a liberal giver is also prepared a liberal bless- ook reeds in het begin van dezen strijd niemand eene
ing. Not as though mere man can ever merit aught juiste berekening kon  maken  voor hoeverre vele jonge
before God, but the same gracious God, who of grace leeraren reeds  waren bedorven, door het vergif op
works true giving in our hearts, also of grace has pre- school ingegeven, het vergif van hoogere kritiek. Een
pared for us a blessed reward. Not an earthly recom- ieder die liefde had voor, en meeleefde met het  Chris-
pense, to be sure. Neither may the mere earthly be telijk Gereformeerd Sion, voelde zich den schrik om
our purpose in giving. A liberal giver is certainly not het hart slaan, bij de gedachte dat de bakermat, van de
always recompensed with earthly goods. God has pre- leidslieden des volks het strijdperk was over het ge-
pared for the  true'giver a `spiritual reward. There- ding, "De autoriteit van God's Woord."                                                      "---
fore, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." In                          Maai er kwam eene tijdelijke verademing. Het
the way of true giving God's grace works in us, that gelukte een paar leeraren, door de kracht Gods, en door
we are more and more delivered of all that is more onverpoosd te kampen  bet beramen des  Satans te  ont-
earthly, that we are sanctified and consecrated more maskeren en zijn poging te fnuiken. Het gevaar scheen
whole-heartedly unto God, that we learn to seek the voorbi j.
things that are above, that we are filled with spiritual                        Maar helaas ! de toekomst leerde anders. Wederom
peace and joy and that we are confirmed in our most stak dezelfde vijand het hoofd omhoog, al was het ook
holy faith. So we must also interpret those blessed onder een ander  vaandel;  Thans wist de duisternis
words of scripture, that for Israel of the old covenant zich saam te vatten  tegen de beide leeraren, die den
also signified a promise of earthly prosperity because moed hadden gehad haar den voet dwars te zetten.
of the typical character of the old dispensation, "Honor                        Want was het niet gelukt om Gods Woord officieel
the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits te onderwerpen aan het vernuft des menschen, deze
of all thine increase: so shall thy barns be filled with rnislukking   was grootendeels te wijten  aan deze beide
pIenty,  and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." wachters op Sions muren. Was de  macht van deze
Prov. 3:9, 10.                                                               beide kampioenen gebroken, dan had men  tech  langs
                                                        R. VELDMAN           een andere weg hetzelfde doe1 bereikt. Wederom  volg-
                                                                             den wij, de Gereformeerde Christenen van de tegen-
                                                                             woordige Prot. Gereformeerde gemeente te  Zuid-Hol-
                                      I3EKENDM.AKING                         land, met angstig beven  alles wat er voorviel  gedu-
     Dinsdagnamiddag, 6 Sept. 1932, om half vier,  zal het Curato-           rende dezen strijd. De vijand had andere wapenen
rium  van onze Theologische School vergaderen, D. V., in een
der Iokalen der Eerste Prot.  Geref.  Kerk  (FulIer  Ave.)                   gekozen, een gewoonte, hem eigen. De Eenvoud Gods,
                                                    L. Vermeer, Secretary    de Particuliere Genade en de Bijzonderheid van bet


                                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   R E A R E R                                                                         533
     __                          -._.....  "... ."- ..-.-.--.             _...".-_____ll                                             ."...^.." _... "." -... ""-" -
     gen, dat de mensch zoo geschapen was dat hij naar de van God.                                  (2) Hij heeft  "zijn  gehsele  natuur  verdor-
     mate van het creatuurlijke, op God was sangelegd. Hij                       ven."          (3) Hij is in  "nlle  ,r@me wegm goddeloos,  ver-
     was eene creatuurlijke afbeelding van God. God heeft keerd en verdorven." Dus niet nlleen in zijn binnenste
     verstand en wil, en alzoo schiep Hij ook den mensch.                       is hij goddeloos, verkeerd en verdorven, maar  ook in
     En op het oogenblik dat God den mensch formeerde, zijnen weg, d. i., in al zijn wandel en in gansch zijn
     schiep Hij hem zoo,  dat in hart en wil en verstand hij levensopenbaring. (4) Er is in hem overgebleven
     vol kennis, gerechtigheid en heiligheid was. Zoo was "noch verstand, noch wil, den verstande en wille Gods
     Adam geschapen. Dat was zijn leven, namelijk, om gelijkvormig." Zoo is de mensch van nature gewor-
     zijn God te kennen, naar Zijn wil en wet te leven, en den door den val. Wee den mensch, die dit niet wil be-
     zichzelf den Schepper te wijden. Dat leven moest hij                       lijden. Maar zalig de belijder van zijne eigene alge-
     niet eerst verdienen door een proces  van gehoorzaam-                      heele verdorvenheid, want die zal uit de volheid van
     heid,  maar met dat Ieven  werd hij geschapen.                             Christus  ontvangen genade voor genade, en het Ieven
           Nu zegt dit artikel dat Adam zich willens  der zonde tot in eeuwigheid.
     onderwierp. De zondeval greep niet plaats buiten                                                                                L. VERMEER
     zijnen wil om; ook was er niets rondom hem in de
     schepping dat hem tot de daad der zonde dwong. Ook
     lag de oorzaak van zijn zonde niet in zijn onkunde, of
     een ongenoegzame kennisse Gods, maar  het allereerste                                             Our Church Order
     begin van ongehoorzaamheid en zonde greep plaats in                                                       ARTICLE   IV
     zijn wil.  Willens onderwierp hij  zich  aan de zonde.
     Hijzelf koos de zonde, met een daad van zijn wil. En                                                   The lawful calling of those who have not
     die zonde bestond in het overtreden van de wet des                                                   been previously in office consists:
                                                                                                            First, in the  election  by the consistory
     levens.    Die wet des levens was de gehoorzaamheid                                                  and the deacons, after preceding prayers,
     aan God met geheel zijn verstand en hart en wil en                                                   with due observance of the regulations
     met alle krachten. Hij moest eten  van den boom des                                                  established by the consistory for this pur-
     levens, en steeds weigeren te eten van den boom der                                                  pose, and of the ecclesiastical ordinance,
     kennis des goeds en des kwaads. Hieruit is ook duide-                                                that only those can for the first time be
                                                                                                          called to the ministry of the word who have
     lijk dat de tegenstelling tusschen  goed en kwaad er                                                 been declared eligible by the churches, ac-
     reeds was, eer Adam ooit had gevallen in de zonde.                                                   cording to the rule in the matter; and
     Alle  dingen,  in en rondom Adam verkondigden en  rie-                                               furthermore with the advise of classis or of
     pen Adam toe : God is de overvloeiende fontein van alle                                              the  counsellor  appointed for this purpose
     goed. Dien Hem en gij zult leven. Maar het oor bie-                                                  by the  classis . . . .
     dende den duivel, weigerde hij dien God te dienen en                                   As was said, in article 4 the calling appears as com-
     onderwierp zich den dood en de vervloeking.                                prised of four elements: the election, the examination,
           Als nu dit artikel spreekt van de gevolgen van die the approbation, and the public ordination. This essay
     zonde voor Adam en `t gansche menschelijke geslacht;----
                                                                                again deals wrtli the first of these, namely,~the  electioK
     zoo spreekt het van de overblijfselen van licht die in                                 In my former article I set out with the question:
     den mensch zijn overgeblesen. Een gezegde dat  menig-                       what is the proper method to be followed in electing
     maal wordt aangehaald om te bewijzen, dat de mensch to the office. In replying, I first presented the various
     niet geheel bedorven is en dus nog het goede kan be- methods that are and have been in use in Reformed
     trachten en  doen.  Doch uit wat verder  volgt is het churches. It could be seen at a glance that several of
     overduidelijk dat zulks nooit de gedachte geweest was these methods are unbiblical such as the one that ex-
     van de kerk des Heeren vroeger. Naar de gansche cludes the congregation from" the aforesaid engage-
     Schrift  zal men moeten belijden, dat Adam metterdaad
I                                                                               ment. We found next that Scripture leaves us not in
     alle zijne kennis, gerechtiglieid en heiligheid Gods  ver- the dark respecting the proper method to be followed.
     loor. Geheel en al. Maar behalve deze kennis, gerech- Holy Writ contains several notices having a bearing on
     tigheid en .heiligheid,  had de mensch ook van God  ont- the matter. From Scripture can also be derived the
     vangen vele uitnemende gaven. Gaven,  die geen ander principles that should govern the election. These
     schepsel had ontvangen. Doch met-zijn val  verloor  hij notices were singled out: these principles laid hold on.
     ook deze uitnemende gaven, behalve  kleine overblijfse-                                From the record of the election of the seven dea-
     len daarvan. Dus hij heeft zeer weinige gaven  behou-                       cons we learned what part the rulers in the church on
     den na zijn val. Doch  deze overblijfselen van zijne  oor-                  the one hand and the congregation on the other hand
     spronkelijke gaven, zijn,  instee  van  licht, duisternis should take in the election. The rulers in the church
     geworden, die  we1 tegen hem getuigen en hem  alle  on- take the initiative, insist that the spiritual require-
     schuld ontnemen, doch die hem nooit bekwamen om het ments set down by the apostles be recognized, appraise,
     goede te doen. Dat zulks de gedachte was van de  op- receive (or reject), appoint and ordain those elected
     stellers der belijdenis is duidelijk uit het volgende:                      by the congregation. The congregation, then, should
      (1) Door de zonde heeft de mensch zich afgescheiden be permitted to elect its office-bearers.


533,                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
-..-.^."...-  ^...... "...-                 l___.-l.ll  -111"1"  - - -
        The method or usage inaugurated by the apostles rule,  - the rule of Christ, which in respect to the
must spring from and be the expression of the prin- matter  af the lawful calling, they exercise by controll-
ciples by which the election should be governed. Let ing the election, by appointing and ordaining or by
us now cite and elaborate upon these principles.                refusing to appoint and ordain the persons  se&ted by
        Principle 1. The New Testament church has at- the flock, if these persons are unfit; in a word, by
tained to spiritual maturity, is a spiritual major. It placing if occasion arises, the oEce beyond the reach
is this, for it has the anointing. The office-bearers may of unworthy men.
not deal with the brotherhood over which they have                  The consistory violates this principle when to keep
been set as with an immature child.                             peace it honors a corrupt choice of the congregation.
        This principle is violated whenever the consistory          The congregation, too, must recoil from trampling
excludes the congregation from the business of call- upon  this principle. How does the flock behave when
ing to the office.                                              it honors this principle? Let us illustrate. A brother-
        Principle 2. The church is the absolute and sole hood desiring a certain man (or men) is notified by
possession of Christ. He is its only king. His will is          the consistory that the person desired is unfit and
law. The office-bearers therefore may not impose their therefore cannot be taken. What should the flock now
very own will upon the congregation and thus lord it do? Acquiesce if it can in the judgment of the  con-
over the heritage of God.                                       sistory. For in the first place the latter  ,body has the
        Let me give a few examples of how this principle rule, and thus the right and duty to appraise and if
may be violated. A congregation must call to the need be to reject the choice of the flock. And this
ofiice of ministers of the Gospel or to the other. two          right it ,mzwt exercise if it knows the desired person
offices (to the office of elder or to that of deacon).           (persons) as being unfit. Let the flock bear this in
The congregation has its heart set upon a certain per- mind. Let it further consider that it is the special
son (or persons). If the consistory with a free con- business of the rulers in the church to watch for the
science can honor the preference of the congregation, souls of the sheep as they which must give account
it is in duty bound to do so. To honor the preference            (Web. 13  :1'7) and  that their  responsibilitiy is great.
of the congregation is to place the name of the person Let the flock believe if it can that the rulers refuse to
 desired upon the nomination.                                   honor its (flock's) choice in obedience to Christ and
        This the consistory tian do if it knows the person under the impulse of a love for Ris church. Let the
desired by the flock as being also eminently qualified. flock trust their shepherds and iubmit. This is by far
 But the consistory for no good reason may prefer an- the best. Let the flock bear in mind that from the very
 other. If this body now imposes a preference of this nature of things the consistory is in a better position
 character upon the congregation, it violates both prin- to know who are qualified for oftice than the flock.
 ciples cited above. Of course, scch az open clash, such             On the other hand, those ruled do not comprise a
 a public debate respecting the fitness of a nominee community of Christians whom the eonsistory may
 must not and cannot occur if the proper method `;;f order around at will. The believer in the pew  -  I
 electing  to oiiice  beg trsed, a method allowing both .Lhe     speak now in general -%%o immature and indiscreet
 consistory and the flock tc properly function without child whose judgment cannot be trusted and whose
 embarrassing members in the congregation.             What preferences need not be considered. Those ruled have
 this method is, we shall see presently.                         the anointing as well as they who rule, and therefore
         A tyrannical and unscrupulous consistory does not are as mature  as  they. 1.E therefore it can be firmly
 recoil from violating the above-cited principles. Not established on objective grounds Zhat the consistory
 that such a body will openly declare that it for no good        under the pretex of seeking the welfare of the flock
 reason whatever flouts the choice of the flock. To the attempts to impose upon .the flock its own will or pre-
 contrary, it will put up a pious front and maintain that ference, if it can indeed be shown that the person de-
 it cannot conscientiously  yield because the person (or sired was rejected for reasons that when investigated
 persons) desired is unqualified. The sorry fact is, how- vanished into thin air, the congregation need not yield
 ever, that this eliged unfitness is a sheer invention. at all but may appeal to classis. This raises the ques-
 The consistory prefers another and therefore makes tion whether the consistory is in duty bound to publish
 itself stones wherewith to will the dog that must be its reasons for refusing to honor the preference of the
 made away with.                                                 flock. It is if the flock so request.
         Principle 3. Christ is the king of @is church which         The view that the consistory ascertains and main-
 He rules not through the agency of the civil magis- tains if it can the preference of the congregation is at
 trates but through the agency of persons vested with least not contrary to our Church Order. Article 22
 an office He instituted in His church.                          reads : "The elders shall be chosen by the judgment of
         According to this principle the civil magistrate may the consistory and the deacons according to the regula-
 not appropriate or be given the right to appraise or tions for that purpose established by the consistory.
 appoint the persons to be clothed with the office.              In pursuance of these regulations, every church  shaI1
         Principle  4. The elders in the church have the be at liberty, according to its circumstances, io give


                                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                  535
_-.." ..." .  ..__..........   ^^^  ..__-.-  ---___  -  -....                  - -
the  &embers  an opportunity to direct attention to suit- in conflict  with principle under 3 and must therefore
able persons, in order that the con&tory may there- be set aside as unbiblical. The method under  f, "Elec-
upon either present . . . .  " The phrase,  sFLal1   be at tion by the  classis without the approbation of the con-
Mb&y   implies that it need not be done if the  con- gregation," is likewise to be denounced as unreformed
sistory  de&ns  it inadvisable. The rule then is not a                      as it, too, is an overturning especially of the principles
fast one and indeed should not be as circumstances in under 3. and 2, the principles, namely, that define the
a congregation may be such as forbid its being fol- church as a spiritual major. Finally the method under
lowed.                                                                      g:  urije  stemming. This method is an overturning of
      Let me in this connection call attention to the fact the principle under 4. The choice of the congregation
that with the great principles involved here  - the is the sole choice, supreme and final. The consistory
principles cited above - the Church Order is in full as a distinct ruling body in the church is not allowed
agreement. From these principles all its stipulations to function in the way of controlling the election, of
respecting the calling to the office do spring. Accord- appraising,  apr,ointing  or if need be rejecting those
ing to article 4 the lawful calling consists in the elec-                   selected. The reigns of government are in the hands
Eion by the consistory and in the approbation by the of the flock, so that where this method is followed the
members sf the calling church. According to Article rights and duties of the  consis'tory are trampled under
22, the elders shall be chosen by the judgment of the                       foot and thus the office instituted by Christ denied.
consistory and before installed be  arpproved by the con- Forsooth, the sad fact is that a brotherhood so calling
gregation. The view underlying these stipulations is seats itself in a throne left vacant by a dethroned
plainly this: The New Testament Church is a spirit- Christ. Yet in many Reformed churches this method
ually matured Christian commonwealth and must be is now in use.
dealt with as such by its rulers. The elders hold the                          Let us now discuss the three remaining methods,
reigns of  governm&t.                        The  o%ce-bearers  therefore those under ct, c and d. The three of &em, also that
must be chosen by their judgment. The rulers may under  u if correctly explained, are in agreement with
not however impose their choice upon the congrega- the principles that should govern here. Method  cc:
tion. The latter shall take part in the calling to the                      Election by the consistory with the approbation of the
office which it does by approbating, approving, and congregation. This'is  the method or manner of election
thus electing those deemed fit for service by the rulers. prescribed by our Church Order. Is this method sound?
      In my previous article I presented the various It is  i'f a correct construction be placed upon the
methods of calling to the office that are and have been phrase, "Approbation by the congregation." The ques-
in vogue in Reformed church : (a) Election by the  con- tion is then: what is the right, duty, or privilege signi-
sistory with approbation, tipproval, by the congrega- fied by the term approbation. And the answer: the
tion ; (b) Election by the consistory without the ap- right of every member to not merely lodge against the
probation of the congregation; (c) Election by the person elected (by consistory) such  coml:laints  as
consistory from a nomination made by the congrega- would compel1 the consistory to reject him, but also
tion; (It) Election by the congregation from a nornina--                                                                      --  .-
                                                                            the right to notify this body that the person (br per-
tion made by the consistory; (e) Election by the con- sons) it elected is nbt his (the member's) choice, and
sist&-y  with approbation of the civil magistrates; thus to humbly request that it consider the person de-
(f) Election by the classis without the approbation of sired. If the number of such requests are few, the con-
the congregation ; (g) An election that follows a sistory, of course, need not and cannot act. But if the
method known as  vrije stemming.                                            dissatisfaction is general so  ,that many such requests
      I remarked that as to these various methods of come pouring in, and if the joint preference centers
electing to office, anyone at all acquainted with Re- upon the same person (or per&s) the consistory is in
fortied, let us say, Biblical principles of Church gov- duty bound to appraise-the person desired and to elect
ernment can see at a glance that several of these him if spiritually qualified for service, and if the group
methods will not do at all.                                                 preferring him is not actuated by sinister.motives  in
      Let us now in the light of the principles (cited voicing their preference. Each member, of course,
above) that should govern the calling to the office, must act independent of the other. In the event the
appraise these various methods. Let us first of all at- many are stirred up by a few, the joint action partakes
tend to and dispose of the ones that are plainly un- of the character of public schism.
reformed. The first of these  is the one under  b:  Elec-                      Consider that if the approbation implied no mar:!
tion by the consistory without the approbation of the                       than the right on the part of a member to notify the
congregation.               This method is in conflict with the con&tory that the one elected is living in mortal sin
spiritual maturity of the New Testament church. The and therefore cannot serve, it was not necessary for
apostles, therefore, never appear in scripture as using our fathers to stipulate that the calling consists also
it. Then there is the method under  e: Election by the in the approbation by the congregation. The right and
consistory with approval of the civil magistrate. Noth- duty on the part of the member to approbate in this
ing further need be said of this method than that it is latter sense is too obvious.

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

       The point is that the persons elected must be the    hood at Jerusalem. It means that never again was
choice of the congregation in the rc?al scnsc. The frock there a church in which this particular method could
must actually desire these persons. This will not likely be safely introduced, and persistently followed.
be the case if the right to approbate amounts to noth-         Perhaps  the,only safe method today is one consist-
ing more t.han the right to lodge a complaint that com- ing in an election by the congregation f&m a group
pels the consistory to pronounce a nominee disquali- first appraised and approved by the rulers. This
fied. Only when the term upprobution  be taken as the method is in use in our churches.              The consistory
signification of this greater right, can the method  pre- makes a nomination. The names of the nominees are
scribed  by our Church Order be pronounced Reformed. published and approbated by the congregation. The
Voetius, by common consent our greatest authority on latter chooses from the approbated group. As was
Reformed church polity, also felt this. He, too, had said, this method, too, is thoroughly in accord with the
trouble with the method in question, and therefore principles set down providing the approbation by the
stipulated that in the event this method is followed, the congregation be defined in a manner explained above.
members be given opportunity to direct attention to            This method could be made ideal if to it were added
suitable persons and that the persons the consistory the stipulations found in Article 22 : To the effect "that
elects be selected from this group. if possible.            the congregation be given opportunity to direct the at-
       The method under  e: Election by the consistory tention of the consistory to suitable persons." From
from a nomination made by the congregation. This this group the consistory should, if it could, select its
method comes closest to  tha.t introduced by the apostles nominees. With this element added, the trio or duo
in the church at Jerusalem. The point of agreement is would come closer to being the choice of the congrega-
that the choice of the congregation precedes the choice tion. The approbation could be retainkd  merely as an
of the rulers and that the latter abide if they can by instrument of censure. So then the ideal method for
the selection of the former, There is also a point of churches in their present state  we conceive to be this:
difference to be noticed: the apostles chose exactly the       a) The members submit to consistory the names of
very persons selected by the congregation, while ac- persons desired ; b) The consistory mgkes  a n&nination
cording to this other method, the consistory  chases and  seIects ,as far as it can  conscientiously  do so its
from a nomination,                                          nominees from this group ; c) Approbation by the con-
       What to say of these methods? If the `election  by gregation; d) Election by the congregation.
the  rulers of these two methods be so construed as to          This method I consider the best for the foIlowing
imply the right to reject if need be the choice of the      reason: It allows the consistory to properly control the
congregation, and if the  approbation  by the congrega- election and a-t the same time to place on the nomina-
tion of the method presented by our  Chbrch Order be tion the names of such persons as the flock prefers.
defined as a real choice in the sense explained above,  - `With this method the consistory can function (in re-
the three methods essentially agree.                        spect to the calling to the office) as Scripture would
       There is, however, this difference to be noticed: have it, and the congregaticn's choice is, as near as this
according to the method introduced by the twelve is possible, honored. Finally, this m&hX reduces tIie " `"
apostles, the rulers chose not only last but the very .danger  of a clash between consistory and congreg$ion
person selected by the congregation, while according to to a minimum.
the method of the Church Order the congregation                 In conclusion a word about methods. If a congre-
chases  last and, if they can, the very persons selected gation with its consistory are unspiritual, no method
by the rulers. It is this difference that renders the will prove satisfactory. The deep cause of all  OrUr
method introduced by the apostles impractical and even troubles is not this or that method but sin. This, of
dangerous for all except such churches as the first course, does not mean that it is a matter of indifference
church at Jerusalem. Consider that this church was which method is used. As was shown, some methods
remarkably spiritual. I dare say, without fear of be- are positively unbiblical so that a congregation follow-
ing contradicted, that a like church does not exist to- ing them will suffer.
day. With very few exceptions, all its members were                                                          G. M. 0.
qualified to serve. Hence the apostles could permit the
congregation to choose first and themselves to look for-
ward to electing the very persons selected by the con-
gregation without fear of being compelled to reject any                 Heilig is, o God! uw wezen,
of those chosen. In this church, it must be, there were                   Reiner dan het zonnelicht:
many more than seven men flled with the Holy Spirit.                    Englen  zelfs, hoe rein in wezen,
There were a large number to choose from, and the                         Dekken voor U `t aangezicht;
brotherhood, being remarkably spiritual could be relied                   Wij zijn nietig, onrein  stof,
upon to make the best possible choice. I dare say that                    Onbekwaam tot uwen lof,
never again was there a community of believers so                       Vol van zonden, vol van vlekken,
capable from a spiritual point of view as this  hrother-                Die ons angst en schrik verwekken.


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Vol. VIII, No. 24                                         SEPTEMBER 15,1932                                      Subscription Price, $2.50


                                                                            king that he would be able to say nothing but what the
                                                                            Lord would give him to speak? Gladly he would serve
                                                                            the king and curse Israel, for he loved the wages of
                                                                            unrighteousness.            Let another attempt be made ,and
                                                                            another viewpoint be taken of the people encamped in
                The  Israel of God                                          the plain. And the king is persuaded. He takes the
                                                                            prophet to the top of Peor, that from there he may
                       How goodly are thy tents, 0 Jacob, and
                     thy tabernacles, 0 Israel! As the valleys              behold and curse the Israel of God! . . . .
                     are they spread forth, as gardens by the                    Again the bribing altars and sacrifices . . . .
                     river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which              Only, this time Balaam does not seek for enchant-
                     the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees              ments; he knows that God is purposed to turn Moab's
                     beside the waters. He shall pour the water             curse into a blessing. And now, the Spirit of prophecy
                     out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in
                     many waters, and his king shall be higher' comes upon the  hired  prophet. Not a word of the Lord
                     than  Agag, and his kingdom shall be                   is merely put into his mouth as at other times; a vision
                     exalted.    God brought him forth out of               he is given to behold. As he turns his face to the
                     Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of wilderness and beholds Israel abiding in his tents ac-
                     an unicorn; he shall eat up the nations, his           cording to their tribes, the Spirit of God moves upon
                     enemies, and shall break their bones and
                     pierce them through with arrows. He                    him, his physical eyes close, his spiritual vision is
                     couched, he lay down as a lion, and  .as  a            enlarged and he views Israel. prophetically in all its
                     great lion; who shall stir him up ? Blessed            beauty and blessedness, in all its strength and vic-
                     is he that  bIesseth  thee and cursed is he            tory . . . .
                     that curseth thee!                 Nu. 24 5-Q.              The Israel of God ! . . . .
   Blessed Israel of God !                                                       Israel, he beholds, not, indeed, from a mere earthly
   Even the enemy, when his eyes are opened for a and historical viewpoint. Then the prophecy would be
moment to see the glory and beauty of God's blessed but very partially and imperfectly true.
people,, must witness of it!                                                     For, in this prophecy he pictures Israel, situated in
   For, did not Balaam, invited by Balak, and lured a rich and abundant dwellingplace, dwelling in goodly
on by Moab's riches, come to curse the people that is tents and tabernacles, spread forth as fertile valleys,
encamped before his eyes in the valley beneath?                             as beautiful gardens on the boarders of rivers and com-
   And did he not bless them repeatedly?                                    pared to the fragrant aloes in pleasantness and the
   Moab's sovereign is thoroughly displeased with his mighty cedars in royal grace and beauty. There is an
hired prophet. His anger waxed hot against him. He abundance of water and his seed he beholds as dwell-
had summoned the soothsayer to curse the dreaded ing by many waters ; the land in which they dwell' is
people, whose God is Jehovah and twice he had blessed rich and fertile and fair. And the people," as he beholds
them ! Practically he had already dismissed him, for them in prophetic vision, are strong and victorious.
he had bitterly told the hypocritical prophet, that it Their king towers above Agag, the sovereign of the
were better not to speak at all than to make matters Amalekites, the head of the world-power, and their
worse by pronouncing his blessing upon them.                                kingdom is exalted above the kingdoms of t.he world.
   Then, he repents.                                                        He has the strength of an unicorn. He couches like a
   One more attempt he allows the prophet to curse lion and all tremble before him in fear. He is victorious
this people. Had not the soothsayer forewarned the over all his enemies, eats up the hostile' nations, breaks


588                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                                                                     _-"                 -" ^............    ___-
~.-.-....-                        ._..... -- ..-.-            ._-"-
their bones and pierces them with arrows. And they God's thoughts concerning it shall have been realized
are blessed that bless Israel; they are cursed that curse         fully.
them!  .-. . .                                                            As it essentially and spiritually is always.
   Is that Israel?                                                        Blessed Israel of God!
   IS  this a prophecy of the Church in the world?
   Surely not in a physical and worldly sense is this                     Victorious people of Jehovah !
applicable to the people of God in the world. HOW dif-                    Strong in their God-appointed King!
ferent a picture presents to us the history of Israel in                  For, this King, that is anointed of God over Zion,
the old dispensation !        True, brief periods may be is mightier than Agag and towers high above him in
pointed out in that history, when this prophecy entered strength and royal power.
upon a typical realization in the physical and material                   Even as Pharaoh was the general name for the
abundance and power of God's people.                  When they kings of Egypt, so Agag was probably rather a title
enter into the Iand flowing with milk and honey, and              borne by the sovereigns of the Amalekites than a
especially when under David and Solomon they reach proper name of an individual king.
the climax of their power, their golden age, the vision                   He it is that in the prophecy is compared with
of Balaam is to a certain extent realized, though even Israel's king, rather than Pharaoh, for *the Amalekites
then the typical realization is always imperfect and its were the first of the world-powers to attack the people
period very brief. For the rest, what history of any of God in the desert, threatening destruction to the
other nation is comparable to that of Israel in depth of Seed of the promise. They are typical of the entire
misery and shame? A spectacle the people are in the world-power; Agag is representative of the Head of
midst of the world, oppressed by all the nations, killed that power of darkness in the world, even until the
all the day long, always forced into servile subjection, days of Antichrist. In his name is expressed all the
stripped of its glory and power . . . .                                sinister force of darkness, the devil, sin and death and
       And how could Balaam's eulogy be applied to the                 all the power of the wicked world as it is hostile to and
Church as she appears in the new dispensation?                         always opposes the Church of Jesus Christ, the Israel
       A few periods, perhaps may be pointed out in which of God in the world, aiming at their destruction.
she rises to power, but the very power and glory ac-                      But all the onslaughts of the power of darkness are
cording to the world always become her downfall and in vain.
defeat. And usually she is but poor and despised, per-                    Always Israel has the victory.
secuted and killed all the day long!                                      For  its King is higher than  Agag! Typically this
       And yet, blessed Israel of God !                                King of Israel, that is higher, more powerful than
       No longer does the greedy soothsayer behold the Agag, is realized in some of Israel's kings, especially
People as they are in the world, as they are spread out in David, the man after God's heart, that fought the
before him in the plains of Moab, or even as they ap- battles of Jehovah and received victory from God. But
pear in the world thruout history. Hisspiritual eyes the ultimate and perfect  fulfilment  of this--King is not  -.
are open ; he is given to see Israel in its real nature, revealed until God sent His only begotten Son into the
as God knows His people and hath engraven  them in likeness of sinful flesh, the Son of David, the Anointed
both the palms of His hands.                                           King on Zion's throne. He is more powerful than all
       The Church of all ages, united in Christ as its the forces of darkness, higher than all the powers of
Head, in its spiritual character, a spiritual Kingdom, Agag. For, `He is  Innmttnuel, God of God in human
with spiritual enemies, with spiritual power and a flesh. He fights the battle alone against the Serpent
spiritual  victory; the Church, ultimately, when she and his brood, against sin and death, the world and all
shall have been perfected, in her eternal dwelling, its power. And though also His battle appears to be
having obtained the inheritance . . . .                                lost, and although according to the standard of the
       The Israel of God !                                             world He is overcome and is swallowed up of death,
       Such is the Israel, the Church of Balaam's vision. yet, He gains the victory as the Servant of Jehovah.
       Indeed, the prophecy takes its starting point from Even in death and through death He overcomes and is
Israel as it is `encamped in the plains of Moab and victorious, for God raises Him up, glorifies Him, re-
speaks in terms derived from historical Israel of the ceives Him in the highest heaven and gives Him power
old dispensation and their earthly dwelling in the land over all things in heaven and on earth, when He makes
of promise.                                                            Him to sit at His right hand in heavenly places, far
       Yet, the range of its vision extends far beyond above all principality and power and every name that
Israel's earthly realization !                                         is named . . . .
       It views the people in the light of Jehovah's                       Higher than Agag !
counsel !                                                                  And the Israel of God is strong in their King !
       It reaches out into eternity!                                       By Him they are redeemed from sin, delivered from
       It beholds and depicts Israel as it &all be when the power of death. In Him they are clothed with


                                                                                                ^.._ -__.
                                    TBE  STAND*ARD  B E A R E R                                                  539

everlasting righteousness, renewed unto holiness, ffled       Fulfilled it was in a measure, when God led His
with all knowledge and wisdom and spiritual power. people into the earthly rest, the land flowing with milk
And through Him they walk as children of light.            and honey. There they dwelled in goodly tabernacles,
   In Him they judge the world !                           with God's Tabernacle in their midst and the Lord
   By Him, through faith in Him, they overcome the their God dwelling with them in the Holy Place, bless-
world  ! And they are more than victors through Him ing them with corn and wine and oil in abundance,
that loved them, their Lord and King!                      with blessings of His covenant. But the fulfilment was
    They eat up their enemies and consume them. They very imperfect. And as time passed the glory of the
break their bones and pierce their foe with arrows. type vanished more and more, till the children of God,
They couch like a lion and inspire fear into the hearts the remnant according to election, groaned in hope for
of  all that oppose them.                                  the realization of the better covenant . . . .
    Not, indeed, in a physical and earthly sense of the       Fulfilled, spiritually, is the prophecy for the people
word! According to the standard of the world, they of God in the new dispensation !
are often overpowered even as was their Lord. The             0, how goodly are the tabernacles of Jacob even
world-power hates them and loves the darkness rather now! How blessed is the House of God, the Church of
than the light.  With. material means and power it Jesus Christ, in the midst of the world! For, even                              :
attacks the Israel of God, appears to have the victory, now, with her Lord raised from the dead and glorified
when it fills them with reproach, raves against them, in heavenly places and ,exalted  in the highest glory
persecutes and kills them. Yet, even as their King had with  all power in heaven and on earth, God hath
the victory and in His seeming defeat conquered all blessed the Church with all spiritual blessings in
His foes, so they are always victorious. For, the heavenly places ! In rich abundance of grace and
Kingdom of God is higher than the world. Their King beauty she may rejoice through Him that loved her!
is higher than Agag. They have the victory over their Poor and miserable are all the dwellingplaces of the
enemies even now, for the light always condemns the world in comparison with the riches and joy of the
darkness, the enemies themselves being witnesses. tents of Jacob and the tabernacles of Israel ! For,                         '
And by faith they are assured of the final victory' in God's people dwell in the courts of the Lord and
the day of His coming, when they shall inherit  dl rejoice in His fellowship. And a day in His courts is
things !                                                   better than a thousand ; much better it is to be a door-
   Blessed Israel ! Always victorious !                    keeper in the house of our God than to dwell in the
   Blessed are they that bless them ! Cursed are they tents of wickedness !
that curse them!                                              Yet, Canaan was but a type!
    Even though all things may seem against them,             And though it offered a taste of the Rest that re-
even though it may often appear as if they are blessed maineth for the people of God, it was also character-
that  &rse them and they are cursed that bless them,       ized by all the imperfection that is inherent in the
they and all theirs are blessed now and forever!           type. It must needs disappear forever and Ieave the
    For nothing can- separate them from the love of heirs of the promise longing for the better country                 :  .:  ,.
God manifested in Christ Jesus their Lord!                 and the heavenly City, the City that hath foundations,
    Be of good cheer!                                      whose builder and maker is God !
    He bath overcome the world!                               And the glory of the Church is not manifest.
    Victorious ye are in Him !                                God's children are heirs of all things, yet in the
                                                           world they are frequently dispossessed. They are kings
    Glorious people of God!                                and priests, yet often they walk in beggar's garb. They
    HOW blessed are thy habitations !                      are more than victors, they overcome the world, yet, in
    IsoW beautiful is the inheritance God prepared for t+he  worId they seem to suffer defeat. Their salvation
His People in Christ Jesus, the inheritance incor- is not yet manifest, their glory does not yet shine
ruptible, undefiled and that never fadeth away!            forth, the beauty of their inheritance is not yet re-
    HOW goodly are thy tents, 0 Jacob, and thy taber-      vealed !
nacles, 0 Israel !                                            But it shall be revealed in the day of our Lord Jesus
    Spread forth as the valleys, rich and abundant as Christ!  '
gardens by the river's side, pleasant as lign aloes,           Then Israel's tabernacles shall be beautiful for-
planted by Jehovah, proud and lofty as the majestic ever, as fruitful gardens by the river's side. Then
cedar trees beside the waters. No want shall  bet to they shall resound with the shout of everlasting joy!
thee, water in abundance thou shalt pour forth out of Then they shall dwell in eternai peace !
thy buckets. In plenty and fulness  of blessings shall        For, nothing that Ioveth unrighteousness shall
be thy habitation! . . . . .                               enter there !
    True is this prophecy even now, even of Israel in         And there shall be no night forevermore !
the world !                                                                                                  H. H.


                                                   .YL     Ix     ..i
                                                   T H E

                             Our Church Order                            person.    That members are unable to advance such
                                                                         charges that, if sustained would disqualify a nominee
                 In my previous article I discussed the various for service, is no sign that they desire not another. The
             methods of calling to the office. What was presented is point is that the method prescribed by our Church
      ,      in the need of some additional explanation, especially Order affords the flock no opportunity to voice its
             those reasonings that have to do with the method pre- choice. It (this method) allows but one choice - the
             scribed by our Church Order and the method followed `choice of the consistory - and thus excludes the mem-
             by our own churches. Let us concentrate now on these bers from the business of elect@ to the o%ce. That
             two methods. What I still have to say can be said in a this is not as it should be has been the conviction of
             few words.                                                  the best and foremost authorities on Reformed Church
                As to the method prescribed by our Church Order, Polity of the past. Calvin dealt with this matter. I
             the question was asked, whether it is sound. And the quote him: "De vraag is nu of een Dienaar moet ver-
             answer I gave reads: "It is if a correct construction be kozen  worden  door de gansche gemeente, of door zijn
             placed upon the phrase,  approbation by the  congregn- ambtgenooten alleen met de ouderlingen, die tot de
             tion. The question is then (so I continued) : what is       bediening der tucht gesteld zijn, dan of hij mag wor-
             the right or privilege signified by the term approba- den aangesteld op het gezag van eenen. Die dit recht
             tion. And the answer: the right of every member not aan een' eenigen persoon  toekennen, brengen bij `t geen
             merely to lodge against the person elected by the  con- Paulus zegt tot Titus (1:5) Daarom heb ik u in Creta
             sistory such complaints as would call for his rejection, achtergelaten,  opdat gij in  alle steden Ouderlingen
I.           but also the right to notify the aforesaid body that the stellen zoudt. Zoo ook Timotheus (I Tim. 5 22) : Leg
             person elected is not his (the member's) choice and to niemand haastig de handen op. Maar zij dwalen zoo
             submit the name of the person desired. If the number zij meenen dat of Timotheus te Efeze, of Titus op
             of such notifications are few, the consistory cannot act. Creta eene zoodanige heerschappij hebben uitgeoefend
             But if the dissatisfaction is general, and if the joint om alles naar eigen goedvinden te beschikken. Hun
             preference centers upon the same person, the  con- gezag bestond Eileen  daarin, dat zij het volk met goe-
             sistory is in duty bound to appraise the person desired den en heilzamen xaad voorgingen, en niet dat zij
             and to elect him if spiritually qualified for office."      alleen, met uitsluiting van  alle anderen, deden wat hun
                So we wrote in our attempt to place upon article 4 goed   dacht. En opdat ik den schijn niet op mij lade
             a construction that would allow us to pronounce this iets te verdichten, zoo zel ik dit met een gelijk voor-
             article faultless. The truth of the matter is, however, beeld bewijzen.  Lukas  tech verhaalt (Hand. 14  23)
             that the approbation by the congregation is not being dat door  Paulus en Barnabas ouderlingen in de  ge-
             defined as a right to voice a preference, as a right to     meente zijn aangesteld, maar hij wijst tevens ook de
             petition a consistory to consider definite persons - wijze of manier aan, wanneer hij zegt dat zulks.  is ge-
             persons other than those whose names appear upon schied door stemming: Verkiezende, zegt hij, in de  ge-
             nomination. The approbation is and was meant to be meenten Ouderlingen door keurstemmen. Zij beiden
             merely an act whereby the members by their silence          stelden dus die personen  aan, maar de geheele gemeen-
             notify a consistory that against its nominee they have te verklaarde  met het onsteken der handen,  zooals  dat
             nothing damaging to allege. This is evident from the bij de verkiezing en onder de Grieken de gewoonte was,
             Form of Ordination. The Form of -the Ordination of wien zij begeerde te hebben." Zmtitutie,  boek 4, p. 71.
             the Ministers of the Word sets out thus: "Beloved              The last clause, wim aij begeerdm te hebbm,  is of
             brethren, it is known unto you, that we have at three importance in this connection.'  It constitutes the evi-
           * different times, published the name of our brother N.,      dence that Calvin, too, was addicted to the view that
             here present, to learn whether any person had aught the  congregaion  must be given opportunity to express
             to offer concerning his doctrine or life, why he might      its choice, that this choice must be appraised and if
             not be ordained to the ministry of the Word. And possible maintained.
             whereas no one hath appeared before us, who had                Though Voetius arose to the defense of srticle 4,
             alleged anything lawful against his person, we shall he was at once of the conviction that before it set itself
             therefore at present in the name of the Lord proceed to the task of electing office-bearers, the consistory
             to his ordination." It is clear' that this first section of should acquaint itself with what lives in the congrega-
             the Form has to do with the approbation. What its tion and thus avoid forcing  upon, 6he congregation a
             writer meant to put in the mouth of the ordaining min&eer of the gospel not de&red. Pol. Eccl. III, 544,
             office-bearer is: `Beloved brethren, by your silence you 555. Voetius' method comes down to this : Election by
             declared that you have nothing lawful to allege against the consistory from a nomination made by the con-
             this person.' Consider, however, that a declaration of gregation.
             this kind need not imply that the nominee is being de-         Dr.  H. Bouwman of Kampen, The Netherlands, rea-
             sired by, and is representative of, the  choice of the sons in the same vein: "De gemeente mag bij de ver-
             flock, that the preference of the flock centers upon his kiezing niet worden  uitgeschakeld. Het recht der ver-


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                     545
                               __. _ _._.. __.-.-.-..              I           _^ ..^_ _I                 - ..___ - .._ -""__ ^ ^ .._.........."
kiezing, dat volgens de Heilige  Schrift  aan de  gemeen-              0.) mag bij een eventueele herziening we1 in art. 4.
te toekomt, kan ook niet door de approbatie worden                     K. 0. ingevoegd  worden.   Immers het is een  kenmer-
vervangen. De approbatie of de goedkeuring der ge- kend Gereformeerd beginsel . . . . Volgens het Pres-
meente heeft in de praktijk weinig beteekenis. Het byteriale stelsel kiest Christus zelf zijne dienaren, door
bezwaar dat door de enkele personen  bij den kerkeraad stemming der gemeente, onder Ieiding van den  kerke-
wordt ingebracht, levert over het algemeen weinig raad."
resultaat op. Zal de gemeente handelen, dan moet zij                       A final brief word about the method in use among
worden  samengeroepen, dan moet  ereene vergadering us. It consists, as was said, in an election by the con-
der gemeente zijn, waarin  onder de leiding van het gregation from a group first appraised and approved
ambt kan  worden  beraadslaagd en  worden  gehandeld. by the rulers. The consistory makes a nomination.
Zoo heeft Calvijn den invloed der gemeenteleden ge- The names of the nominees are published and appro-
wild, dat de gemeente het  recht  behield, ook nadat de bated by the congregation. The latter chooses from
kerkeraad gekozen had, de aldus aangestelde personen                   the approbated group. As was said, this method or
aan te nemen of te verwerpen. De approbatie,  gelijk mode of procedure is in accord with the principles laid
zij eene historische instelling geworden is, is een soort down in my previous article. As it allows the con-
van tuchtoefening. De leden der gemeente hebben allen                  gregation to participate in the election, it is a method
het recht bezwaren in te brengen, wijl zij krachtens superior to the one prescribed by the Church Order,
het ambt der geloovigen geroepen zijn, toezicht te hou-                but also inferior to other methods that could be used.
den op de heiligheid der kerk en verplicht zijn te zor-                Consider that, though it allows the congregation to
gen, dat geen onwaardige tot het ambt komt. Elk lid take part in the election, it limits, narrows down, the
der gemeente, mannen en vrouwen, oak de gedoopte choice to the two or three persons selected by the  con-
leden  hebben deze roeping. Maar de verkiezing draagt sistory. The field in which the flock is allowed to exer-
een ander karakter. Zij is een medewerking tot de cise its choice is, it seems to me, too small. It may
regeering der kerk." Gereformeerd Kerkrscht, p. 387. very well be that a person other than him whose name
   All this speech is plain enough.                      Its dominant appears upon the nomination is being desired by the
thought is that the congregation must be allowed to members. If so, it receives no opportunity of voicing
voice its choice, to elect its office-bearers, and that the this choice, if the method under consideration be
approbation cannot take the place of, and is no com- adhered to. For this reascn,  the method is not above
pensation for, the loss of this right. Yet we repeat,                  reproach.             However,    it could be improved by
this choice may never be taken as absolute and final,                  adding to it the stipulation found in article 22 which
but must be submitted to the rulers for appraisal and,                 reads: "that the congregation be given opportunity to
if need be, for correction.                                            direct the attention of the consistory to suitable per-
    Let us quote one more authority on this matter. sons." From this group, so I wrote, the  cons&tory
Wrote Rutgers in his  Kerkelijks  Adviexcn  (p. 35) in should if it  couId,  select its nominees.                                            With this
answer to the question: "Wie beroept de diwaar des element added the triooor duo would come closer to
woords, kerkeraad of gemeente? Naar onze Dordtsche voicing the choice of the flock. Rutgers in his Kerke-
Kerkenordening geschiedt de beroeping van een Die-                      lijke  Advieze+n  suggests still other methods which I
naar des Woords door den kerkeraad, die daarvoor ge- regard as superior to the one now in use among us. We
heel en alleen de verantwoordelijkheid draagt, voor quote: "R.v. de kerkeraad zou een zestal  kunnen ma-
den Heere, voor de gemeente, en voor de andere  Gere-                   ken, en daaruit de gemeente (nl. hare mansleden die
formeerde kerken.                                                       tot het heilig avondmaal zijn toegelaten  ; mansleden die
    "Maar tevens geldt oak, dat de kerkeraad geen die-                  dit nog niet zijn, zijn kerkelijk nog niet mondig) een
naar aan de gemeente mag opdringen, en dat hij ook in tweetal  laten kiezen, in een daartoe saam te roepen
dit werk te  handelen  heeft in naam der gemeente, als vergadering; waarna de kerkeraad uit dit  tweetal
haar orgaan. Verboden is dus niet, veeleer  aan te  ra- kieze.
den, dat de kerkeraad vooraf de gemeente raadplege,                        "Of we1 (misschien nog beter) : men zou de boven-
en, zooveel met zijn eigene verantwoordelijkheid be- bedoelde mansleden  kunnen samenroepen om een  zesta
staanbaar  is, met den  wensch  der gemeente  rekene te maken  (uit de predikanten of candidaten  die aan de
 (Italics mine)  2' Comment here is not necessary.                      classe  kunnen worden  voorgesteld, natuurlijk niet uit
    In fine, it cannot be gainsayed that the method pre- alle mogelijke  personen  ter wereld), waarna de  kerke-
scribed by the Church Order is, for the above-cited raad uit dit zestal  een tweetal  make ; waaruit de be-
reason, we do not say unreformed but incomplete. Such doelde mansleden dan weer een aanwijzen, dien de  ker-
is  aIso the conviction of  3oh.  aansen of The Nether- keraad beroept."  Kerkelijke  Adviezen,  p. 35.
lands. Wrote he: "Trouwens vrije volkskeuze is steeds                      This last method could be used when the office to
gevaarlijk, omdat er geen verantwoordelijk lichaam is. be filled is that of ministers of the gospel. For the call-
Maar we1 door den breeden  kerkeraad, met medewer-                      ing to the office of elders or that of deacons, the method
king der gemeente. Dit (the phrase: `medewerking now in use with the stipulation of art. 22 added to it,
der gemeente,' a phrase not found in article 4, G. M. is preferable. But let there be no misunderstanding.


 546                                    T H E   STANbARD  B E A R E R

The question is not whether the consistory should elect,        "After preceding prayers . . . .  " No election is
that is, call and appoint the office-bearers. According lawful that is not preceded by prayer.          This article
to Scripture it should. We are therefore at one with originally reads : "After preceding prayers and fast-
the sentiments coming to the surface in the following        ing . . . .  "    There is a reason why the Reformed
excerpt : "Wie derhalve zou meenen, dat de bepaling          churches at the beginning of their career would call to
van  Artt.  4 en 22 onzer K. O., dat de verkiezing zal the office of ministers of the gospel only after a day of
geschieden door den kerkeraad en de diakenen, ver-           fasting and prayer. As was remarked in a former
ouderd is, en noodig moent gewijzigd  worden,  zou article, the Reformed churches of this period were
daarmee toonen het Geref. spoor bijster te zijn. Dit         without a theological school of their own where pros-
goede  beginsel,  dat de beroeping en benoeming als  zoo-    pective ministers of the gospel could be educated in the
danig door den kerkeraad geschied moet gehandhaafd Reformed faith. There was a great scarcity of capable
blijven . . . . " De Hera&, No. 932.                         preachers in those days. The selection had to be made
   The sole question'is whether the consistory may call from a class of men comprised largely of itinerant
and appoint without ascertaining the desire of the con- preachers, seceding monks and priests. Many of these
gregation and thus by its negligence constitute its were unfit from every point of view. Small wonder
choice an imposition. Who among us would want to             that a brotherhood about to set itself to the task of
maintain this? No one. But we again affirm that the          calling to the office of minister of the gospel would
choice of the congregation is subject to the appraisal spend the day previous to the day of calling in petition-
of the consistory and that this latter body may honor ing God for guidance that a proper  seIection  might be
the flock's choice only if it can conscientiously do so. made. When the class of persons fit for service be-
   If the method followed by our churches is in essen- came large, the aforesaid practice fell into disuse.
tial agreement with the method prescribed by article 4           "With  due observance  of  the  ,regulations estab-
of the Church Order, the question arises which element lished by the co&story for this purpose . . . .  "  As
of the method in use among us is to be taken as the          was said, the method of calling to the office prescribed
equivalent of the election of article 4. And the answer: by this article is incomplete. The above-cited clause,
the nomination by the consistory. The ordination by allows our  con&tories to give to it the necessary
the consistory's proper organ (the minister of the expansion. This expansion has `been made. The estab-
gospel) cannot be singled out as the equivalent of the lished regulations for the lawful calling is as follows:
election (of article 4) as the person ordained is the        (1) The making of a nomination by the consistory of
very one previously nomina.ted  by the  con&tory. The ministers or candidates eligible to a call ; (2) The pub-
rulers in the church do  not  reject their own nominees lication of the nomination from the pulpit two succes-
if approbated and elected by the flock. If the ordina- sive Sundays for the approbation of the church, and at
tion therefore is at once an  inst,rument  for the expres- the same time the announcement of the date for the
sion of the consistory's choice, it is this in a most congregational meeting.            The nominee receiving a
formal sense. Again, the consistory, too, as well as the majority vote is elected. The majority is established
congregation, votes from its nomination. Cannot this after the blank and otherwise faulty ballots are sub-
voting be taken as the equal to the election of article 4? tracted from the total number. Only members in full
It cannot, for a consistory so engaged functions not communion and in good standing have a vote.
as a ruling body distinct from the flock but as a body          A word about the number of votes that decide. The
that as joined to the brotherhood, selects from its own stipulation that two-thirds constitute the majority is
nomination. Also the view that the official calling by unlawful as with this arrangement the majority is
the consistory of the person selected by the flock is the ruled by the minority. The desire of the two-thirds
equivalent of the election of article 4, is untenable.       minus one is thwarted by the one-third plus one.. In
For  this calling centers upon a person selected by the the event the vote ties, another vote must be taken. If
brotherhood from a group first chosen by the con- after repeated voting the tie does not break, use may
&tory itself and cannot therefore be made to devolve         be made of the lot.
upon another. It means that when the consistory calls           Women are not given the ballot. The consensus of
it cannot be said to properly elect.                         opinion among those of Reformed persuasion is that
                                                             this is forbidden by Scripture. The woman votes in
                       -        -                            and through the man, her head. The man is the organic
                                                             head of the woman. Together they constitute one flesh.
   Let us now attend to the remaining clauses corn- "Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother
prising the article under consideration. "The lawful and these two shall be one flesh." The organic unity of
calling of those who have not been previously in office, man and wife consists in the possession by both of the
consists: First in the election by the consistory and the same nature joined together by the conjugal tie. The
deacons, after preceding prayers, with due observance woman is a derivitive of man. The Lord took one of
of the regulations established by the consistory for this Adam's ribs, and the rib which the LordGod had taken
purpose . . . .  "                                           from man made He woman. She is bone of man's


                                  T H E   S T A N D ' A R D   B E A R E R                                      547
"  .._- ---    -    -    -                           ..^_"--."- . . --_l_-_--.-  .-.-_ ---._.-.-I_____-  .._ _-___.
bones, and flesh of his flesh. However, of the rib the    (the man) into his (Christ's) service and ordained
Lord God made not another man but a woman. She that he (the man) should represent Him, the Lord
has the nature of the species  mun but in this her from heaven to the woman in respect to such works as
nature is seen as woman, so that she and the man are,     the creature, man, can perform. Now it lies within
though possessing the same nature, at once diverse. the scope of man's power to rule and to instruct, as the
      The man and the woman constitute an organic one- servant of Christ to deliver Christ's word and to
ness. They are spiritually one. He is her head, the instruct from that word. As head of the woman the
ruler and the preserver of the body  ; and she the gov- man is not his own lawgiver. He rules according to
erned. Such is the ordinance of God: "Wives submit the word of Christ, his head, as Christ's represe-ntative.
yourselves unto your husbands as unto the Lord. For This  is  evident from the fact that the woman submits
the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is herself to the man as unto the Lord. Hence, the woman
the head of the church ; and he is the saviour of the who rises up against a god-fearing husband rises up
body. The husbands on the other hand are enjoined against Christ and ultimately against God as He is the
to.love  their wives, even as Christ also loved the church, head of Christ. Such are the implications of that
and gave Himself for it . . m . " (Eph. 5:22-25).         scripture which asserts that the head of every man is
      The man is the head of the woman and Christ is Christ ; and the head of the woman is the man ; and
also her head. The question cannot be suppressed how the head of Christ is God, Only in case the man would
the woman at once can submit to the two heads or compel the woman to do things which Christ does not
kings, - Christ and the man. Was it not Christ Him- sanction should she defy his authority. "For it is right
self who insisted that no one can serve two masters? in the sight of God to hearken unto Him more than
Our reply is that the two masters to which Christ, unto man" (Acts 4  :19).            The scripture last quoted
,alludes  (God and Mammon) are masters whose inter- means, it is plain, that Christ entered life as it is lived
ests clash. To serve two such lords at once is quite by the natural man on this side of the grave, sanctified
impossible. The servant shall have to choose the one that life and united it with God. For God is the head
or the other. Christ and the pious husband, on the of Christ who in turn is the head of the man ; and the
other hand, are friends, having common interests. man is the head of the woman.
Furthermore, Christ is the head - the Prophet-Priest-        Christ is also the head of the woman directly. If
King of the man. Two masters so disposed to each Christ is the head of the woman directly, how can He
other can be served at once. For in this case, the serv- be her head in and through the man. This can be for
ice rendered unto the one is of necessity being rendered the reason that man as the representative of Christ is
unto the other. From Eph.  5:22  we learn that the the head of the woman as man. Man, however, cannot
woman who submits to the pious husband submits to be to the woman what Christ is to her. As head He
Christ. The passage reads: "Wives submit yourself is the wisdom, the righteousness, the sanctification, the
unto the husband as unto fhe Lord." That the woman redemption, yea, the very life of the woman directly,
submitting to her husband submits to Christ implies that is  *not in and through the instrumentality of the
that the man is placed in an intermediate position be- man. This same idea is expressed by Calvin thus : "As
tween Christ and the woman. He functions as the head regards spiritual connections in the sight of God, and
 of the woman in Christ's name. Meyer's commentary outwardly in the conscience, Christ is the head of the
 on this phrase reads as follows : "As  (00s in the Greek man and of the woman without any distinction ; but
 text) expresses the mode of view in which the wives as regards external arrangement and political decorum
 are to regard their obedience towards the husbands, the man follows Christ and the woman the man, so
 namely, as rendered to the Lord. For the husband that they are not upon the same footing."
 stands in relation to the wife not otherwise than as        Yet Holy Writ asserts that in Christ is neither man
 Christ to the Church; in the conjugal relation the hus- nor woman. This scripture in order to be understood
 band is the one who represents Christ to the wife, in should be viewed in the light of Christ's reply to the
 so far as he is the head of the wife as Christ is the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection. It reads
 head of the Church. To find in 00s the <more  relation as follows: "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures nor
 of  resembZmtce   is erroneous on account of what fol- the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither
 lows." In fine, Christ in the man is the head of the mary nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels
 woman.                                                   of God in heaven"  (Mat& 22  :30, 31). Elsewhere  we
       From the beginning Christ functioned as the Lord read : "This scripture must be made to apply to the
 of the woman, yet in such a manner as to maintain the disappearance of the lower sexual life ; the disappear.
 lordship of the man relative to the woman. In other ante of the institutions of marriage ; the dissolution oi
 words, the Lord from heaven did not deprive the man the marriage tie and consequently the emancipation oi
 of his authority. Had He done so He would have dis- the woman." In the resurrection the woman will not
 solved the marital tie and destroyed the institution of be the subordinate of the man. As to her legal status
 marriage. Instead of dethroning man Christ regen- she will be his equal. The marriage bond dissolved  at
 erated and sanctified this head or king, pressed him death will remain dissolved. Both the rvoman  and the


548                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEA,RER                                 ..ll__l__--._
-.,.               --.._-
man will come forth out of the grave with glorified
bodies. They will be as the angels of God. The eman-  .                           Wordt  Zwier Tendentieus?.
cipation of the woman does not take place in this life.                    Blijkbaar was deze vraag in het hart en voor bet
Here she and the man continue to live a natural, earthy bewustzijn van een inzender, die ons een uitknipsel uit
life. This life Christ enters not to glorify but to sanc- De (Christelijke Gereformeerde) Wachter toezond,  bet
tify.       The glorification of man will take place at laatste gedeelte waarvan met potlood omstreept  was,
Christ's return and not before. Until that day the met het doe1 om daarop meer bepaaldelijk onze aan-
woman shall continue to submit herself to the man.                      dacht te vestigen.
Not sanctification but glorification dissolves the                         We laten het hier volgen:
marital tie.
        Scripture has it that also as member of the church                 "Maar hoe staat het nu met de scheurkerken en de
the woman is under the man and shall not assert her- secten ?
self as an emancipated unit of the congregation. The                       "Welke zijn de kenmerken, die ons tot op zekere
apostle insists that when the members congregate for hoogte recht geven om van een zekere groep van Chris-
public worship the woman shall continue to wear the tenen als een scheurkerk of een se&e te spreken?
veil in sign that she remains under the power of the                       "Zooals we reeds zeiden, dienen we met deze namen
man. There are still other passages : "Let your women voorzichtig om te gaan. Er zijn kerken, die oorspron-
keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted kelijk door de kerk, waarvan men zich afscheidde, met
unto them to speak ; but to be under obedience as also deze minder liefelijke benamingen werden aangeduid,
saith the law" (I Cor. 14  :32). And to Timothy Paul maar die we thans liefst niet aldus zouden betitelen.
wrote: "But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp 1                    "Tech kunnen we op de boven gestelde vraag we1
authority over the man." Now he who votes has the eenig antwoord geven.
right of rule.                                                             "Mij dunkt dat de namen scheurkerk  en s&e ons
                                                       G. M. 0.         hier kunnen helpen.
                                                                           "Een scheurkerk is een kerk, die behagen heeft in
                                                                        het scheuren. Een kerk maakt zich dien naam waar-
                                                                        dig, wanneer zij om ondergeschikte punten van leer,
                                                                        eeredienst of kerkregeering zich losscheurt van andere
                                                                        kerken van dezelfde belijdenis. Zij verbreekt de ge-
                           IN MEMORIAM                                  meenschap der kerk zonder dat daarvoor noodzaak  be-
        Den 30sten  Augustus 1.1. behaagde het den Heere door den       staat.
dood tot Zich te nemen onze geliefde Broeder en Diaken                     "Het woord  se&e  is volgens sommigen afgeleid van
                                                                        het Latijnsche  sequor,  dat  QJO&YL beteekent. Het duidt
                             JACOB KOOL.                                aan een partij, die een bepaalden  Ieider  volgt.  Zulk
        Zwaar valt ons dit verlies als kerkeraad en gemeente, maar      een partijhoofd is gewoonlijk een man van zekere be-
nog meer voor zijn  vrouw  en kinderen..  Dit is  ens  allen  tot       kwaamheid;die-een  bepaald leerstuk-op  de spits drcft
troost echter, dat hij is ingegaan in de vreugde zijns  Heeren, en      en daarvan zijn schibboleth  maakt. Hij weet zich een
dat hij  nu  verIost  is van de ondragelijke pijnen die hij hier        aanhang te verwerven, die hem volgt'door dik en dun,
moest Ii jden                                                           niet zelden omdat hij zoo vroom kan praten of den
        "bat onze God, die  alles  met wijsheid doet, zijne vrouw en    martelaar kan uithangen, maar bij zijn dood  loopt  het
kinderen rijkelijk moge ondersteunen en de diepe wonde  ver-            heele zaakje vaak te niet.
vullen  met Zijn balsem, is onze  wensch en bede.                          "Volgens anderen echter is het woord afgeleid van
                                                                        het Latijnsche seco, hetwelk beteekent snijden, s&e&
          Namens  de Kerkeraad van de Prot. Ref. Church                 den, ,verdeelen.  Is deze afleiding de jui+ste, dan duidt
                          Roosevelt Park, Grand Rapids, Mich.,          het woord  secte zoo ongeveer hetzelfde  aan als  scheur-
                                 Rev. B. Kok, Pres.                     kerk,  namelijk een groep, die  zich van de kerk  af-
                                 W. Koster,  Seer.                      scheidt  en verdeeling aanbrengt.
                                                                           "Welke van deze twee afleidingen nu ook de juiste
                                                                        moge zijn, het is we1 duidelijk, dat we in de samenvoe-
                                                                        ging van deze beide de kenmerken van een  secte voor
                                                                        ons hebben : Een secte  volgt een zekeren leider, die pet
                  0 Thou who art our Life,                              hoofd van de partij is; ze drijft een bepaald leerstuk
                  Be with us through the strife !                       op de spits en slaat daarmee op ho1 ; ze scheidt  zich om
Thine own meek head was by earth's tempests bowed. niet fundamenteele  punten in de leer of kerkregeering
                                                                        van de kerk af en is er altijd op uit om verdeeling aan
                  Raise thou our eyes above                             te brengen.
                  To see a Father's love                                    "Vooral dat laatste is een gemakkelijk te herkennen
Beam, like the bow of promise, through the cloud ! kenteekeq.


556                                                                     T H E   STANDsRD  B E A R E R
__~."-"  ,......"  .._- I ^._" ..-_ _ ^ .._...............-._  "--".                                                   ll__-_l.-...         -_.-
met de XJnion, om al hun producten van de markt af
te houden voor minstens een maand, met het doe1 om                                          Digest Editor, Please, Digest!
de prijzen van die producten te verhoogen. Eieren en                                     In No. 424 of the same Missionary Modhly wz find
melk voert men aan de varkens en het vee. Die niet the following, written by the same Digest Editor, the
mee  doen worden  bedreigd door de Union  pikets. Ook well-known Dr. Henry Beets:
breidt deze beweging zich uit tot andere staten. En al-
hoewel men eerst niet Wilde overgaan tot zulk een radi-                                  "We shall, however, not alone watch this movement
kale onderneming, werd het gevoelen der Unions juist with intei-est,  but we wonder which Refornzed churches
uitgedrukt door Milo Reno, hoofd der Farmers' Union :                                 of North America are alluded to as needing to be
"wij zijn zat van de oneerlijke toestanden die er  heer-                              purified of unbelief, etc. Judging from  `an Open
schen onder de boeren; en wij nemen nu waar ens laat-                                 Letter to the Synod of the Christian Reformed
ste wapen." We zeggen met nadruk dat dit juist  werd Church," addressed by the Rev. H. Hoeksema  in The
uitgedrukt. Want daarmee drukt hij  meteen  uit het Sta,ndard  Bearer of June 1, and to which we alluded in
geestelijk beginsel der .Unions,  namelijk, dat zij ten our last number, the body just named sorely needs
slotte nooit die stap zullen  nemen die hen, naar den that purification. She is called a "Mother (who) con-
brief van den Apostel  Jacobus,  zal brengen op de  kni4 demned us, and cruelly cast us out; her very faithful
en voor den Heere Sebaoth. Irnmers  Hem kennen ze sons, out into the street to perish," etc. And the writer
niet, en daarom is hun laatste wapen dat ze nog over- speaks of `feeling called before God and our unfaithful
houden een vleeschelijk wapen, namelijk, de arm des mother, to plead with her, that she might put away
vleesches. Reeds  heeft  men geweld gebruikt om de her whoredoms out of her sight and her adulteries
anderen die niet meedoen te intimideeren. In plaats from between her breasts.' A communication in our
van God te danken  voor een veelheid van landvruchten, Dutch department reveals what one b&her in Cali-
zien we weer  dat God we1 regent over boozen  en' goe- fornia thinks of these utterances. We shall not try to
den, maar dat,het  alleen  genade is voor de gunstgenoo-                              refute them. But we must redeem the pledge made to
ten Gods. En liefde voor de naaste? Onder de godde-                                   W. of Holland, about assertions made by our Protest-
loozen'! Dat blijkt we1 daaruit dat ze liever hun naaste                              ant Reformed brethren in the April 15 number. We
zien verhongeren en hun  goed   aan de varkens voeren, surmise it pertained especially to the assertion that the
om maar meer mammon in den zak te steken. Zeer defendants'were  not sufficiently heard or examined on
zeker komt ook in  dezen   weer tot openbaring het  god- the subject of the Three Points about Common Grace
deloos beginsel der Unions, die niet met God of zijn ge-                              in dispute. If our surmising is correct, we can be very
bod rekenen.                                                                          brief. The Synod of the Chr. Ref. Church had in 1924
       Maar, Gode zij dank, zoover wij weten is er niet promulgated certain views on the subject, Zt had de-
B&n uit onze gemeenten bier die meedoet met dat on-                                   clared on the grond of Scripture and Confession:
goddelijk werk. Wij zien meer en meer dat de mate                                      (1) that besides the saving grace of God, shown only
der ongerechtigheid vol wordt, daar alles en allen  in to the elect, God also showed a certain favor or grace
de wereld steeds duidelijker geopenbaard wordt als to all His creatures ; (2) Touching the restraint of sin
staande in het teeken  van bet getal  des menschen, 666. in the life of the individual and society, Synod declared
Daarom  roepen  we al onze  boeren  toe, wees ook in there was such a restraint; (3) Concerning the third
dezen standvastig, en onbewegelijk.  Als de tijden point, touching the performance of  so-ealied  civic
schijnbaar donker zijn, dan moet het geloof helder zijn. righteousness by the unregenerate, Synod had declared
En het geloof zegt  dat de depressie een kwaad in de that the unregenerate, though incapable of any saving
stad is, dat de Heere doet, om  als middel te dienen tot good, could perform such civic good. Through  colmmon
onze heerlijkheid. Daarom, "Waak  op, waak op, trek grace. According to Art. 113 of the ,4cts of Synod, the
uwe sterkte  aan, o Sion ; trek uwe sierlijke kleederen Rev. H. Hoeksema gave an address of one hour and a
aan, o Jeruzalem, gij heilipe stad ; want in u zal voor- half's length to explain his standpoint (July 2, 1923).
taan geen onbesnedene noch  onreine komen.  Schud u The next day his co-defendant, the Rev. H. Danhof,
uit het stof, maak u op, rf;it neder, o Jeruzalem, maak u spoke two or more hours cn the subject. On July 7,
10s van de  banden uwer  hals, gij gevangene  dochter                                 after formally adopting these points, it was decided to
Sions ! Want,                                                                         admonish  the two brethren in preaching and writing
                                ZOO  zegt  de Heere : Gijlieden  zijt om
niet verkocht, gij zult ook  zotier geld  gelost  worden."                            to adhere to this standpoint.    (Dutch:  Zich in  predi-
                                                                        L. VERMEER    king en geschrifte te houden  aan het standpunt  onzer
                                                                                      Belijdenis inzake de drie besproken  punten.)  They
                                                                                      chose, however, to disobey. Openly and persistently,
                                                                                      if not defiantly. What other need was there of being
             De Heer is met mij  ; `k zal niet vreezen,                               heard in detail at classical meetings? The respective
                  De Heer zal mij getrouw behoen ;                                    Classes could do no otherwise, in view of continued and
             Zoo God mijn schild en hulp wil wezen,                                   public denial of the promulgated doctrine, to proceed
                  Wat  zal een nietig  merwh mij  doen?                               with discipline. That's the way this is looked at by


                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                557
-"- _.... 11"-         - - -                           ._-...._
yours truly. That's why he can't see how the `Open. for this reason, that I kindly ask the Digest Editor to
Letter' speaks about having been `cruelly cast out,' etc. digest the following.
Prof. Hemkes used to quote Uylenspiegel as bitterly                (1). Why do 
complaining about things done to him. But, said he:                                you  not wholly digest the Three
                                                            Points, but leave out the worst elements? Your repre-
`ik maak het er ook naar.' "                                sentation of these points is false!
      In reply allow me to make the following remarks.             (2). Is it true or not, that at the time of the con-
      1. If the Christian Reformed Churches refuse to troversy Rev. Danhof and I have repeatedly asked for
heed my earnest and sincere call to repent and return a fair discussion of the truths involved, and that, in-
from their evil way as it reached them in my Open stead, the opponents conspired against us, attacked us
Letter to $ynod, -their blood be upon their head. And like a pack of wolves and were determined to have us
if Dr. Beets, whom  I consider in no small way respon- out? This is one of the questions of W. you were to
sible, as one of the leaders of those churches who often answer.
led in a wrong direction, for the evil conditions exist-           (3). Is it true or not, that I asked for a discussion
ing in those churches, desires to take the lead in this of these matters on the meeting of  Classis  on May 21,
refusal to heed and repent, he must remember, that          1924; that I asked to appoint one of the brethren to
not only his own blood is upon his head. In my Open discuss the matter, now in the Three Points, with me;
Letter  I did not come with wild accusations and indict- to appoint six of them, if they pleased ; but that they
ments that could not be substantiated. I mentioned openly refused any discussion and without deliberation
fucts,  that cannot be denied, and Dr. Beets knows that     sent the matter to Synod? This is another question of
they cannot be denied, as he clearly reveals in the         W. you were to answer.
above citation from the J&ssionary  Monthly. But let               (4). Whether or not, when my case was to be dis-
it be clearly understood, Digest Editor, that although cussed by Synod of 1924 Synod neglected to summon
mother refuses to listen to our call, we shall continue me, and acted as. if I had nothing to do with the case?
to blow the trumpet, that the children may be saved.        `This is a third question of W. you were to answer.
And how much need her best sons feel of better nour-               (6). Whether or not the committee of pre-advice,
ishment, and how deeply they feel the evil of existing appointed by Synod of 1924, met day after day, with-
conditions, I could also abundantly show, if I would        out even once tailing us before them to discuss the
publish their letters on this subject, which I will not, matter with us or to inquire of us about the matter?
unless the Digest Editor should be in doubt.                This is a fourth question W. of Holland would like to
      2. How, thruout the above article, the Digest have answered by you.
Editor shows his weakness and the consciousness of                 (6). Whether or not, in its eagerness to find some-
his weakness! What a sign of weakness to summon a thing in our writings that might lead to our condemna-
witness like De Wit from Redlands, Calif., to tell the tion, said committee quoted from `"Van Zonde  en Ge-
readers what he thinks about us ! In the first place, he nade" (our book) a statement which we quoted from
his a- witness from  &&ands,  which ought to be enough Dr. Kuyper's "De Gemeene  Gratie"  and, thinking that
to exclude him as a witness just now! In the second it was our statement, condemned it? A fifth question
place, while this Mr. De Wit writes very slanderously W. of Holland has in mind.                                   ,
about us, he confesses at the same time his most com-              (7). Whether, when the report of said committee
plete ignora.nce  concerning our case, for, he assures his was in discussion on the floor of the Synod, and I, sit-
readers that he never read the Standard Bearer ; only, ting in, the rear of the Church-auditorium in which
a good friend read part of my Open Letter to him ! Synod was assembled, broke the rules and asked for
And, what is worse, he reveals to the readers of the        the floor to enlighten Synod on a certain overture from
Missionaq  Monthly  that he is fully determined to re- the Consistory of Kellogsville, which was no overture
main ignorant, for he assures his readers that he hopes     from that Consistory but a personal document of the
never to read it again! Some witness ! Shame on you, Rev. M. Schans, Synod did not reply that I had nothing
Digest Editor ! Even though in the same article Mr. ,to do with the matter? This is a sixth question W. of
De Wit puts a feather in your hat and lauds your won- Holland asked you, Digest-editor.
derful work, you should never have published such a                (8). Whether or not, when I  a:ked for the floor
slanderous article ! And you know it !                      the second time, again breaking the rules, Synod
      3. How the Digest Editor in the above article re- granted me the floor only because I added the promise
veals his ability to assume the appearance of saying that I would not ask again? And whether, when I still
something very mueh to the point, while in reality he attended Synod as a passive onlooker, though they
avoids the entire matter! He was to answer a question were discussing my own case, and I could no longer
of a certain W. of Holland. For readers that are not hold my peace and, therefore, asked for the privilege
thoroughly acquainted with the matter it appears as if of speaking in my own defense once more, Synod de-
he does answer the question; but he does not. And it is nied me that right again, offering as an excuse  tlnat  I


558                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
 ""-"--..".~- -_-- _-..... -.-l_".^^"".._"l                                          --...-         ---..^ ..__. -.."..- . .._ - .,-.__
had promised to ask for the floor no more ! This is a
seventh question W. of Holland has in mind.                                 ' Walking In the Light
       (9). Whether Synod did ever ask me any question
at all, did ever offer me any opportunity to defend my-                Carnal man does not perceive and understand, Luke
self, did ever admonish me personally regarding any- 4 : 12. The light shineth in the darkness, and the dark-
thing, verbally or in writing, even though they decided ness comprehended it not, John 1:5. Though he (the
to do so? Bnd whether they ever sent me or my Con- carnal man) knows God, he glorifies him not as God.
sistory any notice of their decisions, unless the publi- Neither is he thankful, but becomes vain in his imag-
cation of it in the  Acta is to be considered such?                inations, and his foolish heart is darkened. Profess-
                                                           Will
you digest this, please, Digest-editor?                            ing himself to be wise, he becomes a fool, and changes
                                                                   the glory of the uncorruptible  God into an image made
       (10). Whether or not Synod declared us, Rev. like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed
Danhof and myself, fundamentally Reformed accord- beasts, and creeping things, Rom. 1:21-23.
ing to the Confessions, although they also declared that
we did not agree with the Three Points? And whether                    Carnal man though seeing does not perceive and
or not it is proper for the Christian Reformed                     understand.    This verdict must be made to apply to
Churches to throw out men, that are Reformed and dis-' his lack of spiritual vision and understanding, so that
agree (for that very reason) with three  synodical                 the question arises: What is spiritual sight. And the
declarations ?                                                     answer: Spiritual sight signifies the believer's sense
       (11). Whether or not, by adopting a  xubstitute-            of spiritual values. It is the power to contemplate the
motion, Synod did not reject a motion by the commit- things revealed - God, Christ, the cross and the
tee to take the first necessary step of discipline or even Fathers' house, in short, salvation with all that it im-
to demand of me personally a promise to abide by the plies as constituting a good, to be greatly desired and
doctrine of the Three Points?                                      appropriated. The one with understanding, sees hell,
       (12). Whether or not, on the floor of that very death and the grave, sin, judgment, Divine wrath and
Synod, there appeared a protest by the Rev. H. Danhof, curse as so many realities necessitating a Saviour and
in which he plainly and openly declared his disagree- a Shelter. He, therefore, puts his trust under the
ment with the three points, adding his reasons for this shelter of God's wings and is abundantly satisfied with
disagreement, and declared also that he would do all the fatness of His house and is made to drink from
in his power to oppose them? And whether or not, in the river of His pleasures.
spite of this protest, Synod dropped the matter and                   To the ungodly, on the other hand, the things con-
took no-steps to discipline the Rev. Danhof?                       stituting for the believer the highest possible good, are
       (13). Whether or not, the  Classis  (Grand Rapids without value and substance. The carnal man has no
East) that took up the matter after Synod had finished             sense of spiritual values. The existence of what he
it, refused to discuss anything openly and did all its sees and hears he denies, and shuts heaven out of his
deliberating in secret, through a committee of  Classis            heart. All his thoughts are that there is no God. He
                                                                                               --~
in  conjun&ion-with  the Theological Faculty?                      is of the type of the fool in the parable who indifferent
       (14). Whether or not, at the very close of the as to the hurricane which he knew would come, built
procedure against me, I offered to appear before the               his house upon the sand, and said it would stand for
whole  Classis and be examined on the basis of Scrip- ever.
ture and the Reformed Confessions ; whether or not                    Paul, in depicting the plight of the carnal man,
Classis refused and nevertheless deposed me from compares him to one drunken with wine when he says:
office ?                                                           "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day
       (15). Whether or not Classis, when I was finally shouId  overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the chil-
deposed in its session of Jan. 1925, even refused my dren of the light, and the children of the day: we are
request to send to me a report of their decisions con- not of the night or of the darkness. Therefore Iet us
cerning me, informing me that I could gather it from not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
the official Church papers?                                        For they that sleep sleep in the night; ati they that
       These questions, Dr. Beets, were in the mind of W.          be dmcnkm am. drunken  in the ,nighf' (I Thess. 5 :l-
of Holland as I may gather from your statement that 7). The term sobriety of this passage signifies the
they were occasioned by what I wrote in the S. B. of spiritual alertness of the child of the light respecting
April 15.                                                          the things of the Spirit. He is one keenly aware of
       Now, please, do not plead indigestion! Neither the approach of the day of the Lord. For such a one,
come with a few general statements. Digest these mat- this day does not come as a thief in the night in that it
ters for us ! Give us a definite answer to these definite' is expected. The term drunkenness, on the other hand,
questions.                                                         is the signification of the wicked one's carnal indiffer-
       I am looking forward to your answer.                        ence respecting the things that shall soon come to pass.
 `,                                              H.  H.            Strong drink, if taken in  sufhcient quantities, will


                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                 559
--..._. --^^- ______.__II_._       --_.-- _--_                                         .-.-.. -.^                - .^ "- ..-. ^_
stupify man's sensibilities. While in this state he is is a correct and reliable image of God and His eternal
dull of mind so that even the most startling disclosures thoughts so that he comprehending it  know&h God
fail to arouse him. He hears and sees yet fails to un- and all things.
derstand. So, too, does the message of either doom or          The child of the light comprehends the light. For
bless fail to impress the spiritually diseased soul. He him only the light is shed. Such are the plain teach-
hears in much the same way that one will listen to the ings of Holy Writ. We present the following selection
report of the death of an unknown one. The matter in support of this assertion.  `!The light is sown for
is forgotten the next minute. The carnal man, then, the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart"
is dead to the things of the spirit, and incapable of       (Psa. 97 :ll) .
sensing and appreciating their value. To what may              Irz  Thy light we see light. To see  right  one must
his spiritual lethargy be due? To a deep-seated hatred take a position in it. To do so, signifies, to be sure, a
for all things holy.  Hence,  he stands with his back changed attitude toward God, a heart brought under
toward heaven, which, as far as he is concerned, does the benign influence of His grace. For the light ex-
not  exist. Yet is he without excuse. For, though not hibits all the glories of God's blessed being, reflects
understanding and apprehending the light, he sees and His mind, discloses the meaning of the cross and ex-
hears. Why, we wonder, do the exponents of the              poses, finally, the sinner in all his wanton ungodliness.
theory af common grace insist that the maintenance Hence, he coming to the' light is one who has passed
by the Almighty of the reprobated one's carnal rational     from death to life, one humbled, one with a heart whose
perception is an exhibition of His (God's) favor. pride has been thawed out by God's grace, one hunger-
Surely, they shall have to admit that it would have ing and  thirsti:g  for Him whose glorious being the
been better for such a one, had he been deprived of light reflects.
this hearing and sight.                                                                                     G:M.  0.
   Man, then, fails to perceive, to understand. That
is, he is unwilling to hear the truth about God, himself
and God's eternal purposes respecting His handiwork.
The pure light from heaven is ane eye-sore to him. He
shuts it out of his soul and this is his fatal mistake.                        Jacob and Pharaoh
For man is creature. He must be taught by the Lord
God, Who only knows, or he comes to grief. Carnal                                  And Joseph brought in Jacob his father
man, however, refuses to receive God as his Teacher.                             and set  tim before Pharaoh; and Jacob
Shutting Him (God) out of the world and himself in                               blessed Pharaoh.             Gen.  ST:?.
it, he kindles a fire, compasses himself about with
sparks, and walks in the light of his own fme and in           What a picture here ! The aged Jacob, leaning on
the sparks he kindled, Isa. 50 :ll. The fire in the light the strong arm of his recovered son as he passes into
of which the wicked one walks is the truth of God, the presence of an Egyptian monarch who receives him
changed by him unto.a  lie, Rom. X:-25.  The emanation not  as an inferior or- a dependent. but-with  a reyential
of his own diseased heart, it (this light) is the vehicle feeling that this man's dweilingplace  was God. This,
of a false, grotesque, distorted and incongruous image it is certain, is not saying too much of this Pharaoh.
of actual existence, fact, truth, reality ; a misrepresent- Consider, that this patriarch by way of greeting it
ation of God, of heaven and hell, of things earthy, of seems blesses him. What the exact formula was that
Christ and the cross, of man and his nature, origin, Jacob used is not stated. It is of little moment. What
purpose and destiny, in short, of all things. Yet the this blessing was as to its essence there can be no
wicked one loves these fantastic images, and signifies doubt. When a prophet of God, and a prophet Jacob
their sum total by some such names as  phz'losophy,         was, blesses he declares in substance that God is  well-
metaphysics, wisdom. It is, however, the wisdom of disposed toward the one blessed, and that therefore
the world, deemed foolishness by God, but common His mercy and goodness will follow him all the days of
grace by our opponents. The carnal man, insisting his life. Or did Jacob bless Pharaoh in the sense that
that he sees aright,  refuses to leave his house on fire he prayed that if it could be God show  him mercy?
and perishes in the flames. Therefore he is a fool.         But this, rightly considered, is not to bless but to call
   He who would see light, that is, know and live, over another the counsel cf God.
must walk in the light emanating, not from the foolish         Jacob blessed Pharaoh. It shows that this king
and wicked heart of the worldly wise, but from the was an elect of God. Being king, he was a represent-
Logos, the incarnate Word. In Him walking in this ative personage, so that in blessing  him, Jacob blesses
light there is none occasion for stumbling. For he' the Egyptian nation as to its elect nucleus. In the
then walketh in the light of God. For Christ speaketh prophecy of Isaiah Egypt again appears as the blessed
not of Himself, He seeketh not His own glory. His of the Lord. "In that day shall five cities in the land
doctrine is not His, but His that sent Him, John 17:16,     of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to
17. He speaks whatsoever he hears. This light, then, the Lord of hosts; and one shall be the city of the sun.


      560                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
      -.-"-                                   .-~                        -.                   - - -         -" . ..--__
      In that day there. shall be an altar to the Lord in the wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. The
      midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border days of our years are three-score years and ten ; and
      thereof to the Lord . . . . And the Lord  shal1 smite if by reason of strength they be four-score years, yet
      Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall re- is their strength labour  and sorrow; for it is soon cut
      turn even to the Lord, and He shall be entreated of off and we fly away."
      them, and shall heal them . . . . Whom the Lord of             Few  a,nd'evil. His days had been evil, whether evil
      hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people." be taken as the signification of sin or sorrow or both.
      Isaiah 19.                                                  At an early age he was banished from the promised
         Throughout the sacred record this Pharaoh ap- land and had to flee from the results of his sin to
      pears as one with a heart for the Hebrews. His ad- Haran. Here in Haran  he lived for some twenty years
     , miration for Joseph knew no bonds. Tn his eyes none under the same roof, so to say, with an uncle who had
      were so discreet and wise as he. He had given the tried to enslave him. His daughter had been outraged.
      good of the land of Egypt to Joseph's family and made How badly his sons had behaved ! His favored wife he
      them eat the fat of the land. This alone would not had buried on the way and for many years had mourned.
      warrant the conclusion that he truly loved Joseph's the loss of a beloved son whom he thought dead. For-
      God, but as joined to the notice of his being blessed by sooth his days had been evil; but `for every evil that
      one of God's prophets, it does.                             had overtaken him there was a sin. And the Lord
         ~Jacob and Pharaoh are not long  togethe%*before         had set these sins before him, not for the purpose of
      the conversation turns upon the former's  age: This consuming in His wrath, but for the purpose of chas-
      could be expected; for the span of  1ife)f  Jacob was as tising the son He loved that he might become partaker
      compared with those of Egypt's aged, unusually long. of His holiness.
      The Egyptians became not very old, they tell us, so that
      the king must have been awed by the spectacle of the           Was Jacob complaining? Was he vexed with the
      aged patriarch. He had gone far beyond the ordinary Lord? Nay, but he denounced  seIf, justified the Lord
      limit of human life. And the king no doubt felt and clave unto him as the God of his salvation, as is
a     strangely effected. There seemed to be something  un- evident from the fact that he blessed Pharaoh, and
      earthy about him as though he belonged to another confessed to the king that he is a pilgrim in the earth.
      world. "And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How many are This is the matter of deepest interest. "The days of
      the days of the years of thy life?" The king draws the years of my pilgrimage,  - few and evil have  they*
      out the phrase to make it intensive.      His question been." The reasoning of the apostle is fair (Heb. 11:
      therefore implies, Thou art extremely old. Pray, tell 14) : "Now they who say such&ings declare plainly
      me thy age. And Jacob replies, "The days of the years that they seek a country - that they long for a better
      of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: country even a heavenly - confessing themselves to
     few and evil have the days of the years of my life  heen,    be strangers and sojourners on earth." "Wherefore
      and have not attained unto the days of the years of God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He hath
      the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrim- prepared for them a city, a city that hath foundations,
      age."                                                       that passeth not away."
             Some say that Jacob was wrong in characterizing         It was not a pilgrimage in respect to the old home
      his life thus, that he possible was in a melancholy whence they came out, for thither they at any time
      mood, that naturally the splendours of a court dazzled could have returned. That was not the better country
      and bewildered the old man, that he had come to see they were seeking. Rather going down to Egypt, down
      not Pharaoh but Joseph, that this together with the to shoal even, pressing on their pilgrim way with con-
      uncongenial surroundings depressed him, and  that~  he fidence in their covenant God. Such was the confession
      therefore answered as he did.                               Jacob made before this king.
             That Jacob was in a solemn mood is certain; but         Few were his days. True, comparatively speaking,
      the view that he was dazzled and bewildered so that he was an old man. But he was comparing his span
      he knew not what he spake is most unlikely. Court of life not with that of other mortals but with eternity.
      splendours do not bewilder tried and seasoned old As a result his days rose before his eye as being few
      heroes of faith so that they cannot before kings make in number. He saw them altogether  ,as grass, as a
      a proper confession of their faith. That Jacob was flower of the field, flourishing today and gone to-
      self-possed and composed is evident from this that he morrow. Yet, such was his conviction, he himself was,
      blessed the king. He would say, `Thou o king, thinkest would not be gone, for he awaited a city that hath
      me old? Know that my days are few and evil never- foundations, and therefore clave to  Dhe Lord as his
      theless. Moses voices a similar complaint' in" Ps. 92 : dwelling place. Such  ,were  the implications of the
      "For we are consumed by Thine anger, and by Thy speech he directed to the king.                  Blessing him once
      wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities more, he went out of his presence.
      before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy                                                       G. M. 0.
      countenance. For all our days are passed away in Thy


