                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                    103
-              - -            ._ --^_l____..-                                                      _.._........  - .._-._--.._- __l_-.ll-
weet hij  bet  volgende  te zeggen: "De kwestie bier
schijnt  zich te concentreeren om de persoonlijkheid The Presbyterian Church Of America;
van Christus  in verband  met zijn twee naturen".                       Premillennialism And The Lodge
     Dit alles maakt den indruk, dat de redakteur van
The Banner over al deze kwesties slechts zeer opper-                   It is with sincere regret that we must see the newly
vlakkig is ingelicht.                                               organized Presbyterian Church of America turning
     En meen  nu niet, dat het mij in dit arti,kel  nu eens in a direction in which she will, in the end find her
te doen  is, om den redakteur van Th.e Bawwr  aan de own doom.
kaak te stellen.                                                       That this, however, is exactly what she is doing
                                                                    I am convinced.
     `t Gaat mij om de zaak.                                                           Bnd this conviction was confirmed
                                                                    by several articles that appeared on the Premillennial
     De "leergeschillen" in Nederland zijn van groot question in  The Presbyterian  Guardian of Nov. 14
belang.  Niet alleen de gemeene gratie kwestie, maar and by the reading of an article in The Christian Cyno,
ook de andere geschillen, de Kerk, den Doop, de be- sure of November.
schouwing van lichaam-ziel-en-geest, de kwestie van                    As to the first question it appears that in the
de gansche menschelijke natuur van Christus uit de October  1st issue  of  the  Christinn  Beacon,  a paper
maagd Maria betreffend, zoowel  als de grondvragen edited by Carl McIntire,  member of the Presbytery
aangaande "werk" en  genadeverbond,  natuur en  ge- of New Jersey in The Presbyterian Church of America,
nade; de christen en de "eultuur", zijn van het grootste there was published an editorial in which Prof. R. B.
belang.                                                             Kuiper was severely  criticised  because of a statement
     Ze zijn van  belang  voor de zuivere ontwikkeling made in an article under the heading: "Why Separa-
der Gereformeerde waarheid.                                         tion Was Necessary". The article by Prof. Kuiper
     En is er niet reeds voor jaren over deze kwesties was first published in The  Bomner  and later reprinted
door Gereformeerden in Nederland geschreven? En in  The  Presbyterian  Guardian.  The paragraph to
moesten dan de leiders der Gereformeerde Kerken which the Rev.  Mclntire  took exception here follows :
alhier niet op de hoogte  zijn met de kwesties, inplaats               "The General Assembly had the privilege of ex-
van nu nog te moeten schrijven: "Dr. Schilder ,#ordt                amining several graduates of Westminster Seminary
gexegd  te leeren", en "de zaak schijnt zich te concen-             for licensure and ordination. It would have warmed
treeren", en "wij weten  er niet veel van", etc?                    the cockles of  t.he heart of  any  Christian Reformed
                                                                    minister to hear how closely they were questioned
     Daarom verblijdt het mij, dat de redakteur van about the two errors which are so extremely prevalent
The Banner  belooft, dat hij  zich xal inwerken in meer among American fundamentalists,' Arminianism and
literatuur over deze kwesties, om dan zijne Iezers in the Dispensationalism of the Scofield  Bible. The As-
te lichten.                                                         sembly wanted to make sure that these prospective
     Het is beter, dat men niet schrijft, dan dat men ministers were not tainted with such anti-reformed
over  dingen schrijft, waarvan men slechts zeer opper- heresies".
vlakkige kennis draagt.                                                The editor of  The  Clztis~~an  Beumn  takes issue
                                                           H. H.    with Prof. Kuiper on two points.
                                                                       First, he denies  t.hat the General Assembly closely
                                                                    questioned the graduates about Dispensationalism.
                                                                    Writes he :
                       IN MEMORIAM                                     "In the first place we are quite sure that there
     Op  den  Zlsten  October, 1936,  ontsliep  in haar Heer en     has been some serious mistake made by Dr. Kuiper
Heiland onze geliefde Moeder, Grootmoeder en Overgrootmoeder        in regard to the facts related by him concerning the
                                                                    licensure of the two Westminster men.            (Were there
                    MRS JOZIAS DE KRAKER                            two or "several"? H. H.). We were present and we
in den gezegenden ouderdom van `76  jaren.                          have also consulted others who were present at the
     Ons verlies, was  haar  gewin.                                 time, and in the examination of the students relative
     "Zalig zijn de dooden die in den Heere sterven, van  nu        to their views of eschatoIogy  no reference was made
aan.  Ja, zegt de Geest, opdat zij  rusten mogen van hunnen         to the  `Scofield  Bible'. There was a question asked
arbeid; en hunne we&en  volgen met hen." Openb.  14:13b.            concerning an alleged and little known form of  so-
                                                                    called. dispensationalism which violated the covenant
                                       Namens de  Kinderen          of grace. The Rev. H. McAllister Grifilths,  a premil-
                                       Kleinkinderen en             lennialist, editor at that time of  The  Presbyteriam
                                       Achterkleinkinderen.         Guardian., immediately arose and said that question
        Hudsonville, Mich.                                          needed to be stated thus, `Do you believe that the


104                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                                                -     -    -                                  - - -
Bible teaches only one way of salvation and that by with Scofield in believing that the millennium is a dis-
the blood?' Mr.  Grifliths said that if they answered pensation.
this question in the affirmative it would satisfy him,         "We feel perfectly sure, however, that it was not
and ought to be enough for anybody else. This was the mind or the intention of the members of the
answered in the  aflirmative  and the question concern- General Assembly, as indicated by Dr. Kuiper, in ex-
ing dispensationalism.was  dropped. Therefore we are amining these young men to make sure that they `were
at a loss to understand why Dr. Kuiper can assert not tainted with such anti-reformed heresies'  ".
that these two men condemned the `Dispensationalism            It appears, then, that in the newly instituted Pres-
of the Scofield Bible' which was not even under dis- byterian Church of America there is a powerful con-
cussion".                                                   stituency that is in favor of the dispensationalism of
   If this account of the examination is true, it cer- the Scofield Bible. This is also evident from another
tainly differs widely from the account given of the article in the same issue of the Gukrdian  under the
same questioning by Prof. Kuiper. In fact, in  that         title : "A Premillennialist's View". And again this
case the students were  not."closely" questioned at all, is evident from the fact that the Presbytery of Cali-
`and it is difficult to und,erstand  how so little heat could fornia considered the matter of sufficient importance
"warm the cockles of the heart of any Christian Re- and had "the cockles of their heart" sufficiently
formed minister". In his reply to this part of Rev. warmed by the paragraph from Prof. Kuiper's article,
McIntire's article Prof. Kuiper weakens his former to  file an official protest against it with the coming
emphasis considerably, when he writes :                     General Assembly, as well as with the  Guardian. And
   "And altogether apart from the question whether they plead for "definite, emphatic and unambiguous
or not the Scofield Bible was actually named in the eschatological  liberty" to be written into "the consti-
e.xamination  of candidates for ordination at the First tution of our beloved church".
General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church of                 These Premillennialists do, indeed, accept dispen-
America, I am just as positive now as  I was last June sationalism, except that form or phase of it that would
that certain questions were directed to these candi- hold the possibility of salvation. through the law under
dates in order to make sure that they were not tainted the old ,dispensation.
with its errors".                                              Now, what is the attitude of the leaders in the
   The truth of this matter appears. to be as follows : - newly organized Presbyterian Church of America over
                                                            against this Premillennialism?
   1. The "dispensationalism of the Scofield Bible"            As we stated in the previous number of our paper,
was not mentioned at all in the examination.                they contend that those who hold these Premillenial
   2. "Certain questions" relative to this  dispensa-       views can very well remain in the Presbyterian Church
tionalism  were directed to the students.                   and hold office, whether as minister, elder or deacon.
    3. These questions were finally interpreted by And this attitude is strongly defended and emphasized
Mr. Griffiths to mean: Do you believe that the Bible in an editorial in The Presbyterian Guardian of Nov.
teaches only one way `of salvation and that by the 14. The editor contends that nothing should be writ-
blood? And with the affirmative answer to this ques- ten in the Constitution of the Church concerning this
tion the assembly was satisfied.                            matter, and is, evidently, convinced that the dispen-
   And if this is the correct view then there was, sationalist (excepting the element of "legalism") can
indeed, very little to warm the heart of any Reformed with a free conscience subscribe to the Westminster
man !                                                       Standards. Writes he :
   As to the second point on which Mr. McIntire takes          "In short, there is room in the Presbyterian Church
issue with Prof. Kuiper, he writes:                         of America for Premillennial congregations, but we
   "Furthermore, in our opinion, the even more signifi- do not think that there is room for congregations who
cant matter at this point is that, without any effort practically if not theoretically erect the Premillennial
to distinguish the good from the bad, Dr. Kuiper calls view into one of the essentials of their faith. As for
the `Dispensationalism of the Scofield Bible' an  "anti-    the labelling  of congregations as Amillennial congre-
reformed heresy'. I-Ieresy is not a pleasant word. The gations we should be opposed to that also, with all
remark in regard to the `Dispensationalism of the our might and main". And Prof. R. B. Kuiper writes
Scofield Bible' is an attack upon the Premillennialists     in reply to the ar.ticle in the Christiarz  Beacon: "Some
as heretics.                                                of my warmest friends and most ardent co-laborers
   "According to Dr. Scofield's references to dispen- in the gospel ministry are of premillennarian persua-
sationalism, the' millennium is a dispensation. Of sion. And I may add that I do not know of a single
course, Dr Kuiper does not believe in the millennium, amillennarian minister in The Presbyterian Church
and his generalized condemnation of the Scofield refer- of America who would exclude premillennarians from
ences leaves no room for the Premillennarian to join office in that communion. Your charge that `the  amil-


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                             105
             -~.-.___                        ___.-.         -
lennialists  say they grant liberty to the  premillen-  also Masonry. What was the reply? WE  LEAVE
nialists and then turn and condemn them as heretics' THIS QUESTION TO ONE'S OWN CONSCIENCE."
is without foundation in fact".                                     I ask: why this stand?
   This compromising attitude on so fundamental a                   Do the leaders of the `Presbyterian Church of
question of doctrine I consider very serious. For, it America really believe that it is a matter of conscience,
is not true that a dispensationalist, even though he one of the  adiaphora  like the "eating of meat" and the
does not subscribe to the "legalism" of Dr. Scofield's observance of days or the use of the individual cup
dispensationalism, can consistently be Reformed and at communion table, whether or not one swears the
express agreement with the Westminster Standards.                oath of Masonry?
   And I am afraid that the Presbyterian Church of                  Are they really convinced that membership in the
America compromises on fundamental doctrinal issues lodge is not a matter for discipline by the church?
for the sake of numbers.                                            I cannot believe that they are so convinced.
   And if this judgment is correct, it is also true that            But if they are not, their stand on the lodge ques-
                                                                 tion reveals once again an attitute of compromise, this
the newly organised Church is already on the road to time on matters of church-discipline.
its doom.                                                           I deeply regret this compromising attitude of the
   I would advise the brethren to forsake their com-             Presbyterian Church in America.
promising attitude and take a firm stand.                           To me it means that, unless they return. from this
                                                                 evil way, they have principally lost the battle before
                                                                 they really began to fight.
                                                                    And what will be the attitude of the Christian  Re-
   This advice also applies to the matter of Free formed Churches toward the newly organized Pres-
Masonry.                                                         byterian Church?
   It seems that the Presbyterian Church of America                 Will they warn. her against the dangers? Will
also welcomes members of oath bound secret societies they call her attention to the fact that  Premillen-
among its members, if not among its ministers and nialism and Dispensationalism are not in harmony
other officebearers. From an editorial in the Christian with the Reformed Faith? Will they admonish her
Cynosure we quote the-following :                                to expel the evil of lodge-membership from her midst?
                                                                    They should,. in brotherly love ; as the Standard
   "And now what has happened? While we have  Bearer  hereby   does .
asked one of the leaders, whose name we withhold for                But we shall see !
the time being, to express himself on the lodge ques-                                                         H. H.
tion, up till this time that answer has been deferred.
But that is not all. One of the Professors, belonging
to the Christian Reformed Church, although teaching                   -
at Westminster, severed his relations with the Chris-
tian Reformed Church and was delegated to represent                        Volharding En Bewaring
the newly organized church at the Synod of the  Cbris-              De belijdenis der Gereformeerden aangaande de
tian Reformed Church, in session at that time in zekere volharding der heiligen ten einde toe heeft haar
Grand Rapids,  Mich. And to our surprise the right uiteindelijken'  grond in de waarheid der souvereine
hand of fellowship was extended to this brother en onvoorwaardelijke verkiezing tot de zaligheid, en,
and. . . . at least this impression we received when in nauw  verband  met deze waarheid, in de belijdenis,
we read the account, he was regarded if not as a hero            dat God nooit laat varen de werken Zijner  handen,
either exactly as a martyr for the cause, yet approved dat Hij  zekerhjk de verkorenen en geroepenen tot het
for taking his stand and casting his lot with the                einde toe bewaart in Zijne kracht  ,door  het geloof.
newly organized church. Was no inquiry made with Volharding en bewaring der heiligen staan tot elkander
respect- to the lodge question? We ask this question in onlosmakelijk verband.  Ze beschouwen dezelfde zaak
as one who belongs to the Reformed church, from uit verschillend oogpunt. Ze zijn twee zijden van de-
which'the Christian Reformed Church severed itself - zelfde zaak. Bewaring beschouwt haar uit Gods oog-
and that rightly so  - because of the lodge."                    punt, of liever van Gods zijde; volharding van  `s  men-
   And a little further:                                         schen zijde. De bewaring is Gods daad ; volharding
   "And now largely upon our  -advice,  one of the is `s menschen daad. In de bewaring is de mensch
leaders occupying one of the pulpits of the Christian passief; in de volharding is hij actief. Alleen maar
Reformed church (that is to say, one of the leaders mogen deze twee nimmer gedacht als synergistisch
connected with the newly formed Presbyterian church, naast elkander staand, zoodat God en de mensch sa-
was asked just what their position is with respect to menwerken tot de  eindelijBe zaligheid van den laatste.
the oath-bound secret organizations among which is               Integendeel, het werk der zaligheid is en blijft tot


 110                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                      -
 dat hij tot den Heiland  behoort  en wordt verschrikt out all His creation, and there is no creature which
 op den stem van een deerne.      Hij vervloekt zichzelven    God does not constantly touch and uphold. God is
 liever dan dat hij bekend wil  staan als een discipel everywhere present. And God's eyes are constantly
 van den Nazarener  ! Hij valt diep en `t wordt  zeer upon all His  ,creatures.  All men therefore  .live and
 danker  in de- ziel van  Petrus.  . . .                      move in His presence. They live and move under
     Maar  God  last de Zijnen niet ten einde toe  ver-       His direction, all they perform, whether it be good
 vallen van de genade. "Want God, die  rijk is in barm-       or bad is performed before His face. This is plainly
 bartigheid,.   neemt,  naar het  onveranderlijk  voornemen taught in all Scripture, but especially in Jer. 32:19,
 der verkiezing, den Heiligen Geest van de zijnen, ook where it says concerning this matter: "For  thine  eyes
 zelfs in hun droevig vallen, niet geheel weg, en laat are open upon all the ways of the sons  of  men". And
 hen zoo verre niet vervallen, dat zij van de genade der this exactly is the terror of the wicked. The Deist
 aanneming  en van den staat der rechtvaardigmaking           may rejoice to think that God is on a far journey and
 uitvallen,  of  dat  zij zondigen tot den dood, of  tegen    will not behold, but God is near. Practical Deists we
 den Heiligen Geest, en van Hem geheel verlaten zijnde, so often are. Our walk and conversation supposes that
 zichzelven in het eeuwig verderf  storten".      Canones     God is far away. But the fact is that in Him we live
 V,  6. : "Want  eerstelijk,  in zulk vallen bewaart Hij      and move and we have our being. Neither does walk-
 nog in hen dit  Zijn onverderfelijk zaad,  waaruit  zij      ing with God refer merely to a certain awareness of
 wedergeboren  zijn, opdat het niet verga, noch uitge-        the fact that we live in God's presence. To walk .with
 worpen worde. Ten andere vernieuwt Hij hen zeker-            God  does not  mean merely that we know that we have
 lijk en krachtiglijk door Zijn Woord en Gee& tot be-         dealings with God. This everyone knows. "Because
 kee.ring  ; opdat zij over de gedrevene zonden van harte when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God"
 en `naar God bedroefd zijn ; .vergeving  in het bloed des    whence it is plain that even the grossest heathens
 Middelaars, door het geloof, met een gebroken hart were aware of God. Pharaoh was aware of the finger
 bogeeren  en verkrijgen; de genade van God, die nu met of God. Sennecherib knew that it was God against
 hen verzoend is, wederom gevoelen ; zijne  ontfermin-        whom he was leading the attack. Judas realized and
 gen en trouw aanbidden ; en voortaan hunne zaligheid admitted  his error in the light of his  responsibihty
 met vreeze en beven des te naarstiger  werkon". Cano- to God. Nay, every man is aware of God's presence,
 nes V, 7. Gods bewaring doet altijd weer volharden even though "they do not like to retain (or acknow-
 ten einde toe !                                H. H.         ledge) God in their knowledge".
                                                                 Walking with  Godis an intimate communion with
                                                              Him. And is a communion which is the portion omy
                                                              of the children of God. To realize that God is present
                                                              is one thing, to have fellowship of love with that God
                Walking With God                              is quite another. To know there is a God is one thing
                                                              (even the devil knows it), to have fellowship with Him
    The fool says in his heart that there is no God,          is quite another. To have learned to know that God IS
 and  all his thoughts are that God is not. The Deist and have learned to know certain facts about Him is
 says that there is a God but that he is far removed,         one thing (carnal Israel always knows that) but to
 and only at intervals touches this creation. The Pan- walk with God is quite another. Walking with God
 theist says, everything is God, I am God.                    is the privilege of God's children, a privilege which
    To these all the child of God inswers: I walk with becomes more precious as the darkness of looming
 God. Over against the blasphemy of the Atheist we judgment becomes more threatening.
 say that God IS, and God's Word, speaking through               Then walking with God must be still more defined.
 our sanctified conscience, convinces us that we need This fellowship with God may take the form of al-
 not try to prove that God is. Over against the Pan- ways having God before me,  as  in Ps.  16% Here
 theist we exclaim that God is ANOTHER than we are. the psalmist says "I have set the Lord always before
 I need not attempt to prove that I am different from me". In this same connection God is called our Shep-
 you.    Thousand fold `less would I have to begin to herd and our Guide, He Who leads us step by step a-
.prove  that there is. an infinite essence-difference be- long the way of life. Again in Ps.  16:8 the  child of
 tween God and me. Over against the Deist I exclaim God realizes that God is at his right band. God is
that I walk with God. God is not far removed, even            near therefore to empower and to uphold him. As
though He is in heaven. God is not an abstraction,            in Ps, 121:5 The Lord is our Keeper, Protector and
 He is not in the distance, but God is near, for I walk Stay. While in Ps. 139:5  the child of God confesses
 with Him.                                                    that God surrounds him and has laid His hand upon
    Walking with God.                                         me. Taking all these together we confess that God
    Walking with God does not consist merely in living is before us and behind us, at the right and at the
`a in God's p'resence. His Providence extends itself thru- left of us.  * .  * yes, and God surrounds i-zs, above r~


y.sYj?.-.     __.      .     .
A--                                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                111
                                        .---"."-..-                    ---_-......----                    -..
and below us. We live and move in Him. And we                                 And  this walking with God is in principle the
are conscious of it.                                                       experience of the Covenant.
       But walking with God is something more than this.                      Two things now make this walking  *with God pos-
We read that  Enoch  walked with God. And Noah sible. It is evident of course that God cannot have  "
walked with God. Surely this implies unity between fellowship with darkness, and cannot walk with such
God and us. Certainly it means that there is unity,                        as are unclean. All the history of Israel impresses
agreement between God and us. That we and God are US with the fact that His holiness is a consuming fire
after all walking in the same direction. We could not to the wicked. From out of the smoke-encircled Sinai
walk with God and at the same time have cross-pur-                         God thundered His law, and told ail Israel that they
poses with God. Says God, in Amos  33, Can two                             could walk with Him only when in perfect harmony
walk together except they be agreed? Walking with with that law. God is no friend of the unclean sinners,
God therefore first of all signifies a unity and harmony but God's delight is only with the perfect.' God Him-,
between us and God. Ethical and spiritual. Grounded self makes walking with Him possible. God has chosen
in the fact that God's will is become our will; God's                      His people, chosen them to walk with Him. Them
purpose, our purpose ; God's Word, our Word ; God's also He has called and brought them into His fellow-
plan, our plan. Walking with God is a tie, a bond of ship. God performs this through the redemptive work
unity. Walking with God must therefore mean that of the Son whereby God cleanses that people, and
we walk where God walks. God walks in the sphere makes them conform, not only to the law, but to the
or perfection, God walks in His law. To walk with image of His Only Begotten. With such God has fel-
God we must walk with Him there. But it implies lowship, they walk with Him, where God walks, in
secondly, and above all, a relation of most intimate perfection.
fellowship with God. We not only know there is a                              But to walk with God we must also find God. Now
God but we actually speak to Him. A friend walks with God is not general or common. God is not like a coin'
a friend, so God's child walks with God. Walking which one accidentally finds here or there. One; of
with God we bring our sorrows, complaints, heaviness, God's perfections is that He .cannot  be found. He.
gladness and thanksgiving. . . .  not as if He were lives in the inapproachable light, and He never ' is
afar off, but near by. In this fellowship God reveals at the disposal of anyone. God must make Himself
to us His secrets (Ps. 25  :14) and makes known to able to be found by us. God must discover Himself
us the things He has in mind. In that relationship to us. And this God does through His holy revelation.
we also confide our secrets to Him, tell Him things For there and there alone God ,wills that His, people
we would not tell others, bring Him matters perhaps shall meet and find Him. Even then we cannot find'
none other would understand. And God answers. That Him, for in the majesty of that glorious  iovelation
is an essential part of our walking with Him. He God is still hid from the wise and the prudent. But.
answers us. Seeking advice and counsel at His mouth, God illumines the eyes and enlightens the minds of
He invariably gives it, if only we are spiritual enough His children so that through the Scriptures we enter
to interpret His answer, and to receive it in subjec- into conscious, living contact with God. From that
tion.                                                                      revelation we learn to know Who and what He is,  we
       Walking with God is of course a spiritual activity. learn His friendship, discover His secrets, dote on  His
When Jesus was upon earth the disciples could liter- ways. And with the Shulamite of old we say,  "I
ally walk with Him, for they could accompany Him sought Him whom my soul loveth. . . . I found Him
on His journeys through  Judea, Galilee or  Samaria,                       whom my soul loveth, I held Him and would not let
with Him enter into the boat, with Him ascend the                          Him go. . .  ."
mountain of prayer.                  But Jesus withdrew Himself
and went to heaven. His disciples, however, could still                       That is walking with God.
walk with God. Not in the earthly sense, but in the                           This now is carried on in the midst of this world:
heavenly-spiritual sense. The Holy Spirit now brought Our life's manifestation will show forth that we walk
them God's presence. In that Spirit they could walk with God. Walking with God is the new-principle of
with God in a far more glorious sense than ever before.                    life, the putting on of the new man. It must reveal
Walking with God is therefore walking in the Spirit.                       itself in all our life's conversation. First of all we
Walking in the flesh means walking with  satan, it understand that walking with God forbids the friend-
means we have no God. But in and through the Spirit ship of the world. If any man love the worfd,~  the love
we have fellowship with  +God, but spiritual. That is of God is not in him. How madly people of. today
namely that we think on Him and meditate on His pre-                       strive to befriend both God and the world. How people
cepts. Of the worldly one Scripture says that God shy the antithesis, attempting to prove that walking
is in none of his thoughts. But we walk with God. In with God allows friendship with the world. Nay, say
our meditations is God, in our aspiriations, our Con-                      James  and John, who would be a friend of  t.he world
templations,                God becomes the center of our life.            is an enemy of God, and enemies  of, God..do not walk.


lli                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEABEl%
                                              II                               .~-.                 a      -      -    -    -
with God, but are cursed daily. God is jealous of His              We zullen daarom den tijd afwachten.  Intusschen
friendship. We shall not walk with both. And we hopen we, dat de discussie niet is gesmoord.
would not, for what more could we desire than the                                                                 H. H.
friendship of God. Secondly he that walks with God
walks in constant sanctification. One cannot walk with
God and walk where God could not walk. We cannot
walk with God and also sit in the seat of scorners or                Echtscheiding en Lidmaatschap
be party to organizations which refuse to reckon with              J. H. S. van B., la. vraagt :
God. Our young people cannot walk with God and also                Als iemand om reden van geesteskrankheid echt-
seek the card-tables, dance-halls and bar-rooms of the scheiding aanvraagt en ontvangt, kan dan zoo iemand
world.       In that fellowship with God our speech is          lid eener Gereformeerde Kerk  worden?
flavored with salt, our words as well as our actions
declare that God is near to hear us. Our yes is yes,               Antwoord  :
apart from the oath. Our words betray seriousness                  1. Ik  wist  niet, dat het in  Ia. zelfs voor het
and gravity.                                                    wereldsch gerecht toelaatbaar was, dat iemand  op
        Walking with God. Now in principle, small prin- grond van krankzinnigheid echtscheiding verkreeg. En
ciple. But anon in perfection.                      M.G.        ik waag het ook dit te betwijfelen. Ik weet wel, dat
                                               `                wanneer &n der huwelijkspartijen krankzinning wordt
                                                                het  we1 geschiedt, dat de andere partij  zich  last schei-
                                                                den. Maar gewoonlijk geschiedt  dit dan of door ver-
                      De  Commksie                              krachting van het recht door geld, of op andere gronden
                                                                dan de krankzinningheid. Hiervan ken  ik  echter  niet
        Onderscheidene  belangstellenden hebben mij  ge- zeker. "t Zou in elk geval de moeite waard zijn om
vraagd, wie door de Synode der Gereformeerde Kerken dit eerst te onderzoeken.
in  NederIand  zijn benoemd als deputaten  inza,ke  de             2. Echtscheiding op grond van  krankzinnigheid
kwestie  "leergeschillen".                                      is in elk geval tegen de S&rift, die geen anderen grond
        We noemen daarom  bier hun namen.                       voor  echtscheiding  kent dan hoererij.         Als  r54n der
        De Synode benoemde niet zeven, maar  acht depu-         getrouwden, zeg de man, krankzinnig wordt, dan zal
taten voor  deze   zaak.      En ze zijn de volgende  per-      de vrouw zeker met lijdzaamheid dat kruis  moeten
sonen :                                                         dragen   als door God haar opgelegd. Hierover bestaat
        Ds. J. L. Schouten, Prof. Dr. G. Ch. Aaiders,  Prof.    zeker geen verschil van meening.
Dr. S. Greydanus, Prof. Dr. V. Hepp, Prof. Dr.  K.                 3. Tot de onvergeeflijke zonden behoort  echter
Schilder,  Prof. Dr. D. H. Th. Vollenhoven,  Ds. J. Die-        ook zulk eene echtscheiding niet. Daarom zal zeker ook
mer en Dr. J. Thijs.                                            voor zulk een gescheidene de weg open moeten staan
        Er  zijn' dus  geen ouderlingen in deze commissie om weer terug te keeren tot de kerk van Christus op
benoemd.                                                        aarde.  Doch dit kan dan alleen geschieden in den
        Ook heeft de Synode geen poging gedaan om  man-         weg der S&rift geschieden, d, w, z. als de schuldige
nen  te vinden voor deze comrnissie, die  "onbevooroor-         zijne of hare zonde belijde en last. Is de krankzinnige,
deeId" staan tegenover de kwesties, die ze moeten on- zeg weer, dat het de man is, intusschen gestorven, dan
derzoeken, en waarover ze met drie jaar op de Synode            is de zaak niet zoo ingewikkeld. De vrouw doet dan
te Sneek rapport en advies  moeten uitbrengen. Som-             eenvoudig belijdenis van hare zonde voor de gemeente.
mige  der  hooggeIeerde  broeders hebben  zich op enkele Leeft de krankzinnige man echter nog, dan is de zaak
punten in het verleden reeds tamelijk scherp  uitge-            minder eenvoudig. Indien in dat geval de schuldige
sproken. En Dr. Hepp schrijft immers brochures.                 vrouw  niet weer getrouwd is, zal ze zeker ook  alles
        Het kan evenmin gezegd  worden,  dat de commissie moeten   doen,   wat in  haar   vermogen  is, om de  echt-
eenzijdig is. Gelet op de samenstelling dezer commissie scheiding  ongedaan te maken. Ze zal in elk geval eene
is het heel niet gewaagd om te voorspellen, dat, in-            belofte moeten afleggen, dat ze haren wettigen man
dien er inderdaad rapport wordt  geleverd op de vol-            als zoodanig zal blijven erkennen, dat ze geen anderen
gende synode, en definitief advies  wordt gegeven, we man zal trouwen en dat ze, bijaldien haar wettige man
we1 mogen uitzien naar twee uiteen loopende rappor-             weer herstelt, ze met hem in den  echt zal hertreden
ten.                                                            en leven. Is ze intusschen ook met een anderen man
        Doch  we zullen onze voorspellingen maar achter-        getrouwd, dan is de zaak nog moeilijker. Ze zal dan
wege  laten                                                     ook moeten  belijden,  dat ze met dien man in overspel
   Wie  zich  levee1   aan voorspellingen  waagt,   loopt       leeft en den weg van overspel  moeten  verlaten. Die-
gevaar, dat hij straks met beschaamde kaken komt te gene, die zijn of haar zonde belijdt en laat, za1 barm-
staan. Dat hebben we we1 gezien in  verband  met de hartigheid  geschieden. Een andere weg is er niet.
iaatste stemming  voor president van ons land.                                                                    H. H..


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                     113
._-- -..-.A.---_-..                                        ."- .." ---...... -.------  ..--.--    .- -... _.__ "..    _II__ ._-... "..
What Will The  Brethern Do About It?                           This delineation fits both the unconverted drunkard
                                                           and the unconverted college professor.
                       Nothing At All!                          All by nature are in the same state.
                                                                The one cannot ass*ume  a holier-than-thou attitude.
       "Even as the Rest" is the title of Rev.  J.  M.          There is no difference. One is as bad as the other.
Ghysels' meditation in The Eunner,  for November 6,            All spiritually dead. All children of disobedience.
1986. The meditation is on Eph. 2 :2.X                     fJnwilling  to be persuaded. Waiking according to the
     In this writing we come upon paragraphs  t.hat        course of this world. Living in the lusts of the flesh.
read :                                                     Doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind. Child-
     "When it pertains to the matter of our  spritual      ren of wrath. All in the same wicked, wretched, piti-
state before conversion, we are all the same. There ful,  hopeless state  !" End of quotation.
may be degrees of difference.        As we stated in a
former meditation some may be more dead than others.
P,ut death after all is an absolute condition. When a
person is dead, he is dead. It doesn't make much dif-           What does the Reverend say here? If words have
ference whether he has been dead a few hours or a          meaning, that all the good that sinners (the natural
few months, he is dead, and all the doctors in the         man destitute of saving grace) do is sin in the
country could not make him alive again. In yonder sight of God. Attend once more to t.he statements
cemetery, where lie the dead, the one cannot reproach such as these from the Reverend's pen, "It certainly
the other for being more dead than he. They are will not do for the college professor to assume an
in the same state of corruption.                           air of superiority over against the drunkard. He may
      So it is with the unconverted. One may be a be more virtuous from the word's point of view (thus
drunkard, staggering along the street, stuttering and not from God's point of view. Such certainly must be
gurgling as he goes along, zigzagging from one side the implication of this aversion.  G:  M.  0) : but as
of the sidewalk to the other. He is spiritually dead, far as his relation to God is concerned, he is exactly
walking in trespasses and sins, a child of disobedience, in the same state of sin and death." "How absurd
living in the lusts of his flesh, doing the desires of the t!zen it is for one unregenerate person to arrogate to
flesh, and a child of wrath. Another may be a college himself superior virtue and excellence."
professor, cultured and refined, a man of learning,             I ask, a virtue superior to whose virtue? And the
able to use erudite language, but just as dead `as the Reverend's answer, "to that of the drunken sot stag-
other, because he too is unresponsive to divine in- gering along t,he street," thus (such certainly is the
fluences, walking in trespasses and sins though they thought that  wCa+s  meant to be conveyed) to that of the
may be of a more polished kind, doing the desires of basest persons.
the mind, and hence also a child of wrath, even as the        Will the brethren in the denomination of Christian
other.                                                     Reformed Churches not admit that what the Reverend
      Spiritual death in principle is the same in both here affirms is that the superior virtue of the college
cases. It certainly will not do for the college professor professor is, from the point of view of God, sin ; that
to assume an air of superiority over against the the statement to the  eifect  that one  mCan  is not on
drunkard. He may be more virtuous from the world's account of his superior virtue better than the most
 point of view, but as far as his relation to God is depraved mortal, must needs imply that this superior
 concerned, he is in exactly the same state of sin and virtue is altogether without true moral worth; that,
death. For one unconverted person to boast and glory if it be true that the good man is no better than the
 over another unconverted person would be like a corpse bad man, the goodness of the good man counts for
 in the cemetery boasting of his more costly casket and nothing and is thus immorality in the sight of the
 dress. How absurd! How absurd then it is for one Holy One  ; that, finally such statements as "All spirit-
 unregenerate person to arrogate to himself superior ually dead. . . . walking  according"to  the course of
 virtue and excellence.                                    this world, living in the lusts of the flesh, doing the
      "Even as the rest," says the apostle. "Among desires of the flesh and of the mind," are equivalent
 whom we also once lived in thelusts  of our flesh, doing in meaning to the statement that natural man, desti-
the  desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by na-    tute of saving grace, does nothing but sin? For,
 ture children of wrath,  even,  US the rest."             mark you, the participles walking, Living and doing  I
      The apostle is here describing the natural condition have reference certainly to  works,  so that what
 of all men, and in that general description we must see the Rev. Ghysels unqualifiedly teaches is that natural
 our own picture. For we too once lived in the lusts man, being spiritually dead, .ia for this very reason,
 of our  flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and the mind, dead, totally depraved, also in all his works. Mark
 and were by nature children of wrath, even as all other you, this is what the Reverend actually teaches. Wrote
 men!                                                      he, "All spiritually dead. . . . walking according to,


114                                              THE  S T A N D A R D   BEAR'ER
11_".                 ._-_  _ ..-.- - ..." ..- -.---_- _....... -.- .__. "-.-.^..____l___  -_.,-__-.-
living in, doing the desire of, the flesh." These state- ful (let it be said, in passing, that the statement
ments, it is noticed, comprise a single paragraph and to the effect, that God by the operation of His Spirit
are therefore related, the one to the other,--related enables him perform civic righteousness occures  no-
in a nianner specified above.                                                       where, neither in the  Begic Confession, nor in the
   That the natural man, being spiritually dead, is Canons of Dordt, nor in the Heidelberg Catechism.
corrupt in all his works, that this man sins only, is,                              CL M;  0.).
to be sure, sound doctrine. I think now of the state-                                    "This then is the question : (Meaning, yes, the total-
ment of Christ, "DO men gather grapes of thorns, or ly depraved are able to perform works which are
figs of thistles ? Even so, every good tree bringeth relatively truly go&d. G. M. 0.). Is everything which
forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth the unregenerate does sin nothing but sin in the sight
evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit,                              of God? Or can we say that the sinner is still able
neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit."                                 to perform works which are relatively good-as a
Matth. 7 :16 b-18.                                                                  result of the general operation of God's grace? Is it
   So then, what the Rev.  Ghysels unqualifiedly thus that man calls them good, whiIe God calls them
teaches, is that all the good works of the natural man sin and nothing but sin? . . . . And our answer is
are glittering sins from the point of view of God. Let y&s".
us now have regard to what th.e Christian Reformed                                       So then, according to the Rev: H. J. Kuiper, every-
Churches teach respecting the matter under considera-                               thing which the unregenerate does is not sin an.2 noth-
tion,-teach in the third of three propositions, brought ing but sin in the sight of God. The unregenerate
into being by its synod of 1924. This teaching may sinner is still able to perform works which are good
be known from the Rev. H. J. Kuiper's commentary                                    in the sense of their being ho&. True, the term holy
on this third proposition, found in his, "The Three does not appear in the Reverend's commentary. Yet
Points of Common Grace". This proposition reads, his teaching is nevertheless that the natural man, dead
"Concerning the third point, touching the performance in trespasses and sin performs works of this character.
of so-called civic righteousness by the unregenerate, The Reverend would gainsay this? Let him then at-
the Synod declares that according to Scripture and tend to what he wrote. In substance this, "It is not
the Confession, the unregenerate, though incapable true that everything which the unregenerate does is
of saving good (Canons of Dordt, 111, IV,  3), can sin and nothing but sin. The unregenerate performs
perform such civic good. This is evident from the works of which the Holy Spirit is the Author." That
quoted Scripture passages and from the Canons of the Reverend actually meant to aver that the natural
Dordt, 111, IV, 4 and the Belgic Confession, Art. 36, man performs works of which God is the Author is evi-
where it is taught that God, without renewing the dent from this statement of his, "Now whatever God
heart, exercises such influence upon man that he is works cannot be sinful.`" This was said, mark you,
enabled to perform civic good."                                                     in reference to the so-called good works of the unre-
   On this proposition, Rev. Kuiper (at present pastor generate.
of the  NeIand  Ave., Christian Reformed Church of                                       Now then, are not relatively sinless works holy?
Grand Rapids,  Mich., and editor in chief of "The Must not works of which the Holy Spirit is the Author
Banner)  comment,ed  as follows: "Observe that there be denominated holy? Pray, what are sinless works,
are two main contentions here. The first is that the                                if not works of holiness? What are we to call such
unregenerate, though incapable of doing any saving works,  if we  call them not  hoEyP  Can the Reverend
good, are nevertheless able to perform `civic righteous- tell us?
ness'." By this is meant outward conformity to the                                       What then is in truth the bone of contention in the
second tabIe of the law; such a righteousness which,                                present discussion? Precisely this: In the sight of
in part at least, is required also by the laws of men God, the good deeds-good in the sight of  mantof
and  is necessary for the preservation of human society. the unregenerate are works of holiness. This we deny
The second contention, worthy of special note, is that and our.opponents  affirm. I say, our opponents, the
it is God, Who exercises those influences upon the sin- leaders in the denomination of Christian: Reformed
ner which enable him to perform civic righteousness.                                Churches. My saying this, implies, I realize, that the
This in particular is the bone of contention in the                                 doctrine of the Rev. Kuiper is also theirs. The plain
present discussion. Those who deny common grace                                     evidence of this is,  firstly, that Prof. L. Berkhof in
freely `admit that there is civic righteousness. `But they                          his defense of the Three Points or propositions of Sy-
deny that it is righteousness in God's  sigiht. In God's                            nod reasons as does, the Rev. Kuiper and secondly, that
sight they say, it is sin and nothing but sin. Now                                  n&t one of the aforesaid leaders has ever in public
that cannot be true if God enables the sinner, by                                   taken the Rev. Kuiper to task for construing this third
the general operation of His Spirit, to perform such                                proposition as he did. From this it may assuredly
righteousness. Whatever God works  cannot  be  sin-                                 be concluded that the  R,everend,  last-named, correctly


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                         115.
- -                                    .-^" . . - -.._ "-__ --..-..--1-_-              -_-.."_--              "....^--
apprehended the true import of the proposition.               not out of them, but out of the grace, the Holy Spirit,
   What now perplexes us is this. We, horrible to God. How amazingly deceptive this reasoning ! Let
say, were deposed in our  oflice  of ministers of the gos- me attempt to make this plain.
pel for denying that the good deeds of the unregenerate          The question must then be put: What do the ex-
are works of holiness in the sight of God. The .Rev.          ponents of common grace mean, when in their attempt
Ghysels commits an identical  ol?ence,  and nothing will to maintain the total depravity of man, of the reprobate
be said or done about it, neither by the Rev. H. J.           (we speak here of reprobate in order that there may
Kuiper (who in his great zeal as a champion of true be no misunderstanding) they say that the good he
orthodoxy was so insistent that  the.church take a firm does is out of God, His grace, and not out of the doer?
stand in our case, but who in his above-cited reason- They can possibly mean but one thing, to wit, that of
ing plainly denies the total depravity of man) nor these good works not the reprobate, but God is the
by any of the other brethren. While persisting in his author, the creative source. The view then, to which
condemnation of us, this brother, sad to say, will de- the exponents of common grace are addicted is this:
fend his pernicious reasoning and at once take the whereas the good that the reprobate do is not of them
Rev. Ghysels under his wing. So will they all do, I but of God, of His grace, it follows that the reprobate,
fear.                                                         despite the  fact  that they perform works that are
       The reasoning (of H. J. Kuiper) will continue to be truly good (good in the sense of holy), are and re-
defended. And in the attempt to harmonize his con- main totally depraved.
trary sentiments, they will continue to say, I fear, that        But now I ask: Can and must the contention
the good works that sinners (the reprobate) do are of the brethren be true that man remains totally de-
not of them, but of the Holy Spirit. The Rev. H. J.           praved, in that of his works-works of true moral ex-
Kuiper has said this in his "The Three Points of Com- cellence-not he but God is the creative fountain? As-
mon Grace". On page 37 of this booklet we come suredly not. Consider to what a terrible conclusion we
upon a statement that reads, "The Bible teaches com- would be driven, were the contention true,-to the
mon grace. It is our duty as ministers of the gospel conclusion, namely, that the regenerate, despite the
to preach the whole counsel of God. True, no sinner fact of their being doers of works in principle truly
will be saved by a sermon on common grace alone. . . . good, are nevertheless totally depraved, as of these
But this does not mean that the doctrine of common works not they but God, His grace, the workman.
grace is of little or no value for saint and sinner. . . .       That God is the sole source of anything' of true
It also tends to the glorification of God. It enables us goodness in man, is a glorious truth. How horribly
to see that even the superficial good which the sinner wrong to marshal this truth to the defence  of a false
does is not the fruit of his own heart. Even the sin- doctrine. And this is being done by the exponents of
ner must acknowledge : "All I have and am I owe common grace.
to the grace of God-in this connection it is evident             If the reprobate perform works of true moral
that we cannot fully maintain the doctrine of total worth, it must, of course, be true, that of these works
depravity unless we acknowledge the fact of common the grace of God is the creative source.' But let it
grace. For if the-sinner, apart from the grace of God, be considered that these works, if they are actually
is able to perform civic righteousness, he cannot be be performed; must at once proceed from, be out
totally depraved. Therefore, we do not say to the sin- of, the doer of them (in this case the reprobate) not
ner: `You can still do some good things.' On the merely in the sense that they represent his thoughts,
contrary, we declare to him that his heart is altogether have the backing of his will, are the expression of his
evil; that there is nothing good in him, apart from desires and p.roceed  from his heart, but even in the
`the grace of God."                                           sense that they be the crystallization, so to say, of
       The Rev. R. B. Kuiper in his "As to Being Re- thoughts and desires that are holy and the issue of
formed" says this same thing. I quote, "And the a heart that is new. In this sense certainly a truly
burning question is : just how good or how bad is man? good deed must be out of the doer, if it be a truly
The doctrine of common grace gives a definite answer good deed. The exponents of common grace also felt
to this question. It tells us that natural man, unre- this. On page 35 of H, J. Kuiper's "The Three Points
generated man is totally depraved and consequently in- of Common Grace" we come upon statements that
capable of doing any good whatever of himself. Un- read, "Our second conclusion is that the unconverted
deniable fact is, however, that he does a great deal of is able not only to perform deeds which conform to
good. . . . This good, says our doctrine, is the fruit God's law, but that he also has certain desires anal
of the working of God's common grace in him." Page impulses (Italics, Kuiper's) which are good (in the
113  of the above-cited work.                                 sense of holy G. M. 0.) and from which his good
       The substance of the above reasoning is precisely deed springs. (I am quoting H. J. Kuiper here) such
that the good works that sinners (reprobate) do, is           as sympathy, love, respect, sense of justice, etc. Jesus


116                            -"`l"i:  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
--.---^_-.._II1-.^  ,._- --..- -_^ ".__ .._-___-_  l__^l__ll_lll_" -_..,"  -....-.-_  II__- ____  - _.  "--..,-  .  _-.-_
declares in our text not only that sinners do good to work is not of the depraved but of the Spirit is equiva-
their friends, but also that they love then (True lent to saying either that the Spirit increates in the
enough. But what Jesus does not declare is that this depraved one holy works without renewing the inward
love of the reprobate is holy even as to its core. This man or, which amounts to the same thing, that he
teaching is from Kuiper, G. M. 0.). The outward good          (the Spirit) causes to appear on the exterior of corrup-
of the unregenerate (so the brother continues)  is also tion-the totally depraved mind, will, impulses, desires
~VZ  immrd   yood.  (Italics, G. M. 0.). When an un- and heart of the depraved-works that are holy. Let
converted man (reprobate) endangers his own life me ask, can such a teaching be gotten from Scripture?
to rescue a neighbor from his burning house, you What is more, the reasoning is as absurd and impos-
would not say that all the motives and impulses be- sible  a,s it is unscriptural. Would not the inward man
hind that deed are sinful! So far Kuiper. The ex- of the depraved fiercely resent the truly good work in
clamation point that stands behind the word sinful of which he walked and if so could this work have any
the sentence last quoted, is mark you, of Kuiper. The real moral worth? And would not the depraved be
brother would say, "How utterly preposterous to say acting under the direct compulsion of the Spirit, if
that all the motives behind such a deed are sinful.          the good works increated in or on his exterior, sprang
These motives then, according to the brother are, must not from correspondingly holy desires and impulses?
be, at least as to their nucleus, sinless, that is, holy.    And would not in this case, the Spirit be reducing the
   Thus the teaching that we here encounter is that the depraved to something akin to stocks and blocks?
outward good, that is, holy deed, springs from a man             Besides, how can the Spirit renew a man on the
that as to his mind, will, desires, heart and disposition outside and leave his inward self u'ntouched? Would
is holy, as holy as is the outward deed. Indeed! How He not by so doing bring into being a monstrosity?
could it be otherwise.                                       Would He not be doing the very thing that Christ
       Will H. J. Kuiper, or let me say, the exponents condemned in the hypocrites of His day, to wit, clean-
of common grace show how a man, (in this case the ing the outside of the cup?
reprobate) performing holy works that proceed from               But the exponents of common grace may repIy  that
holy desires and impulses and thus from  a new heart, their teaching is not that the Spirit  increates  in or on
can be totally depraved? Let them not say, that this the corrupt self of the depraved, works of true moral
can be in that of these holy works, desires, impulses worth, but merely that He somehow influearces this
and heart from which these works proceed not the self to perform such works without renewing the man,
reprobate but God is the creative source. They ought his heart, mind, desires and impulses. But I ask:
to understand now that should they say this, they what may this influence of the Spirit be, if it be not
would again be evading the issue. Pray, who else but a creative power operative in the depraved-a power
God can be the creative source of holy impulses and that renews  an'd sanctifies? Can the brethren tell?
desires? Is, to so reply, showing how a being with They do tell. In their zeal to gain for the teaching
such impulses can be totally depraved? The reasoning the approval of the churches, they attempted to show
was designed to mislead. Let the brethren, instead that it is found in the Confessions. From the articles
of going about as armed with deceptive arguments, appealed to, we may learn what the brethren take
face the real issues.                                        this  &jXz&cnzq:e  to be. One of the articles (36 of the
   But the Rev. H. J. Kuiper may by this time be Belgic Confession) quoted, turns solely on the civil
willing to admit that he erred when he penned down magistrates and reads in part, "We believe that our
in his booklet that "the outward good of the unre- gracious God, because of the depravity of mankind,
generate is also an inward good". But should he ad- bath appointed kings, princes  anld magistrates,  willing.
mit  this, he would not certainly be making matters that the world should be governed by certain laws and
easier for himself. For then he should have to explain policies; to the end that the disoluteness of men might
how outward good can spring from inward corruption, be restrained, and all things carried on among them
or in the words of Christ, how a bad tree can bring with good order and decency. For this purpose he
forth good fruit, or otherwise stated, how the outward hath invested the magistracy with the sword, for the
deed can be good (holy), if the impulses an,d desires punishment of evil-doers, and for the protection of
from which it springs are totally corrupt. Let the them that do well. . . ."
brethren shed some light on this if they can. In their           What then do the brethren take this influence of
attempt to comply they may again fall back on the the Spirit in the lives of reprobate men-this influence
reasoning to the effect that this outward good is not responsible for true virtue appearing on the exterior
of the reprobate but of the Spirit. Should they come of these men-to be? Precisely this: The sword of
with this, they would only be involving themselves in the magistrate, the fear inspired by the consideration
fresh difficulties, For to say that the outward holy that this sword will strike, if the law be transgressed?


                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEARE&                                         117
..-__" ._-_-... _.                ---  -"              .._I__                              _.                ._       2ZZ
in a word, the agencies through which God restrains are spiritually and not simply morally good". So
the disoluteness of depraved men. But I ask: is carnal far Kuiper.
fear an influence of the Spirit? If so, would not cor-              The plain implication of this reasoning is that the
ruption then have the Spirit its its author and foun- good works of God's people are spiritually good and
tain? And further, is regard for law  and, order, in- that the good works of the reprobate, though spirit-
spired by the consideration that evil-doing is being ually as totally depraved as the doer of them are  moral-
punished, true virtue, godliness? Let the brethren Jy at least relatively and outwardly sinless, holy.
supply the answer.              Oce more question: Do the Astounding! With this distinction before their mind,
articles of our Confession contain a single statement the exponents of common grace in one breath raise
that will allow the brethren to say that it is evident the reprobate to the very heavens and at once in their
from our oficial doctrinal standards that God exer- discriptions  of him bring him down to the ve?y pit of
cises those influences upon the sinner which enable hell. Attend to this from Kuiper's pen, "The sinners
him to perform works of true moral worth? Not at on earth are totally  depraved. This means, in the first
all.       Nowhere is this stated,  neither  by implication place, that not only some but  all (Italics, Kuiper's) the
nor directly, literally.                                         powers of the human soul are corrupt: its thoughts,
        Now it is true that the ungodly live under the imaginations, feelings, intentions. There is nothing
necessity of an eternal, sovereign decree and that as            in man's soul which has not been vitiated by sin. The
to all their doings they come forth out of the womb pollution of sin extends to his entire inner being+
of providence  ; but so far from the truth it is that            means in the second place, that his inmost heart is
they are being constrained by a direct influence of the          bad. Sin is rooted in the very core of his soul. He
Spirit to live in outward conformity to law that they is dead in trespasses and sin. . . ." End -of the quo-
can even imagine that there is no God. So absolutely tation. It is found on page 34 of the booklet. Now
free and unhampered do they remain in all their move- place alongside of this description the following ex-
ments.                                                           cerpt from the pen of the same author, "Our second
                                                                 conclusion is that the unconverted is able not only
        In fine, what the Rev. H. J. Kuiper's commentary to perform deeds (deeds that are holy, G. M. 0.) which
on Synod's third point shows is that what the brethren conform to God's law, but that  ,he also has certain
brought forward in this point is the Pelagian heresy desires and in~pulses  which are good (in the sense of
that the  naturaI  man, despite his failings is neverthe- holy. G. M. 0.) and from which his good deeds spring:
less a creature of genuine virtue. It means that in such as sympathy, love, respect, sense of justice,
this point the Christian Reformed Churches are offici- etc. . . . The outward good of the unregenerate is
ally pitted against  t'ne doctrine of man's total de-            also an inward good." So far Kuiper. This argu-
pravity. What will the brethren now do with the Rev. mentation may be found on page 35 of the booklet.
d. M. Ghysels for pitting himself in one of his most             I ask, where is now the reprobate, in heaven or in
recent meditations against this third point? What                hell? He cannot certainly be in both places at the
will they do ? Take, I fear, this colleague of theirs            same time !
under their wing and endeavor to show that there
is not the slightest discrepancy between his teaching               How will the brethren now deal with that writing
and Synod's deliverance. Just what their reasoning will of the Rev. Ghysels? What will be their  defence  of
be may again be known from t,he Rev. H. J. Kuiper"s              it? What will they say? SimpIy this, *`When Ghysels
"The Three Points of Common Grace". Page 37 of penned down his thoughts, he had the depraved sin-
this booklet contains a statement that reads, "If  t,hen         ner before his mind as he is spiritually  not ,morcrlly,
what sinners do is sin before God, because it does not so that what our colleague was describing is a man
proceed from true faith, how can God call it good? not  ,+noralLy   but  spiritually  totally corrupt as to his
 (Otherwise said, how can God at once call good that inward self and all his works. This explains that he
which He calls sin?             G. M.  0. What an amazing wrote as  ahe did. Had he been viewing this same man
question !            Attend to Kuiper's answer). We would from the aspect of his moral excellencies, he would,
reply, first of all, that Christ actually speaks of certain most assuredly have brought him forward in his de-
t.hings which sinners  ,do as good, and that it is not           scription  as a bad tree bringing forth good fruit or
necessary for u,s to defend any statement of Christ!             even perhaps, as did the Rev. H. J.  Kuiner  in his
 (Here the Reverend already admitted, mark you, that booklet, as a good tree bringeth forth good fruit.
his attempt to shed some light on the problem, What ails you: brother, is that you are guilty, in the
would end in dismal failure, which it also did. G. M. 0. words of the Rev. R. B. Kuiper, `of neglect of the
Mark now his argument). Rut we can shed some light truth of common grace.' We do not hesitate to say
on the problem. Take, for example, the good works to you again in the words of this same colleague, `that
of the believer. These are good in principle, since they this is a serious ailment of a great many--how many
proceed from faith in God  and love for God. They we shall not attempt to estimate (quotations from R.


118                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                 - - -          ____---.                      --                     .^..--.-            . ..-...=
B. Kuiper's `As to Being Reformed) `. Another serious
ailment of yours, brother, is that like the scholastics                          The Law
of the middle ages, you reason too much and have not
sufficient regard for the teachings of Scripture."          The great sin that the people of Israel had com-
Such will be their defence of the Rev. Ghysels' writing. mitted, so we wrote, is pardoned, and thus the nation
                                                           will live and. enter with the Lord into His rest. This
   Let the brethren consider that not we, but they the Lord now definitely declared. It is the plain im-
were the first to reason too much.      What we do is plication of His proclamation of His name, made when
merely to place over against their sophistry the reason- He passed before Moses. He is the Lord God, merciful
ing of Christ to the effect that a bad tree cannot  bring and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in good-
forth good fruit. And of this reasoning of the Saviour ness and truth. He will keep mercy for thousands,
the sophistry of the brethren is a complete overturn- forgiving iniquity transgression and sin, but will by
ing. According to the brethren, Christ said this with no means clear the guilty. He will assuredly take His
the mental reservation that morally the bad tree brings ill-deserving people to His heart, but in and through
forth much good fruit.                                     the cross. He will Beep covenant trust to the end of
   There was a time when all the brethren, including time and forever with those deserving in Christ, the
the Revs. H. J. and R. B. Kuiper, affirmed that the children of the promise. But all are not Israel which
natural man is morally as well as spiritualiy totally are of Israel. There are those that hate Him, because
corrupt.     I have in my possession a writing from He shows them no mercy. These He hardens in His
the pen of R. B. Kuiper in which he unqualifiedly as- sovereign wrath, and visits upon them in their gene-
serts that the mercies of the godless are cruel, that rations their iniquity. Thus He will shew mercy on
thus this mercy is not worthy the name. Some years whom He will shew mercy, and harden whom He
later he wrote a book (As to Being Reformed) in will. Such will be the doings in the Face of' which
which he asserted in substance that if the Christian all His virtues will be seen. He will make a cove-
Reformed Churches  would not have affirmed that the nant: before all the people He will do marvels, such
mercies of the godless have true ethical worth, he as have not  &en  done in all the earth, nor in any
would not have returned to them. If someone would nation: and all the people among whom t.he children
approach the Reverend on this matter, he would know of Israel are shall see the work of the Lord: for it. is
how to defend [himself. He would say, "What  I de- a terrible thing that He will do with His people. Ex.
scribed in my address delivered before that assembly 34 :lO.
of friends of the Cutlerville Psychopathic Hospital is        So is the covenant that was broken maintained and
a man not morally but spiritually totally depraved.        perpetuated by the Lord, Whose the covenant is. In
And what is making it possible for this man, spiritual- agreement herewith, Moses is bidden to hew him two
ly dead in trespasses and sin, to perform works of true tables of stone, like unto the first. Upon these tables
moral excellence is that his virtue is not of himself the Lord writes the words that were upon the first
but of God."                                               table that Moses broke. Thereupon, after proclaim-
                                            G. M.O.        ing His name, the Lord continues His communications.
                                                           Later, after the erection of the tabernacle, He com-
                                                           pleted the task of imparting His laws to Moses then
                                                           from out of the sanctuary.
                                                              This legal material is found  .in the last four of
                    AN INVITATION                          the five books of Moses. A detailed and full explana-
       The Choral Society of the First Protestant Re- tion of it will be given, the Lord willing, in another
formed  Churc&  of Grand Rapids, Michigan, hereby series of articles especially devoted to this subject.
extends to you a hearty invitation to attend their         However, the character of this legislation together
Christmas Concert on December 15, at  8:OO P.  M.          with the fact that it forms one piece with Israel's
   Under the direction of Prof: Se.ymour  Swets, they history, require the making of certain observations
will render the Cantata, "The Christchil~d".               here and now.
                                                              The view of radical higher criticism respecting
                                                           this legislation is known. According to this view,
                                                           Israel's laws and sacred institutions are the final out-
                                                           come of a long process of growth of many centuries
                    BEBENDMAKING                           duration.    First there was the blade, then the ear,
   Classis-vergadering  staat, D. V., te  worden   ge-     and then the full corn in the ear.      It is held that
houden Woensdag, Jan.  13, 1937, om negen  uur in at each stage of  t,he process, laws previously given
den voormiddag  in de Protestantsche Gereformeerde were changed or cast aside as the exigencies of the
Kerk te Fuller Ave., Grand Rapids, Mich.                   hour dictated.


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                 119
--..                           ".." ..---__  --_---. _ --....  "...-----  _. ".._"  __. -                     _I-           ___
   Three distinct stages of development are postu-                      fore must be  placed  on a level with the code of a
lated:  The first in the words of Kent is the nomadic, Justinian and judged by standards applicable to such
during which the Israelites lived the life and fol- a code.
lowed the customs of the tribes which still range with                       We need say no more about this view here and
their  llocks and herds up and down the deserts of                      now than that it stands for a wisdom-the wisdom
the east and south of Palestine. Their primitive  mude                  of  the world-that  is abject foolishness with God.
of existence demanded and made possible only the Let  us consider  t&is one thing: The aggregate of
simplest institutions. Their tribal organizations  in- the Mosaic laws "speak the wisdom of God in a mys-
sured the observation of the few firmly established tery, even the hidden wisdom, which God hath or-
customs, which were the forerunners of law.                             dained before the world unto our glory ; and thus set
        In the words of the same author, the conquest                   forth things that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
of Canaan, by alliances and inter-marriage with the neither have entered into the heart of man,-things
native population as well as by the sword,  marks the that God prepared for them that love Him." They
important transition to the second, the agricultural form, these laws, the very face of God, in which are
stage, in which the Hebrews became a settled people seen His glories. The reason that anyone will insist
with a permanent place of abode, where they were that these Iaws are of man is to be found in the cir-
able to crystallize into an independent nation. Under cumstance that, as the princes of this world, he knows
the radically changed conditions, earlier customs were not God. How the radical critic mutilates the Scrip-
cast aside or else modified. Powerful influences from tures in the attempt to force them into the mould of
without and active forces from within hastened the his preconceived notion is a matter that we here leave
growth of political and social institutions.               St was untouched.
naturally during this period of marked national de-                          Lt me then at once state the position of faith.
velopment, \Which continued until the Babylonian exile, Faith says that the Pentateuchal codes (the laws of
that most of Israel's penal and civil laws attained their Moses) are of God, the product of divine revelation
final form. So it is alleged.                                           made to Moses, and thus form one great and co-
        According to the view, now being brought forward, herent system of legislation, complete from the first,
t,he exile and the succeeding centuries, which brought and therefore not admitting of development and in-
to the Jews no deliverance from foreign bondage, ternal change, in a word, a body of laws that by itself
checked the development of secular and accelerated constitutes an organic whole,
the -growth of religious institutions. The third stage                       Viewed abstractly and apart from every circum-
in Israel's history is therefore held to be in many ways                 stance (a$ that the entire system was actually com-
unique. The nation, it is said, was bound hand and                       pieted by Moses), the above conception  would not
foot.      As a result its attention was intently fixed upon by itself spell foolishness if what was meant is that
past and the future, both of which it idealized. Its the divine lawgiver, Ga,d, was centuries in revealing
energy was consequently devoted to expanding the                         His laws to Israel and if it were maintained that
ritual and the ceremonial lams, whereby  i.t sought these laws are so interelated as to form a body in
to win Jehovah's favor and to secure the realization which each code has its place-the very place assigned
of its ideals. The thought and activity of the race                      to it by Scripture. But this is denied. The law came
became centered in the temple and its service. The not by revelation, but is a  fruitage of a process of
priestly hierarchy, which presided over it, absorbed natural growth And represents a passing from a low
in fact,  ;a well as in the minds of the people, the pre- to a higher type of morality and religion on the part
rogatives once enjoyed by the monarchy. So highly, of the people of Israel. Accordingly, at each stage
it is said, were the ceremonial institutions and laws                    of the process the laws previously  .gl\Ten were cast
of this later period esteemed that they were thought aside and their place taken by a new and different
of as ever-existent, and therefore supported by the species of legislation. The legal material found  in
 authority of the revered past and especially by that the Pentateuch is thus the flower of the final and high-
 of the traditional founder of the nation, Moses, whom est stage in the religious development of Israel. Ac-
 later generations came to regard as the father of cording to this evolutionary theory, the perfect and
 all Jsraelitish law. Such is the view.                                  the absolute, stand not at the beginning as the source,
        It is plain that according to this conception the                but at the end as the fruit of development. The law
 Mosaic system of laws are from below, that they                         of  Moses is therefore said to have come into being not  b
 proceeded not from the mind of God but from the during his lifetime but centuries after and to have
 minds of Israel's chiefs and are thus representative l:een  written by Jeremiah and Ezekiel anmd  other pro-
 of the endeavors of mere man to meet through legis- phets of  t.hat age. Soon after the time of Ezra the
 lation the emergencies that will rise in the transition jirhole was completed. Thus the Mosaic system of laws
 periods of  a.  nat.ion's life. Laws they are that  there-              has not one but several authors and the plain evidence


 120                                              T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   -
-.-"-..- .-_.. - _._.."  __-... --- ..-- i- -__I_ ..--........- I_ _. "- -..-.._ -_^ .._. .-.....  "- __-.,.__ ..-__....
of this is that in it is found cases of flat and irreconcil- comprising chapters twenty to twenty three inclusive,
able contradictions.            Moses is thus put at variance and thus not simply the Decalogue. Examining this
with himself.          He, however, who approaches these code, we discover that it is characterized by a brevity
laws with an unbiased mind will discover that they and simplicity, that clearly  belokens  that it `was to
form one great system, characterized by a perfect form the basic law of Israel. Accordingly its com-
unity and coherence. Let us show this.                                           mands are relatively few and general and present the
    Let us make plain that the law is God's revefation                           fundamental relations and duties devolving upon the
and thus not the fruitage  of a blind process of evolu- covenant people. Thus the basis on which the Lord en-
tion, governed by earthly purposes and directed by tered with HIS people into a solemn covenant is not the
accident or chance, that thus in this law we  find ceremonial law but a code, the nucleus of which is
system, "an intended adjustment of part to part, and the law of the ten  commandments.  In agreement
of each part to the whole, a gradual process and ad- herewith the prophet Jeremiah brings the Lord for-
vance from the more fundamental and simple to the ward as saying to the people of Israel, "Put your burnt-
more complex and specified detail." Let us see that offerings unto your sacrifices and eat flesh," that is,
the law is determined wholly by Israel`s relation to "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices
God, by the fact that Israel formed a theocratic na- unto me. . . . I delight not in the blood of bullocks
tion, God's covenant people, separated from the world                             (Isa. 11 :l). For I spake not unto your fathers, nor
and sanctified exclusively to Him.                                               commanded them in the day that I brought them out
        First in order is the legal material contained in of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and
that. section of the book of Exodus beginning with sacrifices: But this thing commanded I them, saying,
chapter twenty and continuing through chapter thirty Obey my voice, and I wil1 be your God, and ye shall be
one. This section in turn plainly falls apart into halves.                       my people:  and walk ye in all the ways that I have
Turning to chapter twenty four, we come upon the                                 commanded you, that it may be well unto you." Jer.
record of a momentary cessation of revelation and 7 m-23.
discover further that in the resultant interval the cove-                             The above-mentioned code, when examined, turns
nant is ratified. Moses comes and tells the people all                           out to be an expansion of the Decalogue and an appli-
the words of the,Lord  thus far communicated to him, cation of it to the larger features of Israel's national
and all the people answer with one voice,, that all the life. Consequently  this'ccde begins with the Decalogue
words that the Lord  bath said they will do.  There- .which may be said to form its opening chapter. Then
won  Moses writes all the words of the Lord. The follows a brief section in which idolatry is again for-
next morning he rises up early and builds an altar bidden and directions given for the altar (Chap. 20 2%
under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the 26). This section, it is plain, is intimately connected
twelve  tribes of Israel.             He thereupon sends young with the Decalogue. It sets out with stressing, as
men of the children of Israel, which  offered  burnt does the ,Decalogue,  the oneness and spirituality of
ot%rings,  `and sacrificed peace offerings of osen unto God. We now come to the opening verse of chapter
the Lord.        Taking half of the blood, he puts it in 21.                             It reads, "Now these (that is the laws that follow
basins. The other half is sprinkled on the altar. Then this announcement) are the judgments which thou
he takes the book of the covenant, and reads in the                              shalt set before them."                    The judgments that here
audience of the people, and they say the second time follow may be said to form the third chapter of the
that all the Lord hath said they will` do, and be obe- "`Book of the Covenant". An examination of these
dient. Thereupon Moses takes the blood and sprinkles laws brings to light that they are plainly a practical
it upon the people, and says "Behold the blood of the                            demonstration of the principle--the principle of love
covenant which the Lord  bath made with you  c.on-                               of the neighbor-from which the second table of the
cerning all these words."                 Now go up Moses and                    Decalogue springs. The jud,gments  found in this third
Aaron, Nadab and Rbihu, and seventy of the elders section are for menservants, womanservants, murder,
of Israel: and they see the God of Israel: and there and manslaughter; for menstealers, cursers of parents
is under His feet as it were a paved work of a s,zp- and smiters. We find in this third section further
phire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in laws of theft, damage, trespass, borrowing, fornicn-
clearness.       And upon the nobles of the children of tion witchcraft,                                      beastiality,  idolatry, strangers,
Israel the Lord lays not His hand. And they saw God widows, slander, false-witness, justice, charitableness,
and did eat and drink.                                                           years of rest, Sabbath, the three feasts, and the sacri-
    R,egard  must now be had to the words (laws) im- fice. Also this Iast section, it is plain, is intimately
parted to Moses prior to the occurence  of the above-                            related to the Law of the Ten Commandments.
cited event. In the chapter recording this event (chap-
ter                                                                                                        (To be continued)
        24)  the name "Book of the Covenant" occurs. In
all likelihood, it contained  all the words and judgment                                                                               Cr.  M.  0.


                                              A   R e f o r m e d   S e m i - M o , n t h l y   M a g a z i n e
                     PUBLISHED BY THE REFORMED FREE PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.

                                                                     Editors-Rev. H.  Hoeksema,  Rev. G. M.  Ophoff,

                                                                 Associate Editors- Rev. A. Cammenga, Rev P. De
                                                                     Boer, Rev. M. Gritters,  Rev. C. Hanko,  Rev. B.
                                                                     Kok,  Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev J. Vander Breggen,

      -
      vol     q111   ~~         6      Entered   as  second  clags  mail
             .*     ,      .         -  matter   at  Grand   Ra~~ds.   Yich.             DECEMBER 15, 1936                      Subscription Price, $2.00

                                                                                                  overflows as an evil fountain unto sin and death and
                    M E D I T A T I O N                                                           more sin and death, overflows into the fulness of deso-
      It                                                                                       II lation in outer darkness; the free gift, too, abounds
                                                                                                  as a fountain of good, overflowing with righeousness
                    The More Abounding Gift                                                       and more righteousness, with life and always more life,
                                                                                                  overflows into the ocean of eternal life and glory.
                                        But ,not as the offence so also is the                       And both, the offense and the free gift, operate,
                                free gift. For if through the  o#ence                             as they overflow and their effects abound unto the
                                of one many be dead, much  *more the many, only through the power of a righteous judgment
                                grace of God  u~zd the gift by grace of God. The offense abounds through the judgment
                                ,which  is by one man, Jesus C!hrist,  hath of condemnation unto death imputed to the many in
                                abounded unto many.                                               the one that offended ; the free gift overflows by the
                                                                                Rom.  5:15.       power of the righteous judgment of justification unto
             The offense and the gift !                                                           life imputed to the many in the one that obeyed.
             How similar, yet how dissimilar!                                                        Indeed, as is the offense so also is the free gift! . . .
       . For, as the offense, so also is the free gift in many                                       And yet: "not as the offense so also is the free
      respects.                                                                                   gift?. How could it be? Does God, then, move in
                                                                                                  a circle? Is the last word, then, that can possibly be
             By the offense is meant  the  offense, the one offense, said about this present world, this present Time be-
      the root-offense, the offense of all offenses, that offense tween the alpha of creation and the omega of the con-
      through. which sin entered into the world and death sumation, between the Arch6 and the Telos, the Be-
      by sin, so that death passed upon all men because in ginning and the Ending, this Time with its sin and
      that one offense all have sinned ; the offense of the
l                                                                                                 death, its darkness and fear, its sorrow and crying:
      one man who is a figureof  Him that was to come.                                            "vanity of vanities, all is vanity?"       Does the free
             And by the free gift the text refers to the &%, the                                  gift merely pursue the same course as the offense?
      olze  gift, the root-gift, the gift of all gifts, without                                   Does the former merely counteract the effect of the
      which there are no gifts and through which all things latter, to obliterate it? Are the scope and the effect
      are ours, the gift through which righteousness entered of the gift commensurate to the scope and effect of the
      into the world and life through righteousness, so  that                                     offense? Does the free gift lead us back to the para-
      Iife passed upon ail the recipients of that free gift, dise whence the offense expelled us?
      because in that one free gift all are made righteous
      forever: the righteousness of God in Christ.                                                   God forbid !
             How similar is the one to the other!                                                    How, then, could there be an answer?
                                                                                                     How could there forever be an apology for the
             For, both, the offense and the free gift, are by tears and the groans, the sorrow and death, yea, for
      one man, the one the figure, the other He that was                                          the accursed Tree that stands in the midst of this
      to come.                                                                                    present Time? . . . .
             And both affect many,  the  many. For, by the off-
      fense of the one man the many have died ; and by the                                           Where would be the theodicy?
      free gift which is by the other Man the many are                                               But : not as the offense so also is the free gift!
      raised again from the dead.                                                                    Similar though they be in all other respects, they
             Both abound, overflow to the many. The offense are different in this one aspect, that the free gift
                                                                                   4'


122                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                                              -.l_^.~.lll_-----                     -
which is through Jesus Christ abounds much more wrath leads us to the regions of eternal darkness  an*-:
than the offense ever did !                                    desolation? . . . .
    Both, indeed, abound, the offense and the gift.               The abounding offense!
    The one abounds in evil ; the other in good.                  Abounding from sin unto sin.
    But more than the offense abounds in evil does                Overflowing, incessantly, from sorrow to sorrow,
the gift abound in good !                                      from death unto death !
    Much more !                                                   Abounding implacably to the many, to all!         1
                                                                  The many have died !
                                                                  0, fountain of evil !
       The offense,-how it abounds!
    Only one offense it was, by one man, apparently
insignificant.                                                    Grace,-blessed Word !
    For, as is evident from the context as well as from           And gift of grace, abounding by the grace of one
the text, it is that one offense only that was committed man, Jesus Christ!
by the first man Adam, to which the Word of God here              Thrice blessed gospel of salvation that is preached
refers, the one transgression by which he left the state to us by the Word of God in our death-cell, giving
of righteousness in which the Most High had placed us righteousness in the midst of guilt, life in the midst
him. Outwardly the transgression was, indeed, of of our present death!
very little import. By it, as far as one could see and            It is the Word that God is gracious!
judge, no damage was done. A fruit was taken from                 Never would we know it but by this Word of the
an abundance of fruit, a fruit which no one would gospel, in Christ Jesus our Lord," the glad news that
claim, which, if it were not eaten, might have dropped         He is gracious. Yet, so it is ? We hear it! The Word
to the ground and have rotted away. . . .                      proceeds from His own mouth and is faithful and true,
    Yet, it was the offense !                                  Yea and Amen forever! And it reaches us in our
    For, with respect to God it was transgression, dis- misery and we believe! It is proclaimed to us in our.
obedience, man's No to the Word of the living God,             sorrow and we rejoice ! It is preached to us in the
wanton rebellion and mutiny, man's attempt to be bonds of death and we live! It is sounded forth into
sovereign instead of the living God, to determine what the night of our despair and we are filled with a new
is good and evil, to speak and to contradict rather and lively and blessed hope. God is gracious ! He is
than to listen and believe. With respect to himself it such in Himself from eternity to eternity, the ever
was a radical turning about, of his mind from light pleasant and delightful God, Whom to know is life
to darkness, of his will from righteousness to un- eternal! He is such from everlasting to everlasting to
righteousness, of his heart from the love of God to His people, as He knows them, as He chose them, as
enmity against Him, of his whole being from the free- He ordained them to be made like unto the image of
dom of God's law to the slavery of sin. And with re- His Son, as He  ,has  engraven  them in everlasting love
spect to the race the sin of the one man was the sin          in both the palms of His hands.
of all, the guiIt of all, the corruption of all, tl@ death        He is gracious, for, behoId  Him in the face of Jesus
of all. . . .                                                  Christ our Lord !
    TIE offense!                                                  Behold, 0 Zion, here is your God!
    And how it abounded!                                          Here, in the manger of Bethlehem, in Immanuel,
    By the offense of the one man the many have died ! the Son of God come into the likeness of sinful flesh,
    For, by the offense all are under condemnation. visiting you in your death-cell ! Her.%,  in the accursed
For such is death, condemnation! Death is not merely tree of Calvary, in His bleeding ,hands and feet and
an end, the end. It is the breath of the wrath of God side, in the darkness and anguish of that awful cross,
killing us ! By the offense of the one man, and at the reconciling you unto Himself! Here, in the resurrec-
moment of the offense the many are locked up in the tion of Jesus Christ from the dead, here is your God,
death-cell, waiting for the  fmal execution. In that breaking through the bonds of death and speaking to
death-house the offense abounds in many offenses, ac- you the Word, (0, joy !) of justification! . . . .
cording to. the law of sin and death in which all are             Zion, behold, look, here is your God!
held, abounds in darkness and perversion, in corrup-              He is gracious!
tion and iniquity, in hatred of God and of one-another,           And that grace is the source of the gift! For, the
in malice and envy, in lying and slander, in greed and "free gift" is the gift of grace.
covetousness, in murder and adultery, in war and                  And the gift is righteousness!
bIoodshed  ; aIso in sorrow and crying, in bodily pain            For out of that grace as its source came the gift
and soul-suffering;  till: through the valley of the          of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by that grace
shadow of death, than which there is no other exit He was sent into the world, that He Who is eternally
from this house of death, the executioner of  God%            in the form of God reached out to us and appeared in


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   - - - -                                   123
                ~..._".-
the form of a servant and in the likeness of a man. justified; and through the faith God implants into the
It is by that grace that He was ordained to bear the          hearts of all the  elect;  the gift of righteousness abounds
sins of the many, His brethren, that with them He through the one man, Jesus Christ, unto all His breth-
descended into the lowest parts of the earth that for ren, the many!
them He suffered all His hellish agony, obeying even             Yet, from the aspect of the number affected the
to the end and removing from us all unrighteousness gift of grace could not be said to be more abounding
forever.    It is out of that grace that  His. glorious than the offense!
resurrection issued forth. God's seal upon His death,            The offense abounds, in time at least, to all men;
God's approval of His obedience, God's verdict of the free gift abounds to the elect only.
justification in the hour of His judgment. And it is             Or even, if you would draw the comparison  be-
by grace that He is exalted, that He sits at the right        tween the many that are lost and the many that are
hand of God, exalted above every name that is named, saved, where would be the groun.d for the statement
and that He  recieved  the promise of the Spirit, so that that the latter by far outnumber the former? Would
now the  grace  of God is centrally realized in Him. . . .    not Scripture and experience both convince us of the
   And by His grace the gift of grace, righteousness, very opposite?
now abounds unto the many !                                      Yet: not as the offense so also is the gift; for the
   For, thus the text should be read : by the grace of free gift abounds much more!
the one man, Jesus Christ, the grace of God and the              What else could it mean than that, the fountain of
gift  bath abounded unto many!                                grace far exceeds the spring of evil in contents and
   For, out of God and through the one man Jesus              volume? The offense abounds, indeed! Evil upon evil
Christ the grace of God and the free gift overflow unto flows from the foul fountain that was opened and  be-
the many that are given Him from before the  founda-          gan to flow by the offense of one. Yet, far more than
tion of the world.                                            the offense abounds unto the many in evil upon evil,
   Righteousness !                                            in sorrow upon sorrow and death upon death, does the
   Marvellous gift! The righteousness which is not grace of God and the free gift abound in good upon
of us, which is not of works, but which is by the faith good, in blessing upon blessing, in life upon life and
of Jesus Christ and solely of God !                           glory upon glory !
   The forgiveness of sins, that gift of gifts !                  And here is the answer!
   The adoption unto children, that privilege supreme !           The theodicy !
   The right to eternal life !                                    The only comfort, that is comfort indeed, in life
    Glorious gift of grace!                                   and death! By the grace of God and the gift of grace
                                                              not only the evil is removed that is caused by the
                                                              offense, but a good is attained that could not possibly
   More abounding than the offense !                          be attained in any other way, a good that makes the
    Much more! For thus the Word of God has it: if suffering of this present time a thousand times worth
through the offense of one many be dead, that is, if while, for it cannot be compared with the glory that
the offense of the one abounded in the death of the shall be revealed in us. Were by the grace of God
many, much more t.he grace of God and the free gift and the gift of grace merely life restored from death,
hath, by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ,              righteousness from unrighteousness, and were we, by
abounded unto many  !                                         that pathway of grace merely led back to the original
    Grace and the gift of grace abound much more              paradise whence we were expelled, where would be
than the offense !                                            the answer to the question of the abounding offense?
    What may it mean?                                         Or even, should the grace of God lead us onward to a
    Surely, the comparison cannot have respect to the state of glory that might have been attained had the
number of those that are effected by the abounding offense never come, where would be the justification
offense and the abounding gift of grace.                      of the dark way to bring us thither?
    To be sure, the gift of grace, the righteousness              Would not the loss be appalling?
of God in Christ Jesus our Lord abounds to the many.              But now: not as the offense so also is the free gift!
For, even as the first man Adam represented before It is much more abounding!
the face of God the many of  t,he whole race, so the              It abounds in grace upon grace, in joy upon joy, in
second Adam represented by the grace of God's elec- glory upon glory, in life upon life, until it shall lead
tion the many that constitute one legal corporation us into that tabernacle of God, where He shall wipe
with Him and under Him before the tribunal of the away all tears from our eyes, forever cornfork  US Con-
Most High. When for Him the hour of judgment came cerning the way we had to travel !
at the cross of Calvary, it was the judgment hour                 Gladly would we then travel the way again for the
for all that were in Him; when He died all died ; when sake of that glory!
He arose all arose ; when He was justified all were               The glory of eternal life !           ;,        H. H.


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                         131

  ling in "werken" na de opstanding of zelfs-na hun hetgeen hiernamaals geschiedt,  noch buiten het
  sterven . Ik bezef dat dit laatste eenigszins vreemd lichaam, noch in het opstandigslichaam. Het oordeel
  klinkt. Ik vraag slechts.                                   is de afsluiting van al het tijdelijke. Het is den mensch
     U heeft geen geduld met gissingen en speculaties         gezet eenmaal te sterven  en daarna het oordeel. En
en die verwacht ik ook niet.  Doch   ik  meen,. dat  gij wij zullen allen  geopenbaard worden  voor den rechter-
  we1 theologisch, bijbelsch licht kunt verspreiden over stoel van Christus, opdat een iegelijk wegdrage het-
  deze vragen. Daarom  schrijf ik nog eens. Het spijt geen in het lichaam geschiedt, hetzij  goed  hetzij kwaad.
  mij, dat mijne voorstelling aan de negatieve kant is           Dat God ook den toestand  der natuur van een nog
  en niet veel positiefs biedt. Tech zou ik%gaarne weer niet tot zelfbewustzijn gekomen kindje in het oordeel
  uwe aanmerkingen en critiek-zien, ten einde ons tot zal brengen, betwijfel ik niet. En dat er ook zelfs in
  een beslissing te helpen.                                   zulk een kindje werken voor God kunnen worden  ge-
     Nogmaals dank ik U voor uwe wellwillendheid,             vonden in den dag des oordeels;  die Hij zal openbaren,
                                Uw broeder in Christus, kan ik niet ontkennen.  Doch hier kom ik weer op het
                                           A. Petter.         terrein, waarover m. i. de S&rift geen verder licht
                                                              verspreidt en waar wij naar mijne overtuiging geen
     Antwoord.                                                heldere voorstellingen kunnen vormen.
     `k Geloof niet, dat ik op het oogenblik veel meer           Doch  indien broeder P. meent, dat de Schrift dit
  licht kan verspreiden over de vragen van broeder P.         we1 doet, hij schrijve maar weer.
  dan ik reeds deed. Misschien, dat het mij wat  gemak-                                                     H. H. ,
  kelijker zou  vallen,  indien de  yrager  scherp  formu-
  leerde in enkele vragen datgene, waarover hij na mijn
  eerste antwoord, meer licht verlangt. In bovenstaande
  hebben we,  behalve  een enkele toelichting, dezelfde                            Blessing God
  vragen weer, die ik reeds naar mijn  be&e  weten be-
  antwoordde.                                                    How utterly dependent are we!
     De broeder schrijft, dat hij niet instemt met mijne       And also: how utterly foolish when the mouth of
  bewering, dat de  Schrift  over het nog niet zelfbewuste such a dependent creature "boasteth great things  !"
  leven van een kind geen direkt licht verspreidt. Maar          God created all things utterly dependent upon many
  ik ben het mijn eigene bewering in dezen nog  we1 things, and in the last and constant analysis,  de-
  eens,  Doch hier hebben we misschien in elk geval .pendent  upon ' Him.
  een lichtpunt. Indien broeder P. dat licht der  S&rift         According to His ordinances we have a definite
  over dit bepaalde onderwerp, dat ik niet zie,  we1 ziet, need of many things at all moments of our existence.
  zou het dan niet kunnen, dat hij of mij' verwijst naar Where would we be but for a little space, a little air,
  die plaatsen der Heilige  S&rift, die zulk licht  ver- a crust of bread and a little water? What misery
  spreiden,  of dat hij met behulp van dat licht zelf eens without any company at all of man and beast? How
  een artikel schrijft over de kwestie, waarover hij thans dependent upon the green foliage around about us, .
  vragen stelt?                                               the blue firmament above and "terra firma" below
     Een enkele opmerking wil ik gaarne nog herhalen.         our feet?
     In de eerste plaats mogen we zeker in het licht der         Moreover, where would we be but for the  ever-
  S&rift  we1 vaststellen, dat er eene toerekening is van present providence of God, Who upholdeth, preserveth
  Adams schuld, die niet alleen aan alle dadelijke zonden us as in the hollow of His hand? Constantly He causes
  voorafgaat, maar ook aan onzen  doodstaat. Wij wor-         us to be and to continue to be. He it is Who changeth
  den in de schuld en dies in den dood geboren. Van na- food into blood and strength and energy. Continually
  ture liggen wij onder het oordeel des doods. Onze He walks beside our pathway, makes the pathway and
  dood,  onze verdorvenheid, komt ons  we1 toe in den keeps our feet from stumbling. Before and behind,
  weg van onze organische eenheid met ons geslacht, to the right and the left of us, without and within
  maar de rechtsgrond voor dit oordeel ligt tech in de us, He is working in our behalf. When night is dark
  toerekening van Adams zonde  aan ons  allen.  Dit is and my consciousness is fled: He slumbers not and
  immers ook waar van de toerekening van Christus' never sleeps. Also when my time (ah! my time?)
  gerechtigheid. Ook al komt er dus geen enkele dade-         draws near, He wakes me every morning and calls me
  lijke  zonde bij, zooals b. v. in een doodgeboren kind, back to conscious life.        He points silently and in-
  dan liggen we tech onder het oordeel des doods. En visibly to my clothing and ushers me unto the board
  als zulk een doodgeboren kindje behouden wordt, dan where food and drink beckon. And I am full.
  is dat  tech alleen krachtens de toerekening van Chris-        And I am full.
  tus' gerechtigheid.                                            Yes, indeed, "when thou hast eaten and art full,
     In de tweede plaats staat bet- ook we1 vast, op grand then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good
  van de Heilige S&rift, dat het oordeel niet loopt  over land which He hath given thee!"


132                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R               _        . .  ..--.
   It  iS not so very long ago, that we pleaded with the  xommunion of love and friendship with the Ever-
our God and begged of Him to give us "food con-            blessed `One. We asked Him for the pure and un-
venient for us". And we understood that convenient adulterated preadhing  of His Divine Word. We ,longed
food was after all the best, knowing our frame. We for communion of saints and the walk in the light.
realized that if we became satiated with riches we We prayed that He indeed might forgive our trans-
would be in danger of becoming proud and ask: Who gressions and blot them out in boundless grace. A
is the Lord? Would you kindly tell me where  Ile petition went up to  ,Him for regeneration and calling,
is? Also what need have I of Him? For I really do for faith and hope and love for the generation follow-
not need Him.                                              ing so that they might take up the banner of the
   No, we did not dare ask for riches. For more cross when falling away from our feeble and dying
than we absolutely need according to His own ordi- hands.           "And Thy glory unto our children  !" We
nances for the body and the soul.                          pleaded for Jesus, Jehovah-Salvation, for ever.
   Neither did we ask for poverty.                            Food, spiritual food convenient for us and our
   Poverty  is when we receive less than we have need generations.
of according to these same ordinances. A poor man             And He heard in His Holy heaven.
is he that chatters of the cold and is famished with          And He gave.
hunger. When you have too much to die and not                 While the world loved her sin and the godless for-
enough to live. No, we did not ask for poverty.            got, while the devils would gather the poor. deluded
   But we desired of the. Lord food convenient.            souls unto violence: the Lord gave us the light of His
   *And He heard our prayers. Only, He revealed countenance so that even the widow and orphan would
Himself as the God Who is the overflowing Fountain sing for joy.
of  al good things. As He does in nature when the             Throughout the blessed year He gave us the Cross.
ground is strewn with fruit that will never be eaten,         Its power humbled all our pride ; and this again
so aIso with us: time and again mother would gather and again. Powerfully, efficaciously, He humbled us
the pieces that were left. Every day of the blessed into the dust so that the angels heard the cry: Oh God !
lyear we ate and ate and ate.                              Be merciful unto me, the sinner! And they rejoiced
   When thou art full. We have been full to over- when sinners, when we were converted unto God.
flowing. Even the dogs refused the dainty morsels             Its power showed us the love of God that finds its
at times and turned back from overflowing bowls of
delicate food.                                             object. When we studied the Cross again and again
   But, Father, we have not always blessed Thee when we saw the everlasting arms of God grasping us under-
we were full.. Yes, we did go through the motions neath and drawing us out of the mire of sin and flth
of  bIessing Thee, but our heart was often times so unto the beauty of holiness.
far away from Thee and Thy blessed virtues !                  But best of all, its power showed us that God is
   Bathing ourselves in God's wealth, we forgot. More- God and that God is good.
over, we would sometimes boast great things ! For             The Cross of Jesus showed us that God loves Him-
we are so utterly foolish !                                self and the creature, His own darling creature, for
   The wealth of God in food and drink, air and            His own name's sake. That all these things were to
light, space and time, with all the  good'gifts that are the praise of His glory. Om Mijnentwil,  zal  Ik het
as a veritable rain descending upon us for years and doen! En: Ik zal Mijn eer  aan geen anderen geven!
years : how they ought to lead us to the *blessing of Oh, blessed Jehovah, Thou art Good, eternally, blessed-
God, the praising of His name and the telling of His ly Good!
wondrous works !                                              When thou art fulI.
   But; hark!-                                                Then thou shalt bless the Lord Thy God !
   All these things are as nothing compared to the            To bless, what else is it but to sing "eulogiums"
blessings of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ!           unto the praise of God? It means that we shall speak
   All the earthly things are but for a time. They a beautiful word unto God about God.
cannot nurture the soul and spirit, made in the simili-       And  ;did we?
tudei of God.
       When thou shalt have eaten and art full. Again         Have we continually, holily and wholly blessed the
we hear the same word, but, ah, how different a tone !     Lord our God when we had eaten and were full?
   I remember that we also pleaded with God to give           Ah, this is the tragedy of our lives! No, a thou-
us convenient food for our souls. We have begged the sand times no, we have not blessed the Lord our God !
Lord to give us a harvest of spiritual blessings in the       Instead we have murmured and criticised  the Lord
Beloved. We called upon the Living God to give us          our God. In the midst of the unspotted purely white
Himself. "Ach, wanneer, zal ik nad'ren voor Uw oogen? of His sanctuary we have besmirched His very dainties
In  Uw Huis Uw Naam verhoogen?" We longed for              with our filth and sin and manifold wickedness. Ah,


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                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                              133
             -_.^.-~~~--_._                         " -.._. --."_-
     our very righteousnesses were as filthy rags before
     Him and we know it.                                                    De Wereld Met  Go`d Verzoend
        And again and again we have heard His tender                     Eenige  weken   geleden werden we van bevriende
     voice : Brethren, these things ought not to be ! With zijde verzocht iets te schrijven ter verklaring van
     our mouths we have cursed the brother made in the II Cor. 5 :18-20. Daar staat : "En alle deze dingen
     similitude of the ever-blessed God.                              zijn uit God, die ons met Zichzelven verzoend heeft
        Oh, beloved reader, we have sinned grievously.                door Jesus Christus, en ons de  bediening  der  ver-
     That is the tragedy of the life of the Christian. It zoening gegeven heeft. Want God was in  Christus
     seems I hear again that wailing complaint of Paul,               de wereld met Zicbzelven verzoenende, hunne zonden
     wrung from his breast in tears and sighs: "for to hun niet toerekende, en heeft het woord der verzoe-
     will is present with me ; but how to perform that ning in ons gelegt. Zoo zijn wij dan gezanten van
     which is good I find not."                                       Christus wege, alsof God door ons bade ; wij bidden
        Do I forget the strivings of the new man in Christ?           van Christus wege, laat u met God verzoenen."
     Do I shut mine eyes to the good works in which the                  Met den besten  wil ter wereld kunnen we echter
     Christian walks and which were afore prepared that niet begrijpen hoe men  dit  tekstgedeelte durft  aan te
     he should walk in them? No, reader, but I see these voeren om het beruchte aanbod van genade te staven.
     works as they are leaving me. Cerainly these works               Men zal  tech gereedelijk toestemmen, dat het punt
     are good as God has prepared them, but when they waarover strijd is  bier op neer komt: Van Christelijke
     leave me, when I have walked with them and they Gereformeerde zijde wordt geleerd in het Eerste Punt
     return unto God' to be written down in His bo~ok of der 1924 Synode, dat God zijn genade in Christus aan-
     remembrance, they are polluted by the sin that is ever- biedt, niet alleen aan de uitverkoomen, doclh ook aan
     present in my members. Our sins rise up against us de verworpenen die onder het gehoor van hRt Evan-
     prevailing day by day. God be merciful to me !                   gelie komen. Daar zijn we bet tech over eens. Daar
        Oh, there is only One who is definitely and beauti- gaat het over. Nu, als dit duidelijk is, dan zal men.
     fully religious. And that One is Jesus. Listen to tech inzien, dat het boven neergeschreven Schriftge-
     Him. He has come out of the great tribulation. `He deelte  daa;r tech geen grond voor kan zijn ! Want het
     comes back from hellish torment: "I will declare Thy Schriftgedeelte in kwestie beschrijft uitsluitend het
     Name unto My brethren: in the midst of the congre- heil in Christus  voor de uitverkoornen !                    (Tusschen
     gation will I praise Thee !" Ps. 22 :22.                         twee haakjes zij bet even gezegd, dat we natuurlijk
        And He did. And He does.                                      niet bedoelen te zeggen, dat er in de Schrift  andere
        Were it not for His perfect work of blessing Je- gedeelten zijn, die  zoel  grond geven voor het beruchte
     hovah, where would we be. In the midst of our                    aanbod van genade want het is onze overtuiging dat het
     tragedy, this is my comfort: Who maketh intercession nergens in Gods Woord geleerd wordt. Wat we  bedoe-
     for us. Unto Him who always heareth the voice of len  te zeggen met het bdvenstaande, is: Indien ergens,
     Christ. For His is the perfect praise.                           dan wordt hier  xcr  dwidelijk   juist het  tegenoverge-
         And He continues to teach us how to bless Jehovah.           stelde geleerd.)
     And when we cry and weep: Och, of nu al  wat in                     Vooraleer we eenigzins *dieper op de zaak ingaan,
     mij is Hem prees", then He comes and instructs us                zullen we even aantoonen, dat metterdaad het hier
     and places the songs of praise, mind you, His songs gaat over de uitverkoornen alleen. er staat in den
     of praise upon our lips and enthuses us unto the love tekst, dat God de wereld met Zichzelven heeft ver-
     of God. What uphill struggle.                                    zoend.    Dat deed Hij in Christus. Het wordt tot
         But He is Jehovah-salvation. He has the victory. twee malen toe eenvoudig als een voldongen feit ge-
     And He continues to gather and to instruct, until all constateerd. De wereld is met God verzoend ongeveer
     the saints shall be liberated from indwelling sin, until         1900 jaren  geleden  op Golgotha. Bovendien wordt er
     this world that now is shall be transformed into "the nog bijgezegd, dat hunne zonden (der wereld) hun
     good land".                                                      niet toegerekend zijn. Dus het heeft eeuwig uit met
                                                                      de zonde voor die wereld. De zonde en de schuld zijn
         Because their is a land that is fairer than day and niet toegerekend. Zij zijn weggedragen door Christus
     by faith we can see it afar. And when you arrive                 en zullen  ook tot in der eeuwigheid niet meer in het
     there, brother, when you shall stand in body and soul, gericht komen. De wereld waarvan hier sprake is
     liberated at the river of God. . . .  .then  the elder gaqt ten hemel in. Ze ligt door den zoen in Christus
     brother Christ shall sing His song of praise, blessing aan Gods hart vast. Zij is zalig, absoluut en eeuwig.
     Jehovah. And we shall sing the chorus.                           Nu vraag ik U in allen gemoede: hoe kan men nu van
         How unspeakably lovely !                                     dien tekst een grond maken  voor een aanbod van ge-
         "Als zij hun  wensch  verkrijgen!"                           nade voor allen  die onder het Woord komen?
                                                   G, V.                 Een ieder zal  moeten  toestemmen, dat indien deze


1      3     6                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
-111--"--^  ._,......111_  --.- --  -__-"--  -..._       ..^-               _-                   "_l^-.--_l_-".
            Deceptive And Dangerous                         danger in it than one might expect when the opponent
                                                            is never answered.
                                                                 The Banner editor refers in his editorial to the de-
     With the emphasis on both words.                       cisions taken at the Synod of the Reformed Churches
     That, to our minds, .is the case with the editorial
written in the Banner under the heading "Unrest in in the Netherlands held at Amsterdam last summer
the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands", from the as follows :
hand of the Rev. H. J. Kuiper.                                   "First: Common grace. A certain Rev. De Graaf
     The author is a well-known figure in his denomi- has been proposing a view on this subject which re-
nation, as well as in our own, and as such does not         sembles the negative attitude toward this doctrine by
need further introduction. The present editor in chief some of the former members of our own Church-an
of the Banner is best known to us and appreciated by        attitude condemned in the Three Points adopted by
our people for his stand against the modernistic ten- our synod of 1924.
dencies in re the teachings of Dr. Janssen. We do not            Second :         The multiformity of the Church. The
know in how far he was materially responsible for occasion of this controversy seems to have been the
the deposition of Janssen, but we do know that he           practical question of cooperation with Christians who
was at that time one of the few who made the well           are  affiliated  with another Church. One of the pro-
being of the churches an object of grave concern and fessors of the Free University, Dr. Hepp, defends the
with others tried to remedy the ailments and lead the view that the true Church is found even in com-
Churches in Reformed paths. He was one of the munions not holding the Reformed faith, while Dr.
editors of that militant magazine  The W&ess,  a paper Schilder, now professor at tne seminary at Kampen,
published with the aim to combat all the influences         is said to teach that the true Church is always Re-
of those days as they were championed by the men formed in essence.                         '
of Religion und 0.&~-e,  another magazine that with              Third :     Self-examination.         It is not a bad sign
7%~  l'Y&ess  has since long disappeared.                   that at least one of the points of dispute deals with
     We do well to refresh our memories historically,       the spiritual life. We hope spiritual living will not
so that we may know and understand the turn of suffer in consequence of the debate on this issue:
events and be greatly benefited thereby. Ever since must we examine ourselves whether the faith which
the struggle concerning Janssen and also his teachings we have is genuine faith or merely, as some contend,
many leaders changed fronts and Kuiper is one of whether it  is  healthy and fruitful. The latter hold
them. As soon as Janssen raised the cry that some           that all probing of one's own faith to determine
of his opponents denied the `doctrine' of common grace,     zchether  it  ,is'  genuine  not only fails to produce cer-
each one of the former writers of  The  ~itmss  became tainty regarding one's salvation; it is also a. denial
in their own way, instrumental to depose their former of the covenant relationship between us and God. Dr.
colleagues. Whether they are fully satisfied or some- Hepp calls this objectivism. Those who defend it
times feel the guilty pangs of conscience is of course would not agree, we suppose, with that part of the
a question not for us to answer, but it seems that beautiful and balanced work of Dr. H. H. Kuyper on
whereas never any sign of regret is shown, that they "Genadeverbond en Zelfonderzoek" (Covenant of Grace
are perfectly satisfied. , Kuiper writes in the editorial and Self-examination) which strongly urges every
we refer to: "Doctrinal controversies in the Church member of the covenant to prove himself whether he
are unavoidable and as a rule beneficial, at Ieast in       is in the faith.
the end. But they are also so severe a test of brotherlv         Fourth : The immorality of the soul. We know
love that one such controversy at a time is about all little about this issue but if we are correctly informed
a Church can stand." Well, the "brotherly" love in it has its roots in a statement, in a book on psychology,
the Three Points controversy did not stand the test by Dr. Water-ink of the Free University, to  thie effect
and Kuiper himself will admit that he, even today,..is      that man's soul js inherited from his parents but his
one of the dear brothers, who does not seem to be           spirit a direct creation of God.
willing to acknowledge us as Churches and does not               Fifth: The union of the two natures of Christ.
frankly admit the right of our existence. Whatever The issue here seems to center around the personality
is written by us is `High-hatted', our name is              of Christ in connection with his two natures.
never mentioned and the arguments never answered.                One of our exchanges lists a sixth issue, pertaining
And as a rule it is true that doctrinal differences are     to the covenant of grace.
beneficial, at least in the end, but pray, what is the           Some of the leading men in the Reformed Churches
benefit derived for  your  Church(es)  from the common speak of "differences of opinion" in connection with
grace controversy? What has the end brought  yoz~li         at least a number of the issues listed. Others believe
I know you cannot answer that ouestion and why de- that heresy is involved in some. Dr. V. Hepp is writ-
ceive yourselves and others ?         There is much more ing a series of five brochures dealing with five of


                                  T H E   ST.ANDARD   ` B E A R E R                                        137,
                                                               -.-_^ .-..._         --.-.__~-.
the controversial subjects. In diagnosing the situation serious enough to justify it in initiating action. *We
he speaks of radicalism, simplicism, originalism, and conclude from what we have read on the decision of
biblicism. Lack of historical appreciation, an  unap:     the synod of Amsterdam that the delegates felt this
preciative  attitude toward Kuyper and Bavinck, the was a case of periculum  in  wzora;  which means that
desire to be original and bring forth something new there would be "peril in delay." Emergency situations
(a criticism probably intended especially for Dr.  Schil- require emergency action in ecclesiastical as well as
der), and the desire to derive all of one's conclusions national affairs.
from a single idea-these are indicated as the causes        `We shall endeavor to give our readers more definite
of the "sickness" which is at present undermining information on the issues mentioned. above as soon as
the health  of  the Reformed Church. Thus Dr. V. we receive more of the literature that deals with these
Hepp analyses the situation in the first of the five matters."
pamphlets just mentioned, as quoted' by Dr. H. H.
Kuyper, editor-in-chief of De Heraut and emeritus pro-       I do not know to what an extent the churches across
fessor of the Free University of Amsterdam.               take' note of the Banner writings. The so-called tie
   Dr. H. H. Kuyper himself is deeply concerned about that binds the churches together seems to me not much
the situation. He makes the title of Dr. Hepp's series more than a friendly gesture, without much material
of brochures the subject of his article, using it without gain for either side. Judging from the editorial it
quotation marks. That title is:  Threatening  Deformu-    seems that the writer is not much interested himself,
tion  ("Dreig&e   Deform&e").  Dr. Kuyper is evi- when he says (fourth) that he knows little about the
dently well satisfied with the decision  of, the general issue of the immortality of the soul, (many things
synod to appoint a committee of seven men to report have been said about it in "De Reforniatie"). Careful
to the next synod on the views which depart from the reading leaves the impression  of a careless treating
prevailing opinions. He recognizes in them a "serious of the material he writes about. We refer to the com-
danger for our Reformed churches" and defends the parison of the first question (in re common  &race)
right and advisability of a public discussion of the and Kuiper thinks that the well meaning offer as con-
issues, as follows: "Though the synod of Amsterdam tained in the infamous Three Points is the bone of con-
`has assigned to seven -delegates, appointed for that tention in the Reformed churches in the Netherlands.
purpose, the task to advise the next synod on various He has the audacity to call common grace a doctrine,
doctrines or views pertaining to church doctrine, which a statement that needs correction. After  all a doctrine
conflict, according to an expression which is probably is always contained in the Confessions and is more-
unfortunate, with "the prevailing opinions" concern- than an addition, as is the case with the Points. My
ing what the Bible and Confession tell us, and has main objection is, that Kuiper, if he be honest, must
indicated several of these doctrines or dogmas which admit, that Common grace, as  he  conceives of it, that
are involved, this naturally does not mean that in the his theory is- something of his own invention  (The-
three years `which separate us from the coming synod, Three Points of Common Grace, by H. J. Kuiper), is
our press should have to be silent about these points no longer a matter of common, but of special grace.
of difference.    Synod has indeed rightly issued a Once more, the Three Points are an addition to the
serious warning, against such a polemic which is wrong Confessions and cannot be considered to be an integral
but has not disapproved it that questions, in so far part of the Confessions of the Reformed Churches.
as they are of a serious nature, should be discussed Besides, the Three Points are not in substance and in-
in the press. If only scientific questions, which are tent a  defence  of common grace, but rather of  u&-
discussed in the Schola, as the ancients put it, were vers& grace and thus a de&al  of the Reformed Stan-
concerned, exchange of thought concerning them could dards. It is with regret that I make this statement,
take place intra muros, inside of four walls. But since. but for the sake of the truth we must  point to this
they are theological issues, whose influence is spread fact. The truth of the matter is, that the men who
through brochures, the press, and in meetings, no one adhere to the pernicious statements as found in the
who recognizes in these new doctrines a serious peril Three Points, do not mean to teach common and special
for our Reformed churches can remain silent for three grace, but common grace at the expense of special
years and await the report of advisers and not con- grace and H. J. Kuiper in his book just mentioned,
sider it his calling and duty to sound a note of warn- provides the best proof. In his third `sermon' `The
ing even now."                                            good that sinners do' he denies the total depravity of
    Dr. Schilder of the theological school at Kampen, man.         After juggling with the words absolute de-
editor of  De  Reformatie,-   has a somewhat different pravity and  total depravity, he tries to make plain
slant on the matter. We refer to an article in which that absolute means absolute, and totally depraved,
he expresses his regret that synod took action on the does not mean tota.&  depraved. According to Kuiper,
matter when not a single overture requested action. depraved means "in the first place, that not only some
Evidently synod felt that the circumstances were but alE the powers of the human soul are corrupt: its


 138                                T H E   STA'NDARD   B E ' A R E R
                     __-..-.^_            ._I_            --"..-
thoughts, imaginations, feelings, intentions, volitions. true Churches are always Reformed in essence. Kui-
 There is nothing in man's soul which has not been per might take a hint here and ask himself the ques-
vitiated by sin. The pollution of sin extends to his tion, not whether some former members are essentially
entire being--it means, in the second place, that his Reformed (as was concluded in  1924))  but whether
 inmost heart is bad, Sin is rooted in the very core of the Protestant Reformed Churches are essentially so.
his soul. He is dead in trespasses and in sin-But the               The third issue referred to, we may pass by as it
sinner, as long as he is on earth, is not  absolutely  de- is self-evident that self-examination is always impera-
praved". The reader will agree that totally and ab- tive, both for the individual believer and the congre-
solutely are here freely used to make the real issue gation as a whole, and will have its place in the preach-
ambiguous. Kuiper argues that a total loss is not an ing of the Word and in the annual home-visitation
absolute loss. When placed before the question: What as a matter of fact.
is the value of the doctrine of common grace for saint              The fourth proposition presented is rather vague.
and sinner? The Rev. Kuiper answers "For one thing, The writer admits his ignorance, is, as he says, not
it should convince the sinner that God loves him, `has acquainted with the material under discussion and
gracious dealings with him, and sincerely offers him should therefore refrain from informing or writing
salvation in Christ-It also tends to the glorification about it. Besides, it is dangerous to touch upon such
of God. It enables us to see that even the superficial matters if one has no view of them himself. That
good which the sinner does is not the fruit of his own perhaps is the reason why four and five are separated,
heart".                                                     although they refer to the one and the same issue and
        If it was not so repulsive we would quote a little are written about by the same man, Dr. Waterink.
more, however, it is sufficient to say, that we know After reading the book we found it' instructive and the
what is meant by common grace and what the Three question whether man's soul is imherited from his
 Points contain as to intent and final purpose. Let us parents but his spirit a direct creation of God is an
at the same time assure Kuiper that the issue of com- issue that when taken in the affirmative may very
 mon grace never has been meant to be a contradiction well be called Reformed.
of special grace, especially not in the Netherlands.                Dangerous it is also to link the name of Dr.  Schil-
 The Banner editor deceives his readers when he says:       der with the complaint of lack of historical apprecia-
 "A certain Rev. De Graaf has been proposing a view tion, an unappreciative attitude toward Dr. Kuyper
 on this subject which resembles the negative attitude and Dr. Bavinck-and the desire to be original and
 toward this doctrine by some of the former members to bring forth something new. Even if this were true,
 of our own Church". The former members  first of all, the Synod held at Amsterdam, did not have in mind
 are not some, but many. In the second place, those to admonish some persons in their Churches, instead
 members belong to a denomination well known to it kept aloof from handling the situation, knowing
 Kuiper, and consist of about twenty-one Churches. there were no accusations brought to her attention,
 Kuiper knows also, that the real issue is not that of hence, no action could be taken. And besides, if there
 common grace, but of God's attitude toward the elect is a desire to be original and to bring forth something
 and reprobates, as well as, what is God's purpose with new, is -that not something to rejoice about, instead
 both when His Word is proclaimed. And the Banner to be lamented over? Are Kuyper and Bavinck the
 editor knows full well, that the issue thus stated, has last word in the old and the new world? Have they
 been discussed in various pamphlets and books and become the idols of the present century? Are their
were given a hearty word of praise and accorded works infallible? -Does the Holy Spirit also lead the
agreement after  they were  ,reviewed by the leading Church in the development of the truth? Let us be-
 me72  of  the Reformed Churches  .in the Netherlands. ware in speaking of unrest, those branded thus, are
Our readers know that we refer to the writings of Rev.      as a rule the men who labour faithfully, whose lives
H. Hoeksema, who treated these matters thoroughly. are dedicated to God's cause and who Iove God's people.
It is not true that the &sue of common grace, as pre-       And they are persecuted all through history and placed
sente.d by  K&per and others  amd decided  in  1924 outside of the church they so dearly loved. The Ban-
caused unrest in the churches abroad. The Banner ner promised to give its readers more definite  infor-
editor should take cognizance of these facts and pre- mation concerning the issues mentioned above. But
sent all of them to his readers. Let Kuiper translate let Kuiper beware and not make light of them, as he
his booklet and send it to the Churches abroad and          so easily does with us.
he will receive the answer that his conception of com-              Kuiper's place in his church demands $incerity  and
mon grace is an old issue settled in 161%`19  and re- honesty, especially when it come to the infamous
futed in the Canons of Dordt.                               theory (not doctrine) of common grace. And he can
    The second proposition concerns the multiformity make up his mind that his writings will be scrutinized
of the church and deals with the views of Dr. Hepp and although no answer might be given,nevertheless
and Dr. Schilder  of which the latter claims that the       the encl will finally reveal it.                     W.V.


                         .,.     I              TBE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                            x39
                                      .l_ll .-_.-- ^ ..-____-_-          __----
                                                                         purpose Christ came. He gathers His sheep. Says
 Gathering With Christ  Or Scattering He, "I am the kwod shepherd, and know my sheep,
                                                                         and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me,
                He that is not with me is against me, and                even so know I the Father; and I lay down my life
              he that gathereth not with me  scatteretll                 for my sheep. And other sheep have 1, which are not
              abroad.                                  -Matt.  12:30.    of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall
   These words of our Saviour imply that all men are hear my voice  ;  an'd they shall be one fold and one
gathering. Further,  the assertion permits of but two                    shepherd" (John 10).
possibilities and not a third. One is either gathering                        Christ gathers His sheep, those whom the Father
with Christ or without Him and this latter is equal to gave Him.                       Hence, He does not make it a point to
scattering. To be neither gathering with or without gather all men. He gathers His sheep by His Spirit
Him is impossible. Every man is engaged  t@ doing and His Word. This He may do because He loved His
one or the other. Such is the thought embodied in sheep unto death. Those who are gathered are grafted
this particular assertion of our Saviour. Christ did in Him, are known as .His body, the members of which
not say, He that gathereth not, scattereth, but He that are firmly united by the binding ties of love and faith.
gathereth not with me scatter&h. Hence, it is presup-                         Now there are those who gather with Christ, those
posed that all men gather. The issue is whether `one with Him, Christ's sheep, the redeemed of God. They
is gathering with Christ. It is no more possible not must also gather, that is their high calling. They do
to be gathering than to be neither for or against Christ. so by confessing Christ's name, by witnessing for the
Hence every man is either gathering with or without truth, by declaring the virtues of their God. That is
Christ as well as he is either for or against the Lord. their only calling in this life.                        '
   Let it be repeated that all men are gathering. Ac-                         But there are also others who gather, besides Christ
cording to this particular assertion of Christ the sum and those with Him. Satan and his brood are also
total of gatherers is constituted of two distinct groups. gathering. The devil has a kingdom, a house, consti-
This has already been noticed. The one group gathers tuted of those spiritually and ethically related to him-
with Christ, the other group gathers without Him self. Satan also delights in a well organized society.
and therefore is engaged in scattering.                                  That humanity has fallen apart is not according to his
                                                                         liking. Hence he is engaged in gathering. And in a
   Let us attend, first of all to the group gathering sense and to a degree he succeeds. He has a house,
with Christ. We shall face the following questions a kingdom. Even Jesus admitted this. He calls the
and situations : (1) This group gathers with Christ ; devil the prince of darkness. And this prince offered
(2) What is the meaning of the term gathering? (3)                        Christ His kingdoms, upon the condition, to be sure,
Who are they being gathered?                                             that Christ would pay him homage. And Christ did
   They gather with Christ. Hence Christ is also not deny that the devil has kingdoms. The groups
engaged in gathering. He is even the head and princi- of which he is the prince are the sworn antagonists
pal of the group so engaged. Those committed to His of God. How does Satan gather? Directly and through
cause gather, because He does so. They are active the instrumentality of his agents. Let us name some
in Christ and He gathers in and through them.                             of these agents. Satan gathers by means of the christ-
   Christ gathers The activity signified by the term less man and woman, by means of the christless philan-
gathering, presupposes a scattered and disintegrated thropic organizations, by means of the christless in-
group. This scattered group is none other than Hu- stitutions of learning, by means of the christless
manity,  t.he Human race.                  The group humanity is church, the christless preacher, the christless league
scattered, due to the fact that the members of this of nations, the christless public schools, the christless
group are by nature children of the devil, filled with parent-in short by means of any christless individual,
malice and hating God and the neighbor. Their throat movement, society or organization.
is an open sepulchre ; with the tongues they have used                        The devil and the world is not adverse to unity;
deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: their it loaths unity, order, and system in Christ.
mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Destruction                          By these various agents Satan is gathering. Is he
and misery are in their ways: the way of peace have actually gathering? Not according to Christ. In re-
they not known: there is no fear of God before their ality, says Christ, he is scattering. Every attempt
eyes (Rom. 3). Small wonder that the human race on the part of the devil and man to organize the scat-
is scattered. Each member of the group is repulsive tered forces of humanity does not only end in a dis-
to the other, and whenever interests clash there is                       mal failure; those so engaged are actually engaged in
a display of hatred. There are no spiritual ties bind- scattering. Through their efforts the breach is widen-
ing the members of this group together. These ties ed. Educate a sinner and you increase his capacities
were dissolved when sin made its appearance.                              for sin. Develop his talents and he begins to glory in
   Humanity  (chosen) must be gathered. For that himself. He then begins to look with disdain upon


 140                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
 lll_-_lll._l-                         __..-- .-111-.- -~                   "-           --_-..                  - -
the so-called underdog. Men thought to build a tower tions concerning the making of the utensils of the
of Babel and the attempt ended in their being scattered sanctuary and the construction of the candlestick, the
over the face of the world. While peace palaces are tabernacle proper, the brazen altar, and the court of
under construction, the potentates contemplate war.           the tabernacle. The opening verse of chapter 28 is
    There is `no real unity possible without Christ. He a command that Aaron and his sons with him be taken
who joins a christless organization (be it a labor from among the children of Israel "that he may minis-
union) is placing himself against Christ and engaged ter unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab
in making wider the breach between God and man and and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithmar. . . ." This command
between man and man. The very surroundings of the is followed by instructions respecting the making of
above scripture teach this, "When the unclean spirit the Highpriest's garments, the breastplate of judg-
is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places,          ment, the robe of the ephod, the golden plate to be
seeking rest: and finding none, he saith, I will return upon Aaron's forehead, and the garments for Aaron's
unto my house whence I came out. And when he sons. Next in order (chap. 29) are the directions for
cometh  he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth the sacrifice and ceremonies of consecrating the priests
he and taketh seven other spirits more wicked than and for the continual burnt-offering. The chapter
himself. And they enter in and dwell there; and the           closes with the promise, "And 1 will dwell among
last sta.te of that man is worse than the first."            the children of Israel, and will be their God. And they
    The above Scripture relates the outcome of a christ- shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought
less conversion. The  last state of the man is worse them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell
than the first. It also appears that the evil spirits        among them: I am the Lord their God." The instruc-
were delighted when they discovered that the man had tions of chapter 30 have regard to the altar of incense,
cleaned house. The devil loves clean, noble, refined, the ransom of souls, the brazen laver, the holy anoint-
educated, cultured but christless people. He loves to ing oil and the composition of the perfume. Chapter
dwel1 in their hearts. Convert the Christian school in- 31 sets out with the communication to the effect that
to institutions of social reform and you are helping Bezaleel and Aholiab have been called and made meet
the devil, and scattering humanity.                          for the work of the tabernacle. The last seven verses
                                               G. M. 0.      of this chapter (verses 12-18) closes the second code of
                                                             laws (comprised of the IegaI materials contained in
                                                             chapters 25 through 31). These seven verses are the
                                                             record of what Moses is to say to the people concern-
        The Law, System Not Disorder                         ing the Sabbath. The Lord's Sabbath they  shah keep,
                                                             for it is a sign between me and you throughout your
                                                             generations ; that ye may know that I am the Lord
    We were engaged in making plain that the--Mosaic that doth sanctify you."
system of legislation is not the  fruitage  of a blind
process of evolution, directed by accident and chance,           The verses 12-17 are not superfluous and out of
but a systematic whole, "an intended adjustment of place here. The repetition of the law upon which they
part to part, and of each part to the whole, a gradual turn-the law of the sabbath-finds its explanation
process and advance from the more fundamental and in the circumstance that the sabbath, that is, the keep-
simple to the more complex and specified detail."            ing of it, is one of the bonds of fellowship between
    We may now pass on to the second half of the Jehovah and His people, the other bond being the
legal material found in chapters twenty to thirty one tabernacle. As in the latter, the Lord by His glorious
inclusive of the book of Exodus. The covenant has presence gave expression to His resolve to be their
been established. The children of Israel by their God and to follow them by His mercy and love, so they,
declaration to the effect that "All the words which the the children of Israel, through their keeping His rest,
Lord hath said we will do" have been constituted Je- declared that they were disposed to adhere to His cove-
hovah's peculiar treasure. This having been accom- nant. It could be expected therefore that the com-
plished,  Moses again goes up into the midst of the munication of the instructions respecting the building
cloud, and gets him up into the mount, where he re- of the tabernacle would be followed by an emphatic
mains forty days and forty nights. And the Lord repetition of the law of the Sabbath. Needless to
speaks to Moses, saying, "speak unto the children of say, it does not now follow from this that the other
Israel. . .  .chap. 25  :l.    The section beginning with sacred institution  couId  be ignored and the other laws
t.his verse and continuing through chapter 31 is com- transgressed with impunity. He that confirmed not
prised almost exclusively of dire&ions for the making all the words of the law to do them was cursed. That
of the tabernacle. First the people must be told what the Sabbath was singled out as the covenant-sign finds
materials they are to offer for the work. Thereupon its explanation in the very character of this institution.
the pattern for the ark is given followed by the direc-      The faithful observance of the Sabbath was the highest


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                     141
                              - -
possible expression of love and covenant fidelity on make a covenant (that is, the Lord renews the cove-
the part of the nation as it consisted negatively in a nant that was broken and perpetuates it for His
cessasion of the ordinary pursuits of life and positively name's sake) before all thy people I will do marvels,
in being wholly occupied with the Lord, with His such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in
glories as seen in the face of all that He had done and    any nation: and all the people among which thou art
continued to do for His people.        It consisted-this shall see the work of the Lord: for it is a terrible
observance, in contemplating and appropriating by thing that I will do with thee. Observe that which I
faith God in His self-revelation and thus in drinking command thee this day. Behold, I drive out before
of the stream of grace that flowed from His throne. thee, the Amorite, and the Canaanite. . .  ."
To desecrate the Sabbath was thus to spurn the very           Immediately upon the making of this declaration,
fellowship of the Triune Jehovah, and to hold in con- the Lord resumes His revelation of law.  l?hc  COM-
tempt His salvation, to make sport of the very goal        munications now made may be regarded as forming
(resting with His people) to which He moves in the a distinct code of some fifteen verses (12-27 of. chapter
execution of His counsels of redemption.                   34).      Some radical critics aver (but not all. There
   As to this second code, how indisputably true that is no agreement of opinion here as to just how the
it could have been communicated at no other juncture. Mosaic system of laws should be dissected) that the
Consider that it represents the initial step, taken by section last specified is out of place in the connection
Jehovah, toward giving the covenant just concluded in which it stands in the Bible and originally stoood
a definite form and toward bringing into being the in- behind 20 :20 and 24 :l, 2. However, an examination
struments that were needed for the maintenance of the of this passage brings to light that it is in place exactly
covenant between the Lord and His people. This code where it now stands and that in any other position
forms the logical sequence of the one previously given. it could not at all be accounted for. Attend to the
It does so as the legal material contained in the latter content of this code.        It sets out with prohibiting
forms, as was shown, the basis upon which the cove- intercourse with the inhabitants of the land whither
nant was to repose.                                        the people of Israel go. The altars of those accursed
                                                           tribes shall be destroyed, their images broken and
   There now occurs another cessation of revelation their groves cut down ; for Israel shall worship no
of law, occasioned by Aaron's under a pressure brought other God (12-16) Verse 17, "Thou shalt make thee
to bear upon him by the people, making a golden calf.      no molten gods," is a clear reference to the golden
The people turn to this idol and declare that it is the calf. The remainder of this section (18-27) is a re-
deity by whom they had been delivered. The anger statement of the feast and of a few other laws, such
of the Lord is kindled. He requests Moses to let Him as the law of the weekly sabbath.
alone that His wrath may wax hot against them                 If we now compare this material with that con-
and that  He may destroy them in a moment. But in- tained in the book of the covenant, the discovery is
stead of leaving the Lord alone, Moses pleads for the made that with few variations the whole of it is found
life of the nation. He prayer avails. The Lord, (chap. in the book last named. The section, verses lo-17 of
33:1?-23) direct to His servants a speech plainly im-      chapter 34, is a restatement of the first two com-
plying  t,hat the great sin is forgiven. In agreement mandments of the  Decalogue  combined with a pro-
herewith He now takes steps to renew the covenant          hibition of a practice-intercourse with the Canaan-
that was broken. Moses is bidden to hew him two ites-that would without fail en,d in the transgression
tables of stone, like unto the first and to come up of these commandments. There is further almost a
in the morning unto Mount Sinai and present himself perfect agreement between the promulgation of the
there in the top of the mount. The Lord promises feast of unleavened bread in verse 18 and chapter
to write upon these tables the words that were in the 23:15. Verse 19 runs parallel to chapter  13:2, 12;
first table. Moses does as he was bidden. The Lord 20 to chapter 13 :13; 21 to 20 :9, 10; 22 to chapter
now descends in the cloud, and stands with him there 23 :16 ; 23 to chapter 23 :17 ; 25a to chapter 23 :18.
and proclaims His name. He assures His servant that                What now do these parallel passages bring out?
He will keep mercy with thousands of them that love        Exactly this, that in the code under consideration we
Him (His ill-deserving yet chosen ones, whom He have nothing but an abridged re-enactment and re-
forgives and takes to His heart as ever in the blood statement of the covenant-law, which means that the
of the covenant, but whom He will assuredly not act of Jehovah consisting in His communicating this
clear.) but will also visit the sins of the fathers upon code is to be regarded as the taking of another step
the children unto the third and fourth generation of toward the renewal of the covenant that had been
them that hate Him. The record of these events com- broken. The view here brought forward is in a very
prise chapters  32-34  :9.                                 actual sense taken from the very mouth of God. Said
    Having thus reassured Moses, the Lord next de- the  Lord to Moses (chap. 34  :I), "Hew thee two tables
clares (verses  IO and Xl of  chapt,er  32), "Behold  I of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon those


142                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
-.._-                __..- -^         "-"        -_          ---
tables the words  that  .zuer~e   *in,  the  first table, which sition in the place they occupy in the history of revela-
thou brakest." And again, "Write thou these words: tion is necessary. A second reason for this statement
for  after the tenor of these words I have  ma&e  a is that the revelation of these laws is the fulfillment
covant  ,,with  thee  UK&  with  isr&  (chap.34:27)." of a promise  m0zd.e  to Moses. The promise reads,
"After the tenor of these words. . .  ." Hence  these         (Exodus  25:21,  22) "And thou shalt put the mercy
words, previously communicated, are repeated, though seat upon the ark. . . . and there I will meet with
there be no formal re-statement of every particular. thee, and 1 will commune with thee from above the
What else can this mean than that this new covenant mercy seat, from between the two cherubims  which
reposes on the same basis as the old. That this might are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which
be  und,erstood,  it was necessary to repeat not the X will give thee in commandment unto the children of
entire content but solely the beginning and the end           Israel." In the first verse of chapter one of the book
of the law of the covenant, to wit, the first two com- of Leviticus, the Lord in agreement with this promise
mandments of the Decalogue and the feast-laws.  Deca- appears as calling to Moses and speaking to him out
logue  and feast-laws represent the whole content of of the tabernacle of the congregation-, speaking, com-
the book of the covenant. Herewith we have pre- municating to him all the laws found in the books of
sented at least one reason for their appearance in this Leviticus,  Numbers and  Deuteronomy. The state-
connection; the other reason being their `religious sig- ment, "And the Lord called unto Moses. saying. . . ."
nificance. All this evidence that the code with which occurs time and again. What proof that the entire
we now deal is indeed in place where it stands is             Pentateuchal code is of Moses by divine revelation
simply ignored by the modern critics.                         and that also the Levitical code in, particular occupies
    For the second time Moses, in his reception of the a fitting place in the Mosaic system of law!
above-named laws, is with the Lord forty days and                   There is still other evidence of this. The closing
forty nights, during which time he neither eats bread verses of chapter 7 show that the sacrificial laws con-
nor drinks water. Having completed the task of writ- tained in chapters l-7 (of the book of Leviticus) form
ing all the words spoken to him, he comes down from a distinct unit. These closing verses read, "This is
Mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in his the law of the burnt-offerings, of the meat-offerings,
hand (chap. 34 28, 29). At the first opportunity, he and of the sin-offerings, and of the trespass-offerings,
gathers all the congregation of the children of Israel and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of th::
together to impart unto them all the words that he had peace-offerings  ; which the Lord commanded Moses in
received from the Lord (chap. 35  :l). Because of Mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the child,
its great significance, the Sabbath-law is first repeated ren of Israel to offer their oblations unto the Lord,
(chap.  35:2, 3). Then follows the notice (verse  4)) in the wilderness of Sinai."               Now an examination
"And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the of this section  (chap.l-7) brings to light that it is
children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which general in its character, and that it confines itself to
the Lord commanded, saying. . .  ." The communi- the laying down of the more fundamental laws of
cations now made by Moses to the people are contained sacrificial worship. Consequently, it contains no state-
in the last five chapters  (35-40) of the book of Exodus merits' respecting the time for offering the sacrifices
and describe. the execution of what is contained in nor the number of animals to be sacrificed at the
chapter 30-35, to wit, the building of the tabernacle. various offerings. Then, too, the order in which the
In chapter 40 this structure rises before us as com- five sacrifices specified above succeeded each other in
pleted. Immediately the Lord sanctifies it by His pre- actual practice differed from their order in the  above-
sence and thus owns it as `His habitation, "Then a named chapters.                 The order in practice was: sin-,
cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the trespass-, burnt-, peace-, meat (cereal) -offering. These
glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses phenomena go to show that the section in question
was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation,      (chap. 1-7) calls for a more detailed legislation bear-
because the cloud abodt thereon, and the glory of the ing on the sacrifices. This legislation was also given
Lord filled the tabernacle (40  :35, 36)  ."                  and is found in the subsequent chapters of the book
   The legal material found in the book of Leviticus, of Leviticus and in the books of Numbers and Deu-
though it forms in its own compass a distinct code, teronomy.
is most intimately related both to the preceding and                So our discovery here also is that the position of
subsequent legislation in that. it takes up the develop- these first seven chapters of the book of Leviticus was
ment of the theocratic idea where Exodus left off determined by what precedes and follows. Their omis-
and carries it onward. The first seven chapters (l-7)         sion would leave a breach and their insertion at any
are comprised in the main of the laws for the burnt-          other juncture wouM disturb the systematic order of
cereal (meat)  -, peace-, sin-, and trespass-offering. The the whole.
comnleted  tabernacle calls for the communication of                The same holds true of chap. 8-10, which describes
precisely these laws at this very juncture. Their po-         the vesting of Aaron and his sons with the priestly


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        143
                                                     -         -
office. It is to be considered that the command that for sins thus atoned for under the necessity of putting
this  cffice these personages be set apart is found in chap. away sin. Holiness was the ever-recurring condition
28 of the book of Exodus and was thus already given of God's dwelling amongst His people. Now of this
at the same time with the directions for the building true holiness the discrimination against certain animals
of the tabernacle. Verse I of the aforesaid chapter as food, and those outward cleansings of the body
reads, "And takes thou unto thee Aaron thy brother were but the type. The body of laws that call for
and his sons with him, from among the children of these  engagments  are therefore imperfect and thus
Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's point to commands requiring this higher and
office. . . ." As the duty belonging to this office con- spiritual doing away of sins-commands that, as we
sisted in making atonement for sin, it naturally fol- shall see, are not wanting. Thus also of the instruc-
lows that the fulfillment of the above-cited command tions found in the chapter 11-15 it must be said that
had to be postponed until the laws concerning the they could not be accounted for if occurring in any
sacrifices had been communicated. On the other hand, other connection.
it could not have occurred later as the execution of these          Chapter 16 is comprised of laws that have regard
laws called for an officiating priesthood. The order to the service on the Day of Atonement. These
then in which these events were made to succeed each laws, too, are most intimately related to what precedes
other in the Pentateuchal code is: first, the command and follows and thus form a single link in the great
that Aaron and his sons be set apart for the priestly chain. The topics treated in this chapter are: the.
office ; then the communication of the laws concerning highpriest's entry into the holy place ; the sin-offering
the sacrifice ; and finally, the induction of the above-      for himself and for the people ; the scapegoat  ; the
named personage into the priestly office. How con-
spicuously correct,-this order!                               feast of the expiations. To see the relation between
                                                              the institution now' under consideration (the service
    We now pass on to chapter 11-15.  In these chapters on the great day of atonement) and the preceding
are contained the laws concerning uncleanness, purifi- legal material, regard must be had to the last section
cation and holiness. We find in this section the laws of this  sixteeth chapter (verses  29-33), "And this
respecting what animals may and may not be eaten ; shall be a statute for ever unto you : that in the seventh
the purification of women after childbirth; her offer-
ings for her purification.                                    month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict
                              Next in order are the laws your souls, and do no work at all. . . . For on that
and tokens whereby t.he priest is to be guided in dis- day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to
cerning leprosy, followed by the laws of cleansing the cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins
leper, the signs of leprosy in a house and the instruc-
tions for its cleansing.                                      before the Lord. It shall be a sabbath of rest unto
                            The final chapter of this sec- you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for-
tion deals with the uncleanness of men and women in
their issues and also contains the laws concerning ever. . . . And this shall be an everlasting statute
their cleansing.                                              unto you, to make an atonement for the children of
                                                              Israel for all their sins, once a year. . . ."
    The place that the above legislation occupies in the
great scheme of laws is most fitting, and is again                  Thus on the tenth of the seventh month, about
naturally and necessarily determined by what pre- the beginning of our October, atonement was made
cedes and follows. The theocratic organization, founded for all transgression, that  is,. for the entire years
as it was upon the laws contained in the book of the accumulation of  s.in. This plainly implied that the
covenant, and realized initially in the fulfillment of acts of expiation, made from time to time throughout
the laws respecting the tabernacle, the sacrifices and the year but imperfectly (as compared, of course, with
the priesthood, is here brought forward as to the the atonements made on the tenth of the seventh
fruits of purity and holiness which it was designed month) satisfied for the iniquities of the people and
to produce in a ceremonial and also as is evident that the people, despite its keeping of the laws of
from subsequent legislation in a spiritual aspect. Con- purification were still unclean. The further proof of
sider that what the laws  concernng the sacrifices and this was that they were not allowed to enter the im-
the priesthood, making atonement for sin-the laws mediate dwelling-place of God. The whole mass of
immediately preceding the instructions for ceremonial sins therefore had again to be brought forward and
purity-accomplished (symbolically) is the removal atoned for by a more perfect sacrifice,-a sacrifice
of the guilt of sin, that is, the justification of the that begot for the people the right and privilege to
penitent one. As the satisfaction and righteousness of go, through their consecrated representative-the high
Christ calls for the actual salvation of the elect, as        priest-behind the veil.      It means that this service
those whom He justifies in their hearts, He also im-          was, so to say, the concentrated essence of all the
powers to purify themselves even as He is pure, the sacrifices and was thus the most perfect representa-
laws concerning the sacrifices were and had to be im- tion of the atonement of Christ. How strikingly evi-
mediately followed by commands that placed him with           dent that also the laws of this service are in place


  144                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEA'&ER
 ~~..ll_-~l--..--.."._-                      -      -
 in the very position they occupy in the P*ent&eu&al         that fellowship His `glories as seen in the face of all
 code.                                                       that He as their Redeemer and  Saviour,  had wrought
     The next section to which regard must be had in their behalf and was all along doing for them. It
 -a section beginning with chapter 17 and continuing was thus to keep in remembrance Him as their God
 through Z-is comprised of commands that require             and Saviour that these solemnities were inaugerated.
 not a ceremonial but a spiritual doing away of sin.         The exercises on these assemblies were holy and con-
 We come upon the following topics. Of the blood of sisted in His people contemplating Him in His self-
 beasts; Of offering to devils. Eating of blood.  `Un-       revelation and in blessing His name. And of that
 lawful marriages. Sinful lusts. Of fear due to parents.     all-pervading sanctity and entire devotion to God of
 idols. Peace-offerings. Leaving the gleanings. Theft.       which the sacrifices and in particular the service on
 Perjury. Profanity. Cursing the deaf. Unrighteous the Day of Atonement was the meritorial source, and
judgment. Talebearing. Hating the brother. Love             the keeping of the laws of true spiritual purification
 of the neighbor. Carnality. Self-mutilation. Prosti-       the initial expression, these exercises were the highest
tution. Soothsaying. IIonour due to the aged. The and most adequate expression. How intimate then the
vexing of the stranger. Just weights and measures.          relation between the laws concerning these Meetings
 Of the giving of seed to Molech. Of going to wizards.      and the legal material that precedes! How plain that
Of sanctification. Of him that  curseth  his parents. also these laws are in place exactly in the position
Of adultery. Of inces,t  and sodomy.                        they occupy in the Levitical code!
    Between the above legal material and what pre-
cedes, there is again a most intimate coherence and             We now pass on to chapter 25. In this chapter
connection manifested. The laws concerning the sacri-       we come upon the following topics.. The oil of the lamps.
fices, the ceremonial purity, and the service. on the       The shewbread. Of `murder. The stoning of the blas-
Day of Atonement-the service that most perfectly phemer. As to the burning lamps and the shew-bread,
typified the sacrifice of Christ-having been revealed, they are the most significant representation of holiness.
the divine Lawgiver, God, now as it were, passes from And as to the laws of blasphemy and murder, what
the shadow to the body by communicating commands occasioned their promulgation was the blasphemy of
                                                            Shelomith's son.
that require of His people that they reveal the true
spiritual fruits of the atonement through eschewing            Chapter 25 is comprised of laws concerning the
evil and loving righteousness. And this call for holi- sabbath of the seventh year; the jubile ; oppression ;
ness and righteousness comes in chapter 21 to the           redemption of land and of houses; compassion of the
priest with double force. The topics of this chapter poor; and redemption of servants. The position of
are: Of the priest's mourning. Of their holiness. Of this legal material is again entirely fitting. By these
their estimation. Of their marriages. Of priests that laws the existence and the continuance of the Israelitish
have blemishes.                                             commonwealth was insured in that these laws per-
    From the laws concerning spiritual holiness, the petuated the initial equal division of property among
Lord                                                        all its members.
          now  communicates His laws concerning His
feasts, or holy convocations. This legal material is           The  Iaws for the Sabbath-year and the year of
found in chapter 23.                                        jubile closes the main body of  Sinaitic  legislation.
   ,The connection between the previous laws and those The Levitical Code is formally closed by chapter 25,
concerning the feasts becomes manifest, when regard in which the people are urged to faithfully keep the
be had to the character of the latter. The name feast. laws of their God and assured that their obedience will
is not appropriate. It leads to a mistaken idea even,       be crowded with blessing. Disobedient, they will be
to the idea that the above-mentioned solemnites were overtaken with God's curse. The final section of this
the occasions of a more or less carnal, worldly, merry- chapter is even a prediction of Israel's coming apostacy,
making and sport. The name which is used to signi-          Babylonian exile and subsequent return to God's  coun-
fy the entire series is  moadeem,  meaning  ~meetiw.        t-ry. Finally, there is an underlying unity between
What the true character of these solemnities was, may the Covenant-law (Ex. 20-23) and Leviticus. Both
be known exactly from the last clause of the second last of all make provisions for the feasts and sanction
verse of chapter 23, which reads, "Concerning the these with special promises. The final chapter of  Le-
meetings (meetings is the original term here, not viticus (chap, 27) treats of vows. It was in all  likli-
frrtst) of Jehovah on which ye shall call convocations      hood the non-obligatory character of these services
of holiness (holy convocations). Even these are my that caused the promulgation of the laws concerning
meetings". Thus the feasts were religious as to char- them to be made outside the main body of laws.
acter. They consisted in the people assembling with            .A concluding remark. What we have thus far dis-
the Lord, to present themselves before Him as one covered in this Mosaic legislation is not,  chaos but
body. The purpose was to bind themselves anew in harmonious unity and system,
covenant fellowship with Him and to contemplate in                                                     G. M. 0.
                                                                                          ,.  4,  -


