                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D B E A R E R                                             221

     i,;>. All tuition shall be collected in the schools and wendt,  oak in de Heilige Schrift is te vinden." E'n ik
  shall be booked in the Central Ofice.                        was van oordeel, dat de geachte schrijver zonder nood-
     c. Teaching personnel.                                    z,aak  twee verschillende  reeksen  van uitspraken tegen-
     1. General requirements for teachers, etc.,  shail        over elkander stelt, die hij ook met  elkander zou  kun-
  be determined.                                               nen verzoenen.
     2. A salary scale or scales shall be fixed.                  Hierop  komt ds. Diermanse'terug. Met nadruk zegt
     6,3. Appointments to teaching positions shall be hij, dat hij die uitspraken  niet  tegenover elkander
  made upon advice of the superintendent.                      stelt, maar dat ze werkelijk tegenover elkander  stclnn.
                                                               Aan den eenen kant staan de uitspraken,  die de Kerk
                                                               naar haar uitwendige en zichtbare zijde voorstellen als
      Such, then, is the proposed plan.                        een ongemengde  schare  van enkel wedergeborenen ;  aan
     The reader will see at a glance that the plan pro-        den anderen kant de uitspraken, die dezelfde Kerk, uit
  poses changes that are radical. It would revolutionize hetzelfde   oogpunt  ons teekenen als een gemengde
  our entire present system.                                   schare.
      Not only the boards, but also and especially the             En, aldus ds. Diermanse, "zulk eene tegenspraak
  parents are vitally interested in the matter. Before a van het eenmaal gezegde, betreffende eenzelfde  zaak  in
i plan such as this .is either adopted or rejected we          h&elfde opzicht, komt natuurlijk in het Woord van
  should thoroughly understand it.                             ,God,  Die enkel  Licht is, niet voor."
      It is for this reason that we propose to discuss it.         En even later: "Evenmel, hoewel in de Schrift te-
                                                    H. H.      genstellingen  voorkomen, 66k betreffende de Kerk, zoo
                                                               wordt  hier nergens van haar, bepaald naar haar uiter-
                                                               lijke zijde alleen, op  tweegrlei  wijze, en zelfs tegen
                                                               elkander ingaande gesproken. Xaar alleen worden hier
                                                               de Kerk naar  haar verborgen bestaan, en dezelfde  Kerk
    Wederantwoord  Aan Ds. Diermanse                           naar haar uiterlijk bestaan nevens elkander gesteld."
                                                                   Nu ben ik het volkomen eens, dat de Schrift niet
      We danken  ds. Diermanse voor zijn vriendelijk  ant-     met zichzelve in tegenspraak kan zijn. Elkander uit-
  woord  op onze recensie  over zijn boek: "De Onderstel-      sluitende tegenstellingen,  66k  b.v. zulke als: "God wil
  ling in Binnen- en Buitenlandsche Gereformeerde Con-         dat alle menschen zalig worden" en "Hij wil niet, dat
  fessies." Tevens danken  we hem voor de toezending alle menschen zalig worden," komen in de Schrift zeker
  van nog twee andere geschriften van zijne hand, name-        niet  voor. l3n daarom kan oak de Schrift  niet leeren,
  lijk, "De Beschouwing der Kerkleden" en "Kerkelijke dat dezelfde massa menschen  bestaat uit enkel uitver-
  Ongewisheid." Het eene heb ik reeds met belangstel-          korenen  en tech een gemengde hoop is, bestaande uit
  iing gelezen. Set andere hoop  ik zoo spoedig  mogelijk      uitverkorenen en verworpenen.
  tc  verwerken.                                                   Doch dat schreef ik ook niet. Ik schreef echter  wel,
      In al deze verschillende geschriften toont de  geach-    dat dezelfde tegenstelling, die ds. Diermanse in de  be-
  te broeder en collega, dat hij zeer veel  belang  stelt in de lijdenisschriften ziet, ook in de Schrift te vinden is,
   kwestie,  die hij zoo telkens bespreekt en uit allerlei ,indien  hij  namelijk  op  luwr  dexelfde methode wit  toe-
   oqgpunten belicht. Het is hem metterdaad  ernst om de passers*,  die  hij op de  belijdertisschriften   toepast.
   Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland te bewegen om op              Ais namelijk ds. Diermanse schrijft, dat in de be-
   dit punt verandering aan te brengen in de Eelijdenis-       wuste uitspraken der Heilige Schrift  de Kerk naar haar
   schriften.                                                  verborgen bestaan en dezelfde Kerk naar haar  uiterlijk
      Ofschoon  ik ook thans nog de zienswijze van ds.         bestaan nevens elkander worden  gesteld, dan berust
   Diermanse niet kan deelen,  boezemt mij echter  de zaak     deze verklaring van hem niet op die uitspraken als zoo-
   zelve niet minder belangstelling in dan onzen  collega danig, maar op eene door hem gegeven interpretatie
   aan de overzijde van den oceaan. De zaak is metter-          es van.
   daad, beide uit dogmatisch en praktisch oogpunt van             Dat dit  werkelijk  het geval is wordt duidelijk, zoo-
   groat belang.  Daarom onderzoek  en bespreek ik gaarne      dra we enkele voorbeelden uit de Schrift aanhalen.
   alles, wat ds. Diermanse ons hierover  mocht toezenden ;        Als God tot Abraham zegt:  "En Ik zal mijn verbond
   beveel ik ook gaarne onzen lezers de geschriften van oprichten  tusschen  Mj en tusschen u en tusschen uw
   den geachten broeder over deze hwestie  aan, ook al  ver- zaad na u in hunne geslachten, tot een eeuwig verbond,
   schil ik met hem van beschouwing; en geef ik gaarne          om u te zijn tot een God en uwen zade na u," wat wordt
   gelegenheid  aan hem, om deze bespreking voort te zet-       dan met dit zaad bedoeld ? Wordt hier bedoeld bet
   ten.                                                         vleeschelijke zaad  Abrahams,  Israel naar het  vleesch,
       In mijne bespreking van des broeders boek had  ik de Kerk naar hare uitwendige zijde? Wij zouden ge-
   geschreven: "Het is mijn overtuiging, dat dezelfde  te- neigd zijn.om deze vraag bevestigend te beantwoorden,
   genstelling, die ds. Diermanse in de belijdenisschriften als we slechts het Oude Testament raadplegen. Im-
   meent te vinden, naar dezelfde methode, die hij aan- mers aan dit zaad wordt bet land Kanaan beloof& Dit


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               223
                        ---_---..  ._"                            -_.._-,- ---^ .-..               -            -
 in brand gestoken en wordt een speelbal  der volken.           1:7.  Hij schrijft  aan de gemeente der  Thessalonicen-
 Alleen maar, dat overblijfsel wordt getroost. Het moet         sen, welke is in God den Vader, en den Heere Jezus
 ook in de donkerste tijden der historic van Gods ver-          Christus ; maar dit neemt niet weg, dat hij haar ver-
 bond verstaan, dat God Zijn volk niet heeft verstooten, maant   zich te onttrekken van degenen, die ongeregeld
 maar dat Hij hen verkoren heeft om hen te  verheerlij-         wandelen en des apostels woord niet gehoorzaam zijn.
 ken en hen nimmer zal begeven  of verlaten.                    En zoo zouden er voorbeelden voor het grijpen zijn: om
     Doch  dit is verklnting.                                   te bewijzen, dat ditzelfde verschijnsel, dat ds. Dier-
    Opzichzelf staan zulke uitspraken in  onverzoen-            manse in de belijdenisschriften vindt, ook in de Heilige
 lijken strijd met elkander.                                    Schrift te vinden is. Nu wil ik die zoogenaamde reek-
     Niet anders is het in het Nieuwe Testament.                sen in de belijdenis, waarvan ds. Diermanse meent, dat
     Paulus  schrijft aan de gemeente Gods, die te Ko- ze in onverzoenlijken strijd met elkander s&an,  verkla-
 rinthe is, den geheiligden in Christus Jezus, den geroe-       ren  enalzoo  tech verzoenen. En ds. Diermanse is van
 penen  heiligen, met  allen, die den Naam van  onzen           overtuiging, dat dit niet kan.
 Heere Jezus  Christus aanroepen in alle plaats, beiden                                            (Wordt vervolgd)
 hunnen en  onzen  Heere, I Kor.  1:2. Wat zou nu de                                                                 H. H.
 bedoeling zijn? Opzichzelf zou tweeerlei  mogelijk zijn.
 In de eerste plaats, dat hij hier alleen schrijft aan de
 Kerk te Korinthe naar haar geestelijk-inwendige zijde.
 De woorden zouden dan zoo moeten worden  gelezen:                           JBSUS NEVER FORSAKES
 "Aan de gemeente Gods, die te Korinthe is, ik bedoel                    Deep in my heart, like a river,
 meer in het bijzonder alleen de geheiligden in Christus                   Flames the assurance divine
 Jezus," etc. Maar het kan ook zijn, dat hij schrijft aan                That Jesus, the Savior of, sinners,
 de gemeente, zooals zij historisch en naar het  uitwen-                   Is now forever mine.
' dige te Korinthe bestaat, haar als geheel aanspreekt
 als gemeente Gods en haar toespreekt naar haar gees-                    Tho' I may often forget Him,
 telijken kern als geheiligden in  Christus Jezus en geroe-                Often be selfish and blind,
pene heiligen. En dit laatste is zeker de juiste  be-                    He never will leave me to perish,
 schouwing. De brief wordt immers geschreven aan die                       So patient is He, and kind.
 historisch bestaande gemeente en raakt we1 terdege                      Friends I call dearest may fail me,
 haar uitwendige verschijning. Zij wordt straks  niet                      Yet He is ever the same ;
 in een zekeren kring uit die gemeente, maar in de  ge-                  He comes to my rescue whenever
 meente als geheel gelezen en geheel de gemeente hoort                      I call on His blessed name.
 zich straks door den apostel toegesproken als gemeente
 Gods en heiligen in Christus  Jezus. Maar straks heet                   Why should I fear for the morrow,
 het : "Maar sommigen zijn opgeblazen alsof ik tot u'                      When He is mindful of me,
 niet komen zou, 4 : 18 ; En doet gij dezen booze uit  uw                Or why should I tremble at sorrow,
 midden weg, 5:13. Doch ik . . . heb alreede besloten                      With such a defense as He.
  . . . . Denzulken over te geven den Satan tot verderf                  Jesus will never, never forsake me.
  des vleesches, opdat de geest behouden moge worden  in                    My trials and strength He knows ;
  den dag van onzen  Heere Jezus Christus, 5:3, 5. Zui-                  Safely, He'll guide me, securely will hide me,
  vert dan den ouden zuurdeesem uit, opdat gij een nieuw                    From even the last of foes.
  deeg moogt zijn,  5:`i. Want sommigen hebben de ken-
  nis Gods niet, 15:34.  Indien iemand den Heere Jezus
  Christus  niet liefheeft, die zij eene vervloeking;  Mara-        Every day let us renew the consecration to God's
  natha!  16:22.  Wat dan? Wordt niet dezelfde gemeente         service; every day let us, in His strength, pledge our-
  toegesproken in heel den brief? Ongetwijfeld. Is het          selves afresh to do His will, even in the veriest trifle,
  dan de eene  maal de gemeente naar haar uitwendige, de        and to turn aside from anything that may displease
  andere  maal naar haar inwendig-geestelijke  zijde? Er Him. He does not bid us bear the burdens of tomorrow,
  is hiervoor geen bewijs.  Doch de apostel  spreekt  de        next week, or next year. Every day we are to come to
  geheele  gemeente aan, naar den regel der Schrift,  als       Him in simple obedience and faith, asking help to keep
  de gemeente Gods, naar haar geestelijken kern ;  het-         us, and aid us through that day's work  ; and to-morrow,
  geen echter niet wegneemt, dat niet allen hoofd voor          and to-morrow, and to-morrow, through years of long
  hoofd en ziel voor  ziel uitverkoren en  wedergeboren         to-morrows, it will be but the same thing to do ; leaving
  zijn, zoodat hij de kwaden en het kwade be&raft.              the future always in God's hands, sure that He can care
     En hetzelfde verschijnsel vindt ge in de andere brie-      for it better than we. Blessed trust! that can thus con-
  ven van den apostel. Hij schrijft  aan de gemeenten fidingly say, "This hour is mine with its present duty ;
  van Galatie,  waaronder er echter ook zijn, die het Evan-     the next is God's, and when it comes, His presence will
  gelie  Gods  willen verkeeren en de anderen ontroeren, come with it."


22.4                                    T H E   STANDABD  B E A R E R
-__. _I_ ..-. ^ ..^^ _ I         - __ "---e-T"..-.-
                                                               trine, certainly implies that there were two sorb of
                   Our Church Order                            elders in the apostolic church.         But what must be
                                                               shown is that the elders who labored in the Word and
        THEMINISTEXOFTHEGOSPELALSOAN  ELDER                    in the doctrine also with the ruling elders took over-
    The view of which the title of this writing is ex-         sight of -the church and exercised church discipline.
pressive has been and is held to by men of Reformed               The question is whether this is anywhere taught in
persuasion generally. It is the view to which the Re-          the New Testament scripturks. Let us see what can
formed fathers were addicted. This is evident from be gotten from Scripture. From many notices con-
Article 16 of the Church Order and from the Form  of tained in the epistles it is plain that in every congrega-
Ordination of the Ministers of God's Word. Article             tion persons were appointed under the guidance of the
16 of the Church Order reads: The office of Ministers Spirit to take oversight of the church. Selected from
is to continue in prayer and in the ministry of  "he           among the elderly members of the church, they were
Word, to dispense the sacraments, to watch over the            tir,st called  elders and later  ozterseclrs  or  bishops  (op-
brethren, the Elders and Deacons,  :is well as the con-        zieners) . Thus the name  bishop  signifies a person
gregation, and finally, with the elders, to exercise           vested with an office. .A11 bishops were elders; but not
church discipline and to see to it that everything is          all  elders  were  bishops.     It means that the elders
done decently and in good order. According to this             formed a group comprised of elderly and respected
article, the series of duties belonging to the office of       men in the church and that the bishops were the
minister of the gospel are: (1) Ministry of the Word           bearers of an  o%ce. Various New Testament scrip-
(prayers and preaching of the Word)  ; (2) govern-             tures show that the office of bishop or elder was a gen-
ment (keeping the church of God and the office-bear- eral apostolic institution.
ers in good discipline). Here it is explicitly taught that        The task assigned to the elders is known from the
the minister with the elders exercise church discipline.       descriptions  of  their office, from the requirements
He is therefore at once a ruling elder who unites in which they must meet, and from the names they bear.
his person the office of minister of the gospel and that       The eider must be a man, blameless, the husband of
of ruling elder. The same view is found in the  above-         one wife, having children faithful and not accused of
mentiotied `Form : "Finally it is the duty of the Min-         riot or unruly. .He must be a man, not self-willed, not
isters of the Word, to keep the church of God in good soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given
discipline, and to govern it in such a manner as the           to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of
Lord hath ordained; for Christ having spoken of the            good  men, sober, just, holy, temporate; holding fast
Christian discipline, says to His apostlks, whatsoever         the faithful word as he  bath been taught, that he may
ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. And           be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to con-
Paul will have the ministers to know how to rule their         vince the gainsayers (Tit.  13%).  The elder further
own house, since they otherwise neither can provide            must be one who ruleth well his own house, having his
for, nor rule the church of God."                              c:hildren in subjection with all gravity; for not know-
        The question is whether the above view has the         ing how to rule his own house, he knows not how to
support of Scripture. Let us see.  In the Form of              take care of the church of God (I Tim. 3 :4,5).  Finally,
Ordination of Elders and Deacons we come upon  :.i             in the writings of the apostles the elders appear as per-
paragraph that reads: "Of the elders is to be observed,        sons whose task it is to take the lead of (I Thess. 5:
that the word elder or eldest . . . . is applied to two. 12), govern (I,Cor. 12 :2 8), and shepherd (Eph. 4  3)
sorts of persons who minister in the church of Jesus           the church. The conclusion would seem to be warranted
Christ : for the  apostie saith, `the eiders that rule well, that at first the office.of elders consisted soly in gov-
shall be counted worthy of double honor, especially erning, ruling, shepherding and supervising the church.
they that labor in the Word and doctrine" (I Tim.              This seems the more likely in view of the circumstance
5:17,  18). Hence it is evident that there were two            that in the first period of the history of the apostolic
sorts of elders in the Apostolic church, the former            church the need of the office of ministers of the gospel
whereof did labor in the Word and in the doctrine, and         was met by the apostles, evangelists, prophets and
the latter did not. The first were the ministers of the those endowed with extraordinary gifts of  which there
Word and pastors, who preached the gospel and ad-              were many. Here then was  a group of teachers whose
ministered the sacraments; but the others who did not          presence rendered the common office of teacher super-
labor  .in the word, and still did serve the church, bore      fluous.  But this group dwindled and  the number bf
a particular office, namely, they had the oversight of         churches increased with the result that soon the need
the church, and ruled the same with the ministers of began to be felt for a permanent office of ministers of
the word."                                                     the gospel.
        The conclusion that the Form here draws  i+s not to        Paul wrote : "And he gave some apostles ; and some,
be avoided. The saying of Paul that the elders who             prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors
 rule well, shall be counted worthy  of double honor,          and teachers . . . . " The omission of the adjective
especially they that labor in the Word and in the  doc-        some between the nouns pastors and tenchers indicates


i                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                         225
                                                                                                                  a
     that at the time of the writing of this epistle the office ister of the Word) oft the church of Pergamus, John
     of pastors and that of teachers were being borne by one       was bidden to write: "These things saith He which
     and the same person; and this in turn would seem to           hath the sharp sword with two edges: I know thy
     imply that the aforesaid offices are  essendidly  one  and    works, . . . . But I have a few things against thee,
     the same, which indeed they are.                              because thou (in the first instance the angel with his
        Eventually therefore the church came into the              consistory and in the second instance the congrega-
     possession of two sorts of elders of which the one            tion) hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam
     had oversight of the house of God and the other               . . . . So thou hast also them that hold the doctrine
     labored in the Word and doctrine. There were reasons of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Repent; or
     for this. Heresy began to make its appearance in and else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against
     outside' the church. This circumstance, as coupled them with the word of my mouth." The admonition,
     with the fact of the diminution and final disappearance "Repent," was directed to the angel and is equal to the
     of the college of apostles and their helpers, called for exhortation, `Act against the impenitent, excommuni-
     a trained ministry to devote all its time and energy to       cate them from the church of God, and from the fellow-
     the word of expounding the holy scriptures and of             ship with Christ, and the holy sacraments . . . .  '
     vindicating sound doctrine against heresies and errors.       Here then the angel of the aforesaid church is bidden
     As the time and talent required for this work is not          to, exercise the power of the office of ruling elder. It
     everybody's, not even every elders', some of those qual- shows that this power was also his. There is then
     ified already vested with the office of elders, began         suflicient grounds for saying that in the apostolic
     to work more exclusively in the Word and doctrine             church all teachers, preachers of the Word, were at
     until finally each church, had its angel or minister of       once ruling elders. Paul as good as literally stated
     the gospel wholly devote to the expounding of the             this in his first epistle to Timothy. Wrote he: "The
     Word.                                                         elders that rule well shall be counted worthy of double
        Here a question arises: was the teacher or min-            honor, especially they that labor in the Word and doc-
     ister of the gospel in the apostolic church at once a trine." The meaning of this statement plainly is:
     ruling elder? Otherwise stated, was he a ruling elder         `The elders that rule well shall be counted worthy of
     who also preached the Word of God or was he a min-            doubIe honor, especialIy  those worthy rulers who in
     ister of the Word only? The stand that the angel of addition to ruhng also labor in the Word and doctrine.'
     the church is at once a ruling and a teaching elder, no       According to this notice all teachers (ministers of the
     man of Reformed persuasion would think of question-           gospel) are rulers.
     ing. I do not do so here. Yet in view of the fact that,          But now another question arises in this connection :
     although today all ministers  ,of the gospel are allowed      Does the power to rule go hand in hand  wit.h  the power
     to function also as ruling elders, the latter neverthe-       to teach or does the' power to teach go hand in hand
     less are forbidden to function as minister of the gospel,     with the power to rule? The former, certainly ; for if
     it may not be amiss to at least ask whether the view the contrary were true, every ruling elder would be a
     that all ministers are ruling elders but that only some       laborer in the Word and doctrine. As it is, though all
     ruling elders, namely, those called to the office of min- ministers of the gospel are at once  ruIing  elders, only
     isters of the gospel, may engage in the ministry ofthe        Some ruling elders are ministers of the Word. So it
     Word is a view that can be gotten out of Scripture. If was in the apostolic church. The Scripture, last quoted,
     the office of ruler and that of ministers of the gospel is plainly shows this. The unmistakable implication of
     one and the same, why should not the elder be allowed this Scripture is that only some rulers were ministers
     to engage in the ministry of the Word as well as the          of. the Word. There is no evidence in the writings of
     minister is allowed to function at once as ruling elder.      the apostIes  that during any period of the history of
     And the answer: Scripture does not sanction this.             the Apostolic church, all elders were at once ministers
        The question is what the teachings of Scripture are of the gospel. So it appears then that the doctrine
     respecting these matters. Let us first ask whether the according to which all teachers are rulers but only
     view that the minister of the gospel is at once a ruling some rulers, teachers, reposes on solid enough ground.
     elder has the support of Scripture? And the answer:              Some elders are teachers. That we have to do here
     It has. As was said, in the Hebrews and in the epistle        with a proposition representative of an ordinance of
     to the Corinthians, we come upon persons, office-bear- God revealed to us in Scripture, there need be no
     ers, vested with the power both to rule and to preach doubt. In agreement with this ordinance, the Form of
     the Word. Let me again quote these passages: "Re- Ordination of Elders enume`rates  the following duties
     member them which have the rule over you, who have as belonging to their office : (1) Taking oversight over
     spoken unto you the Word of God" (Heb. 13 :7). "And           the church ; (2) Assist with their good counsel and
     He gave some . . . , pastors and teachers . . . .  " advice the ministers ; (3) Have regard unto the doc-
     (Eph. 4 :ll) . In these scriptures the minister of the trine and conversation of the ministers of the Word.
     gospel `appears as also vested with the power to rule.        However, according to ArticIe 23 of the Church Order,
     SO  also in the book of Revelations. To the angel  (min-
              `,                                                   the elders must visit the "families of the  congrega-
                                                                                                             .


226                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
-~-.---L --... -_^ .._.."_. ___I- -.._.--           ---.                                 ___ll_---_l-              -.-
tion, in order particularly to comfort and instruct the         speak of elders who rule well and of eiders who in
members, and also to exhort others in respect to the            addition to ruling labor in the Word and doctrine?
Christian religion." According to-this ruling, all elders       Is there not conflict here? Not at all. Let us show
are at once teachers. Paul gave expression to the same this. Having asserted that the elders who labor in
sentiment when in his first epistle to Timothy he wrote the Word and doctrine shall be counted worthy of
that all bishops (elders) must be apt, that is, qualified       double honor, the apostle goes on to write: "For the
to teach. Yet there is no conflict here between Paul            Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that
and the Church Order on the one hand and the Form               treadeth out the corn. And the laborer is worthy cf
(of Ordination of Elders) on the other hand. If  the            his reward." Calvin's commentary on the whole pass-,
ruling elder were not allowed to instruct, it would be          age reads in part: "We may learn from this, that
utterly impossible for him to at all function ; for the         there were at that time two kinds of elders; for ail
yoke which he in his capacity of elder, bishop, ruler,          were not ordained to teach. The word plainly means,
lays upon the members of the flock over which he is             that there were some who ruled well and honourably,
set, is the yoke, the very word of Christ. He comforts, but who did not hold the office of teachers . . . . he
admonishes, exhorts, warns and disciplines with words           (Paul) enjoins that support shall be provided chiefly
from Scripture. And this word may not merely be                 for pastors, who, are employed in teaching. Such is
read, quoted or recited but must be explained and  ap-          the ingratitude of the world, that very little care is
plied according as the need of the sheep dictate. The taken about supporting the ministers of the Word  ; and
elder does so, in the capacity not of an unofficial exer-       Satan, by this trick, endeavours to deprive the church
ciser but of ambassador of Christ. The elder then of instruction, by terrifying many, through t.he dread
comes with the Word. hrecessarily so. Consider that             of poverty and hunger, from bearing that burden . . . .
his task is to shepherd, guide, protect, rule and feed          The meaning of this statement (Thou shalt not muzzle
the sheep and this his guide, his rule, his pasture with the ox) . . . is the same as if it had been said in gen-
which the sheep are fed is the We,&.  Once more, it             eral terms, that they must ,not make a wrong use of
would be utterly impossible for the elder to attend to          the Iabours of others . . . It follows that they are
t,he duties belonging to his office, if he were not allowed     cruel, and have forgotten the claims of equity, who
to direct to the members of the congregation the Word.          permit cattle to suffer hunger; and incomparably
       As to the minister of the gospel, it would be utterly    worse are they that act the same part towards men,
impossible for him to perform the duty belonging to             whose sweat they suck out for their own accommoda-
his office of teacher if he were not allowed to function tion. And how intolerable is the ingratitude of those
in the pulpit as ruling elder. Consider that his word of        who refuse support to their pastors, to whom they
instruction is the very word of Christ and must there- cannot pay an adequate salary!"
fore from the very nature of mat&s  be heard, believed             According to this commentary, which is correct, the
and obeyed, must be received as a word by which they            reasoning of the apostle turns also upon the material
who hear must allow themselves to be bound, led, support that the church, those taught, owe the elders
guided and fed. It means that the minister of the               most  of all,  specially,  those who labor in the Word and
gospel cannot open his mouth to speak (the word of doctrine. What other reason could there be for this
Christ) without laying the yoke of his Sender upon the          than that the latter spent all their time in and gave
flock, without opening the kingdom of heaven to be- all their efforts to searching the Scriptures and feeding
lievers and shutting the kingdom to unbelievers, with- the flock. Here we have come upon the first difference
out functioning as ruling elder.                                between the office of elders as borne by the minister
       So then, the ruling elder not called to the office of of the gospel and the same office as borne by the ruling
ministers of-the gospel, must also teach.          He must elder. The former in distinction from the latter makes
therefore be qualified to teach. That our Reformed the laboring in the Word and doctrine his life calling.
fathers understood this is evident from the Form of Both labor in the Word as scripture plainly teaches ;
Ordination of Elders. In this Form we come upon a but the former is the teacher of the flock. Herewith
clause that reads: "The elders are in duty bound dili- the conflict above referred to, is removed.
gently to search the Word of God, and continually be               This brings us to a second difference between the
meditating on the mystery of faith."                            office of ruhng and that of teaching elder. From the
       But if matter stand thus, if the ruling elder, not a circumstance that the latter makes the laboring in the
minister of the gospel, is at ,once a teacher, will it do       Word and doctrine his life work, it logically follows
to speak of elders who rule and of elders who rule and          that he and not the former functions in the pulpit,
in addition labor in the Word and doctrine. And the             preaches the Word to the flock assembled with its
answer: the distinction with which we here have to office-bearers for public worship. It follows from the
do is found in Scripture and must therefore be made. very nature of matters, it seems to me, that the  teach-
But if in the very writings of Paul, the ruling elder is kg elder directs the Word to the assembly of saints.
snoken of as being at once a teacher and the teacher as To him there is time for preparation; for he labors
being at once a ruling elder, how can the same apostle exclusively in the Word. Whether the ruling elder in
                .


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           221
                                --_I_  ---..""..-l                             -_____."  .__.. "._      --.-..""-_
 the apostolic church was also a follower of some earthy       individual sheep. By observing the conversation and
 pursuit or whether he gave himself wholly to the task by administering to the needs of each and every tiheep,
 of overseeing the flock, is a matter upon which Scrip- he takes oversight of the church.
 ture sheds some light. Paul's notice to Timothy that             In distinction from the ruling elder, the minister
 of all the elders those laboring in the Word are              of the gospel directs the word to the flock, to the assem-
 specialy  entitled to the material support of the flock,      bly. The authors of the Form of the Ordination of
 must imply that it was expected of the other that             Ministers of the Word understood this. We tid in t!le
 they themselves provide in heir material needs. This          aforesaid Form the following description of what the
 much is certain that their claim upon the  materid            office of *Ministers of the Word enjoins. "First, that
 support of the flock was not nearly as strong <as that        they faithfully explain to their flock the Word of the
 of the others.                                                Lord and apply the same to  ,the edification of the
    We notice still a third difference. The teaching           hearers . . . Secondly, it is the office of the ministers
 elder, though vested with the power to both rule and          publicly to call upon the name of the Lord in behalf
 teach, gives himself more to teaching, to explaining          of the whole congregation. Thirdly, their office is to
 and applying the Word as the needs of the flock require       administer the sacraments . . . . " Here we have to
 than to ruling, overseeing, the conversation of the           do with a series of tasks performed in public, in the
 members of the flock. The ruling elder, on the other assembly. But whereas the minister of the Word is
 hand, though also from the very nature of matters a also an elder, it is his duty "to keep the church of God
teacher, gives himself more to the work of taking over-        in good discipline and to `govern it in such a manner as
 sight over the church. This is so true that Paul in           the Lord hath ordained . . . .  "
 his first epistle to Timothy brings the minister of the
 gospel to the fore as a personage who in distinction             Such are then the differences which the ruling elder
 from the ruling elder labors in the Word and doctrine.        and the minister of the gospel exhibit in their engage-
     Herewith we have come upon the final difference.          ments. Some may still ask why the Lord ordained
 The office of ruling elder as it consists in taking over- that the of&es  of ruling elder and of teacher be united
 sight over the flock, involves him who bears it and           in the person of the minister of the gospel but not in
 who does not at once bear the office of teacher,              the person of the ruling elder, or otherwise said, why
 in personal work, I would say, almost exclusively. Per-       do some elders bear the office of ruling elder and that
 sonal work is a term that signifies the care bestowed         of minister of the Word and why do the others bear
 not upon the body as a whole but upon each and every          the office of elder only. Scripture does not answer this
 member by himself. The sentiment here expressed is            question directly. Yet it does not leave the question
 in strict agreement with the teaching of the Form of          unanswered. The three offices, essentially one and the
 Ordination of Elders and Deacons. According to this           same and united in the person of Christ must be seen
 Form, "the task of the ruling elder is to take the over- in the church as distinct, the one from the other. To
 sight of the church, that is, to look whether  every  o?zc    bring into sharp  reIief this distinction some elders
  (mark you, every one) properly deports himself in his        function as teachers in the public assembly while
 confession and conversation ; to admonish those who           others must keep  themself  to the task of ruling, -that
 behave themselves disorderly, and to prevent as much is, predominantly so while still other office-bearers (the
 as possible, the sacraments from being profaned ; also        deacons) engage exclusively in the dispensing of
 to act (according to the Christian discipline) against        mercy. But the question still remains what the reason
 the impenitent, and to receive again the impenitent           may be why the Lord wills this. And the answer must
 into the bosom of the  church . . . .  " So then, the         be: to emphasize the three aspects of what is essen-
 ruling elder is to fix and keep- his eye upon each and        tiahy one and that in the one entity as divided into
 every sheep with a view to ascertaining whether he,           three distinct offices we may behold as in a glass the
 the individual sheep, properly deports himself; And           three aspects of the  mediatorial  labors of Christ. But
 that impenitent one with whom the ruling elder labors         if it is the will of the Lord that the' offices remain
 is the lone sheep walking in sin. To this sheep, he distinct the one from the other, why should the elder
 directs the Word of God. In doing so, he appeals both         who functions as teacher in the pulpit at once bear the
 to the head and heart, the mind and will of the im-           office of ruIing  elder? Necessity requires that the min-
 penitent. In his capacity of teacher, in so far as this       ister of the Word who addresses his message to the
 is necessary, he explains the Word. In his capacity           flock as assembled for worship, be allowed to place
 of ruler, he administers the Word, explained, to the in- himself in personal contact with the individual sheep.
 dividua1  conscience. Further, in agreement with the          The latter is often in the need of instruction, warning,
 character of his office, the ruling elder has regard unto     and exhortation which only the minister of the Word is
 the doctrine and conversation of the ministers of the         capable of giving in that he labors in the Word and
 Word, that is, of each individual minister. It is plain doctrine; but necessity does not require that all ruling
 that the task of the ruling elder is to function as ruler elders function in the pulpit, engage in the ministry
 and teacher, predominantly as ruler, in respect to the of the Word in public. An elder can very well function


      228                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                                    --__ll                                                  ---._--.._"_l_l
      as overseer of the church without preaching the Word                 Thus in this writing I defend the proposition that
      to the assembly.                                                  all ministers of the Word are ruling-elders but that
             Let us now briefly comment upon each of the duties         only some ruling elders are ministers of the Word. By
      belonging to the office of minister of the gospel and             tracing the history of the office in question through
      that of elders.                                                   the New Testament scriptures, I attempted to show
             (1)    The office of minister is to continue in prayer.    that we actually have to do here with a divine ordi-
      In calling upon the name of the Lord, he gives utter-             nance. To my own satisfaction at least I also suc-
     . ante to what live in the hearts of the sheep and thus            ceeded. The thought that the proposition is wrong'
      prayes as the organ of the flock. In blessing and pray- is a most uncomfortable one. It is this in view of the
      ing for the flock, he functions as the organ of Christ.           fact that the practice it r.epresents  has been foliowed
      To continue in prayer, is the work of the priest. It              by Reformed churches from the beginning. It means
      means that the minister of the gospel also performs               that if the practice is wrong these churches have all
      the priestly function in the assembly.           This again       along committed themselves to a rather serious error.
      shows that the three offices, though they must be dis-            And in this case we should immediately resolve to
      tinguished between cannot be separated and are thus make straight paths for our feet respecting this
      essentially one.                                                  matter. However, that we have to do here with an
             (2)    The office of minister is to continue . . . in      ordinance of God, there need be no doubt.'
      the ministry of the Word. Enough has been said about                 I traced, as was said, the history of the office
      this duty. It may therefore be passed by here.                    through the New Testament scriptures. It would be
             (3)    To dispense the sacraments. The dispensing          interesting to trace its history through the centuries
      of the sacraments is logically the work not of the                succeeding and notice especially how it was corrupted
      ruling elder (not a minister) but of the teacher who              by the Roman hierarchy.  Stice it to say, that the
      functions in the assembly. The sacraments may not be              primitive Christian church soon began to define the
      administered to the lone member separated locally office of elder and the office of bishop as being two
      from the flock but to this member as joined to the                wholy different offices and to subordinate the elder to
      flock assembled for worship. As the minister of the               the bishop. Thus  the, elders became the common
      Word only may direct the Word to the assembly, it                 priests. Fact is, however, that the name elder and
      follows that his is the task of administering to the              bishop signify one and the same office. The aforesaid
      flock the sacraments. Besides, the Word and the sacra- erroneous conception seems to have found its way in
      ments belong together. The truth set forth by the the Form of the Ordination of elders and deacons. In
      spoken Word, the sacraments depict and seal. The                  this Form we read: "Thus we see that these sorts of
      Word and the sacraments, therefore comprise a unity.              ministers are added to the others who preach the
      It is altogether reasonable, therefore, that he who               gospel, to aid and assist them as in the Old Testament
      labors..in the Word and doctrine also dispense the                the common Levites were to the priests in the service
      sacraments.                                                       of the tabernacle, in those things which they could not
        As was said, the minister of the gospel is also                 perform alone."
      ruling elder. As ruling elder his task is to watch over                                              -.         G. M. 0.
      the brethren, the elders and deacons, as well as the
      congregation and finally to exercise church discipline
      and to see to it that everything is done decently and
      in good order.
         But there are still other duties he performs,                                  THE WORK OF LOVE
      namely, teaching the youth of the congregation (cate-
      chism)  , visiting the members in their homes (house                     There are those we must encourage
      visitation) and the confirmation of marriages.                             Who are struggling and trying to win ;
         House visitr>g  is a task that belongs to the office                 For we know not their temptations
.     of ruling elder, as it consists in directing the Word                      Nor the fight they are waging with sin.
      to and laying the yoke of Christ upon the individual
      member by himself. Instructing the youth of the con-                     Is thy brother faint and weary?
      gregation is a task that belongs to the office of teacher.                 Go and help him his burden to bear!
      However, in the performance of this task, the minister                   Has he wandered from the pathway?
      of the Word is allowed to employ helpers not in office
      in that this particular task is not one of those tasks                     Go and lead him to Jesus in prayer.
      that in the narrow sense belongs to the office of min-
      ister of the Word. But directing the Word to the                         Here a loving word  of comfort,
      flock and dispensing the sacraments do. In the per-                        There an action of mercy and love ;
      formance of these tasks therefore no helpers may be                     Scatter sunshine off around you,
      employed.                                                                  And the Lord will reward you above.


236                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
.-_.  ~ .-.. -.I-.                ._____.__  ----_l-l-..-l.l           .--.-             - ..__ __---__ll_-_^  ..-.     ..-__
ja, dan komt het  ja en neen  we1 een beetje in een             and all of us would be grateful if the Reverend De
armoedig daglicht  te  staan.                                   Korne would henceforth refer to us as the "Protestant
   Maar louter omdat iemand ja zegt, mag men niet               Reformed churches") and the Christian Reformed
tw<jfelen in de gemeente Gods, dat het ja is; en louter         churches and thus leaving out of consideration the
omdat iemand kortweg neen zegt,  moet men niet  twij- other groups meqtioned, I: want to say, and I speak
felen  aan dat neen.                                            the truth here, that the Protestant Reformed churches
                                                  H. H.         and the Christian Reformed church are as far apart
                                                                as the two poles, that as long as the condition above
                                                                referred to in the churches last named any kind of a
                                                                union and all co-operation between these two denomina-
                 A Mistaken Notion                              tions is out of the question. The thought occurs to me
                                                                whether De Korne's suggestion is meant as an over-
       In Rev. John C. De Korne's article, appearing in         ture. If so,  l$ him make no more them. Such ap-
The Banner of Feb. 2 of this new year under the cap-            proaches do some of our people no good at all.
tion, "Reformed and Always Reformed," I read: "Re-                 Again I say, as matters stand, any sort of a union
~formation  has lead to separation, and there have been         is out of the question.        Why?            Read Rev. J. M.
times when that was the only way of making the re-              Ghysels' meditation in the same issue of The Bann~t
formation effective, There may be such times agaln              in which De Korne's article received a place and you
in the future. But for the future the method of sepa- will know why. The meditation is on I John 2 :2, And
ration as a means of making reformation effective is            he is the propitiation for all our sins, and not for ours
less likely to occur than was the case in the past. Why?        only, but also for the whole world.
Because the churches of Jesus Christ are already or-               The reverend's article reads in part:  "It is thought
ganized into so many different groups. A thorough-              by some that what the apostle wishes to say in this
going reformation that would lead to the union of               text is that Christ is a propitiation `for all the sins of
groups now separate would be a real achievement. Not            believers, but in reference to the world He is a cover-
everything that led to separation has been real  re- ing only for this one racial sin.
formation ! I believe that the highest type of reforma-            "If this were the thought of the apostle, it surely
tion among Reformed groups as a whole would be a                would be an interesting one. Whether this idea is
reformation that would bring us closer together."               found in this text or not, it surely cannot be doubted
       I heartily agree with the brother provided he de-        that Scripture teaches that God has reconciled the
fines the term reformation as an act consisting in the          ,tcqorld  unto himself. As the apostle says in Ephesians
erring denomination of churches repudiating the lie             1 :X9, 20, `For it was the good pleasure of the Father
that crept in and neutralized the truth. So under-              . . . . through him to reconcile all things unto him-
stood, reformation would require of the Christian Re- self, having made peace through the blood of the cross :
formed churches that they brand the three points c?f through him, I say, whether things upon the earth,  cl
Synod (of 11921) so many faIse propositions and re-             things in the heaven.' It would indeed (I am still
pent of their hidious sins committed against faithful           quoting Ghysels, G. M. 0.) be a great mistake to think
office-bearers when they deposed them from  ofice for that the benefits of Christ's redemption extend no
the very reason that by these deposed ones the doctrine         further than to the elect. His work is of value for ill
of the sovereign grace of God was and still is being men, even for those who do not believe in him. They
consistently preached.     Do the Christian Reformed are spared because Christ died on Calvaly's cross. The
churches have a heart for this type of  a  reformation?         blessings of common grace ate extended to them be-
Let me say that it is their only salvation. So repudi- cause of the sacrifice of Christ for the sin of mankind.
ating and so repenting they would give evidence of be-          On the basis of this redemption, salvation is offered
ing spiritually capable of the highest type of reforma-         to them by the gospel. Even nature itself benefits by
tion indeed !     Failing in this they give evidence  of        what Christ  h,as done on the cross and what. He does
being of a mind to continue on a road that without a in heaven. Does not scripture tell us clearly that the
doubt  lea& to extinction! 0, that they would repent! creation itself shall be delivered from the bondage of
       I write these things because of what brother De          corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children
Korne wrote in the paragraph following the one quoted           of God? Christ died for the sin of the world. He
above: "We are not so far apart from the  Westminster           came not to judge the world, but to save it. In Christ
Seminary  group, from a strong section of the Re-               God has reconciled, not just a few elect persons, but
formed Church of America, from the prevaiiing                   the world unto himself. For this reason also, when
element in the Southern Presbyterian church, from the           Christ comes again, God's creation  will be the inherit-
Hoeksema and Danbof  groups (mark you, from the                 ance of his people. Christ has earned it for them."
Hoeksema and Danhof groups) from the more moder-                   So far Ghysels.
ate elements in the Premillenniarian groups . . . Con-             Let us first carefully analyse the framework of the
centrating now upon the  `Roeksema  group' (Hoeksema language into which the reverend cast his thought,


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           237
-___..             -           ^~-.-..-  .-_--........ _I          ^----._                                               .-..-I
ascertain what meaning he attaches to the term ,~o~frl.             churches maintain  oil the basis of Scripture that:
Consider the following sentences appearing in the ex- Christ died for the elect only.
cerpt.: (1) God reconciled the  .~co~ld  unto Himself.                 God loves the world, to be sure He does. He tells
(2) For it was the good pleasure of the Father to                   us so in His word: "For God so loved the world that
recond1e  all things unto HimseIf.         (3) His  lvork is of     He gave His onIy  begotten Son . . . " But the world
value for  all ,w,en,  eve11 for  those who do not believe          He loves  is the elect world, the cosmos minus the rep-
in Him.    (4) The blessings of common grace are ex- robate. This is the plain teaching of Scripture.
tended to them because of the sacrifice of Christ for                  But does not the reverend know this. Indeed he
the sin of mankind.                                                 does. He not only knows this, knows that Christ died
    It is evident that in the above series of sentences,            only for the elect, that God in Christ reconciled to
the terms  zvorlcL,   all  thinjgs,   cold  ?~cn taken together     Himself the elect only (including the cosmos), but
signify the entire humanity, head for head (reprobate he even in the very meditation from which I quoted,
and elect) together with the irrational and inanimate places this doctrine alongside of his Pelagian heresy.
creation. Or to confine ourselves to the two terms                  Attend to this from his pen: "We wonder whether the .
KO'Y'ECZ  and trll: ,~`EXPIZ, careful exegesis discloses that in apostle wishes to teach that Christ actually died for
the above excerpt these two terms denote one and the all men (Is this a matter that because of its uncer-
same group. Consider now in connection herewith that tainty  we need to wonder about? Is it not a settled
the term  all  ??~tin signifies reprobate and elect. What           matter in GhyseIs'  mind that it is so? G. M. 0.)" The
follows? That whereas the term  ,rl;o~ld  and  nbl  men             reverend continues : "Is Christ actually a propitiation
signify the same group (reprobate and elect) the term for the sins of every individua1  in the whole world?
,lc?orld  appears in the above excerpt as the signification            "There are many who answer this question in the
of reprobate and elect. So then all what the reverend alfirmative.                They say that the' Bible very  c1earIy
postulates of the world has a bearing upon the repro-               teaches that Christ died for  al1 men. In fact, it, is
bate. Here then it is taught in unmistakable speech generally assumed among modern Christians that this
that God reconciled the reprobate unto himself, having is a settled question. People even look up rather aston-
inade  peace through the blood of the cross; that                   ished if anyone has the temerity to say that Christ's
Christ's work is of value for the reprobate, that his               atonement is limited to the elect. The teaching of
redemption extends also to them, that the blessing limited atonement is regarded as narrowly Calvinistic.
accruing from the suffering and death of Christ ai'e                Does not the writer of the Hebrews say that Christ
extended to them because of the sacrifice of Christ for tasted death for every man? And does not the apost1e
the sin of mankind, that is, for the sin of the reprobate, John c1earIy state in this text that He is a propitiation
that Christ came not to judge the reprobate world but for the sins of the whole world? How then dare any-
to save it, that in Christ God reconciled, not just a few          one say that Christ died only for the elect?
persons, but the world, that is,. also the reprobate unto              "it is not now the time or place to enter into a
himself, that for this reason also, when Christ comes discussion of this theological question" (Is tlie doctrine
again, God's creation will be the inheritance of his of Christ's limited atonement a question for Ghysels?
people. The reverend, to be consistent, should have                 Strange ! G. M. 0.) I again quote the reverend : "We
written, of the reprobate. Rightly considered, this is             only  \vish to say that the doctrine of a general atone-        -
the implication of the statement, as, according to                 ment as it is proclaimed in most evangelical churches
Ghysels, the reprobate also are His people in that He.             of today is entirely unsatisfactory." Question : Why
God, reconciled also them to Himself.                              does not the reverend say more, say that the doctrine
   That I am not making myself guilty of placing  upon of general atonement as it is proclaimed in most evan-
what Ghysels wrote a wrong construction is evident                  gelical churches of today is a plain lie?       What a
from this statement of his (found in the quotation) :              strange moderation in the choice of words and phrases !
"His work is of value for all men, even for those who               1s he sparing here the feelings of heretics? But what
do not believe in him." And this statement: "On the                 about the feelings of God? The reverend goes on to
basis of this redemption, salvation is of3cl'ed to theln           say: "Those who preach it sincerely think that they
in the gospe1."         Here we have the proof that in the         arc exalting Christ's atonement, but they really are
minds of the exponents of common grace, the heresy                 degrading it (and I would add, denying it, G. M. 0.).
of a well meaning offer of salvation goes hand in hand             They think that their presentation of the matter makes
with the heresy that Christ died for all men head for              the gospel more inviting. It actually makes it less so
head, with the heresy of a universal atonement. And                 (why not say, It actually reduces it to a hidious eon-
this, if words have any meaning, is what the reverend ception,   G. M.  0.). If Christ is the Saviour of a11 in
in the paragraph quoted actually teaches. So my ass&-              the prevailing evabgelical  sense, He is the Saviour ol
tion to the efYect  that the Christian Reformed church none . . . .
on the one hand and the Protestant Reformed churches                   "What then does the apostle mean with the ex-
on the other hand are as far apart as the two poles                pression (the reverend finally asks)  )  of  t/w  tt:l~oh~
again appears to be altogether true. For the last named             //*o~/cl?  He uses the word `world' simply in the  gee-


235                                  T H E   S T A N D
-__......___ -...I__ ..-                                      A.RD  B E A R E R
                                              _-         -
graphical sense,. and wishes to  a&m that Christ is a the way, they are together become unprofitable; there
propitiation not only for the sins of those believers is none that doeth good, no, not one."
living in and around Ephesus, but for the sins of all             According to those who prate of a conflict between
Delievers. throughout the whole world. A very good             God's and man's logic, what the apostle here declares
commentary on his meaning can be found in his own means, ought to mean, according to the divine logic:
words in John 1151, 52, Being highpriest that year,            "What then are we better than they? Yes, by all
he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation;            means: for we have before proved that  no2; both Jews
and not for the nation only, but that he might also            and gentiles are under sin ; as it is written, all are
gather together into one the children of God that are          righteous, indeed all. All understand, all seek after
scattered abroad." So far Rev. Ghysels.                        God. None are gone out of the way, none have become
       The reverend, you see, knows and even proclaims unprofitable. All do good, verily all."
the truth! But why does he within the compass of  a               Is it not about time that the eyes of the exponents
single  brref  meditation write, "Christ died also for of the terrible theory of this conflict between God's
the reprobate," and, "Christ died for the elect only"? and man's logic open to the absurdity of their conten-
What may be his object in penning down side by side tion?
two such contrary propositions? Certainly both can-               I said that it was according to human logic that
not be true. Why this equivocating, this dilly-dallying Paul wrote as he did. Let me show this by casting his
with the truth? Why? It is not for me to judge                 reasoning in the framework of the syllogism.
motives. But  I do want to say this: The time will                Major premise: All men are by nature totally de-
come and is not so far distant that Ghysels and his            praved.
coileagues  are first going to keep silence respecting            Minor premise: We Jews are men.
and then deny outright one of the two propositions.               Conclusion: We Jews are by nature totally de-
And the proposition to be denied will be, "Christ died         praved.
for His elect only." Such trifling with the truth can-            This is human logic. Let our opponents now pub-
not go unpunished. And that punishment is and will licly declare that this logic is not also  Gods.
be a  spiritua1  darkness deepening with time. This is            As to the Reverend Ghysels, let him consider that
the lesson of history.                                         to trifle with the truth as he does and as his colleagues
       The two propositions are contrary. This is gen- are doing, is to engage in a most dangerous practice.
erally admitted by all those who maintain both of The common people, with a taste for truth, place a
them, admitted with this reservation however that not question mark behind that particular paragraph set-
according to divine but only according to human logic ting forth his Pelagian views. But having done with
do the two propositions in question involve one in a reading the paragraph in which he sets forth the truth
contradiction. He insisting that there can be no such about the atonement of Christ, they, these people, will
conflict  between the reasonings of God and the reason- say, `Well, the reverend is after  all sound enough.
ings of man is branded a rationalist. As if to say that Hence, there is no reason for questioning anything he
twice two is four for God as well as for man is to give        writes. He is after all a safe man. We can safely
evidence of being contaminated with the contagion of embibe all he writes. There is no danger.' What the
rationalism ! How could there ever be such a thing as          reverend, in other words does, is to sugar-coat the lie
a revelation of the divine mind and will if there were with the truth. Why? It is not for me to judge mo-
this clash between God's and man's logic? How could tives. Ghysels knows his heart. Let him say.
man hnow  what God meant if twice two were not four                                                            G. M. 0.
for God as well as for man? Do these men actually
know what rationalism is? Must we tell them this
too? What does it mean that man was created in
God's image ?      Does not God's logic penetrate the                              PRECIOUS WORD
entire cosmos? And is it not equally true that the                        Counsel of wisdom, God's precious word.
logic of the reasoning contained in Scripture is like-                    Lamp to my feet wherever I stray ;
wise divine? FVell then, how could man, how could the                     Guide never failing from day to day;
church, apprehend this logic if man's yea in the logica                   Leading my homeward unto my Lord -
sense stands opposed to God's yea as yea and nay?
Can these brethren tell us? They cannot.                                  Bread of my soul when famine is near;
       Consider that it was in accordance with the laws                   Water of life, cool, refreshing, clear.
of human logic that Paul wrote: "What then? are we                        Strength in my weakness, never to fail;
better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before                      Safety when trial and doubt assail.
proved both Jews and gentiles, that they were all                         Comfort when sorrows over me roll;
under sin ; as it is written, there is none righteous, no,                Hope all sustaining unto my soul;
not one : There is none that understandeth, there is                      Shelter that for all time shall endure,
none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of                     Anchor eternal, unfailing, sure.


