100                                  T ' H E   .STANDA,RD   B E A R E R

                                                             was no man, and all  tlle birds of the heaven were fled.
                                                             I beheld and, lo, the fruitful rjlace was a wilderness,.
                                                             and all the cities thereof were broken down at the pres-
                                                             ence of the Lord and by his fierce anger." In ,a foot-
                                                             note on Gen. I:2 Dr. Scofield remarks: "Jer. 4:23-26
            Bibles And Bible Reading                         . . . . . clearly indicate (s) that the earth had under-
       Throughout the Scofield edition of the Bible is so gone a cataclysmic change as the result of a divine
interspersed with commentary, that you  must`continp-        judgment". Now, I am not at present .finding  fault
ally read the-commentary with the Bible, and even with the interpretations of Dr. Scofield, though it is a
read the latter in the light of the former. If you read rather evident distortion of the meaning to make Jer.
hisBible Mr. Scofield is constantly with you. He leaves 4:23-26,  which contains clearly a vision of the judg-
you no moment's rest to read Scripture for yourself ment that ,shall come upon the land of Canaan, refer
and by yourself. He  .talks all the time while you are back to Gen. 1:2. Just now it is not our purpose to
reading, whether you like it or not. He interprets for eriticise his explanation of the Bible. I merely want
you ,every part you `are reading. And throughout he to  .point out, that the Scofield Bible incessantly in-
even speaks first and lets the Word of God speak after terprets Scripture for you, does not trust you to read
him. Before you have read a certain  *paragraph  he          one word of Holy Writ through your own eyes, inter-
gives you the viewpoint and the main theme of what           prets the Bible to you even before you have read it.
you are about to read. And no matter how doubtful            Thus far you have read only a few verses, Gen.
his interpretations may be, he is usually cocksure of 1 :l, 2 and Jer. 4 :23-26. And already you have imbibed
them,                                                        an entire conception of Scofield's. You have been taught
 ,. Let me illustrate.                                       that there was an. original creation, to which belong all
                                                             the geologic changes that are evidenced in the earth's
' Before you even read one word of  Eioly Scripture strata, that this first world was destroyed by judg-
you are practically compelled `to read Scofield's com- ment, made waste and void, and that the prophecy of
mentary of the very first verse of the Bible. That first Jer. 4:23-26 must be interpreted as referring to this
Terse, "In the beginning God created the heavens  and. judgment upon the first world. Whether Mr. Scofield'
the earth", is Socfield's first  .pnragraph;  and he  in- is right or wrong, it must be admitted that he has an
trodu?es  that paragraph to the reader by the heading:       effective way of making one read Scripture through
"The original creation." You, therefore, first read the Scofleld spectacles. o
heading and then the verse. Scofield has taught you
how to read that first verse before you have read one           Let us continue the illustration.
word of it. And, besides,.if you wonder what he means           You read Gen.  1:3-5.
by that heading: "The original creation"  he refers you         But before you get a chance to read these verses.
to a footnote:     "The first creative act refers to the     Scofield is talking again. Ee writes the following head-
dateless -past, and gives scope for all the geologic         ing above these, verses : "The new beginning  - the
ages." There was, then, so. Scofield teaches the Bible-      first day: light diffused." After Dr. Scofield has given
reader, a creation before the world as w.e know it today,    you the meaning, you are allowed to ,read : "And God
the original heaven  .and earth.  .You are, of course;       said, let there be light; and there was light. And Gocl
prepared to -ask the question : what became of the first saw the light that it was good ; and God divided the
creation? `And before you can read another word of light from darkness. And God called the light day,
Scripture in the first chapter of Genesis, Scofield is       and. the' darkness he called night. ' And the evening
talking again and answering your question by the and the morning were the first day".
heading of his next paragraph:  "Earth made waste               It is, of course, entirely consistent with what yen
and empty by judgment",  which serves as a comment- have been taught as to the meaning of the first two
ary  on the second verse of Gen. 1: "And the earth verses of Scripture, that now you are made to con-
was -without from and void ; and darkness was upon sider verse 3 as speaking, of a new beginning.
the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved               But, most) likely, you became curious to know, what
upon the face of the, waters." There was, then, ac- it might signify that in that new beginning light was
cording to Scofield's `Bible a first creation, which be- di#ksed?
came the object of God's displeasure and upon which             Dr. Scofield answers that question for you in a
vengeance was executed, a judgment through which footnote to which he refers in the text: "Neither here
the earth was made without form and void. For nor in verses 14-18  is an original creative  act implied.
further proof of this contention you  are referred to        A different word is used. The sense is, made to appear;
Jer. ,4 :23-26 : "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was `with- made visible. The sun and the moon were created  "in
out form, and void ; and the heavens, and they had no the beginning". The "light" of course came from the
light. I beheld the mountains and, lo, they trembled,' sun, but the vapour diffused the light. Later the sun
and all the hills moved lightly. I  ,beheld:  and, lo, there appeared in the unclouded sky".


_.-.  .-  -  -  - ___,..     .-- .----  -  -.._  __  .__  __..  _  _  _.  ___._   "-;~  __,_____._   -_-  .  .  --  --.-
                                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                       101

          Now, again, I do not at present mean to dispute serted man's inability of performing any `zaligmakend
     Dr. Scofield's right of interpreting these verses as he goed' without regeneration".
     cloes. I  iind it, however, rather bold of him to tell his                                    Synod dismissed the matter rather easily.
     readers that there is no original creative act implied                                        It offers that the distinctive doctrine of Pelagian-
     in vss. 3-5, nor in verses 14-18; that a different word ism is that man, without the grace of regeneration, can
     is used ; and that this different word has the sense of do saving good.
     made to appear, made visible. The fact is, that in the                                        And it points to the fact, that the synocl of 1924
     original Hebrew there is in all these verses not one                                     emphatically declared that the unregenerate is incap-
     word that by any stretch of the imagination could able of performing any saving good.
     possible be translated : made to appear or made visible.                                      But this is hardly correct.
     We simply read: "let there be", and "it was so" and                                           The distinctive feature of the Pelagian doctrine is
     `"God made".                                                                             not that the unregenerate man can do saving good,
          But the reader will again observe how Dr.  Scofield                                 but that man is not by .nature corrupt because of his
     eff eetively makes the Bible teach Iiis view of the matter. connection with the fallen race in Adam, that he is
     The light of the first day "of course"came  from the sun, morally good and is able to will and to preform that
     in spite of the fact that Scripture clearly teaches that which is good, to keep the law of God, so that he has
     God mode them on the fourth day. Hence, sun, moon no need of regeneration in order to perform the good.
     and stars were already created in  "the beginning", Pelagius even admitted, that the natural man stands
     were part of that first world that  became the object of in need of divine aid, which he calls grace, to assist his
     .God's judgment. The light, therefore, was' not really weakness in order to choose the morally good. Though.
     created on the first clay, but merely diffused through he needs no regeneration, because he is inherently good,
     the vapour, and soon the vapour is wholly dispelled                                      yet he owes to God that he is able to do, to speak, to
     and the sun appears in the unclouded sky !                                               will and to think all good:  ?&nod   possumus  omne
          And so we have really read, not the Bible, but Dr.                                  bonum facere, dicere,  cogitare,.  illius est, qui hoc posse
     Scofield's commentary of -the Bible.                                                     donavit, qui hoc posse adjuvit".
          I believe that his commentary is erroneous.                                              It is true later Pelagianism added that man by this
          But that is not the point.                                                          good which by "common grace" he is able to perform
          Whether his headings and notes give us the right can work himself up to the higher state in which he
     view `of Scripture or lead us astray, we must never                                      becomes fit to receive saving grace. And it may also
     read a Bible that cannot be read without commentary.                                     be admitted that the Three Points do not directly
     The reason for this statement I will offer later.                                        teach this error, though it is diflicult to see how the
           First we must offer a few more illustrations.                                      preaching of the gospel can be a gracious offer on the
                                                                             H. H.            p&t of God to man, without presupposing in man the
                                                                                              power to accept or reject that offer.
                                                                                                  But it must'be maintained that the second and third
                                                                                              points clearly teach that the natural man is able to will
                                                                                              and to think and to do that which is good in the various
  ~~. .`---        A Protest And Its  Answer                                                  departments of. this.-present life, in the present worlcl,
                                                                                              and that he owes this ability to an influence of the Holy
      The answer of Synod to the protest of  MrI J.  .J.                                      Spirit upon his mind and will and life, which `is  callecl
     Hoekstra in  re the Three Points continues as follows:                                   "common grace".
           "The protest wrongly accuses Synod of having re-                                         Fact is, that the doctrine of common grace denies
     surrected the Pelagian error of Free Will. We quote that man became totally depraved, and that this
     the opening words of C. on p. 2: `The, by the Synod                                      doctrine is plainly embodied in the second and third
     resurrected, Free Will, is, in our understanding, ex- points.
     traordinarily humanistic in tendencies'.                                                       Adam would have become wholly depraved, if it had
           "Synod, however, plainly  maintained the impotence not been for an immediate operation of "common
     of unregenerate man as appears, by way of example on grace" upon him. However, this common grace did
   p. 146 of the Acts of 1924, in the following passage:                                      operate on him as soon as he sinned and prevented
      `C. Aangaande het derde punt rakende het doen  van his nature from becoming totally corrupt in sin. The
     zoogenaamde burgerlijke gerechtigheid door de  onwe-                                     restraining influence of grace refrained the power of
      dergeborenen, verklaart de Synode dat volgens  S&rift ,sin from working through, from completing its work
      en Belijdenis de onwedergeborenen, hoewel onbekwaam of corrupting the human nature. The result is, that
     tot eenig zaligmakend  goed  (Dordtsche Leerregels III,                                   in paradise the human nature was not totally cor-
      IV, 3)  zullc  burgerlijk  goed   kunnen  doen'. It is plain rupted. Much good was preserved in it.
      that Synod while asserting that the unregenerate are                                          And this influence of the Holy Spirit, which is
      capable of civic righteousness, also .assertecl  or reas-                                called common grace continues to operate on man's


                             I
102                                     .THE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                         I
nature, so that he is able to perform many good works
in the sphere, in the various departments of this pres-               The Speaking of a Word of Edifica-
ent life. According to the doctrine of the three points,                 tion in the Meetings for Public
total depravity is a mere abstraction. It nowhere con-
cretely exists in men that are actually totally depraved,                      Worship by the  Students
actually incapable of doing any good and inclined to all                  Students who have received permission according FO
evil. It declares what would have been: in the absence                  the rule in this matter, and persons who have according
of common grace.                                                        to Article 8 been judged competent to be prepared for
       Such is the doctrine.of  the second and third points.            the Ministry of the Word, shall, for their own training,
       What, then, is the actual difference between the                 and for the sake of becoming known to the Congrega-
Pelagiari doctrine of Free Will and the teaching of the                 tion, be allowed to speak a word of edification in the
Three Points ?                                                          meetings for public worship. Art. 20.
    Pelagianism teaches that man, is inherently good,                  Article 20 as  f.o the above content came to us, Pro-
that the human nature is not corrupted from birth, that testant, Reformed, not from the synod of Dordrecht,
every individual is born with the free will to do good              161%`19, nor from the "Gereformeerde" churches of
or  evil, that he is born in the same condition in which the Netherlands, but from the Christian Reformed
Adam stood before the fall. Only, because of its weak- churches of North America. The original article  (Dor-
ness in an .evil world, in which the inhergntly  good man           drecht's product) reads : (freely translated) `"In the
is surrounded by many temptatibns,  the human nature churches shepherded by the more competent ministers,
stands in need of the assistance  df divine grace to will the  .use of the propositions shall be instituted, that by
and to do the good.                                                 such training some may be prepared for the ministry
    The Three Points teach, that man would have been of the word according to the rule in the matteI-  espe-
totally depraved  and.. incapable of doing any  gdod,               cially established by this synod (of  Dordrezht)  . To
but that common grace prevented this corruption from understand this original  ruling,  one should know that
the very start; and that now, by the aid of this d&no in  tile first years after the `Reformation of the six-
grace, without regeneration, he is able to-will'and to do teenth century, the Netherland Reformed `churches
that which is good in the sight of God, without, how- were, as ean be expected, without a seminary of their
ever, being able to reach the greater good of salvation own.               In view of this circumstance, the  ea?ly Re-
in Christ of himself.                                               formed synods found themselves under the necessity
    What is after all the difference?                               of assigning the task of preparing persons for the
    Both teach most assuredly that man, without re- gospel ministry to the competent shepherds. What
generation, is' capable of willing and doing the good. was then expected of these shepherds (pastors of
    And this is  Pelagianism.                                       local flocks) is that each in his own locality open in his
    It is also "extraordinarily humanistic is its ten- privcite  study or elswhere a theological school, where
dencies".                                                           persons aspiring to the office (of Ministers of the
    The synod dismissed this part of the protest rather gospel) could receive the necessary trailling. The as-
too easily. One might expect better things of men of pirant could be a student from some foreign university,
-erudition:- --Above  all of- men that realize their re-            a priest or a monk who -had-broken  off..relati.ons  with
sponsibility before God and before the Church  of the the Roman Catholic @hurch or a person. with excep-
doctrine  they teach. For, by maintaining the errors tional  .gifts but without any previous training. Persons
of 1924 the whole church is led astray.                             studying in these local (Netherland Rorformed) sem-
    And the protestant was right.                                   inaries, were called "proponenten" that is, proposers,
                                                     H. H.          postuhnts.  .They were so called because they brought
                                                                    forward or offered themselves for consideration of the
                                                                    office of ministers of the gospel.
                                                                       A large part of their training  ivould consist in pre-
                        IN MEMOBIAM                                 paring sermons and in delivering them in `private in
   The Ladies' Aid Society of the First Protestant Reformed         the audience of the minister and his consistory to
Church, Fuller Ave, Grand Rapids,  IMich.,  mourns the loss of      ivhich they had attached themsefves. The word "pro-
one of its members,.                                                position" signifies especially this phase of their train-
                        MRS. G.  BERGSMA.                           ing. In the strictest sense, the word denoted first the
                                                                    thought, idea,  or truth, proposed, set forth, in the
   We wish to express our heartfelt sympathy to the  sorro&-
ing family. It is our earnest'prayer  that the Lord through His     theme and division of the sermon, than the entire  ser-
Holy Spirit may' comfort them in their grief and give them grace    mori. Finally the word "proposition" came to be used
to say: Thy will be done.                                           as the signification of the whole course of private train-
                                  Mrs. F. Bergman, President        ing so that even the local seminary took on the name
                                  Mrs. J. Verhil, Secretary         and was thus called "proposition".


                                           A....LY     u     L.&.&A.       --A---          -  -  --  A   -  --                            _     .



,         So it is evident that the ruling (of Dordrecht) , "In stand by its "especially established rule" according to
       the churches shepherded by the  mo& competent min- which "some were to be trained in preparation for the
       isters, the use of the `proposition' shall be introduced," Ministr'y of the Word". The consensus of opinion was
       is an admonition .directed  to competent ministers to that this "especially established rule or order" applied
       privately train for the gospel ministry persons with or to the stipulations that Dordrecht had incorporated in
       without previous training, giving  suflicient promise. Article 8 and that bore on the admittance to the office
         It appears tlnen that the present content of Article of persons without previous training. Accordingly,
     . 20 has really nothing in common with the original. the article was made to read: "In the churches were
       The Article originally stipulated that competent min- persons are found, who according to Article 8 have
       isters  should privately train some for the ministry of been judged competent for  admittance.  to the office of
       the word. The Article as renewed by the Christian Ministry of the word, the use of the propositions can
       Reformed churches declares that certain persons (stu- be instituted for their training."                              The  "Gerefor-
       dents having received permission. Other persons with- meerde"  churches of the Netherlands have retained
       out previous training having been judged competent to this content tol the present time.
       be prepared for the Ministry) shall be allowed to speak                          In cannot be said that this new' content represents
       a word of edification in the meetings for public wor- an actual improvement upon the original. Considel
       ship.                                                                     that the original product specifically states whose the
          The question may be raised whether this original task of preparing aspirants to- the office should be. This
       content of Article 20 should have been discarded in task should be that of the ministers of the gospel. The
       favor of the revised article. Before going  idto this above-cited revision of Utrecht leaves this matter
       matter, it may be of interest to  notice,how  the original wholly undetermined. The original Article stipulates
     -A&icle came i&o -being and what changes in the course that the propositions. are to  :be  .instittited in churches.
      `of time it underwent. Thk convent of Wezel was the shepherded by the more competent ministers.                                    The
     first Reformed assembly to rule that "as long as the revised article allows the propositions to be instituted
       Reformed churches were. not in a position to jointly in every church. The revised article further (the re-
       provide for a scientific training of Gospel Ministers, vision of Utrecht) restricts the use of the "proposi-
       persons aspiring to the  ofice should avail themselves tions" to persons without previous training, while the
       of the `private proposition'  ". This ruling the synod  .of original article allows the "propositions" to be in-
       `s-Gravenhage expanded by adding to it the stipula-                       stituted also for the benefit of persons with' previous
       tion : "Only those postulants (proponenten) shall teach tr&ining.                         Finally, the revised Article is nothing more
       publicly from the pulpit  who have  been duly examined than  a' repetition of the original content, of Article 8,
       and proclaimed competent by the University or  Classis   ;                a content that has been retained to the present time by
       but .it shall be understood that they may not be re- the `Gereformeerde"  churches in the Netherlands but
       quired to administer the sacrametits until they have `altered by the Christian Reformed Churches  of North
       been called and ordained."                                                America. A final objection urged against the revised
          The synod of Dordrecht, 161%`19, discarded  `s-Gra-                    Article of Utrecht is that, unlike the original article
       venhage's addition and joined to the ruling of Wezel,                     of Dordrecht, it contains no clause that regulates the
       which it retained, the clause, "according to the rule in "public proposition" of students and candidates for the
       the matter especially adopted by this synod (of  Dord-                    ministry, that thus, as a result of Utrecht's revision,
       recht)  ." Dordt's product has already been quoted. this type of training has entirely disappeared from the
          The reason Dordt refused to adopt that section of Church Order. This  dbjection  however cannot be sus-
       `s-Gravenhage's article that bore on the public teaching tained, as the original Article of Dordrecht cotitained
       of postulants can ,easily be surmized. The section dis- no such clause. But what the synod of Utrecht (1905  j
       carded honored the examinations of the university1 did rid the Church Order of is an article - the original
       Now the university of. Leiden  had in the interviewing Article 20 of Dordrecht  - that plainly stipulated that
       years `become contaminated with the contagion of in an emergency, as When a number of Reformed
       Arminianism and. had thus lost the cdtifidence  of the secession churches are without a seminary of their
       Reformed churches. These churches no longer deemed own, the task of preparing persons for the gospel min-                                     '
       its examinations safe. Thus out of a wrong considera- istry is that of competent `ministers, that each shall
       tion for the faculty of Leiden the Synod of Dordt, in- then open his study to persons in quest of training for
       st,ead of so revising the Article that it called for an ex- the office. Utrecht accomplished this fete by so alter-
       amination .by the Classis only, erased the entire clause,                 ing thel original product .of Dordrecht as to render it a
       bearing on the public teaching of postulants.                             mere repetition of the last half section of the original
          The Article was again revised in 1905 by the Synod Article 8, which reads,  "When  such persons (of excep-
       of Utrecht; for as revised by the synod of Dordt, the tional gifts) present themselves for the Ministry, the
       article was considered ambiguous. Dordrecht had Classis (if the particular synod approve) shall ex-
       failed to state what it wished the churches to under-                     amine them and, if the judgment be favorable, shall




                                                                    ,_     .     _-      ..-


      permit them to postulate (proponeeren) for a time in tion" for the "small local seminary". It was therefore
      private, and further deal with them .as it shall deem cancelled. But "the rules for admission to the Min-
      edifying, according to the general regulations of the        istry according to Art. 8" does contain a provision that
      churches." The revised Article 20 (quoted above) of calls for the "public proposition" : "If the preliminary
      Utrecht turns on the same matter and is expressive judgment is favorable, he (the  person  with exceptional
      of an identical sentiment.                                   gifts) be given the right to speak a word of edification
         As was said and also shown, the Christian Re-             for a limited time in the vacant churches of his Classis:
      formed Churches of North America also managed to             He must also speak a few times in non-vacant churches
      rid the Church Order of the Original Article 20 of in the  .presence  of the respective ministers of
      Dordrecht. They altered not the original  but. simply these churches." The framers of this rule deemed
      set it aside and placed in its room an article that turns    it necessary to retain the, "public proposition."
      on a radically different matter. What could have been        This type of training was not relegated to the
      the reason for this action? This reason one may learn scrapheap as being obsolete.              It had to be pre-
      from the. "Handbook for Elders and Deacons" by the           served for persons with exceptional gifts but without
      late Prof. Wm. Heyns. His comment on the, present            previous training, presenting themselves for the Min-
      contents of Article 20 (the contents given to it .by the istry. But are these persons. not in the need of the
      Christian Ref. Churches of our land)  treads:  "The          "private proposition" as well ? How with Art. 8 in the
      present contents of  .this article is new, being inserted    Church Order can the churches do without the latter?
      in the Church Order in the place of the obsolete provi-      How can the one be obselete and not the other. Con-
      sion of the old article concerning the `proposition.'        sider also that the new Art. 20 scads  in part, "and per-
      These .propositions  were small local institutions for the sons who have according to Article 8 been judged com-
-.    training  - of- persons who desired to become-ministers petent--&-be prepared-for the Ministry -; `. . ," - Mark
      according to the regulation of Art.  8." So then, the        that according to the requirement of this clause, these
      original art. 20 of Dordrecht was obsolete, that is, gone    persons, though they need not follow the regular course
      out of date ; disused? So it was discarded. Can this         of study, are nevertheless to be. prepared for the Min-
      reason be sustained? Surely, no. True, the Reforma- istry. `The professors in the school do not prepare
      tion of the sixteenth century is obsolete in the sense these persons, as they are freed from pursuing the
      that it is an event of the past. But consider that his- regular course of study. By whom are these persons
      tory has a way of repeating itself. Theological sem-         to be prepared if not by the .conductor  of the "private
      inaries, it seems, are wont to degenerate into cesspools     proposition" Without this institution the require-
      of heresy and the mother church (the organization, the ment of the new Article 20 cannot be lived up to. In
      institute), pure and true in the. beginning of her fine, our conviction is that the original Article should
      career, gradually deteriorates into a synagogue of have been retained as an emergency article.
      satan.    Such is the lesson of history. In these ever         Let  LIS now examine more closely this new article
      re-occuring crises, there is need for that  !`obsolete  pro; 20. It stipulates that students who have received per-
      vision", for those "small local institutions". These mission . . . and persons who have according to
      crises are apt to give rise to the very emergency that Article 8 been judged competent to be prepared for the
      occasioned the drafting and adoption of the original         Ministry shall be allowed to speak a word of edifica-
      article 20. There was as little reason for cancelling tion in the meetings for public  .worship. Let us raise
      the original article 20 as there .is' reason for saying      and answer the question whether this should be
      that corrupted seminaries and false churches, reforma-' allowed. It may be of interest to first ascertain the
      tions and seceding churches are movements and phe- sentiment of our Reformed antecedents respecting this
      nomena of the past and not of the future.                    matter. The synod of `s-Gravenhage, 1586, ruled that
         Consider that as often as we break with an original.      students might not preach until they had been ex-
      article of our Church Order, we may not only in our          amined and, found competent. The synod of  Dord-
      thoughtlessness be casting away something worth- recht,  X18-19, expressed a like sentiment. It ruled that
      while, but we sever each time just one more of those         the preaching of students might take place only when
      ties by which we are bound to a pcast bright with the        their was need and upon request of the Consistory or
      radiance of what God achieved through His `servants.         in the large cities of the college .of ministers. This
         How thoroughly the Church Order was purged of was also the rule followed during the 1'7th and 18th
      the idea of the "small local institution" may be seen        centuries. The churches of the "Afscheiding"  like-
      from the alteration (by the Christian Reformed .wise resolved that students first had to be examined.
      Churches of America) of article 8. The original article      If the judgment was favorable and if the  eonsent  of
      8 contains a clause that reads, "shall permit them (per- the professors in the school had been .gained, they were
      sons with exceptional gifts, judged competent for the allowed to preach. A similar stand was taken by the
      Ministry .of the Word) to postulate (proponeeren) ir,        synods of Amsterdam, 1892, of Middelburg, 1896, and
      private." This clause calls for the "private proposi-        of Groningen, 1899. But the synods of Amsterdam,


                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                         io5

 1303, of Zwolle,   1911,* and of `s-Gravenhage, 1914, for- so that he follows with f&T too little zeal the regular
bade students to preach.                      I                course of study. The.ambition  to make's  showing be-
     So it  appears  that until a most recent date the         fore the congregation, may become strong in him; if
 stand taken by our Reformed forbears was that, if so, hc deteriorates' into a .gursuer  of. success.                     H e   i s
 need be, students found competent might be permitted not sufficiently grounded in the truth to speak a word
 to speak a word of edification in'the meetings for public that edifies. The making of se,rmons requires too m&h
 worship.. That `such engagements were not regarded of his time. A student must study and not, go out
 `as a ministering of the `word, is evident from  .various     preaching. So they reason. Some of these objections,
 declarations = contained in the minutes of Reformed it must be admitted, have weight. True,. the usage '
 synods. The students were strictly forbidden to' ad- under consideration has its perils. But most of these
 minister the sacraments until they were called and become actual only when the student is required or
 ordained.                                                     allowed to preach more often than his timeand capaci-
    Let us now mark what there is to say in favor of ties permit. In a word, if overdone, the .engagement
 the practice under consideration and. thereupon con- will work great harm; if properly controlled, it .will
 sider the- objections raised by the opponents.                work for good to student ,and congregations. Some
    The new Article 20 asserts that students shall be          of the above-cited objections have .no weight whatever.
 allowed to speak this word of edification for their tr&n-     To this class belongs the objection that the student is
 ing, and for the sakti of becomirq  b&w known to the apt to deteriorate into. a pursuer of success. This much
 Co+agregcLtion.  It should be understood that the issue       can also be said of the ordained minister, so that, if `the
 now to be examined is not whether  the. churches may objection holds, the strange conclusion cannot' be
 allow persons, not in office  to. engage in the ministry escaped that the very. office of Ministers of the. gospel is
 of the word (all are agreed that the  .churches may not to be shunned.: Another objection that cannot be sus-
 allow this) or whether such persons should .be .per- tained is that the student is not sufficiently grounded  in'
mitted to speak a word of edification in the-meetings the truth to speak a word that edifies. Even the  corn-
.for public worship. The matter now to be considered mon believer appears in Scripture as capable of this.
 is whether students, undergraduates, still' engaged in The children  of God have the anointing. They know,
 purshing  the regular course of study in preparation therefore. To this, the student forms no exception, he
for the Ministry should have this privilege. Article           being a  behever.  What is more, before permitted to
 20 asserts that they should for their train&g, and for speak a word of edification, he must be judged com-
 the  sake, of becoming better known to the congregation.      petent. The sermons with which he appears before the
 Though the chief. instrument for the training of per-         flock, have or should have been, examined and ap-
 sons for the Ministry is not the pulpit, but the school       proved.
 with its private "proposition", it must be admitted that         So after all has been said, it would seem that the
 the reasons brought forward by Art. 20 have consider- practice is justifiable and thus even  cornmendable.
 able force. .It. cannot be deemed advisable to compel                                                            G.  `k. 0.
 prospective ministers of the gospel to postpone address-
 ing the congregation in the meeting for public worship
 until they can do so as candidates for the' office. It is
 of advantage to all concerned that when the student is
 ready to receive and consider a call, he can do so as
 one who has become accustomed to expressing himself                                 IN ,MEMORIAM
 in public with -some ease and selfcomposure, as one              It had pleased our Heavenly Father to take  .unto  Him&f,
 who has at least made a, beginning.of  ,properly  handl-      on October 31, our beloved mother,
ing himself in the pulpit. And it is right that the con-                    MRS. MARY HOOLSEMA-De Boer,                   +
 gregations also and not merely a few professors in the        at the age of 72 .years  and 11 months.
 school have. opportunity, for acquainting themselves             Her testimony that all her hope was in the Lo?d,  &nf&ts
 rather thoroughly with the seminarians. The preaching us. Knowing that to them  .that love the Lord, all th@gs kork
 of the students invariably reflects the quality of the        together for their eternal good.
 instruction  in the school, so `that listening to this                                     Mr. and Mrs. Dick' Hoolsema
 preaching, the churches will come to know whether `or                                      Mr. and Mrs. George Stutir
 to what extent the school is competent as a trainer for                                    `Mrs. Elizabeth  Veenboer            -
 the  @ice. Finally, it does not seem right that the                                        Mr. and Mrs.  Clai+entie   Ha&r
 churches be compelled to read, if there be seminarians                                     Mr. and Mrs. Tinothy Hoolsema
                                                                                            Sadie Hools`ema
 actually capable of edifying the flock.                                                    Minnie Hoolsema
    Yet there are many strongly opposed to the usage.                                              And  1'7 grandchildren `and 1
 It disqualifies ati student for work in the school,. it is                                        gre$t grandchild.
 said. His absorbing interest becomes his sermonizing,             Grand Rapids, Mich.


I     108                                       T H E :   STAN:DARD   BEARE.R                                            .P
                                                                                                      .,.'               .
             `!De Christelijke Gereformeerde broeders mogen
      het we1 verstaan: wij,,weten  zeer we1 waarvoor wij-zelf                   Relation of the Sunday.-School
      onze gemeenteleden en onze. catechisanten  waarschu-                                    to the Church
      wen. Maar onze Verbondsleer, juist ook met de con-                         (Speech delivered to our Sunday School Teachers)
      dusien  en verklaring van  .Utrecht,  geven we nooit
      over  !D Voor geen tienduizend Christelijke  Gerefor-                                                   II
      meerde broeders, die we door vereeniging zouden  kun-                 What now, is the relation in which the  Sunday-
      nen winnen, geven we onze  &ne,  gezegende Verbonds- School stands to the church? In its origin the Sunday-
      leer prijs ! Integendeel, we zouden er ons-zelf,  van wil-           School was an indictment against the church as in-
      len, aanklagen dat we haar nog veel te weinig ons eig.en             stitute. The Sunday-School of today had its origin in
      hebben gemaakt en we nog veel te weinig waarlijk  uit                England and dates back approximately 150 years, and
      haar leven. In het Verbond ligt t,en slotte onze kracht.             was caused by the negligence of the,church  to instruct
      Voor ons eigen geestelijk.  bestaan en voor de' rechte               its youth. The church of England had fallen into a
      op.voeding  xonzer kinderen. Dat V&bond  zullen  we ,dus state of. spiritual lethargy and decay. It had become
      met, overbpord werpen, maar de Verbondsleer meer en exc,eedingly lax in the ministry of the Word, not only
      meer op den, vo,orgrond  stellen. De Uitverkiezing is in preaching but especially in the instruction of the
     tech `het hart-der kerk'? Welnu, we  beamen  ten volle covenant youth. Catechetical instruction was almost
      het  woord'van wijlen Prof.  B,avinck:  de  wateren  der extinct. An  .elite few, the children of the rich, were
      Verkiezing stroomen door de bedding des Verbonds                     instructed by the pastor, but the children  of the masses
     o n s   toe!,  I                                                      were entirely neglected. Generations were born, lived
          "Onze Christ.elij ke Gereformeerde. breeders  moeten             and died without ever coming in contact with the
      dat tech .eigenlijk ,tdegeven.      Indien ze het zich maar          church,  .except  perhaps to receive the sacrament of
      indenken, bij. het volle. licht van Schrift en Belijdenis.           Baptism. Thus there was an ever increasing-number
          "`n Schanipere uitdrukking .evenwel als van dr. Wis-             of souls. that .grew up nominal church members, but
      se: `Verbondsmethodisme, en dit `confessioneele' be-                 without knowledge of God and `His  .`Word.  Conse-
      zwaar  (tech tevoren eerst wel-overdacht!) geven wei-                quently the church was also exceedingly lax in the
      nig hoop. Men wil natuurlijk we1 `Verbondsleer', maar exercise of Christian discipline.                       Thousands upon
      niet de orzze.                                                       thousands were upon her registers, as baptized
          "Ma.ar dan is ook  onze.`conclusie  :  met onze  Ver-            members, who never assumed the obligations of God's
      bondsleer overboord. Dan liever de begeerde eenheid covenant. The church neglected its duty, consequently
      dpor zulk optreden verijdeld. Geen eenheid ten koste its children ,grew up in ignorance of its doctrine. This
      van w@ God. ons geeft  als onvolprezen-rijke weldadig-               shameful negligence of the church called into exist-
      heid !                                                  I . "        ence the Sunday-School. Its originator Robert Raikes,
          Overigens wil ik nog opmerken, dat het afwijzend editor of the "Gloucester Journal", was inspired' with
      antwoord;  der synode van de Christelijke Gereformeer-               a noble purpose. Deeply shocked by the ignorance,
      de Kerken in Nederland,                                              raggedness, and nelgect on the part of these children,
                                     mij  niet al te  ,zeer heeft  ver-
      wonderd;                                                             he determined to do something to remedy the situation.
          En tevens  betwijfel ik of de voorgestelde vereeni-              But the question `was, when could this best be done?
      ging we1 wenschelijk zou zijn;                                       It could not be done during the week. Already in their
          EenheJcl  is schoon: Een te begeeren zaak, waarnaar              very youth these children were sent by their pare&
      we zeker mogen streven.                   *                          to work in the factories, where they worked from early
          Maar het streven.naar  eenheid in den iin van ver-               morning till late at night The little spare time they
      eeniging is. niet bet hoogste.                                       did have w<asspent  in the street. The street was their
          Ontwikkeling en handhaving der Gereformeerde home, their school and their comfort. Sunday was
      waarheid .zijn van veel grooter gewicht.                             the only opportunity, only then these children could be
          En er schuilt altijd gevaar in de poging om te ver- gotten together for instruction, hence Sunday-School.
      eenigen.                                                             In these schools it was often necessary to teach the
                                                          . H.  II.        children to read and write, but its chief prupose was
                                                                           to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.
                                                                             In the history of the origin of the Sunday-School,
                                                                           especially two things must stand clearly before our
                         BEltENDMAEING   I
                                .                                          mind, in  order"to  determine the-relation in which the
        Classis-vergadering:staat,  D. V., te  worden   gehou-             Sunday-School stands to the church. In the first place,
      den Woensdag,  9 Jan., 1935, om.negen uur in den voor-               that it was caused by the negligence of the  office-
      midd,ag in de Eerste Prot. Ger. Kerk te Grand Rapids,                bearers of the ohurch who are the God ordained. func-
      Michigan                                                             tionaries to instruct the covenant youth. Secondly that
                                      M. Vander Vennen, S. C.              it had its origin, not in the church, through the God


                                  T H E   STANDAR,D   B E A R E R                                               109

ordained  of&es,  but in particular believers. It was not not only to those that have come to the consciousness
the work of the church as institute, therefore it has       of their faith, but also to the coming generations, to
grown as a sort of an organization next to the church.      the seed of .the covenant. Never may the church lose
Does this mean now that we must join in with those sight of this her responsibility, and never may she
that condemn the Sunday-School, just because it' did shirk her task by leaving this task  up  to an organiza-
not have its origin in the church as instituted by God?     tion as the Sunday-School with its often incompetent \
Indeed, we cannot join the throng that lauds the            teachers. In the Word of God there is no place for the
Sunday-School as it now is, to the very heavens.            Sunday-School as it now exists.  CertairJy we may
Under no conditions may we depart from the God or- thank God that in a time when both parents and the
dained institutions of home and church. God has or- church neglected their God given duties, that Christian
dained that the parents  ,and also the church, through men and women by virtue of the  of&e  of believers, or-
its Divinely ordained offices, shall `instruct  the, covenant ganized the Sunday-School as an indictment against
youth, and we must ever be on.our guard that the Sun- the church. When the church keeps silence then, God
day-school never usurp, either the instruction in the will command the stones to speak. But when the cove-
home or the place of Catechetical instruction  ,and ad- nant conception lives, both in the minds of the parents
ministration of the Word in the church. But God and in the life of the church, then the Sunday-School `-
forbid; that we join those that  .unconditionally  `con- as it now is has lost its right of existence. The Sunday-
demn the  Sunday-Sohool.  Humanly speaking it was School has no Divine mandate to instruct the covenant
the means whereby God preserved His church  in the youth, as has the parent and the church, and today
19th century. Notwithstanding its dangers, it has it is usurping the  plaoe of both. It `is only because
been a tremendous power for good. Yet I do not believe      covenant parents and the church are neglecting their
that. our Sunday-Schools should continue as they now duties, that the Sunday-School is, what it is today.
do. We thank God that in our church there is no need           We would therefore like to offer a few suggestions,
of the Sunday-School as there was in England and which if put into practice I believe,, would put the
other nations at the close,of  the lgth and the beginning Sunday-School upon a reformed and Scriptural basis.
of the 19th century. Our children are instructed and        Bear in mind that these are merely suggestions the
indoctrinated in the truth of God, both, in the. admini- details of which would have to be worked out. First
stration of the Word and by means. of catechetical in- that the Sunday-School be transformed into. a Church-
struction. Therefore the Sunday-School as it now exists School. Not in the sense that it take the place of the
has lost its reason for existence. However we are not weekly catechetical instruction, as has just recently
of  the.' opinion that the Sunday-School should be been suggested.at  the last Synod of the Chr. Reformed
abolished, but rather that it should be put upon a re- Churches, namely, that the children up to 15 years be
formed and scriptural basis, and in right relation to instructed in Bible history, in what is now called the
the church.                                                 Sunday-School, but then would be renamed in Church-
   In what relation then should the Sunday-School School, and that from 15 years and older the minister
stand to the'church  as instutite? We must ever keep        instruct in Reformed Doctrine. Thus, however, in a
before our mind that it is the church's calling to in- very important period of their lives, the pastor himself
struct and indoctrinate the covenant youth. Indeed this would have no hand in the spiritual training of the
                                                                                            .-.  _.
is above ail the calling of the parents. No one has more covenant children. Therefore I would have serious ob-
God given rights and obligations over against the chil- jection to such a plan. But a Church-School in addi-
dren than the parents themselves. Instruction to a large tion to the catechetical instruction. This would not at
extent determines what a child shall grow up to be,         all be superfluous. The child would then be instructed
and no one has more rights in this than the parents: by the church twice a week instead of once. Thus the
This is especially true of covenant parents. At the time    Sunday-School would come under the direct super-
of baptism they faithfully promise to instruct their vision of the church and become a Church-School. The
children in the reformed truth, and Christian parents       church would determine the lesson material and also
fulfil this vow first of all in the home. by instructing judge upon the qualification of the teachers.. Secondly,
their children to the best of their ability in the that the attendance be made compulsory even as
Word of God, and admonish them to walk in the catechism. In this way Christian  discipline will again
ways of God's covenant, but also by sending them be linked up with the Word, which has been woefully
to the Christian school  ,and co-operating with the .lacking in the Sunday-School as it now is. In this way.
church in their catechetical instruction.       But in I believe the Sunday-School will be placed upon a
conjunction with the parents. also the  church is sounder basis and could be a great power for good in
called upon by.God  to instruct the children `of believing our churches. Perhaps at- some later date I will attempt
parents, for they constitute the seed of the covenant,      to point out the relation of the Sunday-School to the
the church is their spiritual mother. Through its home.
offices the church  .must continually preach the Word,                                                  B.  K o k   '


                         __  .  .  .
_.,  -  _  -                               .     .  .  -.--  .,  _.  _. .     .     .        .     _    ^
                                                ` T H E   S ' T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               113

                                 C o n t r i b u t i o n                           them as far as they follow the word; but when they
                                                                                   depart from that, we  depart  from them."
   . Dear Mr. Editor:-                                                                    In reviewing Ralph and Ebenezer Erskine's books,
                                                                                   Mr. Philpot says, "It is true that several notes which
             The following is the substance of a paper given in                    they blew in sounding the great trumpet by no means
         `the English Men's Society of `the First Protestant                       fully harmonize with the purer,.clearer,  and more thor-
         Reformed Church of Grand Rapids on                                        oughly gospel sound given forth in these latter days,
          SO~EEEdGLHSH~RI'H'ERSONTIQE SO-CALLED                                    since the immortal `Coalheaver' expounded the way of
                                                                                   God more perfectly. But as this defect in their min-
             "WELL MEANING OFFER  OFSALVATION"                                     istry arose rather from want of light than of life, and
             It was the general opinion of the Society that. it                    did not affect the grand fundamental doctrines of the
         might be of interest to the readers of the Standard                       gospel, or the, experience of the saints, it has not vit-
   Bearer.          Ever since the controversy on "Common iated their writings so much as we- might have ex-
         Grace" in the Christian Reformed circles, which cul- pected. Most, too, of their, as we consider them, er-
         minated in the now historical "Three Points", I have                      roneous views were rather faulty in expression than in
    been gathering material in this, subject and the follow-                       intention, and were retained by them more from the
         ing excerpts will show the decided stand these men force of tradition and religious education than as de-
         have taken against this view. Among the authors                           duction which they themselves drew from the word
         quoted is the well know Joseph Irons, the first minister of truth, or as the result of their own experience. Thus
         of Grove Chapel, -London, in whose old pulpit it was                      when the Erskine's made their offer of grace to the
         your privilege to proclaim the word some few years                        people, it was not that they really believed there was
         ago. The writers are not confined to a single group, but power in man to embrace them ; and when they ad-
         represent various denominations, as Particular Bap-                       dressed the sinner almost, if not altogether, calling
         tists  ; Episcopalian ; Congregationalists and Independ- upon him to perform living acts, it was not with the
         ents ; .getting as wide a. range as possible.                             idea that he could turn to God and live ; but as be-
                                                                                   lieving they could not otherwise clear the justice of
           `. As a general introduction I will quote from two
         book reviews given by Rev.  Philpot  in the Gospel                        God, or consistently hold the responsibility of man. We
                                                                                   view their errors rather as spots and blemishes than
         Standard. Joseph Charles  Philpot,  M. A., Fellow of foul deformities; and thus we do not read their writ-
         Worcester College, Oxford, 182'7-35, a brilliant scholar-,
         master of Hebrew and Greek, was born in Ripple, 1802                      ings with the same critical judgment, or the same  un-
                                                                                   pl.easant feelings, as we peruse the works of the pres-
         and or<. Zned in the Church of England on June 1,1828,
         when he became Perpetual Curate of the rector of ent day, which profess to hold the same views and .
         Stadhampton.                                                              advocate the same principles.
                         $n, 1335 "with poverty and want staring                                                       No man who really
                                                                                   knows and loves truth can  San&ion error, or even
         me in the face?`,. he resigned his fellowship and seceded consider it a matter of indifference ; but where these
         from the Establishment `on account of its errors and errors are rather of the head than the heart; and do
         corruptions, and in his own words "parting for truth's not involve vital truth, he can pass them by as he does
         sake with the kindest of friends after the flesh,. as                     blemishes  -an.d. failings in the life and- conduct of the
   -well as with all my -prospects in life,` `an  independent- children of God. A man possessed of the fear of God
         income, good name and respectability". Mr.  Philpot                       and a tender conscience will not, cannot, justify the
         finally cast his lot with the Particular Baptists.
   `.                                                                              least inconsistency of conduct in himself or others ; and
            In reviewing. the works of the Puritan Divine,                         yet he will bear with many infirmities in the living
         Goodwin, Mr. Philpot says.:                                               family. Similarly he will bear with those errors in the
            "But whilst we have sufficiently, we think, indi- writings of' good men, which arise rather from de-
         cated our high opinion of the value of these good old ficiency of knowledge or defeet in jud,gment than from,
         Puritan divines, we would carefully guard ourselves deliberate, determined, opposition to truth."
         against the conclusion which some might hence                                    And finally, Mr. Philpot concludes by saying "But
         draw that we fully agree with all their views and                         though we thus seek, and desire to overlook, as far as
         sentiments. This is very far from being the case; for we can, the errors which we have named, yet we must
         in some' points we most widely differ from them, as,                      confess that they do sadly grate upon our minds, and
   for instance, in. ofSers of Grcbce,  etc. Upon these points, we could wish them altered or expunged, for the flies
         the Church of God has more'light than in the days  :of                    left in the ointment cannot but cause it to send forth
         the Puritans ; and as we are to call no man master on anything but an acceptable  savour."
   -earth, and are bound to walk according to the light                                  Wm.  Gadsby   - 1'773-1844  - Particular Baptist  -
         which is  vouchsaved  us, it does not make us incon-                      for forty years minister in Manchester, writes in his
         sistent to revere and  admire  the Puritan writers, and                   "Controversy on the Law"  :.
         yet not tread servilely in their footsteps. We follow                            "But I proceed to another charge which Mr. Gaw-

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

 thorn brings against those whom he calls Antinomians,          children' (Isa. liv. 13). `Other sheep I have, which
 which is, that they maintain that the gospel is not to         are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they
 be preached to  nil sinners, but to a part only. The           shall  hew  my voice.' What has an offered gospel to
 characters Mr. Gawthorn calls Antinomians maintain do with such eternal bulwarks as these? When all
 that it is right for ministers of Jesus  Christ to preach free-will offers are sunk in oblivion, God's immutable
 the gospel in the hearing of all that hear them. What .shnZZs  and zuills shall stand. Bless his @recious name,.
 they find fault with is, not preaching the gospel to all       there is nothing precarious in the salvation of his
 that hear, but men pretending that they are authorized people. He does not leave it to them whether they
 to  offer the gospel to all that hear them. We consider will accept offered mercy or not. No, they shall hear
 that to  prsnch  the gospel is one thing, and to  offer the    his voice, and they shnll live. They  shall  be willing in
 gospel is quite another thing. Hence, when a man gets the day of his power, and they shall know the -Lord,
 np  into a pulpit, and says, `In God's name I offer            and they  shnll be God's people, and he will be their
 Christ, and pardon, and salvation to every soul of you         God. He has sent the ministers to  preach  the gospel,
 present; if you reject this offer you may never have           not to offer it, and he himself has engaged to `make it
 another, therefore come now and take Christ and sal- manifest in the hearts of his people. To them the gospel
 vation while $0~1 have an opportunity  ; to-day is the         comes not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy
 time, tomorrow may be too late; and recollect that it          Ghost, and in much assurance.
 is your own fault that you are not saved, for I have               "Should it be said  that  preachin   the gospel and
 this day offered you Christ,' etc., we consider  this is o.$eri?zg  the gospel are the same things, then  I, ap-
 no  more like preaching the gospel  than  a poor deluded       prehend that wherever we find the terms preach or
 Papist counting his beads is like the true worship of preaching, in  tlie word of God, we may translate them
 God. To preach or proclaim God's will is one thing,            offer or offering; but if they will not always bear this
 but to offer that which is the sole prerogative of God         translation, and they certainly will not, then they can-
,.to give and to make manifest, is quite another thing.         not be the same thing. Let men offer and proffer as
     "About sixteen years ago I heard a  yoting  man long as they will, `no man can come unto Christ except
from Hoxton Academy pretend to preach, and he made the Father draw him' (John VI  :44).  God speaks to
 the following remarks: `I now offer you Christ and             the hearts of his' people with a power that quickens
 Christ stands with open arms ready to receive you ;            the dead, and makes them willirig to receive Christ,
 yea, he begs, he prays, and beseeches you to come unto         from a feeling sense of their real need of him; and, by
 Him, and have life, and yet some of you will not come,         the invincible power of the Holy Ghost, Christ is re-
 nay, it is as if God the Father came and fell upon his         vealed to the conscience, apd the poor soul, by a. living
 knees before ~0~1, begging and beseeching you to re- faith in him, sweetly rejoices in him. An offered
 ceive Christ, and come and be reconciled to him, and           go,spel  will be like water spilt upon the ground, which
 yet you will not come.' In this way he proceeded for a cannot be gathered up again: hut ttie gospel of Christ
 considerable length of time, and this he called preach-        shall win its  Ikay, and prosper in the thing whereunto
 ing the gospel to every creature. From a professed             he has appointed it."
 Arminian such remarks might be expected, but for one                                                                    A. D.
 who professes to believe in  eteinal and absolute
--el&ion to  use-.such-awful  expressions  is. one of the                         -- -(To be continued) .- --
 highest insults that can be offered, in a religious shape,
 either to. God or man. It represents both Christ and
 God the Father as poor disappointed beings, quite un-
 able to subdue the heart of a poor  -dying worm. And
 what encouragement can there be in such a gospel as                                   IN  MEIBaORIAM
 this, for any poor, broken-hearted, self-despairing               Het behaagde den Heere, den Zlsten  October, op het onvcr-
 sinner'in  the world to trust in the Lord for salvation?       wachtst  nogmgals  een  onzer   leden  door den  dood  tot  Zich  te
 Who dare trust the concerns of eternity in the hands           nemen,
 of a being who cannot obtain a favour w'hich  he desires                              MRS. HOOLSEMA,
 and seeks with earnest supplication on his knees? But,         in den ouderdom van 72 jaar.
 thanks be unto God, we have not so learned Christ.                Zij  mocha'  getuigenis geven van de levende hope door Gods
 We know that `Whatsoever his  sdul desireth even genade in haar hart gewerkt door de opstanding van Jezus
that he doeth" (Job XXIII, 13). Hence,  says Christ,            Christus  uit de dooden. De Heere trooste de bedroefde familie.
 `All that the Fathe?  giveth me shall cosze unto me ; and Laat dit  sterven  ook ons tot ernst  stemmen  en dat ook wij
                                                                rekenschap kunnen geven van die levende hope, I Petr. 1~3.
 him that cometh  unto me I will in no wise cast out'              Namens  de Hollandsche Vrouwenvereeniging  "Weest een
 (John VI, 3'7). `Thy people shaZZ be willing in the day Zegen"  van de First Prot. Ref. Church,
 of thy power' (Ps. CX, 3) ; `All thy children  shall be                                           Ds. D. Jonker, President
twght of tlze Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy                                            Mrs. J. Cammenga, Seer.


                                     I'HJ3  S'l'ANUAtiJJ   BJiiA.KJ.!iK.                                            115

                                                               Aaron's rod stretched over them, bring forth frogs
                     The Pligues                               abundantly and that these frogs go up . . . .
    As to Pharaoh, he again learns from Moses' lips               Again through this second plague, the Lord directly
what the. Lord will bring over him in the event he re- assails Egyptian idolatry; for Egypt/also  has its frog-
 fuses to let His people go. The Lord will smite `all god, called Heki, a female deity with the head of a frog
 his borders with frogs to be brought forth abundantly, and w.orshipped as the mistress of the cataracts of the
 by the river. They shall go. up and  come  intd his           Nile. The frog moreover as the emblem of renewed
 house and into his bedchamber and upon  his bed and life after death was worshipped in the country at large.
 into the house of his servants, and upon his people and It was even embalmed, so authorities tell us, and
 into  hiti ovens and into his  kneadingtroughs.      They honored with burial at Thebes. Upon this deity also  `.
 shall come up both npon him and upon his people and           the Lord now lays hold,and  turns against its own de-
 upon all his servants. Such is the prediction of the votees.           Thus does He slay the serpent through the
 Lord. In describing the noisomeness of this plague, serpent.
 the -Lord again goes into  minutest  details, that               As to Pharaoh, he again provides himself with what
 Pharaoh may perceive anew, when he observes that all he wills to regard as a reason for shutting his eyes to
 the words that'were spoken take effect, that  Hi with         this fresh evidence that the Lord of the Hebrews is the
 whom he' has to do, is One who slieweth new things `God of all the earth and reigns in the midst of His
 because He doeth all things. This, has already been           enemies. For the third time he calls to his aid' the
 demonstrated unto him through the first plague. But           sorcerers and bids them by their magic to match the
 he had refused to be instructed and is now abotit t6          power of the Hebrews' God. To his satisfaction, they
 come into the possessiolp  of new evidence that the voice     do so : "And the magicians did so with there enchant-
 to which he again refuses to hearken is the voice of the      ments, and brought up frogs upon tie land of  E,vpt."
 God of all  the earth. Moses is bidden to command             Thus did they by their magic intensify the plague. But
 Aaron to stretch  forth his hand with his rod over the        that Pharaoh calls for Moses and Aaron and implores
 streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds and cause them to intreat  the Lord to take away from him and
`the frogs to eome up up& the land of, Egypt. Aaron            his people the frogs, manifestly implies that the
 does as bidden and lo ! the frogs come  up  and' cover the    magicians, .attempting  this, failed. Driven to desper-
 whole land.    They  35rust  themselves into Egypt's          ation by the polution-spreading plague, Pharaoh now           :
 dwellings, and pollute every  thihg they attack and light     calls for Moses and Aaron and bids them to intreat  the.
 upon, even infest the most private chambers of Lord, that He may take away the frogs from him and
 Pharaoh's palace as the Lord had sppken,  and' defile from his people and at the same time agrees to let the
 his bed, his ovens and the dough  in them. All his ser- people of Israel go, that they may do sacrifice unto the
 vants are plagued as is he. Thus all the words `that          Lord. n/lose@ is quick to do as petitioned in order that
 the Lord had spoken take affect.                              Pharaoh may be made to feel that all the fault of his
    Authorities again tell  us  that  eve'n in ordinary being. plagued lies solely with him, that no harm  would
 years, when the Nile and its canals are fuil, in the' befall him if he would hearken unto the voice of God's
 height of the inundation, myriads  bf frogs and toads,        command. But Moses in addition to petitioning the
 quickened by the abounding moisture, swarm the                Lord for the kernoval of the plague, wiil also provide
                                                                                          . _ - _ _... _
`marshes; `"ThiKijhen6m?zi6li,  -hoTvever, does ndt explain    Pharaoh with still more evidence  that th6C%fuaT ruler.            .
 the  miracle of Exodus, that plainly consists in this         of the earth and its fulness is not his wise men but the
 that when Aaroh  at the command of the Lord e&ended Lord. .So he invites Pharaoh to name the exact time
 his rod over Egypt's waters, there occurred a mira-           for the making of the petition. "Glory over me,"
 culous  multiplication of  -frogs  in these waters (the       says he to the king, "when shall I  intreat  for thee, and
 waters brought fortll), that subsequently these frogs for thy servants, and for thy people, to cut off the frogs
`in  ineoticeivable  numbers, left their watery  .abodes       from the land and thy houses, that they may. remain in
 and swarmed to an extend never before known over the river only?" Pharaoh names the time,  ,"And  he
 the whole land, attacking persons and intruding upon said,  Against  tomorrow." "Be it according to  thy
 the pri:vacy  of Egypt's dwelling. Read again the pre_        word,"  R!Ioses replies, "that thou mayest know that
 diction of this plague and the record of the fulfilment       there is none like unto the Lord our God. And the frogs
of this `prediction; "And the  rivkr shall bring forth shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from
 frogs abundantly, which shall, go up and come into thy servants, and from thy people ; and they s&l  re-
 thine house . . . And Aaron stretched out his hand main in the river. only."
 over the waters of Egypt and the  fro& came up  ., . . "         "And Moses and Aaron went out &om  Pharaoh:
 Thus the clear and unmistakable evidence that Pharaoh and Moses cried unto the Lord because of the frogs
 again witnesses a remarkable display of the majesty of which he had brought against Pharaoh. And the Lord
 the  Lord;of  His power over the inhabitants of Egypt's did according to the word of Moses ; and the frogs died
 marshes, is that, as MOses  has. said, the rivers, with out of the houses, out of the villages ancl out of the

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

fields. And they gathered them together upon heaps:           moistened with the wa&rs,  gnats and flies innumerable
and the land stank."                                          burst from their pupae, and spring into perfect exist-
    How evident that Jehovah `is God of the earth. At ence. The eggs that produce them were laid in the
His command tine  inhabit+nts  of Egypt's marches             retiring waters of the former flood. They have matured
come into being.       He speaks and they leave their in the interval, and vivify instantaneously on the dust
habitation to spread over the land. He takes from obsorbing moisture  enovgh to discolor it. As the
them His Spirit and they perish. How He puts to flood advances slowly onwards, a black line of living
open shame Egypt's gods, their priests `and devotees! inseets on its extreme verge moves with it. The sight
These devotees must now gather their gods in heaps            of them, and of the birds and fishes that prey on them,
and inhale the contagion that rises from their rotting is a very singular one."
carrions.      What gods! How inconceivably vain  .and                It may again be conceded that also this phenomenon
foolish to kneel before the frog. and say, `thou art my       was  knoti to Pharaoh. Yet it does  .not explain this
God !'                                                        third miracle of Exodus. Consider that the lice are
    Pharaoh has promised to let the people go. Thus           brought forth not by the rod (the word, power) of God
he has admitted that the evidence that Jehovah is God,        through the agency of the dust as moistened by an
is too overwhelming to be further ignored. Yet when advancing flood, (no mention is made of such a flood)
he sees that there is respite, he hardens his  henrt  and btit solely by the rod, the word, of God through the
hearkens not unto them ; as the  Lo& had said.                agency of the dust. The wonder  consists not in the
    The third plague comes unannounced. There is :\,          creation of some new species but in the sudden and
reason for this. The objective evidence that Jehovah rapid multiplication of a kind of existing insect, so
is God has by this time become so clear, and the voice        that the very dust under Pharaoh's feet beconie lice.
in Pharaoh's heart that confirms the  speech of this         As the Lord "in the beginning" created the fowl of the
evidence is now so  lotid, that, in  refusing  to let the    air and the fish of the sea through he agency of
people go, he, more than before, willingly and know- the water and the land animals through the agency of
ing pits himself against God. Besides, in' deciding to the ground, so He now multiplies (not creates) lice
keep himself to his original resolve, he breaks a prom- through the agency of the dust,of  the ground.
ise and thus wills to take no notice, now that there is               This third plague, through it must have shown
respite, of the condition upon which the plague was some resemblance to one or the other of Egypt's sea-
removed. He thus, more than before, openly makes sonal phenomena, may be identified with none. And
sport of the Lord, whose existence and claim upon His this holds true of all the plagues.. Besides,  authdrities
people he, through the promise, now openly has con- are not even agreed amongst themselves what the par-
ceded.       How enormously ill-deserving Pharaoh has ticular seasonal phenomenon may be with which the
already become  i      Therefore this suddenness with third plague is to be indentified.
which he is overtaken by the third jud,gment.                         What kind (or kinds) of insect does the word used
 "And the Lord said unto Pharaoh, Say unto ,4aron,           in Exodus and translated lice include? Origin.traces
Stretch &I* thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, the  plague to swarms of mosquitoes. The Greek Bible
tha$ it may become  lice in all the land of Egypt. And uses a word that is the name of a winged pest, fatal
`they did so f for Aaron stretched out` his hand with the    even to horses and 
                                                             I.-_,                    cat@. Others speak-of-.a..kind  of _._____
rod, atid, smote the dust of the earth, and it became" parasite that lives in the hot sand and dust of Africa,
lice on man' and on beast; all the dust of the land." and "is the greatest enemy to man and beast,`. As the
   Though this  piague  seemingly was not announced, forth plague is a visitation of winged pests, the view
the act-the smiting of the dust by Aaron-that be- that the third plague is a visitation of a kind of lice
tokened its being brought into being by the might of and thus not of some winged pest is the only tenable
the Lord God, is done under the eye of Pharaoh and o n e .
his magicians. The proof of this is that these sor-                   Also through this third plague the Lord directly
cerers are at hand to do so with their enchantments.         attacks Egyptian idolatry. The soil of Egypt was
Thus  Pharabh  again receives fresh evidence that sacred, for `it was worshipped as Seb - father of the
Jehovah is God.                                              gods.' It is now defiled by its very dust turning to lice ;
   What is the nature of this plague? Is there perhaps and in its defilement the priests  ind all the Egyptians
some Common  phenomenon of the se&son  with which it share. A  terv'ible  visitation to a scrupulously clean
compares? Such is the testimony of authorities. Says people like the Egyptians. But Pharaoh's heart is hard.
Osburn : "When the inundation has risen above the            So he again tills to his aid the sorcerers and bids them
level of canals and channels and is rapidly flowing over to again match the might of the Hebrews"Goc1.  This
the  entire surface, the fine dust or powder into which time, however, their black art leave3 them in the lurch.
the mud of last year's overflow is triturated, and with Their attempts to bring forth lice ends in failure.
which the fields are entirely covered, presents a very                The third plague of the lice has been laid on the
extraordinary phenomenon. Immedi$ely on ,its being hearts of the Egyptians. `The attempt of the magicians


                                                THE.STiNDARD   B E A R E R                                                       117

            to itiitate  this wonder fails. The magicians are com- by their enchantments  they do, Tzot the  SCWZB,  but  l.ih%?-
            pelled to concede defeat. "This," they say, "is the            zuise.  i Such is the testimony of the seared Writer. Yet
            finger of God." So do they, in spite of themselves, the scripture, last quoted, is too plain to allow the con-
            acknowledge, that the wonders they performed were clusion that the magicians did not by their arts eon-
          imitations  and thus a display, not of a divine power vert rods (serpents first made rigid by enchantment)
           operating in their favor, but of a deceptive skill that, into serpents, convert water into blood and bring up
            however ldafflng to the senses and defying of explana-         frogs. But the point is that their doings are works of
           titon, belongs after all to the  catagory  bf what depraved deceit and may thus not be ranked with the wonders
            humans are capable. The acknowledgment is made,                placed by the Lord in Moses' hand. The latter were
            surely, under the impluse of .fear that, `now that in works of light from which arose a speech that set forth
           ,this crisis their magic'leaves  them and the king in the most sublime wisdom  - the wisdom of God.                   The
            lurch, it &ght go hard with them if they neglect to            former on the other hand were works of darkness, so
            explain to ,him that he cannot justly hold them ac-            that the view that the Lord by His infinite might so
            countable for the failure of their art, for their inability    co-operated with  the.magic  of the sorcerers that they
            to rise to the occasidn  .and to keep abreast of Moses' not merely imitated but actually duplicated Moses'
           ,performances.   B,ut the great significance of the saying wonders, must be set aside as untenable. Had He done
            of these magicians that what Pharaoh now witnesses             so, He would have pitted Him against Self and His
            is a cloing  of God which no human, however skilled in servant Moses, neutralized the effect of the latter's
           their black art, is capable of, is that it contains in it-      signs, placed a mark of genuineness upon the black.
           self a confession that it is actually God who speaks to         art of the Egyptians and. justifiecl the claims of Egypt's
          Pharaoh through these wonders, placed in the hand wise man. As was said, the purpose of the  perfoym-
            of Moses, that the latter is His prophet indeed and that ante of these signs was to provide Pharaoh'with the
           th&s the Jehovah of the Hebreys is this God, whose              evidence that.  1~0s~ God is the almighty Jehovah
           finger they confess that they now see.                          of ail the.earth,  who reigns in the midst of His enemies.
               Yet it must not be supposed that this confession            If the above view were adopted, the conviction could
           springs from a  $enuine  regard for the Lord. It is             not be escaped that the Lord provided E,gypt's wise
           their  f&ar for their own wel-being that prompts them men  with a reason for contending that there also oper-
           to bring it over their lips. The confession is forced.          ated in their behalf a power as mighty as the Jehovah
           And its wicked implication is that the first three won- of the people of Israel or to conclude that Jehovah was
          clers (that of the turning of the rod into a serpent:            cloing  as much for them as for M.oses  and his brethren.
            of the turning of the waters of the river into `blood;            Mark now the perversity of the sorcerers. They
           ancl of'the bringing np of the frogs over the land) were        confess to see the finger of God in the plague that is
     '      not of God but merely the fruitage  of Moses' magic,           now up.on E,&ypt,  that Pharaoh m,ay ,hold  them excus-
            doings of `his of which they also have been capable. able and think none the less of their dark craft. And
           How these- false prophets, too (false prophets these            in agreement herewith they continue to practice their
           magicians were), hate God ! For consider that in their          art in the attempt to imitate  tne wonders that follow.
            inmost heart they know better, understand `that they There are  iti the sacred record notices that plainly in-
I          have deliberately been p?acticing  deception with a viev: dicate this. "The magicians," so we read, "could not
           to neutralizing the effect of Moses' wonders upon the           stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil
I          heart of Pharaoh. Thus have they withstood him ;                was upon the  qagicians . . .  .' .  ." These sorcerers
           repeatedly attempted to render his  me:,cge  void. But th.an continued to stand before  &lIoses  with what other
           their latest attempt plainly ended in failure so dismal. p&pose than to resist him bi their magic, to imitate
           that they now `ind themselves under the necessity  of           if possible thk wonder of the hour.. But each renewed
           making a statement implying that they are deceivers'            attempt ended in failure. And instead of admitting
           that the Jehovah bf the Nebrews  ,is God indeed and that        defeat and resolving to be done with their hrt, they are
           Moses' is His prophet, that Pharaoh therefore can on hand after each fresh demonstration of divine power
            do no better than td hearken untd the voice of God's to conten,d  with the living God. But the chief sinner of
            command.                                                       them all is. Pharaoh. He  summons  them each time, it
               -So then, the view that the wonders wrought by the is certain, and bids them practice their art anew in
           magicians were imitations  avd they themselves frauds the hope that if they failed before their efforts will
            has a basis in Scripture. It is the only vie% that can now crowned with' success. So does he continue to  '
           begotten out of the Exodus record. The magicians by cleave unto the magicians. He thus persists in holding
           `implication pronounce themselves frauds and their              God in derision in the f&e of the plainest and most
           wor$s  vanity. The sacred  write?  calls them sorcerers startling testimony that He is God of all the earth and
            and the craft through which they operate by a word that his magicians and their magic are vanity indeed.
            (translated enchantment) that signifies "hiding, in-
            volving in obscurity, practicing deceitful arts.`? Finally,                                                 G. M. 0.
                                                                                                                               . .


             EEA&E OF MEN'S SOCIETIES 1                       to, and open for us, ways and means in His appointed
                                                              time.
    On the evening of October  30,  our Holland,                 After having discussed these matters in`s brotherly
Michigan, Men's Society was host to the League of and Christian spirit for some time, the meeting was
Men's Societies. The men of  Holla%d  proved them-            adjourned and  Rev. J.  Vander  Breggen closed with
selves true to their traditional Dutch  htispitalitty.        p r a y e r .
    .The meeting commenced at 8:00 p. m. and was led             The meeting was well attended and  vye might testify
by the President of the League, Mr. A, Boerkoel. After        at the close, that it is good and pleasant for brothers of
having sung a few Psalter numbers and a Holland the same house to meet each othkr to discuss things
Psalm, the president requested Mr. G, Koster, presi- pertaining to God's Kingdom.
dent of the Holland Men's Society of Fuller Avenue,
Grand Rapids, to open with prayer.                                                                   Sidney De Young
    The president thereafter welcomed the members
present and sounded the keynote of the' meeting;                                   IN  ZWAHH3[EID
"Should we as Protestant Reformed parents have our
own Chi-istian  $chools  ?"                                              Heer mijn God, wil mij nog sparen
    Mr. R.  Ezinga of the English.  men's  Society of                      In Uw liefde en geduld,
.Fuller Avenue, Grand Rapids, was the first speaker of                   0, verleng `no2 mijne jaren,             -
the evening. His paper on the above mentioned subject                      Delg uit mijne zonde en schuld;
was delivered in the English language. He pointed                        Ik wil  U nog dienen, Heere,
out our duty and calling in regard to our Covenant.                        Steeds meer vrij van eigen zin,
youth and based his remarks upon several passages                        Ganschlijk leven tot Uw eere,
froni the Holy Scriptures and our Baptism form. It                         Maar voor anderer  gewin.
left no room for a negative answer to the question be-                   Ziet Gij mij helaas bezwijken
fore the. meeting.                                                         Als mij hoop en moed begeeft,'
   A delegate from the Hudsonville Society was to                      Toon mij van Uw gunst de blijken
have delivered a paper, on the. same subject, in the                       Als mijn hart soms  angstig  beefi;
.Holland language, but due to his absence, the president                 Laat Uw geest mij steeds beheeren,
suggested that a recess be taken in which the ties of                      Licht mij voor in al mijn gaan,
Christian fellowship might be established and re-                       Wil staag mijn geloof vermeeren,
newed.                                 .                                   Schraag mijn voeten op Uw paan.
   Refreshments, consisting of delicious coffee and
doughnuts were served, and many old and new friends
were united and strengthened in the bond of brother-                            MY SOUL'S  DEiIRE
h o o d .                                                              Only one thing my soul desires-
   During recess-time  the president succeeded in per-                 Just to be what my Lord requires,
suading Mr. J. Cammenga, Jr. of the Holland, Michi-                    Just .to be such that he will own,
gan, society to give  ci brief improvised talk on our sub-             Just to be His and His  a1on.e.
ject of the evening, in the Holland language.-
   Mr. Cammenga discussed the subject from the                         Just to lay every idol by,
following aspects :                                                    Ready to answer, "Here am I,"
   1. Ten opzichte  .van onze leer.                                    Willing to let His will decree
   2. Ten opzichte van wat in de scholen geleerd                       Just what and where my work shall be;
w o r d t .                                                            Filled with the Holy Ghost may I
   3. Onderkijs  op grond van Gods Woord.                              Labor for Him as days go by ;
   4 .   Bekwamelijk   toegerust.                                      Let me a faithful reaper be
   The subject was then opened for a general dis-                      Gathering for eternity.
cussion by all of the members. The trend of the dis-
cussion brought out the following:                                     Jesus, the promise I  would  claim!
   That we are convinced that our ideal is to have                     Kindle the Pentecostal flame !
our own schools.                                                       Breathe upon me Thy spirit now,
   That some of our Christian School teachers are                      As at the mercy seat I bow.
training our youth along lines decidedly unrefbrmed.                   Just to go where He may lead me,
   That  tie are physically and economically unequipped                Ready the cross for Him to bear;
to open our bwn schools at present.                                    Just to work where he `may need me,
   That we believe and trust! that God will point us                   Just to be faithful, is my prayer.         .., . .


                         A Reformed Semi-Monthly Magazine
               PUBLISHED. BY THE REFORMED FREE PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, GRAND RAPIDS, iVlICI3.

                                                      E d i t o r i a l   S t a f f :
                                         H,  HOEHBEMA                          G.  M.  QPHOFF
                                                    Associatk   E d i t o r s :
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                                      Entered   as  second  class  mail  matter   at  Grand  Raoids.   Mich.


Vol. XI, No. 6                                      DECEMBER  15,1934                                           Subscription Price, $2.50

                                                                           their whole need shall be perfectly supplied and they
                                                                           shall be satisfied with. God's likeness forever!
                                                                                WrongI; the words have been read as if they ex-
                                                                           pressed that God, according to the riches of His glory .
                                                                           in Christ Jesus, would supply all the needs of His
                  Satisfied In Glory                                       people ; and as if the needs had reference to their
                                                                           earttiy sustenance.
                      But my God shall supply all your need                     Rightly the meaning of the Word of God here is ex-
                    according to his riches in glory by Christ
                    Jesus.                                                 pressed in the far more significant and blessed prom-
                                                     Phi;. 5:1X            ise : in glory `my God shall supply  all.your need, accord-
                                                                           ing to his riches, by Christ Jesus!
   My God!                                                                      Then, in glory, their capacity for God's riches, will
   Emphatically the apostle speaks of his God in this be enlarged.
connection.                                                                     Then He will manifest to them all the riches of His
   Evidently, the reason is that he still has in mind grace.
the gift the Philippians sent to him while he was in                            TRen they shall be satisfied.
bonds for Christ's sake. Generously the saints in
Phillippi had remembered him.  And it had been  a                               c-;-lwious  reward!
gift of -their love in Christ, given for Christ's sake, to
one of His servants.
   H e n c e ,   nzzj   G o d .                          -  .-  -
   Just as if a son would say to his benefactor : my                            Blessed s&tisfaction  !
father shall reward you.                                                        Your need He will supply in glory!
   Or as  the ambassador of a king would assure him                             All your need ; or, as may properly be translated :
that had been of succour  to him in the strange country :                  your whole need!
my lord and king shall remember you.                                            Need is not igentical  with desire, though in the per-
   SO the apostle is still thinking of the gift from the                   fection of glory the two shall be in full accord with
viewpoint of the abounding fruit. Abounding unto an eachother.  Then, in glory, we shall always know and
eternal recompence  for the givers.                                        always desire exactly that which we need,  and our need
   What you did to me you did to my God.                                   being constantly supplied, our desire shall continuously
   He shall'reward you !                                                   be satisfied.
   Supply your need !                                                           Desire is the subjective, the conception, the feeling
   My God!                                                                 we have of our need and the longing to have it satisfied.
                                                                                Need is the more objective'want of our very being
                                                                           and nature.
                                                                                Our desire is determined by the condition of our
                                                                           heart and mind; need by our very being. The latter is
   Blessed promise !                                                       that for which our being, as  ,it was formed by the hands
   In glory He shall supply all your need !                                of the Creator really calls ; that which must be supplied
   For,  .thus the text must be understood. It has in order to our actual well-being. S plant, according to
respect: to the fipal reward of the people of God, to its very being and, therefore, for its well-being, needs
their state of eternal and heavenly glory, when only the soil, the rain and the sunshine, A bird needs the


 I
             122                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

             air. A fish needs the water. Man needs God! . . . . .             but instead lusts after those things that must inevit-
                    For, this is man's need as it is determined by his         ably destroy him! . . :  .
             very being !                                                         And thus he needs forgiveness!
                    He is adapted to  be God's image-bearer. God made             He needs the righteousness which is of God in
             him thus. He made him a rational creature, a moral                Christ Jesus by faith !
             creature, a creature with mind and will and with a                   He needs deliverance from that terrible power of
             spiritual soul, a  crea'cure  that in his very nature is          darkness, of the lie, of corruption, of sin and death, of
             adapted to live  iil the fellowship of God's  covenant-           the devil, of this present world. He needs new light,
             friendship, to know Him and be known of Him in love,              new life, new righteousness, new holiness.
             to enter into His secrets, to understand His works, His              He needs God in everlasting mercy !
             will, His counsel, to wiil His will and love Him with all            God shall supply your whole need !
             his heart and mind and soul and strength, to stand at                And the meaning of the word rendered "supply" is
             the head of all created tilings and with them all to serve to fill. Your whole need lie will perfectly fulfill!
             Him and be blessed, by His grace, to taste His goodness              The promise-is to the Church.
             and `acknowledge it, to ,glorify Him and thank Him  for-             To the redeemed people of God. In principle they
             eve?,  to be God's eternal friend-servant and dwell in have received the supply of their need through grace
             I-Iis tabernacle, to see Him face to face and to be satis-        ,ln Christ Jesus our Lord. For, they have been de-
             fied  witn His likeness, h that is man's need!                    livered, liberated from the shackles of sin and corrup-.
                                                                               tion. Their sin is blotted out and they received .for-
                Man's ,need is the living God !                                giveness and the adoption unto children, the right-
                Hence, the singular : all your need ; your whole eousness which is by faith in Christ; their darkness is
             need. Man's-need  is one.. And that one need is God !             dispelled and they walk in a new light ; their eyes have
             God's fellowship, God's lovingkindness, the conscious-            been  obened  and they see ; their ears have been re-
             ness of God's favor,.- that is the need for which his             newed and they hear; they know their need and desire
             very being cries.,                                                the perfect fulfillment, they are poor in spirit and they
                All other needs are determined by, are subservient mourn, they hunger and thirst after righteousness . .
             to, are concentrated around that one need!                           For, still they are far from perfection.
                If that need is not fulfilled he really needs notbing.            A small beginning they have, the firstfruits of the
                    Unless that need  is. fulfilled the supply of all other    Spirit, by which they are saved in hope, and by virtue
             desires serve but to curse him, to make him walk in               of which they long for the full and final harvest eternal
             darkness, to cause him to work out his own destruction,           glory.
             to lead him to hell!                                                 And God shall supply their whole need !
                    For that one need he needs all things, spiritual and          The time shall come when they shall hunger and
             material, eternal and temporal. He needs the knowledge thirst no more.
             of the living God, the light of life ; he needs righteous-           When they shall no longer mourn.
            _  ness befor-e God, the sole basis on which he is able to.           When constantly they shall be satisfied,  filled with
-     _.
             meet his God and to dwell in His presence and be the all knotilZlg&  df God, right%biisness  and `holiness fof-
             object of His favor; he needs holiness, that he may al- ever !
             ways seek the living God and desire to consecrate him-               So that they shall know as they are known. ,
             self and all things to Him only ; and he needs all things            See face to face.
             that with them as means he may serve and glorify Him                 Be satisfied with His likeness !
             Who is blessed forever, Amen! . . . . .                              Glorious blessing !
                    And what he needs he lost !
                    He lost God's image, knowledge, light, truth, right-          Riches of grace!
             eousness, holiness, and became darkness, a foolish lover             In glory and according to His riches God shall sup-
             and pursuer of the lie, perverse in all his ways, corrupt ply our whole need!
             in heart and obdurate in mind, holding the truth in un-              In glory! Frequently the Word of God speaks of
             righteousness and serving the creature before the very            this glory which God has prepared from before the
             face of the Creator, lusting after the things of the              foundation of the world for them that love Him, for
             flesh, a lover of evil and an enemy of righteousness,             His own in Christ Jesus. Andealways  it refers to the
            seeking his own destruction. He lost God, His  loving-             future of the Messianic Kingdom.
             kindness and fellowship, became an exile and object of               That Kingdom will be a kingdom of glory !
             the awful, always operating, ever present wrath of                   And all the citizens of the Kingdom eternal will
             God, that besets him and pursues him even into outer then be glorified. Its glory will not merely shine round
             darkness. And, so miserable and foolish he became, .about  them, will not only and chiefly be in their en-
             that he never realizes or acknowledges the wretched- vironment; it will be in them.  ,Their whole being,
             ness of his loss, that he no more desires what he needs, their soul and their body shall be glorious.


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                            123

        Glory is the manifestation, the radiation of good-           According to His riches !
ness, of great goodness, of goodness in a high plane.                 God is rich!
God is infinitely glorious for He is infinitely good. He              With Him there is  `an infinite store of goodnesses,
is Goodness, Perfection and  the,Fount of all goodness., of bounties and blessings, of things to make happy and
Hence,, all glory is eternally. His, whether it is the glory to rejoice in forever.
that is eternally immanent in His adorable Being, the                He is rich in Himself ! Infinitely rich He is in light
glory as Himself beholds it from eternity to eternity,            and life, in knowledge and truth, in righteousness and                    '
or the glory .that radiates forth from Him in all the             holiness, rich in the fellowship of His blessed triune
works of His hands, the glory, especially, that dwells covenant-life. Most blessed is He forever, Amen! . . .
in Christ and throdgh  Christ in the Church. And in                  And rich He is for His people !
the eternal Kingdom all will be a manifestation of the               For, to the glory of His grace in the Beloved, He
glory of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.' As far as                 has ordained, for them from before the foundation of
heaven is above the earth, as far as the excellency of the world, a rich inheritance, an inconceivably great
Christ is above that of the first Adam, so far will the store of spiritual, heavenly riches, joy unspeakable and
excellent glory of that kingdom be above the beauty of full of glory.
the first paradise.                                                  And those riches will be the source of our eternal
        In that glory God will supply all our needs !             supply !
        They will be greater than ever before, because then          Yea, they shall be the standard, according to which
we shall be glorified.                                            He shall fulfill our whole need!
        They will be new capacities to fill ; new capacities         All the riches of God will be poured out upon' us !
of knowledge and light, of righteousness and holiness,               No good thing will He withhold !
of life and'blessing; of fellowship and love.                        Glorious hope !-
        A new, heavenly, eternal capacity for the living                                                                         .
God !                                                                   :-                                         _
        Fulfill it, not once for ever, but constantly, so that       By       Christ      J&us!    -'                                 ~~
they shall neither hunger nor thirst but eternally drink             Or, to render it literally as in` the original : in
from the fountain of the water of life freely and be              Christ Jesus.
nourished with the hidden Manna and eat of the fruit                 Of God, in Christ ! Thus it is now; thus it must
of the tree of life. For, the tabernable  of God shall be needs be; thus it shall be forever `and ever, even in the
with men and all things shall be made new. And God glory of the eternal Kingdom.
will dweil with them and they shall be His people, and               In Christ, for He is the meritorious cause of all the
God himself shall be with them and be their God. And riches of grace with which God shall supply our whole
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and               need in glory. On our part there is nothing to boast.
there shall'be no more death, neither sorrow nor cry- We had lost the riches we possessed. We had for-
ing, neither shall there be any pain, for the former feited' forever the riches of God's goodness. Impossible,
things are passed away. And there shall be no more                wholly impossible it was  for-us ever to...regain them.
curse, for in the new Jerusalem there shall be the Worthy of wrath and death .we had made ourselves,
throne of God and of the Lamb and his servants shall and all we could do and did was to make ourselves more
serve Him. And they' shall see His face, and His name             worthy of wrath and death daily. But Christ, God's
shall be in their foreheads. And there- shall be no night         Christ, opened for us inexhaustible stores of greater
there ; and they need no candle, neither `light of the            divine riches of grace than ever we possessed or- could
sun, for the Lord God giveth them light; and they have obtained without Him . . . .
shall reign forever and ever . . . . .                               Abundant mercy !
        Then, then they shall be satisfied!                          In Christ, for He is the `Head of His Body, the
        When God shall have supplied their whole need, in         Church. On Him are the riches of God poured out
glory !                                                           first and centrally. To Him they are given as the Head.
        And according to His riches!                              And He became the quickening Spirit, that He might
        For, these two:  iuz glory and accord&g `to His           pour out the'riches of God's grace on .them that. are
riches  belong inseparably together.                              .of, Him. He is our Manna. He is the living reservoir
        The former denotes  the. eternal, heavenly capacity of the water of life from which we shall drink forever!
of the whole need of the children of God in the king-                I n   C h r i s t !   i
dom that is to come; the latter points to the only                   Yet, of God ! For, even Christ is of God !
source whence their need can be supplied, as well as                 God the Fountain. Of Him are all things, and
to the standard of measure according to which it shall            through Him, and to Him!
forever be fulfilled.' There will be a blessed capacity              To him be the glory, forever!
for: the.. riches of God that must be filled ; and there             .Amen, yea, Amen!
willan inexhaustible source of riches to'fill it!                                                                H. H.
  .,                                                 .

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

                                                                       ficult one; then the light would have dawned upon it,
                                                                       that there is something wrong with the First Point;
                                                                       and, finally, they would have declared:
                                                                          "The  prote,stant  rightly accuses synod of having
                                                                       obliterated the line between elect and reprobate with
                     A Protest. And Its Answer                         respect to the preaching of the gospel".
                                                                          Let me conclude this discussion by the remark, that
              In conclusion we must still call the attention of our personally I am very sorry, that while through the
       readers to the final paragraph of the answer of synod protest of brother Hoekstra synod had the opportunity
       to the protest of Mr. J. J. Hoekstra in re the Three of repairing the wrong committed and correcting the
       Points, which reads as follows :                                errors declared in 1924, it refused- to take its task
              "The Protest wrongly charges Synod of drawing seriously.
       `in Point One no line between the unregenerate and the             Sorry for the Christian Reformed Church.
       elected'.      Cf. p. 3, D. This is in direct conflict  with      For, brethren, there is also a hardening of the heart
       the words of Point I, `dat er,  behalve  de zaligmakende        if we do not repent!
       genade Gods bewezen alleen  aan de uitverkorenen ten               God cannot be mocked at !
       eeuwigen  leven, ook een zekere gunst of genade Gods                                                            H. H.
       is, die Hij betoont  aan Zijne schepselen in het  al-
       gemeen'. Here the difference between the elect and
       the rest is plainly inhicated  as consisting in this, that:
       the elect receive saving grace over and above common
       grace, while the rest receive only cotimon  grace, which              Geraff ineerd Remofistrantisme
       does not save nor impart eternal life".                            Prof. Haitjema van Groningen heeft zich in de laat-
              How true this answer appeal-s!                           ste dagen bij de Gereformeerden in Nederland nogal
              How unjustly the protestant appears to have ac-          stinkende gemaakt.
       cused Synod of having obliterated the line of distinc-             Op Zondag,  14 Oct., den dag, waarop de Afscheiding
       tion between the elect and the reprobate ("the rest"            herdacht werd, heeft hij te  Ulrum, van den kansel,
       the report seems to prefer) !                                   waar  vroeger De Cock predikte, een predikatie  gehou-
         How clearly the first point of 1924 draws the dis- den over Num.  14:20  en 21.
       tinction !                                                         Om twee redenen is hij door deze predikatie in dc
              And how stupid of the protestant not to see this ! achting gedaald.
       Surely, he must be a simpleton not to understand what              In de  eerste plaats, omdat volgens de verslagen in
       is so clearly written !                                         de Nederlandsche bladen deze predikatie een tirade be-
          `But there is something wrong here somewhere.                doelde te zijn en was tegen de Afscheiding en de  Gere-
       Hardly could it be presupposed that the protestant formeerden. Het is eene  "ontzaglijk  fel  veroordeelende
       could be quite as simple and ignorant. as the committee preek"  geweest.
       and the synod actually seems  to think he is.                      In de tweede plaats, omda;t  de spreker  blijkbaar niet
              The trouble is that there is another pa& to. this genoeg ernst met zijn tekst maakte, zelfs de  oorspron-
       First Point, and that the protestant had reference, not, kelijke tekst er niet eens op nagezien heeft, en aldus
       of course, to the part quoted by synod, but to that other een tekst koos, die eigenlijk met heel zijn preek niets
       part.                                                           te  maken had.
              And that other part teaches, that God is gracious           Het laat zeker geen twijfel, dat  Prof. Haitjema zulke
        to all men in the preaching of the gospel!                     dingen  beneden  zijn  waardigheid  had  moeten  achten.
              For, this so-called common grace, which the First           Maar nu lazen we onlangs ook nog, dat hij het er
        Point is suppqsed to distinguish so ciearly  from the maar slecht heeft afgebracht op het Congres van
        grace of God over the elect, is proven by the well-mean- Calvinisten, dat niet  iang  geleden te Amsterdam werd
        ing offer of salvation, the preaching of the gospel to ail gehouden.
       men without distinction.                                           Prof. Haitjema was ook verzocht zich te vertegen-
              The preaching of the gospel, therefore, is declared woordigen, en woonde het congres  bij, trad zelfs als
       to be grace for all men.                                        spreker op.
              With a little good-will, synod could easily have sur-       Laat mij hier tusschen twee haakjes een wenk  mo-
       mised that the protestant referred to this part of the gen .geven.                Ondergeteekende had ook  persoonlijk,
       First Point. And having surmised this synod should beide uit  Ned.erland en uit Engeland, een verzoek  ont-
       have shown that this common-gospel-grace of God does vangen, om het  congres  bij te  wonen,  waarvoor hij
       not obliterate the line between elect and reprobate.            dankbaar is en waaraan hij oak  we1 gevolg had  willen
-..           And if synod had honestly faced this problem, it geven, indien de  financieele zijde der zaak geen  be-
       wo'uld, perhaps, first  haye discovered that it is a  dif- zwaar geweest  ware. Is het niet mog@ijk,  dat de led&n


              1 2 6                                  T H E   ST.ANDARD   B E A R E R

                        More Strange Reasonings                                  and envisage the doctrine of the antithesis and that
                                                                                 of common grace.     It will be recalled  that'  in  The
               : In  The  Bcmzrier  f&  Nov..  9, Rev.  J.. K. Van  Baalen, Bannar for Feb: 9 he placed an article in which one
              placed  ,?n explanatioh of --the .Spndayschool  l&son that comes upon the following statement :. `fThere  is no con-
              reads. in part :                                                   flict between the doctrine of the antithesis and that of
                  "God also makes use of Christians in order to lead common-grace. Both are clearly taught in Scripture.
              others to a saving knowledge of Christ. That, how-                 Small minds can encompass only one of the truths.
              eyer, is not. under.discussjon  at present. Besides gain- Great minds like Dr. A. Kuiper (and he should have
              ing others for the kingdom therelis,  or should be, an added, `like Revs. H. J. Kuiper and J. K.  Van'Baalen'
              influence from the church member upon those worldly  - and all the exponents of the theory, not truth, of com-
              people who remain such. `rhe two little parables in mon-grace) envisage and  develope..  both." I repeat
              our text. show -that we should limit ourselves to the what I asserted in my comment on Kuiper's article
              `latter influence. The world does not get into the city, that no exponent of common grace (and the late Dr.
              although. it sees the$ty on top of the hill. They remain, A. Kuyper forms no exception to this) ,has ever em-
              separate though the light of the city shines down upon compassed both for the simple reason that contra-
              -those who live at the foot of the hill. The lamp and they         dictory propositions or doctrines (the two doctrines
              that are in the house  ,do not become one, yet those in in question are contradictory) cannot be encompassed
              the  house catch the light of the lamp upon the, retina by the mind.
              of the eye.                                                           Goneeding  .nevertheless  that the minds of the ex-
                  "This influence of the example of true Christians in ponents of common grace are great, we  may-  contiage
              the midst of the world is of a twofold character : both to enquire, What is the earmark of the great minds?
              sin and the curse that `is  dtie to sin have been retarded. Examing the above-cited writing of Rev. Van Baalen,
              It`.is &is .&hat Christ expresses wheri He c$lB his dis- one is forced to conclude that the earmark',of  a great
         .
              ciples the salt of the earth. F&.salt dde$ two things; mind is- that it thinks not for`itself and thus imbibes,
              it keeps `from spoiling, and it  imparts   flavor.        Salt &critically and without .asking questions "whatever
              is never put into a. living organism, but only into dead Christian  Philpsophers  and theologians have con-
              matter. Without  ,salt the: dead meat of the butchered cocted and handed down to us, be the concoction truth
               calf would soon spoil. Without the influence  o$ the or falsehood. Van  Baalen's  explanations of the par-
               Christian `the dead world would soon rot so completely ables of the "Salt"  tind of the "Candlestick"  were taken
               as to make it unfit even for a brief existence here on literally from Kuyper's "Gemeene Gratie". Now I
              earth.' And without the influence of the church, life would say nothing about this if Kuyper's exegesis and
               would become so tasteless that it would not be  worth applications were true. We all stand, to. be sure, 611
              living.' But now the church adds, salt to the life of the the shoulders of our forbears and thus are lifted
               world:- sin is checked throughout the meat.' That is by them to vantage-points. to which `we by ourselves
              to say, not' only are there single individuals of high could never have attained. We are thankful to God.
               moral standing, but the entire public opinion is raised for the luminaries that He  gav.e to His church and we
I :-           to a higher level. Even those whd would like to live in gratefully bask in their light. However, the great minds
               open sin, refrain from doing so'because  public opinion of the past were, with the exception  of. the agents of
               is against them. Those also who are haturally  inclined revel&ions,  fallible people. What they bequeathed must
  i            to seek their pleasure in the sordid and insipid things therefore be critically examined before imbibed as
 :,:I          of life,, a$-e raised to a higher level where they learn truth. Ndw the aforesaid explanations -of Kuyper are
 .:            tq  enjoy wholesome occupation  and more noble enter-, so palpably impossible that anyone who takes them to
               tainment.                                                         heart as good food gives  evidence either of being the
                  ."The  parable of the salt, therefore, teaches that possesser of spiritual tast organs that have losf their
               Christians should so influence the world as to save it sensitiveness or of being capable of swallowing whole
               from ,destru'ct`ion  for. this life.- and the parables of the without first tasting whatever  pabulum'he  in his hunt
               city on  the hill and of the lamp .on the  stand convey for food comes upon.                          . .
               similiar ideas. The world will never become Christian.                Let me show how literally  van Baalen's  expi&a-
 I.            Yet the world must so undergo the uplifting influence tions agree with those of Kuyper. Wrote the latter:
 .: !                                                                            "Het zout do& niets anders dan de bedervende ontwik-
 -:            of..the  church that it bathes itself  iri'i`ts light. If that
 :..:          .be, the cas'e,. the world will, in spite of its own lack of keling'  stuiten. En zoo nu ook is het met het uitschijn-
              ..true  godliness, admit the .superioritf  of the Christian se1 en in de wereld .inschijnend  licht. Daarom heet het
               religion, the idealism of its code of ethics, and praise in Matth. 5 :14, 15 en 16 : `Gij zijt het licht der wereld.
               God because of the presence of God's people in its Eene stad, boven op.eene berg liggende,  &an niet  ver-
               midst. Bold atheistic propaganda will not get much borge? zijn . . .  .'
               of. a hearing in such a environment."                                 Alzoo de wereld'klimt niet op-tot de stad, en de stad
                   What may be the earmark of a great mind? Ac-                  daalt niet naar de wereld af. Beide blijven  onder-
               ording to Rev. H. J. Kuiper the ability to encompass scheiden en gescheiden,  maar het licht uit de stad


                                    THE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                              127

schijnt in de wereld in.. De kaars en zii die in huis        of Christ reads in part i. " `Aan hunne vruchten zult gij
zijn, blijven twee, maar degene die in huiszijn, vangen ze kennen. Maar wat bedoelt Jezus met deze  vruch-
op het netvlies van hun oog het licht op . . ." Gemeene      ten? Het gaat hier over de valsche profeten, en  voor
Gratie, Vol. 2, p. 677. In another volume Kuyper af- hunne leer moesten de discipelen zich wachten, zegt
firms. that, according to the above-cited utterances of Jezus. En dat zouden ze kunnen, zoo ze  acht gaven op
Jesus the people of the world devoid of the life of re- `hunne vruchten. Hebben we door die vruchten te ver-
generation- glorify God and are thus the  possessers  of staan, den levenswandel van deze valsche profeten,  zoo-
a common grace.                                              als het door velen opgevat wordt. Men meent, dat Jezus
    That Van  Baalen's  (and Kuyper's) explanations bier leert, dat het uit den levenswandel `ontwijfelbaar
of Jesus'  btterance  (under  considertion)  are impos- zeker blijkt of iemand al of niet uit God is geboren, of
sible is evident. The salt, so it is said, not merely stays iemand in schijn of cnderdaad  tot God is bekeerd  ; of
the process of corruption in the dead meat but actually iemand een ware of' een valsche profeet  is. - Nu is
revivifies `so that it, the flesh, is transformed into .a liv- het, in het algemeen de zaak beschouwd, waar, dat het
ing organism and yet remains  dead.         Such is the leven, de levenswandel, de werken: die iemand doet,
thought convey&d. Consider this from Van Baalen's            openbaringen zijn van bet beginsel waaruit iemand
pen : "That is to say, not only are there single in- leeft. Maar daarvan spreekt de Heere hier niet., Die
dividuals, (reprobate worldlings, of course, G. M. 0.)       valsche profeten  tech treden op in schaapskleederen  ;
of high moral standing, but the entire public opinion` naar het  uiterlijkehertoonen   .zij  zich een beeld van
is raised to a higher level' . . . . Those also who are ware vroomheid ; op hunne gedragingen valt niets bij-
naturally inclined to seek -their pleasure in the sorded zonders aan te merken ; die afgaati  op den schijn houdt
'  things'of life, are raised to a higher level where they hun voor gezanten van Christus ; juist in het uiterlijke,
le`arn to enjoy wholesome occupations and more  poble' ili den wandel, zoeken zij bun kracht. Op den levens-
pleasures." And again : "If that be the case of the wandel kan de Heiland het oog niet hebben gehad. Dat
whole world will, in spite of its lack of true gddliness     blijkt  we1 duidelijk uit de vraag die Jezus  doet  in vers
. . . . . praise God beca&e  of the higher tone of life."    16: `Leest men ook een druif van doornen of vijgen
Thus the reprobated wicked in the world, the people van distelen?' Met die vraag  tech wil de Heere het
devoid of true godliness, the spiritually dead sinner, onmogelijke daarvan te kennen geven. Als nu met die
praise God. The dead meat is revivified and worships         druif en met die vijgen op den levenswandel gedoeld
God alid yet remains dead . . . If this is not nonsense werd, dan zou volgen, dat men weI een druif van door- .'
what is? And these absurdities they  dari to put  ifi the . nen, of vijgen van distelen kan lezen. Het is tech zeer
mouth of Jesus. But - Kuyper said'it. Now further we1 mogelijk, dat een zedig leven en een uiterlijke varm
- but, what & the use. These errors have` been ex-           van godsdienstigheid gevonden wordt bij, menschen,
posed so often.                                              .die niet waarlijk tot God bekeerd  zijn. Ja, komt het
    How -firmly this theory of common grace - the            niet voor, dat soms ongeloovigen een zediger en meer
theory that the natural man, devoid of the life of re-       ingetogen  leven leiden dan een Christen? Heeft ook
generation performs works that have real ethical merit een der discipelen in Judas Iskariot  een huichelaar ge-'
in the sight of God - has embedded.it&elf  in the hearts zien? Werd hij we1 ddor zijne medediscipelen wegens
of the divines of the Christian Reformed churches,           zijn levenswandel verdacht gehouden? Was er  we1  uit-
how they arm themselves with this  ,theory  as often as      wendig eene aanmerking te maken  op het leven van
they turn to Scripture, how it has become to them  the       den Farize&,  die zeide: `Ik dank U, o God, dat ik niet,
spectacles through which they view, every text, how ben gelijk andere  men&hen'?
this theory blinds them to the truth, disqualifies them          "Jezus heeft hier niet het oog op het leven, maar
as spokesmen of God, and turns them into extollers of op de leer van de valsche profeten. Het valsche bij
a worldly wisdom and thus  ilito silentiaries of the         hen  bestond  juist daarin, dat zij,  nnar het leven te
speech of the Word; is again evident in a meditation         oordeelen, schenen te zijn profeten van God gezonden,          .
by Ds. J. B. Hoekstra and appearing in De Wachter for maar die inderdaad verwerpelijk  waren,   omdat  hunne
Nov. 28. The scripture upon  w.b.ich   .the meditation leer niet was overeenkomstig het Woord vah God."
turns is Mat. 7 :16-20  :.  "Aan hunne vruchten zult gij         The writer of the above lines reasons thus : Christ,
ze kennen.  Leest men ook een druif van doornen, of          when uttering these words, had not before His mind
vijgen'van distelen? Alzoo ied&e  goede boom brengt;         the works, the walk of life (levenswandel)  of the false
voort goede vruchten, en een kwade boom brengt voort teachers.           Proof? Christ emphatically asserts that
kwade. vruchten. Een goede boom kan geen kwade thorns do not yield grapes. Now if grapes in this say- _.
vruchten `voortbrengen, noch een kwade boom goede            ing of His signified walk of life it would needs follow
vruchten voortbrengen. Iedere boom, die  geen-  goede that thorns yield grapes indeed; for the. undisputed.
vruchten voortbrengt, wordt uitgehouwen en in het testimony of our experience is that the ungodly
vuur geworpen. Zoo zult gij dan hen 8&n hunne vruch-          (thorns) yield good fruit (bear grapes). The thought
ten kennen." The reverend's comment on this saying actually presented here is this : If Christ used the word


       125                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                                                               \
       "graFes 1, a.s the signification of "works" instead of
       doctrine, He would have said, not, `thorns yield no              Volharding En De Vastigheid Des
       grapes' but `thorns yield grapes indeed' ; for it is a:?                            Verbonds
       cstablishecl  fa:t (a fact established, by otlr very own
       observation and experience) that the reprobated                 Wie op grond der Heilige Schrift gelooft, dat het
       wicked (thorns) perform works that have' real ethical Verbond Godes is en het heil des Heeren, dat God de
       merit (bear grapes), so that, if Christ would have'ex-       Zijnen van voor de grondlegging der wereld ten eeuwi-
       pressed a contrary sentiment, He would have pitted gen leven heeft uitverkoren, dat  Christus voor de  uit-
       Himself against the infallible testimony of our very verkorenen%  gestorven en opgewekt  en voor hen vol-
       cwn observation, mind. SK& is indeed the reasoning: komenlijk  heeft  voldaan,  dat de toepassing des heils
       What we have here is czn instance of a mind setting          in volstrekten  zin Gods  werk is en dat God nooit laat
       itself  up as a standard of truth.  Mark you, Christ varen het werk Zijner handen, die kan er geen oogen-
       emphatieally declares that thorns do not  yield grapes.      blik meer aan denken  om in te stemmen  met hen, die
       Brushing aside this teaching, `this mind insists that        een afval der heiligen  leeren en met allerlei argumen-,
       thorns do yield grapes.                                      ten  zich keeren tegen de leer der volharding ten einde
              It can be proven fronz Scripture that Christ was      t o e .
       indeed thinking also of ,the walk of live of the false          Over elk van bovengenoemde waarheden willen we,
       teachers. Consider that these teachers were the scribes in verband  met de waarheid van de volharding der hei-
       and' pharisees; Said Jesus to the multitude, and to-His ligen een enkel woord zeggen.
       .disciples:  `The scribes and the pharisees sit in Moses'       Het verbond is Godes .en staat daarom onwankel:
       seat:  all' therefore whatever they bid you observe, that baar vast, kan nooit worden  verbroken -of teniet ge-
       observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for daan. Het !igt eeuwiglijk vast in God, Wiens Naam is
       they say and do not" (Mat. 23). Thereupon Christ             Jehova, en Die nooit verandert. Het is Godes in oor-
       enumerates  their  evil works.  `17ney lay heavy burdens sprong, Godes- in doe1 en strekking, Godes in' de reali-
       on men's shoulders. They make broad their phylac-            seering  en toepassing, Godes in zijn historische ont-
       teries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, love wikkeling, Codes in betrekking tot degenen, .&die in dat
       the- uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in Verbond worden opgenomen en Godes in de handhaving
      . the synagogues and the greetings in the markets. They       er van. Van het begin tot het einde rust Gods Ver-
       love to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi (professor, pro- bond nergens en nooit in den wil des menschen, hangt
       fessor, or doctor, doctor). They devour widow's houses,      het nooit van den mensch af. Noch ook is het ooit' zoo,
       and for a  pretence  make long prayers. They compass dat het Verbond in zijn oorsprong of bestaan zou af-
       sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is
.I                                                                  hangen  van beide, God..& den mensch. Ware dit we1
       made, they make him twofold more a child of hell thau        bet geval, hing Gods verbond aan de. trouw  van twee
       themselir&.*  They swear by the gold of the temple.          partijen, hetzij in  oorsprong.  of  bestand,  dan zou er
       They strain at a gnat and swallow a camel. They build van de vastigheid des verbonds nooit sprake kunnen
       the tombs of the prophets, persecute God's people and zijn. Immers zou die  vastigheid nooit  hichter  kunnec
                                                                                                            _.- .-
       crutiify the Son of"G6d.                                     zijn dan de onverande?lijkheid  vtiti  de zwakste der pa?- - --
              Someone may ask, Can our observation deceive  us? tijen,  bier de mensch. Dan stond de zaak Gods juist
       Surely, yes. The mind whose reasonings I examine.            elk  oogenblik  te wankelen, beter nog, zij zou  ge6n
       admits this. He informs his readers that the scribes         oogenblik kunnen staan. Alleen  dan, als het verbond
       and pharisees were regarded by their contemporaries Godes is, als we kunnen ha&haven, dat overal en altijd
       as a people of true piety though in reality they were        en in elk opzicht dat verbond alleen in Hem rust, kun-
       veritable scoundrels. But Christ saw through them ;, nen we ook belijden, dat het eeuwig vast staat.
       He knew what was in man. And He hangs before  OUE               Net ligt we1 in  den aard der zaak, dat we bij de
       eye a true picture of their wajk of life. It is therefore handhaving van deze .waarheid  elke voorstelling van
       the speech of this picture and not the te,stimony  of our Gods verbond als een overeenkomst  tusschen twee par-
       observation that is.to be taken as the standard of truth.    tijen, hier God en den mensch, moeten afwijzen. Zoo
       Doing so, we say with Christ, "Thorns yield thorns and kan we1 een verbond worden  gesloten tusschen mensch
       not grapes".                                                 en mensch.  Immers~,.de  mensch staat  tegenover  den
          .But one may say, Can there be conflict between life mensch op gelijken voet. Hij kan tegenover den mensch
       and Christ's teachings. Surely, no. But life is one voorwaarden stellen, ook voolwaarden  inwilligen en
       thing; how philosophers with minds biased by a theory aannemen of verwerpen. De mensch kan dus met den
       insist on seeing and interpreting life, another. It is mensch een overeenkomst sluiten, waarin'men over  e'
       with the latter that Christ's teachings  are ii conflict; weer voorwaarden stelt, over en weer beloften aflegt,                 -
       for He called thorns, thorns and not grape,s,  and we        over en weer elkander trouw zweert op grond van de
       will c0ntinu.e  to take His wo$d for -iii that it is so.     `geslotene  overeenkomst. En zulk een verbond wordt
                                                     G. M. 0.       gehandhaafd en houdt stand, alleen zoolang  beide  par-

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

  overeenkomst komen,  noch ook, dat Adam de  gestelde
  voorwaarden aanvaardt". Doeh hij voegt er aan- toe,                        The. Sdt Of The Earth
  dat dit wezenlijk niets ter zake doet. Van  &lk een                                 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the
  overeenkomst van twee p&tijen lezen we inlmers oak                                salt have lost his  savour,  wherewith shall
  niet in verband  met het verbond van Noach  en Abra-                              it be salted?    It is thenceforth good for
  ham.      (Inplaats van hieruit &f te l&den, dat ook het                          nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trod:
  verbond zooals, opgericht met die heiligen, geen over-                           .den  under `foot of men.
  eenkomst is tusschen twee partijen!) Een  hoofdele-                                                           Matt..`5:13.
  ment in deze voorstelling van het verbond met Adam is             This verse is closely connected with the beatitudes
  zeker  wel, dat Adam de belofte  ontving van het.eeuwi-        and forms a part of the sermon on the mount. The
  ge leven, van hoogere, eeuwige zaligheid, op voorwaar-         Savior hath said concerning the citizens of the King-
  de, dat hij niet zou eten van den boom der kennis. In          dom  bf Heaven that they -had certain spiritual char-
 .bovenstaande beschrijving van dit verbond lezen we             acteristics by means of which they may be known.
  dan ook: "Er was een belofte van eeuwig leven". Die            These various designations are followed by and car-.
  belofte wordt dan verder omschrejen  als "de belofte respond with the blessings pronounced. This is plain
  des' levens in den volsten zin des woords" en "het leven in. the first beatitude: Blessed are the poor in spirit,
  opgeheven tot zijn hoogste ontwikkeling van geluk en for such poor are rich indeed, theirs is the Kingdom of
  heerlijjkneid,"  etc. Maar als we nu vragen, hqe zieh Heaven. And so also there is a close connection  be-
  deze voorst&ing,  dat de belofte des eeuwigen' levens in tween the first and the second. The poor in spirit must
  den hoogsten zin des woords aan het houden van het of necessity be mourners. Knowing their actual spirit-
  proefgebod als loon  was  verbonden,  dan lezen we: "Dit ual condition (subjectively) namely, that in themselves
  wordt niet met zbovele woorden uitgesproken, maar              they are poor as to their relation toward God, His com-
  ligt  tech verondersteld in het alternatief  des doods als     munion and fellowship, they do mourn, because they do
  gevolg van  ongehoorzaamheid".  Nu hebben we niets in principle possess the life of the Kingdom,  an+ they
  tegen  op de voorstelling, dat bijaldien Adam niet ge-         do wish to live that life in perfection- and do long for
  iondigd  had hij eeuwig had blijven leven. We hebben the fellowship with their King.                  t
 *bet over de belofte, dat hij het eeuwige leven -in den            Their poverty and mourning are the unmistakable
  hoogsten zin des woords, iou hebben be&fd,  indien hij         signs of their citizenship of that Kingdom and the
  gehoorzaam gebleven was. Wordt dat verondersteld in blessings pronounced over them are as so many beams
  de bedreiging van de doodstraf ingeval van overtre-            of light of the same ,glory  of that Kingdom as it is and.
  ding ? Als de wet des lands de doqdstraf bedreigd op shall be theirs.'
  het begaan van een moord, veronderstelt dit dan, dat              Futhermore, there is also a close relation  betweer,
  Firie geen moord begaat ,nu door de overheid met bij-          the first and the l&t beatitude. The first must lead to
  zondere een' en rij kdom zal worden  overladen ? Ieder         the last for in the first the last is implied. The first may
  z&t, dat zulk een veronderstelling geen steek  houdt.          be called the bud, the last the full grown flower bloom-
  Rom. IO :$ en Gal. 3 :f2 zijn hier juist heelemaal niet        ing in all its beauty. The poor in spirit of the Kingdom
  van toepassing, omdat het `daar niet gaat over eene shall be called the children of God when the Kingdom
  bijzondere en genadige beschikking Gods, waardoor Hij          is revealed in the eternal morning. After the last be-
  eene bijzondere heerlijkheid verbond aan een bijzonde;.        atitude the Lord pictures the citizens of the Kingdom
  gebod, 6iaar  over h$ houden van de. Moza'ische  wet. as be finds himself in the midst of the world. In that
         Wat eindelijk de voorwaarde van dit verbond be- world he is persecuted, reviled, evil spoken of, falsely,
  treft, men wil er nadruk op leggen, dat aan het doen           and that for righteousness sake as well as for the sake
  van Gods geboden, zooals die op de "tafelen  van Adams of His Lord.. But says the Savior: `Rejoice and be ex-
 .hart"  geschreven waren geen loon verbonden kon zijn. ceeding glad for great is your reward in  .heaven'.  And
  Daarom moest er dan een bijzonder gebod,-bijkomen,             the Lord pjroves  this from the company that went be-
  om Adam het loon des eeuwigen levens te verschaffen. fore them : `For so persecuted they the prophets which
  Het eeuwig.e leven was dus bij Adam niet verbonden were before you'. The prophets endured  Tofor the King--
  aan het gehoorzamen  der zedewet, tiaar aan bet tijde-         dam's sake the  same'pe'rsecutions  and all kinds of evil
  lijk gehoorzamen van het proefgebod. Men gevoelt from that world. If that is-your  portion now, be not dis-
  echter  zelf tech ook, dat `dit qiet opgaat, dat er aan bet    couraged, for you are  ingood company. The prophets
  r&e doen van iets tech geen positief loon verbonden are no more. They went through suffering into glory.
kon zijn. Daarom komt professor  -Berkhof   ioch ten Behold, they suffered  only for a] little while, it was but
  slotte weer terug op die zedewet, -als hij .zegt,  dat in for a moment. Theirs was the glory and so, and that
  het pioefgebod  al de geboden  Gods als het ware op een very speedily, it shall be yours. You are one \vith them
  enkel punt  g.econcentreerd   waren.      En zoo blijft er in suffering; you shall be one with them in glory.
  dan van deze bijzondere  overeenkomst  niets  over,  dat          This text is an admonition in connection with the
  steun vindt in de Heilige Schrift.               H. H.         exalted position of the citizens of the heavenly King-


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           133

       don1 while they are in the midst of the world. As such            In the second place, if the Word itself is to be the
       they have the whole world against them. For that very salt of the earth, the text must read: It is the salt of
      reason there is a possibility that they become dispirited.     the earth and not Ye are the  salt of the earth. Finally,
      The persecution and afIlictions  coming to them as so          and that is our main objection, if the Word is to be
      many trials may discourage them and make them faith-           taken to be the salt of the earth; the Word, itself will
       less. And as long as the citizens are not perfected and in this case lose its savour and become the object of
      the Kingdom is not fully realized that danger is not           ridicule, for it is ?nenceforth  good for nothing, but to
      imaginary but always present. Such is th& history of be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Some-
      the church of all ages as well as the experience of the        thing that can never be maintained in the light of
      individual believer; Hence, as to the intent and purpose Scripture. We admit that men do trample the Word of
      the warning concerns the church and the individual             God under their feet, but they do so for an altogether
      member ahd as to the.object,  the Lord calls their atten- different reason and they would no do so if the Word
      tion to their lofty place and name in the midst of the did become void and without strength. That cannot be
      earth.                                                         the meaning.
          Losing its savour she loses the place of .honour  and         Never.theless  it cannot refer to the Apostles alone,
      becomes a spectacle to that world that hates' her in the       for' if we confine it to them  this interpretation would
      first place, but that will also detest her. For a saltless annihilate the doctrine of the  perserverance  of the
      salt cannot be salted, but will degenerate in such a way saints, which is contrary to Scripture.
      that her place shall be on the dunghill.                          Our explanation of the text, in regard  to the ques-
          This text and many others are used for almost tion `Who are meant'?, is, that the Lord is speaking to
      anything that comes along. The impression is ofterL            the Church and in connection with the Church and that
      that it nieans to say, ye must snlt the earth instead of,      from a certain point of view. In a general way we
      ye are the salt of the earth. Let  .us therefore give an could say He was speaking to the multitude. However,
      answer to  t.he question: To whom does  the Lord refer we can safely say that all present belonged to the                    _
      when He says `Ye are the salt of the earth' ? Some ex- Church. Jesus did not speak to heathen or  .to people
      positors try to explain this verse as though the Lord          who were outside of the Church and who never heard
      spoke these words to the Apostles alone. Yet there is the Word of God. For according to Scripture He came
      no reason to believe that it is not the same multitude to      to His own, be it at the same  tinie` true, that His own
      whom He is speaking. Others explain that the Lord              received' Him not. Nevertheless, it is to His own He
      does refer to the Apostles as the future preachers,            speaks. Jesus was first .of all senti to the lost sheep of
      whose words were to be salt for the earth. The Lord Israel, but the ones lost belonged to the Church of His
      hath spoken to the multitude in the beatitudes concern- own day. Israel was God's own in distinction from the
      ing the citizens of the heavenly Kingdom in general. In nations  round  about it. She was the chosen race. The
      the second place, He had portrayed to them the persecu-        Church of the old dispensation received the message
      tion of such citizens and added that  th(?y must' consider     and to that  Church  He spoke. As it is today, thus it was
      themselves blessed for them they were the true sons `then. We may make it a mental note that God's Word is
      ,and daughters of-the pr'ophets  whd'before them entered -for the Church and was given to the%htirch  and not td-- -
      by the way of persecution into the blessedness of the some selfstyled Prophet `or Evangelist. The whole of
      Kingdom as a reward given to them in exchange for the          Scripture testifies concerning `this fact. Yet the Oid
      suffering for righteousness sake. Hence, anyone suf- `Testament Church was -not to be the only party to re-
      fering for. the same cause must and can expect the             ceive the message. The Old Testament Church finds
      same reward. And now the Savior'all  of a sudden ad- its fulflment in the Church of the new dispensation.
      dresses the Apostles? True it is that we cannot ex- And what is promised to the former is fulfilled in the
      clude them atid it is also true that their word was to         latter. The Church of the old  dispensatiqn  was a
      permeate the earth and thus became the instrument gathering of a very pecpliar  people in contrast with
      through which men were to be drawn from darkness               any other gathering in this world and the same is true
      into the light  of- the heavenly Kingdom, yet we do not of the Church of the new dispensation.
      dare to take the stand that these words were spoken to            In order to make this plain we must answer one
      and meant for them alone. Besides, this explanation more question, namely : Who are to be considered
      makes the Word itself the salt of the earth, something members of the Church, both in the Old and New Test-
      that is impossible for it would actually mean that the ament? Does it in both cases refer to the elect only?
      Apostles were only to be the means and Jesus `does not         Is the Lord speaking to the believers alone? We feel
      say  :. Ye-are the means, but ye are the salt of the earth,    immediately that the answer upon this question will
      a fact that is very much emphasized by the use of the          shed light and explain why it is possible that salt can
      pronoun ye (twice). There is no ground to refer the            become so saltless that it is henceforth good for noth-
1.    metaphor to the Word. Whoever are addressed, they ing and thus be cast away. We admit that Scripture
      are considered the salt of the earth.                          often speaks of the Church as only consisting of the

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

elect or believers, but again we hasten to say that ac- and were soon to die, while the Church would be there
cording to the analogy of Scripture it cannot mean to the end of $ime.
that in  this text. The casting away of the children of        3. That it cannot refer to the Word, for the Word
God is impossible for then God is no longer God. But is never void, without strength and that for the same
Scripture speaks also of the Church in another way,         reason it is indeed trodden under foot.
namely, of the Church as it becomes visible in the             4. That it cannot mean the elect, for they surely
midst of the`world.                                         shall never be cast away.
    In the beatitudes a very peculiar people, the elect        5. But that the text refers to the visible Church,
are pictured, but the sermon is addressed to the multi- as it  stood before the Lord on the mount, both the
tude, the congregation of Israel. Israel is the visible     Church of His own day and also the C,hurch of the New
revel'ation  of the Church of God and of His Son. There- Testament.
fore, He gave to that Church His promises, His ordin-          With this in mind we ask now :, Why is the Church
ances and His statutes. Not to the individual believer, called the salt of the Earth? In order to understand
but to the Church visible. Hence, this word is spoken this metaphor and what it implies we must fist of all
concerning her, the Church of which Jesus Himself try to find the meaning of the symbol used .here. What
was a member. However, this Church was to  culmin-          is the peculiar use of salt? .The common and most
ate in the Church as it was represented by the Risen usual interpretation is, that salt is used as a preventive.
Redeemer and His disciples, the believers of the new Its usefulness becomes very evident when it is con-
dispensation, being present in the Apostles `and dis- nected with something that i-nay deteriorate. Science .
ciples on the mount and to whom He spoke : The church, tells us if there was no salt in the ocean, it would soon
the congregation of believers with their seed, cotisist-    become a stinking pool. Or as another preventive it
ing of men and women out of all nations. It was to          is needed for our daily bread and other food that it
become manifest in the midst of the  "world   a+ a parti- may be kept from decay and at the same time that it
cular separate group of people to whom special may make the food tasteful. Futhermore,  salt is needed
promises and privileges were given,  .who also possessed to preserve our life. Without jt no man can live. The
a new life being a new creation of Jesus Christ, a man- Dutch. proverb has it : `Zout is meer dan goud !'
ifestation of His grace. This visible church consists of       Scripture also makes use of it in such a way that it
those, who. confess one Lord, one God and Father, liv- has more than one meaning. The most general mean-
ing in the midst of this world as His people. But what ing points to preservation and preventation. By all  the
is true of the Church in the old dispensation, is also meatofEerings  salt was used as opposing the possibility
of the Church in the new, it does not consist of be- of putrefaction and decay. As such it served as a
lievers only, nay, but also in this Church all are not symbol of moral and religious purity which is essential
Israel that are'thus called, whose  names  appear on the in the true worship of Jehovah, pointing also at the
books of the Church and therefore belong to her who         same time to the idea of stability and prder whereupon
are not spiritual but carnal members. Yet they are al it ultimately depends. It is also used as the snlt of the
called after the name of the living element and more-       covmc& of God. In that sense it is used as pointing
over .are treated as such. If the question is asked. `who to  the-.principle of holy rectitude, the true elements of
belong to the Church as to its visible manifestation'? incorruption, for the maintenance of which it was
the answer is : `All those whose names are on the books established.
of the Church'.                                                Our next question is, `What does the Lord mean
    Consequently, they all  hear the Word preached, when He says  : Ye are the salt of the earth? We may
partake of the Sacraments when they are administered, notice that He  does not say of  the world. Earth is the
receive the same instruction and are admonished and creation of the world In opposition to the Heavens.
laboured upon. God's means of grace are connected In other words, it is the place where man dwells. T h e
with that visible .Church  and all and every member         earth is not the greatest part of creation as to size, but
share equally in the use of them. So that, as far as the the most important from the viewpoint of God's
admonition is concerned, implied in'this text, the Lord counsel. His counsel is realized on earth. In the
did not address the elect or the believers only, but He second place, according to Scripture man is the crown
spoke to the Church visible, a* it was as yet in the old    of creation. He is the head of it. The meaning there-
dispensation and we may add,. that each and every one fore is: `Ye, ye are of all creation the salt. Ye are
who belongs to it must heed this admonition. Our con- tasty to Me and ye are taken into My covenant Fellow-
clusion is :                                                ship.' Something that is tasty can also be said to be
    1. That it could not simply refer to the Church of pleasing. And it is only true of the Church that she is
the old dispensation alone for that Church was to make pleasing to the Lord. And that not because the Church
room for the New Testament Church.                          has salt, but she is the salt of the earth. In the state
    2. That it could not have been addressed to the         of righteousness this was revealed in that the Lord
Apostles as such, for they would not live long enough held convenant  fellowship with Adam, speaking with


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                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                            135

     him and to him in the cool of th& day. .As long as he of all things, when there shall be a new heaven and  8
     maintained covenant fidelity he kept himself from be- new earth wherein righteousness shall. dwell and the
     coming without  savour. Physically and spiritually he tabernacle of our God shall be among men.
     was not subject of deeay, of corruption. He was ac-                 The Savior in the words of our text does not say,
     ceptable into the covenant communion as long as he                `Make anything better', but, `Retain your flavor.'
     kept the principles of holy rectitude, loving God above              We have said, that where as the Church is the salt
     all, to be His party over against any one who was God's           of the earth, it follows that she has a very important
     enemy. It implied to live a life wholly dedicated unto place and high calling in the midst of the world.  If
     His Creator, serving Him, with all his soul, will and the Church would only consist of believers this would
     strength. He could do so for he was created after                 not be dificult. Their desire is to be pleasing unto; the
     God's image and possessed righteousness, holiness and Lord. `They love Him and desire to do His will. It is'
     knowledge. He willed, desired, and knew God and                   the wish of their heart and mind to be pleasing unto
     through it, he did enjoy God's friendship. On the                 Him, to taste His covenant fellowship and be of His
     other hand, when he no longer desired to do so, he be- party. Yet the admonition or warning is necessary, be-
     came the enemy of God, a salt without savour,  who cause the danger of the Church to become unsavoury
     was to be cast away from before the presence of his               must not be looked for from without, but from within.
     God. To God, man as he is a sinner is an unsavoury                Not the enemy without the gate, as he throughout his-
     abomination. He is unsavoury in all his actions: in tory tried to -annihilate the congregation of -Jesus
     will and mind and desires. As such, every man as he is            Christ has hurt her, but the danger is within. Always!
     by nature belongs to .a raze that cannot have fellow-                Hence, the Lord warns her to be on her guard. Why
     ship with God. In order to change his status man must is it that it must be so impressed upon her? Is there
     be born again, that is, possess such a life that again            always such a `danger? There is if we do not close our
     longs for, wills and desires God.                                 eyes. It seems as if the Church really is trying to
         The Son of God made this possible and through His salt the earth, instead of being the salt of the earth, or,
     suffering took the punishment upon Himself for such to express it a little different, to make it her business
     sinners, who are in themselves an unsavoury abomina- to Christianize `tlzis "world  and make it the Kingdom cif
     tion. For His Church's sake, He died and let Himself God.'
     be cast away from before the presence of the L&d.                    Is that the warning implied in this text?
     More yet. He gave to His own that life, through His                  We have seeli that to be the salt of the earth means
     Spirit in regeneration, which made them the salt of the           to be pleasing in the sight of the Lord and that this
     earth. His body, that is His Church, is pleasing  .in the implies covenant fidelity. Once more, this would not
     sight of the Lord.,And  through Him the Church enters be difficult if the Church did consist. of believers alone.
     into the covenant relation. While the rest of  mankind            But such a church never existed on earth. The
     is an abomination unto the Lord, the Church is the                Church in its outward  manife&ation  has in her midst
     salt of the eaMh.                                                 those who. have the name of Israel and are not. To' be
     . ---But let usnotice first of all, that this does not mean,      the salt of the_ e&h means in-l&second  place, to be         _
     as is often taught, that it is the calling of the Church tasty, to be pleasing and to be acceptable unto the Lord
     to preserve or to make the world better. The figure that is, the Church must live in harmony with God's
     its.elf  does not allow this  applicatioq,  for it is not used    will. Unto her that will is revealed in God's Word and
     in the text as an admonition to make something better, to her that Word is indispensable. A Church that
     but to remain what it is. Furthermoyc,  the very idea lives only by her feelings, and. the same is true of each
     as to the use of salt is opposed to the theory of makir_g         member individually, is disobedient.unto  her God. Some
     something  ke'itc:,  neither' is it used  a,s a preventive of Feople  live merely by their feelings and do not care
     thui which  is  i?z  CL  stcLy@  of  decay. If meat becomes       much about the Word. The fruit is that such persons
     rotten, the meat cannot become a savoury food, but it are never or hardly ever sure of their salvation. Besides
     will take the strength of the salt and spoil it. `Hence. they seem to have quite a difficult time whenever they
     every moveme'nt that starts out with the intention,               are confronted with the world and at a total loss when
     through the instrumentality of  the church,  tq make this it comes to revealing themselves as of God's party.
     world better must fail and become detriment& to the                  In the third place, if the Church is to be of God's
     Church. The text as to its contents and its-intent does           party, it must Imozo God's will. Hence, its members
     not allow this explanation and nowhere does Scripture old and young, must first of all be instructed in the
     point' to such a calling for the Church. Moreover, the Word. Surely, that Word must feed them, strengthen
     Church may not even wish to possess the earth as it is            and build them in the most holy faith, but that implies
      (That seems to be the aim of all such movements as               that all the knowledge (That spiritual food) is to be
     mentioned above). The Lord has `said in the context,              clerivecl  from the Word only and that the Word is the
     that the meek shall inherit the earth, pointing to  th2 light whereby each and every  one  must live.  That
     earth as it shall be in the last day, in the constimination       Word warns from the ways of wickedness-the way of

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

darkness and corruption. And that Word is the two-
edged sharp  smord wherewith the Church must fight.                           Heilig,  Eseilig, Heilig!
   In connection with the Church itself,. she must               `k Heb keer op keer gehoord en gelezen, dat het
never be afraid to let the Word speak. It is the Word groote versehil tusschen Calvijn en Luther hierin be-
of her God, the revelation of His will. Therefore that stond, dat de eerste  zich steeds voor de vraag plaatste :
Word is also the key to open the Kingdom of heaven            Hoe komt mijn .God tot Zijn eer; en de laatste: Hoe
on the one hand and it is also the key which shuts the zult ge,  mijn ziel, rechtvaardig versehijnen voor God?
door of that Kingdom. Hence, to retain her savour, the           Nu is het `duidelijk, dat  Luthei  ook we1 in vuur en
Church must be instructed through the Word alone. vlam gezet werd vpor de eel-e Gods; en dat ook Calvijn
What do we find today if we look round about us? Is it ernstiglijk onderzocht in Gods Woord naar de zaligheid
not so that many a church lives by a preaching not de-        der ziele ; evenwel, zooals wij de zaak bezien was het
ri+ed from and contrary to the Word, that is by the           verschil een kwestie van nadruk leggen op deze of gene'
vain philosophy of men
                          ? And man's word can never waarheid.
draw us into close communion  with God, neither is it            Zou het  misschikn  aan dat verschillende  nadruk-
able to show us the way in life. Man's word is the word       leggen  te wijten zijn, dat het Calvinisme meer  ver-
of the lie. Let the Church beware ! The Word alone            mocht, en gegeven werd om  dieper en heerlijker de
sheds light and gives comfort. `To the law and to the         waarheden van Gods Woord uit te stallen in de ver-
testimony  I if -they speak not according to this Word.       schillende belijdenis-schriften dan die van het  Luther-
it is because there is no light in them.'                     isme ?
       But let me point to another fact. We have seen            Zeker is, dat dat leven, hetwelk gestoeld is  op het
that this word of warning comes to the Church visible,        aanbiddend  zien en bewonderen van het Deugdenbeeld
consisting of believers and unbelievers, carnal and           van  clen VerbosdsGod,  uit zal munten boven het leven
spiritual seed. Thus it was in the old dispensation van hem, die te veel nadruk legde op het ingaan in de
and thus it is in the New-Testament Church. Perusing          heilige gebouwen, een ingaan bedoelend, dat er eerst
the pages of Scripture we notice that the Church vis-         op uit is om tech maar binnen te mogen zijn en niet
ible was often cast away. In the Babylonian captivity ellendig  om te zwerven in de plants bereid  voor de dui-
and at the time when our Lord dwelt on earth, and al! velen.
through history. Why? Because the, fleshly element               Om het  nu ietwat eigenaardig te zeggen: het is  op-
gained the upperhand, corrupting the Word, while vallend dat de Heilige Schrift  er overal nadruk op leg-t,
often the spiritual members kept still. Consequently,         dat het einde is voor den mensch die `t mag gebeuren :
the Church was in such days not pleasing ,to the Lord,        een Calvinistisch zoeken van de eere Gods.
He never dwells in the midst of an apostate Church.              Het zal dat zoo  geheel  en al zijn,  dat de Heilige
.,Therefore,  what is true of the Church and congrega-        Schrift  het noemt een zijn van God alles in allen. God
tion as a whole, is also true of every member  individ..      wordt het al van  allen  tot in der eeuwigheid.
ually, that we all must retain our savour; live by the           Zoo vinden we het ook als het Jesaja gegund wordt
Word of God alone. Prayerfully and keeping watch              om den Heere te zien zitten op Zijn hoogen en 
                                                                                                           ._-      verhe-
                                                                                                                   __-.-
each and every one in his -own-,place.        --  -  ..       ven troon. Daar klinkt .het al van Gods eere en dat
       Otherwise, we also shall be cast away and be trod-     uitsluitend.
den under foot. The world does hate the salt of the               001~ bij Johannes op Patmos.,  Een deur wordt ge-
earth, but if the salt  has lost its savour, if the Church    opend in den  hemel.  En. als hij (Johannesj in den
becomes tasteless, she becoties  at the same time the         hemel   blikt wordt hjj naar zijn oog en naar zijn oor
object of ridicule.                                           direktelijk getrokken naar den troon en Die er op zit :
       Ye are the salt of the earth. That is your name in God  te prijzen tot in eeuwigheid.
the midst of the world, but let it become manifest more           Qok merkt hij het, dat engel en mensch  en al het
and more, that it is not merely a name, but in clinging       schepsel niet moede wordt bij dag en bij nacht  om al
to the Word, ye have indeed communion with the maar te  zingen  in steeds liefelijker akkoorden: Heilig,
Covenant -One through Jesus Christ our Lord.                  Heilig, Heilig is de Heere God, de Almachtige, Die was
                                                w. v.         en Die is & Die komen zal !
                                                                  En dat is fundame&eel. Ook voor ons leven nu.
                       BEHENDMAKING                               Ziet ge, geliefden, wij zijn slim zelfzuchtig aange-
                                                              legd. We hebben veel te veel geluisterd naar den Dui-
       De winter-vergadering van het Curatorium van vel: Gij zult als God zijn. Dat is ons nu diep ingevre-
onze Theologische School zal  worden  gehouden, D.  V.!       ten in onze natuur. En dat is ook de wortel van alle
Dinsdag, 8 Jan., 1935, om half vier (3:30) des namicl-        onze verdorvenheid.
 dags, in een der lokalen van de Eerste Prot. Geref.              Het gebeurt soms, dat wanneer we spreken van de
 Kerk te Grand Rapids, Mich.                                   algeheele verdorvenheid onzer natuur er allerlei  oppo-
                                     L. Vermeer, Seer.         sitie komt. En men zegt : maar  er zijn tech zoovele


3                                                  _                         .I'.
                                                                                                                 9                                 I
     138                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

     het schittert tot in der eeuwigheid. Het is zoo verruk-
     kelijk schoon.                                                                                           Contribution
            Totdat ge het hoort : Heilig, Heilig, Heilig. Dat is Dear Mr. Editor:-                                     -
     de regelmaat en klank en toon  en het al van het eeuwi-
     ge gezang. Het is het natrillen van een lied, neen, van                              The following is the substance of a paper given in
     bet lied van God.                                                                the English Men's Society of the First Protestant Re-
        .Want, o, God heeft van eeuwigheid een schoon lied formed Church of Grand Rapids on
     gezongen.       Daarom zong Mozes, daarom zong het
     Lam, daarom zingen  de engelen, de menschen, het gan-                             S,OME ENGLISH WRITERS ON THE `SO-CALLED
     sche schepsel, in duizende akkoorden van een .onbegrij-                              "WELL MEANING OFFER OF SALVATION"  ~
     pelijke eeuwige liefde.                                                                                          i-1
        Het is omdat God zelf zingt. En dat gezang heeft
     nog niemand gehoord. Want God woont in een  dntoe-                                   Rev. Robt. Hawker  - D.D. 1753-1827. Before the
     gsnkelijk  licht. Maar we hooren we1 de koren.                                  age of twenty he was assistant surgeon in the Royal
        En dat is ook het bewijs dat God zingt. Want het Marines. Six years later he entered the University of
     Koninkrijk dat eenmaal in daverende en liefelijk  tril-                         Oxford and became curate' of St. Martins on 1778: In
     lende hosanna's uit zal breken  om tot in der eeuwigheid, the same year he was appointed curate of Charles,
     geen pauze teshebben  is tot, prijs Zijner heerlijkheid.                        Plymouth, and in 1784 was presented to the vicarage
        Het zal zijn als hetantwoord  op het v"ragend  tokke-. of the same place, where he remained until his death.
     len van Gods  ,heilige vingeren op het hart der geredde In 1790,  his volume of sermons on the Divinity of
     menschheid, staande rondom den oudsten Broeder : En Christ, procured for him the diploma of Doctor in
     God'zal zeggen, zal zingend,  Goddelijk vragen: Geeft Divinity,  from  the University of Edinburgh.                                     -
     Mij Mijn Deugdenbeeld te zien en te hooren.                                          Dr. Hawker was a very able and learned man and
        En ze begonnen vroolijk te zijn.                                             besides his Poor Man's Commentary, his collected
                                                               G. V.                 works, comprising ten volumes, were published in 1831.
                                                                                     During his ministry, .Dr. Hawker was repeatedly at-_
                                                                                     tacked on the fundamental doctrines of grace, one of
                                                                                     these being his controversy with the Revs. Bidlake  and
                         DONEERE TIJDEN                                              Smith on the "Well meaning offer of grace."
                                                                                      The following excerpts are from' his "The True
                  Komt er soms een kleine wolk                                       Gospel, no Yea and Nay Gospel, affectionately recom-
                   Voor mijn  zonne glijden,                                         mended to the people of God in the present low estate
                  `k Weet tech dat ik in haar licht                                  of the Church."
                     Mij weer zal verblijden,                                             "And what is the yea and nay gospel? 2 Truly it
                  Want het wolkje glijdt voorbij.                                    is much easier to say what it is not, than to tell what it
                                                                                     is. -For a yea and nay gospel is,-in fact no gospel at
                Zelfs wanneer het zwartste  zwerk                                    all. It is everlastingly made up of may be's and if be's.
                     Haar verhult in duister -                                       It is altogether conditional, and therefore must of
                  `k Weet tech: achter  `t zwarte. zwerk                             necessity leave the whole in the final event to a perad-
                     Praalt ze in vollen luister,                                    venture. It doth not rest upon  Godls will, but upon
                 En het zwerk ook trekt voorbij.                                     man's pleasure. It is not founded in divine appoint-
                                                                                     ment, but in the result of human attainment. Not in
                                                                                     what God's grace is, but in what man's merit shall be.
                 Weken,  maanden,  jaren soms                                        And of consequence, according to this state of things,
                     Kan het duister  wezen                                          the whole ,is left at the last to an uncertainty which
                 In een menschenziel, zoo  blij                                      shall prevail, God's power or man's ; the Lord's counsel
                     `In haar Heer voor dezen ;                                      or man's works. A precious sample this of a yea and
                 Maar - de schaduw gaat voorbij.                                     n a y   g o s p e l .
                                                                                         "Moreover,  -all the principles of a yea and nay
                 Laat u niet ter neder slaan,            ..             .            gospel, are in correspondence with those outlines of the
                  ,_ Ziel, in duister tijden!                                        system. 9 yea and nay gospel takes for granted, that
                 Vroeg  ,of laat komt weer de dag                                    all men are alike in a salvable state; neither &an any
                     Van het stil verblijden;                                        man fail of salvation, but from his neglect of the op-
                 In den diepsten  nacht is Hij,                                      portunity at one time or other afforded him. And if a
                     Is uw Heiland aan uw zij' : -                                   man seeks for acceptance before God, partly by faith
                 Lang, o lange moog' het duren,                                      and partly by good works, he is certain of happiness.
                     Maar.eens  is de nacht  voorbij.                                Christ is made by the yea and nay gospel, nothing


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                         139

  more than a procuring cause. So that if a man sd far       ners to come to Christ.' And had he stopped here, and
  makes use of Christ as by him to seek out his own          at the same time done me the justice to have said that
  salvation in the exercises of  faith, and  rep&,ancel      my tract forbids all invitations `given by men un-
  and good works ; he doth all that is required of him,      authorized of God', he would have been right, and I
  and Christ will make up the deficiency.  `The improve- should net have complained. ,But when .he adds, that
 ment of this opportunity with such men, is the, sure        `it discourages even the declaration to them of what
  way of salvation ; and by the neglect of it, a man ac-     Christ has done and suffered for sin,' I stand amazed
  cording to their creed may be lost. In those ups and at the bold untruth. How any man in the face of the
  downs, those hope and fears, the principles of a yea treat could deliberately write down what in the moment
  and nay gospel consist. And `thus living at an un-         of writing he knew to  be a falsehood, (and a falsehood
  certainty; such men die at an uncertainty ; and they impossible to escape detection,) is to me astonishing:
  go out of the world as they came into it, at a  per-       I beg the reader to convince himself by examining the
  adventure, concerning the one thing needful.               tract. I have twice read it over since I read the charge ;
     "And the advocates of a yea and nay gospel, all act and sure I am, nothing of the kind. can be found there.
 in perfect conformity to those principles. The preachers And the church of Christ before whom my numerous
 of it are continually holding forth a' motley religion writings are, can find nothing among them to ground
 which they call the gospel, made up of law and gospel;      the accusation. And that part of the church where
 faith and  gqod works. Were it not for the awful- my personal labours  are. exercised too well know, with-
ness of the subject, a man  ldight smile to  `hear  what out my saying so, with what sweat of the face. I am
 very. wooing and wining words are made use of by unremittingly employed in holding forth Christ and his
 them to gain upon the hearts of their hearers by finished salvation before poor sinners. What shall I
 human persuasion.  Of&s of Christ, yea pressing             answer my reprover on this ground? Truly I will re-
 Christ upon the congregation, are the chief topics          compence his calumny with my prayer. - Sincerely
 adopted. And sometimes, from the great earnestness do I hope the Lord will pardon it, as I most cordially
 with which they have worked up their natural feeling do.
 to persuade, they enforce the present opportunity as if,       "Let it be supposed,  for  the sake of argument, that
 should it  be neglected, never another perhaps may be matiy  of the seed of Esau be present when the gospel
 afforded them. And not unfrequently they call into is preached, (and no doubt in every congregatidn,  more
 aid that blessed scripture of the Holy Ghost which the or less, they are) still this is nothing to me. I do as
 apostle Paul hath given the church in a very different I am commanded - `preach the gospel'. But were I
 sense from what those men use it. `For he saith, I to go beyond this commission, and offer, and persuade,
 have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of and strive with fair words to win and woo men to be-
~ salvation I have  `succoured  thee. Behold now is the      lieve ; what is this but pretending to have more mercy
 day of salvation.'                                          than God? And, to invite all men indiscriminately,
     "And here in order to bring the matter to a speedy      must include the people against whom the Lord hath
 issue, by compressing as much as possible into a little said he `hath indignation for ever!' This I dare not do,
 compass, I shall lay d6wn one gene%1 postulsitum  on- -whatever others do;--God himself hath declared against
 the subject, which, when followed up with proof, will       it. And I defy you, or any man alive, to produce
 meet and  answer  all the flimsy observations of  my-re-    a single instance in the word of God, where Christ or
 prover. I, am charged by him, with being at variance his apostles have so done. Paul speaks with a kind of
with Christ and his apostles, in that I have asserted        abhorrence upon the subject. `For do I now persuade
 the true gospel is no yea and nay gospel. In my defence     men, or God? dr do I seek to please men? For if I yet
 I assert that I am herein in perfect harmony both pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ,'
 with Christ and his apostles, their  preaching  being Gal. 1:lO.
 wholly and altogether the same. And, moreover, I add           "Let us next attend to the preaching of God the
 yet further, that in their example, the preachers of the Son. He who, when upon earth, `spake ai never man
 gospel find no authority whatever to make `offers or spake.' Many proofs have been shewn in my appendix,
 invitations -in  an indiscriminate manner to sinners in of Christ's preaching election ; but as a conclusive and
 general' ; neither do `the scriptures furnish a single unanswerable testimony, let us behold Christ in that
 instance,' where Christ and his apostles have ever memorable hour, when giving, in the account of the
 made offers but to the people of God.                       execution of his mediatorial commission to the Father,
     "If I stop my reader for a moment, from the pur-' saying, `I have glorified thee on the earth; I have
 suit of the apostle's history, (it shall only be the finished the work which thou gavest me to do.' What
 moment, and in a way of parenthesis, for indeed it doth the evangelist relate on this occasion? `These
 merits no more,) I will beg to observe the conduct my words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven,
 reprover hath `manifested towards me on this occasion. and said, Father, the hour is come ! Glorify thy Son,
 He saith that `my tract forbids all invitations to sin- that thy Son also may glorify thee.' Now mark what


 140                                       THE-%   STAND.ARD   B E A R E R

 follows. `As thou hast given him power over all flesh,
 that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast          Dankbaar In Alles En Ten Allen
 given him,' John XVII :l-5.                                                            Tijd
   `.What!  h.ad Christ no power to give eternal life to
 any more, or to any other but those his Father had                                                  I  Them.  5:16-X3.
given him? Certainly not. And for this plain  scrip-
 rural reason. All the purpose, counsel, will, and pleas-         Dankdag  kwam en  ging  weer voorbij. -Als  er een
 ure of Jehovah, is alike the acts of each glorious per-     tijd was waarin deze nationale feestdag moeilijk was
son, and of all. For although there is a distinction of te vieren, dan was het voorzeker  in dit jaar. Wij  over-
persons in the Godhead, and each glorious person hath drijven niet wanneer we beweren, dat dit moeilijk is,
`condescended to make himself known by distinct acts vooral niet wanneer  we den tijd en de sociale toestan-
of personality; yet, in the essence of the Godhead,  the     den hierbij in aanmqking nemen. Weliswaar, scheen             .
whole three persons  are one God. One in being, one de beloofde  betere tijd, als vrucht van de "New Deal",
in will;one in'design,  and in all the purposes of cove- spoedig  aan  te  breken,  doch in  schier  alle opzichten
nant grace and love ; according  to the old maxim of the     werd de gewekte hoop beschaamd. Het wil met die
schools, opera trinitatis,  ad extra  szcnt icdivisa.  `Hence Letere(  1) tijden maar niet vlotten en wie nu, met de
                                                             winter voor de deur, niet willens blind i@., zal gereede-
WC hear the Lord say, `I, and my Father are  one,'
John X, 30. `All that the Father giveth me, shall come lijk toestemmen,  dat het er niet al te rooskleurig uit-
unto me, `and `him that cometh, I will in no wise cast       ziet. Niet veel of in hetgeheel geen werk zijn de aller-
out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine             qewoonste
                                                             a             verschijnselen van den dag.
own will, -but `the will of him that sent me,' John Vi,           En ZOO kwam  Dankdag.
37, 38. Hence, their names are said to be written in              Als er gedankt zal worden  dan moet er eerst iets
the book of life: `a thing perfectly  unnecessary  if all zijn ontvangen, anders is  danken  onmogelijk. De
the world were written there. And hence, the prophet Al:ostel  wijst er in den tekst op, dat de gemeente &
saith, that the `flocks must all pass again under the en voor alles zal danken. Hij zegt niet, dankt nu tech,
hand of him that telleth them,' Jer. XXX, 13. A posi- als een goeden  raad, die hij de gemeente wil geven,
tive proof that they have passed before. `For the Lord neen, maar hij komt met een bevel tot haar, dat zij
knoweth them that are His,' 2 Tim. II, 19. And hence, danken  n&et. Zij moet danken  voor alles, wat zij heeft
in this very chapter, we hear Christ making  the             ontvangen en dat met blijdschap. Het moet maar niet
strongest discrimination between his people and the          een werk der lippen zijn, zoodat er enkele woorden            .
world. `I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but worden  uitgesproken, doch de dank moet een vertol-
for them  which thou hast given me; for they are thine.      king zijn van wat er in het hart leeft, voor alles wat
And all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am wercl.  ontvangen en er nu blijdschap spreekt in  hei;
glorified  in them,' John XVII, 9, 10.                       crkennen van die gaven.
    "Now, Sir, if this be not preaching election, I know          De Apostel is daarmede geheel in overeenstemming
net, neither can any man alive explain what election         met een der leidende en meest herhaalde vermaningen
means. Mr. Bidlake-hath been-endeavouri.ng  to twist- ons iii de Sohrift geteekend. Wcest-dankbaar  !  `-Zij% -
the words of Christ in hi& preaching and discourses,         dankbaar  ten  allen  tijde en  ovtir alle  dingen! Dank,
to do away, if possible, this doatrine. He hath done cl-ken uw God voor alles, lezen we telkens weer als een
as all freewillers do, make an appeal to human reason-       hermaning,  die de gemeente in het hart gegrift moet
ing and -argument on the occasion. But it is not what w&den.
human reason thinks, but what God hath said. The                  Dez&vermaning  bedoelt dan ook nie$, om op Dank-
point is the simplest in the world. If Mr. Bidlake, or dag even saam te komen en nu een:: iets aparts te doen,
any other free-willer,  car, produce a single positive wat op andere dagen achterwege zou kunnen worden
proof from seripture where Christ hath invited one of gelaten. Dan ware het beter, om maar geen Dankdag
the people against whom the Father hath said, he `hath te vieren. Het is niet naar de S&rift om eens per jaar
indignation forever' this would be to charge  the Son of een uurtje apart terzijde te zetten en den Heere te
God with inconsistency  ; and do by this Almighty wijden voor dank en lof. Wie niet meer he&ft dan den
Saviour, as he hath done by me, a poor sinner - shew laatsten  Donderdag in November als dag voor dank,
Christ to be at variance with himself and his apostles.      die is der werelcl gelijkvormig en toont hiermede  dui-
But as this cannot be done, it matters not a11 the twist- delijk, dat de Schriftuurlijke  idee van  dank.  hem
ings and perversions Mr. Bidlake  may give to the word vreemd is.
of God; nothing he can say will do away the certain               Dankende in alles en u verblijdende ten c&n tijd,
truth. The Son of God, when upon earth, preached in is de regel welke de Apostel der gemeente voorhoudt
all its fillness, election.                                  in deze verzen. Waarom moet dat? Dankbaar te zijn
                                                 A:D.        houdt  driesrlei  in. In de eerste plaats, dat er gaven
                      (To be continued)                      ontvangen en genoten zijn, die ons door den  Heere

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

eigen  kracht' ons werpen op de middelen ons  geschon-
ken, de Heere buiten het leven plaatsen en eigen pad                                         T h e   P l a g u e s
willen banen, anderzijds, dat we als gevoellooze  men-                       We have now progressed to a vantage- point of the
schen alles goedkeuren en den schijn aannemen van het multiplication of the wonders of the Lord that enables:
eens te zijn met `s Heeren wil. Het zal we1 goed  zijn, us to perceive what the Lord meant when He said to
niet, het is goed. In beider geval is er van dankbaar-                    Moses, "See I have made thee a God to Pharaoh." Con-
heid geen sprake.                                                         sider that Moses' hand, as holding all the wonders that
    Bidt, zonder ophouden. Maak uw nooden en be- have been placed in it, is most formidable, not by a
hoeften den. Heere bekend. Opent uwen mond en breng power increated in Moses but by a might that is -God's
al  LIW zorgen voor Hem en laat die, naar Zijn wijsheid very own and thus one with His being, a might which
`en liefde bepaald, vervullen. Ga tot Hem in het be- He places at the disposal of His servant and exercises
wustzijn, dat ge zelf  uw weg  niet weet en ook niet                      as often as His servant's hand, arm, is stretched out
kunt bepalen en ge dus alles van Hem moet en ook zult over Egypt in token that the predicted wonder now
..ontvangen, ouerecnkomstig  Z;ijn wil in Christus  Jesus                 being worked is the doing of God. Moses is one with
over u. Laat aldus geheel het leven in Zijn hand, zoo-                    the Almighty by an indissoluble bond of faith, one with
dat gansch den zwaren last u van de schouderen glijdt. the wonder-working Jehovah: Joined is he, by this
Immers, bidden is in de nabijheid des Heeren te ver- faith, to all His infinite resources, virtues, counsels,
`keeren en in die nabijheid in,heilige schuchterheid ons- purposes and intentions. Moses does God's will, thinks
. zelven gansch en.al Hem toe te vertrouwen. Dan wordt His thoughts, wills His counsels, glories in His pur-
`Hij erkend i.n alles en, smaakt ge die vrede en blijd-                   poses, champions His cause, is thus of His party, and
schap, die de wereld niet kent. Dan bidt en dankt ge so prays that His will only be done, His program be
 in alles en is er ten allen tijde blijdschap, dan wordt                  executed, His name be hallowed and His kingdom come..
Zi$n wil in Christus  Jezui- over u, ook uw wil.                          In all his dealings with P.haraoh,  he wills to be directed
                                                                w.  v,    by the voice of God, so'that  of that voice he, as to the
                                                                          thoughts and intends of his heart, as, to the prayers
    J'           `.                                                       that pass over his lips, as'to all his doing, is the ex-
                                                                          tention,  the living expression. When he speaks, God
                            IN MEMORIAM                                   speaks  .and thus the introductory phrase to all his dis-
                                                                          cources  is, "Thus saith the Lord". His outstretched
    On Nov. 3, 1934 it pleased our Heavenly Father to snatch
from this  life,  by an automobile accident, my dearly beloved            arm is the token that God has stretched out His hand
husband,                                                                  to smite Egypt  w&h His wonder. And his prayers
                       JOHN DE KRAKER,                                    and intreaties are accomplishments of Him who is the
 at the age of 31 years.                                                  author of prayer, works are they through which He
    I'cannot understand why the Lord took him from my side,               seeks His own very Self.
 but I know He does all things in His infinite wisdom. And al-               Thus by attaching Moses to Self by a living
 though my heart is grieved because of the bereavement, I may
 believe, and this is a great comfort to me, my husband entered           faith, placing `in Moses' hand His wonders,, writing
 the house of many mansions.                                              on the tables of the heart of Moses His law, filling
    May the Lord sanctify this affliction  unto my heart and may          Moses' mind with a knowledge .of His counsels, co-
 He comfort me in my bereavement.                                         operating with Moses' hand,. arm, rod, answering
                                        Mrs. John De  Kraker:             Moses' prayers, the Lord makes Moses  a. God to
    Hndsonville,  Mich.,  Nov. 1934.                                      Pharaoh. And a God to Pharaoh Moses indeed is. His
                                                                          threats come to pass. When he smites with his rod,
                                                                          the predicted miracle is worked. His intreaties are
                              ZUCHT                                       heard. Pharaoh is at his `mercy, in his power; He has
                                                                          the serpent by the tail. Though the proud tyrant in
           Reeds Meurt de kim ! Nu is de dag niet verre; -his haughty indignation  had. mockingly declared, "Who
           Vredeslicht in donk're nachten           _'                    is the Lord, that I should obey-  His voice . . . .  `!
           Hebben wij  `op U gewacht,                                     though he holds Moses in derision, it is evident that he
           Als de krijgsvlam schroeiend. blaakte,                         secretly fears this earnest, silent man, is awed by his
        _ Naar Uw lafenis gesmacht.                                       strange reserve, by his  .habitual  speaking through
           Breek  tech baan door duist're wolken,                         Aaron his prophet. Only once, and this after the an-
           Troost  de wereld met Uw glans,                `-              muncement  of the eighth plague, does he threat.en  to
           Breng Uw boodschap  aan de volken,                             slay Moses. But though he persists to the end in har-
           Vredeszonne aan Oostertrans  !                                 dening his heart, he, during the process of the harden-           .
           Een  zacht  gesuis verving het stormgeloei  ;                  ing, repeatedly returns to Moses to worship at his feet, .*,
           Bij gouden dageraad bleekt ook de laatste sterre, to beg him to pray the Lord for the removal of the  :
           Voor vredespalm wijkt oorlogsslavenboei:                       noisome plague. For his magicians. can only imitate, :
                                                                                                                               _ . .  .:
                                                                                                                                ..`a


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B.EARER                                                         143       -

the first three signs of the Lord, intensify under most brought into being and made to overtake Pharaoh, his
favorable circumstances the first two plagues. and thus heart becomes increasingly hard, so that when the  ti,me
join Jehovah in smiting him. Since this is all his gods is at hand for the sending of the last plague of each
can do for him, he time and again finds himself series; Pharaoh's guilt has so increased that the last
under the necessity of casting himself upon the will-         of each three judgments of the Lord  overtake  him un-
ingness of Moses to  intreat  for him that there may be announced.               Thus each of the last of the thrice three
some respite. Yet though through this action of his he plagues mark a new stage in the process .of harden-,
actually declares that Jehovah is God and that the gods       ing, so that when the nine plagues have been laid upon
before whom he prostrates himself are vanity, he per-         Pharaoh's heart, he has filled his measure of iniquity
sist in refusing to  harken unto the voice of God's corn- and has ripened for the. final judgment.
mand.                                                                                                                  G. M. 0.
   As to Moses, in agreement with his being God unto
Pharaoh, "he is very great in the land of `Egypt, in the
sight of Pharaohs- servants, and in the sight of all the
people." So was he exalted. Ex. 11:3b.  It is also in                       .           IN MEMORIAM
his being God unto Pharaoh, and in his being great in            Den  9den November, 1. I., behaagde het den Heere uit ons
consequence thereof in the land of Egypt, that Moses          midden  weg te nemen  onze  beminde Broeder en  Mede-ambts-
rises before our eye as the pre-figuration, a prophetic drager,
type, of Him  - Christ Jesus - Whom, as He had                                          JAN NIJKAMP,
made Himself of no reputation, God highly exalted,                                                           \
                                                              in den hoogen ouderdom van 82 jaren  en bijna. 2 -maanden.
gave a name which is above, every name : that at His
name every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and          Dat hij is ingegaan. in de volmaaktheid waarnaar hij  verk
things in earth, and things under the earth . . . so          langde door Hem, Die "`de. Eersteling is geworden, dergenen,
unto Him was given all power in heaven and on earth die ontslapen `zijn" is ons aller  troost in dit verlies.
so that He too was made God unto. Pharaoh, unto the              Moge de Heere balsem gieten in de geslagene  wonden  on
heathen who rage, unto the people who imagine a vain voora1  de oude weduwe met Zijne genade vervullen.
thing, unto the kings of the earth who set themselves            Namens den kerkeraad der Prot.  Geref. Gemeente te Sioux
and ,take counsel together, saying "let us break theil        Center, Iowa,
bands asunder and cast away their cords from us."                                                     R. Veldman, Pres.
Unto Him is given the heathen for His inheritance, the                                                J. Broek, Scriba.
uttermost parts  ,of the earth, as His possession. And
He shall break them with a rod of iron, and shall dash
them in pieces like a potter's vessel. And he reigns in
the midst of His enemies, not by a power increated in                                    IN MEMORIAM
His humanity but yet by a power that though God's,
can truly be the possession of the man Jesus, as the             Het behaagde den Heere  plotseling  uit ons  midden  weg  te
person of this man is the person of the Son of God. `nemen  door den onverbiddelijken dood  onzen  geliefden Zoen,
   And as to Christ's followers, they reign with Him,         Man en Broeder,                                                      .
overcome the world ; for they are engrafted in Him by                                 JOHN DE KRAKER,
a living faith. Hence, His power, His conquests both op den leeftijd van 31 jaar.
moral and physical, His victories, His reign, are theirs,        Zwaar valt ons dit verlies, doch wij wenschen Gode te zwij-
And their victory, too, is their faith.                       -gen   wiens  doen  enkel wijsheid is.  PsaIm  73:42.
   It may further be observed at this juncture that                                 De diepbedroefde familie,
the nine plagues divide into three triplets, progressing                                Mr. and Mrs. Jozias De Kraker Sr.
to the appalling tenth. Thus the prelude to the first                                   Mrs. John De Kraker
of each triplet or series, the first, fourth and seventh,                               Mr. and Mrs. Jozias De Kraker
is the command of God to Moses to announce to                                           Mr. and Mrs. Pieter De Kraker
Pharaoh the specified plague "early in the morning".                                    Mr. and Mrs. John De Goede
The second plague of each series, is introduced-by the                                  Mr. and Mrs. Anthonie W. De  Kraker
command. to predict in  .Pharaoh's  hearing the specified.                              Mr. and Mrs. William M. De Kraker
plague but not "early in the morning", while the last                                _ Mr. and Mrs. Jake  Schut
of each, triplet overtakes Pharaoh unannounced and                                      Mr. and Mrs; Dave Hovinga
thus suddenly. This must have a meaning. The pro-                                       Mr. and Mrs. Henry  &hut  _
cess of Pharaoh's hardening is characterized by devel-                                  Mr. and Mrs. Albert Talsma
opment to which there are three stages. And each                                        Mr. and Mrs. Dick Schreur
stage is reached,afte-r  the evidence of the three plagues                              Mr. and Mrs.  Marinus  De Kraker
of each series has been rejected. As the series are                                                                    __
                                                                  Hudsonville,   Mich.  Nov. 1934.


