486                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                i
                                                                      -        -
                                                          later there had been four! Walking freely in the midst                       1
       The Golden Image Of Daniel Or                      of the fire! And the form of the fourth was like the                          f
            Deliverance Through Fire                      Son of God! Is it strange that the king was impressed?                       1
                                                          Had he not boasted, "Who is that God that shall de-                          B
   Daniel 3 is the narrative of a marvellous  manifesta- liver you out of my hands?" Now the impossible had                            1
tion of faith. Shadrach, Meshack  and Abednego dared happened. Therefore he burst forth in these words                                 1
to "change the word" (vs. 28) of the world's mightiest of praise. Proof again, that the godless world-power                            ii
monarch.      Braving every consequence they refused also must and shall bow in forced adoration before                           ;
to heed the precept to "fall down and worship the the greatness and omnipotence of the God of hosts.                      -  1.
golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set           History repeats itself, also that of Daniel 3. The                    ;:
UP" (vs. 5), even though the injunction was accom- golden image and the blazing furnace are present  1:
panied by the dreadful threat: "whoso  falleth not down throughout the ages. But, thanks to God's grace, also                     i
and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the the faith of the elect and the certain deliverance of the
midst of a burning fiery furnace" (vs. 6). Unbounded saints have been and shall be throughout the history                         ti
f&h !  Marvellous  trust ! The God of their fathers of the world, until the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ                        I
could deliver them.     They expected that He would shal be redeemed in glory,  -  saved  through fire!
save them, if not from the oven, then certainly out of
it. "But if not",  - if they must die, the king must                       THE GOLDEN IMAGE.                                 i
know that they "will not serve his gods nor worship          "Nebuchadnezzar the king, made an image of gold."               i ;
the golden image that he has set up".                        Regarding the image as such, three things may be                     ;
   Daniel 3 is the history, too, of a miraculous de- noted. It was a  grave image. Its height was three-                     i
liverance in the way of that faith in God. The Om- score cubits and its breadth six cubits. According  I
nipotent One did reveal His power. It was not His to more familiar terminology, therefore, the  dimen-                            ;
pleasure to deliver the three friends from the fire. sioiis of the image were ninety by nine feet. Secondly,                      i,
His way was more glorious! He saved them out of it was an image of goZd. This need not imply that we                              j'
the furnace. So perfect, in fact, was His deliverance, must conceive of the image as a solid mass of gold.                        :
that, whereas the executioners were scorched to death It was quite probably overlaid with gold. However  !
at the mouth of the furnace, the fire had no power this may be, it was a most sumptuous  a"ffair. Thirdly,                        /
whatever upon the bodies of Shadrach, Meshach and according to the word here used, the image `was cast                       i
Abednego. Not a hair of their head was singed, nor into a perfect human form. In that case the dimen-                        i.
had the smell of fire passed on them. Miraculous de- sions  wonlad be entirely out of proportion. Tradition i
liverance!     Why? Because they trusted in God ! ussures us that we must conceive of a human bust upon
(vs. 28). Nay, not because  they  trusted in God. Their a pillar of gold.
strength lay not in themselves. Rather, because they         Of greater significance is the question: what did               [;
trusted in God! .                                         this  collossal image of gold represent? What did they,            1:.
   The king himself was deeply impressed. "Then who prostrated themselves before this image, actually                             :
Nebuchadnezzar spake,  and saifd, Blessed be the God worship ?
of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, whu hath sent             Various answers are given to this question. Some                ('
His angel, and delivered His servants that trusted in reply, that this image was a visible representation of                 I
Him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded Bel, the god of the Babylonians, and that it was erected                  i
their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship as a symbol of gratitude to this heathen deity for the                   i
any god, except their own God. Therefore I make victories he had granted. In this case the image was                         :
a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which dedicated as a perpetual memorial and sanctuary of  i
speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Bel. Others opine that the image symbolized  Babylon's                     ;
Meshach and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and world-power. Babylon dominated the entire world. It
their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there was a nation characterized by tremendous power and                      li
is no other God that can deliver after this sort". No, wealth. Of that world-power then, this image  wcas !:
the monarch had not experienced a change of heart. the visible symbol. By worshipping the latter men  :
History proves this conclusively. Had he not previous- made obeisance to the former. Still others regard this                `,
ly burst forth in words of admiration for the God of goladen  image as the symbol of Nebuchadnezzar himself.
Israel? (cf. chap. 2 27). Yet, those words were fol- Was he not the mightiest of the mighty?
lowed by the history of this third chapter. And again,        TV my mind the solution to this question must be
this doxology is succeeded by the terrible humiliation sought in a combination of all the factors mentioned in I
of  chapt,er  4. Nebuchadnezzar was temporarily im- the previous paragraph. Not one of these is indicated
pressed. He had been witness to a mighty miracle. specifically as being the thing symbolized. It is most
Had they not cast three men into the fire? Bound? probable that Babylon's god, Babylon's  empi;re and  i
Into a fire seven times hotter than usual? A moment Babylon's king are together the answer to our yues- ;
                                                                                                                    .'


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        487
                                                                                                            I--
tion. It is entirely reasonable to assume that Babylon and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth
as a world-power is represented by this image. Was as the mouth of a lion ; and the dragon gave him his
Babylon not the golden head in the first dream of power, and his seat, and great authority." Rev. 13:2.
Nebuchadnezzar? And is it not likely that the idea "And it was given unto him to make war with the
of this image was borrowed from that dream? How- saints, and to overcome them ; and power was given
ever, Babylon as empire is not to be separated from him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations:'
its king, so that if the image represents the kingdom it Idem:?.  All men will worship him. "And all that
must also represent the king. The two are in a sense dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names
identical. `Whatever Babylon is, it is because of the are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain
king. He is the absolute sovereign over all; ib is the from the foundation of the world."  Idem:8. This is
embodiment of his wisdom and prowess.           That the not the time to elaborate on this vital subject. Never-
monarch himself identified the two  is apparent when theless, it must be plain that the Antichrist will be the
he says in chapter 4330, "Is not this great Babylon, ultimate manifestation of Nebuchadnezzar and his
that I have built for the house of thy kingdom by the world-power and hence also of the essence of this
might of' my power, and for the honor of my majesty?" golden image.
Scripture itself identifies the two when it says to the       That Antichrist will in the lit,eral  sense of the word
king in chapter 2:38, "Thou  art this head of gold." make an image of itself. It is not apparent precisely
Consequently, any representation of the kingdom must how we must conceive of this image, which in its day
at the same time represent the king. Finally, that this will fill all the earth. .The following, however, is the
image symbolized Babylon's god is beyond contradic- plain teaching of Scripture. The. second beast, the
tion. This is plain from the words of the king, "and Antichrist from the spiritual-ethical, intellectual, pro-
yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor phetic point of view, will do great signs and wonders,
worship any god, except their own God." In brief, even "making fire come down from heaven on the
this golden image symbolized the power, the leaders, earth in the sight of men." By means of those mighty
the gods of the world in distinction from the' God of miracles that second beast wil deceive the people that
heaven and earth.                                          dwell on the earth to worship the first beast, the Anti-
   Thus we readily perceive that and how this same. christ from the political point of view. By means of
image exists throughout  the ages of the world. Not, of those wonders that second beast furthermore deceives
course, in the same form as in the plain of Dura. the people to make an image of the first beast. He does
There is not always a golden image in the literal sense not make the image himself. He deceives the people of
of the word. The  essense  of the image, however, is the earth by means of his wonderful power to make
always present. At times it concentrates itself in cer- that image to the first beast. The purpose of that
tain outstanding personalities. We are reminded of image will be, that the people, shall worship it and
a Caesar Augustus, a Nero, a Napoleon Bonaparte and thereby worship the beast. Moreover, that second beast
others, some of whom have actually commanded images will have the power to give life unto the image and
of themselves to be made to be worshipped by the ever cause it to speak, in order that all who refuse to wor-
willing masses. Their duplicates are existent in our ship the image of the beast may be killed. In short,
own day, men who virtually make of themselves gods a more terrible image will be made than the world has
to be served. Do not recent reports inform us that ever known, a speaking image, capable of accusing the
Hitler is acclaimed in Germany as the very Son of people of God who refuse to bow the knee in adoration
God, and that faithful Germans now die "in the faith of the beast.
of Hitler"? Constantly, however, the  essense  of this                   THE FIERY FURNACE
image is contained in all the things of the world, its
might and wealth, its honor and glory, its great and          The command of the mighty Nebuchadnezzar is
noble.    The golden symbol is no more. The world issued. The king sent to gather all the nobles of the
power with all it implies, however, remains.               land, "the princes, the governors, the captains, the
   The consummation of  the ages will produce the judges, the treasurers, the  counsellors,  the sheriffs,
consummation of this image also.                           and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the
   The Antichrist is developing rapidly toward his dedication of the image." Among those, whose pre-
final manifestation. That Antichrist as he is to come sence was enjoined, were also the three friends of
will not be  ,a mere person  or group of persons, although Daniel,  Shadrach,  Meshach and Abednego. By means
a person or committee will undoubtedly stand at its of a herald the monarch commanded "that at what
head. As every kingdom has its king so also this em- time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, sackbut,
pire will have its head. The Antichrist is the world- psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye shall
power in its ultimate development and highest possible fall down and worship the golden image that Nebu-
manifestation. That Antichrist will have great power. chadnezzar the king hath set up." (vs. 5). The  corn:
"And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard,        mand was accompanied by the most terrible threat:


488                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                             "-__--                                      -..-._--^_                 Y----P
"and  whoso falleth not down and worship&h shall Note how the foe  himseIf  must cooperate in making the
the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning miracle of deliverance as glorious as possible. Indeed,
fiery furnace." (vs. 6).                                  they "changed the word of the king, and yielded their
       The three friends refused to comply with the king's bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any
decree. They signify their refusal in the  first place other god, except their own God."
when they remain standing while all the other guests          Principally this is the way of all history. Through
bow down-and  worship the golden image. They refuse all the ages there is that same command of Nebuchad-
again in their courageous and unequivocal answer to nezzar, the world, Satan: Serve me, seek me, honor me,
the king himself. Certain jealous Chaldeans accuse the worship me, follow me, - or die! Die politically! Die
three friends before king Nebuchadnezzar, envious, socially ! Die physically ! And always there is the
undoubtedly of the exalted  pilace Daniel's three friends same duty of the church of Jesus Christ to reply un-
occupied in the kingdom. The king was inclined to conditionally, "If it be so, our God Whom we serve is
grant the recalcitrants an other opportunity to re- able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace. . . .
store themselves to the favor of the king. The devil But if not, be it known unto thee, that we will not
does not desire the death of the saints first of all.     serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which
Therein does not lie his victory over the Almighty. thou hast set up." We may not seek numerous ex-
His desire is that God's children shall worship and cuses as we are so inclined to do. Think, e.g., of the
serve him, and he kills only when he is frustrated in lame attitude of many Christians toward our present
this purpose. To that proposal, however, they reply worldly labor organizations. We concede that they
in these wonderful words, "If it be so, our God, Whom are wrong, that they breathe the* spirit of the anti-
we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery christ, that their principles and methods and purposes
furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, 0 are in conflict with the plain teachings of Holy Writ.
king. But if not, be it known unto thee, 0 king, that But, - we must live; we must eat and drink ; we must
we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden support our families; we need not sacrifice our lives
image which  t.ho,u  hast set up."     (vss. 17, 18). An for these principles. Friends, our calling is to take
absolute choice it was. They do not waver. They sug- an unequivocal stand, whatever the consequences may
gest no compromise. They make no concessions. If prove to be. The question is never: what is the price
such excuses are ever permissible, they certainly could of godliness? It is solely: what is God's way? Be-
have remonstrated : but we must live ; or, it is a matter sides, what glory and victory is ours if we are faithful
of life and death ; or, we shall bow before the image to a principle only as long as no danger threatens or
outwardly only, but in our hearts we shall remain no sacrifice is involved? Our victory ,lies in the way
faithful unto our God. Instead they reply in the most of sacrifice and faithfulness  unto death. Moreover,
imequivocal terms. Why? Were they simply indiffer- utility considerations never alter principles.            what
ent to life and naturally fearless of fire? Certainly is sinful when no  dunger threatens is  also  si@uI  when
nut! The Christian's stand is never motivated by such our Lives  ure involved. ,4nd always there is the same
an attitude. Were they merely obstinate and was it punishment, the fiery furnace, persecution, ostracism,
but a matter of maintaining themselves as Jews  over- suffering, death.
against this  Chaldean domination. Not in the least!          These things, too, will be  consumated  at the end of
Theirs was not a mere patriotic gesture. Were they time. Antichrist, Nebuchadnezzar in his ultimate mani-
possibly fanatics  *who aspired to the crown of martyr- festation, will command as he principally always does :
dom and invited such a death even where it was un- Bow before my image, before me, before the dragon,
necessary to do so? Indeed not ! Neither were they - or die! Then, too, a remnant will be faithful unto
motivated by some superstitious conviction that by the Name of the Lord. Many, whom we know now
some divine intervention the threat of the king would as Christians, will in that day fall away and pay ho-
never be executed. No, they believed in God ! He mage to the image of the beast. Indeed, let us watch
could and would deliver them. And if not,  - they and pray that we fall not into temptation! Brethren,
would die before they yielded for even one moment.         who consider yourselves justified in affiliating your-
       The punishment was inflicted. Every possible pre- selves with organizations that are so plainly of the
caution was taken to make death swift and sure. The world, spiritually out of the realm of darkness, merely
furnace was heated seven times more than it was wont because some of the luxuries of life or even a position
to be heated. So exceedingly hot was the fire, that may be at stake, what will you do when it actually
the executioners were burned to death in the very act becomes `a matter of life or death. Continuing on your
of hurling the three friends into the furnace, as the      utility basis you will inevitably bow; bow before the
enemy is always destroyed in the very act of persecut- image of the beast as you now do in principle ; bow be-
ing the people of God. The strongest men of the army cause it pays and means self-denial and deprivation
were selected to bind the victims in all their clothing to do otherwise. Those will be days of purification
and cast them into the oven of the wrath of the world.     for the church militant. God's people, however, will


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                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          489
       -                     .-
       stand. They  wil'l refuse to worship the image or  r+            "Ruthless, they have slain Thy servants, They
      ceive `the sign of the beast. And their reward will &:                have caused Thy saints to mourn,
       the fiery furnace, persecutions such as the world has            "In the sight of all about us, We endure re-
       never yet known. The speaking image will expose the                  proach and scorn."
       saints. The power of Antichrist will hound the faith-            However, God "Delivers His servants, who trust
       ful unto death.                                               in Him," and always so that not a hair of their head
                       DIVINE DELIVERANCE.                           is singed. This does not mean that  Dur bodies will
                                                                     not suffer. Physically the worship of the true God
          God, however, will deliver His  ser\.ants.                 may lead to death, God's deliverance is spiritual. The
          He may now deliver them. from the fire.                    new creature in us will not be harmed. God's work in
          This was not God's way with Shadrach, Meshach us will survive. No one will separate us from the love
       and Abednego. They were indeed cast into the flames. of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord.
       Neither did they act as they did because of a con-               In fact, also the fire of affliction must cooperate
     '  viction that God would never permit them to be cast toward'  our good. The fire is the Lord's as we11 as the
       into the flames.                                              deliverance. In the way of fire our salvation was
          It is not the rule of life that God's way always merited in Jesus Christ according to the counsel and
       leads away from the fire. This is not true of daily will of God. In the way of fire every child of God
       life. The pious  (?) contention is frequently made, is delivered personally. We are led through God's
       that a man is never put to shame if he serves the Lord,       fire in order to attain unto God's deliverance. That
       that it pays to serve God also from a natural point of fire condemns Nebuchadnezzar and destroys the  king-
       view, that the Lord always effects deliverance and that *dam of darkness. It  ,prepares  the saints for the day
       every penny we give toward Kingdom causes is always of the coming of the Lord, separating from sin and
       doubly refunded in this life. This is certainly not the world and flesh, and causing-them to seek the  thmgs
       thrust of this passage, nor is this contention true of that are abiding. Through fire Jehovah prepares for
       life. I submit, that it more frequently doea   noE pccy to glory according to the measure of suffering the saints
       serve  the Lord  con..si&mtly.    From a merely carnal were forced to endure. Reward according to work !
       viewpoint I advise: Serve the beast and worship his Glory according to suffering! Crown according to
       image. Neither will the way of the Lord lead away cross !
       from the fiery furnace in the last days. That Chilias-           Thus the saints have comfort indeed. In this light
       tic dream will never be realized. Premillenarians are is is glorious to suffer with Christ, to be mocked,
       daily awaiting the rapture of the Saviour, Who must ostracised,  killed by the world. Certainly, according
       return before the great tribulation in order to deliver to the flesh we fear suffering. Nevertheless, unsolicited
       the faithful from those terrible persecutions. A dan- suffering for Christ's sake is glorious. "For unto you
       gerous doctrine this is as well as a vain dream, for it it is given  in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe
       encourages a false hope and gives the church a false on Him, but also to suffer for His sake." Phil. 1229.
       sense of security, whereas Zion should prepare herself Why? Because of the crown prepared for us! In this
       for the evil day so certain of realization.                   light, too, we are assured of our perfect deliverance.
          Jehovah delivers through fins.                             In this life God preserves us, whatever the way may
          Thus it was with the three friends, "The Lord sent be. Soon the glory will be ours that God has laid away
       His angel." What a testimony for king Nebuchad- for them who fear him. Thus we may rejoice, now and
       nezzar ! How plainly divine was this deliverance ! Yet forever :
       the king did not turn from his evil way. What a com-                 "Een net belemmerd' onze schreden ;
       fort for the people of God ! God always sends His                    "Een enge bang hield ons bekneld ;
       angels, t.hose ministering spirits sent out for the sal-             "Gij liet door heerschzucht ons vertreden ;
       vation of the elect. They walk with God's people even                "Gij gaaft ons over aan  `2; geweld ;
       in the midst  0.f the blazing furnace. By means of this              "Hier  scheen ons `t water te overstroomen,
       angel Jehovah delivered His servants, even so, that                  "Daar werden wij gedreigd door `t vuur,
       net a hair of their head was singed.                                 "Maar Gij deed ons `t gevaar ontkomen,
           God's  way is ever thus.                                         "Verkwikkend ons  ter goeder uur."
           That the Christian's path does not lead  awaY from
       but                                                                           CHILDLIKE TRUST.
               through  the fire is plain from all Scripture. Cf.
       Matth. 24 :6-9 ; John 15 20 ; John 16 $3 ; etc., Through-        Because they trust in God!
       out history the words of the poet are realized:                   Therefore these three friends were delivered. What
           "In Thy heritage the heathen, Now, 0 Lord,                a marvellous trust was theirs ! It was a time when it
                  triumphant stand  ;                                seemed wellriigh as if there was no God in heaven
           "They  defile  Thy holy temple, They destroy thy          to worship. The covenant people had been led away
                  chosen land ;                                      into captivity; the city of God had been laid in ruin;

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

the cause of God's covenant seemed utterly hopeless.
If ever there was cause for despair it was then. More-                          Ingezonden
over, was not this worship of the image for them a
matter of life and death? A terrible death stared             Geachte Redakteur  :-
them in the face ! If ever there was reason .to bow           In uw schrijven over bet geschil tusschen Dr. Vol-
the knee before the god of this world, they had it. lenhoven  en Dr. Steen zijn er twee  dingen, die mij
Yet they maintained their trust in God. And in the troffen waanclp  ik gaarne zou wijzen in uw blad.:
way of that trust they were delivered. Not because            In de eerste  plaats  trof mij uwe concessie  aan
they  trusted in  (5dd  ! Rather, because they trusted Dr. Steen: De mensch is geen duivel geworden. Dr.
in  Go&l They clung to Him. They chanced it with Steen bedoelde, naituurlijk, dat de mensch niet boos
Him. They and their God, their cause and His cause, geworden is zooals de duivel.
were one. For His own Name's sake He had to de-               Ik  meen,   dat die  concessie zonder  nadere  toelich-
liver.                                                     ting niet gemaakt moet worden.
       In the way of such trust also our deliverance is       De fout ligt natuurlijk bij Dr. Steen  ,daarin, dat
sure. Trusting in God is a marvellous grace-. Then hij niet  va*n de Schriftuurlijke leer in  dezen   uitg&
we do not regard outward circumstances, however ter- maar het woord een populairen inhoud geeft en er dan
rible they may be. Then we cast ourselves wholeheart- een argument van maakt.
edly upon the Lord. Then we are positive:                     Dezelfde verkeerde beduiding  ligt  oak  altcos  in
          "Maar  de Heer zal uitkomst geven ;              het woord zooals het gebruikt  word in dien dooddoe-
          "Hij die `s daags Zijn gunst gebiedt;            ner, die wij  bier al 15  jaren  gehoord   hebben. De
          " `k Zal in dit vertrouwen leven,                mensch is, immers geen duivel geworden. Dus God
          "En dat melden  in mijn lied."                   was d&n gevallen (mede den verworpen) mensch ge-
       Then we are one with our God and His cause is nadig.
our delight. In this way our defeat would be God's            Doch let wel, dat naar die populaire beduiding van
defeat and our shame would be His shame. If my child het woord ook de duivel geen "duivel" is geworden,
clings to me for protection and care it is my shame if d.i., ook hij is niet geworden een razend, schuimend
harm befalls him. And God maintains Himself. He schepsel, dat  overal  waar hij maar kan  een chaos van
did so in the Son of His love. He does so in all His       verwoesting  en vernieling aanricht. Om een zeer duide-
children and they  are more than conquerors through lijk beeld te gebruiken:  waarom  zou de aartsvijand
Him Who loved them.                                        van God de schepping, die zijn eigen werkplaats is
       Trust in the Lord !                                 vernielen of - waarom zou hij b. v. een universiteit
       Look away from yourselves !                         waar, onder den naam van Theologie, het kruis van
       Chance it with Him !                                Ghristus  veracht en  bespot wordt  willen  verwoesten
       And God will take care of you.                      en vernielen?
                                                 R. V.        Naar de populaire beduiding van het woord is ook
                                                           Satan geen "duivel".
                                                              Maar als w*ij nu het woord in zijn Bijbelsche be-
                                                           teekenis nemen, kunnen wij maar niet zoo even zeggen
                          NOTICE                           dat de mensch geen duivel is geworden.
                                                              Reeds Gen. 3 :15 noemt de mensch het zaad der
       The  -4nnual  Meeting of the R. F. P. A., will be slang. Jezus zegt gij zijt uit uwen Vader  den duivel,
held Thu.rsday,  September 23, at 7:45 o'clock, in the     (Joh. 8 :44), en Johannes onderscheidt tusschen kinde-
basement of the First Protestant Reformed Church, ren Gods en des duivels, (I Joh. 3 :7-10).
aorner  Fuller Ave., and Franklin St. Agents will be          En ook is dit niet overdrachtelijke  taal want zooals
on hand at 7:45 to receive member&ip  fees and sub- de zonen Gods de (niet  wezen  maar) natuur Gods deel-
scriptiions.  The board made the following nomination achtig worden,  zoo worden  de ongeloovigen  de natuur
for Board members:                                         des duivels deelacht,ig,  (Ef. 2 :2-3).
                                                              Als de Schrift,  overigens  spreekt van de brieschende
          Rev. R. Veldman, (Roosevelt Park)                leeuw, dan he& hij dat als zielenmoordenaar en niet
          Mr. M. Gritters, (Creston)                       als verwoester der schepping in het algemeen.
          Mr. B. Woudenberg                                   En dat hij in  bet  einde   we1 blijkt  te zijn een
          Mr. Ralph Schaafsma                              vreeselijke  verwoester en verstoorder kan eveneens
 ".       Mr. F. Pype                                      van den zondigen mensch gezegd worden,  Rom. 3 : 15-16.
          Mr. Al Wychers                                       Daarom is die concessie  niet juist.
       The Board has asked Rev. H. Hoeksema to give us                             -          -
,a short speech.
                                                 Sec'y.        Mijn itweede opmerking is meer in den vorm van


492                                        `TN-E..  STA,N:DARR,   SEA,RER

steeds meer in een chaos en dus in haar tegendeel ver-           We therefore wish to warn our young folks to be-
keert.                                                        ware of this great danger, to constantly be spiritually
  "Als  funetie  van het menschelijke leven met heel sober, vigilant  an'd to never lend ear to  this damnable
dat leven door de zonde van God vervreemd, deelt de heresy, the Pelagian-Arminian lie !
log&he  activilteit  ook in Zijne genade. En  wanneer            But shall they be able to stand fast, to never give
ze, bij voortgezette bekeering uit de  H,eilige  Schrift      way they must be equipped for the battle of the truth.
telkens  meer   licht  ontvangt  ook over de  verscheiden-    The truth that we love  must be understood. Not
chedeniin  den kosmos, dan is ze niet `abstract', en nog merely must they know what they must believe. For
minder  `formeel', maar dan roemt ook zij ,in de beer- in the mere negative there is no power of conviction.
lijkheid der  kinderen  Gods".                                For the strength  .of conviction is always a positive
       Ik meen,  dat in bovenstaande paragrafen Ds. Petter stand, The man who is not strong in the knowledge of
we1 een antwoord  kan vinden op zijn vraag.                   the Scriptures, never can remain standing in the midst
                                                  J-T. H.     of the whirlpool of the erroneous and divergent preach-
                                                              ing of our, day. He never is nor shall be a pillar in
                                                              the Church of our God in the midst of this world. And
                                     is                       the command of God is: Young men be strong!
                                                                 Only by positive knowledge of  the truth of the
              The Proper, Perspective                         Scriptures, can we be exercized  in the Word, and use
                                                              it as the sword of the Spirit to lay low the enemy.
                             II.
       In our former article under the above heading, we
called attention to the necessity of ascertaining the
proper perspective of  .repentance-prea&ing  in Holy             Therefore we wish to place the positive proper,
Writ. This, we saw, is necessary primarily because Scriptural perspective before you. We are in the last
of the nature of the subject itself. Only when we see instance only interested in the positive Scriptural per-
this truth of God in its proper setting and place in spective of  repentanc'e-preaching  in Holy Writ.
the whole of God's counsel, will we be able to begin             Speaking of the Scriptural perspective we do not
to study it; and will thus bring us nearer to the have  in mind a view-point based on a few Bible texts.
fountain of life.                                             It has always been the contention of Reformed theolo-
       It is also necessary, so we saw, to emphasize this gians that a dogma cannot be built upon a few texts.
fact in our present time. In the discussion and preach- They always insisted that doctrine be based  upo'n the
ing of this subject so little account is given of the organic and joint testimony of all the Word of God.
proper perspective. Men speak, orate and write with- Scripture is no reference book or dictionary.  It is
out duly analyzing the subject, and  withou*t  trying the Word of God ! And as  t.he Word of God it is
to  fmd the fundamental principles governing it.  .Delv-      one organic whole. God's Word is one, even as He
ing below the surface of things is an activity belong- is One.
ing to the past. Because of this sad, yet nevertheless           By Scriptural perspective we therefore mean the
undeniable fact, we deemed it necessary to stress the fundamental outline, framework of the whole building
point of the proper perspective.                              of God'& handiwork ! For God has in His eternal wis-
       We also gave a brief presentation of the erroneous, dom given de&&e  shape and purpose to His work !
anti-scriptural perspective. This viewpoint  we termed Even so' that each detail of the work of God has its
the Pelagian-Arminian life-and world-view. This per- own definite place in the whole of this building  o.f
spective is so prevalent in our day, that it is nearly God's good-pleasure. Of all these details, repentance
the only one which is loudly proclaimed from the house and the preaching of the same, are a part. God has
`tops. `Tune in on your radio, when the  so-called~Bible- given repentance a place among the spiritual gifts
expositions are being given. Listen  to the songs that in Christ Jesus. And that in His council before the
are sung, and you will always again hear the, sweet foundationof the world. Therefore the preaching of
songs  (?)  -of Arminius sung. Always you will hear repentance is in scripture revealed as forming an in-
a gospel for lost, sinful  mmkind; you  will hear of tegral part of all the work of God.
salvation for humanity ; you will see that the preachers         God's work is one. It can never be divided into
stand on the ground-work of paradise-lost!                    different parts.    In His own good-pleasure He has
       Therefore we here wish to add, that this  presenta-    willed to reveal the virtueof His unity in His work.
,tion  is becoming increasingly more dangerous. It is And in this unity scripture teaches us the proper place
so repeatedly brought to our attention and always of repentance-preaching.
and again praised as the truth of the gospel, that if             Our  fh& observation with respect to the proper
we are not constantly on our guard, we will be swept perspective of `repentance preaching is, that in  re-
along with the swift current of this lie.                     pentanee  preaching we have to do with a  wbrk  o:f God.


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEA-RER                                                   493
                             .-
It is always a work of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. blessings of God's covenant, are in Christ, and never
This in the central sense of the word. We will have outside of Him. God only works in ancd through Him.
occasion to see that it is also always that activity of Notice verse 5. Here we are taught that God &rough
God in the generation of the holy seed, the Israel of Christ (dia Jeesou Christou) foreordained all the elect
God. Then we would call it the work of God in Christ unto children of adoption. The sole reason for this
in the broader sense of the word. To this latter we adoption in Christ being: The good-pleasure of His
wish to refer later. What we have in mind in this            will. Because we are blessed in Christ according to
first observation is, that God always works the preach- election, we have redemption, the liberation from the
ing of repentance in and through Christ, the Incarnate guilt and corruption of sin only in  C%rist's  blood.
Word.                                                        Fourthly,  that this  all is the mystery of God's will.
   Repentance-preaching is one of the good works That God only blesses in Christ is because He has set
which God has before prepared.                               Him in His council head over all things, and that
   God has only prepared them in His council in Christ both in heaven and on earth. He is set over angels
Jesus. Never outside of Him.                                 and principalities and powers and thrones. He is the
   Repentance is therefore never a work of God in Lord of glory. For He is the elect of God parexcel-
Logos in creation. The Spirit of God as it testifies lance. Finally notice, that God in His wisdom and
in the creation of God is never that of the renewal prudence has made this mystery of His will known to
of man. It is only the sphere of Christ and that his- us. It is therefore a deep mystery, but n,evertheless
torically  in the line of the Covenant of God in the by virtue of God's revelation the object  0% faith.
midst of this world.                                                 Whereas repentance now is one of the graces, the
   That the above circumscribed presentation is the gifts of God bestowed in Christ, and all these gifts
plain teaching  of scripture is very  char from what are according as He has elected us, it follows that  re:
we read in Ephesians  13-14. We here read the follow- pentance   prea,ching  as to its fundamental' perspective
ing: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus is governed by Gods un&angeable  election.
Christ, who has blessed us in all the spiritual blessings            This is not mere logic and rationalistic re&oning.
in heavenly places in Christ, `even as He elected us It is the Word of God. Neither is it placing our
in Him before the foundation of the world, in order reasoning powers above the Scriptures.                     It is the
that we should be holy and unblameable before ,Him reasoning of the apostle Paul under the  infallable
in love, having foreordained us unto the adoption of guisdance  of the Holy Spirit.
sons through Jesus Christ unto Himself, according                    We therefore conclude this first observation by- r&
to the good-pleasure of His will, unto the praise of marking that the first step in gaining the correct per:
the glory of His grace, which He hath graced upon us spective we have now taken, and that we  have  foun&:
in the Beloved, in Whom we have the redemption thru Thud  all repentance ,awd repmtance-preach&g  is' a work
His blood, i.e., the foregiveness of sins, according to      of  C&d,  in Christ  Jesv.s our  Lo,rd alone.
the riches of His grace, which He  h&h showered unto                 In our next article we hope to show how this prin-
us wisely  aed prudently, having made known unto ciple works out historically in the covenant genera-
us the mystery of His will, according to His  good-          tions of the children of God in this world.
pleasure, which He hath purposed in Himself, unto                    This also will bring us before various problems of
the dispensation of the fulness of times to gather under a practical nature and touch upon some of the sesm-
a head again all things in Ghrist, the things in heaven ing difficulties of repentance-preaching. We say seemi
and upon earth. . . ."                                       ing difficulties, for we are certain that the correct per-
   Let us notice now what is here taught. In the first spective will pave the way, and clear up all the seem-
place it is emphatically stated that  all the blessings in ing difficulties.
heavenly places are given by God as the "God and                     But of these things we will then write D. V.
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Not as the God                                                               G. L.
of creation, neither as the ruler of humanity, but by
God as the covenant Jehovah "the I AM THAT I AM"
God, who for His name sake in Christ Jesus loves His                                    NOTICE                *
people. Secondly notice, that the standard according                 A meeting of the Protestant  R.eformed.  Deacon's
to which He blesses is ELECTION. He has blessed us Conference will be held the Lord willing on Wednesday
as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, EVEN `evening, September 15, at *he Roosevelt. Park Protest-
AS HE HAS ELECTED US BEFORE THE FOUN- tant Reformed Church. `Rev. G. M. Ophoff will lead
DATION OF THE WORLD ! The blessings are in per- a  ro,und table discussion on the subject, "Spiritual Re-
fect ,harmony  with God's unchangeable election. And ward Congregation Receives from Almsgiving". All
the manner in which God blesses us is also in harmony Deacons are kind'ly reminded to keep this date open
with election. Therefore, thirdly, we are blessed in and are cor,dialy  invited to attend.
Christ  because we have been elected in Him. All the                                                     .The Committee.
                                                              ..-


494                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                     __-.-.-          .--_ __ll_l  ___ ___       --.- -~-- -...-                 -
                                                              crag far above the canyon floor. When the fledglings
            Anniversary Of  Oaklawn                           have reached the age to fly, the father-eagle roughly
                                                              disturbs the comforts of the cozy nest by tearing it
   June 7, 1937 marked the tenth anniversary of the to shreds and sending them scurrying out. And still
organization of our congregation in  Oaklawn. Al- not satisfied, and disregarding their snxious,  pitiful
though for various reasons the event was not  cede- struggles, he torments them ,incessantly  until he has
brated  on that date it did take up a prominent place in      driven them bodily out into the broad expanse of the
the program of the Field Day which the congregation Invisible ether to flutter helplessly over the yawning
held on the fifth of July.                                    chasm below. How warm the nest bad been, how
   It was in May 1937, when our editor-in-chief wrote         strange this new experience, how weak and inexper-
in one of his well-known letters  "Aan Mijn Vriend            ienced their wings and how reluctant they are to ex-
in het Westen" : (freely translated) "In Oaklawn  regu- change their nest for a new home in the blue vaulti
lar services are also being held. You may recall that Yet they must learn that they cannot remain in the
I spoke of this place before. It is that place just out- nest, but must soar up into the heavens. And in that
side of Chicago. And things are going well there.             same zeal for his brood, whereby the eagle stirs up his
They are small  Ibut determined. And that is the most nest, he also flies over them, hovers ever near them.
important. It does  not depend upon numerical strength,       Literally we read: `he ,broods upon them'. In tender
but it does depen.d  upon the convictio8n that we stand care his anxious eye is over them. And when their
for the truth of God As long as that conviction is fraiil strength fails and destruction seems imminent
lacking some may go along with us for a time and              he drops with a mighty swoop under them and carries
f?.ght side by side with us, but after a while they fall them on strong pinions back to the shelter of the
away ; and especially when  it comes to leaving the cliffs.
church they see all kinds of lions in the path But               That is the figure. Very evidently Moses refers to
that is not the case in Oaklawn. There it was a matter Israel's departure from Egypt and the journey through
of principle and real earnestness. Even though they the wilderness to t.he land which God had promised
were small they felt the need of their own preaching, to Abraham and his seed. Years had gone by since
and they simply began. Now they hold services every Jacob had hesitantly left that land to settle in Egypt.
Sunday. And just  this morning I received a letter Generations came and went, and each one was more
wherein they request to be organized. That's the way content to stay there, while the promised land receded
it goes, amice. By our God we can leap over a wall. ever farther from their thoughts and Joseph's bones
Without Him we can do nothing and lack of all courage. continued to lie waiting for burial. The nest was
If the children of God actually realize how in 1924 warm and comfortable. They prospered amidst the
the truth of God has been abused and how we were luxuries which the land offered them. Why should
unjustly cast out, they can no longer remain in the they forsake their treasured fleshpots only to commit
Christian Reformed Church. And then they set to themselves, their children and their flocks and herds
work of their own accord. And they experience also to the trials and dangers of the waste and howling
that the Lord blesses them and makes all things well." wilderness? Why return to a lan,d from which famine
       That was ten years ago. And since that time we had driven their fathers and was now inhabited by
have certainly learned that we cannot boast of our own peoples who would be #hostile toward them? Yet God
strength or of numbers. The Lord has graciously pre- was faithful to His promises made to Abraham, Isaac
vented us that we should trust in the arm of flesh or and Jacob. He visited His people with the rod of
plaoe our confidence in princes. But, on the other chastisement.              He bound them in fetters and made
hand, we also know that the Lord has preserved us             them suffer und,er the cruelties of their taskmasters.
in His power and given us grace to hold that which With hard labor He oppressed them until they cried to
we have, though it be in weakness. We can account Iiim for deliverance. And He drove them out of the
of the work and of the faithfulness of our Covenant land. Closed the doors of the Red Sea behind them
God.                                                          so that they could not return. A weak and inexper-
       Taking the ten years of the congregation in retro- ienced people, full of fears and misgivings, cast out
spect we possibly cannot characterize them better and into *the threatening dangers of a desolate desert waste
more beautifully than in the words of Moses as he             under its blazing sun, through its snake infested re-
describes Israel's (departure from Egypt and journey gions, amid its plundering nomads. Soon to face the
through the wilderness by saying: As an eagle stirreth mighty nations of the land of Canaan. Yet the Lord
up her nest, flutter&h  :&hem on her wings, so the Lord was ever near to His peo.ple. He hovered over them
alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with in the Cloud, dwelt among them in the Holy of Holies,
him. (Deut. 32 :ll, 12).                                      fed them with manna from heaven and gave them
       The figure drawn before our minds is of an eagle water from the rock. His tender care was only eccen-
who- has his nest of young stowed away on some lofty tuated by the accumulating dangers. How unfaithful,


                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                    495
                              -" -...--_ _-.- --.                                                     z --.
how rebellious that people proved to be. Witness the the more. During those years our children have grown
corpse-strewn path through the wilderness. For the up under a positively Reformed instruction in the
Lord punished them, though He never forsook them. Church. Also numerically we have grown and almost
Th.ough  they often sinned against Him He forgave tripled the original number. The Lord was near us
mercifully. Even in the face of all their sins and per- as an eagle broods over its young, in fatherly love. He
versity the Lord was ever  n,ear them. Though He worked for us and through us. And for the privilege
taught them to know their wickedness and their frailty that we might be agents in His power through which
He bore them on ,everlasting  arms unto Himself and He would maintain His truth we give Him thanks.
took them into the blessedness of His covenant life. For  all His blessings we acknowledge His Name. He
Surely, the Lord alone did lead them and there was bore us on His wings to a higher and more intimate
no strange god with them.                                       Covenant fellowship with Him and gave us a foretaste
   An analogy can readily be drawn between Israel's of the life to come. To Him the Glory. For He alone
history and our own. Serenely we reposed within the led us.
bosom of the Church in which many of us had been                   And thus we turn to the future.
born and raised, even while heresy seductively crept in..          As we glance into the future we must readily see
Yset the Lord came with His mighty hand and made it that it also has its problems and struggles. We bar
impossible for us to be faithful to the truth and at them along with us, as it were, out of the past. The
the same time remain within the Christian Reformed very fact that we continue where we left off is sticient
Church. Three points were formulated, undermining to know that the same duties and obligations rest upon
the fundamental truths of sovereign election and repro- us as in the past. There is our duty of maintaining
bation, sovereign grace in Christ Jesus and total de- and propagating the truth entrusted to us through our
pravity. Leaders were cast out who had received grace Home Missionary and the Standard Bearer, which both
to stand firm and maintain the truth in the face of all need our support, but also through our own efforts in
opposition, rather than to maintain silence and remain our own sphere wherever the opportunity offers itself.
unmolested. It meant a parting of the ways for `those There is our calling to instruct our children, `the next
to whom it was given to love the truth. This became generation, in the truth of the Word of God, that they
evident also in the community of  Oaklawn, where one may continue to walk in the paths of the fathers. And
elder was unceremoniously deposed and the other there is our obligation to 1,ove and live the truth per-
equally unceremoniously suspended from office because sonally, to be progressively Reformed and to make our
they had invited Rev. H. Hoeksema to speak in the Iives a seal on our confession. For certainly, if we love
local public school building. Something had to be done and confess the truth we also must and will walk ac-
and soon a small congregation of not even six families cordingly.
was organized. The early trials and struggles were                 Yet the future brings with it also very definite,
in every way similar to those of any of our  newIy peculiar problems and obligations, tinted somewhat
organized churches.      Possibly aggravated somewhat by local circumstances, which we must not fail to
by the fact that the congregation was smal1  and so near see.
a great world-city. Immediately a stand had to be                  Allow me to mention two.
taken against the labor union, so that the congrega-               One problem pertains to Christian Instruction. Not
tion had to refuse to accept tho'se  who were `affiliated       as if the way has not been opened in this community
with that organization. Some others proved unwilling for Christian instruction for our Covenant children.
to sacrifice al1 for the sake of the truth and soon rei         Nor as if this opportunity has not been utilized. But
turned to the errors they had  vnce condemned. More the times in which we ,live warn us not to be content
than once destruction seemed impending. And al- with simply an instruction that is called Christian, but
though the pulpit was regularly supplied by students to strive for one that is positively Reformed. The
the flock nevertheless had no pastor of its own for al- "Storm in the Windy City", occasioned by the so-called
most eight years. Allowing these ten years to pass in Weseman case, (one may judge about the outcome as
review  Isefure  ou,r mind's eye we could account of he will) is sufficient  evident that we must constantly
frailty, weakness, unfaithfulness and sins. It is above be on the alert in defence of the truth.
all but fitting that we take this occasion to confess that         Another growing issue is the labor union. Daily
we have  faiIed to fully maintain the blessed truth the number of union members grow and its power in-
entrusted to us, especially `as living and walking ac- creases. Organized labor extends its fangs over the .
cording to our confession.  Yet,  on the other hand, laboring man in almost every field  ob labor. True,
there (stands in bold relief the faithfulness of our cove- the two groups, the A.F.L., and the C.I.O.,  aw as yet
nant God. Though He tried us as by fire He preserved standing over against each other, for the breach of
us- For ten years we might enjoy the sound preaching Babel is still evident.             There is still confusion of
of the Word with its blessings. We might see the truth tongues among those who speak the language of the
more clearly, r*ejoice  in it, love it, and learn to love it    beast. But the day is not so far hence when they


                                    .

  496                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                             --"...-"_                 --.I_ ----_. - .._--
  will be allowed for a time to speak one language. Then              Zijt ge dan iemand die niet oppervlakkig leeft, dan
  they will unite to speak blasphemies against God  and           zal men het voorts aan uw handel  en wandel zien, dat
  to shout praises of the Prince of darkness. And it will ge lee&.
  prove impossible to buy or sell without the mark of                 Is dit nu zoo met  d,en mensch op natuurlijk gel&d,
  the beast. We do well  to watch. Now, if ever, it is niet minder is dit zoo met den mensch Gods.
  our  calling  to, maintain our Christian isolation. Now,            God Ieidt ons somtijds in de diepten.
  if- ever, we must live as God's people, another people,             Daar zijn diepten van ellende en smart die met
  in the midst of the world, though the sacrifice be ever geen pen te beschrijven zijn. Dan zinkt men in gron-
  so great, even unto death.                                      delooze  madder  waar men niet  staan kan, dan komt
  In one word, we must beware that there  lx no men in de diepten der wateren  en overstroomt de vloed
  strange gods among us. No idols of heresy, no Mam- u. Gods Woord getuigt hiervan, wanneer de Geest des
  mon;  no'god of worldly- or carnal-mindedness. It sim- Almachtigen over de profeten en zangers  Lsraels  vaar-
  ply follows from our confession of God's faithfulness dig werd. Ze getuigen van die modder, dien  vloed, als
  and blessings in the past that we trust in Him and de  baren  en golven'  Gods, die over hun arm hoofd  gin-
  serve Him now and in the future. The Lord alone gen. Ik las van de ruischende kuil en  modderig  slijk.
  must lead us and there shall be no strange gods with                Nu is Gods Woord waar, oprecht, eerlijk. En
  us.                                                             daarom geeft  `bet ook onfeilbaar de oorzaken weer van
         For therein lies our confidence. Thereby we have dat verkeeren in de diepten.
  the, assurance that the Lord is near unto us, cares for             De vormen verschillen. Er zijn duizende verschil-
  us, blesses us. The assurance that He works in  us,             lende  diepten. Ik  noem er  &n:  ",O God ! Gij weet
  through us, for us. And He bears us up as o,n eag?:!e's         van mijne dwaasheid, en mijne  schulden zijn voor U
  wings unto Rimself  in the eternal blessedness of His niet verborgen  !" Zulk een  ziel  ward dan door God
  Covenant life. Even as we know Him now in principle geleid in de  handen der goddeloozen.  Luis'tert  naar
  we shall learn to know Him better and shall see Kim hem : "Die mij zonder oorzaak  haten,  zijn meer dan de
  in perfection when we know as we are known. Then haren mijns hoofds; die mij zoeken te vernielen, die
  we shall be satisfied.                                          mij om valsche oorzaken vijand zijn, zijn machtig
                                                    C. H.         geworden; wat ik niet geroofd heb, moet ik alsdan
                                                                  wedergeven!"
                                                                      Dan werd men geworpen in de smeltkroes  der.ellen-
                                                                  de. Dan vindt men zich als `t ware omringd van stie-
                                                                  ren van Basan en kermt: ". . . . terwijl  zij den gan-
              Een Stem Uit De Diepten                             schen dag tot mij zeggen: `Waar is uw God?'  ".
                                                                      Tech laat zulk een ziel God niet  los, want God laat
         Het gebeurt  soms, dat men een  oude kennis, die hem niet  10s. Het is goed voor hem om zoo nu en dan
  men voor korteren of langeren tijd uit het oog verloor, verdrukt te  worden.  Hij zou  zich  misschien   verhoo-
  plotseling weerziet - en schrikt. Dan schrikt men, vaardigen tegen God. Denkt  aan  Paulus.  Die  ont-
  omdat hij of zij zoo schrikkelijk veranderde; zoo erg,          ving de diepte van door een  engel  des Satans geslagen
  dat `men hem of haar bijna niet meer herkende.                  te worden  met vuisten. Wat $dit dan ook geweest moge
         Dat gebeurt vooral, als men vanuit de  operatie-         zijn. Doch hij Iaat God niet 10s.
" kamer kwam, waar men voor korteren of langeren tijd                 Hij verwacht den Heere  als wachters den morgen
  onder het druppelfleschje der chloroform lag, terwijl verwachten.  Hij  hoopt  op God; hij vertrouwt op den
  artsen `,ons sneden en sneden.          Dat laat zijn sporen Wachter Israels.
  acliter.. De houding van het lichaam, de tred,  gelaats-            Ook uit  hij die hoop en dat vertrouwen. Hij
  kleur,  doch vooral de uitdrukking der oogen toonen schreeuwt tot God.
  dan; dat. men leed.                                                 En die uiting, dat roepen  en schreeuwen tot God
         Spreekt  zoo iemand dan van het doorstane leed, maakt het soms nog erger. Hoort maar: "Ik ben ver-
  dan. hoort  ge een stem uit de diepte. Men mocht nu moeid van mijn  roepen,  mijne keel is ontstoken, mijne
  weer  ad,emhalen,   d,och men getuigt van uren, dagen oogen zijn bezweken, daar ik ben  hopende  op mijn
  en soms maanden van schrijnend en vlijmend leed, God.!" Of : "Jk ben  doodbrakencle   !"                     Of ook : "Ik
  van tranen en soms van brullen in den nacht, van pijn           ben  moede van mijn zuchten, ik doe mijn bed den
  in de nachtwaken die bijna onuitstaanbaar was. Die ganschen  nacht zwemmen, ik  doornat  mijn bedstede
  ziekte in den nacht!      Toen ,het seheen  alsof  het nooit met mijne tranen. Mijn  oog is doorknaagd van  ver-
  meer morgen zou  worden.  Vroeg men  dan soms naar driet, is verouderd vanwege alle mijne  tegenpartij-
  den tijd, dan was  bet antwoord steeds weer:  Het is ders."                  En dit geween en klagen is tot  Go,d, want:
  nog  nacht! En ge keerdet  uw aangezicht naar den "Wijkt van mij, alle gij werkers der ongerechtigheid,
 wand om verder te gaan met uw lijden en smart.                   want de Heere heeft de stem mijns geweens gehoord !"
         Dat last sporen achter.                                       En tech is dit goed  voor u en mij.


498                                              T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R-_-.                             -    -    -
gedragen. Zij moet op grond van absolute voldoen'ing
weg kunnen zinken in den  oceaan  van eeuwige  verge-                                       The Way
tell&id.                                                                                                        John 14 : 6a.
    En  dat is het Kruis. Dat is Jezus Christus, de
Heere. Dat is de vergevende God. Bij Hem is  ver-                         It was a solemn moment in the upperchamber at
geving en die vergeving is er altijd  geiveest.  Halle- Jerusalem.                  For the  Iasf  time  the little band of dis-
lujah!                                                                 ciples were gathered to commemorate the great feast
            En het  doe1 van dit alles leert ge ook in de              of the Passover. And this last gathering was also
diepte.                                                                the first celebration of the Lord's Supper. The tran-
    Opdat Gij gevreesd wordt!                                          sition was to take place now. The Saviour had freely
    Dat is bet Goddelijke doel.                                        spoken of His coming suffering and death. He  had~
    Tot in alle eeuwigheid  wil de Heere er Zich in ver-               His followers prepared for this important moment and
lustigen,  dat gij en ik met al de duizend, duizend they were well informed concerning His" immediate
samen voor Zijn troon  ,&an om Hem te vreezen, zoo;                    departure. Fiiled with apprehension His words were
als een rechtgeaard kind zijn  Vader  vreest  in  liefde.              not understood by His disciples. His instruction did
En daar staande, steeds maar wijzen met uwe vingeren not sink deep into their hearts. Yes, they feared the
naar  bet midden van den troon. Want daar staat h& worst,, but it seemed to them that the end could not
Lam als geslacht. En dan zult ge eeuwiglijk roepen,                    possibly be now. Each of them had their own ideas
neen, jubelen : Bij U was vergeving van eeuwigheid !                   in regard to the ultimate end that was approaching
0 God! Bij U is vergeving, opdat Gij door ons  ge-                     fast. At the moment it seems that they were farther
vreesd zoudt worden.                  En wij  vreezen  U  uit innige removed from the actual facts concerning the Lord's
liefde !                                                               death and resurrection than ever before. Hence, the
       "Zoodat  de posten  der dorpelen zich b:wogen  van quiet in the upperchamber.
de stem der roependen, en  bet Huis werd vervuld met                      Quiet they were because they were busy with self
rook."                                                                 and not with the instruction of the Master. Peter
       En die rook is de Heerlijkheid  des Heeren.                     meditating and pondering about the word spoken to
       Hoe groo>t, hoe vreeserijk  zijt ge alolm,  uit Uw ver- him in connection with his denial. Philip. ignorant
heven heiligdom !                                                      concerning the relation of Christ to the Father. Thomas
       Aanbiddelrjk  Opperwezen!                                       bluntly confessing the way we know not, because we
                                 I                           G. V.     know not whither thou goest. Imagine, the representa-
                                                                       tives of the Church, its pillars ignorant concerning the
                                                                       suffering and death and resurrection of the Lord! To
                                                                       know means to understand and also therefore to be
                                                                       in accord with what was to come. Surely there was no
                                                                       excuse for their ignorance in as much as they were
                    WEDDING ANNIVERSARY                                instructed in these things they could and should know.
                                                                       Still, we find them shrouded in darkness and their
       On Friday, September 1'7, 1937, our dear parents,               questions and silence reveal that at this time they do
                       RALPH SCHAAFSMA                                 not understand what it is all about. But instructed
                                         and                           they were, for the heart of the teachings of the Saviour
                ALICE SCHAAFSMA - Helmantel                            centered around the one thing, that He was to go
                                                                       to the Father.
hope to commemorate their 25 th wedding anniversary.                      Let not your heart be troubled. Be not upset by
       We, their children, are sincerely thankful to I God for hav-    the coming events even while they consist of suffering
ing spared them and for the blessings He has given us as               and the terrible cross, know that I go to the Father.
a family. Our prayer is, that He may continue to keep them                The departure was necessary for the perfect re-
for each other and us for many years to come.                          union with  `him. Their frame of mind was befogged
                                      Mr. and Mrs. Ralph  Sniper       with the  manner through which the Saviour was to
                                      Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Schaafsma    reach that purpose. How then could they understand
                                      Miss Joanne Schaafsma            this final purpose of the suffering and death of their
                                      Joe Schaafsma                    Lord? They could not grasp the meaning of it all,
                                      Marcia Schaafsma                 for their conception of the Lord's realization of the
                                      Fredrick  Schaafsma              heavenly kingdom did not coincide with the divine.
                                      Clarence Schaafsma               Hence, it is not so difficult to see that they did not
                                      and two grandchildren.           know the way. They had-no eye for the house of
       Grand  .Rapids,  Mich.                                          Father, they did not therefore know the way to that


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                   499
             I_-_                -                                                         .._
house and consequently they did not ask themselves, Looked at from the point of view of the text and the
are we traveling on that way. The Lord intends to context the statement here tells us that we are sepa-
call them to follow him in His suffering and death by rated from Father and kherefore  also from the house
faith, so that they may have comfort when He is no with many mansions. No wonder, on account of sin
longer with them, but instead they feel desolate, for- and guilt no one is able to live in that house and to
saken and I imagine their faces expressed their forlorn taste that communion of God's covenant. We know not
subjective condition. But He who had begun the good the w'ay and we know not our Father. Therefore we
work in them will not forsake His perplexed  and doubt- seek n& after Him. Besides, we are children of wrath
ing disciples. Many a teacher had given up hope of and eternal condemnation. How could it be  other:
ever being able to teach such men even the first things, wise? Our minds are fUed with darkness, our hearts
but the Lord shall in spite of their bewilderment once are corrupt, how could we seek after Him? And our
more -take up the same subject so often referred to. will never wills God. We cannot :and will not seek Him.
You know not the way? I am the way !                      And whether a man preaches that God is willing to re-
   Christ the way. The whole discourse as we find ceive sinners and is a loving Father or whether He
it in the preceding verses speak of that one thing, Iteaches  tha't man can come and accept the invitation,
that Christ is the way. Thomas may confess we do which is after all one and the same thing, the fact re-
not know, yet it is exactly that main truth that was mains that no one will come or even desires to come,
explained to them, Thomas included. I go to the Father but that every man will continue t,o live apart from
to prepare for you by doing so the way that ye may God and Christ no matier  how sweet the words of such
have a place prepared by me. I am the way and no preachers may be. Why? Because `Christ is the way.
one cometh unto the Father but by me. Ye know there- He is the way through which sin is forgiven and the
fore ,the way to the house of my Father. The Lord sinner is declared righteous before God. That pre-
meant, think of it, take your time that I am the way cedes His coming first of all. There is only one way
to that house. That thought is predominant in the and that is God's way, and that way is Christ the fore-
whole discouse. It strikes us that the Lord does not ordained Mediator who is the way for those given Him
say, I go to heaven, or, as we hear it sung often on by the Father. He is the eternal choice of God Triune,
funerals of people who should know better, I go to who shall die for the chosen ones by the same God and
a beautiful isle of somewhere, evidently meaning no- Father. And at this juncture, the Lord is preparing
where. For such a place Scripture knows nothing of. His Church that for its sin and corruption he shall
No, but to the house of the Father. Heaven after all @a&e  eternal death in his own flesh and the members
in itself has nothing beautiful, must not be compared of his body shall be conformed after his own image,
with the places of beauty here below, not even paradise whereby it becomes possible that they also can dwell
as our first father knew it, but the beauty of heaven in the house of many mansions and taste the covenant
consists mainly in that one fact that it is a house, communion with their God through the Mediator. I
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is there. am that way, Thomas. Therefore, let us not follow the
Without Him heaven does not hold salvation for us. mistaken notions of present day preaching which would
We might as well be in any other place as long as have us say that Christ shows us the way. And now
Father is their and wherever He is absent that place of course it is up to the sinner to make use of it. Nor
will be absolutely incomplete. To taste salvation is does  he say go in the way for your soul's salvation sake
only possible when we have communion with Father No, but He is ithe way, Not a way or a  purtY perhaps
and with Him through His Son and so also with all the greater purC of the way, but the only and absolute
t.he saints. Heaven is thus the place where all God's way, from the beginning to the very end. He is the
children shall partake of the perfect family life of way to the house with many mansions.
God's covenant. That is what makes heaven heaven              Does it not sttrike  us when, either in preaching or
indeed. The sooner we get rid of our foolish songs on the air, that one fundamental idea of the way is
or so-called hymns the better and that much closer always done away with? Not so long ago the same
we shall be to reality as revealed in Scripture. Look- things were discussed over the radio, for a sermon it
ing at it in that light it is not difficult to understand could not be called, and in opening the time for that
what the Lord means when He says: No one cometh           purpose our Saviour is given all  the honor that He
unto the Father but by me. What does He mean by being the way may be the way for many a sinner,
I am the way? The idea  of the way always presup- yea, for His people. But in the discourse from the
poses separation. A way or road is a means to reach very outset it was evident tha$ the way meant after  all
a certain point. When I say I am on the way to the way for you when and if you make use of it. The-
church, I am not as yet there, but soon expect to be living and life-giving Christ of the prayer all of a sud-
there. The  end of the way means that I have reached den became the helpless  Sa&ur who was begging for
my destination. Foremost however; the way  a,s to the. good graces of the sinners. If you please, every
the idea brings to our mind that there is a separation. sinner, for the gospel is not  only preached  promiscuous-


I




     500                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                                                           - ___-_-......-  _I__._-  - .-_____" ___    -.~--^_."-,
     ly, but as to the intent and final purpose is for all.            What might be the reason that Christ is the Way.
     You can if you will, it is yours for the having if you         Well, because He is not a way as such. No, but a
     accept. Of course, what Paul wrote to the congregatio?t        Life-giving Way. No one cometh unto the Father but
     at Corinth became the property of the city of Corinth by me. That is, at this moment the Lord speaks in
     itself. And what is meant for the Church is meant close connection with His own departure. The hour
     today for the nation as a whole. It is not only a hath come. The hour of darkness, suffering and death.
     question any more of the denial of election and repro- He came in the likeness of sinful flesh to carry in His
     bation, but it is also a denial of the necessity of regene-    body and soul our curse and by the way of the cross
     ration. I do not care to listen much to the so-called fulfllled the righteous demand of God. Hen,ce, taking
     religious talks, but when listening it is always neces- away our sins, satisfying the demand of God, He
     sary to listen critically. In a smooth way, for such delivered us from our guilt and became the life for us.
     men know how to present their message and seem to What He did for us He also works in us. He delivers
     know how to touch the heart of natural man, play on His people from their darkness, sends His Spirit, re-
     the emotions and seemingly get results, more than news the hearts, makes His people partakers of His
     those who explain and preach the Word according to             truth and knowledge. In that sense He is a  Life-
     the meaning of the Spirit, that is, keeping in mind that giving Way. No, not so, Christ is the way and now
     the Lord saves His own. One cannot escape the im- make use of Him, neither Christ is the way and now
     pression that while election and reprobation are openly walk in that way. He begins to be the way subjective
     denied, also the so-called `conversion' takes the place ly for us when He enters and renews the heart through
     of regeneration. Christ being the way is in such cases His Spirit and through that same Spirit draws His
     only the way in so far as man is willing to concede that people to His Word, so that they condemn their ways,
     he agrees with Christ. I mean, on the basis of my their wisdom, their righteousness as ways of darkness,
     observation, that in all such cases, either persuasion corruption, undoneness and call them the ways of de-
     or mere reasoning take the place of regeneration, and struction. Again proof that it is not and never can be
     in both cases that change of feeling (sickly mysticism)        a matter of mere preaching as such, no matter how
     and the change of mind (cold intellectualism) are call- heartrending it may sound and thus Christ becomes
     ed conversion. One needs not to be ignorant of these the way for the sinner. The sinner is never first. The
     things we mentioned, for that is the heart of the pre- whole of the Word testifies that God has not made
     sent day presentation of the truth. If Christ is the Christ a means (middel) to salvation as a matter
     way from beginning to end, that fact cannot and does of speculation, but He is the Mediator of God, the
     not stand by itself, but must be found in harmony with centre of His eternal council. For His own alone He
     the  whule of Scripture. Sad to say that even those was ordained as the one complete way for their salva-
     calling themselves after  .the name of the great Re- tion and for none other. We know not who the elect
     former of Geneva, are no longer willing to let Christ are. Silly remark ! Who ever denied %.hat? But is it
     be the way. Sure, the man on the street corner and not godless to preach that there are no elect at all?
     speaking over the radio often seems not able to under- And it surely is not reformed to say that we have
     stand and feel his own inconsistency. He begins with nothing  ,to do with election and reprobation, but that
     the Christ of the Scripture as being the way alone, he we simply must preach to all. Preach to all? Yes,
     makes `him dependent while preaching about him, and but must we say then that Christ is the way for all?
     finally will close his discourse or lecture the same way That the divine intention is to save all? Shall we twist
     he started it. Now the Christ of the sermon is and these words and say He may be the way, but of course
     should be also the same Christ in the prayer. But the it depends entirely upon you now? If so, it also means
     man who knows better, who confesses that the Scrip- that it depends upon the same persons to be regene-
     tural doctrine of election is the heart of all the doc- rated, to be in Christ, to be one of His. That indeed
     trine of Scripture, takes matters not serious when he takes boldness to present the truth in such a way, for
     flatly states that, as far as the preaching is concerned, it is in flagrant contradiction with the whole of Scrip-
     we have non; always to keep election and reprobation ture. What after all is their to offer? If and when
     before our mind, or, in some things we have nothing we present the Saviour as a means in the hand of the
     to do with it. Moreover, it is pitiful to hear that on sinner for his salvation, is Christ then &he wag, a life-
     the one hand it is the solid foundation, but there is giving way? A complete Saviour? The other line ( ?)
     also an other, an opposite line given in Scripture, and whatever is meant by ict, cannot help, for after all is '
     now we will do justice to both. Pitiful for the sincere there not such a thing as a reformed confession? What
     exegete will always, if he works hard for it, find in does. it say? "Do such then believe in Jesus the only
     Scripture no opposites, but one harmonious whole, no Saviour, who seek  +heir salvation and welfare of saints,
     contrasts, unless ehe does not care to find that unity.        of  themselves,  or  anywhese  else? They do not; for
     He will always find that Christ is the way alone. The though they boast of Him in words, yet in deeds they
     way to the Father,                                             deny Jesus the only deliverer and Saviour; for one of


                                               T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                              501
 --..-                     .._.-.  ~ -                    .__-lll_^  ^ .._.....__-  -                                  _...           -
these things must be true, that either Jesus is not a
complete Saviour; or that they who by a true faith                                                 Aan  Mijne Vele Vrienden
receive this Saviour, must find all things in Him neces-
sary to their salvation." There cannot be a doubt left                                       Het is niet zoo gemakkelijk om in deze  tegenwoor-
as to what the text means. And the confession surely dige  warme dagen een briefje gereed te  maken  vo~r
was not meant only to be a nice piece of polemics                                        de Standard Bearer, onze Vaandeldrager. Men weet
against the church of Rome. It also means to be a                                        dikwijls met hoe te beginnen ; en wanneer er een begin
testimony against the Arminians in the reformed is gemaakt, dJan lis bet soms moeilijk  de reehte woorden-
churches, though they no longer know the difference keus te vinden; en om een briefje op gepaste wijze te
between what is reformed and that which is condemned eindigen is niet een ieder zijn werk. Men moet eigen-
by ,the fathers in the confession.                                                       lijk zoo eindigen, dat de lezer zegt:  Nu, die/man  had
                                                                                         tech  we1 veel meer kunnen zeggen. Dr. Van  Lonk-
     I am the way. The Word was after all spoken to huizen van Zierikzee begint meestal,  wanneer  hij zijn
the Church was it not? The Church represented by briefjes opstelt voor `De Wachter', hoe de weergesteld-
the Apostles. These words cannot be applied to every heid is in Nederland, en hoe prachtig de bloemen bloei-
man. I know, if we ask ourselves is there any other en in zijn tuin. Nu `t is heerlijk om Gods scrhepping
way, outside of Christ that men can be saved, as a met  een wedergeboren hart te bewonderen, want dan
simple statement of fact, the answer is simply, no
there is no other way. But if the question is raised                                     ontvangt Gode de eer, want de natuurlijke mensch
                                                                                         diet  niet anders, wanneer hij de  n&uur  bewonderd,
is Christ the way for His own alone or also for who- dan de natuur.
soever wills to make use of Him, the answer is, alone                                                      En het blijft altijd waarheid  voor een
                                                                                         ieder : wij zien God we1 in de natuur als Schepper  en
for the elect. They through Christ come to the Father, Onderhouder van alles, doch we zien Hem niet als de
taste His covenant fellowship, enter into the house God des verbonds, in Jezus Christus, als de God van
with many mansions prepared by their Saviour. That Zijn geliefkoosd volk.
leaves all the others absolutely out. There is no sal-
vation but for the elect. And to preach it different                                         Nu ik eventjles  deze regeIs  overlees  bemerk ik dat
is, to say the least, a denial of the fundamental truth ik mijn brief nog niet  hen begonnen, waarover ik
of election and reprobation.                                                             eindelijk  wiMe schrijven, en ik begin dsarom nu maar
     No, not for  .all, but for His' own He is the bij het begin.
Saviour.                                                                                     Van heinde en  ver kwamen we den  Eden Juli te
     He is the way alone for them.                                                       zamen,  ds een Protestantsch  Gereformeerd  volk om ge-
                                                             w. v.                       zamelijk Gods goede hand; over ons op te merken; en
                                                                                         we gevoelden ook op dezen dag dat we een in geloof,
                                                                                         een in hoop en  lieMe  waren.  De  plaats  der  samen-
                                                                                         komst was zeer geschikt. Brown's Grove, gelegen  na-
                             I      N      MEMORUM                                       bij Jamestown,  Mich. is zeer geschikt voor oud en
                                                                                         jong;  ,en ook de sprekers worden  bijzonder  goed  ont-
     In den namiddag van 26 Juli, nam de Heere door den dood haald. Men kon spreken van on&r de gewelven,  door
voor   zich  Onze  geliefde   tchtgenoot  en  brocder.                                   de luidspreker, zoodat een ieder het  goed kon verstaan,
                                                                                         en de inhoud der woorden, was  met nevelachtig. Bet
                             H. HOLLEMAN                                                 was duidelijke taal.
in den ouderdom van  68 jaar.                                                                Ds.  Schipper,  van de gemeente Grand Haven,
     Zijn leven  was hem Christus;  Zijn sterven gewin.                                  Mich., had, het voorrecht bij deze gelegenheid te fun-
     Trooste de Heere ons in dit ons verlies, en heiligq  Hij                            geeren als Ieider,  en hij heeft m. i. zich goed van zijn
                                                                           oak
dit  lijden   a.an ons aller  -hart.                                                     taak gekweten. Nadat  bet  gebed  was  uitgesproken,
                                  Namens de We&we, Broeder en                            klonk  bet weldra  uit veler keel, zooals Gods volk dit
     Squth  Holland, Ill.                     verdere familie.                           op de lippen werd gelegd in PsalteriNo.  391, dat Hij
                                                                                         in  bet  midden der  wereId  genade en vrede  schenkt,
                                                                                         ook al is dit volk omringdlvan  vijanden.
                                                                                            Ds. 0pho:ff  was de eerste spreeker,  die zoo ik hoorde
        0 Lord, how happy should we be                                                   van wegens  ongesteldheid, ditt niet vermocht te doen.
            If we could cast our care on Thee,                                           Aleer Ds. Veldman van de gemeente  Creston,  de ver-
                  If we from self could rest  ;                                          gadering  toesprak, zongen we het geliefdkoosde psalm-
           And feel at heart that One above,                                             lied, door Gods  volk van  alle  tijaden   zeer  bemind, uit
                                                                                         den 138sten  der psalmen:  `k Zal met mijn gansche hart,
           In perfect wisdom, perfect love,                                              Uw eer vermelden, Heer, U dank bewijzen ; . . . .
                 Is wockinlg  for the best.                                                 Ds. Veldman koos als onderwerp : De ware vriljheid.


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       503
  -             --_____                     -___._____l_l_."_l-____-
                        Our Offerings                         idea of offering as we find it in the scriptures, in the
                                                              Catechism, and in the Institutes of Calvin, and as set
       lJnder the above caption there appears in the forth by me in writing. . . . What each member of
  Standard Bearer for July 1, 1937, an article from my the congregation should give is not a sum equal to the
  pen that sets out as follows:                               number resulting from the division of the total sum
    "A brother - member of one of our churches - sent needed by the number of members. According to scrip-
  m,e  (G. M. 0.) a writing in which he rises to the ture, all we are and possess is the Lord's and shuld be
  defence of the following three propositions:                dedicated to Him by us. How much better the method
       1. The  oRerings  made for the poor and those made consisting in the congregation as a  wthole assuming re-
  for the maintenance of the ministry of the Word are sponsibility for the sum needed for ;the maintenance
  essentially alike.                                          of the ministry and in each member contributing to-
       2. The offerings made for the poor and those made ward this sum as the Lord has blessed him". So far
  for the maintenance of the ministry of the Word are the brother.
  of equal importance.                                           As I wrote in my former article, this reasoning (of
       3. Believers  are in duty bound to give as the Lord the brother) is faulty, perhaps  I should say incomplete.
has blessed them.                                             To be sure, the proposition,  ,that every one must give
       In  defen'ding  the proposition under (1) , the writer as rthe Lord has prospered him, and that the rich have
  sets himself against the view  to the effect that t,here    a responsibility toward the poor,  - these propositions
  is an essential difference between the offerings made are thoroughly scriptural. Yet, so I wrote, there is a
  for the poor and those made for the maintenance of truth of vital importance that the brother overlooks.
  the tin&try  of the wo,rd.                                  I promised that I would reply to the brother's com-
       In his defence  od proposition under  (2)) the writer munication in a following article and further that I
  is pitted against the view that of the two kinds of would make  pladn that the teaching to the effect that
  above-stated offerings, the one is of smaller importance each member, if able of course, is in duty bound to
  than the other.                                             aontribu~te  to the maintenance of divine service as
       The writer's defence of the third proposition also much as his fellowmember, is a sound enough teaching.
  partakes of the character of a polemic against the view,       This promise I would now fulfill, if it were not for
  once expressed by me in the Standard Bearer, that the the fact that  sin'ce the publication of my previous
  sum each member o,f a congregation  pledges  to pay article  I received from the brother another communi-
  when slit the beginning of the fiscal year he appro.ves     cation in which he protests against my past doing con-
  t,he budget proposed by the consistory  is equal to hhe cerning his first communication. This latter missive
  number resulting from the division of the total sum reads :
  by the number of members."                                    "I am sorry that I find it necessary to protest against
       So I (G. M. 0.) wrote. I thereupon quoted sec- the manner in which Rev. G. M. Ophoff has taken it
  tions of the brother's  wri'ting, "Here,  Broither  Ophoff," upon himself to publish parts of a certain communica-
  he wrote me, "you have erred from the tone of all tion that I forwarded to him on March 19.1937, in the
  your other arguments. I personally do not think that July issue of the Standard Bearer."
  you meant  what you wrote. . . ."                              This ocmmunication  was sent in $a brotherly spirit
       This brother, then, is not  at  one with the stand on the above date long before the mentioned event at
  taken by me, - the stand theat each member (of the `the classis ttiok place (I, G. M. 0. wrote in my previous
  congregation) is in duty bound to contribute  to the article, that I feared that too many in our circle reason
  support of the divin'e service an amount equd to the as does the brother in tis first communication to me
  number resulting from the division of the total `sum and that the grounds of this fear of mine is that pro-
  needed by the number of members. The brother has ob- posal ltia& ,appeared  on the last Classis,  - the proposal
  jections. These I published (read again my previous to the effect that the large congregations assume rei
  article). The substance of what the brother wrote in sponsibility for three-fourths of the classical expence.
  opposition to my stand may be known from the follow- It is  this proposal that the brother had in mind when
  ing paragraph from the brother's pen : "You will readi- he penned the above sentences). The article had noth-
  ly agree," so he wrote, "that "this, if put into1 practice, ing to  do with the proposal that appeared on the last
  would be very inconsistant. The result would be that classis." So the brother wri,tes. I need not puMish the
  the rich would be offering a sum equal to that number entire missive verbally.
  resulting from  lthe division of the total sum by the           Let me reply to this last communication of the  '
  number of members and no more. As the poor could brother.
  not coatribute  this sum, the result would be that there        In view of the fact that in my private missive to
  would be lacking to the congregation sufficient funds the brother I wrote that  I was in full agreement with
  for the  main,tenance  of the ministry.  &sides, this all that he wrote, the brother cannot understand how
  method of giving is not in harmony with the whole J could write in the Standard Bearer that his reasoning


 504                                  THE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
             ---_ --..~_"                       .-_~-                           ~._^____.                             .-
 is faulty. My reply is that I did and still do agree with     diligently frequent  ,t.he. church of God, to hear His
the brother's reasoning as far as it goes. But the fault       Word. . . . and to contribute to the relief of the poor
of this reasoning is that it is incomplete. There is a as becomes a Christian". There is a reason for count-
factor that enters in here - a most vital factor - (that       ing the offerings for the poor as belonging to the ac-
 the brother is unmindful of. It is exactly the incom-         tions comprising public worship ; for khis offering is
pl,eteness  of  .his reasoning that renders it faulty. I       most distinctly a priestly function that together with
will make this plain in conneation  with my examination        the other engagements bring  th,e worshipping congre-
of the third of the three pronositicns to the diefence  of gation into relief as an assembly comprised of kinlgs,
 which he arose in his first communication to me.              of prophets and of  priests unto God. This is not say-
        The brother finds fault with me for my failure to      ing that the other offerings are not equally as essential
 publish all his arguments, all the scriptures to which and obligatory, "meaning, they are". This is what I
he referred, and all the quotations from Calvin's Insti-       wrote. Here  I state then that both offerings (the one
tutes and from the Catechism. He avers that fairness for ;the poor and the one for the maintenance of the
 and .justice #demand of me that I do this and also that service) are equally as essential and obligatory. Now
 I publish his entire article. The brother is plainly of w&at does the brother maintain in that section of his
the opinion that my failure to do this, detracted from communication that concerns the propositions first and
&he strength of his defense. I cannot agree with him second  in order? This: 1. Both offerings are of equal
here. Let the brother consider that in his first com-          importance.    2. Both offerings are essentially alike
munication to me He;arose  to the defence not of one from the point of view of their being gifts wuxde unto
but of three (distinct proposiitions,  - the propo&ions        the Lord.  Are these propositions true? They are.
cited above. Reading my article again, he will dis-            True it is. that the offering made for the poor and the
cover that in it I militated not against the fir& nor one made for the maintenance of divine service are of
again& the second  but only against the brother's de- equal importance. I also stated this in the copy of
fence of the  proposJtion  third in order, the proposition the Standard Bearer from which he quotes. Why then
that believers are in duty bound to contribute toward did the brother try and pick an argument with me on
the maintenance of the service as the Lord has blessed this point? I dem't  understand. Why send.me  several
them. Why then  ,s.hould  I have published that section pages of quotations from Scripture and Calvin's  Insti-
cc:d th.e brothler's  article that concerned the other two t&es  in support of this proposition if I brought myself
propositions only and not the third? Why  sh,ould   I forward in the Standard  B,earer as in agreement with
have published the scriptures and quotations that con- it? And why require of me that I fill the Standard
cerned propositions which I did not militate against. Bearer with these quotations and insist that I am un-
There can be no reason, certainly. My failure here fair if I fail to do this?
cannot be said to involve me in unfairness and in-                Is it true that both offerings are essentially alike
justice. The brother shall have to admit that his en+ from the point of vilew  of their being offerings made to
tire ,defence  of proposition third in order was published.    the Lord? It is true. I am also of this  convic%ion.
WouEd I be adding any to the strength of the defence But the brother should bear in mind that from another
of this proposition, should I publish those sections of point of view there is, to be sure, an essential difference
the brother's. article that have no bearing on it at all,      between the two. The offering made for the poor is
on the third in order? Of course not. So then, against alms. The offering made for the maintenanw  of divine
the. two propositions first and second in order I am not service, for the support of the ministry of the gospel
at all pitted in my previous article. Does it follow is not alms. The minister of the gospel receives no
from  Uris  that I agree with them? Let me say a word alms of the congregation. This the brother overlooks.
about this.                                                       Thus we have disposed of the first tw.0 propositions
    The proposition first in order  r.eads, "The offerings to the defence of which the brother rises in his first
made for the poor and t,hose made for the maintenance communication to me. I hope the brather  will see this,
of  divin'e  service are essentially alike." The brother will  ,see that my publishing that section of his lengthy
wrote this in opposition to something I had written in articIe that concerns the first two of these three pro-
the Standard Bearer for. June 1, 1933. I wrote this: posit.ions  would really have no meaning as far as his
"When should contributions be collected?  &cording debate with mle is concerned. If the brother would have
to the Catechism  the offerings for the poor sh,ould  con- his entire article published for the edification of the
stitute an integral part of the Sabbath service, but not readers of the Standard Bearer, he may say so and'per-,,
so the offering for the maintenance of the ministry haps it will be done.
of the gospel and of the schools. `What', so the Cate-            But one proposition remains, the one third in order.
chism asks, "do% God require in the fourth command- As was said; with the brother's defence of this propo-
ment ?" And the answer: "First that the ministry c;Q sition I am not in agreement. His reasoning here is
the gospel and the schools be maintained ; and that I, incomplete and therefore faulty. I will make this
especially on the SabbaXh, that is on the day of rest, plain in a following article.                      C. M. 0.


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                                 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.





     Vol. XIII,  Nd.  22. htered   an second  ckum  mail         SEPTEMBER 15, 1937                         Subscription Price, $2.00
                             matter at Grand  Rapids,   Mich.
                                -.

     I--* must be every attempt to reconcile the two. There is
     11        M E Il.1 T A T I 0 N                                       ji no agreement between light -and darkness ; there is no
                                                                               harmony between Christ and Belial; righteousness has
     In
                                                        -_-               I    no part  w&h  unrighteousness. It is either. . . . or;
            The Poor Rich - The Rich Poor                                      not both. . . . and !
                                                                                  Nor even would you be able to serve the one merely,
                          Now  tihere was  a certain rich man,                 without assuming any attitude over against the other!
                       and he was  clothed in purple and fine                     For, you meet here with a strict  antithesis !
                       binen, fm-ing  sumpthously  every dnl/.  . . .             If you haite the one you will love the other; if you
                       and in hell he lifted  up his eyes being                love the one you will despise the other.
                        i n   torments.                                           Thus the Lord had spoken !
                                                     Luke  16:29;  23.            And the Pharisees heard all these things! And
                          A.nd (7 cwtain hrygar  named Lazarus they  cuk them to the quick, for they were covetous,
                        ~cas   laid at his gate, full  of  wres. . . , lovers of money, servants of Mann-non, that pretended
                       n?td he  was  cwried  away by the  crngels              to serve God! Neither would they repent, for their
                        into Abraham's bosom.                                  hearts were hardened and their eyes were blinded,
                                                     Luke  f6:19 22.           lest they  should be converted and God should heal
           Here the curtain falls and is raised again !                        them ! And they scoffed ! . . . .
           Falls and is raised upon the scene of two very real                    At all costs they must play their part in the first
     actors on the stage of life, a servant of Mammcn  and scene of this drama,, enacted on the earthly stage,
     a servant of God!                                                         before death's curtain falls, so well that they are
           And  tit is only after the curtain has fallen and has justified and exalted among men ! . . . .
     been  ,raised  upon the second scene of this drama, that                     But! . . . .
     you are able to judge rightly, and. to evaluate the rela-                    0, awful  but!
     tive worth  cf the service of these two, God and  Mam-                       But  God  ,knoweth  their hearts, for that which is
     mon. For, only when the curtain is raised upon the exalted among men is abomination in the sight of
     things eternal can the things that are  tempora1  be Cfid.
     appreciated in their true value.                                             Look at the abomination, now the curtain is drop-
           God  or Mammon!                                                     ped and raised again :
           Not God and Mammon !                                                   And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torment!
           No one can serve both !                                                And look how the lowly is exalted: Lazarus carried
                                                                               into Abraham's bosom by God's uwn angels!
           For, no servant can serve two masters; for either
     he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will                     The drama is complete ; finished !
     hold to the one and despise the other. And God and                           Forever !
     M.ammon are two masters. They form no alliance,                              Attend, then, to the first scene!
     they constitute no company, there is no agreement be-
     tween the two. You cannot compromise with respect
     to their service. Do never imagine it.  Attemprt  not
     to  soot.he  your conscience by serving  Mannnon and                         Watch  t.hem, the servant of Mammon and the ser-
     offering God part of Mammon's wages to you. Futile vant cf God, Dives and Lazarus!


506                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
_.__-__ .."-." ..-.                                                                                                     - -
       But, pray, while you sit and watch the enactment its entrance:  Di~e.s Memorial! He is exalted among
of this part of God's L%vina Comeclia,  be a silent spec- men. They bow before him in the streets ; they speak
tator. Dare  not to speak. Let no word escape your of him with respect; the most honorable and religious
lips. And even suspend your judgment till the very men, chief priests and chiefs of synagogues, scribes
end. Do not judge the moral of this drama till you and lawyers love his company and attend his sumptu-
have seen all. For, if you do you are in great danger ous feasts. . . .
of ascribing foolishness and unrighteousness to God,                    And things go well with him !
ofd+ecIaring  that there can be no knowledge wi%h the                   Richly he is rewarded in the service of Mammon !
Most High, of complaining that the wicked, the ser-                     He fares sumptuously every day. A robust body,
vants  oft `Mammon, prosper and that the punishment of a healthy stomach, a ravenous appetite is his. And he
(the righteous is there every morning. Or, failing  to loves glamour and display. And day by day Mammon
see the first soene  in the light of the second, you might supplies him with abumlant  means to satisfy his crav-
foolishly babble of God?,s grace <to the wicked. Be silent, ings. The delicacies and dainties  uf this world crown
then, and remember that this is God's drama and that his table and he goes about robed in purple and fine
He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, linen. . . .
while He is angry with the wicked every day !                           And now, behold that beggar at Dives' gate!
        Watch Mammon's  servant!                                        Quickly his story is told, for he is a man of no re-
       For, such he is, and  &hat is his wickedness. His putation. The men of the world dislike to remember
iniquity is not, as some superficial scorners (like him. He would be a mere nothin,g, and his name would
Strauss) have explained, that he is rich. Though it be completely and conveniently forgotten by the elite
may be ever so  ,difficult and though it may become in- of the city where Dives is heId in honor, were it not
creasingly difficult as the centuries roll by, to become for the fact that he is a real nuisance because he al-
rich in the way of righteousness, and though a rich ways is met there at the gate lolf the rich man's palace.
man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven, yet, But he is laid there. Of himself he could not even
God sometimes makes His children rich. No, but his                   reach the place for he is full of sores.     There he
wickedness is that he serves Mammon. The things listens -to the music and merrymaking from within the
of `this world filled his soul to the brim, so that there festive hall; there the smell of the rich man's dainties
was room for nought else. He set his heart on them. reaches him and increases his hunger; there he waits
He strove after &hem. Little he cared whether he eagerly for the scrapings off the rich man's table  ; and
gained his riches in the way of righteousness or there he permits the dogs  to lick his sore-covered
whether he kept them in his possession in the fear of body !
Cad or not; little he worried that  t,he wages of the                   And who is this poor sufferer, for whom <there ap-
laborers that mowed his fields, kept back by him by pears to be no place in the world? .
fraud, would cry  out and enter into the ears of the                    He is God's servant!
Lord Sabaoth; that the accumulation of his wealth                       Notice, that he has a name with God ! The rich
represented the bloody sweat of the poor, that toiled man, though, undoubtedly, his name was well-known
in his  ,service  for starvation wages. And the sight among men, is not introduced by name. But this poor
of the poor,  the hungry, the miserable, that lay at his man's name is Lazarus ! It characterizes him. It
gate, longing for the crumbs that might fall from his tells us what he is. For the name means: God is my
table, left him unmoved. Mammon he served, not help! Such was his confession in, the midst of the
God. Of mercy and justice he knew  not. Earthly world. In Jehovah he had put his  &rust.  From the
things he minded. This world he wanted. And in Most High were all his expectations. On the God
this service of Mammon he was proud, merciless, im- of his salvation he had tied his hope. And Him he
placabl%  unscrupuIous, wanton, voluptuous, a lover served in humility and fear.
of self, of  sensuo~us  gratification, of divers lusts and              And his reward?. . . .
pleasures. . . .                                                        Are they his misery, his shame, his poverty, his
       Nay, do not conclude, that this servant of Mammon sores ?
is  consid,erecl  with hatred and contempt by all his                   While Mann-non rewards his servants with the fat
fellow-actors on the stage in this first scene of the of the earth, all the joys of this world, abundance and
drama !                                                              honor, must this servant of God meet contempt and
       Rather watch how he is honored! For, he pays his suffering every day?
tithes, and brings his sacrifices to the temple, and oc-                Is not God ashamed to be called the God of this
cupies a front seat in the synagogue. And when you poor wretch?. . . .
ream  th,rough  the city you will soon discover that one                Lo, the curtain is beginning to drop upon the first
o,f the most elaborate and costly synagogues is a testi- scene.
mony to his benevolence and love for the things of the                  Still the characters are acting.
&?ngbm   ef  @ai,  her  i t   benvs   the  inseriptis-  a b o v e       The beggar died. Quietly, calmly, without a &rug-


                                     THE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                 507
                      ---_l
gle he. died. It was not hard for him to die, even as             Miserable rich !
far as death itself was concerned. There was hut                  He opens his eyes! What an awakening! He is
li'ttle that death could take away from him, no wealth, mindful. of his former riches, His fine linen, his beauti-
no health, no riches, no earthly joys, no name and fame, ful purple, his sumptuuus feasts, the songs and merry-
no ties of friendship and love that had to be severed. making and laughter and drunken revelry, of the praise
With a smile of farewell he parted from the dogs that, of men that used to1 flatter his pride, of his service of
for the last time, licked his sores. A relief it was z% Mammon, of the cry of the righteous oppressed by
the rich man and his friends,  that no longer they had him, of wages withheld from the laborers, of mercy
to behold this nuisance on their way to the banquet refused to the poor and miserable. How different they
hall. And the city authorities were likely called in to all appear! Slippery places they were, on which the
carry away his body and remove the very memory of Most High, in Whose eyes he always was an abomina-
Lazarus from the earth.                                        tion, placed him in order to cast him down into destruc-
   A funeral there was not!                                    tion ; means which he used to exalt himself and whrch
   Still the curtain slowly falls. . . .                       the Lord Sabaoth  employed to destroy him forever.
   But before it is down, behold, the rich man also            And while he gained the world he lost his soul. . . .
dies ! 0, he had said to himself that his house would             Lo, he becolmes  the beggar!
stand for aye, but he died'! How he fought for life !             For inexpressible anguish he suffers. And he be-
Physicians were called. Consultations were held. Hour- holds Lazarus in the bosom of, Abraham. And he
ly bulletins were published from the sick-roum. . . .          cries for a drop of water to cool his tongue. Let him
   Yet, he died !                                              who used to crave for the crumbs that fell from his
   And the funeral, the speeches,, the monument on table now be the instrument of mercy to alleviate his
the grave. . . .                                               mercy ! But the cry is in vain. There is no mercy
   The curtain drops !                                         for him that knew no mercy. And Abraham is un-
                       -                                       moved and his answer is devoid even of sympathy:
  4  .`s.  _- __                                               Remember, son, that tihou in thy lifetime received&
                                                               thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things ; but
   And  now, watch  the second scene!                          now he is comforted and thou art tormented !
   How the tables are turned!
   For, the rich man opens his eyes in hades and is               Dreadful remembrance!
in torment; Lazarus is  condudted  by the angels of               And, besides, there is a great gulf!
God into the bosom of Abraham !                                   In hell Dives cannot even reach Lazarus' gate ! The
   Both are in their disembo&ed  state, for even while time of promiscuity, when the righteous and the wicked
they bury ;the remains of the rich man, he opens his           had all things in common, when the Most High caused
eyes and finds himself in torment.          On earth his His sun to shine upon the righteous and the wicked
memory is still exalted among men ; they still proclaim and  the rain to descend upon the just and the unjust,
his praises ; they extul  his virtues ; they build his sepul- is passed forever.      The separation is accomplished.
chre and carve his name and merits in a monument No longer do the children of darkness move about a-
of stone ; yet he opens his eyes in hell and is in torment.    mong the children of light. The mercies of heaven do
Men assign to him a place in heavenly glory, God casts not drop down into hell !
him down into hell. And Lazarus is already forgotten ;            And Lazarus is comforted !
men refused to accompany his remains to the grave;                He is mindful of the evil things he suffered in his
yet  arrgels  carry him into Abraham's bosom !                 lifetime, of rags and poverty, of hunger and want, of
   Both are stripped !                                         sores and suffering, of the dogs that hcked  his diseased
   Dives of his healthy body, his purple and fine linen, body, of shame and humiliation. But he beholds it
his glorious estate, of the very appearance of felicity; all in the light of his eternal glory ! The light afflic-
Lazarus of his diseased frame, his rags, of all that tion was but for a moment and wurked for him an
was connected with the suffering of this present time exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while he looked
and the outward semblance of wretchedness.                     not at the things that are seen, but at the things that
   And both now appear in their true character, their are not seen! The suffering of this present time was
real worth, their proper evaluation in the sight of God. only a way to lead him to the glory of the Church
On earth Dives appeared to be the object of God's triumphant.
favor, though he was not; Lazarus was the despised,
though he was precious in the sight of God. Now                   God was his help, indeed !
`Lazarus shines forth in all the beauty and glory of              And He was not ashamed to be called his God !
one that is exalted by God, the rich man is exposed               For, He had prepared for him a city !
as the  ilomination which in God's sight he always                The heavenly Jerusalem 7
W&S!       `- `.I-                . ..A                                                                      H, I-I.
                                                                                                __


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"508                                                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
 -.........--       lll___ __- ".."l..-.-  .-..............  l"l-.-. I -__ ._ .--........
                                                                                                     Thus, at least, it was nominally.
                                                                                                     And thus it must also be explained, that in Grand
  ril
                         E D I T O R I A L S                                                      Rapids, when our people had been expelled from the
                        _-1_1_-                                                                   fellowship of the Christian Reformed Churches, be-
                                                                                                  cause they were convinced that these churches had
                 Our Own Christian High School                                                    departed from the Reformed truth by adopting the
                                                                                                  Three `Points, and when they had organized the Pro-
            Time was,  wh'en  Reformed Christians in our coun- testant Reformed denomination, they csntinued  to sup-
 try all agreed that high school education must be port the existing Christian High School in that city,
 based on specifically Christian principles.                                                      to belong to the society that supported it and to send
            Many there were in those days that could not con- their children there.
 cede the necessity of separate Christian schools for                                                Such is the situation at the present time.
 primary e,ducation  and that strenuously opposed the
 movement for such an  .institution.                                             But generally
 even these would agree that with respect to higher
 education  *the matter stood different, and few there
 were that would send their sons and daughters to a                                                  It is at least ten years ago that we pointed out that
 public institution to receive their secondary and higher this situation is by no means ideal and pleaded fcs
 education.                                                                                       a Christian High School of our own.
            In those days comparatively few had the privilege                                        And in the course of these years our conviction that
 to enjoy a high school education. The law did  net as a Protestant Reformed people in Grand Rapids and
 compel anyone to pursue the-path  of learning beyond vicinity we need our own institution for secondary and,
 the stage of the eighth grade and in general it was those the Lord willing, for higher education, was gradually
 that intended to prepare themselves for one of the confirmed.
 professions that entered high school.
            And it was natural, considering that the ministry                                        More than ever I am convinced that we should put
  was the chief profession for which young men pre- forth all our efforts to establish such a school, and
  pared themselves, that these special high schools were that, with God's help and blessing we shall surely
  denominational in character. They were church see such efforts crowned with success.
  schools.               And the instruction was based on or sup-                                    Last spring a society was organized for this pur-
 posed to be based on the confession of the church that pose; surely, a step in the right direction.
  supported the school.                                                                              But the society hardly counts one hundred mem-
                 But the situation has changed radically as far as bers; and the cause is not only worthy of the united
  high school education is concerned.                                                             efforts  of all our people,  but needs it,
                 First of all the law is no longer satisfied with an                                 And to bring this important matter to your atten-
  eight grade education of our boys and girls, but com- tion and bind it upon your heart, to solicit your sup-
  pels them all to attend the high school, at least up to port and your prayers for this cause, we make this
  a certain age. It is no longer a question for the plea.
  parents to decide whether or not the graduate from the                                             Why is it of great importance that we establish
  grade school shall continue his studies. It is a matter a high school of our own?
  of compulsion. In this respect the high school now                                                 First of all, because Christian instruction must be
  stands  (on a level with the primary school, and the as specific as possible, if it is to be a power for .good.
  number of high school pupils is greatly increased.                                              And this is especially true of secondary education. We
                 And a second important change, resulting from the do not mean to convey the notion that in the primary
  first, is that the church felt no longer obliged to fur- grades the instruction may be less specific, can safely
  nish this *education  for boys and girls of high school assume a more general character. Far be it from us
  age, and like the schools for primary instruction the to suggest such a fallacious notion ! But the age when
  high school became a society-school. The curriculum our boys and girls attend high school is the period in
  was expanded and besides  the various academic courses their life when they begin to reflect, to think for them-
  commercial courses were offered to those that looked selves, when, more than in the years of their childhood,
  forward to a place in some office or in the business-                                           they are able  to imbibe and understand definite prin-
  world in general.                                                                               ciples and doctrines, when it is of utmost importance
                 And again, the schools lost a good deal of their that, both with respect to their thinking and to their
  specifically denominational character and became just conduct they are guided in the right direction.
  ChKsti*,n  high schools.                                                                            It is true, that the instruction and guidance they
                 Members of churches of different denominations receive or ought to receive in the home, in church, in
  coulrd join the society that supported the school.                                              the catechetical classes, are of great influence.


                                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       509
                                                                                                                              -
              -    -    -        ..-^......  _
  But  <this  does not mean that the instruction offered                The overwhelming majority of the society-member-
to them in the high  school  can be less specific.                   ship that support the  school1 is Christian Reformed.
   A so-called  Chr;istinn instruction in the general                   The membership of the `Board is almost entirely
sense of the word, without emphasis on specific prin- Christian Reformed.
ciples is not sufficient.                                               And  Ithe same is true of the teaching-staff.
   The instruction must be  Refo.rmed.                                  How could such a school  lo blamed for teaching
                                                                     specifically Christian Reformed tenets? And how could
   And for us this means Protestant Reformed.                        it be asked to refrain from inculcating the theory elf
   Specific this instruction must be, not only with common grace, a doctrine' considered so important
application to those courses that deal directly  w!ith by the Christian Reformed Churches ,that because of
bible-knowledge  and doctrine or with the history of its denial they expelled their brethren of  the Protestant
the Church, but the principles that are dear to us Reformed Churches from their fellowship?
must permeate as much as possible all the branches of                    In the light of these facts one hardly feels justified
study, such as history, civil government, physics, chem- to protest when these principles are inculcated also
istry, physiology, etc.                                              into our boys and girls that attend ,&he  school.
   And if w,e cannot be satisfied with a little general                  Once more, in this we do not blame the school. The
Christianity, if the instruction of our boys and girls more specific it will be on 3s own basis, the more we
of high school age is to be of a specifically Reformed will respect it for the courage of its conviction.
character,  it cannot be denied that the question  .of                   But on our part we are convinced that no specific
common grace must enter in immediately. It certainly Christian instruction can stand on the basis of the
constitutes a fundamental difference in the basis of theory of Common Grace.
your education whether you proceed from the principle                    There is only one way, only one course' for us to
of common grace or from the tenet that God is grac-                  pursue, if w,e would strive for the ideal: a Christian
ious to His people only; whether ycu believe that there High School of our own!
is a general  influen,oe  of grace through the Spirit of                 Besides, if we will unite our efforts to realize this
God restraining sin and improving men, or whether purpose, it will create a new interest in the cause of
you insist  that  the natural man is actually totally Christian Instruction among us.
depraved  ; whether you view the natural man as being                    There are not a few of us, who send their children
able to perform much good in this world, or whether to the Christian Primary School, but when gradua,tion
you adhere to the truth that all his works are at all day is past, do not hesitate to entrust them to the in-
times only sin outside of the regenerating grace of struction of the public high school. The reason given
the Spirit of Christ.                                                is frequently that the Christian High is little better
    Now we certainly agree on this,  that  UIC: do not and that they refuse to have the teaching of common
zc;a?nt   th,e principle-s  of  cornmom  grace  inculcated  into     grace inculcated into their children. Whether or not
our boys and girls!                                                  this is always the real motive we I,eave to their o.wn
    And we do not  wan6  a. high school education that conscience. We never did, and we do not now justify
is based upon and permeated by these principles!                      this course of procedure. We believe that as long as
    Our ideal, our purpose is specific instruction !                 as we have no school of our own, the existing Christian
    But if we are serious about  this and want to reach High is the institution they should attend. But surely
this ideal, strive for it, realize this purpose, there is the reason given cannot be gainsaid. And this paralizes
cnly one way: a school of our own.                                   our action in favor of Christian High School instruc-
    This article is not written to criticise the existing tion as such. Who feels like fighting for a cause and
Christian High School in Grand Rapids. Mere oppo- speak of principle, when he knows in his heart that
sition to an existing institution is negative and cannot there is little or no specific principle at stake?
very well constitute the basis for a new movement.                       A Christian High of our own, a school based on
We wish to be positive.                                              specifically Protestant Reformed principles, is worth
    But so, much must be said, that in as far as the fighting for, deserves our enthusiasm, will create a
Christian High School of Grand Rapids is specific, it new interest in the cause obf Christian Instruction a-
is Christian Reformed, and it is based on the principle mong us.
of common grace.                                                         But why start with a Christian High School, you
    We could easily prove this statement, not o.nly from probably ask.
personal contact with catechumens that attend *&is                       First of all, because both in view of the importam
school, but also by quotations from text-books used.                  period of the high school age in the life of our boys
    The theory of common grace is certainly upheld and girls and with a view to existing  conditiclns,   I
and inculcated there.                                                think that the need of a Christian High School is most
    We do not write this as an indictment against the urgent.
school.                                                                  Secondly, there is no reason, why in a city like


510                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                            -...- "-___-
Grand Rapids there should be only one Christian High
School. There are thousands of families perhaps that                 Zwier Verstaat Het Nog Niet
do or could support this school. The school is crowded.           Zoo  da&ten  we,  toen we  lazen wat Ds. Zwier
Before long more room will have to be created, new schreef in enkele nummers van De Wachter over de
 buildings erected. But there is no  reasc!n why in a verkondiging des evangelies in verband  met het eerste
city like Grand Rapids there should not be more than der Drie Punten.
 one high school, just as there are several grade schools.
 Why, then, not build a school of our own?                        We waren  een beetje ten achter gekomen met het
                                                               lezen van zijn artikelenreeks onder  bet  opschrift:
       Thirdly, a high school, where all the children of "Goddelijke  Souvereiniteit  en  Menschelijke   Verant-
 Protestant Reformed parents of high school age from woordelijkheid". Enkele  weken mochten we aan de
 Grand Rapids and vicinity can attend is more easily kust van de Atlantische Oceaan doorbrengen, een kleine
 realized than a grade sch,ool. There will be fewer chil- duizend mijlen van huis en arbeid, om dagelijks te ge-
 dren, we will need fewer teachers, and the children are nieten van zeelucht en zeebad,  en om ook zoover ver-
, of such an age that they can easily travel a few miles wijderd te zijn van allen arbeid, beten we alle corres-
 to attend a centrally located high school of our own.         pondentie en bladen eenvoudig thuis.
       You object that it will prove to be impossible?            En nu na we zes weken  van niets doen dan wandelen
       To this I answer:                                       en zwemmen weer  thuis zijn gekomen  moesten we
       First, that there are some six hundred Protestant we1 eerst door den "rijst,enbrijberg"  heen eer we eenige
 Reformed families in Grand Rapids only. If we unite bijzondere aandacht konden  wijsden  aan de bovenge-
 and put our shoulder to the wheel there is no reason noemde artikelen van Ds. Zwier, die  we1 niet veel
 why we could not establish and support one high nieuws schrijft, maar op wien bet tech goed is de ver-
 school.                                                       maning toe te passen,  dat we acht hebben op elkander.
       Secondly, if you are agreed on the principle you           Thans zijn we weer  op dreef.
 will surely also agree that it is worth all our effort           En ofschoon we een beetje laat komen, kunnen we
 to try.                                                       tech niet  nalaten een enkele opmerking  te  maken  over
       No attempt was ever made.                               hetgeen Zwier  s&reef.
       Join our society.                                          Het is opmerkelijk, dat hij in zijn artikelenreeks
       And let us have your much needed support!               zooveel aandacht wijdt aan de Drie Punten. En we
                                                    H. H.      geven hem  crediet,  dat hij een manmoedige, zij het
                                                               ook nog zoo wanhopige  paging doet, om  aan te  toonen,
                                                               dat er geen conflict is tusschen de leer dier  punten en
                                                               de Gereformeerde waarheid. Onzerzijds mogen we dat
                                                               wel. De praktijk van doodzwijgen, door de leiders der
                                                               Christelijke  Gereformeerde  Kerken  gevolgd, hebben
                            NOTICE                             we altijd  gelaakt  en betreurd. En bovendien ko*mt  het
                                                               door zulk eene bespreking hoe langer zoo meer aan
       The Annual  M,eeting  of the R. F. P. A., will be       het  licht, met name voor hen, die  niet  sIechts   "OILS
                                                               kerkelijk   blad De Wachter",  maar ook de Standard
 held Thmsday,  September 23, at 7:45 o'clock, in the Bearer lezen, holei onmogelijk het is om de Drie Punten
 basement of the First Protestant Reformed Church, te verdedigen op Gereformeerd standpunt  en dat de
 corner Fuller Ave., and Franklin St. Agents will be Christelijke  Gereformeerde  Kerken in 1924 we1 waar-
 on hand at ?:45 tu receive member&p  fees and sub- lijk een verbond gesloten hebben met Arminius en zijn
 scriptions. The board made the following nomination aanhang.
 for Board members:                                               Het is daarbij  echter jammer, dat Zwier keer 0-p
                                                               keer in gebreke  blijft op het eigenllijke  punt in te gaan.
            Rev. R. Veldman, (Roosevelt Park)                  Hlj beschuldigt zijn tegenstanders  soms  we1 van  so-
            Mr. M.  Gritters,  {Creston)                       phisterij en van bet draaien  van een rad voor de oogen
                                                               der menschen, hij kan soms ook heel aardig spotten
            Mr. Ralph Schaafsma                                en  een  toon  aanslaan van iemand, die het met zijn
            Mr. Al Wychers                                     tegenstanders  niet zoo ernstig neemt, maar feit is, dat'
            Mr. B. Woudenbeng                                  hij zelf de zaak verkeerd  voorstelt  en dat het hem
            Mr. F. Pipe                                        slechts in den weg van verkeerde voorstelling gelukt
                                                               om den indruk te Iaten, dat bet er met die Drie Pun-
       The Board has asked Rev. H. Hoeksema to give us ten nog niet zoo slecht bijstaat.
 a short speech.                                                   Dat verraadt een zwak.
                                                     Sec'y.        We willen natuurlijk niet beweren, dat Ds. Zwier


                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                             515
- -
        verdere ontwikkeling van de leer deer waar-                           Wij willen natuurhjk gaarne op de hoogte blijven
        heid Gods te komen.                                           van hetgeen  er in Nederland wordt geschreven.
           Het nieuwe blsd zal  zich concentreeren op                         Zouden  we het nieuwe blad  niet aanstonds  kunnen
       onderwerpen aangaande  Schrift,  BelijdeG,                     ontvangen,  als wisselblad met de Standard Bearer?
        Geestelijk en  Eierkelijk   levtm.                                                                            H. H.
          Or&o  zal  een overwegend  dogmatisch  ka-
        rakter dragen  en rustig en zakelijk actueele                                           -         -
        kwesties belichten.
          De dogmakische  hoofdmoot zal door den re-
       dakteur  worden  gegeven in een  Hoofdartikel.                                 Syllabus Of Salvation
        Verder zal het bla,d naast een ,meditatie  ook
        een  afzonderlijke                                               The devil received his hour in the church of
                                exegetische  rubriek  bevat-
        ten, waarin o.m.  moeilijke  en weinig bekende                Corinth.
        Schriftgedeelten alsook zulke, waaromtrent                       And he certainly used it.
                                                                         Attend to Paul : "For it hath been decllared  unto me
        veel misverstand heerscht, wordea verklaard.
          De rubriek                                                  of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house
                          Kerkelijk  leven  zal door den rep          of Chloe, that  ,there are contentions  amung you." And
        dacteur  zelr wcr&n verzorgd en zal dus in
       b&e&ems  niet achterstaan bij het  hoofd-                      that is of the devil. He delights in it to set brother
        artikel.                                                      against brother in the one church of God, where, if
          De Rubriek                                                  at any place, all should be one, all should be beauteous
                           Persschouw  zal den lezer op de
        hoogte houden van het belangrijkste, wat er,                  harmony.
        met name in de Gereformeerde Pers,  ver-                         The devil so raged at Corinth that in their meet-
        schijnt, waarbij tegen eenzijdigheid zal                      ings they would fill the atmosphere with unholy conten-
                                                           wor-
        den gewaakt.                                                  tions and strife. Each had his  rockbound  conviction
          Voorts zullen de rubrieken                                  regardming the leadership of the church. Some said:
                                               EvangeLisatie,         Paul is my man ; another spoke of Apollos ; still others
       Zending,  Gereformeerd  leven  ,in het  buiten-                claimed Peter as `their leader; while some also said,:
        land, Boekenschouw,  aan actualiteit niets  te
        wenschen overlaten.                                           But we are of Christ. Somehow, I am afraid most of
          Het vooropgezette  doe1 der Redactie is:                    all of these last were members of the Corinthian
                                                                      church. At any rate, things were at a sorry turn in
       vaste,  principieele   Iijnen te  trekken en  daar-
       door verdere                                                   this Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ.
                        lzrwarriny   in de Gereformeerde                 In the world it is entirely in keeping with the life of
        Kerken te voorkomen.                                          the lie when men are flocking behind the banners of
          Met nadruk  wcrd't er op gewezen, dat het                   men whose breath is in their nostrils; Heil Hitler! and
        blad  geen   polemiek  zal zoeken. Weliswaar zal              Vive il Duce ! are perfectly natural ebullitions o,f mere
       het er  zich ook niet  geheel van onthouden,                   fools. But when Dhe church of God stoocps  to such folly
        maar, waar noodig, de polemiek oefenen  over-                 she becomes a double mockery of the world around
        eenkomstig het besluit van de jongste Gene                    her.
        rale Synode.                                                     Because the church has no mere man as leader.
          Het blad zal populair zijn in den  goeden                   Neither does she find her calling in the following of
        zin van het  woc+rd, zoodat de inhoud  voor                   men, no, not even inspired men like Paul and Peter.
        iederen  meelevenden  Gereformeerde ten vollle                   And the reason is that she is "of God: in Christ
        verstaanbaar is,                                              Jesus, Who of God is made unto her wisdom, and  rightr
          En  niet alleen door den inhoud is het blad                 eousness, and sanctification and redemption.          That
        voor heel het Gereformeerde volk, ook door                    according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him
        d e n   u i t e r s t   lagen  aborrtnementrsprijs   v a n    glory in the Lord !"
        slechts een gulden per kwbrtaal zal het blad                     The reason as set forth in the abcve cited Scripture
        onder  ieders bereik zijn. Hiermede is Credo                  is at the same time the very syllabus of redemption, of
        een der goedkoopste  Gereformeerde  weekbla-                  salivation. It is a summary of the entire Gospel of
        den.                                                          Jesus Christ.
       Wij verwonderen ons er altijd over, dat er onder                       It was very foolish to name one's self after Paul for '
de Nederlandsche gereformeerden  zooveel literatuur the very simple reason that Paul certainly was not
aan de markt kan worden  gebracht. Wat een bladen crucified for the Corinthian church neither was he,
en tijdschriften, boeken en brochures kan men ,daar that is Paul, the bath of regeneration in the which they
kwijt worden!                                                         were baptized. They were not of Paul although Paul
       Met belangstelling zien we uit naar `t verschijnen was of them.
van dit nieuwe blad.                                                     They were "of G.od".


 5       1    6                        T H E S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

       Wonder what this may mean !                             own children apart  frum  Christ. No, but He made
       It might mean: God possesses the Corinthian Christ what He is. And making the`Christ  of God as
Church. They are His property. But  1 do not think He is included also our appearance as children of God
SO.      And for the simple reason that it would have no       Because Christ is made of God unto us wisdom, etc.
sense in this connection. Paul is not writing about the           In this portion of God's Word, therefore, we behold
fact that is true in itself, namely, that God possesses the appearance of the church. She  is made of  God.
them . There would be nothing  distinctive  in that She is made of Him in Christ Jesus the Lord. She is
assertion. For God possesses everything and every- made of Him in Christ by making Christ what He is,
body, even the very devils that endeavour to disrupt namely the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and
the Corinthian church. No, the term does not denote redemption of the church, which she needs. And all
the relation of mere possession.                               this for  t,he wondrous purpose that Christ and the
       It might also mean: The Corinthian church is of church shall stand before the face of Gold everlastingly
God in .the sense that He chose her. Then the term to tell Him that it is He Who made us, and not we our-
would mean that Qcd is the origin of the church. And selves, unto the sheep of His pasture. That according as
the context seems to support the idea. F,or in the fore- it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
going verses the Apostle speaks of her election three             And that is heaven.
times.                                                            And Paul, though dead and buried, yet speaks to us.
       But I do not think that even that is true. Not More correct woal,d be to say that God still speaks to
as though I would deny that the Corinthian  church  is us. For Paul spoke the oracles of God.
chosen by  Ged. For she is. But I do not think that               For also we have need constantly to be reminded
Paul had the election  of the church in mind when he of our Maker.                                              ,
writes : But ye are of Cod ! And the reason why I am              And He is our Maker in a ,twofold  sense. He made
persuaded of this is very simple: There was no need us in that He created us out of the dust of the earth.
and no occasion at all to write to this Church about the       Even in the natural, physical sense we are in the very
fact that they were chosen. The doctrine of election           hollow of His hand. We are of God even though R is
was not in debate at all.         That Pad wrote about through the will of man and the reception by a woman
election in the foregoing verses was introduction to that we are begotten. Even then, He made us.
the words as  quoted  above. It was the groundwork                But He is also our Maker in the spiritual sense.
fo!r the beautiful syllabus of salvation.                         And that is more difficult to believe.
       No, the need of the church at Corinth was different.       For we are pro,ud by nature.
They had need of knowing who wrought them unto sal-               And  ,also false. We would rather give the honor
vation,  When they said: I am of Paul, and I am of and glory to a man and say: I am of Moody; and I of
Peter, etc. they did, not mean to say : We are Paul's pos- Billy Sunday; and I of I know not who.
`session, or we are the chosen of Peter, `but they meant          Long ago  I head a story. It was of the work of
to say: We are following Paul or Peter or Apollos, be- Moody or Spurgeon, I am not sure which.  1 am in-
cause we are what we are through them. It is through clined to  ,think it was Spurgeon.
Paul's wisdom or Peter's  enithousiasm  or through                At any rate either Moody or Spurgeon  walkea the
Apollos' eloquence that we are that we are. That was streets of London and was accosted by a  dinty bum
their mistake. And to root this out  Paull says: No, who said : You are no good, Spurgeon  ! I am one of
you are not the workmanship of Paul, neither of Peter your converts of a year ago and now, look me over.
nor of Apollos, but you are the workmanship of God. My entire conversion lasted as long as I was under the
Ye are of God ! We find in these words the relation spell of your words. Immediately after, I fell into my
of workmanship. For you see your calling brethren, old ways of sin and corruption. You are no good!
so speaks Paul. You were foolish, base and nothing at             And Spurgeon  made answser:  I do not marvel. My
all and it took an Almighty God to make you what you converts wlould  all fare as you <did. But, ah, if you had
are. And He made you thus because He has chosen you been one of Go& converts, how differently you wo,uId
unto this remarkable workmanship. Paul, Peter and have turned out `to be!
Apollos could never have made you, who were nothing               Ya, so it is. If we are God's workmanship, created
at all, into the children of God. You are of God, that unto  goo,d works which He  afore prepared, that we
is, you are His product.                                       should walk in them - then we nre. Then we exist as
       That this is so appears z&o from that which fol- children of light in the world  and,  ,then  we shall be
lows.                                                          recipients of all the labor that God has wrought  unto
       For there Paul asserts that we became what we are us in Christ Jesus the Lord, viz., wisdom, righteous-
because we are in Christ. And note that Christ is also ness, sanctification and redemption.
made of God. He is of God made unto us wisdom, etc.               And then, as always, God's purpose fails not: we
It shows the manner of our appearing as children of are to the praise of His glory.
God in the world. The Lord did not just make us His               And again: that is very heaven.           G.  V,


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        519
---.-L ..- ~- .^........ "" ..-___ __I                                                                       -
uit  al!e geslachten der  aarde, van  wat  Hij voor haar het zichtbare gerekend  worden? Hierover kunnen we
verwierf.                                                        kort zijn, daar rtoch niemand dit ooit zal kunnen vol-
      Letten we vervolgens op het woord hier door be- hiouden  in bet licht der werkelijkheid.            De Kerk en de
lofte vertaald,  dan vinden, geheel  in overeenstemming          belofte zijn immers beiden naar den bepaalden raad
met  bet  onmiddelijk   voorafgaande   verband,  dat dit Gods in en door  Christus alleen denkbaar. Naar de
woord wordt gebruikt als de belofte van Gods gunst in idee is de Kerk bet lichaam van Christus en wordk  zij
nauw  verband met de zaligheid in en door  Christus              in het zichtbare  naar dien naam genoemd en in over-
alleen.        Nooit is er een belofte  10s van of naast den eenstemming daarmede wordt alleen  aan het lichaam
Christus. Want all,e beioften  zijn principeel  de belofte de belofte geschonken. Ook dan, al *is er somtij*ds  een
aangaande den Christus. Hij is immers de Belo,ofde  en overgroot  deel, da!t Christus  niet toebehoort, blijft die
alle heil en zaligheid is er in en door Hem. In Christus geestelijke kern wezenlijk zijn  lichaam.
ligt alle heil en zaligheid naar den bepaalden raad en              Dat verandert  het aantal van veel 09 weinig niet.
voorkennisse Gods, en dat voor de Kerk aller eeuwen,                Ten tweede,  komt die Kerk op uit de geslachten der
welke  Hij, de  Drieemge   Zich ten  erfdeel  verkoren geloovigen. In haar kinderen  heeft het de Heere be-
heeft. Feitelijk is er dan ook geen enkele belofte lcs lieft Zijn Kerk te continueeren, en dat tin eindea toe.
van den Middelaar en wezenlijk is er geen heil en  salig-        Daarum, met dat alles  vvor oogen, is er ook hier geen
heid, dan voor de Kerk  sheen. Ge kunt  dit  we1  ver- enkele gron'd, om bet particuli,ere  voor bet algemeene
krachten  en meenen  Go,de  een dienst te doen  door die in te ruilen. Wie dat  tech doet, voor hem heeft de be-
belofte gemeen goed te  maken  voor een  &e&r,  maar de Iofte geen werkelijken inhoud,  noch ook troost  `ce
S&rift weet daar niet van. Wij  linden het  alltijd              bieden.    De vastheid moet in de belofte  en in den
gevaarlijk om te zeggen, dat Christus voor zondaren Beloofde liggen. Trouwens wordt di?t dan nog verder
gestorven is, voor zondaren in het algemeen.  Het  ver-          bevestigd door de toevoeging  `en allen  d,ie daar verre
raadt voor ons de neiging,  die juist uit dien  hock te zijn, zoovelen als de Heere onze God toe roepen  zal'.
voorschijn  komt wanneer  ge alechts nauwkeurig oplet, Zoo,  als Hij, de God des Verbonds het deed in  Zijn
want dan gaat het niet om bepaalde zondaren,  maar am Kerk der Oude, 266 ook zal Hij het doen  met de Kerk
allen. De spraak verraadt  we1 terdege wie men is, ook in de Nieuwe Bedeeling. Hij zal hen roepen, uitroepen
in die dingen.                                                   in den zin van Yot Zich roepen.  En die door Hem wor-
     Welnu, sprekende tot de Kerk in haar overgangs-             den geroepen,  worden   onwederstandelijk  door den
pericde  en daarom ook tot ons wijst P&us er op, dat Geelest  toegebraeht  en den Heere  geeigend,   oipdat zij
die  belcfte  nu gerealiseerd is, dat zij  dizt nu hebben ge-    door die  roeping de belofte zouden ontvangen en  deel-
hoord en gezien, en dat die verwerkelijking geschiedde genooten zijn van de zaligheid, die door den Belcofde
voor  ,de gemeente en haar zaad. Vour allen? Dat sluit bereid is.
zeer zeker allereerst, de wereld  builten. Want nog eens            En die roeping  begon alreeds in Petrus dagen. We
weer,  voor die wereld kunt ge in Gods  Woord geen lezen immers, `En de Heere deed dagelijks tot de ge-
enkele  belofte vinden, die haar dcor Christus gewerd. meente, die zalig werden.'                             w. v.
Zoo iets bestaat  niet, omdat  Christus naar den Woorde
Gcds, alleen stierf  en opgestaan is voor Zijn Bruid. Lo-
gisch correct, zoo zegt men, maar niet m-tar de Schrift?
Naar de Schrift, want niemand.is  in staat,  om zij het
slechts een enkele weldaad, uit de Schrift  aan te wijzen                   Knowledge Of Mysteries
die door Christus verworven is en de wereld geschonken
wordt  ob ten goede komt. Zijn kruislijden en sterven  is           There is progress in the knowledge of mysteries,
fuist door die ?uereld altijd genoemd  dwaasheid en is in the divine mysteries of the Kingdom. In Eph. 1:17-
hnnr  eene  ergernis.  Neen, niet  w'ij,  doch de wereld         17 we find Paul praying for that in. behalf of the con-
noemt het dwaasheid en  zal dit blijven  doen,  omdat gregation when he beseeches the Father of glory to
naar haar overtuiging  een kruis niet helpt, een kruise-         give the spirit of wisdom and revelation. Again in
ling tot niets nuttigs  kan zijn. Want dat kruis is het Ephesians 4 :15 there is speech of "growing up into
einde van het leven voor hem, die aan dien schandpaal Christ", attaining to spiritual manhood. While in Heb-
genageld is. Maar voor wie gelooft, dat is, voor hem in 6 :l thse writer emphatically states that we are to press
wien Gods genade tot openbaring kwam, voor zulk een beyond "the word of  the beginning of Christ", that
is het kruis  de wijsheid en de kracht Gods maar voor is, we are to' go further than the first and rudimentary
hem dan ook alleen. Wie bet anders predikt  haalt zijn           principles, and go on to perfection.
grand niet uit de Schrift,  doch uit zijn verward brein,            Shah there therefore be growth in our spiritual life
dat zich aan di.e Schrift  en haar duidelijke uitspraken there must be increase in, progress in t.he knowI,edge
niet wil onderwerpen, ook al wordt het hem onophoude-            of these mysteries.
Iijk voorgehouden.                                                  And it shall ever be the duty of the church, that is
     Maar dan .misschien  voor allen,  die tot de Kerk in of the ministry of the church to labor toward this end.


ml                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
 -...^-        -  - -                -I_ .-.... --..-_-~              _I__            ~ -.--_I.-_.               -II--
No:t to amuse or entertain the hearers, not to tickle to settle down with our children and teach them  dot-
their fancies or arouse their sentiment or emotions trine. Diflicult, indeed. But necessary.
merely. Not to deliver stunning remarks and make a               Tha.t there may be progress.
few striking observations. . . . but to indzlct the chil-        In the course of this progress we are to guard a-
dren of God into the knowledge of these mysteries. gainst two things.
This is often neglected today. The church lays more              On the one hand we may not try curiously to pry
emphasis on rendering service, giving political or into things which really are the hidden things of the
economical advice, on lifting up of humanity on the Lord. Such intrusion into  .things  which we cannot
general embetterment of prevailing conditions. None know is sinful and dangerous. Sinful because the very
of this will make for progress in the knowledge of action constitutes a denial of the sufficiency of divine
mysteries. Nay, above all God has instituted the gift revelation. Dangerous because it invariably leads  one
of the ministry in order that we might grow up into          to become puffed up in his fleshly mind and  sron
Christ and increase in the knowledge of the mysteries enough leads to views which improve upon and there-
of God and of His Christ as they are revealed in the fore are contrary to Holy Writ. And that is retrogr2s-
Scriptures.                                                  sion.
     For that reason too, the Church of God shall preach        But on the other hand we are to guard against  ihe
doctrine. That is not a preaching of mere abstractions. equally sinful and dangerous exteme of too  cas'ly
Neither does it amount simply to a course in dogmatics. calling everything "hidden things". People like to do
Doctrinal preaching is something more t.han this. It that these days, you know, jrst saying of everythir.g,
is the preaching of and continual emphasis on the dog- `daar hebben wij niets mee te maken'. This may sound
mas of Scripture, but as they touch the life of the          pious but it is not so pious. It closes the door to
child of God in this world. Emphasizing the pure dog- that command of Christ to search the Scriptures. It
mas of truth but showing at the same time how they makes progress and development of truth impossible
are our life. Somewhat as Moses did when he  pro- and unnecessary. For if men can make us believe
pcsed God's ordinances to the children of Israel, but that we have nothing to do with these things we will
added: ,`for it is not a vain thing for you: because it be tempted but we will forthwith condemn as ration-
is your life". It is the applying  0.f the Christian dog- alists all who do studiously seek to make progress in
mas to  t#he  life of God's child and His Church. The the knowledge of the mysteries. And, by the way, I
child of God, believing that it is eternal life to know hold myself convinced that in that light we must under-
God will seek also to fill himself wit,h dcctrinal  preach- stand the frequent charges hurled against us as Pro-
ing. For only through doctrine can he increase in the testant Reformed Churches of being rationalists, of
knowledge of His God. In that way too, a minister wanting to be wiser than God, etc. Things which do ,not
can never preach to,o much doctrine nor will the Church condemn us but condemn such as say these things. If
tire of much doctrine. And if the Church grews tired it is rationalism to want to think the thoughts of God
of doctrinal preaching one of two things must be true: as they are revealed in Scripture. . . . then we must
either the ministry fails in realizing what doctrinal stand as rationalists, I presume.
preaching really is, or the church is become unspiritual.        Besides that, the crave to relegate everything to
                                                             the sphere of the hidden things as an evil root or
     Shall a church be fitted to receive doctrinal preach- two. With some it ro,ots in the attempt to keep the
ing, a doctrinal catechetization must have preceded. laity ignorant. Ignorance, it is figured, is bliss, at
If our children'and our youth are not taught the funda- least as far as keeping the people faithful to their
mental principles of doctrine and taught also to appre- particular church is concerned. Luther was condemned
ciate them spiritually, how shall they later appreciate by Rome as being a Monk with silly and crazy ideas,
a doctrinal sermon? They  shaM'be the first to com- of course, because Rome wanted to keep its people
plain that the minister preaches "too deep", his dis- ignorant of the powerful principles which underlie the
courses are "too dry". They will be the first to clamor Reformation. With others it roots in the sin of lazi-
for less doctrine. They will ask the pastor to make his ness. The lazier a.n individual or church becomes the
sermons more palatable and attractive. Catechetical          more it seeks to designate the depths of doctrine as
instruction must serve to prepare them for solid doc- a field of hidden things and therefore, need not and
trine. Without which they cannot make progress in ought not to be touched. The lazy man saith; there
the knowledge. of mysteries.                                 is a lio,n without, I shall be slain on the street. A hand-
     And, behind the catechism stands again the home. some cover for advanced laziness. Again, in others,
And home life. What with the abundance of news- it roots in a desire  ,to have and to keep the fellowship
papers *entering our homes, what with the radi,o,  what of the world. A  too definite statement of doctrine de-
with the sensational amusements and attractions daily stroys synthesis with the world. Penetrating too deep-
storming our home life? If not to make us carnal, at ly into these uncertain matters and unimportant things
least to make us superficial. And in the midst of it         denominational wedges between such as ought to be


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          521
                             -.-                                            _.--
friends and brothers. And if the Church is courting Hierin, echter, be&at de vrijheid niet. Dit geldt zelfs
the world neither of them will allow a definite doctrine voor die schepsel in het algemeen. Niet dan is de
to intervene.                                                  visch vrij wanneer het  zich ook bewegen kan in de
      And so there rises a  worlad full of hidden things.      lucht;  evemnin is de vogel vrij  wanneer  het  zich  be-
      And men are left in the blind alley. Progress is vindt  in het water zoowel als in de lucht; een boom is
impossible.                                                    niet vrij wanneer  llet verkiest niet langer in den grond
      Over against all this there must be progress in the te  staan,  en een  locomotief  is  alles  behalve vrij  wan-
knowledge of divine mysteries. Not curiously prying            neer zij weigert om  langer in  bet spoor te  loopen.
into things unknown but neither lazily calling every- Vooral geldt deze waarheid den mensch. Allereerst is
thing unknown.        But we must bow ourselves over dit geen vrijheid daar hij eigen beer en meester tech
Scripture and seriously attempt to penetrate into its niet is. Hij mag  zich dit wel  wanen  naar  luide van
deep things. God is obtained only by deep and dili- onze  eerste Zondagsafdeeling. Feit is, echter, dat hij
gent digging. To this end `God gives us the spirit of in  al zijn  doen en  laten beheerscht wordt door den
wisdom and revelation and we must so walk and live alleen vrijmachtigen God en, tevens, dat hij slaaf der
that the candlestick be not removed from its place.            duisternis is. Een mensch mag  zich  beer  wanenvan
If it be removed all becomes darkness. Then age-old eigen lot en leven, maar dienstknecht is en  blij.ft,  hij.
dcctrines  are denied, new ones are substituted, plain En in de tweede plaats,  (deze zoogenaamde vrijheid van
doctrines become hid,den  things. But. with that candle- den natuurlijken mensch werkt den dood. We1 blijft
stick there: In Thy light shall we see light.        M. G. de zonde voorwerp van zijn keuze, hij wil de ongerech-
 .                                                             tigheid.  Maar dit is  zijne dwaasheid. Immers, de
                                                               zonde is en werkt  den dood. Deze zoqgenaamde  vrij-
                                                               heid van den zondaar ontneemt  hem alle leven en doet
                                                               hem het eeuwige verderf ingaan.  *
                         Vri jheid                                Tot  recht   verstaan  van het  begrip `vrijheid' dient
                                                               uitgegaan van den  alleen  levenden God. God  meet
      Vrijheid is de onmisbare voorwaarde voor alle le- uitgangspunt  wezen.  Dit ligt  ,ia den  aard der zaak.
ven en zaligheid. Dit is in het algemeen het  geval  op God bepaalt alle dingen. Want alleen God IS, niemand
natuurlijk gebied. Elk schepsei zoekt naar haar. Sla- meer. Hij is  alleen   goed,   r&t alleen in den  zin dat
vernij is  vo,or  hem de dood. Vooral de gevangene, die Hij Zelf louter  goed is, noch in betrekkelijken zin, zoo-
na jaren  te zijn opgesloten in donker kerkerho1,  voor dat Hij de Bron is van alle goede  gaven zonder meer,
h&  eerst   zich de deuren  zijner  gevangenis geopend also.f  het goede nu be&at  & God en oak buitm  Hem.
ziet, kan u zeggen wat vrijheid is. Of vraagt het aan God is goed in absoluten  zin, alzoo,  dat alleg wat Hij
het volk dat lang geknecht is geweest onder vreemde            gemaakt heeft slechts een afschijnsel, reflectie is van
heerstihappij, om nu naar  eigen aard en keuze te wor- wat alleen  in Hem werkelijk bestaat en bestaan kan.
den geregeerd volgens  eigene wetten,  in de vrije ont-        En daar God de absolute Goede  is, Die daarom Zich-
wikkeling van eigen volksleven. En nu, 161 jaren later zelven  handhaaft  en alle Ieven en be&an  bepaalt en
gedenken onze  Vereenigde  Staten  feestelijk  het  feit       beheerscht, ligt het in den aard der zaak dat  a&en in
dat men het juk der Engelsche heerschappij  mocht  af-         Zijn  licht wij het  licht kunnen aanschouwen en tot
schudden om te leven naar  eigen wil en keuze.                 recht verstaan kunnen komen van de ware vrijheid.
      Vcoral op geestelijk terrein is vrijheid onmisbaar.         God is vrijheid.  Deze vrijheid des  Heren   b&e++
Deze vrijheid  Wilde de vijand  dertien  jaren   geleden       kent dat Hij eeuwiglijk,  volmaakt, onverhinderd en on-
aan  banden leggen, de  banden der drie  punten, wier gebonden wandelt in overeenstemming  met Zichzelven.
juk  wij door  C*ods   genade  niet  wiaden  dragen.   Maar    God  Ieeft Zijn eigen leven volkomenlijk. Hij is een
ook nu is er allerlei dat deze ware vrijheid der kerke licht in Wien is gansch geen duisternis, vol van genade
Gods dreigt, en worden  we deswege geroepen om te              en schoonheid,  het absolute inbegrip van alle volmaakt-
waken en te strijden  opdat  niemand onze kroon neme. heden.  En de  Heere  leeft eeuwiglijk dat leven met
                                                               volkomene doorgronding. Hij kent Zichzelven tot in
                                                               de  oneindige  diepten van Zijn bestaan. Niets in Hem
      Vrijheid is nimmer te  verwarren met vrijmacht, is voor Hem verborgen. Bovendien heeft  Hij gemeen-
alsof de m*ensch zou w.iillen en denken  en handelen  naar schap met Zichzelven als de Drieeenige  volzalige  Ver-
eigene keuze, zonder aan iemand naast ,hem  of boven bonds-God. En in dat willen, diefhebben, kennen en
hem te vragen : wat wilt gij dat ik doen zal ? Dit is zoeken van Zichzelven is Hij ongebonden  en onbelem-
de ingebeelde vrijheid van den mensch van nature, merd. Dit is het eeuw.ige leven Gods.
die zich waant  eigen heer en meester te zijn. Dit is             Wat is onze vrijheid? Dit, dat ik onverhinderd mij
het God-onteerende Arminianisme, dat den mensch kan en mag bewegen in en  naar  den  aard van mijn
doet optreden als zijn lot en heil beslissende, aldus dat wezen,   hetwelk voor mij het leven is.  Leven,  tech,  is
Gods welbehagen afhangt van `s menschen  vrijen wil.           de geschiktmaking  van bet levende schepsel aan zijn


                          *g

                                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                   523
- _.......- --^ ..-..-_  ^- .....ll.......ll.--l.  ----- .._-.-.                                   ----A ---__- __ ^__.              .--
pende kwestie voor het leven van Gods kind in 1924.                                 And mark you: this is not the idea of the pes-
Trekt men zich het juk der wereld aan, wandelt men simist among men  I*t is the diagnosis of a lovable,
zonder  C&d, dan zal men  oak metterdaad zonder God good and righteous God!
moeten  leven. De Heere laat Zich niet bespotten.  Hij                              Why then should we be proud? Proud of the
wanldelt   Zelf  ,alleen  in het licht en oefent  oak dleen darkness whi$h we are and beget? Sad irony of the
met hen gemeenschap die Hem oprecht dienen in geest existence of mere man.
en waarheid. Om die gemeenxhap  niet prijs te geven,                                For he struts and boasts and speaketh great things.
Zijn trouw  steeds te kennen, en Zijn Vader-liefde te His tongue walks upon the earth and he even assaults
smaken hebben we geweigerd in 1924 om het juk der the heavens: Doth God know?
synthese aan te trekken en staan we, uit dit oogpunt,                               Strutting in their filth and recognizing one an-
als  kerken zeker alleen.                                                        other they make fine speeches of themselves and of
    Dat we daarom mogen &an in de vrijheid waar-                                 each other. The worldlings boast of their finery. The
mede  Christus ons vrijgemaakt  heeft, den ouden good t*hat sinners do. Forsooth!
mensch met al zijn begeerlijkheden afleggende, aan-                                 If the light that is in them is darkness : how great
doende den nieuwen mensch. Staat daarom in de vrij- the darkness !
heid van 1924 en verstaat uwe soeping om als Gods                                   No, man begat darkness. He conceived sin and
volk ten allen tijde uit het beginsel der wedergeb,oorte                         bears sin. And this ungodly process ends in death.
te leven. En trekt geen vreemd juk aan met de god- See James 1 :I5
delooze,  maar stelt uw eenigste vertrouwen  in de kracht                           Goodness, worthy of the  nameis from God, for He
Gods en niet in het geweld  des menschen. God zal bet is the sum total of all good. * His is gcodness.
rnaken, en de vrede, die alle verstand  te boven gaat,                              And all the gre& goodness of CTod is called Light.,
zal onze harten en zinnen bewaren in den Heere Jezus                                And that Light begets.
Christus.                                                                           For God Who commanded the light to shine out of
     De beoefening van deze vrijheid is alleen mogelijk darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light
door `s Heeren  Gee&.  Christus' werk op Golgotha is of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
de eenigste rechtsgrond waarop bet Goddelijk werk Jesus Christ.  II&r.  4:6.
der Christelijke vrijheid rust. Hij heeft voor ons bet                              That Light of God, that is, goodness, begets light,
recht  verworven om God te mogen dienen, En door that is, goodness.
onwederstandelijke genade dleen  worden we  geroepen                                Thus it was in the beginning. God commanded light
uit de duisternis  in het licht, niet  alleen bij den aan-                       to shine out of the primeval darkness. And, behold,
vang, maar tot  aan den dag van Christus  Jezus.                                 it was light. And God saw the light and, behold, it
     Daarom is onze vrijheid onderwerpelijk mogelijk was good.
allereerst in den weg des gebeds. God  te dienen is                                 Thus it is now.
onze  roeping  en blijft onze daad. Maar  bet is Gods                               Go,d commands His own Light to shine out of the
werk en de strijdende Christen is altoos een biddend filthy, corrupt darkness of our unborn, unregenerated
Christen, die bet a&en van God ontvangen moet en hearts and, behold, it was light. And God saw the
daarom ontvangt in den weg des gebeds. En ten twee- light which begatt and, behold, it was very good.
de, moer;en  we het oog gericht hebben op God die akleen                            So a Christian was born.
de Getrouwe is. De strijd is immers moeilijk. Maar                                  That light which begat us is the knowledge of `ihe
de Heer is zoo getrouw  als sterk; Hij zal in ons Zijn glolry of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
werk  voknden. Dat  blijve  onze  hope en ons vertrou~-                             By nature we do not know, neither do we under-
 wen en God zd ons niet beschamen.                                      H. V.    stand.
                                                                                    But by regeneratiog,  through the Lighlt of God we
                                                                                 know God and consequentIy  know ours&es.
                            Begetting Light                                         The knowledge of God is salvation, is blessedness,
                                                                                 is redemption, is heaven.      "In that day, saith the
     Indeed : "Oh, why should the soul of the mortal Lord, they shall know .Me, from the greatest to the
be proud?"                                                                       smallest."
     There is no,thing to be proud of.                                              The knowledge of God is blessedness and complete
     The only thing we have, the only  prod<uce  of our salvation, for it is the knowledge of His glory.
brain and hands and fet, and all our being is filth,                                And His glory is the radiation of all His  wondrcus
corruption, deceit, the lie, utmost wickedness.                                  virtues.      And to be filled with  ithat radiation is
     Have it in one word: all we have and are is dark-                           blessedness. There they shout, they also sing.
ness. Children of darkness, we beget darkness ever                                  And it is in the face of Jesus Chris&
and again.                                                                          He, that is, Jesus, is in the `bosom of the Father
     And the end is fitting. Outer darkness, reserved in and He is filled centrally with all ,the goodness of God.
hell forever                                                                     All that goodness is given Him through the Holy Ghost


F&4                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
-.---                   -.^-                                -.".                    ..I_ -II_- .._- -....L ..-
and it fills Him to overflowing. And it thrills Him communication to me the views contained1  in the propo-
everlastingly. He is blessed forever and He sings of sition und.er one and two, the notion, namely, that I
all the virtue of God that fills Him in the midst of the up&y taught (in our Standard Bearer) the opposite
great congregatilon.  He instructs all the members of view,-the view that the  ofCering  made for the  pcor
His body  in the knowledge of all that virtue. We see               and those made for the maintenance of the ministry
the glory of God as it is reflected from the face of Jesus of the word do differ essentially and UT? not of equal
He coeches  us to sing the songs of eternal praise and importatance.              But let me al%rm  that in no copy of the
g l o r y .                                                         Standard Bearer have I taught this opposite  ,view.
    And thus goodness is born in the creature that was The fact is that in the Standard Bearer for June 1,
darkness. Behold, it is very good.                                  1933 (P. 368) is foand a paragraph from my pen
    If therefore you are a seeker of goodness, I would in  Fvhich I affirm by implication that the offerings for
say, for goodness' sake seek it in the church. There the poor and those for the maintenance of the service
the light of God's Own goodness has shined.                         ctre of  equul  importonce.  This paragraph deals  wit.h
    And seek no longer in the world. It is not. God the offerings for the poor; and its closing sentence
looked for it and found none. See Psalm 53 and 10.                  reads,"  This is not saying that the other offerings ( the
    God shall look again in the judgment day and He offerings for the ministry) are not equally as essentid
told us beforehand that He  wiE1 find none. See Re- and obligatory." Here I negatively assert that the
velation 20 :12 and 15. lt stands ta Divine Reason that offerings for the maintenance of the ministry of the
if God had found any good thing in the books of wicked word are as essential and obligatory and thus as im-
men, He would have rewarded them. And now? When portant as the offerings for the  pcor. Now the rather
the Lord  C&xl finishes His perusal of all the books, we astonishing fact is that this very paragraph in which
read that He cast all the wicked: in the lake that I state this (that both kinds of offerings are of equal
burn&h  with fire and brimstone.                                    importance) is quoted by the brother in support of his  I
    And He does so on the basis of strict justice.                  contention that I openly taught, to use the brother's
    The good that sinners do? Co&red&&o  in terminis!               own words, "that there is a great and important differ-
    But stand in the midst of the congregation and ence between the offerings for the maintenance of the
then you will see the goodness of the Lord. It bath                 ministry and the offerings for the poor."         I -must
shined in their hearts. It was reflected from the face again confess that I do not und,erstand. Herewith  I
of Jesus and it is to His everla.sting  praise.                     take leave of propositions one and two. Whereas in
    And that is heaven.                            G. v.            no article I have militated against the propositions
                                                                    first and second in order, and whereas the brother's
                                                                    defense  of them has absolutely no bearing on proposi-
                                                                    tion third in order, my publishing the brother's de-
                                                                    fence of the  propcsitions  first and second in order
                                                                    would have no meaning. The brother, I trust will see
                      Our Offerings                                 and admit this.
                                                                       Let us now attend to! proposition third in order.
    As I already stated in my previous two articles It reads, "Believers are in duty bound to give as `;he
under the above caption, a brother-member of one of Lord has blessed them." Am I not at one with the
our churches-sent me a writing from his pen in which sentiment here expressed? Assuredly, yes. What we
he rises to the defence  of the following three proposi- have to do with here is a statement of the apost& Paul,
tions :                                                             thus with a text from Holy Writ. What I am oppcsed
    1. The offerings made for the poor and those made to is not this text ( how coluld or might I be) but the
for the maintenance of the ministry of the word are use which the brother makes of it. According to the
essentially alike,                                                  brother, we have to do here with a statement that sets
    2. The offerings made for the poor and those made forth the first and sole duty of the believer, and that
for the maintenance of the ministry of the word are is the embod$iment  of a principle of action for -giving
of equal importance.                                                that is always applicable no matter what the condition
    3. Believers are in duty bound to give as the Lord and circumstance may be. It is this imagining of the
has blessed them.                                                   brother that accounts for his reasoning as he did, for
    The brother wrote me, among other things, also his militating against that teaching  o,f mine to the
this. "I am sincerely afraid, brother Ophoff, of your effect that each member is in  duy bound to contribute
teaching, that t.here is a great and important differ- to the support of the gospel ministry a sum equal to
ence between the offering for the maintenance of the the number resulting from the division of the  tota1
-ministry of the word and for the poor".           From this sum needed, by the numbe'r  of members.
exPression   of concern on the part of the brother, it                 That the brother was not engaged in careful reason- -
is clear what drove him to affirm and defend in a long              ing when he penned down his  objecticns  to the  above-


                                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                     s2.5
_--.,  -.^-^__"-_I  ..-_- -.-.-__1_11_111_ -.".-l-.--             --".-^l-
cited teaching of mine, is already  evi'dent  from this but of which nothing can remain to  `them for the
sentence from his pen, "Now the simplest can see that church. The Lord does not require of a member that
if of each member no more is required than that he he withhold from himself and his dependents such
pay his full budget, there must needs be a shortage things as are actually necessary to life in order to
of funds.  F,or each congregation has its  poor-pocr                          make it possible for himself to give to the church.
widows, farmers whose crops have failed, people with- But consider that the things necessary to life are food,
out work- who cannot pay the full budget. . . . When shelter and raiment and thus not that radio, that bet-
the Lord has prospered the sincere child cf God with ter car, that more expensive garment and house, fuel
much goods, he cannot  consistantly  bring an equal for our pleasure trips. Whet.her  our income is large
share with the poor widow, who must be supported enough to permit us to contribute to the cause of God's
out of the charity fund." So far the brother. The Kingdom is with most of us determined by whether we
implication of this reasoning is that ail-the poor as are willing to do, not without bread, but without the
well as the rich-contribute to the support of the ser- things that must be classified with conveniences and
vice. But how can poor members of the  church- luxuries, with the things that afford pleasure. It means
people who are actzc~lly  poor and who are therefore that most of us are persons with incomes large enough
objects elf charity living on the bounty of others (and to allow ourselves to meet all our obligations as mem-
of such poor the brother speaks. `He makes mention of bers of Christ's church.
the poor widow, cared for by the deacons) contribute                             But the point that I wish to make at this juncture
anytihing  at all? They cannot. And they do not. The is that it is wrong to say that the ministry of the word
ministry of the word is, can be maintained, not by is being maintained (financially) by members who are
the poor members who are actually poor but by mem- actually poor and by members without sufficient means
bers who  ccuz give, that is, by the well-to-do in the as well as by the members with means sufficient. To
church. These well-to-do members are not fab,ulously                          say  fhis is to be pitted against facts. This is not say-
rich  ; but they are people with sufficient moans. And ing that now and the'n we may not find a poor believer
these people only give ; and it is upon the bounty of so consumed with love for God's house, that as the
these people that the poor live. Such is the reality.                         widow of whom Christ speaks, he gives his mite---the
     A member with sufficient means is one with an in- mite that forms his entire capital.
come that is not nl??zs, and of which he can live and also                       They who are actually pomor do- and cannot give.
have enough left to meet his obligations as a member The brother, too, admits this in his communication to
of the church. This is the member that I have in mind me. Wrote he, "And no matter how sincere a child of
when I speak in this article cf the member with suf- God may be, if the Lord withholds from him this
ficient means, of the member well-to-do. A person world's  possessio,n, h.e cannot possibly return to the
with an income that he gains not by his own industry T ,ord, what he has not." My reply to this is, Just so.
but that is given him by the deacons of the church or The brother should have kept this before his mind and
by some other organization of charity, is poor. His should not have  avered elsewhere in his communication
inccme is alms. Thus a poor man is not one who has that the service is being maintained by rich and poor
nothing, but is one who has nothing of himself, that is, alike, and that even the lion's share of what is needed
he is one who comes by what he has not by his own is brought up by the poor. This is often said. But
industry.          The person who has absolutely nothing, let us realize that what we have to do with here, is a
neither of himself nor of someone else is in addition careless reasoning from which we should get away.
to being poor also destitute. There is then a difference                         These persons have no great wealth (altho,ugh  some
between being poor and being destitute. The  presen,ce of them may have), to the contrary, many of them are
of poor in the church is certainly no reflection upon persons with means very moderate. In fact, the means
the well-to-do members; but the presence of destitute of some of these persons is so very moderate that would
persons in t-he church is.                                                    they give it to the church, they find themselves under
     This conception of poverty is scriptural. The poor necessity of dcing not without bread, but without some
in spirit, whom Christ pronounces blessed, is the be- or many of the conveniences and pleasures of life. Yet
liever. He is poor in spirit, not because he is spirit-                       it will not do to call these persons poor. They are not
uaBly destitute-he has all things in Christ-but be- poor. They are rich, as they are people with sufficient
cause he has nothing of himself. All he has is God's means. The brother, whcse communication I now ex-
gift. He eternally remains therefore one poor in spirit. amine, makes the grave mistake of classifying these
     Now it is not by the poor certainly, that the minis- persons- the persons with very moderate yet  sufficient
try of the word is and can  & supported  finrtncially.                        means-with the poor. This explains how he in his
The class of members with sufficient means does  no,t,                        missive to me could state that the ministry of the word
cannot, include the poor. Nor does this class include is being maintained by rich and poor alike. People
those members with incomes of which they can supply who are actually rich, the brother in certain sections of
Lhemselves  with the bare necessities of living only, his missive at least brings forward as poor.


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526                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                        ___...- _,_.    ..-___-                          --_
        Th,e brother is also of the conviction that the very have I kept from my youth up." What Christ required
Xberal givers in the church are not the rich, the very of him  ia not that he distribute a part of his vast pos-
rich, but the pcor, that is, the people with very moder- sessions among the poor but that he sell all that he had
ate means. The rich man, says the brother, parts with and give to the poor, in other words, that he renounce
his money with great  ditficulty,  but not so the man the entire earthy as concentra<ed  in his vast -posses-
with limited resources. Let me quote the brother: "A sions, dispose of the  earthy;  the arm of flesh in which
rich farmer having a thousand acres of land with he trusted, the god that he worshipped. Such  was the
heavy crops, must SLYely be instructed to assume a requirement. And further, that, having renounced the
greater responsibility <toward  the maintenance expense earthy, he believe in God through Christ and set his
than the poor farmer who can barely make a living. affections upon the things above. Such was the *;om-
But we know th& the Scriptures are outspoken, that it plete requirement. Now the very rich, the people with
is hard for the rich man to part wit,h his money." And vast possessions, are incapable of this. Indeed ! I3 it
then this from the brother's pen, "Now I know from should we say that the people of very moderate means
experience and from  historical  facts, that the common, are equal to this requirement? What folly ! The im-
ordinary christian (the brother means, certainly, the potence  ob this ruler is seen in every man, be he rich,
Christian  with ordinary, limited material means) pro- or moderately rich, or poor. All by nature work for
portionately is the heaviest giver, and that those hav- the bread that perisheth. All trust in the arm cf 3~~1~.
ing a great abundance part with wha.t they have much None can will to believe in Christ and to seek after
.harder."  So far the br:ther.  Now is it true, that, as God. It means that in the final instance that ri-h
the brother avers, the  1;ery rich part with their money young ruler is every man. The disciples felt  t.his.
with much  gr&xs   difficulty than the people with For when they heard Christ  say, "It is easier for a
moderate means? Is this the testimony of Scripture camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a
and th.e lesson of life? It is not. What life teaches is rich man to enter into tne  kingaom  of Gcd," they were
that the misers are found, not so much among the very exceedingly amazed. And they said not, "What ric15
rich as among the people of small capital, that often ?nan can then be saved," but they said, "Who, what
the stingy man is not the man with millions, but the man, can then be saved."
man with a few thousand or even a few hundred and                 Yet it must follow from the very nature of matters
who is ,trying so desparately hard to add to what he           that the very rich man, being saved by the Lord, passes
has and whose sole delight is to see his bankrdl  grow. through a struggle and experiences pangs of sorrow of
How stingy this man may become ! The rich man on which the pc.or and destitute whom the Lord saves can
the other hand, is the copious giver, the patron of art have no experimental knowledge. When the rich young
and science, from whose donations men build hospitals man heard that saying (of  Christj  the saying, "If  thou
and costly edifices. Does this mean now that the very wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast. . . ." he went
rich are less selfish than the people of moderate means'       away  sorroiwful;   for he had great  possessiox~. The
Surely, not. The liberality of the worldly man is at rich man's hold upon this earth is as powerful and tena-
bottom sheer selfishness. He gives  to1 make a name for cious as his possessions are vast. The  breaking  of the
himself and to diminish an abundance that became too qtrength  of this hold is a task impossible with him,
:mwieldly.                                                     with man He shall  therefcre  hardly enter into the
        Now where do we read in Scripture that the rich kingdom of heaven, that is, fom a human standpoint
man  i-tz distinction  fom  the  mam, with moderate  mean.~    his entering is an impossibility.  Shah he enter, he
parts with his money with great difficulty? And the must disengage himself from the earthy, subordinatz
answer: nowhere. But does not the reaction of the the earthy to the heavenly, be disposed to give that
 rich young ruler to the mandate of Ch.rist,  "Go, and he has to t,he poor and worship and adore God in the
sell that thou hast, and give to the poor. . . . and come face of Christ. But the rich man is without strength.
.and follow me," yield exactly this teaching? Not at Iiow hopeless, therefore, his plight. Yet he is savtd,
all.      (It is plainly this young ruler that the brcther as with God all things are possible. And for this verv
had before his mind when he penned the statement to reason only is the poor man saved and the man with
the effect that according to the Bible it is harder for moderate means. So then, from the point of view oef
the rich man to part with his money than for the man natural ability to enter into the kingdom, there is no
with moderate means.) What the reaction of this essential difference between  t.he rich and the poor.
young ruler teaches is that it is impossible for a rich        If the rich can hardly enter into the kingdom, neither
man to  dispence  not with  SO"YIL(? but with  all  his pos- can the poor, the man with moderate means. If the
sessions, that he may be rich in Christ. Let  us not say rich man parts with his money with difficulty, so does
that this ruler declined to dispose of some of his  wraith.    the man with moderate means; for the lusts of the
 Of this the rich are capable. They do it. Tn all likeli- former also riot in the bosom of the latter.
hood this young ruler, too, was a liberal giver, for he           It is well to say that according to Scripture the rich
had great possessions. And said he, "All these things man has difficulty in parting with his money ; but hav-


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                     527
_-- _..._"~-                         _.- ..___ - .._ - _-.... -.-.-..--  .__
ing said this, let us not fail to add that the man with                         (Let not the brother say that the illustration 1 here
a very limited capital also finds it hard to part with construct will not do in that we have no such congre-
his money, for kingdom causes, cf course. Then Iet our gaticn in our denomination or in that no provision is
final statement be, "And I am this man."                                        being made in this illustration, for the poor. I will cume
    The brother speaks of what he has observed when to the poor presently). Wihat now should and must
he says that proportionately the poor, (by  pcor the each head o.f a family contribute to the defraying of
brother must mean people with moderate yet  sufllcient the $3700. expence  that ;the organization in function-
meansj  give much more than the rich. As for me, I ing annually makes ? And my answer : a sum equal
am not well enough acquainted with a sufficient number to the number resulting from the division of the total
of rich and poor to know who are the. givers. If we sum needed by the number of heads of families, which
find it necessary to single out the group in the church                         is $37.00  for the year or 71 c for the week. This now
that gives, let us not say that it is a group comprised is my teaching, a teaching  that caused the brother to
of pcor people in distinction from the rich, but l& us be struck with amazement and to exclaim; terrible!
say that it is the group formed of persons (believers)                          terrible ! And what is the brother's conception  of the
who truly love the kingdom, love it with su,ch power obligation of each of these heads of families ? This :'
that if need be they give even at `the cost to themselves each gives as the Lord has blessed him, which means
of the luxuries and the conveniences of life. Then let in this case that brother A with an income of $10,000
each one ask himself whether or no, he belongs to this                          annually should contribute much more (say $6.00 every
group.                                                                          week) toward the defraying of the above-named ex-
    TJet us now examine the brcther's objection to that pence than brother B with an income of $2,500. The
pernicious  (  ?) and dangerous ( ?) teaching of mine, to sh#are that brother B should contribute would be 20~
the effect that each member is in duty bound to contri- perhaps. It all depends upon how great the number
bute to the support of the gospel ministry a sum equal with incomes of $10,000 are. If there were enough
t.o the number resulting from the division of the total                         of these members, brother B could perhaps get by with
sum needed, by the number cf members. The brother's a contribution of 5c for the week. But now I ask in
c;hief if not sole  obje,ction to this teaching is that it                      all candor, why should B be contributing  5c and A
not only requires of the pc'or that they ns wall as the $5.00 for the week? What reason could there be for
~ieh contribute to the support of the service but also this? Is B financially disabled, so that he cannot af-
that they, the poor, contribute  as much as the rich and ford to contribute his full share which is, as was shown
finally that it prohibiks  `the rich from donating more 71~ for the week? No, indeed. B is not poor. He lives
than the poor.  Wrcte  the brother, "From the point in a good house and drives a fine car and has money
of view of legal-ethical right, I cannot see how a con- in the bank as well as member A. What then can be
sis'tcry can rightfully go to a rich land-owner of say the reason? Does the janitor on the Sabbath day not
a thousand acres with big crops to lead him into `the                           throw  onen  the doors cf the church to A as well as
truth of the blessedness of giving, when he is told that                        to B? He dces. Is not A's access to the house of God
the budget for the year is a dollar or a dollar and ~1.                         as free as that of B? It is. Is not the word being
half per family. _ . . It must be plain that a congrega- preached for the benefit of A as well as for the benefit
tion with this method of giving, eventually comes to of B ? It is. Is perhaps the heating plant  n.ot in opera-
grief. The rich give  no, more than what the budget tion for A as well as for B, so that A must shiver In
`per family calls for, not one cent more. And the poor church while B is being kept comfortably  walm? No,
cannot contribute this sum. The result is shortage of of ccurse  not. Is perhaps the organist not leading A
funds." This is what the brother wrote. But let me                              in his singing as well as B. He is, to be sure.  .Are
assure the brother that he is unduly alarmed, and sore- on Sunday evenings the lights in the church not
ly mistaken. Let me throw  scme light on this matter. switched on for A as well  EJ for B? They are. Why
Let us concentrate then on an imaginary local church then should B contribute more than A? Merely be-
of one hundred fathers, h.eads of families. This !ocal                          cause his income is larger? This cannut be.. Don't ve
church is an organization that is functioning incurs realize  t.hat the  contention  to the effect that B for this
expenses. There is a minister being paid a salary of                            reason is in duty bound to contribute  more than A is
$1500. Fuel and light jointly call for a sum of $500.                           as  thoroughlv wrong as the contention to the
The jani& receives $1200. annually for his services effect that B, being a man with greater resources than
and the organist the sum of $500. The total  cxpendi- A, should for this  verv reason hold himself responsible
tures  amount to $8'700.00 annu,ally. This church fur-                          for and thus pay at least half of A's weekly  .grocery
ther is formed of 100 families, the heads of which are                          bill? Who would maintain that B,  because  he is a
without exception persons well-to-do, with incomes                              person with more  maney  thean A, is under the obli-
rangina  from W~OO.OC)  'to ,4;10.000.  Al! these persons gation to pay half of the living expenses of A, - of A,
Ib&  04  kuniIpt&J  live  [wit-h  *eir  Qtin)  in  g - 0 0 4 P ~ersan with an income large enough to allow him to
how,  drive  ,&w  gg5  a;nd  h a v e   m o n e y   h  t h e   ;baJ\k            save ? Whr,  woi4eh maintain  this? No  one but the


523                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                           - -                                                                     P-E
socialist.  1 But the brother whose communication I  cx- Christ, "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand
amine is no socialist. He therefore will be quite ready know what thy right hand doeth." Consider that
to wholeheartedly repudiate khis view.                       Christ here speaks of the doing  ojf alms. When we
   But does not the Bible plainly state that each must do alms, we should not let our left hand know what
give as the Lord has blessed him? Just so. But let our right hand doeth. But are we doing alms when
us  not mind this text  c t  ithis juncture. Just what the we contribute to the defraying of expenses that result
obligation is under  which  this Scripture brings us, we from the operation of the heating plant in church, or
khall  see presently.                                        when we contribute to t,he support cf a minister who
   Thus the teaching that member A is in duty bound breaks for us the bread of life? Of course not. That
to p.ay inti the church r?n'amount  equal to the sum that saying of Christ has no more b-earing on our contribut-  .
results from the division of the total sum needed by ing our rightful share to the maintenance cf the scr-
the one hundred members is a teaching that must be vice than it has on our paying for the food that \-:e
retained. One who refuses  to heed this teaching.. and daily consume. Who of us  woxId think of sending a
to  act upon it is as a result of his doing  commi,tting     merchant from whom we  bougl3 food, the money  that
a s,erious sin, - the sfn of theft. Let me explain. If is due to him, without inserting in our letter a slip
I a well-to-do member in the church through my failure of paper bearing our name, that is, without letting i!le
to determine what that sum is that results from the merchant know from whom th:: money is from?
division of the total sum needed by the number of               In fine, so far ought we  to, be from militating
members, am paying iuto the church 5Oc for the week, agairist  the teaching to  tie effect that what  ea:h
when I should be paying $1.50, I am compelling my member should give is a  sum  q resulting from the
brethren to pay in the church exactly $1.00 that should division of the total sum needed by  the  number of
come cut of my  purse.       Doing so, I appropriate members, that we ought to aflirm  it with all the em-
each week a dollar that does not belong to m.e. Doing phasis <that we can muster. SC we ought to do for *the
this, I steal from my brother and from the Lord. And reason that it is the first and solemn duty of every
this doing of mine is the more contemptible if I hide member to contibute  an ecyual  share to the defraying
it from men through my net using the envelopes. This of the expenses that the church as an organization
case is essentially identical 40 another case, the case makes in functioning and that the member who shirks
of a rich man, compelling through  scme secret means this duty, who allows others to pay unto the church
a neighbor, who perhaps has not nearly as much what should come out of his own purse is stealing from
money, to pay onehalf of all his living expenses.            the breithren and from the Lord. This, certainly, must
       Why we should be so opposed to revealing to the first be understood. And this is what the brother
ccnsistory,  through the use of the envelopes, that we overlooks; he has no eye for  wh& constitutes the first
contribute our rightful share toward the defraying of duty of every member in the church.
expenses resulting from the operation of, let me say the         If it be understood what this first duty is, we can
beating  plant in the church -- a plant that is operated     take up the matter of the poor in the church and also
that we while in church may be comfcrtably  warm - I attend to the statement of Paul to the effect that every
can't understand. Do any of us object to men knowing one should give as the Lord has blessed him. The
that we pay for the food that we daily consume and for question is how this statement is to be harmonized with
the clothes wherewith  woe are clad?          Of course the above teachings of mine. This is very simple. But
not. But some may say, there is a difference. Giving as this article is already to  lxong as it is, we shall have
to the church is giving, offering? to the Lord. True,        to deal with these and other matters in a following
but consider that our own comfort is also involved here. article.
We like to be comfortably warm, while in church. And                                                            G. M. 0.
if the temperature is not suitable, we are quick to                                                                                 ,-.
                                                                                                                               ,,  `1'.
voice a complaint. And some of us would even be                                                                           ,
quick to remain at home, if the fault were not cor-                                                                __^
rected. So deeply concerned are we about our physical                                 IN MEMORY
comfort. We like to be comfortable in church. In fact
we make it ,so very comfortable for ourselves in church,         The Consistory of the Protestant Reformed Church  of Byron
that sometimes we have difficulty in remaining awake Center mourns the loss of one of its former mcmbcrs,
during the preaching of the sermon. True, when we                                    Mr. N. FABER
give into the church, we give, offer, to the Lord. But, who died August  ,23, at the age of 70 years.
if we eat and drink to God's glory and as standing in
our faith, we rightly considered, also offer to the Lord,        During his iliness  he trusted in Christ as his Saviour,  and
when wse pay fo.r the food that we daily consume.            looked forward to the glory hereafter.
   But what must we do (the question I now raise con-                                                  G. M.  Ophoff,  Pres.
cerns giving in the envelopes) with this utterance of                                                      C. Faber, Sec'y.


