                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                         151
                                                                                     -_I__.
                                                                Samson's doings and with the trait or disposition which
              Dan Shall Be a Serpent                            these doings display.
                                                                   "Dan shall be as a serpent by the way . . . . " The
       Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in
     the path, that biteth the horse heel, so that his rider    important feature of this depiction is not the adder as
     shall fall backward.                                       such but its stratagem, its cunning in attack, the sud-
                                                                denness with which it strikes, its habit of -biting with-
     A knowledge of the history of the tribe Dan is out warning so that the victim is taken unawares. The
  needed for an understanding of the above prophesy. reptile of Jacob's prophesy is inconspicuous because of
  Of the patriarch Dan little is recorded. Dan's lot lay its being of the color of the earth; it lays itself in holes,
  on the western slope of the mountain.           His portion rests in the road and falls unexpectedly upon the un-
  included  t.he fertile plain between the mountain and the wary traveler, here mounted upon the horse. As the
  sea. Instead of invading and enjoying this region, the result of its bite; the hind legs of the horse give way,
  Danites  were driven  into  the  mountain  by the Amorites    and the rider falls back to the ground before he has
  (Jdg.   1224). In the. days of the judges, the Da&es,         opportunity to recover himself. So sudden and effective
  pressed for room as a result of their failure to  de- the assault. This manner of attack of course was
  possess the Philistines of the plain along the sea coast, characteristic of the adder and in full agreement with
  sought an inheritance at the north end of the Jordan. its peculiar nature.
  The people there, possibly a colony from Sidon, dwelt            It is not difficult to see that the stratagem of this
  careless "after the manner. of the Zidonians, quiet and reptile froms a striking picture of the war tactics of
. secure. And- the land was large. In it there was no Samson. This hero struck without warning. In the
  want of anything that is in the earth" (Jdg. 18). very moment that the Philistines would glory in his
  Against this defenseless people a company of 600  Dan-        defeat, he would deal his blows. At the very instant
  ites came and burnt their city, Laish, with fire. Upon they cried peace, sudden destruction as wrought by
  the ruins of Laish, the Danites now built a city, dwelt him would overtake them. Samson was the adder in
  therein and called it Dan after the name of Dan, their the path that bites the hcrse heels. The fleet-footed
  father.    Thereupon the graven image that had been horse is the beast upon whose back the Philistine
  taken from Micah was set up with Jonathon and would speed to the field of battle. In the horse he
  his sons priests until the day of the captivity of the trusted. This was his foolishness. For that horse was
  land. In II Chron. 14 is found a notice. that points. to at the complete mercy of the insignificant adder. It
  an amalgamation of the Danites with the people de- required but one bite of this sightless creature to lay
  possessed. The notice reads in part, "The son of a that proud horse and its rider low. And this creature
  woman of the daughters of Dan, and his -father was a was Samson. Being a man in whom God wonderfully
  man of Tyre." , This is all that is known of Dan.             wrought, he was more than a match for the entire
     As to Samson, the conspicuous representative of Philistine host. It should therefore have occurred to
  this tribe, the outstanding events of his public career them that whereas a single human can be transformed
  as' judge may be briefly stated. The reason for his by the power of the Almighty into the invincible foe,
  rise was the dominion of the Philistines over Israel.         flesh is a poor thing to trust in. But the Philistines
  His first move was to marry a wife of the Phi&tines           would not learn.
  with the purpose of "seeking an occasion against the              True, Samson was subtle, cunning in battle. Subtil-
  Philistines." What he sought he found. Going down ity as such, however, is not a vice. As mixed with up-
  to Ashkelon he slew thirty men of them and with their rightness it is a virtue. "Behold," said Christ, "I send
..- apparel paid what he owed them for expounding his you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye there-
  riddle. For being denied his wife, he burned the  Pliil- fore wise as serpents and simple as doves." Subtlety is
  istine's  `corn. Thereupon he was bound by the men of a vice when it passes into malicious guile. But so, too,
  Judah and delivered to the Philistines. Breaking his did pure boldness and courage pass into godless in-
  bands he slew a thousand men. Apparently he was solence when sin entered the worId. The lion appears
   trapped in the Philistine city of Gazi whither he had in Scripture (in the vision of Daniel) as the emblem
   gone. At midnight, however, he walked out on his of the Antichrist as well as the serpent.
   enemies with the gates of the city upon his shoulders.           As to Dan, Moses says of him, "Dan is a lion's
   His last act was to dislocate the pillars upon which welp; he shall leap from  Bashan."                Another  word-
   the Philistine playhouse rested, with the result that picture of a suprise attack. What is more sudden than
   it fell upon all the Philistine lords and upon all the the leap of a lion and unforeseen then the bite of the
  people therein.                                                unsightly adder.    And this leaping lion and biting
      With these actions before our eye  - actions of reptile is Dan, is Samson. He is therefore the out-
   Samson and of the tribe to which he belonged - it standing sign of the quick and certain subversion of
   ought not to be difficult to perceive the meaning of the adversaries of God and His people. Because he
   Jacob's prophesy, respecting Dan, to perceive that the was this to the dying Jacob, the latter confidently
   obvious meaning of this prophesy is in agreement with prays,  "I have waited for thy salvation, 0 Lord." Had


 152                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                     _~~_   1  ,,  ".    . .."
                                                                         -                                                - -
he completed this prayer and said all that was in his conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son." Then
heart he would have prayed as David, "Unto thee, 0 we read, "When Leah saw that she had left off bearing,
Lord, do I lift up my soul. 0, my God, I trust in thee: she took Zilpah, her maid, and `gave her Jacob to wife.
let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bear Jacob a son. And Leah
over me. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed ; said, A troop cometh. And she called his name Gad."
let them be ashamed which transgress without a cause.               What is to be our appraisal of this action of Leah ?
Shew me thy ways, 0 Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead It cannot be denied that especially this time -she had
me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God acted under impulse mixed with the issues of the flesh.
of my salvation ; on thee do I wait all the day" (Ps. Her motives were not pure. Too intend was she upon
25:1,  ff.).      This in substance is the prayer of the outdoing her sister, too determined that the size of her
church of all ages. It was the prayer of Samson. Be- brood continue larger than Rachel's. So when she
cause he waited for the Lord's salvation, he was strong learned that her sister's maid was again about to bear,
and prevailed as in his hour of death when the uncir- and considering that she herself had left bearing, she
cumcised were rejoicing in his plight and crediting became alarmed, so it seems, and in her anxiety gave to
Dagon for his capture. Then he prayed, "0 Lord God, Jacob her maid.
remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me,  I pray                Yet for all this, Leah as to the heart of her dis-
thee, only this once 0 God, that I may be at once positions was a true believer. The dominant desire of
avenged of the Philistines."                                     her soul was to serve the covenant of the Lord by
    It is evident that the dying prophet beheld in Dan bringing forth covenant seed. She sensed that some-
the true Israel as involved in a struggle with those how her salvation was bound up with this seed.
bent throughout the ages upon the destruction of the                But what could have been the thoughts of her heart
holy seed. And his firm belief was that victory would when at the birth of Gad she exclaimed, troop! Was
be his seed's He knew; however, that salvation would she congratulating herself on this new addition to her
not be from Dan but for Dan from the Lord.                       brood? Did she see her offspring as a multitude? Was
    So, then, he who rose before Jacob's eye is Dan the she glorifying in this multitude and trusting in mere
deliverer of his people. What he describes, is the war numbers? In the past she may have but not when she
stratagem of this Danite. And in the successful issue exclaimed, troop ! Consider that her ejaculation agrees,
of his struggles he rejoiced.                                    must agree, with that of Jacob. If so, she, too, and
   Dan, Samson, was only a type. To him therefore even first, saw Gad's future. Fact is, that the spirit of
clave imperfections. His fight of faith was but essen- prophesy was upon her so that Gad was made to rise
tially good. His subtlety was far from pure. That he also before her eye as one whom a troop would plunder.
was a sinful man is evident from his doings. He Therefore she called his name Gad. So the Lord
joined himself to the daughters of  the uncircumcised, humbled her by disclosing to her this son's doleful
and disclosed the secret of his strength to the godless. future. But let her take heart; for Gad will plunder
Therefore, being but a type, he passed into oblivion at his heels, overcome at the last.
with the adversary surviving him. The plight of Israel              Let us now attend to Jacob's prediction respecting
called for a Deliverer, Christ Jesus, capable of greater Gad: "A troop shall press upon, plunder him, but he
things than he, for a deliverer able to successfully cope shall plunder at their heels."
with powers  - death, hell and the devil - other than               Let us now carry into translation this prediction.
flesh and blood. He was to be the true Samson, the This history of this tribe may be briefly stated. Of the
true Dan who would judge.                                        patriarch Gad little is known. He went down with
                                                                 seven sons to Egypt. The first census disclosed that
                                                                 in the tribe of Gad were found 45,650 "from twenty
                                                                 years old and upward, all that were able to go to war"
                                                                 (Nu. 1:24). When the second census was taken this
          Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall over-
        come at the last."                                       number had deminished to 40,500 (26  :18). T h e   chil-
                                                                 dren of Gad, being cattle masters, sued for the luxuri-
   The next son to whom Jacob told what would befall ant uplands east of the Jordan. Moses yielded and
him in the last days is Gad. Let us get before our eye assigned to them their tribal portion here on the  con--
the circumstance of his birth. In one of our previous dition that with their little ones, wives and flocks, safe
articles we referred to the sharp rivalry between the in the cities of Gilead, they would help their brethren
two sisters Rachel and Leah. As was said, Rachel was bring the holy war to a successful issue on'the west
still barren at the time of the birth of Leah'e fourth side of the Jordan. This the Gadites promised to do.
son.       Sorely vexed by this circumstance, she gave When the war was compIeted they returned to their
Jacob Bilhah her handmaid to wife. Bilhah conceived lot in the east and builded them cities and folds for
`and bare Jacob a son. "And Rachel said, God hath th,eir  flocks (Nu. 32 ; Jo. 1).
judged me and also hath heard my voice. Therefore                   It cannot be said that the above-cited engagements
she called his name Dan. And Bilhah, Rachel's maid, of Gad  fulfilled Jacob's prophesy. Gad here waged an


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           153

offensive warfare. At no time in this period was he whose faces were Like the faces of lions, and were as
pressed, plundered by troops, operating on his borders. swift as the roes upon the mountains . . . . one of the'
Yet this is the very state of affairs that the prediction     least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a
in question demands. For the Hebrew word trans- thousand" (I Chron.  12  :8, 14). Still another heroic
lated by plunder means to cut, to make an incision and achievement is recorded of them.                 A company of
must therefore be taken to signify the incursions of Gadites went over the Jordan in the first month, when
plundering bands.                                             it had overflown all his banks ; and they put to flight
  To Gad's offensive warfare on the west of the Jordan        all of them of the valleys, both toward the east and to
applies the last section of the prediction of Moses : "and    the west (I Chron.  12:X). Of all the sons, Gad is the
he (Gad) came with the heads of the people, he exec-          emblem of courage, valour and supreme vigor. He is
uted the justice of the Lord, and His judgments with the lion ia the strife, repelling, overcoming and holding
Israel." As to `the first section of Moses prophesy re- at bay the wildest of men.
specting Gad, it is identical in meaning to the prophesy         What was the secret of Gad's power? Why did he
of Jacob respecting this tribe. This tist section reads:      emerge the victor from the conflict with the heathen on
"Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a his frontier ? The Chronicler gives the answer: They
lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the               cried to God in battle and put their trust in Him. And
head . . . .  " (Deut. 33  :20).    Here Gad appears as       He was entreated of them. There fell many slain be-
settled in his portion and inflicting terrible punishment cause the war was of God. Gad's courage sprang from
upon the marauding troops invading his territory. Of faith. He was a lion in the strife because he carried
these brave achievements Jacob spake when he said,            on conscious that God was his strength and that the
"Gad, a plundering troop shall plunder him, but he shall arm of the Almighty sustained him.
plunder at their heels.."                                        The mother of this tribe, it seems, first fell to glory-
   These prophesies respecting Gad's conflicts with ing in mere numbers. Her offspring rose before her
plundering troops on his borders, are in perfect agree- eye as a host capable of great things. But what said
ment with the recorded history of this tribe. Accord- the Lord by the mouth of Jacob ? Gad, a troop shall
ing to this record, Gad was in many ways invaded and press upon him . . . . And that troop would have
oppressed by the eastern hordes, but viciously drove pressed Gad into oblivion, would have crowded him
them back. The record reads (I Chron. 5 : 18, ff .) : "The from the face of the earth, had he not cried to God in
sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the battle, had the war not been of God. So was Gad taught
tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear by the Lord that sheer numbers are nothing if God is
buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and  skilful        not for these numbers, that the multitude is as strong
in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred as its faith in the power of God to save is implicit, that
and threescore, that went out to the war,. And they the battle is the Lord's, and that, unless He rises to
made war with the Hagarites, with  Jetur, and Nephish, scatter His enemies, the many go down in defeat. This
and Modab. And they were helped against them, and Leah, too, well knew. And being one of God's saints,
the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all these were the thoughts that occupied her mind in her
that were with them; for they cried to God in the good moments. In her generations she cried unto the
battle, and- He was entreated of them; because they Lord in battle. And He was entreated of her.
put their trust in Him. And they took away their                 The dying Jacob saw Gad not by himself but as
,cattle ; of their camels fifty  thousand, and of sheep representative of his (Jacob's) entire seed. In this
two hundred and frfty thousand,  and of asses two thou- son, all Israel rose before Jacob's eye as a people hard
sand, and of men, a hundred thousand.           For there pressed by the adversary. And so Israel actually ap-
fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And pears in the record of its history, as a people sur-
they dwelt in their steads until the captivity."              rounded and hard pressed by  spiteful  and envious
   The name Hagarite is synonymous with  Ishmaehte            heathen, as a people crowded by a profane and wicked
and designates the tribes springing from  Ishmael and troop, the enemies of God, who made a tumult and
stretching along the east of Palestine. I Of these tribes     lifted up the head, who took crafty counsel against His
it was predicted that they would be wild men, with people and said,  "come  let us cut them off from being
hands against every man (Gen. 16:12). Whereas Gad a nation ; that the name of Israel may be no more in
dwelt on the east of the Jordan, it was with these            remembrance" (Ps. 83). So they spake, the troops,
fierce men, taking counsel to cut Gad off from being a who consulted together with one consent. The Psalmist
nation, that he had constantly to do. And of this con- continues : "they (these troops) are confederate against
flict the above notice speaks. With these wars did the thee : the tabernacIe  of Edom, and the Ishmaelites   ;
prophesy of Jacob go into initial fulhlment.                  Moab, and the Hagarenes ; Gebel and Ammon, and
   The Chronicler describes the Danites as men ex- Amalek ; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre ;
ceptionally brave. Leonine qualities are ascribed to Assur also is joined with them ; they have holpen the
them. They were "men of might, and men of war, fit children of Lot . . . .  "              But Israel cried unto the
for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, Lord in battle, "Do unto them as unto the Midianites;


154                                               T H E   STAWDARD   BEABER
                   ...._.I..........._  ^ .._..^ ---.--                          _--..-_--  _... ".._^.".._          -_.
as to Sisera, as to  Jabin, at the brook of Kison ; which
perish at Endor: they become as dung for the earth.                         Algemeen Aanbod Van Genade
Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb  ; yea all their               Hier laten we volgen het derde  artikel  van Dr. `H.
princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna ; who said, Let us Bouwman in De  Bacui?z onder bovenstaand opschrift:
take to ourselves the house of God in possession. 0
my God, make them like a wheel ; as the stubble before                    "Het komt bij de beoordeeling van de uitdrukking :
the wind. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame algemeen aanbod zla,n genade er voor alles op aan wat
setteth the mountains on  fne; so persecute them with men er onder verstaat.
thy tempest . . .         That men may know that thou,                    "Het is duidelijk, dat men haar niet zoo mag ver-
whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over staan, dat God  aan alle  mensche"n  de zaligheid  aan-
all the earth." And. the Lord was entreated of them in biedt, en dat de menschen, die het evangelie hooren,
battle. So Gad plundered the plunderer's heels.                        in  zich de kracht bezitten om het evangelie  aan te  ne-
       However, Gad, too, was only a type and as such the men. Dit zou een miskenning zijn van het schrikkelijk
replica of an eternal verity. In the course of time it karakter der zonde, en geheel in.strijd met de Schrift,
became apparent that genuiness was lacking to him. dat de mensch van nature onmachtig is tot eenig goed
For in his generations he failed to keep covenant en geneigd tot alle kwaad. `Want zij hebben allen  ge-
fidelity. The voice that cried to the Lord in battle be- zondigd en derven de heerlijkheid Gods; ,en  worden
came mute. Gad corrupted his way before the Lord, om niet gerechtvaardigd, uit zijne genade, door de ver-
filled his measure of iniquity and was therefore plucked lossing, die in Christus Jezus is'. De Gereformeerden
up and transported to strange lands. So was he over- belijden in de Leerregels (III, IV, 14) : `Het geloof is
come by the plunderer. Yet, rightly considered, the een gave Gods ; niet omdat het  aan den vrijen wil des
Gad according to the election was not destroyed but menschen van God wordt aangeboden, maar omdat  bet
merely shorn of his typical, earthly, glory, power and aan den mensch wordt medegedeeld, ingegeven en  in-
excellency and will again appear in heavenly and gestort; ook niet daarom, dat God de  macht   alleen, om
eternal beauty with Christ.                                            te gelooven zoude geven, en daarna de toestemming of
       Christ is the true Gad, the lion in the strife. He, het dadelijk gelooven van den vrijen wil des menschen
too, while among us, was hard pressed by a troop. Many verwachten, maar omdat HijTdie daar werkt het willen
bulls compassed Him: strong bulls of  Bashan  beset en het volbrengen, ja, alles werkt in  allen,  in den
Him round. They gaped upon Him with their mouths, mensch teweegbrengt beide den wil om  te gelooven en
as a ravening and a roaring lion. Dogs compassed Him : het geloof  zelf'. En de H. S&rift leert: `Niemand kan
the assembly of the wicked enclosed Him: they pierced tot mij komen tenzij de Vader die mij gezonden heeft,
His hands  ,and His feet. But the Lord delivered Him, hem trekke'. En wederom: `Zoo is het dan niet  desge-
because in  t.he Lord He trusted. And He saw the nen die wil, noch desgenen, die loopt, maar des ontfer-
travail of His soul, and was satisfied. By His knowledge menden Gods'.
He justified many, for He bore their iniquities. There-                   "Maar al is dit volkomen waar, het is ook waar dat
fore did God divide Him a portion with the great and het evangelie aan alle creaturen  mag en moet worden
the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His verkondigd. Dit is het bevel des Heeren. Aan dat be-
soul unto death, and was numbered with the trans- vel mag in geen enkel opzicht worden  tekort gedaan;-----
gressors and bore the sins of many. His death was but En als zich voor ons denkend verstand bedenkingen op-
an eclipse. He reappeared in true glory at the Father's doen  bij bet vervullen van deze roeping,  dan hebben
right hand and with Him the Gad according to the elec- wij ons te gedragen niet naar de bedenkingen, die in
tion.                                                                  ons oprijzen,  maar  alleen naar den geopenbaarden wil
       Of this Gad there is also a manifestation on earth, Gods. Wij hebben het evangelie te prediken, omdat
hard pressed as was the Israel of old by a plundering God het ons beveelt en zooals God het ons zegt.
troop who still says, "Come let us cut them off from                       "De Heere zegt niet in zijn woord tot ons, dat wij
being a nation." But this troop, God will again make tot elk mensch hoofd voor hoofd zouden zeggen : Chris-
like a wheel ; as the stubble before the wind in the day               tus is voor u gestorven ; al uwe zonden zijn u vergeven.
of Christ. For the victory is Gad's:  He has overcome Dit te zeggen  staat niet in onze  macht, omdat wij niet
in Christ and will therefore overcome at the last and in het raadsplan des Heeren hebben gezien, en ook niet
be with the Lord forever. In the final instance it was in het hart kunnen lezen. We1  zouden wij mogen zeg-
this that Jacob had before his eye when he said, But gen: Indien gij in  oprechtheid  in  Christus gelooft, en
he shall plunder at his heels;overcome  at the last.                   Jezus als  uw Zaligmaker aanvaardt, moogt gij gelooven
                                                                       op grond der H. S&rift, dat uwe zonden u vergeven
                                                           G. M. 0.    zijn. Maar verder  gaansdan   zulk een voorwaardelijke
                                                                       uitspraak kan de prediker niet.
                                                                           "Zulk een prediking mag  echter  niet geschieden in
                                                                       dien toon  dat Christus de mogelijkheid der vergeving
       They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy.                      en zaligheid verworven heeft, en dat het nu in de


  156                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                                       -..-                                                                   _.--.--"-.--."  _._ -
  over hen in de verkondiging des Evangelies ? Een
  andere dan in Zijn raad? Haat Hij hen in Zijn  raad                       Asher's Bread Will Be Fat
  en heeft Hij hen lief in de verkondiging des Evange-
  lies? Wat is Gods bedoeling met die verkondiging des                   Out of Asher  his bread will be fat, and he shall yield
                                                                      royal dainties.
  Evangelies? Een andere dan in Zijn raad?  Heeft Hij
  hen in Zijn raad onder het verderf besloten, maar  in               It is not always easy to sense the meaning and im-
  de prediking onder hen, die zalig worden,  begrepen?             plication of the utterance that would fall from the lips
  En wat doet God door de prediking des Evangelies aan of Rachel and Leah when for the first they clasped to
  en in hen? Iets anders dan in Zijn raad? Geeft Hij               their bosom the child that was born. These saying, to
  hen in Zijn raad over tot verharding, maar  bewerkt be understood, must be viewed in the light of what
  Hij hen in de prediking tot bekeering en zaligheid? these women were fundamentally as to the heart of
  Let wel, de vraag is niet, of God ook de eisch tot be- their dispositions, in the light of whatever circum-
  keering tot hun natuurlijk'bewustzijn brengt, maar of stance that is known to have effected them each time,
  Hij dit doet, opdat zij bekeerd zouden  worden.  De in the light finally of their outlook upon life and of
  vraag is niet, of Hij  bun ook den weg des heils laat their hope for the future.
  verkondigen, maar of Hij dit doet met de goede en                   These two women were children of God, empowered
  genadige bedoeling om hen te zaligen.                            by grace to lay hold on the promise. They believed
         En laat ons nu niet zeggen, dat dit  mysteri& zijn. that there would be to them a seed which for numbers
         Dat zijn deze dingen  zeker niet.                         could ,no more be counted than the stars of heaven,
         Niet  alleen  tech zijn deze vragen  opzichzelf   goed    that with this seed God would tabernacle in Canaan,
  duidelijk en, indien we waarlijk ook de verwerping that somehow their very own well-being was bound up
  willen handhaven (hetzij in infra- of in supra-lapsari-          with the well-being of this seed. They, too, as well as
  schen zin, dat doet er niet toe) voor geen tweeerlei  ant-       the three great-patriarch expected a city that hath
  woord vatbaar; maar ook spreekt de  Schrift  op dit foundations. And it was especially this faith, this
  punt juist geen onduidelijke  taal.                              expectation, that must be held to have influenced them
         Welnu,  wie, als hij zoo de zaak verstaat, nog spreekt in the selection of a name for the child that was born.
^ van een algemeen aanbod van zaligheid, welgemeend This is true at least in general.
  van Godswege, die loochent metterdaad de verwerping.                However, each had her cross to bear - Rachel was
         En dat doet men ten onzent.                               barren and Leah as compared with Rachel was the
         Doch ik zou gaarne willen,  dat Dr. Bouwman een hated wife - and, when chagrined by the weight of
  de6nitief  en Schriftuurlijk antwoord gaf op deze qra- their respective crosses, the one  wouId  display toward
  gen.                                                             the other such feelings as plainly show that neith-er
                                                        H. H.      was a perfect woman. Rachel envied Leah. And as to
                                                                   Leah, the circumstance that she in distinction from her
                                                                   sister was bearing  Jacob  children, seemed to ease the
                                                                   hurt of her heart. As was said, there was a sharp
                                                                   rivalry between the two. And their sayings ought to
                    PROFESSION OF FAITH                            be viewed also in the light of this rivalry.
            Not words alone it cost the Lord                          Let us now consider the name  Asher. When Leah
              To purchase pardon for His own;                      learned that her maid Zilpah was about to bear, she
            Nor will a soul by grace restored                      was glad. Whereas her joy was not unmixed with un-
              Return the Saviour words alone.                      holy elements she was in the need of a rebuke, in the
                                                                   need of a stroke that would again bring her in the dust
            With golden bells, the priestly vest,                  before God. And this stroke she received when her
              And rich pomegranates border'd round,                seed and in particular Gad was made to rise before her
            The need of holiness express'd,                        eye as imperilled by a troop. So, as was said, in her
              And called for fruit as well as sound.               consternation she cried out, "A troop someth," and
                                                                   called the name of the child Gad. But she must even
            Easy, indeed, it were to reach                         then have known that Gad would plunder at his heels.
              A  mansion in the courts above,                         This disclosure had a sobering and wholesome effect
            If swelling words and fluent speech                    upon her. For when Zilpah her maid bare Jacob a
              Might serve instead of faith and love.               second son, she said, "Happy am I for the daughters
                                                                   will call me blessed." And she called his name Asher,
            But none shall gain the blissful place,                meaning, happy. That this joyfu1  exclamation on her
              Or God's unclouded glory see,                        part was expressive of a right disposition toward the
            Who talks of free and sovereign grace,                 Lord, and fell from the lips of a woman who had con-
              Unless that grace has made him free !                fessed her folly and was now again tasting the peace


                                                                                                                 .     --      -..        .-~-I_--


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       157
                  .__                                                                                          _~.-.-
peculiar to a saint co~.~cious   that all is well between luxury. For Christ  fuIfUed   all righteousness. There-
him and God, - is evident from what the dying Jacob fore His bread is fat and He dippeth His foot in oil.
said respecting Asher : "And of Asher  his bread shall         So, then, the true Asher  of the old dispensation was
be fat and he shall yield royal danties."  `In the old not destroyed when transported into strange lands, but
dispensation bread, the riches of the soil, did service merely relieved of his typical, earthy abundance in
as an earthy token of Jehovah?s  love for His people order that he might dwell forever with Christ his
when they kept covenant fidelity so  that in the Saviour and Redeemer in spiritual abundance on the
prophesy in question Asher appears as the beloved and new earth, the true Canaan. These are the things of
obedient friend-servant of the Lord dwelling safely in which Jacob and Moses and all the prophets in the final
his portion and- enjoying the abundant yield of his instance  spake.  But the  Premihetialist,  of course,  *
fertile soil. There is a perfect agreement therefore will not  !mve  it so. According to his ostensible convic-
between-Asher's blessed estate and the state of mind tion, the dying Jacob spake merely of earthly things
and heart of his mother at the time of his birth. The still to be brought near.
now happy Leah - happy because her heart is again                                                        G. M. 0.
perfect with God  - comes into the possession of a son
who in his generations will be happy.
  Let us see how this prophesy went into fuliihnent.
The portion assigned to  Asher  included the rich plain                    OUT OF THE DEPTHS
of Acre, the fertile flats between the mountain and the
sea near Tyre and Sidon and the valleys breaking down             Out of the depths I cry to Thee
westward and opening on plains yielding  fine crops of              Thou blessed Lamb of Calvary,
grain. .On his soil the vine, the fig, the lemon and the          On whom my only hope is stayed,
orange flourished. And olive trees abounded.  For-                  To whom my only prayer is made ;
sooth, Asher's  bread was fat, he yielded royal dainties,         To Thee my soul appeals for aid ;
and in  fuhihnent  of Moses blessing, dipped his foot in            Speak, saying : "Be thou not afraid."
OS.                                                               Dark is the night, I cannot see,
                                                                    Wilt Thou my guide and keeper be ?
       However, the  Asher of the old dispensation fell far
short of the ideal that the joint prophesies of Jacob             Cleanse Thou anew this heart of mine ;
and Moses presuppose and call for. Said Moses of him:               Baptise me in Thy love divine ;
"Blessed be  Asher  with children; let him be acceptable          Strengthen me, Lord, Thy will to do,
unto his brethren and let him dip his foot in oil.?                 Create and fashion me anew;
       After the conquest of Canaan the tribe seldom ap-          Weakness am I, but Thou art strong;
pears on the stage of Israel's history so that the con-             Lead o'er the pathway rough and long ;
clusion is warranted that it took no important part in            Open the flood-gates of Thy grace,
the affairs of the nation. From the cities that lied                Let me behold Thy blessed face.
within its territory the tribe failed to eject the Canaan-
ites but put them to tribute instead. Deborah com-                Tho' I be willful, yet forgive ;
plains that  Asher  continued on the sea shore and abode            Teach me, that I for Thee may live ;
in his creeks when he should have gone forth to aid               Thy will to do is my desire,
his brethren in breaking the power of the foreign op-               Send Thou the Pentecostal fire.
pressor. Nevertheless "divers of  Asher"  responded to            Consume my sin! 0, make me pure,
Hezekiah's  appeal to humble themselves and come to                 That to the end I may endure,
Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover. This               And from Thy hand my crown receive,
proves that also in  Asher  there was  - a remnant  ati-            With Thee forever more to live.
cording to election. This tribe, too, filled its measure
of iniquity and was therefore permanently ejected
from its earthy inheritance. The royal dainties, bread
and oil passed into other hands. This was the Lord's
doings ; for  Asher, being but a type, had to disappear                    READING THE BIBLE
to make room for the heavenly varities  of which he,                   Within this ample volume  Iies
too, was but the shadow. The true  Asher is Christ,                    The mysterie of mysteries ;
acceptable unto His brethren In the peripheral sense                   Happiest they of human race
the true  Asher  is the church, blessed with many chil-                To whom their God has given grace,
dren, Christ's eternal kingdom  - the kingdom of right-                To read, to fear, to hope, to pray,
eousness, of love, of peace, and tranquility, the king-                To lift the latch, to force the way;
dom of heavenly glory. And the members of this                         And better had they ne'er be born
blessed commonwealth will live forever in spiritual                    That read to doubt, or read to scorn.


*.  ..-_..  .,_-. - _-_--.                  *HE  STANDARD  Bti:AR~fi                                                       161
-._-^..l-_                    ".l"--^-_--_-----      -            -_---.."            -._- __       ..-.. --..._l____-  . -.._-
  A Catechism On the History of the                                date should labor in all the Churches at a salary of two
                                                                   thousand dollars per year.              `I
        Protestant Reformed Churches                                   5. What other matter evoked the ire of the Dan-
                                                                   hofs at this early period of our history?
                    XVI.  INTERNAL  STRIFE                             The fact that the Eastern Ave. Consistory had con-
                                                                   sidered it inadvisable to organize a congregation from
    1. Did all the deposed office-bearers, together with their own membership in the neighborhood of Dennis
B. J. Danhof and  *R. Danhof remain loyal to the cause Ave., Grand Rapids, Mich. With a view to our limited
of the Protesting Churches when in Nov. 1926 they power the Eastern Ave. Con&tory  had decided first
were permanently organized into a  Classis?                        to organize a congregation in Byron Center, in which
    NO; the Rev. 1-I. Danhof with part of his Consistory district also several members of the Eastern Ave. Prot.
and congregation, and B. J. Danhof as well as candi- Christian Ref. Church resided. The reason was very
date R. Danhof, two nephews of the first named, for- evident. It was far more difficult for the Byron Center
sook the cause.                                                    members to attend the services in Eastern Ave. than
    2. What became of them?                                        for the members that resided in the Dennis Ave. dis-
    The Rev. H. Danhof and his congregation stand trict..  Very unjustly, but with a view to providing a
alone as an independent Church, outside of  a11 denom- place for R. Danhof in the city, H. Danhof and B. J.
inational fellowship. They are known as the Protest- Danhof insisted that the Eastern Ave. Cbnsistory had
ing First Christian Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, no jurisdiction in the matter, even though it con-
Mich.  The two nephews of H. Danhof convinced the cerned their own membership !
Christian Reformed Churches that they had a change                     6. What difficulties arose in connection with the
of heart, penitently returned to those Churches and instruction at the Theological School?
were received by them as true penitents. They occupy                   At a meeting of the Combined Consistories it was
positions as ministers of the Word of God in those decided to begin with the instruction of prospective
churches.                                                          ministers at once. The school was to be opened with
    3. What was the occasion of their separationlfrom              the Revs. H. Danhof, H. Hoeksema and G. M. Ophoff as
the Protesting Churches?                                           instructors. It was also decided that Rev. H. Danhof
    History shows clearly, that from the very begin- should teach Dogmatics, Sacred History and  Sym-
ning of the history of the Protesting Churches the bolics ; Rev. H. Hoeksema should take ' care of the
Danhofs were striving to realize their own personal courses in Greek, Dutch and N. T. Exegesis; while
ambition rather than to labor for the maintenance and Rev. G. M. Ophoff was to take Hebrew, English and
spread of the truth and for the cause of the Protesting 0. T. Exegesis as his branches. However, from the
Churches. As an inevitable result there developed on very first day of school the Rev. H. Danhof, who even
their part a spirit of petty jealousy, suspicion, partisan- at that early period was hardly in a proper mood to
ship and hatred, that made it extremely unpleasant to co-operate, disregarded this decision of the Combined
co-labor with them and scan proved all co-operation Consistories. Without consulting the other two mem-
impossible. The Protesting Churches passed through bers of the faculty he explained to the students what
a period of internal strife and trouble that may well he. regarded `a proper seminary course for them and
be called the most miserable of their history. Even to taught whatever subjects he pleased, such as Homile-
write about this period is repulsive.                But also this tics, Encyclopedia, Philosophy, etc. It must also be
page of the history of our Churches must be preserved mentioned in this connection that as early as June
and necessarily be included in this Catechism, espe- 1925, at a meeting of the three instructors held in the
cially in view of the fact that the Rev. H. Danhof in a afternoon of the first day of school, the Rev. H. Danhof
historical review that appeared in the Weekly Bulletin threatened to resign as instructor if he in a certain
of his Church shamefully distorted the facts. For a matter he could not get his way.
full statement of the facts of this period we may refer                7. What ditllculty  arose with respect to the tem-
to a pamphlet written by Mr. C. Lemmers and Mr. E. porary organization of the different Churches, pending
Brondyk.  *)                                                        their appeal to the Synod of  1926?
     4. What was one of the earliest manifestations of                 At the very beginning of our history a committee
this spirit of partisanship and personal ambition?                  had been appointed at a meeting of the diffierent  con-
     At one of the first meetings of the Combined Con- sistories to consider the question of possible co-opera-
&tories  R,ev. H. Danhof and B. J. Danhof strongly tion between the different churches, as long as their
insisted that R. Danhof should be ordained as minister appeal to Synod was pending. The committee consisted
of the Word of God, even though he had not as yet of seven members, the three pastors and four elders,
received a call. And nothing seemed to be able to con- two of Eastern Ave., and two of Kalamazoo. Rev. H.
vince them that this was wholly contrary to the Lord's Danhof was strongly in favor of the immediate organ-
way and the Reformed Church Order. As a com- ization of a classis, but he met with opposition espe-
promise it was decided that R. Danhof as our candi- cially from the members of Eastern Ave. His behaviour
                                                                                Y


                                                   *HE   STANDARD   B E A R E R
                                             -                         _.-.                     .._.                     .I___
          and language, however, evinced such an evil spirit and honorable body to investigate this matter and to take
          left such a bad impression, that especially the Eastern action accordingly.
'         Ave. members of the committee were  filled with appre-          "7)    It is our firm conviction that unless drastic
          hension for the future and feared that any form of co- action is taken in this matter, our cause, speaking from
          operation with Rev. H. Danhof would be undesirable. a human standpoint, will suffer loss, and  -God's name
          Under this apprehension they traveled to Kalamazoo will be blasphemed for our sakes.
          the following morning to have an informal discussion            "3)    This must not be taken as if this springs from
          about the matter with the members from Kalamazoo. antipathy or other unworthy motives, neither is it our
          The final result was that the committee advised a intent to tear apart, but it is our sincere wish and
          temporary form of organization under the  AcE of prayer to save, and that the disharmony may be re-
          Agreement.                                                  moved and may make place for peace, mutual love and
             8. When did matters first begin to come to a head? fellowship, and unity in Christ Jesus our Lord and
             In May, 1926.                                             Master, and that His kingdom may come also through
             9. What occurred at that time?                           our instrumentality and God may be glorified."
             First of all, witnesses informed the Rev. II. Hoek-          It now became gradually evident to Rev. H.  Hoek-
          sema, that at a gathering at the home of a certain sema, who had not been aware of any trouble or dis-
          H. P. in Grand Rapids, Mich., the Rev. B. J. Danhof, harmony among the students up to that time, that a
          who was at that time minister of the Hull Church and plot was being formed and that the motives behind
          who was in Grand Rapids to attend the meeting of the this document `were, indeed, the very opposite from
          Combined Consistories, had literally raved against the those alleged in par. 3). Especially in the light of
          Consistory of Eastern Ave., its pastor, and the cause what the Rev. B. J. Danhof had expressed at the home
          of the Protesting Churches in general. His language of H. P., namely, that "the West" was about to separate
          and behaviour was as offensive as it was amazing to from the Prot. Churches, the purpose and motives be-
          the witnesses that were present. He appeared to be hind the conspiracy were transparent. It was time
          full of hatred and envy.                                     that drastic action be taken if the cause of God were
             10. What happened next?                                   not  tq be surrendered to the destructive influence of an
             Two students tried to secure the signature of all evil spirit.
          the other students to the following document:                   11. What action did Rev. Hoeksema take?
             "The Curatorium of the Theological Seminary of            . On Monday, May 3 (the matter of the document
                    the Prot. Chr. Ref. Church.                        had become known to him on Saturday) he had school.
                                                                       He then discovered that a certain student Mellema was
             "Brethren :                                               the author of the document. Rev. Hoeksema gave him
             "We the undersigned, students of the above men- time to write down what he knew about the matter and
          tioned institution deem it necessary to bring the fol- to apologize for his evil work. He failed to prove any
          lowing to the attention of your honourable body.             of his accusations, in fact, he knew nothing about the
             "1)      It is clearly noticeable that there is a division matters alleged in the protest; he refused to apologize
          among the student body, which should not be.                 and he was expelled from the classes of Rev. Roeksema
             "2)      Towards late the situation has become so in- until he should repent. -                .._
          tense, that it is unbearable unless something is being          12. What else did the Rev. Hoeksema do?
          done.                                                           He requested that the Combined Consistories,
             "3)      The causes for this situation are primarily not which met the following day in Kalamazoo, investigate
          to be found among the student body proper but must the matter. This was granted and a committee was
          be sought elsewhere.                                         appointed for this purpose. This committee reported:
             "4) Causes :
             "a) Disharmony among our faculty members,                    a. That not one of the students was able to men-
          namely, Revs. Hoeksema and Ophoff on the one hand, tion any facts to substantiate and prove the statements
          and Rev. Danhof on the other.                                made in the document.
             "b)      From all evidence it is apparent that Rev.          b. That students Mellema and Kuivenhoven, the
          Hoeksema and Rev. Ophoff do not give impartial treat- former from the West, the latter from Kalamazoo,
          ment to all the students alike.                              were the instigators of the plot. The committee ad-
             " (1) Rev. Ophoff shows partiality in class.              vised that they be expelled from school immediately.
             " (2)     Rev. Hoeksema seems to have a few pets             c. That the Rev. B. J. Danhof had evidently ad-
                                                                       vised the plotting students and had even pressed one
          whom he favors in order to gain his own ends.
             "5)      Unless counter action is taken, before long we of the students, A. De Vries, to sign the document.
          will have an autocracy established in our own circles,          13.  What was the further development of this
          which cannot but be destructive for our cause and matter?
          should not be tolerated.                                        The matter of the expulsion of students Mellema
             "6) We therefore wish to conclude urging your and Kuivenhoven had been referred to the faculty. At
     I                                                 I


                                          THE   STANDARD   BEARER
      .--IL--  -'  '-  -    -_I..^_"                                                     .,,_^                     i63
                                                                     -~--_.__
      a meeting of this body soon after the May-meeting of to investigate and to report at the next meeting of the
      the Combined Consistories, Rev.  H.  Da&f  attempted Consistories.
      to defend and maintain the two guilty students and to        15. What happened the evening before the meet-
      prevent their expulsion from school, while the- Revs. ing of the Combined Consistories in August,  1926?
      Hoeksema and Ophoff insisted that they should be  re-        A combined meeting of the faculty and the  curate-
     moved from our institution. Besides, the entire atti- rium of the Theological School was held. At this meet-
      tude of Rev. H. Danhof was hostile and suspicious. ing a very good spirit appeared to prevail. All the real
      The Rev. Hoeksema begged him to reveal what he had and imaginary difllculties  were discussed and removed,
      on his mind, if anything at all; asked him if he knew and complete harmony seemed to be restored. Rev. G.
      of any wrong he, Rev. Hoeksema, had done to him ; M. Ophoff withdrew his resignation. Student Mellema
      and offered to apologize if this should prove to be the appeared at this meeting and confessed that his protest
      case. However, the Rev. H. Danhof knew of nothing had been nothing but a concoction of lies and expressed
      and said nothing. Only, he continued in his attitude that he repented of his evil work. Rev. H. Danhof
      of hostility and as the three pastors went home to- composed a report of the schoolwork during the past
      gether he finally expressed what had been felt for a year, in which he stated that all the dilliculties were
      long time: "I don't trust you anyway." The Rev. H. removed and expressed his confidence for the future
     `- Hoeksema then felt that it was psychologically im-, under the blessing of God. All felt relieved and happy.
      possible to co-labor with Rev. Danhof under such con- Alas, this joy was but of short duration and was to
      ditions and he withdrew himself from school. His suffer shipwreck upon the rock of the personal Danhof-
      resignation was sent to the Curatorium of the school, interests. the following day.
      to take immediate effect. Soon after Rev. G. M. Ophoff       16. What happened on-the afternoon of that fol-
      resigned also.        However, later in the summer Rev. lowing day?
      Hoeksema decided to make one more attempt at healing         The Combined  Con&tories appointed a committee
      the breach. He went to the home of Rev. H. Danhof to take cognizance of all the matters that appeared on
      and tried to persuade the Rev. Danhof of h.is wrong.. the program of the meeting and to arrange them in
      The latter finally retracted his statement of distrust order. All the pastors and some of the elders were
      and the Rev. Hoeksema withdrew his resignation.           members of this committee. At this committee-meeting
            14. What other matter had developed in the mean- also the report' of the committee that had been ap-
      time ?                                                    pointed to investigate the R. Danhof-E-case was read.
            At the May-meeting of the Combined. Consistories, The report was mild and favorable to R. Danhof-as was
      R. Danhof had to be re-appointed for a year to serve possible under the circumstances. The committee ex-
      the Churches in general. Objections were raised to pressed, that although they could not exonerate R.
      this re-appointment by the Consistory of Eastern Ave. Danhof in the matter of his alleged  theatre-attend-
      and by the Consistory of Waupun. R. Danhof was ante, they did not consider the accusation proven. How-
      accused of repeated lying. Besides, in Grand Rapids a ever, they had found him guilty of lying. And they
      rumour  l&d spread that he had attended theatres.         advised that R. Danhof be requested to clear up this
            The "theatre-case" developed as follows. Two young matter of lying with the Consistory of Eastern Ave.,
      men, members of Eastern Ave., informed Rev. Hoek-         that had jurisdiction over him. As soon --as he had
      sema that R. Danhof had been seen by them to attend given satisfaction to this Consistory, the committee
      the theatre. The pastor urged upon the informants not advised, he might receive his re-appointment.
      to spread this information, but rather to speak to R.        17. What was the effect of the reading of this
      Danhof about the matter. However, others also ap- report?
      peared to know about the matter and the  rumour              A sudden and very marked change in the attitude
      spread. The Consistory of Eastern Ave., without ac- of Revs. H. Danhof and B. J. Danhof. All their good
      cusing R. Danhof in this matter, was of the opinion will disappeared suddenly and all their bitterness and
      that a preacher of the Word must be blameless and of
8                                                               hostility returned in a flash. They plainly revealed at
      good reputation. Hence, they asked his co-operation this time that they would fight for a Danhof first and
      to clear up the matter and promised that they would last, and regardless of the evident truth. And they
      publish a statement in the Church bulletin exonerating also plainly revealed that they would not hesitate to
      him if possible. R. Danhof, however, revealed himself forsake and destroy the cause of the Churches for their
      as very unwilling to co-operate with the Consistory in personal ambitions. Practically all that were present
      this matter. Besides, in the development of this case at this meeting will testify that this is the only possible
      it was proven that he lied deliberately. The Consistory explanation of their actions.
      of Eastern Ave. felt that under the circumstances he         18. How did this evil attitude first show itself?
      could not be permitted to preach the Word of God in          At the meeting of the Combined Consistories in the
      our Churches and requested the Combined Con&tories        evening of the same day Rev. H. Danhof read his favor-
      to investigate this matter before deciding to re-appoint able report of the Theological School, in which he
      him. This was decided and a committee was appointed stated that all the dilliculties  were removed and ex-

                                                        ,


164                                                   - T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
          .._ _.. - ..-........  ".-^.._--^-  ..--         __- -__-..__  -_-__1 -           -                   -_-
pressed the confidence of the Faculty that the blessing were present. They waited for some time. Rev. Hoek-
of the Lord might be expected in the future, which re- sema expressed his opinion that it was useless to meet,
port he himself had composed  ; and immediately upon seeing there was not even a quorum. H. Danhof, how-
the reading of the report he informed the meeting that ever, insisted that it was very important to have a
he resigned as instructor of the Theological School!                                 meeting and assured Rev. Hoeksema that Mr. Van
       19. What else took place?                                                     Beek would surely come from Kalamazoo, for he,  Dan-
       Revs. H. Danhof and B. J. Danhof had taken the hof, had promised to inform him per telegram if the
position that R. Danhof could not properly be requested meeting was not to be held. After some more waiting
to make his confession of lying before the Consistory the Revs. B. J. Danhof and G. M. Ophoff arrived and
that had jurisdiction over him. They tried to defend the meeting was held. This meeting could hardly have
the position `that if a confession was in order, it had to lasted longer than one minute. After it was opened
be made before the Combined  Cons&tories.  Their argu- Rev. H. Danhof immediately resigned as editor and at
ments were, that R. Danhof was the servant of all the once Rev. B. J. Danhof followed suit. After this the
Churches and that the matter concerning him had been meeting was adjourned.
referred by the Consistory of Eastern Ave. to the Com-                                                                                      Ii H.
bined Consistories. Both these arguments were very
evidentIy  faise. As to the first, it is true, that R. Dan-                            * ) Danhof's Leugens  en Kerkelijke Scheurmakerij, etc.
hof was appointed to serve the Churches in general.
Hence, by the Combined Consistories he had to be re-
appointed. But this did not alter the fact, that disci-
pline over him could be exercised only by the  Con-
sistory that had jurisdiction over him and that the                                                        THE DREAM CITY
matter between that Consistory and him could not be
settled by a confession before the Combined Consisto-                                       There's a city that hath no need of light
ries. And as to the second argument, it is not true,                                             Of the moon, or the stars or sun ;
that the Consistory of Eastern Ave. had referred the                                        There is no noon, neither is there night,
matter to the Combined Consistories, as far as disci-                                            For the day and night are one.
pline was concerned. How could it possibly have done                                        There is no sin there, neither pain or care,
this according to any sound rule of Church-polity? It                                            Toil or sorrow, death or decay;
merely had brought these matters to the attention of                                        Everlasting beauty abideth there,
the Combined Consistories as an objection against the                                            That shall never pass away.
re-appointment  of R. Danhof. However, both H.  Dan-
hof and B. J. Danhd fought for hours to defend their                                        I have dreamed of that city I shall see
position. They failed, however, to convince the Com-                                             When the mists  rolI in splendor away
bined Consistories and the advice of the committee was                                      And morning dawns; a.s it will for me
accepted.                                                                                        At the close of life's brief day.
       20. What else was decided at this August-meeting                                     Of its jasper walls and its pearly gates,            .
of the Combined Consistories?                                                                    Of its streets- of bright shining gold,
       It was decided not to accept the resignation of Rev.                                 And the home therein which for me awaits
IL Danhof as instructor at our Theological School, but                                           When the portals bright unfold.
to appoint the Curatorium to speak with him concern-
ing this matter and try to persuade him to withdraw
his resignation. In this the Curatorium failed.                                             I have thought I could hear the angels sing
   21. Did not the August-meeting of the Consisto-                                               As, unnumbered, they stood `round the throne
ries take steps toward permanent organization?                                              On which One sat whom they crowned their King,
   Yes ; an overture of the Consistory of Kalamazoo                                              And I knew Him - Christ, my own !
was accepted to proceed to permanent organization. A                                        As  He, looked at me  1 beheld Him smile,
committee was appointed to consider this matter and                                              And His tender voice I could hear          .
report at the next meeting which was to be held in                                          Saying: "Tarry yet but a little while,
November, 1926.                                                                                  For the morning draweth near."
   22. What happened on the morning after the
August-meeting of the Combined Consistories?                                                              Swing, ye golden gates,
   A meeting was scheduled of the editorial staff of                                                      For a pilgrim waits
the Standard Bearer., The staff at this time consisted                                                    At your portals fair.
of the Revs. H. Danhof, B. J. Danhof, H. Hoeksema, G.                                                     For an entrance there;
M. Ophoff and Mr, G. Van Beek of KaIamazoo,  Mich.                                                        Let the glad song ring,
The time for this meeting was nine o'clock. At the                                                        As the ransomed sing:
appointed time only Revs. H. Danhof and  H. Hoeksema                                                   "Hallelujah ! welcome Home."

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166                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                       ---...--"^                            _.-~           _....                                     ---____
en ons. Dan is zijne strieming niet onze genezing en
is zijn bloed niet de prijs, die betalen kan voor onze                   The Final Period of Prophesy
schuld. Want gelijk een oliedrop op het water drijft                  To be of service to the church of this final period,
zonder zich met het water te vermengen, zoo zou ook the four great and the sixteen minor prophets were
de  Christus  temidden van de zondaren, drijven, zonder raised up by the Lord. This period begins with the
dat Ben druppel bloed aan Hem en ons gemeen zou zijn. death of Elisha and it ends with the advent of Christ.
Neen, maar de Gereformeerde belijdenis daarentegen Consider what the Lord was about to do, namely, loose
handhaaft in niet te scherpe woorden, dat  Christus  de His church from the typical-symbolical apparatus with
door zonde ontluisterde, verzwakte, verderfelijke,  ster- which it was connected and that for the purpose of
felijke, en van  alle oorspronkelijke heerlijkheid  be- constructing a new cycle of types that "would fore-
roofde natuur, aannam, en dat we1 uit de maagd Maria, shadow the great events of the gospel period - the
doch zonder zonde. Zoodat de overschaduwing des H. period beginning with the advent of Christ and ending
Gee&as,  over Maria een tweeerlei  vrucht afwierp. Ten with His second coming.
eerste, dat zij bevrucht werd (niet dus door den wil
des mans) en ten tweede, dat de overgang  der zonde                   Any one acquainted with the history of Israel of
uit Maria op de vrucht haars  schoots  voorkomen werd. the aforesaid period knows that the Lord actually did
Daarom is Hij ons in alles gelijk geworden, maar uit- destroy the typical mould in which the Old Testament
genomen de zonde.                                                  church in the period preceding the  e-xile had projected
       Daarom hebben we ook dit artikel vast te houden its life. Consider ,the following.
en met innerlijke zielsontroering te belijden en  harte-              The temple was build and the walls of Jerusalem
lijk te gelooven. Want Christus, zooveel het vleesch repaired. But this second temple was so far inferior
aangaat, is uit Maria geboren. Hetzelfde bloed dat de to the first, that those who had known it wept at the
maagd Maria in haar aderen droeg, werd ook gedragen sight of the building that was rising. In the holiest of
door Jezus. En dat bloed is weer dezelfde bloedstroom all of the second temple there rested no ark. This
die in het gansche menschelijk geslacht van Adam af piece of furniture had been lost, destroyed, so that God
gestroomd heeft. Daarom wil dit artikel er allen na, could no longer be thought of as dwelling in the holiest
druk op leggen, dat Maria een afstammeling van David as in days gone by.
is, en door David van Abraham, en door Abraham van                    Israel lost its country and that permanently. Canaan
Noach,  en door  Noach van dienzelfden Adam was, die remained the possession of foreign powers. Except for
ook onze natuur droeg, met ons vleesch en bloed. Om a brief period, Israel never again regained its national
daardoor de heerlijke troost ons te geven dat  once                independence.
natuur  ligt nu in  Christus vereenigd met den God des                The typical king had likewise disappeared. Hence-
levens.      Er  Iigt dus een doorloopende gemeenschap forth Israel was to be governed by vicegerents repie-
tusschen den Christus  en ons den Heilige en den on- senting the foreign power. True it is that the return-
heilige, het `Hoofd en het lichaam. Alzoo "dat Hij in ing remnant rebuilds the temple, mends the breaches
der waarheid Once Imma-uel  is, dat is, God met ons." of Jerusalem's walls, and  iestores  its temple worship.
                                                                   Jehovah permits His people to retain these remnants.
                                               L. Vermeer          The change would have been too violent had all been
                                                                   swept away. What is more, He who was to fulfill all
                                                                   righteousness was still to make His appearance.
                                                                      Nevertheless, much of the typical had disappeared.
                                                                   And this for a reason: The church must begin to under-
                                                                   stand that Canaan, the Israelitish nation together with
        Meek Jesus, to my soul Thy spirit lending,                 its institutions are but shadows, and that the fulfilment
           Teach me to live, like Thee, in IowIy love,             of the promise is still a matter of the future.          '
       With humblest service all Thy saints befriending               The Lord not merely destroyed the old but also by
           Until I serve before Thy throne above.                  a series of events brought into prominence certain vital
                                                                   features of the divine scheme of redemption now em-
       Yea, serving even my foes ; for Thou didst seek             phasized for the first time. Babylonia, to which Judah
        The feet of Judas in thy service meek.                     was exiled, is now the type of the world out of which
                                                                   in the period of the gospel the exalted Christ will draw
        0 blessed name of servant! comprehending                   unto Himself His people. Canaan remains the type of
           Man's highest honor in. his humblest name ;        *    heaven. And the return of the remnant typifies the
                                                                   calling of the elect from the four corners of the earth.
        For Thou; God's Christ, the office recommending,              The bringing up of Israel out of Egypt had taken
           The throne of mighty power didst truly claim.           place through the immediate spoliation of the Egyptian
        He who would rise like Thee, like Thee must owe nation. The Persian kings, on the other hand, were
        His glory only to his stooping low.                        made to let Israel depart peaceably. This latter deliver-

                                                                                                               -._  __--_-~---  ..l... .~"._.


                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                    167
                                                                                                                   _---.-
ante did not take place through the immediate destruc-     tained with all the holy vigor and zeal at their com-
tion of the conqueror. The reason is that the event mand that contrary to appearance, Israel has a future.
foreshadowed - the effectual calling of the gentiles -- How eloquent they would wax when dwelling upon this
is a work to be followed by the final judgment of the future. And in what glowing terms .they depicted it.
world.                                                     The entire divine program was made to rise before
    Israel returned from exile purged. Its pious spirit their eye. Their discourses `extend to the end of time.
was seen in that strict adhesion to the law of Jehovah, One of their.number even stood in the very shadow of
in the will to build the temple and repair the walls the cross.          The truth structure reared by Isaiah is
under most trying  circumstandes,  in the unwillingness complete. How profound his insight into God's method
to amalgamate with the inhabitants of the land, in the of redemption ! Of all the prophets he alone declared,
implicit faith in Jehovah. But it was not all gold that "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was
glittered.                                                 bruised for our iniquities . . .  " Especially because
    This destructive process had been going on long Isaiah and Dame1  spake, the book of the New Testa-
before this. For Israel, the church, had to be- trained ment is but an infallibly inspired commentary on the
to Christ and taught to live by the promise. The con- book of the Old.
struction and subsequent destruction of the type was          So did they jointly speak the word that was needed ;
simply God's method for directing the gaze of His advise, rebuke, warn, instruct, encourage and comfort
people to the future. Never before, however, had so as occasion required. And the word they jointly left
much of the  typical  fallen away as a result of the was the staff of life to the church in that dark period
Lord's doings as in the period beginning with the exile. when the voice of prophesy was mute.
    Enough has not been-said, however. The remnant                                                            G. M. 0.
returned from the exile with the thought embedded in
their souls that they returned to a permanent rest,
that the glorious future of which especially Isaiah had
spoken was now at hand, that the light would now come
that the glory of the Lord would now rise upon  His                        Our Church Order
people, that the gentiles were now about to come to the
light and kings to the brightness of his (Israel's)                                 ARTICLE  6
rising.    The church, however, was again due for an-           No Minister shall be at liberty to serve in institutions
other great disappointment. For Israel would again be         of mercy or otherwise, unless he is previously  admitted
made to pass through the water and through the rivers         in accordance with the preceding articles, and he shall,
and would again soon be walking through the fire of a         no less than others, be subject to the Church Order.
fierce affliction. Such were to be the ways of the Lord      What we deal with here is a revision by the  Chris-
with His people. It is evident that we have to do here tian Reformed churches. The original article reads:
with a divine program that called for a peculiar "No minister shall be at liberty to accept a service in
prophetic action - an action that would differ some- any particular manor or hospital . . . . "
what from  that of the preceding periods.                    So, then, the original reading makes mention of
   To begin with the exile could not be  permitted to ?na,%or. A manor was a district over which a feudal                          -
overtake the church unannounced. Further, the  re- lord held authority and subject to the jurisdiction of
moval of so much that was typical created a need for a his court-baron. The word manor  as appearing in the
most emphatic reiteration and exposition of the  prom- original article suggests the reason for the ruling with
ises of God. Had this need not been met, the church, which we now have to do. In that first period of Re-
humanly speaking, would have been perplexed, con- formed Protestantism feudal lords would on their own
founded, and driven to desperation by the Lord's do- initiative select and appoint persons to minister to the
ings. Without some additional light, the church would spiritual needs of their servants and tenents. Prins
have concluded that its hour had struck, that it had Willem  I set the precedent when he appointed his own
been cast off by its God. The Lord, therefore, raised court-chaplain.  This action of the Prins made it  neces-
up prophets to speak the word that His people as a sary for the churches to rule respecting the ecclesi-
result of His doings would need to hear. There were astical status of the court-chaplain and of persons  per-
in all sixteen such prophets. Their may have  been~ forming a like service in manors, hospitals, orphan
others whose discourses have not come down to us. asylums and like institutions. The ruling of the Synod
The sixteen - four great and twelve minor prophets - of Dordrecht, 1578, is interesting: "Those who min-
comprise a class by themselves. What distinguishes ister the Word at the court of rulers or in the palaces
them from .the prophets of the preceding epochs is that of other lords shall be fairly and legally called as the
they, from the very nature of things, deal much with others, subscribe to the Church Order and confession,
the future, spake of what the Lord would do in the and appoint the ablest of the court-personnel to the
last days, of the character of the history He would office of elder and deacon." This Synod was plainly
make. They spake much of the promises and main- addicted to the view that such a personnel (the  aggre-


168                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                           ~-I__~_."..._.                  - -                    ..-  ^  ..-.......-
gate of persons employed including the ruler or lord sired. This is the same as saying that such a board of
and his familyj should form a distinct  church.or broth- directors or baron or ruler may engage the services of
erhood."                                                       an ordained minister of the gospel only. This is also
   No principle objection can be raised against a royal the meaning of the article as revised by the Christian
family and its personnel organizing to exist as a dis- Reformed churches : "No minister shall be at liberty
stinct  brotherhood or church. It might and may even to serve `in institutions of mercy or otherwise, unless
today be necessary if the personnel is large. However,         he be previously admitted in accordance with the pre-
the manner in which such a group in the period under ceding articles, and he shall, no less than others, be
consideration was permitted to organize was faulty. subject to the Church Order." In a note the reviser
The procedure was as follows: Before the group prop- of the article in question add: *`Spiritual advisors for
erly organized the ruler and lord would elect the per- institutions shall be called by a neighboring church in
son desired to be vested with the office ; the person consultation with the respective boards." The reading
selected would thereupon be examined and ordained by of this note is unmistakably clear. The readings of this
the neighboring churches. The ordained one would revised rulings and of the ruling of the National Synod
thereupon appoint the ablest of the court-personnel to of The Hague are not unmistakably clear.                                These
the offices of elder and of deacon. The procedure is in rulings do not state whether the consistory from which
conflict with the principles of church government com- the calling proceeds must be the consistory of the
ing to the surface in Art. 4 of the Church Order. Ac- neighboring church or of the newly organized per-
cording to these articles the consistory and the deacons sonnel of the manor or institution.
elect for the oflice  of minister of the.gospel.    A group        But the above-cited note is clear on this matter.
of believers therefore must first organize before it calls In distinction from the articles to which it is attached
to the aforesaid office. This it does by electing elders it unequivocally asserts that the calling (including the
and deacons.                                                   election) shall proceed from the neighboring  consis-
   As to the ruling of the Synod of Dordrecht, 15'78, it tory. However the note leaves unanswered the ques-
was adopted and enlarged by the Synod of Middelburg, tion whether or no the inmates of an institution of
1581. The enlargement or addition reads: "And re- mercy (to confine ourselves to this) as administered to
specting those who serve in hospitals and orphan by the @iritual / advisor constitutes an independent,
asylums, these also shall be subject to the church ordi- aui;pnomous  congregation. The fact, however, that in
nances."                                                       ,+the note the person appointed to the aforesaid service
   The following synods seemed to have repudiated the _ is called "spiritual advisor." instead of pastor, would
view that such  a  court-, hospital- and asylum-church seem to indicate that the group of inmates do not com-
can constitute an independent, autonomous church next prise an autonomous brotherhood.
to and over against the other churches comprising the
denomination. The evidence of this is that none of these                                                                 G. M. 0.
following synods ruled that the person selected as chap-
lain at a court or in an asylum "shall appoint the ablest
of the personnel served to the offices of. elder and of
d e a c o n . "                                                                   REBUKE OF INFIDELS
   The aforesaid rulings differ from the ruling of                  The solemn mountain lifts its head, the Almighty
Dordrecht, 1576, in still another `respect. This last
named synod failed to stipulate who should call the                               to proclaim,
court-pastor, the lord or ruler or the neighboring con-             The  brooklet  from its crystal bed doth leap to
gregation. According to the practice in that period,                              greet His name ;
the lord or baron. elected and the churches examined                High swells the deep and fitful sea upon its
and ordained. However, the National Synod in The                             billowy track,
Hague stipulated "dat niemand zulk een dienst  aanne-               And red  Vesuvius  opens its mouth to hurl the
men zou tenzij hij voorheen geadmitteerd en toegela-
ten was volgens de voorgaande artikelen (art. 4)  ."                         falsehood back.
These previous articles require that the call proceeds
from the consistory. It is pretty certain (yet not so               "NO God!" With indignation high, yon fervent
sure) that the meaning of this ruling is that the calling                    sun is stirr'd,
proceeds from the consistory of the neighboring con-                And the pale moon turns paler still, at such an
gregation. Now according to the Church Order, the law-                       impious word ;
ful calling is comprised of four distinct actions: elec-
tion, examination, approbation, and ordination. What                And from their thrones in heaven the stars look
this last-cited ruling asserts therefore is that not the                     down with angry eye,
lord or board of directors but that the consistory of              That man, a worm of dust, should mock eternal
the neighboring congregation shall  &ct the person  de-                      majesty.


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                                                                                      Righteous and  z&eked are terms that express  what
            M E D I T A T I O N                                                  men are in their relation to the RIGHTEOUS. For,
                                                                                 God is righteous, absolutely righteous, uncomprom-
                                                                                 isingly righteous. He is very righteousness. For, He
           The Hope Of the Righteous                                             is good and there is no evil in Him. He is a light and
                                                                                 there is no darkness in Him. And all His willing and
                              G l a d n e s s                                    thinking are unchangeably in perfect harmony with
                                                                                 His adorably perfect Being. He is His own Criterion.
                           The hope of the righteous shall be glad-              And that Criterion is perfect Goodness. He wills Him-
                         ness, but the expectation of the wicked shall
                        perish.                                                  self. He seeks Himself. He finds Himself. He delights
                                                           Prov. 10:28.          Himself. He loves Himself. And this willing of Him-
                                                                                 self as the highest, as the only Good, is God's perfect
    The righteous and the wicked !                                               righteousness ! And this perfect righteousness is the
    Deeply cutting antithesis, dividing men of the same standard of judgment He applies to His moral
 human race, made of one blood and having all earthly creatures.                                   And according to that standard of judg-
 things in common!                                                               ment they are either righteous or wicked !
    Causing a separation by a principle of division so                                The righteous is right with God!
 severe and so fundamental that no earthly relation,                                  The wicked is perverse with relation to God!
 however intimate, is able to bridge the chasm `and                                   Righteous is he, who by grace was set right with
 effect reconciliation . . . .                                                   respect to the Righteous, so that he loves Him and
    Apply other criteria, classify men according to seeks Him and wills Him with all his heart and mind-
 whatever different standard. of judgment you will, and and soul and strength. It is not he, who in the estima-
 always there are underlying elements they have in tion of men is good and brave and unselfish and noble,
 common, uniting them into one family. Classify them for whom men raise monuments of glory, but he whom
 as white and black, as yellow and red and you merely God judges to be in harmony with Himself. It is he
scan the surface  ;' under that surface you will discover that is an enemy of sin and of the unfruitful works of
 a common nature with common characteristics, com- darkness, that stands opposed to iniquity; that, finding
 mon thoughts and desires, common ideals and aspira- this power and guilt of sin within himself, is filled with
 tions, common hopes and disappointments, common sorrow after God, repents, humbles himself, cannot
 joys and sorrows. Divide them into rich and poor, rest until he has found forgiveness with the Most
 capitalists and laborers, strong and weak, great and High; that, thus repenting, found the Righteous in the
 common, noble and ignoble, altruists and egoists, relig- face of Jesus Christ, was justified in His blood, found
 ious and irreligious, - and always they will find com- assurance of forgiving grace; that, being justified by
 mon ground on which they seek one another and have grace freely, finds an inner delight in the law of God, a
 fellowship with one another . . . .                                             great joy in the keeping of His Word and a growing
    But say: "the righteous and the wicked" and the hatred of. sin and all corruption; that, having this
 dividing knife cuts through the tenderest ties, through inner delight in the precepts of his God and finding an-
 the very roots of human life, leaving a breach that other law in his members that wars against the law of
 cannot be healed !                                                              his mind, so that he does what he would not and would
    For, ultimately, the principle of division applied in not what he does, longs for the day of perfect deliver-
 this classification is GOD, the living God!                                    ance, when the body of this death shall be no longer a


170                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
-      -                             - -                 _....                                                       -.-__ll
burden for him to bear and he shall be like Him, Whom it; it drives him forward with a force irresistible; it
he love, and dwell in the fellowship of His eternal urges him to look towards the future; he lives in con-
tabernacle in perfection !                                        stant expectation . . . .
     The wicked is not so . . . .                                    But the expectation of the wicked, from its sub-
     In his inmost being he is not right with God !               jective side is natural, earthly, worldly; it is an ex-
     He may be brave and noble, he may divide his goods pectation of the natural heart; and, as to its object, it
among the poor, he may be very "religious" in his way, is limited to the things of the world, of time.
making himself a god after the imagination of his                    It is an expectation that is motivated by the lust of
own wicked heart, but ,God  who is really GOD, right- the flesh, by the lust of the eyes, by the pride of life.
eous and holy, the absolute Sovereign, Who alone has For, such is all that is in the world. And all according
authority to approach him with His unchangeable de- to his individual character the expectation of the
mand  ; "Thou shalt love Me !",  - that God he does wicked clings to one object or another, yet, always the
neither will' nor love; with relation to that. God he object lies within the scope of this world, apart from
stands perverse. He is un-Godly !                                 God, divorced from eternity. It never is sufficiently
     And, being perverse with respect to the Righteous, powerful and comprehensive -to include death and the
he hates righteousness and loves iniquity. He is satis- things that are beyond. Always just on this side of
fied with his own sin. Though he may evince a sorrow death, always within the scope of time and of the
of the world, though the wages of sin may be too hard world, lies the object of his expectation. The man of                     -
for him to bear, too bitter to his taste the fruit of pleasure looks forward to more pleasure ; the man of
iniquity, yet, he is a stranger to the sorrow after God. money to more money; the man of business to greater
He does not repent. He will not humble himself. And, and better business; the man of influence to more
pursuing the way of impenitence and the pride of his power; the man of self-ambition to greater glory; the
heart, he does neither  find nor seek God in the revela- child to adolescence, the youth to manhood, the man
tion of Jesus. The Word of the Cross is foolishness to to old age, the old man counts his years, and as the
him . . . .                                                       years pass his days, and as the days fly by the hours,
       He will not do the will of Him that sent His Son always living in expectation and always placing the
into the world, that raised up Jesus from the dead !              object of his expectation in the world, just on this
       And he walks in darkness.                                  side of that last fatal second that will shut off his
       The Word of God has no delight for him. For with fleeting breath . . . .
all his worldly wisdom and nobility and charity he                   Of that last second he hates to think. The dark-
loves himself and is an enemy of God,                             ness of death he will not and cannot include in the ob-
       He walks in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the jects of his expectation . . . .
eyes and the pride of life.                                          Rather will he, foolishly say to his house: thou
       He loves the world. The love of the Father is not shalt stand .for aye !
in him.                                                              All because it is the expectation of the wicked, of
       His mind is enmity against God!                            him that stands perverse with relation to the Right-
       Righteous and wicked; men according to their re- eous.
lation to God!                                                       How radically different is the hope of the righteous!
       Cutting antithesis !                                          It has its source, not in the natural heart, not in
                                                                  the lust-of the. flesh, or in the lust of the eyes, or in
                                                                  the pride of life, but in the principle of the new life
                                                                  unto which he is begotten again thrqugh the resurrec-
       Hope of the righteous !                                    tion of Jesus Christ from the dead. Jesus is risen!
       With its equally strong antithesis in the expecta- He entered into  then sphere of the perishing world,
tion of the wicked.                                               limited on every side by darkness and death ; but He
       For, the hope of the righteous shall be gladness, but went on and through death He arose unto life incor-
the expectation of the wicked shall perish!                       ruptible and eternal, glorious and heavenly! And the
       Indeed, strange and absurd though it may seem, righteous is begotten again through His resurrection,
even the wicked has his expectations, lives in constant received. in his inmost heart the principle of that
expectation.                                                      resurrected, that glorious and eternal life, with which
       He is a child of time and the future is in his heart. the Lord arose from the grave. And from that prin-
In the past he cannot love,' for the past is hopelessly ciple of resurrection-life arises the hope of the right-
beyond his reach. The present is but an infinitesimally eous. It is the stretching forth of that new and eternal
small point of time, constantly moving onward, never life to the final perfection with which it shall be re-
resting, never retarding its progress, nor ever increas- vealed in the day of Christ, the Lord ! . . . .
ing its speed ; never returning, always advancing,                   And as it differs from the expectation of the wicked
silently, continuously, mercilessly. And it compels man, in its subjective principle, so it differs with respect to
whether he is righteous or wicked to move along with its object!


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                             171
                               - -
    For, it is the hope of the righteous, of him that is he that covets the treasures of this world realizes his
right with *God!                                              covetousness and piles up wealth, the fruit is a greedier
   And the chief object of his longing is God ! And lust after greater wealth still. The object of his ex-
He being the highest object of the hope of the right- pectation is a phantom, appearing real, perhaps, in the
eous, his longing reaches out for that state of  final distance, but vanishing as soon as he stretches out his
perfection in which he shall be delivered from the body eager hand to appropriate it; yet always appearing
of this death, from all sin and corruption, from all again in the future, challenging and provoking pursuit
temptation and battle, and clothed with the white robe by the wicked . . . .
of righteousness and holiness and victory, to be with            Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!
God forever, to enjoy His perfect fellowship, to know            For, in the vain imagination of his wicked heart, he
Him in His heavenly revelation, to see His face, to that stands perverse in relation to God, Ioves the lie
glorify Him and praise Him for the beauty of His grace and pursues after it, the lie that the good is to be
forever and ever! His hope stretches itself in longing found apart from the Most High and in opposition to
to that perfection of all things in which He shall see Him. He strives after the things of the world; and the
his Lord, that loved him even unto death, see Him in world passeth away and the lust thereof . . . .
the full manifestation of His glory ; in which he shall          Hence, his expectation must also ultimately perish
be in the company of the perfected and glorified saints in outer darkness.
and with them, in Christ their Lord, reign as priests            There is no expectation in hell!
and kings, washed in the blood of the Lamb, in the new           In eternal darkness there is nothing to expect;
heavens and the new earth in which righteousness shall every possible object of expectation there has vanished
dwell . . . .                                                 forever. Nor is there the act of expecting. Hell is
    The inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that hopeless; and eternal present of suffering. Despair.
fadeth not away !                                             Weeping and gnashing of teeth . . . .
   The city that hath foundations, whose builder and           But the hope of the righteous shall be gladness!
artificer is God !                                               It is gladness, an overwhelming-gladness now, even
   The heavenly country!                                      in the midst of the suffering of this present time. For
   It is a hope that is not of the world, neither for the it is real. It is not based on the vain imagination of
things of the world.                                          man, but on the eternal power of God that raised up
   It is a hope that does not lie, as far as its object is    Jesus from the dead. It depends for its ultimate reali-
concerned, on this side of death and the grave !              zation, not on the ingenuity and wisdom and power of
   A hope that is strong and wide enough to include mere man, but solely on the will of Him that loved
death !                                                       them with an eternal love for His name's sake, that
   That is able to overcome death ! That is more than ordained them unto glory, that centrally realized this
victorious even over death ! That must be realized glory in the exalted Lord, that is almighty and able to
through death !                                               perform it even unto the end. The object of their hope
   Death is its servant, together with all things !           is no specter, but an eternal reality. And the begin-
   Blessed, living hope!                                      ning of its realization, the foretaste of the heavenly
                                                              joy they carry in their hearts. Their hope is gladness.
                                                              By its power they rejoice in tribulation, are patient in
                                                              suffering, despise shame and forsake the world . . . .
    Gladness is the hope of the righteous!                       And it will be gladness!
    Gladness it is even now, and gladness it shall be            For, it shall be realized through the coming of
when its perfect  fulfilment  is realized.                    Jesus Christ' in His glory. And all the joy they now
    And also in this respect the antithesis between the experience in principle, of which they possess but the
righteous and the wicked, between the hope of. the first fruits, shall then be fully realized!
former and the expectation of the latter, is c,ompIete.          Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous !
For, the expectation of the wicked shall perish, while           For, gladness is your hope !
the hope of the righteous is eternal joy!                        Joy unspeakabIe  !
    Perishing in its very nature must necessarily be the                                                       H. H.
hope of the wicked. For all that is not of God; but is
of the world, passeth away and is vainer than vanity
itself. Even in the present the expectation of the
wicked, being fastened on the world and the things that                         BEKENDMAKING
are therein as its object, is constantly perishing. When         Classis-vergadering staat, D. V., te  worden   gehou-
the lover of pleasure expects and longs for more den Woensdag, 1 Februari, 1933, om negen uur in den
pleasure, the realized expectation leaves his soul empty voormiddag te South Holland, Ill. Central Standard
and the future that becomes the present is as dis- Time.
appointing as the present that became the past. When                                         N. Vander Vennen, S. C.


 176                                             STANDARB  13EAti~k

 de goede en welbehagelijke en volmaakte wil van God
zij, Rom. 12:2; om geen ander juk aan te trekken met                          Our Church Order
den ongeloovige, want de gerechtigheid heeft geen
mededeel met de ongerechtigheid en het  licht heeft               In my previous essay attention was called to the fact
geen gemeenschap met de duisternis, Christus stemt that article 6 is not clear in that it does not state by
niet samen  met Belial en de geloovige heeft geen deel whom the minister to servo in the institution is to be
met den ongeloovige. Zij zijn de tempel des Ievenden called. Strictly speaking, all that the article requires
Gods en hebben de belofte, dat God in hen  wonen zal. is that the Spiritual Advisor to serve in institutions of
Daarom is het hunne roeping zich af te scheiden en uit mercy or otherwise be a minister of the gospel. This
het midden van hen te gaan en niet aan te raken het- is so true that the Christian Reformed Synod of 1918
geen onrein  is, II Car. 6 :14-17. Dewijl zij dan deze  be- deemed it necessary to stipulate that "Spiritual Ad-
loften  hebben, zoo is het hunne  roeping om zichzelven visors for institutions shall be called by a neighboring
te  reinigen  van alle besmetting des vleesches en des church in consultation with the respective board."
gee&es  en de heiligmaking in de vreeze Gods te volein-           To discover the meaning of this article the thing to
digen,  II Cor. 7:l. Zij moeten  afleggen aangaande de do is to face the question what its original, unmodified
vorige wandeling, den ouden mensch, die verdorven form meant to express or to stipulate. This can be
wordt door de begeerlijkheden der verleiding, en  aan- known by a study of the original in the light of the
doen den nieuwen mensch, die naar God geschapen is in circumstance from which it sprang. The article in its
ware rechtvaardigheid en heiligheid, Eph. 4:22-24 ; na- original, unmodified form reads: "Persons engaged in
volgers Gods zijn als geliefde kinderen  en in de liefde the ministry of the Word in the mansion of any ruler
wandelen, Eph. 5 :l, 2 ; als kinderen  des lichts wande-       or baron shall be properly and lawfully called as the
len, beproeven, wat den Heere welbehagelijk zij en geen others, subscribe to the Confession and the Church
gemeenschap hebben met de onvruchtbare werken der Order, and appoint the ablest of the group they serve
duisternis, Eph.  5:8-U. En dat alles, opdat zij mogen to the offices of elder and of deacon." This original
zijn onberispelijk, opreeht, kinderen  Gods, onstraffe-        plainly reflects the historical circumstance that occa-
lijk te  midden  van een  krom  en verdraaid geslacht, sioned its drafting. As my former writing on this
Phil.  2:15.  Want'  hiertoe zijn ze immers ook  uitver-       matter informed, the Prince of Orange had appointed
koren en met alle geestelijke zegening in den hemel in his own chaplain for his family and personnel. Later
Christus  gezegend, opdat zij zouden heilig en onberis-        on not only barons but boards of institutions of mercy
pelijk zijn voor Hem in de liefde, Eph. 1:3, 4.                and of hospitals followed the Prince's example. The
   Zoo legt dus de Schrift  nadruk op de noodzakelijk-`        family and personnel (the persons employed in the
heid en werkelijkheid der heiligmaking van Gods volk service of the baron, etc.) of such a lord, now supplied
in het midden der wereld. Zij zijn in beginsel  gehei-         with a minister of their own, would worship by them-
ligd, gereinigd en afgewasschen ; zij hebben reeds  uit- selves and thus set themselves off from the neighboring
gedaan den ouden mensch en aangedaan den nieuwen church as an independent religious organization. The
mensch ; zij zijn uit God geboren en met Christus ge-          result was that the Reformed churches of this early
kruisigd en vrijgemaakt van de wet der zonde en des period were facing the question what stand to take in
doods. Zij  worden  ook nog steeds versterkt door ge- respect to these court `and hospital churches. These
nade, leven alleen en voortdurend uit den Geest,  worden       early Reformed synods (the synods of Dordrecht, 1578,
geheel en al geheiligd en bewaard door God tot den dag and of Middelburg, 1581) by ruling as they did, de-
van Christus ; en God zelf volbrengt het goede werk, clared by implication that these so-called court
dat Hij in hen begonnen  is. En zij voleindigen ook zelf churches, if they wished to be recognized as congrega-
de heiligmaking in de vreeze Gods, bewaren zichzelven tions, must properly organize by placing them-
van de smetten  des vleesches en des geestes, werken selves under the care of au ordained minister of the
hunne eigene zaligheid met vreeze en beving en  strij- gospel and under the rule and care of ordained elders
den den goeden  strijd des geloofs tot `t einde toe, opdat and deacons chosen from their own number. The real
niemand hunne kroon neme. Hoe deze verschillende issue then was whether such a so-called court church
zijden van onze heiligmaking zich tot elkander verhou- that refused to properly organize by choosing itself
den, is een vraag, die we meer in het bijzonder moeten         office-bearers should be called and dealt with as an
behandelen en beantwoorden, indien nu maar eerst autonomous congregation. And the stand taken by
vaststaat, dat de Heilige  Schrift  metterdaad zoo de din- these first synods was that a court church, if it would
gen betreffende onze heiligmaking  voorstelt.                  be recognized, should properly organize. Herewith
                                                   H.  1-I.    these first two synods had by implication declared that
                                                               a lord,  etc., together with his family and personnel
                                                               had a right to organize and thus bring themselves to
                                                               the fore as an independent, autonomous congregation
         The works of man inherit, as is just,                 having independent existence over against, and along-
         Their, author's frailty, and return to dust.          side of the other churches comprising the denomina-


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                     177
                             -.....-.._.                                                                -      -
 tion. It cannot very well be denied that such a group as now construed, allowed this, the group would not be
 has this right. Whether the group should exercise under the necessity of appealing to the neighboring
 this right depends upon its size and the circumstance consistory for an ordained minister, but could itself
 wherein it finds itself.                                       call.    However that the article requires that the
     The question now is, whether the following synods Spiritual Advisor be an ordained minister of the gospel
 that ruled on the matter at hand were of the same must imply that the latter functions in the capacity of
 convictions as these first synods. As a result of the his office in respect to the group for whom he cares,
 failure of these following synods to clearly express that thus the reciprocal `relation is that of pastor and
 themselves on the matter, the question last put must sheep. But here a question arises: If the group served
 remain unanswered. It cannot be known for certain constitutes no autonomous congregation, how can the
 what stand was here taken. Joh. Jansen wrote: "Is Spiritual Advisor in respect to this group function` in
 zulk .een  hof-, gasthuis-. en weeshuiskerk  een zelfstan- the capacity of ordained minister. This, of course, is
 dige kerk naast en  tegenover de kerk of dezelfde permissibIe  only if the group belongs to and for& a
 plaats? De Synode van Dordrecht, 1578, bedoelde dat part of the neighboring congregation or, which
 wel, want zij bepaalde, dat `uit den alderbequaemsten amounts to the same thing, has been placed under the
 des Hofghesins Ouderlingen ende Diakenen' gesteld care of the neighboring consistory.
 moesten  worden.  Maar de latere synoden  lieten deze              It is also plain that there is no essential difference
 bepaling uit het artikel weg en lieten daarmee ook de between article 6 as it is now being construed and the
gedachte, dat elk gezin, elk hof en elk gast- en wees-          original ruling of the Reformed synod of 1578. Accord-
 huis een eigen kerk, met een eigen kerkeraad kon  in- ing to the original ruling the group to be served was
 richten,  blijkbaar 10s." "Blijkbaar los," wrote Jansen. required to constitute itseif a properly organized con-
 It is not certain therefore whether the synods follow- gregation. This the article as now interpreted forbids.
 ing relinquished the idea. The fact that they dropped Instead it requires that the group form a part of the
 the clause "set from the ablest of the court household neighboring congregation. But. irrespective of this
 elders and deacons" does not prove that their stand difference, there is essential agreement. The one as
.differed  from that of the first synods.                      well as the other insists that the Spiritual Advisor be
     This original ruling of Reformed synods of 1578 an ordained minister of, the gospel. According to
 and 1581 as revised by later synods is the article 6 of both, therefore, the group served is a flock, members
 our Church Order. And so  it- appears that exactly of the church institute in respect to which the Spiritual
 what this article as revised was meant to assert cannot Advisor can function in the capacity of ordained min-
 be made out with certainty.                                   ister of the gospel.
     The issue now had become whether the family and
 personnel of a baron or the personnel and inmates of              A  final question is to which institutions the article
 institutions should be allowed to constitute themselves can apply. And the answer : only to such. whose in-
 independent and autonomous congregations having mates and personnel are people of the same faith who
 existence alongside of the  ether  Reformed churches. As belong to the neighboring church. Such a group, as-
 was said, it cannot be made out for certain whether sembled with its consistory (the consistory of the
 art. 6, as revised, was meant to forbid this. However, neighboring congregation) for public worship (in the
 the present "Gereformeerde" churches of the Nether- institution) is the congregation of Christ. For such
 lands and the Christian Reformed churches of America an assembly only, the,minister  engages in the,ministry
 clearly take the stand that this should not be allowed. of the Word. Unto this assembly he can dispense the
* This is evident from the ruling of the Christian Re- sacrament.
 formed Synod of 1918 quoted above and from what                    It stands to reason that to so-called neutral institu-
 Rutgers wrote :                                               tions this article does not apply. For the Spiritual
     "Voor den dienst des Woords, enz., in gestichten is Advisor connected with a neutral institution cannot
 de wijze van beroeping, enz., geregeld in art. 6 van de function in the capacity' of minister of the Word called
 K. 0.; volgens welke bepaling  zulk een beroeping ge- and ordained by the neighboring church.
 heel als elke andere te behandelen is ; zoodat het be-            For a so-called. neutral institution is one whose
 stuur van zulke gasthuizen, enz.,  we1 iemand kan  kie- inmates are people of diverse faiths ready to take
 zen, institueeren en onderhouden, maar de kerkelijke offense of the sermon agreeing with a specific creed.
 qualificatie en beroeping  tech komen  `meet van den In an institution of this kind, the neighboring church
 kerkeraad ter plaatse, en de beroepene dan predikant faithful to its con%ssion,  could not through its organ,
 wordt bij die kerk, met speciale aanwijzing voor den the ordained minister, engage in a public ministry of
 dienst in het gesticht, volgens de door dat bestuur  ge- the Word. The minister couId  not attend to the duties
 geven  instructie  L . . .  "                                 of his office as a personage connected with the institu-
     It is plain that the view of art. 6, as ?ww being ex-     tion in the capacity of Spiritual Advisor. Such a state
 plained, is that the group connected with the institu- of affairs, of course, would not prevent the pastor of
 tion can form no autonomous church. For if art. 6, the neighboring church from attending in private to


178                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
          _-._-.-     ----^ ..-. --.-                         - -                                          - - - -
the spiritual needs of his members confined in the in- cleaves to the person of the priest or office-bearer;
stitution.                                                    (2) The right to perform the duties belonging to the
    There are very few institutions of mercy, hospitals office springs not from the call as extended by the local
and asylums in our land to which art. 6 applies, that congregation but rises from a general mandate that
is, few institutions having use for Spiritual Advisors issues from the denomination of churches. "Het ont-
who are ordained ministers of the Word.                       vangen van ambtsbevoegdheid," wrote Heyns, "ligt in
    Prof. Heyns  fmds in article 6 some grounds for his de  zending,  en deze geschied door de kerk (the denom-
pet view that the office instead of inhering in the local ination of churches) die haar aan de classis heeft op-
church or congregation in which it was instituted, gedragen" (Kybernetiek, p. 32).
cleaves to the person of the office-bearer so that when
he leaves the brotherhood that called him, he takes his
office with him. This, so it is maintained, is what the
article by implication teaches, namely, that "a person                                       Article  7
having received ecclesiastical ordination was regarded
as not losing the competency or qualifications  (ambts-                No one shall be called  to the Ministry of the Word
bevoegdheid) even f engaged in the ministry of the                   without his being stationed in a  partrcular  place, except
                                                                     he be sent to do church extension work.
Word for the benefit of the institution of mercy or
otherwise" (Heyns,  Kybernetiek,  p. 36). This state-                The historical circumstance that gave rise to this
ment is true. But the question is why such a person article is known. In the first period of Reformed Prot-
retains his qualifications (ambtsbevoegdheid) . And estantism seceding priests and other persons styling
the answer: for the very and sole reason that as min- themselves evangelists, would tour the country preach-
ister of the gospel he continues to belong to the neigh- ing whenever there was opportunity and for any as-
boring congregation that called him and engages in sembly whose audience could be gained. There was an
the ministry of the Word in respect to a group (the           indisposition on the part of these persons to be asso-
inmates of the institution) that belongs to the neigh- ciated with a certain church and thus to be tied down
boring church. The truth of the matter, then, is this:        to a definite place. Even before the Reformation when
the Spiritual Advisor continues in office for the reason the Christian Church was still exclusively Roman
that the tie that binds him to the neighboring church Catholic itinerent priest, called "walking Levites,"
remains intact and not because the office cleaves to his were going about dispensing the sacraments to cru-
person. And whereas the inmates belong to the neigh- saders,  huntersi merchants and other travelers.
boring church, the Spiritual Advisor as minister of the              With a view to the above-cited practice, the Synod
gospel functions in respect to a brotherhood that called of Dordrecht, 1574, ruled that such "walking" or
him. Fact is, that if the inmates, assembled for public "vagabond" preachers be examined by the  classis and
worship (in the institution) do not comprise a con-           in case of successful issue of examination, attached to
gregation of Christ, the Spiritual Advisor cannot as an       a distinct brotherhood. Exactly how the connection be-
ordained minister of the Word `engage in an official          tween such a preacher and the local group of believers
ministry of the Word in respect to that assembly.             ,was formed cannot be definitely determined. It seems as
       In fine art. 6 cannot be quoted in support of the      if a delegation of the. Classis  would present the  exam-
view that the office cleaves to the person of the  office-    inee,  whose examination had been sustained, to the
bearer. The consensus of opinion among authorities            various groups in the need of ministers. This action
on Reformed Church Polity is that this view is thor-          on the part of the -classis was equal to a declaration
oughly  Ron&h. Wrote Dr. H. Bouwman: "Door de                 that the "traveling preacher" was found capable of  +
wijding wordt een priester uitgenomen uit en verheven holding a charge. The  preacher  was then given to
boven het geheel des volks, en ontvangt de macht om whatever group desired him. By this action, it seems,
de sacramenten-gereed te maken  en uit te reiken. We1         an initial connection between the  prewher  and the
kan iemand alleen als priester in een parochie  fungee-       local group was set up. Whereas at the time of the
ren . . . maar de algemeene priesterlijke macht, om forming of this connection, the group was usually
de heilige dingen  te bedienen, kleeft aan den persoon        found to be in an unorganized state,  classis would
des priesters. j Waar de priester is, daar is de kerk,        advise it to organize, that is, to choose itself elders and I
want zij is virtueel in hem aanwezig. De  Gerefor-            deacons and permanently own or claim its pastor. This
meerden echter erkennen geen inklevende roeping.  Het latter action may perhaps be construed as constituting
ambt hang-t  niet aan een algemeene opdracht of wij- the lawful calling by the consistory and the deacons
ding, maar  berust  op een wettige  roeping door een          (art. 5).
plaatselijke kerk, aan wien God ambten en bedieningen                The ruling of Dordrecht, 15'74, was adopted by the
gegeven heeft" (Bouwman,  Gerefomeerd  Kerkrecht,             following Synod (Dordrecht, 1578). But the Synod of'
p. 431). What Bouwman here exposes as Romish is               Middelburg, 1581, was of the conviction that the article
exactly Heyns' view, to wit : (1) The general priestly was too rigid. There might be need of a limited num-
authority to engage in the ministry of things holy ber of such itinerent ministers. There were Reformed

                                                                                                    -.--._-.          _~ - _ . _."-^l---l  ..--__

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

churches whose members, when persecution had ination.  But this right does not repose upon the cir-
threatened, had scattered. The scattered sheep needed cumstance that he is vested with an office that resides
to be gathered and reorganized. There was still other in the denomination but rises from the invitation ex-
work to be done by the itinerent minister. There was tended to him by the consistory under whose auspices
need for a preaching of the gospel in territories where he for the one day preaches. The invitation may be
the yoke of Rome had not yet been cast off. Those            extended and excepted because of the denominational
who would break-with the mother-church needed to be tie. Such being the state of matters, the minister of
gathered and organized. For all this work the ruling the Word is stationed in a particular place. The only
made no provision.     So the Synod of Middelburg exception is the missionary minister. It is the Pope of
changed the article, so that it read: "No one noe Rome who teaches that the institute extends beyond
stationed in a particular place shall be allowed to en- the local church.* To him the church is the sum-total of
gage in circuit preaching without the consent and local communities of believers. Over this whole he
authority of Classis or Synod." This modification de- rules as chief bishop. To this whole he sustains the
clares by implication that  Classis and Synod might relation of spiritual father. And those under him, the
authorize ministers to engage in work of the above           clergy, are so ranked as to constitute a veritable
description. But the ruling of the Synod of `s-Graven- pyramid whose apex is the pope.
hage, 1586, is more to the point. It defines the task of        A word about the form in which the article was
the itinerent minister as consisting: (a) in caring for east. The reading, "No one shall be called to the min-
refugee-churches without a consistory and prohibited istry of the Word, without his being stationed in a
by the circumstance of their being persecuted churches particular place" could, it would seem, be improved
from calling a minister ; (b) in gathering and organ-        upon. The present reading smacks of a system  - the
izing believers who had seceded from the Roman bishop system  - foreign to Reformed principles of
Catholic church.                                             church government. The implication seems to be that
   So, then, the article was so modified as to allow the the person or group of persons who calls is one ; and
churches to attend to the aforesaid duties. But with that the group to which  t.he called one is joined as
the exception of those engaged in work of' the above         pastor is another; that the minister is "stationed in a
description, ministers of the gospel must be stationed certain place" by an authority other than the church to
in a particular place, shepherd the flocks that call them. be shepherded. The expression "stationed in a certain
   Gradually the refugee-churches disappeared. This place" is not above reproach. Strictly speaking, a min-
circumstance led the Gereformeerde Synod of Utrecht, ister is not "stationed in a place" but called to the
1905, to remove from the ruling in question the clause office by a particular church. We therefore would state
having a bearing on these churches. The other clause the matter thus: "The aspirant to the office of min-
f`to gather believers . . . . " was retained by this as- ister of the gospel shall be the pastor of and shepherd
sembly and applied to heathen mission. The article as that flock only that called him, except he be sent to do
it appears in the revised Church Order of the Christian church extension work." The present phraseology of
Reformed churches reads :  -"No  one shall be called to art. 7 reflects an abnormal practice. In that first period
the Ministry of the Word, without his being stationed of Reformed Protestantism unorganized groups of be-
in a particular place, except he be sent to do ,church       lievers instead of being advised to organize and call a
extension work." From the mass of regulations, ap- pastor would be provided with a' pastor by the  classis.
pcaring  under this article, it would seem as if the
term "Church extension work" applies to Home mis-                                                         G. M. 0.
sions- only.
    There is an important principle of church govern-
ment lying at the basis of this article: The office was
instituted by Christ not in a denomination of churches  *                          AT'I'ENTIE
but in the local brotherhood. To express it otherwise,                                             .
                                                                Daar de  Classis den eersten Woensdag in Februari
not the denomination but the local church is the broth-
erhood, that by itself is seen as the complete and auton- vergadert te South Holland, verzoeken wij vriendelijk
omous manifestation of the body of Christ. The min- van iedere kerkeraad om het  getal afgevaardigden, die
ister of the gospel is vested with an office that inheres logies begeeren, even op te g&en,  en ook waar, en wan-
in this local community of believers. By this body neer zij hier denken  te arriveeren, zoodat wij daarin
only he is called and from it he receives his mission.       regeling kunnen maken.
To this body he belongs; this body only he is in duty           Alle correspondentie moet gericht worden  aan het
bound to shepherd. Not to the aggregate of churches
comprising the denomination, but to this body only onderstaande adres.
does he sustain the relation of minister of the Word.                w       Namens de Commissie,
True he has the right to engage in the ministry of the                                           A. Poortenga,
Word in respect  to any church belonging to the denom-                                           Box 195, Lansing, Ill.


lis0                                         ~JJHZ   STANDA~~D   BEAREI?                                        .          "
               - - - -                               __._.. ".--~~.-.
                                                                    home assured that "it was good for us to have been
                Los Angeles, California                             there for the Lord was with us."
                                                                       Those trips to Redlands (for we went several times)
          (Here follows a very interesting and ably written
        letter from our "baby-sister" in Los Angeles. I am          might well be compared with a journey through the
        sure our people will be glad to read it and will rejoice    desert with an oasis at  Redlands  to refresh our weary
        with the  Protn  Ref. Church of the Far West in the         souls with the water of Life.
        blessings they testify to receive. People have fre-            When Rev. G. Vos. was in  Redlands as Classical
        quently inquired of undersigned whether he had not          Supply some of our people went to hear him and were
   heard from the congregation recently organized there.            pleasantly surprised to learn that it was not merely
   They are deeply interested. They will read eagerly and
        rejoice. The congregation is small, in fact, the author     a question of listening to Rev. Hoeksema in order to
        of this letter reports it to be smaller than we had         hear a good sermon; not at all, our experience was that
   figured. Figuring individuals, a family that was sure            the Word of God presented in its fullness nourishes
   to come with them, I  figured  nine, Rev.  Vos wrote of          the souls of those hungry for the Truth, no matter who
   ten families. As matters stand Mr. Zoetewei's report             proclaims it.
   is correct. Essentially this does not make any differ-              Still, there was the  150mile automobile trip.
   ence. They are growing spiritually. Let us remember
   them before the throne of grace.                                    Yes, we felt at home with the people of the Protest-
          Simultaneously with this contribution I received a        ant Reformed Church in Redlands, but our real home
   personal letter expressing a strong note of rejoicing in         was in Los Angeles, at least geographically.
   the truth from another member of the same congrega-                 Throughout the months between May and October
        tion The letter contains  the promise of a contribution     we often reflected upon the quality of the preaching
        for the S. B. Let us have it soon, brother! We like to
   hear from you! H. H.)                                            we had heard, and, naturally, were pleased to learn
                                                                    that  .Classis had considered it advisable for Rev. Hoek-
   The fact of our organization having been stated by sema to labor in and around Los Angeles to determine
our esteemed editor and the introduction speech pre- the feasibility of organizing a Protestant Reformed
sented by our consulent, Rev. G. Vos, it appears in congregation.
order that Los Angeles speaks for herself, to acquaint                 What would the result be? This was the question
the church at large, through The Standard Bearer, with uppermost in our minds.
the most recent addition to the Protestant Reformed                    As we watched the audience at the different meet-
Church.                                                             ings our hopes sank, even though at one service the
   If you have the desire to hear about Los Angeles, attendance was well over the hundred mark.
we assure you that such a desire is reciprocated by us ;               But it is quite impossible to establish a congrega-
for here we are, seventy-five miles away from the tion consisting of just curious folk.
nearest Protestant Reformed Church.                                    It certainly'appeared that there was not sufficient
                                                                    love for the truth of God's Word to warrant establish-
   Now that we have been established for about ten ing a congregation.
weeks it seems to most of our people that, although we                 At the most there were seven families sufhciently
were not afhliated with you in fact, yet at heart we interested in the proclamation of the full counsel of
were one with you.                                                  God, to band together as one people.
   There is no longer anything strange about being                     Only seven families and such hard times. No rich
referred to as "Protestant Reformed", or, as others people either, just working people, and some of them
say, "of Hoeksema's church."                                        unable to obtain work.
   It was last May, I believe, that a number of our                    But the Lord willed differently for Los Angeles.
present members traveled to  Redlands to hear Rev.                     Rev. Hoeksema consented to organize the brethren
Hoeksema preach for the people over there.                          and sisters.
   We were delighted, - what a treat, and what a *                     This was officially accomplished on the evening of
message! So nourishing and inspiring.                               October 24, 1932.
   It was worth the drive of 150 miles to hear the                     With 26 charter members the First Protestant  Re-
Word of God presented and again to realize that the formed Church of Los Angeles was established.
Word is  the living Word.                                              In view of the strategic position of Los Angeles
   But we left with somewhat of a sigh for it was every effort would be exerted to provide Los Angeles
clearly impossible to come every week that distance to with the services of an ordained minister to assist in
hear a couple of good sermons.                                      the development of the congregation.
   And to have preaching like that in Los Angeles                      Within three weeks various meetings were  organ-
seemed out of the question.                                         ized, as Men's Society, Young People's meeting and
   Besides, the thought was present that, perhaps, we Catechism class.
just happened to hear a couple of the real good ser-                   The parents of the children have the satisfaction
mons.                                                               of knowing that their children, in their early years
   With that experience behind us we would journey are taught the fundamentals of Scripture.


                                     T H E STANUARU   BfiARER

   With joy we are able to work with them secure in that it is a dry and weary land, oh no, this desert has
the knowledge that we are building upon a foundation been reclaimed and now is covered with grape-vines
which man cannot remove.                                     stretching seemingly endlessly across the land.
    The men of the congregation also organized to work          Here  the Sierra mountains stand in the background
to the upbuilding of one another in the truths of with Mt. Baldy towering far above the other mountain
Scripture as expressed in our Standards, and as de- peaks.
livered to the Church throughout the ages.                      Leaving the desert behind we again enter into an
    In their meetings there is a thirst for knowledge, a area of orange trees and walnut groves which extend
searching for the riches of God and a humble determin- for several miles along the roadside.
ation to be living witnesses for the Lord.
    In a city as Los Angeles, where every type of ism           We travel through the cities to Pomona, Walnut,
is represented and has their shrine, it is essential that Puente Andy El Monte and still, before you realize it,
the people of God are able to discern between unadulter- you are within the city limits of Los Angeles, the city
ated truth and the mixture of truth and error.               of over one million population.
    The young people, after a few preliminary meetings,         Imagine, -out of one million people about' thirty be-
organized to acquaint themselves with, `and be better long to the Protestant Reformed Church.
founded in, the Reformed truth and to promote the               Within a radius of thirty miles from Los Angeles
spiritual welfare of its members.                            there are scores of smaller cities.
   The coming generation, the fathers and mothers of            This section of the country has been a mecca for
tomorrow, must have a thorough understanding of thousands of people from every state in the Union.
God's Word to be able to cope with the modern mis-              Amongst these thousands are many people of Hol-
representations applied to Scripture.                        land extraction.
   California . . . Los Angeles . . . a Protestant Re-          About, fifteen miles from Los Angeles there are
formed congregation way  cut  there?                         several large settlements of Hollanders.
   To many people the mere mention of California                There you have Bellflower,  `Hynes,  Clearwater,
arouses a strong desire to visit this much talked of Artesia, Santa  Ana and Long Beach.
state.                                                          With the exception of Long Beach these communi-
   The state with the Pacific as her Western border, ties are largely composed of people engaged in the
with her snow-capped mountains, with her palm cov- dairy business.
ered valleys, with her orange groves, with her fig trees,       While Rev. Hoeksema was here in October several
and lemons, and peaches and apples and grape-vine- lectures were held in Bellflower with a very good at-
yards.                                                       tendance.
    It is quite impossible to properly describe the beau-       The interest aroused could not be properly followed
tiful scenery of our state.                                  up at that time ; although it was evident that several
    But let us take a trip (in our imagination) to a spot families were interested in our cause.
not far away from Redlands, where we have a good                This locality presents a wonderful field of mission-
sample of the scenic beauty of Southern California.          ary labor.
    Let's travel to Big Bear Lake.                              In this section is found a love for the Church, for
    Big Bear Lake is about 40 miles East of Redlands         the Christian School, and for spiritual things in gen-
and is situated amongst the mountains.                       eral which must partly, perhaps mainly, be attributed
 ' We ascend from an altitude of about 1,300 feet to the large number of settlers which have come here
above sea level (Redlands) to an altitude of about direct from the Netherlands.
10,000 feet above sea level.                                    The Los Angeles consistory has endeavored, with
    On either side of you are mountain peaks where the aid of Rev. H. Veldman, to keep in touch with the
the snow never melts, while looking due West your eye people in the Bellflower-Hynes-Clearwater district.
gazes into space upon the valley which leads into the           These efforts are being continued with the assist-
Pacific Ocean.                                               ance of Rev. A. Cammenga.
    Behind you is a mountain pass which leads into the          Speaking of these two brethren who have labored
Mojave desert.                                               here as "Classical Supply" we express our appreciation
    Traveling down the mountain passages you first and gratitude to the congregations which have co-oper-
come to Redlands, situated practically against the foot- ated with the Classical Committee to  SUPPlY  LOS
hills, with its thousands of orange trees and its  groves- Angeles with their services.
of majestic eucalypti trees and its ever alluring Smiley         Rev. Herman Veldman was the first appointee. He
Heights.                                                     has given valuable assistance in getting the congrega-
    A beautiful little city at the gateway to the moun- tional activities under way, and with him we might
tains.                                                       observe the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in our
    Proceeding further West from  Redlands we soon midst.
come to the desert country, not a desert in the sense            Rev. G. VOS has assured us of his co-operation at


182                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
II___^..                                 -......             --..-
any and at all times ; in fact, he has also f?lled in as
Classical Supply at different times.                                             De Kennisse Gods
       Last Sunday, Christmas Day, we enjoyed the op-
portunity to worship with Rev. Cammenga of Rock                                             XIV
Valley, Iowa.                                                                              (Slot)
       Immediately after the holidays he will take charge
of `the Men's Society and the Young People's Society.                                                        I  Cm.  13:12.
       During Rev. Cammenga's stay we expect to do con-
siderable work within the congregation as well as con-                De kennis, die we nu van God bezitten, is, naar het
tact with the people who visit our services.                 woord van den Apostel, slechts ten deele. Wij zien in
       The Classical Committee is to be commended for den  Spiegel  het beeld  van Hem, die ons de verlichte
their wisdom in giving Los Angeles constant services oogen des verstands gaf, doch dat beeld is God Zelf
of an ordained minister.                                     niet. We1 is er licht, veel licht zelfs, zooals ons dat uit
       We believe that the future will justify the wisdom het Woord tegenstraalt, maar heerlijk, veel heerlijker,
of their policy.                                             zal het aanschouwen der volmaaktheid zijn, wamieer
       It is a matter of experience and history with other we het aangezicht zullen zien van Hem, Dien we alsdan
Protestant churches  here-abouts  that reading services zullen kennen, gelijk ook wij' gekend zijn; Het licht
are not advisable in a city of this size and offering such van den kriekenden morgen is het schijnsel der zon,
a divisity of temptations.                                   doch de zon zelve nog niet. Eerst dan, wanneer  de zon
       To maintain the interest in, and assure as much as ten volle aan den horizon verschijnt,  zien we haar en
humanly possible the growth of, a young congregation breekt het licht ten volle door en  worden  de voorwerpen
in this city, the services of an ordained minister are voor ens cog duidelijker. Het vage, waardoor we de din-
not only desirable, but absolutely necessary.                gen niet  recht konden onderscheiden,  krijgt alsnu  b-e-
       You also will realize that Los Angeles occupies a lijnden vorm. Ret geheel biedt een prachtig perspec-
strategic position in' the far West; especially for work tief. De voorwerpen, alsmede hunne onderlinge  samen-
contemplated in Southern California.                         hang, staan  als Ben harmonieus geheel voor ens. De
       This is an immense field.                             zon die opging, doet door haar licht en warmte den  laat-
       The best man obtainable could work constantly,        sten  nevel  wegvlieden. Het werd ten volle dag en de
always keeping busy to propagate the Reformed truth. gemeenschap,  met de ons omringende schepping, kwam
       In fact, the field is too big for one man. The dis- opnieuw tot stand.
tances are so great that a man who had his own con-                   266 zal straks de Zonne  der.gerechtigheid  het licht
gregation to care for, besides doing constant field work, van den eeuwigen morgen volkomen  doen  opgaan,  alle
would not be able to do justice to either.                   nevels verdrijvend, het duister opklarend, om ons de
       During Rev. Hoeksema's stay here, both he and volle werkelijkheid te doen aanschouwen, van wat de
Rev. Vos worked hard to get in touch with the people Spiegel ons  als in een beeld bood. Aldus leert het ons
with the result that at the end of five weeks people de  Schrift  en het is de verwachting der  kinderen
began to find out that the Protestant Reformed Church Gods.
was working in this locality.                                         Dat  vele vragen opkomen, waarop wij het antwoord
       Los Angeles' congregation looks hopefully to the moeten schuldig blijven, ligt voor de hand, en we zullen
future, working and praying that our own congrega- ons we1 wachten om het te doen  voorkomen alsof met
tion may firmly established first in spiritual virtues enkele nietszeggende woorden, die moeilijkheden uit
and finally abound in missionary effort.                     den weg zijn te ruimen. Het volmaakte der eeuwige
       Bearing in mind that also those things are in the toekomst is zoo onuitsprekelijk heerlijk en groot, dat  -
Lord's hand we look forward to the time that we may het  alle verstand zeer verre te boven gaat. Immers,
extend a call to one of God's servants to "come over wanneer we eenigszins ons een voorstelling er van
and help us" for the field is great, the need still greater trachten te vormen, betrappen we er ons zelf op, dat,
that a laborer should work in God's vine-yard in in de voorstelling omtrent de toekomstige heerlijkheid,
Southern California.                                         deze niet veel meer is, dan de voortzetting van ons
       You have already co-operated with us. We shall aardsch bestaan.
continue to need your assistance in prayer, in offerings,             Natuurlijk, zonder zonde.
in sacrifice for the Kingdom. of God.
       May the Lord make us all equal to the task before              I&us&en, is dit wezenlijk niet verschillend van de
us as members of the Protestant Reformed Churches. heidensche gedachte omtrent een betere wereld, of een
                                                             hooger bestaan, of betere toestand,  of, ook  wel, van de
            The Consistory of the First Protestant Re-       verwachting gelijk die wordt aangetroffen bij sommige
              formed Church of Los Angeles, California, heidenen, die, onder anderen, na het sterven hun hoop
                                 James Zoetewey, Clerk.      hebben  gericht op de eeuwige jachtvelden.
       December 31, 1932.                                             Dezelfde gedachte ligt ten grondslag  aan de  troos-


188                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
-.... ^^- .---                    _.-          _~                    ~.___~._---_-~--
                                                                      The second son of Bildah, Rachel called rnz~  wrest-
         Naphtali Giveth Goodly Words                              Zing. And she declared that she prevailed. She feels
                                                                   herself to be a woman now free, raised up, brought up
          Naphtali is a hind let loose; he giveth goodly words.    from the grave and exalted. Her soul had been cast
                                                  Gea  49:21.      down and disquieted in her. Her tears had been her
          And of Naphtali he (Moses) said,  0 Naphtaii,  aatis-    meat day and night. But the Lord had heard the voice
       fied with favor, and full with the blessing of the Lord;    of her supplication, sent out His light and His truth
       possess thou the West and the South.  - Deut.  33:23.       to lead her unto His holy ,hill. And she felt as one re-
       "And Bildah, Rachel's maid, conceived again, and leased, as one set free. Then she praised, must have
bare Jacob a second son. And Rachel said, With praised Him for the help of His countenance. And in
wrestlings of God have I wrestled with my sister, and agreement herewith Naphtali is a hind let loose, a
I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali." hind, such, so it seems, is the implication, held cap-
       This name means, my wrestling. It is not so easy tive, but now  .set at liberty and thus free and un-
to sound the true meaning of this ejaculation that fell hampered in his movements. But this freedom is of a
from Rachel's lips on the occasion of the birth of this            high order. His soul is free. Spiritually he is a hind
son. The wrestling of which she spake involved her- let loose, he giveth goodly words. He will be satisfied
self, her sister and God. Are we to think here of ardent with favor, and full with the blessing of the Lord.
prayer for seed, of a prolonged and unbroken asking                   Viewing Rachel's saying in the light of these
for another man-child, of the feverish petitioning of a prophesies, the conviction cannot be escaped that her
barren woman driven to desperation and vexed nigh wrestling though contaminated with sin, was also the
unto death by the mild taunts of a sister vaunting her- working of a true faith and hope. Rachel was a woman
self somewhat because she had born her husband four grieved in spirit. Leah at this juncture was unspiritual
sons ? It is difficult to say. According to Rachel's enough to so behave toward her as to add to her sor-
testimony she had wrestled with Leah. That we are row. And little comfort was she receiving from Jacob.
to think here of a spiritual strife is certain. But what So from the depth,.of  her misery she cried unto the
are the details of this strife? Wherein did it consist? Lord. And He delivered her soul. And her heart re-
How had it been carried on? Had Jacob been showing joiced in Him. And the son that was born would
a preference for Leah now that she had born him chil- give goodly words.
dren, and had Rachel therefore been compelled to lure
him away from her sister by flattering speech and had                 Let us bring this prophesy into interpretation. Of
Leah in turn endeavored to match this speech that her the district given to this tribe the following is known:
husband charmed by her adulation might continue to The district included much excellent land. There were
abide in her tent? This is the view of some. But the broad, rich terraces that rose away to the north and
view is rendered too unlikely by the known character north-west of the Sea of Galilee, with the fertile plain
of the wrestling. Rachel's wrestling was at once the of Gennesaret on the seashore. Upper Galilee was also
wrestling of God. And we may safely take her word a district of spacious lands, the joy of the pleasant
for it that it was this.                                           farmer. Great breadths there were which in seasons
       There is still another explanation of  `the whole yielded fine crops. The richly diversified scenery  -
affair, the one already suggested. Rachel's wrestling, mountain, hill and valley - is even now marked by a
it is said, was an ardent and unintermittend prayer                fine growth of trees. The terebinth and the pine, the
for another man-child. It was this exclusively. Being olive, mulberry,  appricot,  fig, pomegranate, orange,
a child of God as to the .heart,  of her dispositions, the lemon, grew in abundance. Water was plentiful, sup-
dominant desire of her heart was to serve the covenant plied by many copious springs. So was Naphtali satis-
of God. However, she was not a woman incapable of fied with favor, and full with the blessings of the Lord.
a fleshly ambition. And this ambition, it is said, was                The history of this tribe may" be briefly told. It is
to gain the ascendency,  to rise in her seed, that is, in clear from Jdg. 15'3, that this tribe did not drive out
her generations, above her sister, so that her prayer the Canaanites. The tribe, however, never lacked multi-
for seed is a striving, a wrestling with her sister for tudes of men of courage to give a good account of them-
the priority. And when she hears that her maid is selves on every occasion of war. In the struggle with
again about to bear, she feels that her ambition has Sisera, Naphtali "was found on the high places of the
been realized. So she declares, I have wrestled with field" (Jdg. 5 :18). To David's forces at Hebron, this
my  sister and have prevailed.                                     tribe contributed a thousand captains, "and with them
       But even this explanation, if nothing more be added with shield and spier thirty and seven thousand" (I
to it, will not do. Consider that in several instances at Chron. 12 :34). In the wars with the kings they bore
least the joint prophesies of Jacob and Moses respect- an important part.
ing a particular son, is a further unfolding or expan-                So, then, in the record of his history, Naphtali ap-
sion of the idea incorporated in the name that was pears as an active warrior, comparable to the so much
given.                                                             praised Gazelle.    But Naphtali also giveth goodly


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   EEARER                                                            189
-__-.-.-____  -.-.-.                                                                 _--.-                              .."__ll-.-""lll_
words. This prophesy may be referred to the song of
Deborah.                                                              De Nederlandsche Geloofsbelijdenis
     The true Naphtali is again Christ. With Him the                                          ARTIKEL  19
joint prophesies of Jacob and Moses went into com-
plete fulflment.        He spake goodly words, for He spake VAN DE  VEREENIGING   EN HET  ONDERSCHEID   DBR  TWEE
not of Himself: but the Father that dwelleth in Him.                      NATUREN   VAN  CHRISTUS   IN EEN  PERSOON
He speaketh words of life, of comfort, of joy. He is                     Wij gelooven dat door deze  ontvangenis  de  Persoon
satisfied with favor and full of the blessings of the                  des Zoons  onafscheidehjk  vereenigd en te  samen   ge-
Lord. He possesses the west and the south, yea, the                    voegd is met de menschelijke natuur; zoodat  er niet
uttermost parts of the earth. And upon this earth, as                  zijn twee Zonen Gods, noch twee personen, maar twee
cleansed from the race of men that now corrupt it, the                 naturen in eenen eenigen persoon  vereenigd; doch elke
                                                                       natuur hare onderscheidene eigenschappen behoudende.
Naphtali, according to the election,  will dwell satisfied             Gelijk dat de Goddelijke natuur altijd ongeschapen ge-
with favor and full of the blessings of the Lord, giving               hleven is,  zonder  beginsel der  dagen  of einde des levens,
goodly words.                                                          vervullende  heme en aarde, alzoo heeft de menschelijke
                                                      G. M. 0.         natuur hare eigenschappen met verloren, maar is een
                                                                       schepsel gebleven, hebbende beginsel der dagen, zijnde
                           -                                           een eindige natuur, en behoudende al hetgene een  waar
                                                                       lichaam toebehoort. En hoewel Hij haar door zijne  ver-
                                                                       rijzenis  onsterfelijkheid  gegeven heeft,  nochtans  heeft
               LECTURE - REV. HOEKSEMA                                 Hij de waarheid zijner menschelijke natuur niet  ver-
                                                                       anderd, dewijl onze zaligheid en verrijzenis mede han-
    Rev. Hoeksema will give an interesting lecture on                  gen  aan de waarheid zijns lichaams.  Doch deze twee
"The Gospel" Thursday evening, Feb. 2, at  7:45  o'clock               naturen zijn alzoa  te  samen  vereenigd in  een  persoon,
                                                                      dat zij ook zelfs door zijn dood niet gescheiden zijn ge-
in the First Protestant Reformed Church, sponsored                    weest. Zoo was dan hetgene Hij stervende in de han-
by the Ladies' Aid Society.                                           den zijns Vaders bevolen heeft, een ware menschelijke
    We extend to all our friends a most cordial wel-                  geest, die uit zijn  lichaam scheidde; maar intusschen
                                                                      bteef  de Goddelijke natuur altijd vereenigd met de
come.                                                                 menschelijke, ook  zeIfs   toen  Hij in het graf lag; en de
                                                  Committee.          Ctidheid  hield  met op in Hem te zijn, gelijk zij in Hem
                                                                      was  toen Hij een klein kind was, hoewel zij  zich voor
                                                                      eenen  kleinen  tijd zoo niet openbaarde. Hierom beken-
                                       -                              nen wij, dat Hij waar God en  waar  mensch is: waar God
                                                                      om door zijne kracht den dood te overwinnen, en waar
                                                                      menscb,  opdat Hij voor ons zoude  kutmen  sterven uit
                          IN MEMORIAM                                 de  zwakheid   zijns  vleesches.
   The Senior Choral Society of the First Protestant Reformed         Zich logisch aansluitende bij het vorige  artikel, dat
Church of Grand Rapids, Mich.,  mourns the loss, through death,    handelde over de vleeschwording van Christus, doet de
of one of its members,                                             Kerke  Gods in dit artikel belijdenis aangaande de  ver-
                        MRS. P. BOUWMAN.                           houding der twee naturen in Cbristus  tot elkander, hun
   We hereby express our sympathy with the bereaved relatives      eenheid, alsmede hunne onderscheiding. Men houde
and wish that they may receive grace to abide in the Lord, Who     goed voor de aandacht dat de -gemeente  van Christus
doeth all things well.                                             hier niet door krachtige redeneering en bewijsvoering
                                Mr. L. Bouwkamp, Pres.             de waarheid van de twee naturen in Cbristus  tracht
                                Mrs. H. Siereveld, Sec'y.          duidelijk te maken  en te verklaren. Neen, ook in dit
                                                                   artikel  legt Gods volk eenvoudig belijdenis af van haar
                                                                   geloof. ,411e pogingen die in den loop der geschiedenis
                                                                   op de een of andere wijze getracht hebben naar een-
                          IN MEMORIAM                              heid van gedachte door pcur menschelijk denken  en
                                                                   redeneering, zijn altijd op de een of andere klip ge-
   On Jan. 7, 1933, the mother of two of the members of our
Young People's Society, Petronella and Peter Poortenga, passed     strand. Sij al deze pogingen verviel men altijd weer
away. We give praise to God that                                   in een Deistische scheiding van de twee naturen in
                                                                   Christus, of in een  Pantheistische  vereeniging van
                        MRS. A. POORTENGA                          beiden. Soms zou men de twee naturen van Christus
passed away "in the Lord" and has entered into the rest that       vermengen, om alzoo de eenheid des Persoons te bewa-
remaineth for God's people.
   We wish hereby to express our sympathy for the sorrowing        ren. Dat was immers de dwaling van Eutichus. Dan
ones; and pray that God may give comfort, and bless also this      zou men weer komen tot een scheiding van de Per-
affliction  to their hearts and to the hearts of us all.           soon, zoodat men twee  personen  in  Christus zag. An-
         The Young People's Society of South Holland, Ill.,        ders kon men niet vasthouden aan de twee naturen in
                                      Rev. P. De Boer, Pres.       Christus, zeide men. Tech heeft elke richting onder
                                      Nick Haak, Secretary         de dwaalgeesten schipbreuk geleden,  en blijkt  het meer


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       191
 I--___ ..-._.  II-
 nooit een bloot mensch zoude kunnen  doen,  al was hij see not, with ears that hear not, with noses that smell
 ook volkomen heilig en  goed. Ook kon geen bloot not, with hands. that  ?nandle not, with- feet that walk
 schepsel de volle toorn Gods dragen  en het meteen  ook not.
 wegdragen  voor anderen. Daartoe moet Hij eeuwig en                How utterly absurd and inconceivably wicked to
 oneindig God zijn om de eeuwige  schuld te  betalen.           throw Jehovah over for other gods. The people facing
 Daarom eindigt dit artikel ook met de schoone  woor- Joshua feel and admit this. They say, "God forbid that
 den: Hij is waar God, om door Zijne kracht den dood we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for
te overwinnen, en waar mensch, opdat Hij voor ons the Lord our God, He it is that brought us up and our
mocht  sterven uit de zwakheid zijns vleesches.                 fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of
                                               L. Vermeer       bondage, and which did those great signs is our sight,
                                                                and preserved us in the way . -. . . "
                                                                    Yet the people of themselves cannot will  to  do
                                                                otherwise than to conclude that it is evil to serve the
            Choose Ye This Day Whom                             Lord and t,hat it isgood  to serve other gods. Thus God
                                                                is rejected as a reprobate being. Therefore Joshua said
                       Ye Will Serve                            unto the people, "Ye cannot serve the Lord" . . . But
      And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord,           God had chosen Israel and for this reason only Israel       "
    choose ye this day whom ye will serve; whether  the         chooses Him. How unbelievably foolish and sinful this
    gods which your fathers served that were on the other       Israel by nature is. The natural Israel forsook Jehovah.
    side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose    Waxing fat, Jeshurum forsook God which made him.
    land ye  dwell:  but as for me and my house we will         It seemed evil unto them to serve Him. So they sacri-
    serve the Lord.                           Joshua  24:15.    ficed unto devils, to gods whom they knew not. Of the
   Apparently Joshua speaks foolishly here. He bids Rock that begot them they were unmindful, and forgot
the children of Israel to choose - between Jehovah God that formed them. So did they show themselves
and the gods of the Amorites. As if Israel would up as a froward generation.
choose anyone but Jehovah. Israel was the Lord's                   "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve." We, too,
portion; He found him in a desert land, and in the must choose between Jehovah and other gods. Will
waste howling wilderness. He had led  Israel about, we not choose Him? We, His people, His portion? He
instructed him, kept him as the apple of His eye. As found us dead through trespasses and sin, guilty, ill-
an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, deserving, condemnable, walking according to the
spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them course of the world, in spiritual bondage, a slave to
upon her wings, so had the Lord alone led Israel. He sin, having our conversation in the lusts of the flesh,
had made Israel ride on the high places of the earth, fulfilling~ the desires of the flesh and of the mind, by
that he might eat the increase of the fields, and he nature children of wrath. But He hath blessed us with
made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out             all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
of the flinty rock.                                             according as He chose us before the foundation of
   And what had not the Lord done before Israel's the world.
very  eyesin the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto           * How rich in mercy He is. How great His love
his servants and unto all his land. These great wonders wherewith He loved us. Even when we were dead in
Israel had seen. Then He led them forty years in the sins, hath He quickened us together with Christ and
desert. Their clothes had not waxen old upon them, hath raised us up together and made us sit in heavenly
and their shoes had not waxen old upon their feet. places with Christ Jesus.
The Lord had brought His people in the land of                     How He befriends His people. There is that in-
Canaan, having driven out from before them all the heritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth
people. Thus He had given them a land for which not away, reserved in heaven ; that blessed state de-
they did not labour,  and cities which they build not, fined in Scripture as life eternal, a life with Him on the
and vineyards and olive yards which they had not now earth, peopled by the redeemed race with whom
planted.                                                        the tabernacle of God will be.
   And now they are asked to choose between the Lord               The Israel addressed by Joshua was in Canaan,
who had so marvelously befriended them and these had entered the (typical) rest that remaineth for the
other gods. Preposterous ! As if Israel would now people of God. The true land of rest is heaven, en-
reject Jehovah, and choose these other gods. Such a tered by Christ, the true Joshua. Having ceased from
choice would go against all reason. How unutterably His own works, He entered His rest with His people.
foolish and amazingly wicked such a choice would be. From the point of view of right, according to their
   Who are these other gods whom Joshua places over state, this people is in heaven as well as the Israel ad-
against Jehovah? These other gods are vanity, the dressed by the typical Joshua. We, too, can say that the
creations of the Amorites, the very work of men's victory has been won, that the enemy has been driven
hands, idols with mouths that speak not, with eyes that out from before us, that we have received a land for

                                                                                           .


192                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   .BEARER
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which we did not  labour,  cities which we build not,          That we are always under the necessity of choosing
vineyards and olive yards which we did not plant.           between God and Mammon, truth and the lie, light
       True we are still on earth, in the desert. But how and darkness, Christ and Belial, heaven and hell, -
tender His care over us. Is He not leading us about, means that life is an unbroken test trial. But in this
instructing us, keeping us as the apple of His eye, trial we are kept by His power through faith.
bearing us upon His wings, making us to ride upon              "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve." `If  Baa1
the high places of the earth? What a marvelous dis- is god, if it seemeth good to thee to serve him, choose
play of fathomless love !                                   him.' such is the force of Joshua's words. There was
       Today, the true Joshua, Christ Jesus, speaketh to a reason for this exhortation. There are men who
His people : Choose ye this day whom ye will serve ; apparently  do not choose, the double-hearted,  two-
whether the gods of this world, the gods of the  Amor- faced personages, who think it possible to serve
ites in whose land we dwell.                                Jehovah and  Baa1 at once. Instead of either choosing
       Choose we must and choose we do between Him God or Baal, they choose both God and Baal. Instead
and other gods. We know what our choice ought to of saying that either  Baa1 or Jehovah is God, they say
be. As Israel of old we say: "God forbid we should that  Baa1 as well as Jehovah is God. They are people
forsake the Lord to serve other gods ; for the Lord with two hearts, one heart for Baal, one heart for God,
our God He it is that brought us up out of the lond people with two faces, one face smiling upon Jehovah,
of Egypt . . . .  "                                         the other smiling upon Baal. So it is apparently. In
       What is our choice? By ourseIves  we forsake Him reality such men have but one heart  - a heart going
and choose other gods. Herein it appears how un- out to Baal. In reality there is but one face to these
speakably foolish, and amazingly wicked we are by personages, a face smiling upon Baal.
nature. For we belong to Him ; and the gods of this            It is quite impossible to love and be friendly with
world are vanity, the vile creations of man, destitute both God and Baal. The two are opposites from every
of power, wisdom, might, mercy. Yet if left to our- point of view. God is light,  Baa1 is darkness. The
selves, we prostrate ourselves before the gods of this former is the inclusion of all that is lovely. The latter
world, sacrifice to devils, and of the Rock that begot is the extension of the vile and corrupt creature.
us, we are unmindful.                                       Friendship for Baa1 is therefore enmity toward God.
       What a choice ! How evident that He had to do One must choose therefore and in choosing one or the
more than make possible our salvation. How evident other every second of his existence.
that He must actually save us. How evident that the            He apparently friendly with both is choosing for
greatest possibly display of divine mercy and right- Baal. This Joshua well understood. What he there-
eousness can awaken not the slightest response in the fore exhorts the double-hearted in his audience to do is
sinner's heart if that heart be not renewed.                to come out in the open'daylight, and make a public
       We choose Him because He chose us and in and choice, openly array themselves either on. the side of
through us chooses Himself.                                 Baa1 or cn the side of God.
 "Choose ye this day whom ye shall serve." That                Let them compare, appraise, and reach definite con-
He is the author of our good choice, that we choose         clusions, and take a  definite  stand. If Baa1 is god, let
as His instruments, does not remove the necessity of them serve him.
our choosing, nor renders our choosing superfluous.            Let them declare him to be a being adorable and
Man's life is a perpetual choosing between good and therefore worthy of their devotion.
evil, though it be true that the natural man can do            Joshua's  e,xhortation,  one feels, is holy sarcasm.
nothing but will to choose the wrong, will to choose the Baa1 is no god. To choose him is to do the absurd, the
gods of this world.  Chocsing is an action of the unreasonable, the frightfully wicked thing.                     For
rational, moral creature and sets man off from his Jehovah is God.
fellow creatures as a responsible being.                                                                  G. M. 0.
       God wills to be served only as a being chosen by
E-Iis worshippers, chosen in distinction from darkness,
from the lie, from gods that are no gods, from gods
that constitute the dark and horrible reserve from His
own blessed self. Therefore He not only places His                            BEKENDMAKING
blessed self within the range of our vision, but also
confronts His people with the dark reverse of His              Het Curatorium der Theologische School zal  verga-
adorable self, namely, the devils at whose shrine the deren, D. V., Dinsdagnamiddag om half vier op den dag
world worships, and He bids us to compare, to ap- v&r de Classis zitting neemt, namelijk, op 31 Januari,
praise, to choose, to decide whether it is evil to serve
Him. And in choosing Him we declare that we loathe in de South Holland, Ill., Protestantsche  Gereformeer-
darkness, hate sin, and love Him, as a being blessed de Kerk.
forever.                                                                                      L. Vermeer,  Scriba.


