%18                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R  `.
                                                           -.                         -~
                                                                      hold all the members of the Protestant Re-
             E D I T O R I A L S                                      formed Church responsible for such conduct.
                                                                      In fact, we know that there are fair-minded
                                                                      men and women in that church-Christian
                     Banner Ethics                                    people for whom we have high respect-who
                                                                      will refuse to approve such methods. We
       "The Banner", official organ of the Christian Re-              wonder if they are infurmed about the situa-
formed  C.hurches, published  i,n its editorial columns               tion. Let us add that we have the written
the following paragraph :                                            evidences for all the statements that we have
                                                                     just made. This is not mere hearsay.
          "Third, we feel that the unbrotherly propa-
        ganda which the so-called missionary of the                This was in the issue of March 23, 1939.
        Protestant Reformed Church is making es-                   In the April 13 number of the same Christian Re-
       pecially in some of our Western churches must             formed publication we found the following:
        cease before there can be any consideration of                  Itt is not our policy to refuse articles in
        ecclesiastical unian or ecclesiastical fellow-               which reply is made to criticism expressed
        ship with those brethren. We are wonder&                     in our editorial columns. Recently, however,
        whether all the members of the Protestant                    we received an article of this nature which we
        Reformed Church are aware of the deplorable                  cannot place. It was received from the Rev.
        tactics employed by its  L`missionary". This                 Bernard Kok, minister of the Protestant Re-
        minister moves into one of our communities                   formed Church, stationed at Manhattan, Mon-
        and seeks to create dissatisfaction among the                tana, whose methods as home missionary,
        members of the Christian Reformed Church.                    there and elsewhere in the West, where the
        Thus the minister of one of our Western                      Christian Reformed Church has congrega-
        churchesiwe have information from others                     tions, we criticized in an editorial' of March
        which agrees' substantially with his-writes                  23. The writer seeks to refute our charges
        that this person rode through his church as                  that he used unworthy methods in seeking to
        though he was its pastor and called at every                 gain adherents in some of our congregations.
        place whether he was welcome or not. He did                  His lengthy letter of defense will not be
        not at once begin to hold services but attended              placed because the language employed makes
        all the meetmgs  in the Christian Reformed                   it unfit for  pufblication.  If it were not for
        church: services, weddings and funerals, and                 this circumstance, we would not be at  all re-
        even had the affrontery to come to the con-                  luctant to place his Ietter before our readers
        sistory meetings. At the public meetings he
        was very attentive and took notes, of whi'ch he              since the very explanations given prove the
                                                                     justice of our complaints. Let us add that all
        made use afterwards. After some time he
        proceeded #to hold meetings and announced                    our statements were taken almost literally
                                                                     from a letter on the subject written by the
        them by weekly letters freely distributed. It
        was stated that the pure doctrine of sovereign               Rev. A. H. Bratt, pastor of the Christian
        grace, which is in eclipse in the Christian Re-              Reformed Church of Manhattan, in response
        formed Church, would be preached in all its                  to an inquiry on our part regarding the truth
                                                                     of the rumors which had come to us regarding
        purity. Then this missionary created dis-
        turbance by claiming that the consistory was                 the missionary methods of Rev. B. Kok. We
                                                                     don% want a quarrel with the latter or with
        half-hearted in its devotion to the Christian                the Protestant Reformed Church but we
        School. He called a meeting in view of the
        alarming situation and  before consulting the                cherish the hope that what we awrote  on this
        consistory  of the Christian Reformed Church                 subject wilI lead to the removal of some of
                                                                     the irritations that are an obstacle in the path
        sent out a letter announcing that the meetima
        would be held in the basement of that church!                of better relations between that Church and
        Some time later this same minister served                    ours.
        notice on the consistory that it must invite                The reader understands that the article of the Rev.
        Dr. K. Schilder  to come to this comnnmity  or           B. Kok. to which the editor of "The Banner" refers in
        else he  wouId  be  caIled to do this. Enough            the above paragraph is the  comnnmication  we pub-
        to show what deplorable methods are used by              lished in "The Standard Bearer" of April 15.
       the Protestant Reformed missionary to under-                 In this article it is my purpose merely to call at-
        mine the peace and welfare of some of our                tention to the ethics implied in the policy pursued
        churches. We do not write this because we                by "The Banner".


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B . E A R E R                                    349
                                                                                                    -
    First the editor makes a deliberate attempt to and this by no means an impartial one, he painted
blacken the name of our home missionary. He speaks a very black picture in public, before some twelve
of the "unbrotherly propaganda" of our "so-called" thousand onlookers, of the Rev. Kok. The latter, con-
missionary; of "the deplorable tactics employed" by sidering the product of the editor of "The Banner" a
him. He informs his readers that the Rev. Kok moves fraud, a gross misrepresentation, asked for redress.
into a certain territory and "seeks to create dissatis-    But the editor refused! Kuiper uses his editorial
faction among the members of the Christian Reformed power to tell twelve thousand people how corrupt Rev.
Church"; that he ("this person") "rode through (Rev. Kok is, and again employs the same editorial power to
Bratt's)  church as though he was its pastor"; that he prevent Kok's self-defense. Nay more. Instead of
attended all the services, weddings and funerals ; and sending Kok's communication back to him by private
that "he even had the effrontery to come to its con- mail, he adds to his back-biting by assuring his twelve
sistory  meetings". He created disturbance, according thousand readers, whom Kok cannot reach, that the
to the editor of "The Banner" "by claiming that the latter's language is too abusive for publication, and
consistory was half-hearted in its devotion to the that he painted his own picture just as black as the
Christian School", and on his own accord and authority editor of "The Banner" had done before.
called a meeting in the basement of the Christian Re-         And so it happens that our missionary stands ac-
formed Church  for the purpose of delivering a Chris- cused, slandered, abused, as a low, mean, sneaky char-
tian School speech. Later he practically compelled acter, in the eyes of some twelve thousand people, by
the consistory of the Christian Reformed Church in the testimony of one man, Kuiper, without an oppor-
Manhattan, to invite Dr. K. Schilder, by the threat that tunity to defend himself, all because the vile pen of
otherwise he, the Rev. Kok, would do it. And thus the that one man, Kuiper, has editorial power!
editor pictures the Rev. Kok as a man who, by "his            This I consider deeply immoral, un-Christian.
deplorable tactics" would "undermine the peace and            Granted even, for the sake of argument, that there
*welfare"  of the Christian Reformed Churches. The is some rather strong language in the reply of the Rev.              .
editor is, furthermore, wondering whether all the Pro- Kok, was not the language of the Rev. Kuiper far
testant Reformed people, among whom the editor more abusive in contents and implication, though, no
knows some fairminded persons, are acquainted with doubt, less direct? And is the matter involved here
these lamentable methods of our missionary.                not an attack, made by the editor of "The Banner"
   Thereupon, the Rev. B. Kok, reading .these  public upon the personal character of the Rev. Kok. Is it not
indictments and innuendoes, sent .the reply to "The perfectly understandable that the latter became a little
Banner", which we pubhshed  in our last number of `rWarm under the collar", when he saw his cartoon,
"The Standard Bearer", in which he calls the insinua- drawn by the Rev. Kuiper in public? And should not
tions by the editor of "The Banner" a concoction of the latter have made a little allowance for this, rather
lies, and challenges him to prove them or to retract.      than refuse the reply? If the matter in dispute ,had
   And now the editor of "The Banner" gives notice been of a doctrinal nature, there might have been some
to his readers:                                            justification in refusing to publish a reply on the
   1. That he has received such a communication  from ground of unfit language. But I believe that it is
the Rev. Kok.                                              immoral, corrupt, quite contrary to all the teachings of
   2. That the language the Rev. Kok employs makes Holy Writ, to refuse a man the right of redress when
it unfit for publication.                                  an attack is made upon his character.
   3. That the contents of Rev. Kok's communication           Who, as the case now stands, is judge, jury and
is such that they prove the truth of the editor's first attorney in the case of Kuiper vs. Kok? Kuiper.
insinuations.                                                 On whose testimony must we accept that Kok is
   Let me assure the editor of "The Banner" that as bad as Kuiper described him? On Kuiper's.
"The Standard Bearer" considers the methods pursued
by the editorial department of "The Banner" pc&ively          How do "The Banner" readers know that the Ian-
immoral.                                                   guage of God's reply was unfit for publication? Kui-
                                                           per says so.
   May I not remind the editor of the judgment our
Heidelberg Catechism expresses upon slander and back-         How can we be convinced that the contents ot' Kok's
biting? They are the very works of the devil.              reply corroborated Kuiper's insinuations?       By the  '
   Hard language, not fit for publication in "The statement of Kuiper.
Banner", the editor of that publication will probably         Has Kuiper the only right to speak in this matter
exclaim with Pharisaistic indignation. But let him before his twelve thousand readers? Not the right
consider  this own corrupt policies, be ashamed of him- but he has the power and abuses it.
self, and remove the  .beam from his own eye, that he         But may not Kok appear in the witness-stand?
may better see the mote in his brother's eye.              Must he take all this abuse of Kuiper without even
   What did he do? On the testimony of one witness, an opportunity at self-defense? He must, and others


          350                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                  4
          must, as long as Kuiper is editor of "The Banner", the doctrine of the "Three Points" in the Christian
          and the "Big Four" support  ;his methods.                             Reformed Churches.
                 It is our turn to ask: are there no fairminded                    I can very well appreciate the fact that to the Rev.
          people in the Christian Reformed Churches, that will Kuiper as well as to the Rev. Zwier and others this
          openly condemn and put a stop to such corrupt aspect of the missionary-work of the Rev.  Kok is  a
          methods? Or are they so cowed by hierarchical  OP- thorn in their flesh, They naturally look at the matter
     1    pression  that they allow their leaders to abuse their in a d,ifferent  light than we do.
          power any way they please?                                       .       But let the editor of "The Banner" make a sincere
                 First, the editor of `an official  organ uses his edi- attempt to see, at least, our view of the matter.
          torial power to boycott Dr. Schilder, though he is a                     We are convinced that the Christian Reformed
          professor in good standing in a sister denomination Churches in 1924 departed from the Reformed truth
          in the Netherlands, an attempt which almost succeeded. by adopting the well-known "Three Points".
                 Then all the "big men" of the church, professors                  In 1924 we openly -declared that we considered it
          and some ministers, including the editor of "The our duty before God and our conscience to explain to
          Banner" again, get together, and write a long letter the Christian Reformed Churches, in wh.ich we then
          to him, to persuade him not to come.                                  still had a place, the error of those "Three Points".
                 Now the editor of "The Banner" uses his editorial                 We had a quarrel with mother.
          power to refuse a man redress when he is publicly                        The Christian Reformed Churches denied us the
          slandered by the same editor.                                         right, within those churches, to combat those errors,
                 Are not the people better than these leaders?                  and placed us before the alternative: keep still or be
                 I believe that the reception the people gave Dr. expelled.
          Schilder  proves that they do not agree with such leader-                We refused to keep still, and they expelled  US.
          ship.                                                                    Cannot now the Rev. Kuiper, and also the Rev.
.                And the time will come when they will prove this Zwier understand, that we still consider it our God-
          in other ways.                                                        given calling to quarrel with mother, to show her the
                                                                                error of her way, to lead her back to the ways of the
                                                                                pure Reformed truth.7 The fact, that we were expelled
                       THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER.                                 from the fellowship of the Christian Reformed
                                                                                Churches could not possibly alter our calling before
                 1 shall now proceed to examine into the truth of God. When we were still within the Christian Re-
          the innuendoes of the Rev. Kuiper against our mis- formed Churches we pledged ourselves to expose the
          sionary.                                                              heresy of the "Three Points"; now we are outside of
                 Let me first of all ask the editor of "The Banner" the fellowship of those churches, we still are faith-
          to make a sincere attempt to appreciate our Protestant ful to that pledge. The only difference is that, while,
          Reformed view of the work of our missionary.                          as long as we were within the Christian Reformed,
                 He complains that the Rev. Kok creates dissatis- Churches, mere ecclesiastical power could prevent us
          faction and disturbance in the Christian Reformed from carrying out our pledge, this power is powerless
          Churches.                                                             against us now.                                               \
                 I frankly reply that such is his calling. And no                  Hence, we earnestly attempt to fulfill our peculiar
          fairminded Protestant Reformed man will deny this. calling: to show the Christian Reformed Churches the
          In fact, such is the calling of any missionary, whether error of their way and lead them to the truth of our
          at home or abroad. A missionary that does not cause Reformed faith.
          disturbance in and dissatisfaction with existing con-                    This creates disturbance. That is inevitable.
          ditions in the field in w;kich he labors, is not worthy of               But let the Rev. Kuiper and Zwier and others con-
          the name.                                                             sider that it is a fair battle. We fight openly, with
                 The trouble is, of course, from the Rev. Kuiper's fair means, that are perfectly proper in the cause of
          viewpoint, not that the Rev. Kok creates disturbance the truth to employ: the means of the spoken and
          and dissatisfaction, but that he chooses the Christian written word. And they are means which also the
          Reformed Churches as the field of his activity. Let Christian Reformed brethren may employ, Let them,
          him, however, not blame the Rev. Kok for this. He is then, wherever our missionary appears and labors,
          officially commissioned to do exactly this.  It is the oppose him by these same means, not by backbiting and
          conviction of the Protestant Reformed Churches, that slander. Let them debate with our missionary and
          their God-assigned duty directs them, first of all, to the show their people, that the "Three Points" are pure
          Christian Reformed Churches as their field of labor.                  Reformed doctrine, and that the contentions of the
                 It is, therefore, inevitable that our home-missionary,         Rev. Kok are false.
          if he performs his labors faithfully, must  become   a                    The result we reach so far, to wh,ich aIso the Rev.
          center of disturbance and create dissatisfaction with Kmper must agree if he will only consider the matter


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       351

from the viewpoint of all fairminded Protestant Re-            "The undersigned approaches you with the serious
formed people, is that the Rev. Kok faithfully performs question whether you are acquainted with the `Three
his duty if, by means of the openly spoken or written       Plaints' the Synod of 1924 added to our confession.
word, he creates disturbance and dissatisfaction with Briefly these `Three Points' are as follows :
the "Three Points" in the Christian  ,Reformed                 "Point 1. That, besides saving grace, there is a
Churches.                                                   certain favor or grace which God shows to all creatures,
   There is nothing extraordinary in this.                  hence, also to the ungodly that reject Christ.
   All churches that are  expehed  or return to the con-       "Point II. That  all men are somewhat improved
fessions always do the same thing.                          by a general operation of the Holy Spirit which is
   It would not be difficult to prove that in the early not regenerating.
part of the second half of the nineteenth century and          "Point III. That by virtue of this improvement
since that time, the Christian Reformed Churches all men are able to do the good before God in matters
followed the same practice with respect to the Dutch civil.
Reformed Church or Reformed Church of America.                 "Because it is our sacred conviction that these
   The recently seceded Presbyterian Church follows `Three Points' are in conflict with all that is revealed
the same method with respect to the Presbyterian in the Word of God, the Churches in which we are
Church of the U. S. A.                                      born and raised have denied us a place. Let no one
   We do the same thing in the Christian Reformed say that this is slander and falsehood, for I witness
Churches.                                                   before the Lord that this is the truth.
   The Rev. Kuiper may object, that we have no                 "Over against these `Three Points'. we openly de-
reason for this missionary activity in their churches, clare before you and the churches, that aocording  to
seeing that they still profess the Reformed truth. The the Word of God it is established:
Rev. Zwier may write, that similar activity was justi- -       "That, outside of saving grace, revealed in Christ,
fied when the Christian Reformed Churches tried to there cannot be a certain favor or grace of God towards
show the Reformed Church of America the error of the ungodly that are disobedient to the Son, but on
their way; and is perfectly in order when the new the contrary, the wrath of God abideth on them. John
Presbyterian Church performs its extension work in 3 :36.
the Presbyterian  Church  of the U. S. A. ; but that,          "Secondly, that the heart of an unregenerated sin-
when we perform our calling in the same way, it all ner is and remains wholly corrupt, unless he is re-
of a sudden brands us as a sect.                            generated by the Spirit of God. By nature the imagina-
   But, in all fairness, do not the brethren under- tion of a man's heart is only evil continually. Gen. 6 :5 ;
stand that this is only a point of view on their part, Mark 7:21,  22.
and a very partial one at that?                                "Thirdly, that the natural man is incapable of any
   We are *convinced that the "Three Points" are a good, so that even in things natural and civil he can
departure from the Reformed Confessions. And we do nought else than sin and increase his guilt. Rom.
consider it our peculiar calling to fight for the main- 14:23. Here the apostle teaches that all that is not
tenance of the pure Reformed truth, and to show the of faith is sin.
Christian Reformed Churches the error of their way.            "The purpose of our sojourn in your midst is to
   When we create disturbance and dissatisfaction in point out to you and  to' the churches the danger implied
the Christian Reformed Churches, it is with the Ar- in the doctrine of `Common Grace'; not to destroy
minian errors adopted by them, and in the interest but to cause the Church to return to the old reformed
of the Reformed truth.                                      confession of God's sovereign grace. Brethren, pray
   Let us, then, appreciate one another's viewpoint and for us. It is our daily prayer that the people of God,
fight an honest battle.                                     also in this vicinity, may earnestly investigate these
                                                            matters, in order that not the error but the truth may
   Bearing in mind, therefore, that it is the Rev; Kok's have the victory to the praise and glory of His grace.
calling to create disturbance of a false peace, and dis- Bf you desire to receive without cost the sermons on
satisfaction with the errors of 1924 in the Christian       Rom. 9, 10, .11, we ask you to fill in and return the
Reformed Churches, let us examine into the insinua- enclosed postcard. A beautiful treatise of these im-
tions of the editor of "The Banner" against him.            portant chapters of the Word of God. These sermons
   Did he employ fair means or foul?                        are in the English language".
   I will produce evidence.                                                           "Your servant in Christ,
   On Aug. 22, 1938 the Rev. Kok sent the following                                   "Bernard Kok, V. D. M."
circular letter to the Christian Reformed people in            I consider this letter, which was written at the
Manhattan : (I translate from the Dutch)                    very beginning of the Rev. Kok's stay in Manhattan,
   "TO all lovers of the Refor,med  truth,                  important evidence.
   "Beloved brethren and sisters in the  Lord:-                In the first place, because it plainly reveals that


362                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
____^ .-........ll.l.l..."  ..-.-...._  II_
our missionary was entirely faithful to his  calhng.              cowing with his dictatorial eyes everybody into sub-
        In the second place, because it proves that he used mission !
no foul means to persuade the people, but openly                     What a man!
announced the purpose of his coming and labors.                      But let us return to cold reality.
        In the third place, because this letter contains             What was this "effrontery" of our missionary?
neither misrepresentation nor distortion of the facts                Here is the evidence. He wrote me as follows :
or of the truth.                                                     "As far as the effrontery of going (not `attending')
        And, finally, because it gives the lie to the insinua- to the consistory is concerned, the following. When
tion of the editor of "The Banner", that "this person my brother preached here last summer he compared
rode through the church as though he was its pmtor". me to a snake behind the backs of the minister and
In this letter he openly and publicly announces himself officebearers. Thus I went through the congregation,
as the missionary of the Protestant Reformed Churches according to him. Therefore, I went to the consistory
and definitely states the purpose and character of his to inform them concerning the purpose of my coming;
labors. Surely, the Rev. Kok made personal calls in and that it was my purpose to point out the errors of
the Christian Reformed Church of Manhattan. That 1924 and to propagate the truth, and that in my labors
is his calling. And it is a fair means. But no one I was constrained only by the love of Christ, and not
could, after he wrote a letter as reproduced above, by any personal animosity. More than one elder com-
pass through the congregation us though he was its mended me for coming to the consistory".
pastor. That, therefore, is proved to be a lie of the                0, but what a different picture we now receive of
Rev. Bratt and of the Rev. H. J. Kuiper.                          our missionary from that called before our imagination
        Rather is the Rev. Kok to be commended for his by the Rev. Kuiper's editorial ! Now I see the friendly
honest, open and above board methods.                             and honest figure of the Rev. Kok, knocking for ad-
        Another point.                                            mittance at the door of the consistory-room ; I see some
        The editor of "The Banner" writes that the Rev. elder open the door and turn back for a moment to his
Kok "even had the effrontery to come to the consistory brethren to report that the Rev. Kok is there asking for
meetings". This is written at the close of the mention a word with the consistory ; I hear the president say
of a series of "meetings" which the Rev. Kok "ettend-             "let him come in"; 1 hear our missionary deliver his
ed". He attended "ah the meetings in the Christian Re- message ; and I can tell by the faces of the consistory-
formed  Church. . . and even had the effrontery to come members that they `are all convinced that this man is
to the consistory meetings". We receive the impression not a sneak, and that they admire him for his openness.
that the Rev. Kok not only "rode through the church                  Yes, yes, the representation of the editor of "The
as though he was its pastor", but that he also imposed Banner" is a downright lie.
himself upon the eonsistory as though he were one of                 The Manhattan consistory-members are no' nin-
its regularly installed members, perhaps, even its  presi- compoops, and the Rev. Kok did not act dictatorially?
:cnt.                                                                A n o t h e r   p o i n t .
        Now, what is the matter? thought I.                          Emphatically (in italics). the editor of "The Banner"
        Is the consistory of Manhattan such a gathering of informs his readers that our missionary called a meet-
nincompoops; that they allow anyone,  particularIy  one ing for the purpose to deliver a lecture on the Christian
that rides through their church as though he were their School and (here follow the words in italics) : "before
pastor, to "attend" their meetings, and, perhaps, dic- consulting   the  con&story   of the Christian Reformed
tate to them what should be done? I am rather sure, church sent out a letter announcing  that the meeting
that no one nead try to put over such a trick in my would be held iti th.e basement of that church!"
consistory. He would find the way out more quickly                    When you read this, you naturally ask the question :
than he discovered the way in. Does not the editor of and what did he do next? Already you visualize "il
"The Banner" realize that he insults the consistory of duce" Kok, with a company of black-shirts marching
Manhattan by putting it on so thick?                              against that basement of the Christian Reformed
         Or is, after all, our missionary, perhaps,  gifted4      Church and taking it .by storm.
with  d,ictatorial  abilities, equal to those of Hitler or            But hold on, brethren ! Let not your imagination  *
of Mussolini ? Perhaps, we had better confer upon run away with you ! For, I have evidence that this also
him the title of "11 duce"  or "Der. Fuhrer",  and meet is a lie. Yes, yes, a lie.
him  .henceforth  with the Nazi salute and the shout                  I  will. produce the evidence.
"Heil  Kok !" How vivid a picture one who has a little                on Oct. 24, 1938 the Rev. Kok wrote in a circular
imagination receives ,in his mind as he reads these letter the following (I translate from the Dutch) :
words of Kuiper's editorial!  I can see the imposing                  "In connection with Reformation-Day the under-
figure of our missionary sailing unexpectedly into the signed will, in the near future, deliver a few lectures
consistory  meeting of Manhattan's officebearers, de- about Christian Instruction for our  children.                   Well
Posi'ng   th.eir  president and himself take his place, and mY  we seriously consider this matter, when more than


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          353

two thirds of our children are deprived of the privilege what sort of a "notice" the Rev. Kok did "serve" on
 of Christian instrwtion.     Can we give account  of this the consistory. But we happen to know enough about
 before God?"                                                  this matter to present the truth.
    In a  simiIar  letter, written on Nov. 2, 1938 our            We know, for instance, that in Manhattan the  con-
 missionary wrote (this time the original is written in sistory, intimidated by the boycotting article of the
 English) :                                                    Rev. H. J. Kuiper in "The Banner" brought the ques-
    "Every true Christian is vitally interested in the tion of inviting Dr.  Schi!der  to speak, before a congre-
 Christian education of his children, not only because gational meeting, where, after considerable discussion,
 he seeks the very best for his children, but also and the matter was tabled! Nothing was done.
 chiefly because it is a divine injunction. It is a matter        We know, too, that in a  circuIar  letter, dated
 which concerns not only the parents of children of Nov. 22,  1938, the Rev. Kok wrote as follows:
 school-age, but every child of God. Never may we                 "Aocording  to the Church-papers  *Dr. K. Schilder,
 entrust the education of the seed of the covenant to theoIogica1  professor in Kampen, will pay us a visit in
' the State, but it is primarily our du'ty, and woe be unto America. It is also our desire that the consistory here
 us if we entrust God's little ones to the Christless and invites him to lecture for our people".
 Godless instruction of the Pubiic School. D. V. we will          It appears that, thereupon, the Rev. Kok and others
 deliver a lecture on this vital issue next Wednesday also,  sent a request to the consistory of Manhattan that
 evening at  7:45 P.M. The text of our subject will be they invite Dr. Schilder. This was apparently refused
 based upon Proverbs  1:7 : `The fear of the Lord is           or not acted upon, for in a circular Ietter, dated Dec.
 the beginning of knowledge ; but fools despise wisdom 21,  1938 the Rev. Kok wrote:
 and instruction'. As we expect every Christian to be             "If the $consistory persists in its refusal to have Dr.
 interested in this vital issue we will ask the consistory Schilder speak here, we will try to make arrangements
 for the use of the large room in the basement of the for one or more lectures here by this eminent  schoIar
 church ; otherwise this meeting will be held in our own and theologian".
 auditorium.     We urge you for God's sake and our               I also happen to know that the Rev. Kok during the
 children's sake to attend this meeting. It will be a Christmas season made arrangements with Mr.  Eerd-
 lecture entirely devoted to our Christian School. An mans for lectures by Dr. Schilder in Manhattan. And
 offering  ,wilI be taken for our Christian Schools".          it was not tiI1 after this that the co&story  of Man-
    One more quotation to prove my point. This time hattan turned about and also asked Mr. Eerdmans for
 from a letter dated Nov. 7, 1938 :                            lectures by our guest from Kampen.
    "We are very sorry to announce, not only that the             I fail to see the "deplorable tactics" our missionary
 consistory  zhas seen  fit to deny us the use of the base- followed in this case.
 ment for the purpose of giving a lecture in !behalf of           The deplorableness, it seems to me, must be sought
 Christian Instruction, but also that they saw fit to meet who& on the side of the consistory.
 on the same evening that the lecture was to be held.             In conclusion.
 Therefore, in order to make it possible for all to attend,       May  I give the Christian Reformed Churches some
 we have postponed our Iecture  to Friday evening, Nov. sound advice?
 11 at 7 :45 P. M."                                               Would you  paraIyze the activities of our mis-
    The matter is plain. Even the Rev. Kuiper, wilI sionary?
 ,have to admit that he ,wrote a lie when he published            There is only one way: retract the `Three Points".
 in "The Banner" that our missionary announced that                                                          H. H.
 this particular meeting would be held in the basement
 of the Christian Reformed Church before consulting
 the consistory.
    Fact is, that he never announced that the meeting
would be held in said basement.                                     Wat Op De Conferentie Voorviel
    Fact is, too, that he announced that he would mk              Als ik over de conferentie schrijf, dan  begrijpen
 the  eonsistory  for the use of the basement.                 de Iezers natuurlijk aanstonds,  dat ik het oog heb op
    Fact is, again, that he did a&Q the consistory for the de vergadering, die onlangs gehouden werd tusschen
 use of the said basement.                                     enkele broeders  der Christelijke Gereformeerde en
    And fact is, finally, that the co%istory  refused.         Protestantsche  Cfleformeerde  Kerken.
    NOW,  finally, what is the truth about the Dr. Schil-         Ofschoon het van het begin af, dat er van zulk eene
 der episode? The Rev. Kuiper writes that  `%&  same vergadering sprake geweest is, mijn  doe1 was, om ons
 minister (Rev. Kok, H.H.) served notice on the con-           volk op de hoogte te houden met hetgeen daar gespro-
 sistory that it must invite Dr. K. Schilder to come to `ken mocht worden,  tech was het eerst niet mijn voor-
 this community or else he would be called to do this".        nemen,  om thans reeds een meer of min volledig verslag
    Now, I am not in a position to inform the readers te geven van hetgeen besproken werd,


                                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B.EARER                                            359
 L           ._.._...  __".--" ll_ll--__...._      _--                            .-~- _-...                         .-__L
 pen, en voleindigt Hij en Hij .aUeen dat roepen,  wan- hun levensopenbaring  zijn de vruehten  er van waar te
 neer Hij door het Woord der Waarheid het door Hem nemen. En in den dag van ,Christus'  komst ual aan het
 ingeplante  leven te voorschijn roept. Dat baren'is al- hoofd der schepping de gemeente  staan en met de  ge-
 dus een werking Gods waardoor  bet. nieuwe leven meente de schepping  en schepselen op de nieuwe aarde
 vruchten draagt en in verstand en wil tot openbaring en in den nieuwen hemel,  door Hem Die ons heeft lief-
 komt.      Deze menschen, tot wie  Jacobus  het Woord gehad ten einde toe, als God alles en in allen  zal zijn.
 richt, waren niet slechts wedergeboren, maar tevens                                                                w. v.
 als  kinderen  des lichts gebaard. En in de vruchten
 komt dan ook het echte van die baring uit. Het eerste
. wat een gebaarde doet is het werk van boete en berouw,
 van een hongeren en dorsten naar de gerechtigheid
 van  Christus  Jezus alleen, gelijk deze verdiend  is op                       The Son Of Man Exalt&i
 het vloekhout des kruises. En in het  midden der                                                              John 3 :14.
 wereld zijn zij dan ook kinderen  des lichts, in het licht             Nicodemus came to Jesus at night.
 wandelende en in dat licht  zich verblijdende.               Zij       Was he a disciple? Did he become a disciple later?
 zeggen dan ook nooit als zij somtijds uit zwakheid in                  To our mind it does not matter whether or not he
 zonde  vallen, dat deed God. Neen, maar zij  zijn*be-               was a disciple the night he paid our Lord a visit. That
 droefd over hunoe zonden en hebben er berouw over after all is a secondary matter. The Scriptures do not
 en strijden uit genade dagelijks  daartegen.              Het is    present a biography of certain persons, not even of our
 aItijd hun xonde en nooit de zonde van hun God, waar-               Lord Jesus Christ.
 om dan ook die droefheid een onberouwelijke bekeering                  We know very little about this learned man who
 werkt.                                                              came to ask a few questions. He had heard concerning
      Zoo heeft God het  gewild.  Zijn onveranderlijke Jesus, the Rabbi, and perhaps this new teacher may be-
 Souvereine wil en vrijmachtig welbehagen was eeuwig-                long to our class of leaders. Who he was is briefly
 lijk over Zijn volk. Hierin ligt dan ook Zijn vurig expressed in the words `There was a man of the Phari-
 verlangen opgesloten. Immers, komt die wil des Hee-                 sees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews'. Hence,
 ren  opuit en wordt gedreven door Zijn liefde  t'oor  Zijn          we know very little concerning him. He was a ruler,
 volk. Hij heeft die  kinderen  gewild, naast en door en one who was a master or teacher in Israel. The em-
 met dien Zoon. Door dien wil wederbaarde Hij hen.                   phasis is pl~aced on art thou a teacher, not ironical, but
 Schoon  zij niet wilden, en ook niet konden willen, heeft to mark Nicodemus' official relation to the people, and
 Hij gewild en' gebaard. Vrijmachtig.                                it gives additional force to the contrast in the words
      En Hij heeft dat gedaan met een zeer keurig doel.              which follow.
      Zij  moeten zijn een zekere eerste  vrucht der schep-             We can deduce from the conversation that Nico-
 selen. Let er op, er staat  niet dat zij dit zullen  worden,        demus is rather naive when the fundamental question,
 do&  Szjn. Van al de schepselen  welke  de Heere  ge-               the doctrine of regeneration is placed before him. The
 wild heeft, staat de  mensch  aan het hoofd. En de subject was, to be born again. Man must be born anew
 wedergeborene,  door Hem gebaard is van al die  schep-              and must therefore be born from above of water and
 selen  en  gansch  de schepping een eersteling.             Hier    of,the  Spirit. And the teacher replies with two other
 hebben  we dus het beeld van wat de eerste garve was questions. First of all, he wonders how it is possible
 in Israel. Deze werd eerst den Heere gewijd. En to be born again? That is, how can someone be born
 nadat die eerste schoof  voor het aangezicht des Heeren from  above and how is this birth to be realized? To
 was verschenen kon  nu  gansch  de oogst volgen. In him mighty questions. He frankly admits I do not
 dien,  aan den Heere toegewijde eersteling, zat dan ook know what it is all about. To Nicodemus they seem to
 de gansche oogst in.                                                be dark sayings, which no man could comprehend. He
      We merkten op, dat die schoof  was eene aan God was not able to discuss these matters intelligently.
 gewijd. ZOO ook is de eersteling der schepselen Gode And dark it was indeed. For, when a teacher is re-
 gewijd.                                                             buked, because he does not understand, how will he
      In de tweede plaats, volgt hier dan ook de lof en be able to teach such important and most vital ques-
 dank  uit voort.  Als door het Woord  kinderen  der tions? And how beautiful over against the ignorance
 Waarheid gebaard worden  die lichtende lichten zijn in ,of this leader stands the answer of our Lord Jesus
 de wereld.                                                          Christ, we  speak- we know-we have seen, for every
      Maar straks ook de voile oogst.                                one that is born of the Spirit, the new birth imparts
      Nu nog het schepsel der ijdelheid onderworpen,                 a new vision, being able to discern and to bear witness
 zuchtende onder de verderfenis en uitziende naar de of these heavenly facts. Remarkable when one turns
 eindelijke openbaring der kinderen  Gods. Maar straks to Jesus to find out who Jesus is, returns with the
 dan ook het verlost  worden  van alles wat nu nog zucht.            Bnowledge,  I may not know him, but He most assuredly
 De eerstelingen zijn er  alreeds. Zij zijn gebaard. In knows me.


      360                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                  -                                                                        -
             The Saviour instructs this teacher further and being nailed to the cross death and the grave were to
     unveils to him the great mystery, when he answers : this follow and afterwards the  gIory.
      is not possible by the flesh, because that which is born       But His death is the means whereby Christ attains
      of the flesh is and always shall remain flesh. And flesh to His Messianic glory. The word (lifted UP) is  used
      does not even as much as ace the Kingdom of God, and in this sense as we find it in Luke 1:52; James 4:10;
      never will be able to enter that Kingdom. But by I Peter 5:6. And the Lord also speaks of it in  John
      water and the Spirit, these things of which I speak, 8:28: "Then said Jesus unto them, when ye lifted UP
      are realized. The way of purification and that of the Son of man, then shah ye know that I am He, and
      sanctification, the cleansing and the washing away of that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father bath
      the corruption of sin and of all evil, by the blood of taught Me, I speak these things". So also we find the.
      the Redeemer and by his death, are necessary to realize same idea expressed in John I%. The Greeks came
      the new birth, the birth from above and that is done        to Jesus, Philip and Andrew told Jesus about it and
      only through the Spirit of the exalted Mediator. Then the Lord answered-the hour is come that the Son of
      it shall come to pass. And by implication (as to the man should be glorified. However, this glorification
      text) the exaltation is attained only by  the way of the shall be obtained by the way of the cross, `for except a
      cross.                                                      corn of wheat fall into the ground and die ; it abideth
             Was it not a rather heavy lesson? Was Nicodemus alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit'.
      not to be excused? Could he know these things? We           Speaking of His death the Lord looks through the
      would say, Nicodemus, we understand that you do not grave and speaks of the glory that was to follow. In
      understand these things, because as yet you live in the the same chapter we read (verse 32) : "And I, if I be
      Old Dispensation. And we would be wrong, of course. lifted up from the earth, will draw all (men) unto me".
     But what about the Old Testament prophecy? He The meaning is clear. Our Lord does not mean, when
      should have known. At Ieast he should have known I am crucified I will draw all men to my cross, but, I
      the fundamenta1  principles, although it is possible that will,, after I am exalted, when I have received the
      he did not understand them. And he did not know.            things of the heavenly Kingdom, draw all (my own)
             And because the Old Testament spoke of this fact, out of the sphere of their earthly existence into the
      the Lord points this teacher to the well-known history eternal-heavenly sphere of my Kingdom.
      of the bnazen  serpent, raised by Moses im the desert          Hence, the cross is not the lifting up, *but the means
      as the symbol of the exaltation of the Son of man, that to enter the state of His exaltation. That is also im-
      whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have plied in the name Son of man. Born of the virgin Mary
      eternal life. Or to put it slightly different, when I He became one with our race and took upon Himself
      am' raised, lifted up, symbolized in the desert by Moses, our flesh and our blood. Sin excepted, He is one of
      the rebirth out of water and the Spirit will most as- and one with us. He stands in al1 kinds of relations
      suredly take place, ,and my own shall not perish, but to us. And in the likeness of sinful flesh, He placed
      have eternal life. That is the sum and substance of Himself under the curse of the Law and  *accepted  the
      the instruction given at this late hour of the night.       eternal punishment that He may take away the curse
      -". The question is, what is this raising of Christ? from us. To that end the cross is necessary as the
      As a rule the answer is given, the raising of Christ only way to that exaltation. And the  e,xaItation  is
      is nothing less than His crucitiion.      And of course, the entrance into the eternal and heavenly Kingdom to
      we do not intend to exclude the cross. We know and be King of that Kingdom. He received the authority,
      confess the cross is of necessity being raised in the the power and the glory inseparably connected with
      midst of and for the sake of God's people. We realize His Kingdom.
      that the serpent lifted up in the wilderness became            The  means to that end was the cross. "And as
      conspicuous as the raising of the curse from the midst Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so
      of the people. It simpIy can not be denied. Nor do we must the Son of man be Iifted up". We know the reason
      deny the similarity of the brazen serpent raised on why the serpents appeared in the camp of israel. It
      the pole and the Saviour who w.as raised on the bIoody      was the old story of Israel being dissatisfied with the
      tree. They are  identica1  although the one is the symbol Lord and His servant Moses. Israel complained "Where-
      and the other the reality of that symbol.                   fore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the
             The reference here is to the  crucifxion,  but beyond wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there
      that, to the glorification of Christ. fn the Gospel of any water, and our soul batheth this light bread".
      John we find this one characteristic throughout namely,        An outrageous complaint, for the manna had fallen
      the blending of the two ideas of the passion of Christ day by day ; and there is no water, but the rock that
      and the  gIory following His suffering. It is never followed them quenched their thirst. And all of a
      different with John.                                        sudden venomous serpents appeared in their midst
             With this in mind we can safely say that with the    with their poisonous stings. The serpents were the
*     exaltation is not merely meant the crucifixion. After instruments to reveal God's wrath over his rebellious


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                         561

Israel and- their poisonous bites caused many to die behold, one like the Son of man came  ,with the clouds
in the camp. .The Lord poured out His wrath upon H.is      of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they
people and the fiery serpents embodied His curse upon brought him near before him. And their was given
Israel. God's hot displeasure is thus illustrated and him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all
felt.                                                      people, nations, and languages should serve  `him:  his
    The Lord commanded Moses to make a fiery ser- dominion is  an everlasting dominion, which. shall not
pent and set it upon a pole. And ,Moses  made one of pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be de-
brass and put it upon a pole and it came to pass, if stroyed". Of significance is the fact that in most places
a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the ser-      where we find the name mentioned, Scripture inter-
pent of ,brass,  `he lived.                                prets it. And when we compare the one passage with
    This raising of the serpent by Moses, was the rais- the other the conclusion is always: this name, Son of
ing of the curse from the midst of Israel. Without this man refers to Jesus as the Messiah. Not simply a son
raising, the wrath of God would remain in the camp of man, for that would mean He was a man amongst
and no one would live. And in this raising, the serpent men, one of us, one who is like us. No, but tha: Son of
was cursed in that it was the curse for Israel and thus man and our Lord makes use of it particularly with a
the curse was judged by God. True it is, the serpents view to the authority of being the Messiah and He'does
were sent by the Lord and must be  .considered  the that at the same time with a view to the close connec-
curse of God in the midst of Israel, but the fiery ser-    tion of His suffering. And in  ther.capacity  of Messiah
pent, the one set upon the pole by Moses and thus taken He is the.fulfillment  of that Iong historic line of types.
from the midst of Israel, was the embodiment of that And as such He is the Prophet, the Priest and the King.
curse, now taken from the midst of the people, no          Hence, speaking of Nicodemus, He now prophesies
longer able to bite Israel. It was thus the cursing of concerning Himself as the fulfillment of His own type.
the curse, which meant that Jehovah's wrath no longer He is  tiled with the Word of God and speaks with
rested upon His people. For we read "and it shall come authority concerning His own death. He is at the same
to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh time the priest, who brings the sacrifice and at this
upon it, shall  `live" (Num. 21). Who in faith  lo.oked    moment does not speak about a sacrifice, but the sacri-
upon the serpent of brass, that is, whosoever believed ficing of Himself, becoming a curse for us, and as
that the curse was taken away was healed at that Moses lifted up the serpent  m the wilderness, even so
moment.                                                    must the Son of man be lifted up. But as King the
    It is truer Moses was only instrumental in the rais- Messianic office calls for His exaltation. The cross
ing of the serpent. The Mediator of the Old Testament and death are necessary to that end, that final goal,
could not bear that curse in his own body. But that but without that end salvation is not possible. There-
is of minor importance. Fi;rst of all, he was only a type fore, in what follows is implied His exaltation. Cross,
of the better Mediator who was to come, and, secondly, death and grave may do  aw,ay  with the curse, they can-
he must of necessity be an imperfect Mediator that he not give life unless from the death He arose, ascended
may make room for our Lord Jesus Christ. It does not into heaven and sitting. at the right hand of God the
matter much as it was ordained that the Son of God Father, He gives eternal life. Then and then alone
was to take away the curse and the cause of the curse men can be born again of water and of Spirit when
in time to come. And Dhe reality has come.                 that state of exaltation is reached.
    We have the reality of the Old Testament type in                                                  w .   v .
our Mediator.  Ghrist Jesus is raised and took the
curse upon Himself. Moses and the serpent were two
separate beings. In Christ Jesus, Moses and the ser-
pent are one. Raised out of the cam of Israel He
,becomes a curse for us and through H&I, the curse of                   The Altar Of Incense
the Law which was upon us is taken away. For in               The instructions for the making `of this  almr is
Jesus Christ sin and death receive their judgment. contsined  in Ex. 30 :l-5, "And thou shalt make an altar
The power of sin is death, through His death on the to burn incense upon: of shittim wood thou shalt make
cross that power is broken. God's wrath is placed on it. A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the
the Mediator, who bears that wrath on the cross and breadth thereof; four-square shall it be : and two cubits
who by the way of the cross enters His glory.              shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be
    Therefore,  the  Son  of  man must be lifted up, must of the same. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold,
be exalted and glorified. No,tice how the Lord placed the top thereof and the sides thereof round about, and
the emphasis on this particular name. Often `He called the horns thereof ; and thou shalt make into a crown of
Rimself by that name, especially when He referred to gold round about. And two golden rings shalt. thou
His Messianic task. We find this name in Daniel 7 :13, make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners
14, where we read: "I saw in the night visions, and, thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it;


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     362                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
/
     and they shall be for places for. the staves to bear it shalt make, ye shall not make for yourselves with its
     withal.     And thou shalt make the staves of shittim proportions: it shall be unto thee holy unto Jehovah.
     wood, and overlay them with gold".                            W,hosoever  shall make any  likke  unto that, to smell
            The altar of incense, so it appears from the ;vbove    thereof, he shall be cut off from his people."
     d~cription,   was a square-like box in height three feet        From this passage we learn that the base of the
     and one and a half foot at the top each way. It was holy incense was pure frankincense, a sweet-smelling,
     made of shittim wood and its top and sides were inflammable vegetable substance exuded by plants. All
     covered with a veneer of gold round about. About the that is known with certainty of stacte (Heb. nata@
     rim of its top was an ornamental wreath (crown) of meaning a  drop) and yalbanum  is that each was a
     gold.  Into each of its two sides close to the corner         sweet-smelling gum which slowly flowed out from trees
     and  just underneath the wreath for holding the staves or shrubs. Onycha (Heb. shechaleh, a shell) consisted
     with which the structure was carried. From each of of  la shell or cover of a species of muscle, found in the
     the four corners of the top horns projected.                  `lakes of India and also in the Red Sea and along the
            Though the detailed descriptions of this altar make whole coast of Arabia ; which when burned emitted a
     no mention of it, there is no room to doubt that this         sweet odour.
     altar was merely a stand for a vessel or tenser  of in-          The holy incense was thus a composition of sub-
     cense, which was placed upon it. To this view we  .are stances that yielded, there is every reason to believe,
     bound, it would seem, by John's vision of the offering a most fragrant odour. And being, as it was, an
     of the prayers of all saints (Rev. 8). And an other emblem of prayer, it set forth God's believing people
     #angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden cen-      as  pbnts and flowers in His house, yielding sweet in-
     ser; and there was given unto him much incense, that cense, fragrant odour, unto Him. And the incense
     he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon they yield is the true prayers that rise from the divine
     the golden altar which was before the throne. The life in them,-prayers unto God in which He can and
     plain implication of this report is that the incense with does take a perfect delight.
     the prayers of the saints were placed upon the altar as          How numerous the voices that come to man, telling
     contained in the golden  tenser of fire.                      him that he must will to exist for God to cry out His
            The incense in a state of consumption upon the altar praises. The very fragnance  of the flowers which he
     was a symbol of prayer. This is the teaching of the cultivates in his garden and with which he adorns his
     above-cited scripture and of several other passages of person and decorates his home, tell, him &his. But the
     Holy Writ as has already been shown in connection ear of the natural man is not atuned to these voices.
     with the frankincense with which the flour and the He will possess God's flowers and delight his sense
     cakes of the meat-offering were mingled. There is the `organs with their odour ; he will set the flowers in their
     petition -of the psalmist, "Let my prayer be set before blooming before his eye as the emblem of the flowering
     thee as incense. . . ." The seraphims  of Isaiah's vision `of his own natural strength and beauty, but he, the
     (Isa. 6) are reported as crying to one another, "Holy, godless one, wills to be no flower in God's house, yield-
     holy, holy is the Lord of hosts-: the whole earth is fu!l ing sweet incense unto Him. Therefore as the f-lower
     of His glory.". While this adoration is being uttered, of the field he shall also pass away and perish forever.
     the whole house fills with smoke, so we are told. This But the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
     smoke can be nothing else than the smoke of incense, shall be like a tree pbnted by the rivers of water, that
     as there can be in the holy place no other thing of this bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also
     description. That it accompanies the outcries of praise shall not wither ; . . . .
     of the seraphims, betokens that of this praise it is the         It is to be noticed, further, that the incense was
     smbol. In the scene described in Luke 1  :lO, the as- salted and was thus holy and pure (symbolically). The
     sembly without offers prayer, while Zacharias offers  in- above-cited passage from the book of Exodus contains
     cense within the sanctuary. The priestly service is a statement  to&this effect, "And thou shalt make it an
     the figure of what the worshippers do in spirit.              incense. . . . salted, pure and holy". As has already
        The Scriptural data that concerns the incense is been shown, salt is the emblem  of? 1) the believers in
     contained in Ex.  30:34-38,  "And the Lord said unto their corporate capacity ; 2) a conscious and thus
     Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices,stacte, and onycha,        flowering spiritual life; 3) that spiritual wholesome-
     and galbamum ; these sweet spices with pure frankin- ness of which the life of regeneration is the principle.
     cense: of each there &all be a like weight: and thou Thus that the incense as well as all the other offerings
     shalt make it an incense, a perfume, the work of the was prepared with salt signifies that the only prayers
     perfumer, salted, pure and holy (so this text reads in that God can tolerate on His altar in His sanctuary are
     the original) : And thou shalt beat some of it  fine, and those which His people offer and of this class such only
     put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the that spring from a living faith. God, being what He is,
     tent of meeting, where I' will meet with thee : it shall can delight in the pure and the holy only. "He that
     be unto you most holy. And the incense which thou turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                     863
- .._. "._lll_ll..--.-                                      ~..-
prayer shall be an abomination" (Prov. 28  :9). More God be God. Now of  such a prayer the believer, who
must be said. The truth set forth by the holy incense still lies in the midst of death, is not capable except in
is that God can receive into His sanctuary only such principle. Yet the prayer that he makes is a delight
prayers which are absolutely sinless, so that, even the to the thrice holy God. But it is this only in so far as
prayers of God's people, in so far as they are carnal it is the embodiment of the longings, of the praise and
as a result of their being mixed with the issues of the adoration of the new man. As the embodiment of the
flesh, are not upon His altar. God certainly can no vile strivings of the flesh, also the prayer of the be-
more delight in what springs from  the flesh of His liever is strange fire. That the believer is not on this
people than He can take pleasure in the issues of life account consumed is because, being in Christ, he has
that proceed from the corrupt hearts of the godless. forgiveness of all his sins, thus also of the sins that he
The holy place is closed to the former as well as to the commits when, directing his gaze toward God's sanc-
latter,so  that only so much of the prayers of believers tuary, he lifts up his voice in prayer.
succeed in winging their way into this place as rise           The holy incense then signified the perfect prayer.
from the divine life in the believers' soul. What is It thus, as did the sacrifices in general, betokened the
more, only in so far ias the prayers of believers are ideal to which the believers will by the mercies of God
pure can and does the Holy One hearken unto the voice eventually be made to attain in their fellowship with
of these prayers.                                           God.
   Let not  that man-the man  that  .wavereth  and             The remaining precepts that concern the incense
whose prayer therefore springs from unbelief-think are as rich in instruction on the subject of prayer as
that he shall receive anything from the Lord (James         the ones that have thus far been examined. Moses was
1:17). From these observations it follows that man, told to put the altar of incense "before the vail that is
the believers, must strive to offer the prayer that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat that
pure, the holy incense, and none other. Such also is        is over the testimony" (Ex. 30  :6). Now the cover
the Lord's explicit command-the command to His of the ark `was God's throne. Upon this cover and be-
priests, "Thou shalt put of it, `of it, that is, of the tween the cherubims  hovered the cloud,-the symbol
incense that is salted, holy and pure,  land of none other' of God's presence. Close by the ark hung the vail that
before the testimony in the tabernacle". Speaking of formed the entrance to the holiest place. According to
the altar of incense, the Lord said, `LYe shall offer no the Scripture just cited, it was by the vail and 0~1: its
strange incense thereon" (Ex. 30 :9). How the anger other side that the altar of incense stood. Thus the
of the Lord is (kindled when His servants do the con- burning of the holy incense by the priest took place in
trary, is seen from the punishment that overtook Nadab God's very presence right before His face. Here God
and Abihu, the sons of Aaron. Fire went out from the meets with His people  (Ex. 30  :6). What now  <has  all
Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the this to say to us? The following: when believing
Lord. These sons had offered strange fire,-fire which people truly pray, they draw mear unto God, lift up
they bad brought in contact with strange incense. their hearts to Him and stand in the spirit not without
Their sim `was so great in the sight of the Lord, that but within His sanctuary (which is now above) in His
Moses had to caution Aaron and his two sons that re- presence before His very countenance. Here in the
mained to him .against  uncovering their heads land rend- holy place before His throne they offer the holy incense.
ing their clothes to give expression to the grief and dis- This is a prerogative that now belongs to all the be-
may that the death of the offenders had occasioned lievers. All now have right to enter the holiest. For
,them.  Such an expression of grief  wouId  have be- there is to them a new and living way-the way of
tokened dissatisfaction on their part with the punish- a living faith in the justifying land cleansing power of
ment that the Lord had measured out to the offending Christ's blood-which Christ hath consecrated for  them
relatives.                                                  through His suffering and death. And they have a
    If God can delight in holy incense only, in the high priest over the house of God (Heb. 10). And let
prayer that is pure, it is well that we have before our them consider that, whereas God can receive into His
mind what  a pure prayer is, namely, one that is offered sanctuary the pure and the just only, and whereas they,
by a praying man-the new man or creature--who is the believers, by themselves are vile, they  must  go by
sinless and who therefore in his praying has his  effec-    this way-the way that leadeth through the  vu.il which
tions set solely upon God, on that which is of God,         is His flesh. And by this way they go, when they draw
namely, God's promises, purposes, counsels, God's work near (Heb. 10) with a tmce  heart, that is, with a heart
in Christ, the things above, the heavenly. The pure that does not pretend to be seeking but that is actually
prayer is one offered by .a praying man who desires seeking after God, thus with a heart whose affections
nothing either in heaven or on earth beside God, who are truly set  soslely upon God and His things, the things
subordinates every legitimate desire to the will of God, heavenly. By this way they go when they draw near
who seeks not the earthy in his prayer but the  *heavemy    in full ~cmwrance  of faith, that is, with a confidence
through the earthy and whose every thought is that toward God which is the portion of him who walks in


264                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                             ._-.^---
the way of God's commands and thus  ,walks  with, God.         Holy Spirit to them that task Him?" (Luke 11:9-13).
By this way they go, finally, when they. draw near with        And the Spirit gives good things-all the things that
a, heart cleansed  from an evil conscience, that is, with form that fulmess which dwells in Christ. And these
a heart .that does not accuse and denounce it.s owner good things, said Christ to His followers on another
on account of his standing in th,e way of sinners hut occasion, "shall your Fatmher  which is heaven give. . . .
with  a heart in which resounds the witness of Christ's to them that ask Him". (Matt. 7 :ll) . He cannot with-
Spirit that he is God's son and is thus washed in hold from the asking and seeking ones these things;
Christ's blood from  ,a11 his sins. And going by this for they constitute a yood which He promises them,-a
way, believers do consciously appear before  God's   fact?     good that is theirs by virtue of their being His heirs
sinless and just in Christ ; for this way leadeth through and co-heirs with Christ.
the vail, which is His flesh-that flesh in which He ex-           So, then, the holy incense in a state of consumption
piated their sins and merited for them eternal life.           upon the altar of the  worldly  sanctuary is the emblem
Going by this way they appear before God in His  holy          of the glorified company of redeemed men as they will
temple and offer unto Him holy incense  as His priests stand before God's face in the Holiest  everLastiln,gly
in Christ.                                                     crying out His praises. It is the  emblein,  is this in-
       That such are indeed the realities symbolized by the cense, of the saints on earth, dwelling in the spirit with
holy incense and by the position of the altar of incense       God, seated at a table that He prepares for them in
in the holy place, is certain from all what Ho-y Writ thg presence of their enemies, but at  once  ,fighting,
has to say to us on the subject of prayer. In showing also through their seeking in prayer the things which
this we may begin with attending to the petitions of are of th,e Spirit, the good fight  of.f!aith,  confessing be-
the psalmist, "Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto fore men, through this same seeking, that they are not
thee, 0 Lord, do I lift up my soul. . . . I will lift up my of this world, ,but,  on the contrary, are the servants
eyes.unto  the hills, from whence cometh my help. . . . and the redeemed chi!dren  of the God and Father of
Unto thee do I lift up my eyes, 0 thou that dwellest  i,n      Christ and thus citizens of God's city,-the city with
the heavens. . . . Cause me to hear thy loving kindness foundations and whose Maker and  BuiIder is God. And
in the morning ; for in thee do I trust : cause me to so seeking  iand asking, they walk worthily of the calling
know thy way wherein I should walk ; for I lift up my wherewith they are called, champion, as His servants,
soul unto thee. . . . Trust in him at all times; ye God's cause in the midst of this world and thus show
people, pour out yozw heart before him: God is a refuge that by His grace the interests of His kingdom are
for us. . . . Praise the Lord. Praise  God &n his sanc- also theirs.
tuary"  (Ps.  S6:4;  121:l;  123:l;  148:s).                      True prayer is not narrow. It is as wide in its
       Such a man, who by the mer'cies  of Gdd lifts up his scope Ias the universe is immense. Being colnsecrated
soul unto God is in God's sanctuary as was Asaph when          on God, on the heavenly, it concerns all things; and this
he prayed, "Who have I in heaven but thee, and there of necessity as all things are Christ and must be made
is' none upon earth that I desire beside thee" (Ps. 73). to work together for good to those who love Christ's
In the sanctuary are to be seen the Lord's beauties. God. A!nd how mighty the achievements of the man
Here one is mear God. Here therefore al! desires are who  hias the power  to pray. this true prayer. All the
concentrated on God only. How can a man be near achievements of Christ, with whom this man is identi-
God and behold with an eye of love His beauties and            fied by faith, are his. Such a man reigns with Christ
desire anything  ,beside  Him? But to be capable of  de- in the midst of the common enemy. As he prays ac-
sirtig Him only, one must be the possessor of the  life- cording to God's will and for its realization, every event
giving and sanctifying Spirit  - the Spirit  through in time however small or great is made to come to pass
which Christ dwells in the .hearts of His people and           in (answer to his prayer. It is in answer to his prayer
conforms them according to His'image that, as so con- that the kingdom comes. In answer to his prayer, the
formed, their affections may be set solely upon the            day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, the
things above rand thus uporn  God, upon His name that heavens shall pass away ,with a great noise,. and the
must  be hallowed, upon His kingdom that comes, and elenients shall melt with a fervent heat, the earth alsp
upon His will  txhat is being done. Hence it was ex- and the works  that are therein shall be burned up, the
clusively with reference to this Spirit and with refer- new heavens and the new earth, wherein dwelleth
ence to nothimg  else that Christ, discoursing on the righteousness shall, together with the  ch'urch,  appear
efficacy of prayer, said to His disciples, "Ask, and it with Christ in glory. What a glorious and at once ter-
shall. be given you ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and     rible laction true prayer is. How can it be otherwise
it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh if God upon whom true prayer is centered is terrible.
receivethl;  and he that seeketh  Iindeth;  and to him that       Compare now with this true prayer the prayer of
knock&h  it shall be opened. . . . If ye (then), being that man who when he prays is shut up in that litt!e
evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, world of his own carnal  and selfish desires. What a
how much more shall your heavenly Father give the prayer ! How short-sighted, altogether ineffectual, and


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           365
-__ll-._".                                -...""..^-         .._..-.-. - _- _
God-displeasing such a prayer is ! It is not on God's needful for us". Forgive us our sins. . . . Deliver us
altar in the Holy place. It is as bound to this earth from evil. . . ." "Father, the hour is come ; glorify thy
as are the earthy things upon  wlhich it is centered. The Son, that thy Son may also glorify Thee: As thou hast
effectual prayer is the prayer of the righteous.               given Him power over all flesh, that He should give
   From these observations it is plain that the man eternal life to as many as thou hast given Him. . . .
destitute of the life of regeneration cannot pray. Such I h.ave glorified thee on the earth: . . . . And now, 0
a man has no conception of his real need and is thus            Father, glorify thou me with thine own self. . . . I
not in the need of God. He wit1  land dare not draw have manifested thy name  unto the men which thou
near unto God as he lacks confidence toward God.               gavest me out of the world : . . . I pray for them. . . .
    True prayer is the  fruitage  of the suffering and for they are thine. . . . Holy Father keep through
death of Christ. This, too, is the message that comes thine own name those whom thou hast given me, th.at
to us through the action with the holy incense. ,When           they may be one, as we are one. . . ; I pray mot that
the high priest appeared before the Lord in the holiest, thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that
he did so with his hands full of sweet incense, which thou shouldest keep them from the evil. . . . Sanctify
he put in Ia tenser  full of burning coals of fire from off them through thy truth. . . . Father, I will that they
the altar of burnt-offering before the Lord  (Lbv.              also, whom thou  blast given me, be with me where I am;
16 :12). Thus the incense was put upon fire that came that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given
from the altar upon which w.as lying in a state of con- me: for thou lovest  me before the foundation of the
sumption, the carcass of an animal that through its             world" (John 1'7).                       G. M. 0.
death had atoned for the sins of the offenders by which
it was presented.                                                                       -        -
    Finally, if the holy incense in a state of burning,
symbolized- the prayers of the *believers, it also and in                        The Table Of Shewbread
the first ins6ance  pre-figured the praying Christ. This
is especially evident from the circumstance that if the             Tq the furniture of the Holy place belonged' also
high priest would live and not die while he performed the table of shewbread, the instructions for the making
the service in the holiest om the great day of atonement, of which is  ccmtained  in Ex.  25:23-30.  "Thou shalt
he had to stand in Jehovah's presence with the smoke also make a table of shittim (Heb. acacia) wood: two
th.at rose from his burning incense covering the mercy cubits  sh& be the length thereof, and a cubit the
seat. That with the savour of the incense in His. hol;jr        breadfjh thereof, and a cubit and a half the height
nostrils, the Lord spared the life of the  osciating           thqreof.  And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold,
priest, shows that this incense was charged, so to say, and make thereto a crown (or wreath) of gold round
with the atoning virtue of the burnt-sacrifice and thus about. And thou shalt make unto it  a  b,oarder  of a
pre-figured with this sacrifice the Saviour  also in His hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a
work of interceding for His people. Other evidence` golden crown (or wreath) to the boarder thereof
of this is that on the great day of atonement the blood         round about. And thou shalt make for it four rings
of the burnt-sacrifice was also put upon the horns of of gold, hnd put the rings in (on) the four corilers that
the altar of incense. This action with the blood brought are on (that belong to) the four feet of (for) the
the burnt-offering in closest  connectiom  with the in- staves to bear the table. And thou shalt make the
cense and this certainly with a view to suggesting that staves of  shittim (acacia) wood, and overlay them
the incense derived its efficacy from the atoning virtue with gold, that  Dhe table  m'ay be borne with them.
of the blood.                                                   And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and the spoons
    So did the holy incense then signify  t,he prayers          thereof, and the covers thereof, and the bowls thereof,
of Christ ,which He prayed while atoning the sins of to cover (pour  out) withal: of pure gold  t,hou  shalt
His people and which He now  prays  in the holy place make them. And thou shalt set upon the table of
above. An examination of as many of Christ's prayers shewbread."
as are contained in the gospels tell us that the descrip-            It is rather  difficult  to convey by the written or
tion of the true prayer, given above, is correct. Christ, spoken word, a clear picture or conception of this piece
and how could it be otherwise, prayed the true prayer, of sacred furniture. Let us  nevetiheless  make the
the prayer that sprtigs from pure love and is centered attempt. This table was in length three, h breadth
wholly on God and the heavenly. The incense which one and a half, .and in height two and a fourth feet.
He placed and as the exalted and glorified priest  veer-        (A cubit measures eighteen inches). Its top or slab
lastingly places on God's altar is pure. "Our Father. . . rested upon la border of a hand breadth in deptrh. To
hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will the corners of this border were affixed four feet or
be done" `Thy will Father, and not ours'. "Give legs. There were two ornamental  wreaths of gold to
us this day our daily bread" that is, give us not poverty, this  tab!e,  one round the rim of the sIab and the other
not riches, but give us day by day bread as much as is rou?d the ,border  underneath. On the four corners of

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

the four legs and close by the border four rings were has also the meaning of $a. It is a belief that best
fastened to hold the staves or poles with which the             coincides with the reqtiirement  that frankincense ,be
table was carried. The four vessels---the dishes,  the          put upon each row. If each of these  rows were formed
spoons, the covers, and the bowls-weye of pure gold of six cakes  spread out upon the  tiable, then each cake
~amd were made to stand  up,on  the table (cf. chap. must have had a  tenser of  fnankincense   UPON it.  If
37 :16).                                                        this is too unlikely then, in case the cakes were
       What manner of articles were these vessels?              spread  out, ten of the twelve were without frankin-
Neither the names which they bear in the Hebrew text cense. But if this, too, is just as unlikely, there is but
nor the use to which they were put in the sanctuary             one possibility remaining, namely, that the cakes were
,tell us anything definite respecting their peculiar form so tarranged as to form two piles, each supporting a
or design. The first (kearoth) were, as their name in- tenser  of frankincense. Tthis arrangement agrees with
dicates, some sort of dishes ; the second (kaphoth from the symbolical design of the cakes, which was to set
&ph the hollow of the shand in our version erroneously forth the twelve tribes of Israel-the twelve bore re-
rendered spoons) some kind of hollow bowls. The spect to the twelve tribes-as a oneness,  as the  ane
third  (keshaoth  from  kashah to bring into round form spiritual bread of Jehovah. The spreading out of the
and erroneously rendered  I:OVWS) were likewise some cakes ,would have obscured this truth-the truth that
kind of cups and <bowls ; and so, too, the fourth (,mena-       believers being many are one bread (I Cor. 10 :17).
kioth  from nakah to pour out).                                    The above instructions also tell us in what  pkecise
       These articles belonged to the .table  and were for character  this bread was laid  upcm the table. The
the three elements-bread, frankincense, and  wine- statement occurs, "for it is most hdly unto him (Aaron)
of which the  offerimg  under  consider&ion  was com- of the offerimgs  of the Lord made by fire. . . ." This
prised. But to what use the one sort in distinction bread was an offering and the "pure table" upon which
from the other was put is not certain. In all likelihood it was set partook therefore of the  characte?  of an
the first were for carrying the bread to and fro from altar. The nature of this offering can be perceived
the table on which also it stood, and, if so, must only in the light of the relation that Israel sustained to
have been some kind of large platters. The  seeand              God, and He again to Israel. Israel was a people that
were probably for the frankincense. Of the last two had been delivered by Jehovah from the ,bondage  of
sorts the first might ,have been the bowls from which Egypt. The  Iand of Canaan was Jehovah's rest  v&ich
the wine was poured out as. a drink offering and the He had prepared for and entered with His people. Of
second pitchers in which the wine stood cxn the table. this land therefore-He,  as Israel's Redeemer-God, was
That we know nothing more definite about these articles supreme Lord. This the people had also to acknow-
is. of little moment. But enough is known to allow us ledge which they" did through their separating unto
to say that two of the four sorts were not comprised Him, in obedimce  to His command, %he tithes and first-
of spoons aad covers. The offering under consider& fruits of  all their earthly gain. Ten being the number
tion called for no such articles but only for cups, bowls of completion, these tithes were representative of the
and platters. Such therefore, were the ob.jects called entire increase of the soil, so that tihrough their offer-
in our version cozfers and spoons.                              ing these tithes and firstfruits,  the offerers declared
       The in&u&ions for the preparation of the  shew-          that all was  heId in fief of Him and that of all He
bread are  contained  in Lev.  24:5-g,  "And thou shalt remained the absolute owner. And that these offerings
take fine flour, and hake twelve cakes thereof: two             were placed by the officiating priest before Jehuv&`s
tenth deals shall *be in one cake. And thou shalt set altar, that it was here that these gifts were partaken
them in two rows, six in a row, upon the pure table Of, signified that Israel's entire material substance had
before the Lord. And thou shalt put pure frankincense to be regarded as a gift that came from the  altar, thus
upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a as  Ia benefit that accrued from the suffering and death
memorilal,  even an offering mafde  by fire unto the Lord. of an innocent substitute.
Every Sabbath ye shall set it in order before the Lord             However it was not enough that the people of Israel
continually, being  taken  from the children of Israel declare-through  theiF offering the tithes and the  tist-
by an everlasting covenant. And it shall be Aarons fruits  th!at Jehovah was sovereign Lord of all their
and his sdns ; and they shall eat it in the holy place : for    material gain;  +here  ialso had to be to them an instru-
it is most holy umto him o,f the offering of the Lord ment for the exmssion  of the truth that they them-
made by fire for a perpetual statute."                          selves belonged to Him-Him their faithful Saviour-
       From these instructions it appears that the bread that they were His people holy and pure in  Christ,
consisted of twelve cakes. Were these cakes  spread  out anfas  such His everlasting delight. Now such an in-
in two rows or placed one upon the other in two little strument they possessed in a11 those sacrifices to which
piles or stacks? The latter belief is not opposed to the laPPli@d  the statement, "And Jehovah smelled a sweet
notice "And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on.&he         savour." This, let it be said in passing, is the  one
row" as the Hebrew word rendered im our version row statement contained in the books of the law which tells


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          367

us that the offerings which were placed upon Jehovah's applied, does not nevertheless adequately and fully ex-
table or altar-the offerings by blood, the meat-offer-      press what was peculiar to this offering. As can be
in& the holy incense  and the shewbread-were the expected therefore it is not the name  comtained  in the
emblems of heavenly things. For, as has already been Hebrew text. The name found in this text is "bread
pointed out, that savour so agreeable to God's holy of faces or presence". Yet typologists have been de-
nostrils was in the final ilnstance the spiritual frngrance lineating on this offering in a way that ind&tes  that
that arose from the good fruit which His believing the name shewbread was regarded by them as expres-
people bore.                                                sive of the idea peculiar to it. So Fairbairn, "These
   As to the shewbread, it had respect to the same          cakes, as a  whole,  were  called  `shewliread'   literally
heavenly realities to which the other sacrifices of its     `bread of faces or presence.' The meaning of-the ex-
kind pointed; It set forth the same fundamental truths. pression may, without difficulty, be gathered from  Ex.
And yet it had its own peculiar message as did each of 25:30,  where the Lord Himself names it `shewbread
the others. Ea,ch in distinction from the rest symbol- before me always' ; (also this scripture reads in the
ized and accentuated some particular phase of the original, "And thou shalt set upon the table bread of
work of Christ and of the blessed state of the redeemed.    faces or presence before my face or presence con-
The one offering certainly was not a  mere duplication tinually". G.M.O.) it was to be continually in His pre-             '
of the other. 9s to the shewbread, what each of the sence,  or exhibited before His face, and was hence ap-
provisions of this offering symbolized has already been propriately designated, `shewbread' , or bread of pre-
shown in connection with the meat-offering and the sence."
Iholy incense. The frankincense as consecrated to sac-         "It has been thought (so the writer  &ontinues) that
red use was in its burning state a symbol of the prayers something more must have been intended by the pe-
of believing people. The  breafd symbolized Christ and culiar designation `bread of presence' than we have
His body, the Church. <Christ  said of Himself that He is mentioned, since if this `were all, the altar of incense
bread-the bread of God which came down from and the golden candlestick might, with equal propriety,
heaven, and giveth life unto the world (John 6:33).         have been called the altar and candlestick of presence
And as to the believers, they being many are one bread, -which, however, they never are. . . . But a special
and one body. . . . (I Cor. 10 :17). The wine in Scrip- treason .can easily be discovered for the peculiar appro-
ture appears as the emblem of Christ's blood and of priation of this epithet to the bread, vis., to prevent
all the blessings of the covenant of God of which His the Israelites from supposing,-what they might other-
blood as shed was and is the meritorial source. Christ wise, perhaps, in their carnality, have done,--that
is the true wine as well riis He is the true bread and the bread was, like bread  iin general, simply for
the living water. And the believers, drinking, as they eating; to instruct them, on the contrary, that it was
do, His blood, are likewise wine in Him. Wine, says rather for being seen and looked on with complacency
the psalmist maketh the heart glad. It is thus the by the holy  and ever watchful eye of God. . . , As
fitting figure of the spiritual joy of that man whose connected with the table, its design was served by
portion is Christ.                                          being exhibited and seen, for the well-pleased satisfac-
   So then, also the twelve cakes (the shewbread) with tion and favorable regard of a righteous God  ; so that
its wine and frankmcense  was an offering setting forth it is not possible to conceive a fitter designation than
the truth that the ideal believer is a new creature  in the one given to it, of shewbread or bread of presence"
Christ, holy, ,harmless and undefiled, a creature prais-    (The  Typology  of Scripture, VO!I. II, p. 319).
ing and adoring God (upon each row of the shewbread             From this excerpt it appears that Fairbairn did
frankincense was set) land joying in God's salvation take cognizance of the name that this offering has in
(the shewbread was presented, in connection with a the original. He also repeatedly calls it by this name.
Portion of wine), and thus a man in whom. God  ever-        Yet his reasonings plainly indicate that in his con-
1astingIy  delights.                                        templation of this offering he consistently proceeded
   But as this was the truth set forth also by the meat- from the idea expressed by the name shewbread. The
offering and by all the sacrifices by blood, we have still design of this bread, he avers, was being served by its
to inquire after the mark of distinction of the offering being exhibited and seen for the favorable regard of
of the shewbread. How did this offering differ from the righteous God. And the  special  reason for the
the others? What was there about this offering thaf peculiar appropriation of this name to the bread was
saved it from being a mere duplication of the meat- to prevent the Israelites from supposing that it was
offering? What peculiar phase of the truth about the for being eaten and thus to instruct them that it was
heavenly did it,  @ distinction from the others,  ac-       for being seen and looked on by God. Now as a matter -
centuate?                                                   of fact this bread  was for being seen and not for being
    The answer to these questions is contained in the eaten. But this does not warrant calling the twelve
name which the offering bore. Now the name S&W-             cakes shezubread  if the Scripture calls them "bread of
bread,  though not exactly a misnomer, a name wrongly presence"  ; nor does it allow imposing upon the name


            333     "'                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                         ..-
            "bread of presence" the meaning of  such  words  &s            of the Lord made by fire. . .  ." From the circum-
            s&u&g and exhibiting. If these words were expres- stance that through the adoption of these measures
            sive of the idea peculiar to the offering under consider- this bread was made to stand out in the minds of the
            ation, the Holy Spirit would have given to it some such people as a thing most holy, it follows that its design
            name. Fact is that, contrary to Fairbairm's contention, was also to lead into the truth  thsat only the pure and
            also the golden candlestick and the holy incense were the holy can dwell in God's presence.
            for being seen.                                                   The question still remains whether the name "bread
     -..        Let us then in the attempt to set forth this offering of presence" is not expressive of something more than
            in, its right light, proceed in our contemplation from has thus far been mentioned. It is indeed.
            the name "bread of presence". Why then were the                                  (To be continued)
            twelve `cakes called by this name? The simple and                                                                        G. M. 0.
            obvious reason is that they were especially prepared to
            be in  &d's presence and actually were continually in
            His presence. The table was never without this bread ;
            on the return of every Sabbath morning the old                                 NOTICE, CURATORIUM.
            materials were withdrawn and a new supply provided.               Curatorium meets, D. V. Wednesday, May 3X, at
            Herewith has been brought forward that which was 3:30 o'clock in the Fuller Ave., building.
            peculiar to the twelve cakes. They were continually
            before Jehovah's face in His immediate presertce.  HOW-                         Examination Schedule :
            ever, as the altar of burnt-offering that stood in the             Wednesday
            outer court of the sanctuary was, as well as the mercy
            seat in the holiest, the place, of meeting between Je-                 7 :30-8 :30.. .................... Church Polity
            hovah and His people, it must also be said of the offer-               8 :30-9 :30.. ................... .O. T. History
            ings placed upon this altar-of the carcasses and the
            blood of the sin- trespass- burnt-offering and of the              Thursday
            provisions of the meat-offering-that they were before                  8 :30-9 :30.. .................... History of Dogma
            Jehovah's face. Why then were the twelve cakes in                      9 :45-10 :30.. .................. Introduction
            distinction from all these other provisions given the                 10 f30-11:15 .................... Theology
            name of "bread of presence"? The obvious reason                       11: 15-12 :00.................... Anthropology
            is that of all, these provisions the twelve cakes only                 1:30-2 :15.. .................... Christology
            were in God's immediate presence. It is in the light                   2 :15-3 :OO.. .................... Soteriology
            of this observation that we can understand the peculiar                3 :15-4 :oo...................... Ecclesiology
            design of the twelve cakes. This design was in part                    4 :oo-4 :45 .................... ..Esohatolo gy
            ' to accentuate the truth, that the blessed preroga-
            tive of the believers, of the church,  is to  dwell contin-        Friday
            ually  im God's  ver,y presence before His countenance.
                Now this was also in part the design of the holy                   9 :OO-10 :30 .................... Isagogics and
            incense,.nd even of all the provisions on the altar of                                                 0. T. History
            burnt-offering. All the sacrifices. were essentially one,             10 :30-11:30 ................... .O. T. Exegesis
            necessarily so, .as the truth is one. Between them all                 1 :oo-2 :oo...................... N. T. History
            there existed a near relationship. We need but call at-                2 : 00-3 :00..................... .Homil\etics
            tention to the following. Not only upon the altar of
            incense lbut Ialso upon each of the two piles of shew-             Monday
            bread rested a  tenser  of burning incense  symb&aaJ  of               2 :oo-3  :oo...................... Typology
            the prayers of God's people. And the fire in the                       3 :oo-4 :oo...................... Church History
            centers  was taken from the altar of burnt-offering.
               But even t'he observations thus far made do not set             Tuesday P. M.               .
            forth the peculiar significance of the "bread of pre-                  Sermons and examination of sketches
            sence" in tall its fulness. To understand this signifi-
            cance regard must be had `firstly to the measures that            Commencement exercises, D. V. will be held Wed-
            were adopted to impress upon the worshippers that nesday evening, June 7, at. 7  :30 o'clock in the Roosevelt
            this. bread was holy. It was taken. from the  ohi!idren        Park church building. The Rector, Rev. H. Hoeksema,
            of Israel by an everlasting covenant. It belonged to will give the graduation address and a few musical
            Aaron  ,and his sons only to be eaten by them alone after ~numbers will be rendered by the Roosevelt Park con-
%           its removal from the "pure table". They had to eat it gregation.
            in the Holy place. The worshippers were told the rea-                                                   Rev. M. Gritters,
            son: "It is most holy unto  (him (Aaron) of the offerings                                             Sec'y, Cur&o&m.


                         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  PUBLWHING  ASSOCIATION, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.




                                       Boer, Rev.  B.  Gritters,  Rev. C. Hanko, Rev. B.
                                       Eok, Rev.  CT. Lubbers, Rev. R.  Veldpaan.


Vol. XV, No. 16.                                      . MAY X5,1939                           Subscription Price, $2.00  *

                                                                formed to this world,  w*ho is being transformed by
         M E D I T A T I O N                                    the renewal of the mind, and who professes to prove
                                                                and approve what is that good and acceptable and per-
                                                                fect will of God,--of that child of Giod it must not be
          The Ever Remaining Debt                       '       said that he fails to acknowledge his  ~debts, is behind
                                                                in meeting his obligation, of whatever kind it may be.
                                                                    It belongs to the fear of the Lord to know one's re-
                    Owe no man anything, but to love one-       lation to others and in that position to do the will of
                 another : for he that loveth  another hath     God!
                 fulfilled the law.          Rom. 13.3.             The Christian child does not refuse to pay the debt
   Apparently paradoxical debt of love !                        of honor to his parents, the Clhristian wife finds it no
   You owe it, you pay it, you stil1 owe it!                    burden to pay the debt of obedience to her husband,
   A debt  w.hich.accumulates  as you pay, which never the  -Christ&n  servant willingly honors his master, the
decreases though you pay !                                      Christian subject his  king;`&e Christian that receives
                                                                a benefit is not Ioathto say thanks, the Christian that
   An obligation which, though you always faithfully            owes a pecuniary debt has no rest until it is paid.
fulfill it, is never fulfilled !                                    Owe no many anything!
    0w.e mo man anything, render unto every man his                 Such is the good and acceptable and perfect  wiii of
dues, above  all do not fail to render to every man the         God?
dues of love, yet acknowledge that you still owe the                Owe nothing, except : to love oneanother !
debt of loving one-another.                                         Not as if you may be `behind in the payment of
    In your various and manifold relationships to your love's debt !
fellowmen you meet with many obligations, many debts                But having paid, acknowledge that you still owe!
you must pay, in virtue of the fact that these relation-            Marvellous  debt!
ships are of God. There is the relationship of man
and wife, of parent and child,  bf brother and brother,
of master and servant, of teacher and pupil, of the                 Love oneanother !
"powers that be" and their subjects. There are re-                  And not of a mere disposition of the heart, but
lationships into which you voluntarily enter, relations of the actual manifestation of love, of the deed of love
of contract, relations of buyer and seller, relations of the Word of God here speaks.
partnership in business or industry. There are  re-                 Of love that is the fulfillment of the law, and that
Zationships  resulting from  deed's of charity and mercy,       never worketh  ill, always good to the neighbor?
the relation of benefactor and beneficiary. And in                  Of love as an obligation, of a debt that is being
these different relations we owe honor to whom honor,           paid ?
fear to whom fear, tribute to whom tribute, custom                  Yet, love must be unfeigned: there must needs be
to whom custom, pecuniary  #debts  to whom money,               love in the heart before one can love, and one must
gratitude is whom gratitude is due.                             needs love before he can perform the deed of love and
    Owe no man anything!                                        meet love's obligation.
    It must not be said of the Christian, redeemed                  Love ! What is it?
through the precious blood of the Lord, liberated from              It must  not be confused with that affection, emotion,
the power of sin, who presents his body a living sacri- feeling of *attraction, that is known as "natural love",
fice, holy acceptable unto God, who refuses to be con- that reveals itself in a quickly drying tear when the

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

 object of love is lost, or in a fast fading smile when its it speaks the good, it accomplishes the good. . . .
 object is present. A mother loves the babe at her                  Always the good.
 breast and rejoices in its possession, grieves when she            The real, the true, the eternal good, which is to be
 is bereaved of it, yet this love, which is found `even had only in the sphere of light, in the way of right-
 among animals, is but a natural image of the love of eousness.
 w:hich  the text makes  me&ion.  A young man feels                 Hence, love can be very stern.
 attracted to the maiden of his choice and expresses his            Even as what is really the hatred of sin, because
 ardent love to her, yet, even this natural attraction it is emnity against God, may appear very sweet and
 is not the same as the love of our text. Love is not tolerant and affectionate, so love often is very severe,
in the blood, it is in the mind, in the will, in the heart.      uncompromising and intolerant.
 It is not a feeling  ,but a strong disposition; it is no           For, it is the fulfilling of the law!
 emotion but a  ,power;  it is not  phlvsical or natural, but       Never can love have fellowship with the unfruitful
 ethica and spiritual ; it is a mighty moral, spiritual-         works of darkness.
 ethical force that determines the attitude of the w,hole           It must needs seek righteousness'ak.d  rebuke the
 man, of the very person in relation to the object of his sinner.
 love.                                                              For, ,love is of God!
        It is known as a mighty desire, longing for, striving
 after fellowship  wikh its object in the light, in the             Love     omeumother!
 sphere of righteousness.                                           Owe no man  anything but to love oneanother!
        There is lno.love  in the darkness of sin.                  There appears to be a contradiction here: love
        Love is the bond of perfectness !                        oneanother - love every man.
        It perfects him that loves and would perfect him            Love oneanother is addressed to the church, and
 that is loved. It desires the happiness, the true bliss that brethren in the Lord ought to love and are in a
 of its object, that true and pure state of blessedness position to love oneanother, because they love God, is
 which is possible only in the light, in the sphere of readily understood.
 truth, righteousness, holiness, perfection. It forever-            But the scope of love appears to be unlimited here:
 more seeks to realize the good of the neighbor.                 owe no m.ur~ anything, render to every man his dues,
        Love worketh no ill to the neighbor!                     love worketh no ill to  the neighbor.  And how can
        The hatred of sin always worketh ill to the neigli-      love embrace all? Is not love, in its nature, jealous,
 bor, even though that neighbbor  should be the object exclusive, partial? Does not love cease to be love
 of natural attraction and love to him that so worketh wihen it would make no distincticm? Is not even the
 the evil. Hatred can appear very sweet and affection- love of God particular? And does not the psalmist
 ate, yet~ it seeks to destroy. Sometimes it openly plots teach us to exclaim: "Should I mot hate them Lord that
 and works evil, in malice and envy, in slander and back- hate Thee? I hate them with a perfect hatred? . . . .
 biting, in reproach and mockery, in deceit and robbery,            True, love is always particular, because it is of
 in bloodshed and murder., Or again, it maintains the God !
 appearance of love Iand affection, while it entices its            Love as fellowship,  reciprocaI  love, the love of one-
 objects into the ways of sin, destruction and hell. A another can exist, can live and flourish only among
 natural, unregenerate mother may be  filled with a men in whom is the love of God. It is not found in
 strong, ardent affection, a mother's love for the child darkness. It cannot breathe in the atmosphere of un-
 of her womb, but when she teaches it to love &he world righteousness. It does not manifest itself es a bond
 and its corruption, she very actually hates the child. between the wicked. For, by nature we are enemies
 A young man that entices his lady-love to commit the of God, hateful and hating oneanother. Neither is it
 sin of adultery at the same time that he strongly pro- possible that this bond of perfectness should unite
 fesses his love, hates her nevertheless.                        the righteous and the wicked. Only where the love
        Hate work&h  ill to the neighbor!                        of God is the common life, the sphere in which men
        Hence, all the problems in the world that are in- live, can they love oneanother.
 soiuble, social, economical, political,  nationaI,  inter-         Yet : owe no man anything but to Iove oneanother!
 national.      Hence, the depressions, revolutions, wars,          And, even though, it be true that we hate the
 mu$rders, robberies, lies. If ,men could hear and do enemies of God with a perfect hatred, is it not also
 the Word of God ,as it exhorts us to love oneanother, true that the Word of God enjoins us to love our ene-
 the problems would solve themselves, for love worketh mies and pray fur them that persecute us? . . . .
 no ill to the neighbor!                                            Love cannot be fellowship with the wicked enemies
        Directly and indirectly love worketh good to its o f   G o d .
 object.                                                            It cannot mean that righteousness and unrighteous-
        It contemplates what is good, it desires what is ness become reconciled to each other, that light and
 good, it wills what is good, it strives after what is good,     darkness blend in perfect harmony, that there is estab-


                                              T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R .                                    371

lished a state of peace between Christ and Belial. Love you might be to the praise of the glory of His grace
does not put on another yoke with the unbeliever, can- and show forth His virtues !
not have delight in his unfruitful works of darkness,                 And how gloriously the love of God was manifested !
does not laugh, play, sing, accomplish the lusts of the               For, He loved us while we were still enemies !
flesh  wi4th the (children of disobedience. It hates these,           He loved us with a never ceasing, eternal love, not
abhors them, rebukes them and condemns the world.                  because we loved Him  first, but  Ibecause  He is love
   Yet, even so love pays its debt!                                and for His own Name's sake. And how He loved !
   E.ven  to its enemies ! Always it reveals itself to For in this was manifested the love of God towards
all men as love!                                                   us,  ,that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
   It works no ill to the neighbor, to no neighbor!                believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlast-
   Love does not curse but prays; it does not lie but ing life!
speaks the truth ; it does not deceive but walks in up-               Unfathomable love !
rightness ; it does not steal, defraud, hurt, murder,                 Deeper than the deepest ocean ; higher than the
slander, backbite, but seek the advantage of the neigh- highest heavens !
`hr.                                                                  Beloved, if God so loved us, how ought we to love
   It never entices to sin, but rebukes unrighteous- oneanother !
ness !                                                                Never ceasing obligation !
   Love is the fulfilling of the law.
   Love is of God !                                                   Marvellous grace !
                                                                      For, only by His grace it is that the must of love
        Ever remaining obligation !                                becomes a delight of the heart !
    Far as such, as an obligation, as a debt which you                How else could we pay this debt of love unless to
owe to the neighbor, love, actual love, love manifested love were our delight?
in the deed of love, is  Ihere presented to us.                       And how could our hearts find delight in the love
        It is a must!                                              of oneanother except through the grace of Him that
        You must love me ; I mmt love you !                        loved us?
        And when you and I meet this obligation and pay              t Enemies of God we are, and for that very reason
this debt of love, we have done nothing that was not enemies of oneanother,  hateful and hating oneanother,
required of us.               ; .                                  as we are by nature. T.here  is no love in the heart of
        On the contrary: as we  lpay the debt accumulates, sinful man, who loves the darkness rather than the
as we meet this obligation of love it still remains. light. He cannot love ; he will not love ; he cannot will
Other debts you .pay, you obtain your receipt, the obli- to love ; he  #has even forfeited the right to the blessing
gation ceases, you owe no more ; this debt you pay and of love. Nothing could possibly persuade him to love. _
continue to pay, but it ever renews itself, you keep on You cannot instruct him to love. He cannot be trained
`owing the same debt. No matter how much you pay, to love. Even the manifestation of the love of God in
it never decreases. You cannot be excused ever from the cross of our Lord will not induce him to love ! . . . ;
paying. In vain is the attempt to be relieved of this                 But God's love is poured out in our hearts !
obligation by objecting that you have already loved the               The love wherewith He loved us in the death of
neighbor  Avery  much and revealed your love in a thou- His Son is wrought in our deepest being, so that we
sand ways, while he never showed  any tokens of ap- know it, experience it, taste it, desire it, seek it. And
preciation. You must still love him. You cannot ob- with the love of Him Who loved' us first we love Him
jeot that your love is wasted, that it is never recipro- too and seek His fellowship, walking in the light! . . . .
cated, that you are wholly disappointed, - the debt                   And with His own love, wiherewith  we love Him, we
remains. Love continually, faithfully, perfectly, and also love oneanother !
still acknowledge that you owe the debt of love !                     For, love is of God, always of Him !         =
        For, he that love%  another. ha&h  fulfilled the law !.       Glorious grace !
        Ad khe law is of God!          .,.                                                                      H. H.
        And God is love ! And love is of CTod ! And it is
His unchangeable wild that His love-life be manifested
in the relation of His children  to oneanother as well as
to Himself. His family in Christ must reflect His own
Iove-life which He lives in, infinite Iperfection  as the                            BEKENDMAKING
triune God! And, therefore, you. must fulfill the law                 Classis-vergadering staat D. V. te worden  gehou-
of love. Your love-debt to the neighbor is not based den Woensdag, Juni 7, om negen uur;`in den voormid-
on his love to you, neither rooted. in his appreciation dag in de  Eerste Protestantsche Gereformeerde Kerk
of your love, but is your obligation to Him that called te Grand Rapids,  Mich.
YOU  out  of darkness into His  marvellous  light, that
                         .                                                                   M. Vander Vemnen, S. C.


                                                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                 881
                                                                                                                                                                            3
               Op  verzoek  van den voorzitter sluit Dr. Schilder
de vergadering :met gebed.                                                                           Calvinism And: Determinism
      ,b'
                            `.                                                                   The above title will probably lead to expect  a
                                                                                            lengthy and profound treatise, for such could, indeed,
               Ik fheb bijna niets anders  gegeven dan een afschrift be written on that subject.
van de notulen door Ds. De Boer opgeteekend.                                                     But be at ease, reader, for at present I have no
               Mocht men vast de overzijde meenen, dat er bier                              such purpose.
en daar onjuistheden zijn ingekropen, gaarne geven                                               I merely intend briefly to answer a question  1.
we gelegenheid  tot correctie.                                                              received from Mr. K. H. of R. Calif.
               Van commentaar zie ik af.  Ze is,  meen  ik, niet                                 The brother read my article on "The Vaunting Axe"
noodig ook.. Het verslag  spreekt  voor zichzelf.                                           and became somewhat confused by the following sen-
               Natuurlijk hoop ik  een volgende conferentie, wordt tence :
ze samenjgeroepen,  ook bij te wonen.                                                            "It teaches that God did not forsake the works of
               `k Heb echter niet zoo'n groote  mate van optimisme, His hands, as is the doctrine of the Deist; that He did
dat ik er na de `gehouden vergadering, iets van ver-                                        not surrender them to the whims of fortune or chance,
wacht.                                                                      H. H.           as is the teaching of the fatalist and determinist".
                                                                                                 Now, if I understand the brother correctly, he al-
                                                                                            ways was of the opinion that Calvinism and Determin-
                       .                                                                    ism were identical. And his question is whether in
                  "                        ECHTVEREENIGING                                  this conviction he is not right..
                                                                                                 My answer is as follows :
               Den  7den   Mei  mochten  onse geliefde ouders                                    1. If the brother means by determinism the  Sorip-
                                          ALBERT HEETHUIS en                                tural truth that all things that are and occur, small
                                  DERKJE HEETHUIS - Pastoor                                 and great, good and evil, moral and physical, are ab-
hunne 60  jarige  Eohtvereeniging  herdenken.                                               solutely determined by and under the control of God,
             Dankende  onze'  God voor de veh  jaren  hen  geschonkau.                      so that nothing takes place but by His omnipresent
     Dat se Gods genade rijkelijk  mogen   genieten   aan het einde                         power and government, he is certainly right. And I
van hun leven.                                                                              suppose that this is just what he means.
                                            Namers   hunne  kinderen
                                                          Mrs. Bertha Meyer                      2. However, the term "Determinism" in its tech-
                                                  Mr. en Mrs. P. Heethuis                   nical, philosophical sense does not mean this. It stands
                                                                                            for the philosophy that the moral freedom of man is
     ,,,         ,:                               Mr. en Mrs. F. Sytsma                     strictly determined by for&s from within or from
      ,`.,i                                       Mr. en Mrs. H. Geurkink
                                                       10 kleinkinderen                     without, physical or psychical. And in this sense ,.I
                                                        5 achter-kleinkinderen              used the term in my essay.                                                      `,
               G&id  Rapids,  Mich.                                                              3. There is, therefore, considerable difference be-
                                                                                            tween Calvinism and Determinism in its technical and
                                    `.                                                      philosophical  sense, a difference which I may very
                                                                                            briefly express in this way: the former attributes all
\                                            ANNIVERSARY                                    things to the counsel and control  of an intelligent, wise
                                                                                            and good God ; the latter to bhnd  forces.
               On May 28, the Lord willing, our dear parents                                                                                               FL".
                                           K. TIGCHELAAR and
                                   ,I. TIGCHELAAR  - Sybesma                                                                   .I
     hope to commemorate their 35th wedding anniversary. We,
     their children extend to them our heartiest congratulations, and                                            IN MEMORIAM
     thank our heavenly Father that he has spared them for  each                            /    De  Hollandsche  Mannenvereeniging van de Fuller Ave.,
     other and for us.                                                                      Protestantsche  Gereformeerde Kerk. betreurt het bverleden  van
               In thankful remembrance do we acknowledge these bless-                       het oudste lid der vereenigimg.
     ings. It is our earnest prayer that the Lord will spare them
     for each other and us for many-more years                                                                 MR. A. LINDEMULDER
                                             Their gra&e.ful  children,                          We mogen  geloven  dat hij nu verlost is van  alle pijn en
                                                   Mr. and Mrs. Peter Vos            . .    smart;  bovenal  van de zonde.
      :  ,.  .'  ,"                                Mr. and Mrs. Harold Glupker                   De Heere vertrooste de familie.                                  ,I  -.
                                                   Mr. and Mrs. Donald Tigchelaar                                   Namens  de  Hollandsche   Marinen  Ver.
                                                        and 1 grandchild                                                             G." Roster;  Pres.
               Grand Rapids,  Mich.                                                                                                  F:;Vander   Laan,   Seer.


382                                                        T H E   ..S_TAND.ARD:_~B_EARER
*
                        ,*                                                                   The. writer says : "Now it is noteworthy that in
                        ..-_a-+ ..-  .' Contribution __
                                    _-                                _         c those few chapters of Exodus it is said,ten times .that
                                                                                          Pharaoh hardened his own heart ; and that  ,an equal
 E s t e e m e d   E,ditor  :.  _ _ _   I                                            number of times it is said  that the Lord hardened his
       ' "Will you kindly allow me space for a few-columns heart. Moreover it is of signal importance to note that
in, your paper?                                                            _         ins ;the first five plagues the hardening is invariably
.".._         ." :                  -                                                represented as  *his own".
           In "The  Ban&~" of April 20, there appears an                                     This surely does not give us a true conception of
anticle.by  Dr. W. H. Rutgers, which I believe calls for the *hardening process of Pharaoh as it can be traced
some reflection in our Standard Bearer.                                              in the pertinent passages.
       The  ,&ticle  discusses the  oft;occuring  question of                                In the first place we must notice that there is noth-
the hardening of Pharaoh's heart and treats it in such ing in the text that suggests the division of ten and
a way that it constitutes an unconscious challenge to                                ten: Some interpretors even go so far as to find in
anyone who has learned to see and feel the Reformed this supposed ten and ten an equ,al division of,efficiency
view of' God and the creature as we have it taught us as between  Godand His rational creature and find in
in Scripture. .                                                                      the number ten the symbol of completeness,
           I -believe, to .express  at the very outset my judg-                              Now-the number ten is indeed a symbol of -corn-
ment regarding the writers views  - I believe that his                                    pleteness if it is symbolically used ; if the ten is em-
answeras a whole is thoroughly unbiblical  and shows,                                phasized. But surely  no& if we have to make the count.
according to his own oriterion,  ,that he is :"favorably                             It is said there are ten appearances' of the Risen Sav-
disposed to the Arminian and Pelagian position with iour , hence a complete testification of the Resurrection.
which American Fundamentalism is thoroughly sur- But are there ten? Perhaps there are nine, per$haps
charged!::-                                :          ;                              eleven. So with the seven ( ?) beatitudes.                 .' `.-
. ::.The.,question-according  to- the writer's own formula-                                  Hence we conclude that' there is surely nothing
tion&: .?IIow  are we to interpret this Scripture with in the texts that symbolically points to akind of equal
reference:  to. Pharaoh. Without a doubt this. Scripture division between God and the creature. But aside from
has givencoffence  to many. To put it in a very .blunt                                    the fact that there is uro such symbol44  distribution,
`and.popularway,  it is. asserted that in-the light of this                               neither does the count of ten and ten give the true prer
statement of Scripture.  Pharaoh `never had a chance ; sentation of the hardening. Of the whole -pro&s' we
it. wasa foregoqe.<onclusiog  and more. than that, it may notice .t!he following facts : '
*was
."          -in
           ,i-   accord&n+!
                   ,                       .-with a. fixed plan and decree, that             That in the original there are three different words
Pharaoh's  ,,heart  would.  be hardened. Not only .- per-                                 to express that which is in the King James Version
,missively,~  .but just as -much,  eff ectively would th+t des- translated  `&to harden". The Dutch version end the
tinpfor- Pharaoh.  .be realized by Him Who holds the American version, however, indicate the difference
destiny of us all in His hands.". .-That is the question.                            of these words.
        And then Dr. Rutgers does precisely  what those                                      a) There  1s a word used twice the root meaning of
`Arminians  and Pelagians of "American Fundamental-                                       which is "to be hard". (See Ex. `7 :3 ; 13 :15) both ac-
ism"~do. For after ,he"has posited the sovereignty of cording to the dictionary and according to the con-
God-   and  -the.  fixed. destiny of every  ,individual   1 he
                              -.                                                          texts.) This word is used once in prospect of the entire
"swings the pendulum to the side of human  responsi-                                      history in 7 : 13 and thence it ,looks at the <hardening  in a
`~~lity`an~.~~ough.he  would. not exactly want .to ignore general sense. Pharaoh will be hard, harsh, resistant,
the other;  truth -of &d's sovereign&y, yet it remains This word occurs ,again in 13 :15 where a retrospect of
in a sort of status quo, a quietus, so that the thrust the ,history  is given in a general sense.
of *that truth gives no-dire&ion-to  our thmking.".                                          b) There is a second word  wlhich  means "to tie
           With these words, which I quote, Dr. Rutgers fast, to bind, to make firm, to strengthen". This word
characterizes the American  ,Arminian.                                               is used to express God's action in strengthening Phar-
,: ,But with these words he also characterizes himself! aoh's will atnd steeIing his nerve under threatenings
,_ i
__  _`For after ppsiting  the one truth of God's sovereign- and strokes of judgment. In this connection we must
ty he goes on to apologize for-it and to neutralize it,                              of course remember that the word  ,heart  has in Hebrew
even -bringing in  an. `fexceeding  merciful dealing of usage. a broader reference than our religious word
God" toward Ptiraoh,  ."a wooing of His mercy and heart.                                                                                                  *
.love `f, "a common grace and, w&-meant offer of salva-                                      c) There is a third  w&d which means primarily
tion" in such a way that the other truth is wholly "to
                                                                                    .,        be heavy" and then easily expresses the idea of
pushed to the background.                                                            dull, insensible. This word is used to express Pharaoh's
       .`. Now in.the first ,place  I do not agree `with the author spiritual attitude or reaction toward the divine com-
in the exegetical results of his study of the history mand especially .when.this command was not driven
of  Pharad#s hmdening;                                                               home to him by a  threat or a stroke..  I  .,  I- __..--


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   .BEARER                                                                          383
L
        Then  further;  we observe that during the first mean that with a view to the plagues yet to come, tJhe
threatenings of  `H&es  and Aaron and the first five Lord has once for all dulled  lthe heart.
strokes there  is.`a  twofol,d action: God steels the nerve                At al'1 events in these texts (9 :14-16 ; 10 :l) the
aid strengthens the will of Pharaoh and holds UP his                Lord expressly ascribes the deepest cause of the
courage  und.er  the strokes. And Pharaoh dulls his spiritual dullness to Himself.
heart  spiritedly  against the testimonies of God's  claim                 Now perhaps it were uncharitable to speak of an
upocn, his  obedience.      But after the first five plagues article iis unbiblical, merely `b&&We  the write? over-
we read only of God.ste$ing  Pharaoh in his resistance looked arni obsctire  (passa@  in a lerigt%y hi&&y.
against the, mighty~  $rdkes  of judgment.
                                I. ..I                                     But that is not at all the case.                  ;                       -~
        It may thus be said t!hat in all this there is nothi&            : On' the c&itrary, &he'  writ& &a& not oveilooked  an
that suggests determinism, for throughout Pharaoh obscure passage but has neglected the f repeAted  `and
acts, and is *regarded as a guilty rebel against the ex- exalted songs of praise that are sung throughout Scrip-
pressed and. evident will of  :Jehovah  and His evident ture to the one great work of judgment. and, s&lva;tjon.
right to  .free His  ,suffering,  slave-people. There is no I will'offer just a few: Ex. 15; Ps. 105:25ff';  77 :l5-20;
+nger here  at.&11  of denying human responsibility.                78 :42-52  ; Rev. 15 :3.. And on the other Iharid ,Scrip-
        On tihe other hand, however, it is hard to see how ture is not at all concerned, to assure us "regardifig "the
this good gift of strength, of.  wi!ll and of nerve can other track". Scripture nowhere takes pains*  td re-
be a token of a gracious attitude toward Pharaoh. For mind us that Pharaoh  was also free,  respallsible;
without that iron  ,will he would not perhaps  have                 rational, etc.             ,     ,-          ~     .:               .;.  ~'
served God out  of. faith, but he surely would have                       In the light of this Sc?iptura!  viewpoint the-`eWil;e
received the "common grace" to bend under God's article of Dr. Rutgers `stands condemned. ..  . . .  `.
pressure and so perform the "civic righteousness" of                       How instructive  it. is to compare the viewpoint
giving Israel  thei,r rightful freedom.                             and'emphasis  of Dr. %utgers with that of John. Calvin
                                                                    who trembled' iin childlike &we before tlXe high.`si>P'e+
,       But now I cam: also make clearer my objection to the        eignty  ,of God.                                                                  ~  .
writer's neutralizing presentation of God's sovereignty.                  There is in his Institutes (Blk. .I, Chap; `18) `tin` ex-
For after the first five plagues during which Jehovah tensive Biblical testimony to that. sov&ei&tY @&inst
steeled and Pharaoh dulled his heart, we have  Dhe                  all those who question `and object to God's dealing in
most.arresting  statement of God's purpose and efficacy. the. harden@ of sinners. I will -quote tinly that -@art
For we read, 9  :14-l&  .%ay to. Pharaoh: I  WitI  this             which specifi&ly  speaks of Pharaoh.                                I:-
time send  `all My plagues upon thy heart and servants                     1:8, 2: "But since the Holy. Spirit `distintitly  says
and-people,. that thou miiyest  ,know that  tihere is none that the blindness and infatuation are inflicted, by the
like Me in all the ,earth. For now I had put forth My justjudgment of God, the solutidn (of a permissive
hand and smitten thee and thy people  wit,h pestilence will) is altogether inadmissible.".                             "          '      '     -           '
md thou hadst been. cut off from bhhe earth, (i.e. If I             .
had stricken-thee with pestilence, thou wouldst- have                      He is s&d to haire hrardened  the heart of Pharaoh,
                                                                    .and- to have hardened it yet mor'e  and,.confirmed  it.
     been utterly wiped out; but, no, I have an other pur- Some-evade these forms of expression `by a silly cdtil,
     pose). But in .very deed for this cause ,have I made .beoause  .Pharaoh is  elsetihere said  td-h&v@   hai-dened
thee to stand, to show in thee My power, and that My his own heart, thus making his will t!he cause of hard&i-
     name may be declared throughout  alp the earth".               ing it ; as if the two things did not perfect!* agree with
        And it is just this text which the Apostle Paul, with each other, .though in different senses;-namely, .`th&
that marvelous hallowed faculty of tihe inspired writers man, thou& acted upon! by- God, at the same time `&o
     for  quotimg  central, characterizing texts, chooses to acts. But I turn this objection against those whd make
     describe God's dealings with Pharaoh.                          it. If to harden means only bare permission [i.e. -if,
        In the judgment of the Apostle the outstanding "to harden" means  a' permissive action when it is said
     point in the entire history is the sovereignty of God.         of God, then also wheat it is said of Pharaoh and], the
                                                                                                __ _. ~~- _--
        It is therefore not at all surprising when we read stubbornness  +I  not properly belong to  Pharaolh:
     iin Ex.  1O:l: "Go in  td Pharaoh for I  h,ave  dul'"ed his Now coulq anything be more feeble and insipid  -than
     heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may shdw          to interpret as `if Pharaoh had ~otily .ai!o\<ed himself to
     these My signs in the midst of them." Now  t!his time be hardened. But  Scriptur,&  cuts off  d!l  handle for
     Jehovah is said to have "dulled" Pharaoh's heart. And su& cd& : I, saith the L@d,, will hai;den $is h&-t."
     the meaning is plainly that God is the author of t;he               Let me add" these beautiful words. of  B&i&&,
     dullness of Pharaoh's heart.                                   Dogm. Ii :388 : Ingien  @d en Zijn schepael  plet  amlers
        Now it is true that the  text may state either of als concurreniten  kunnen gedacht  worden  en de e.ep .zijne
two thoughts. It may' e%Ijress that God has been the vri.iheid en  zelfstandigeeid  slechts  behoude?  kan ten
     author of all the past  dtillness  of Pharaoh, for in mainy    koste van d&an&r, dan moet God hoe langer  hoe meer
     of those cases the autlibr  was not named, Qr it niay beperkt worden in -ii& weten en willen ; jhet pelagia-


334                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                              -
nisme bant God  uit de wereld, het leidt tot deisme en
atheisme en zet de wil'lekeur,  de' dwaasheid van den                            The  Shexybread            ., . . .
mensch op den troon. Daarom moet de oplossing van
het probleem ook in een amdere  richting gezocht  wor-            The question still remains whether the name  %&ad
den, namelijk, akoo dat God, door dat Hij .God e-n de         of presence" is not expressive of something more. t&n
wereld Zijn creatuur is, door Z,ijn olzeindig  groot weten has thus far been mentioned. It is indeed.  Let:@
en wille.~  de zelfstandigheid  em de vrijheid  van de sehep- consider that this provision was bread and that *Iits
selen  niet vernietigt maar juist schept en handhaaft.        being called "bread of presence" must signify that'it
(I underscore).                                               was placed in God's presence  im respect solely to Him.
.  :.  .Beautiful  words ! Gone is your  "dilemna",  gone In what respect? If our answer is going to  ,be an im-
your:two tracks, gone all the preterrtions  of the creature provement on the view that this provision `was set
before the Creator!                                           before God's face merely for being seen and  Itik,ed   on
    And so the question arises why  ,is it that Dr. Rut- by the watchful eye of God, then we must concentrate
gers goes in. the other direction? Surely there is not, upon  the heavenly  Ireality  here,  `syr$boliied;   namely
especially in our day, any grave danger of ultra supra-       Christ and His Church `and His Church in its state."`af
lapsarism  xx. .determinism  or an `over-emphasis on the perfection and glory. This bread as such `was m&%&
exaltedness. o&God. Surely the writer does-mot take an earthy material substance. If we  therefoi-e'  divorce
.his viewpoint  .out of a reaction to our times.              it, from the heavenly things which,  it sig$fied;t  w$
       On the other hand I do not think the writer was not even do to say that it was brought in the Holy pl&
                                                              for the .well-pleased  Ad&id &$ ($A?&  L$& ti;t$Gi;A&-.r.&
thinking of a mere score.of.  obscure Prot. Ref. Churches
which caused him out of reaction to push the sover- not such creatures of His es bread. But- the fact'  is
eignty of God to the background.                              that he who directs his mind to the shewbread, has `to
    The only conclusion to which I can come is t&at the do with  L sign of a thing which is of the Spirit of
thinking of Ds. Rutgers is on this subject basically God. Hence all such expressions as "God smelled a
different from that of Calvin and of the Apostle Paul sweet savour"  and "the well-pleased satisfaction land
and Scripture as a  who%.       Hence his entire article favorable regard of  ,a righteous God" apply. certainly
is unbiblical  and a danger.for  the church.                  not to the earthy and material thing that formed the
       For the answer should not have been a neutralizing symbol but to the idea, truth, to the heavenly thing
apology for the offensive and dreadful sovereignty of symbolized. Every thoughtful believer of the Old Dis-
God, by means of a lengthy emphasis on man's free- pensation must have apprehended that what God's
dom, self-initiative accountability, duty, culpability, heart yearned after is not that `portion of  material
even to the extent of bringmg  in "the gospel call to dl",    bread displayed upon the "pure  t&Ye'" in the Holy
"the wooing of God's mercy and love", "an unwilling- place but His people ; and that thus the reason that He
ness to be lead by the  kindness of God", of a point regarded this material bread with well-pleased satis-
"where return  in penitence and faith is impossible, etc.'    faction is its being ,associated in His mind with this
    But the answer is that of Calvin and the Scriptures : people.
Wihom He .will He hardeneth, and no creature shall               It is then the church with which  we here have to
say why doth He then  find fault, for who has resisted do. That the church  wae symbolized by bread-the
His will.                                                     twelve cakes-and by wine, that these elements were
   For the creature  is clay and God is the Petter.           continually on God's table in His house, tells us that
   That answer, given imp humble reverence for God the church in its state of perfection, the ideal believer,
and with pastoral tact toward his questioner, would is God`s eternal refreshment, joy and delight.
have been the answer that can satisfy and give peace.            The question might be raised  w,hether  it is proper
                                   Rev. A. Petter,            to employ this language in respect to God. God `Him-
                                   Bellflower, Calif.         self does so, "The Lord spake to Moses saying. . . .for
                                                              in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on
                                                              the seventh day He rested and was refreshed" (Ex.:
                NOTICE, CURATORIUM                            31:17).      Refreshed was He by the praises of His
   Curatorium meets, D. V., Wednesday, May 31, at creature rising heavenward on the  ,wings of man's
3 :30 o'clodk  in the Fuller Ave., building.                  devotion.                                                 : `.
   Commencement exercises, D. V., will be held  Wed-             God's (spiritual) bread and wine then is His people
nesday,evening,  June 7; at 7 :30 o'clock in the Rooseve!t    whom He. possesses in `Christ Jesus ; and He in Christ
Park. Prot. Ref. Church. The Rector, Rev. H. HO&-             is likewise their bread and wine. But there is, to be
semli~, will give the graduation address and a few sure, a difference to be noticed,-a difference brought
musical numbers will be rendered by the Roosevelt out by Christ in these words, "Except ye (my people)
Park congregation.              Rev. M. Gritters,             eat, are eating and eat  eve&.stiaigly,  my flesh `and
                                Sec'y, Curatorium.            drink my blood, ye have no life in yourselves. The


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          385
-
meaning here is not that the dead (spiritually) through,
as a result of, their eating come to life (the dead do not                 The Golden Candlesticks
eat), but that the living ones who,  on account of their
being alive, do eat, `have and continue to have, life in           Let us attend first of  all to the instructions for the
themselves because they do eat. If therefore they making of this article as contained in Ex. 25:81-39.
should desist from eating,  w,hich they cannot, they In the English version these instructions read some-
would die. The truth here set forth is that God in              what different than in the original. In this version
Christ is the life of His people. And eating His flesh we read:
everbstingly they are also continually satisfied. And              31. And thou  shtit make a candlestick of pure gold :
drinking His blood their joy is  fuII. As to God, though               of beaten work shall the &dlestiok  be made:
the church be His spiritual bread and wine, it is not                  his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his lunops,
His life. He is God. He moves and lives and has His                    and his flowers, shall be the same.
being not in the creature but in Self. The foundation              32. And six branches shall come .out of the sides
of His being is there in this Self. He is His own                      of it; three branches of t,he candlestick out of
bread. The self-suf-licient  God is He; also in His being              the one side, and three branches of the candle-
refreshed  <by the fellowship of His people ; for this                 stick out of the other side:
people is born  ,of Him, is His workmanship, was thus              33. Three bowls made (like  unto almonds, with a
brought into being by His almighty creative will. He                   knop and a flower in one branch ; and three
thus is refreshed by that which is of, through and to                  bow& made like almonds in the other branch,
Himself.                                                               with  a knop and a flower : so in the six branches
     To say that the  church is the bread of God and                   that come out of the candlestick.
that God is the bread of His churoh is but to say that             34. And in the candlestick shall be'four bowls made
as G,od  dehghts  IZUXI  joys in His people, so, too, do His           like unto almonds, with their knops and their
people by His mercies delight and joy in Him. It is                    flowers.
to say that the church has fellowship with God through             35. And there shall be a knop under two branches
Christ and that God on His side everlastingly satisfies                of the same, and a knop under two branches of
His people with His likeness. The very idea of friend-                 the same, and a knop under two branches of
ship, of fellowship is joying, delighting, in what is                  the same, aocording  to the six branches that
p,ossessed in common. W,hat God  and His people have                   proceed out of the candlestick.
in common is God Himself. God joys in His glories                  36. Their knops and their branches shall be of the
also m imaged, by His church. And the church joy&                      same: all it shail be one beaten work of pure
in God as it beholds H'im in the face of Christ. And,                  gold.
beholding God, His people praise Him and  im doing so,             37. And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof:
they give their very self to Him as these praises pro-                 and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they
ceed from their hearts and thus form the very issues                   may give Jight  over against it."
of their lives. And God likewise gives Himself in                  The origina shows the following variations:
love to His people in Christ,  - everlastingly. The                31. English version : "his shaft, and his branches,
"bread of presence" was  `?an offering from  the children              his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be
of Israel by a perpetual covenant" (Lev. 24 :8). And                   of the same.         '
the covenant is God's.                                             original: "Her base and her reed, her bowls, her
     Now of this living fellowship of  the church with                 knops, and her flowers, shall be from her."
God through Christ and of God with His people in                   The base was the pedestal upon which the candle-*
 Christ, the "bread of presence" in the holy place was stick stood. By her reed is to be understood the ,hoLlow
the symbol. It is indeed true that this bread was for golden stem of the  candlesticlr that rose from the base
being seen by God. As His people partake of His di- and from the sides of which issued the six branches.
vine nature, beholding them in His great delight. Only The pronoun  FLer in the clause, "`shall be from her"
this does not exhaust the idea  emb.odied in the symbol         denotes the camdlestick  as to its middle stem and its
of "the bread of presence".                                     six branches. From this stem and the branches the
                                              G.  M.  0.        b-owls, knops and flowers issued so aas to form one com-
                                                                plete whole with them.
                                                                   32. English version, "And six branches shall come
                                                                       out of the sides of it; . . .  ."
                          NOTICE                                       Original, "And six branches shall come out of
     Field-Day Committee will meet Tuesday evening,                    her sides, that is, out of the sides of the candle-
 May 23, at 7:45 in the basement of the Fuller Ave.,                   stick as to its middle stem."
 Church. We urge alll to be present as. this is an im-             35. English version, "And there shall be a knop
portant  meetmg.                     The Committee.                    under two branches of the same, . . . ." that is,


 386                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B'EARER
                                                                      ^...
            of or from the candlestick as to its middle stem, the language, this much is certain that the cup had re-
            so  6hat the thought set forth is, "And there spect to the almond, either to the tree  thlat bears this
            shall be a  knop under each two of the six        name or its fruit, and if the cup then certainly also the
            branches that issue from the middle stem."        knop and the flower. It is likely that the ornamental
        36. English version, "Their knops and branches cups were given the appearance of the tree and that
           shall be of the same ; . . . ."                    the knops were so fmhioned  as to bear resemblance
            Originai, "Their knops and their branch sh& to its fruit, so that in the one ornamental unit, com-
            be from her; . . .  ."                            prised as it was of cup, knop and flower, WCM to be
        The expression  their  knops  has reference to the seen the figure of the almond tree, `of i!ts fruit and of
 sum total. of knops that were to issue from the six          its flower. Be that is it may, it is certain that the
 branches or arms. There were in all eighteen of them candlestick, on account of the shape of the ornaments
 not counting the four that were to be wrought into the wrought into its  brantihes,  must have represented
 middle stem. The expression  their  branch  concerns a fruit-bearing almond tree (a tree of the peach family  j
 each of the six arms of the eighteen rknops and should with a trunk and six flowering  and fruitful branches.
 therefore be rendered their brunches. "Shall be from           Were, as some writers  ihave maintained, these figures
 her," that is, from the candlestick. The thought con- merely designed as graceful - and .appropriate  orna-
 veyed by this rather difficult sentence is that the          ments? This is questionable in view of the circum-
 eighteen knops were to issue from the candlestick as stance that Scripture gives to the almond tree a  detiite
 to its six  brmches and that each of these branches symbolical significance. The prophecy of Jeremiah
 were to rise from the candlestick as to its middle stem.     (chap. 1 :ll, 12) contains the report of a prophetical
        Some writers supposed the meaning of the words vision of the almond rod. The word of the Lord came
 "bowls, knops and flowers" (vs. 33) to be  that the unto the prophet saying, "Jeremiah, what seeth thou?
 bowls were to consist of knops and flowers. T,his  ex- And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said
pItanation,  however, is rendered impermissible by vs. 31, the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen : for 1 will hasten
 as in this verse the bowls, cups and flowers are men- my word to perform it." Here the almond tree appears
 tioned in connection with the base and stem as three as associated with the idea of haste. This is in perfect
 separate things which were as distinct the one from agreement with the name that this tree bears in the
 the other as the base and the stem. Yet, though dis-         Hebrew, to wit,  shakeed.   T4he verbal form of the
 tin&, they were joined together and formed, as so join- mme is shakm!,  to watch, to keep watch, to be wakeful
 ed, cx single ornamental unit of which there were in all .watchful. Thus the almond is the  shakeed,  the waker
 twenty two, four on the central stem and eighteen on `a& this on account of its being the earliest of all the
 the six branches, on each branch three.                      trees to awake from the sleep of winter. That the tree
        All this gives us the following idea of the candle- as to this peculiarity is an emblem of the spiritual
 stick : From the base which must necessarily have been wakefulness of God's people is a view that rests upon
 a foot, extended upward, how far is not stated, the         solid enough ground-on the ground that in the vision
 middle stem or  #pipe (pipe it indeed was. The expres- just referred to it appears as associated with Jehovah's
 sion rendered in our version  beaten work  ,i.s turned ardor. We  cannot  therefore acquiesce in the view,
work). From this middle shaft  *rose on each side three      broached  aho by Fairbainn, that  t.he figures of the
 branches or. arms in regular graduation and in one          candlestick were designed simply as graceful orna-
 plane, bending around in the form of quarter-circles ments. Despite the relative indefiniteness of the lan-
on the same level with the middle shaft, -a unit tihere-     guage in the book of Exodus, the idea that these figures
*fore  branching out into the sacred number, seven. On resembled the almond stands for' a fact not to be dis-
the top of the middle stem and of each of the branches puted. The command, "And in the candlestick shall
was fitted a place for holding a lamp.                       be `uowls-  made like unto almonds," is there in Scrip-
    As to the ornaments, the language of Scripture is ture. It is likewise a fact that Scripture sets the al+
too indefinite to allow us to say with certainty just mond before us as a symbol of haste. These are no
what they represented. The cups  were ordered to be          fanciful notions. What we here have to do with is so
made like unto almonds, but whether like unto an much information  gained from Holy Writ. It is there-
almond tree or its fruit, the word used  in  the original fore not true thet  we proceed cm fanciful ground "if
does not indicate. The word in the original, rendered we make anything depend on this notion (?) ."
in our version knops, simply signifies rounded figures.          Let us ask: how are we to know what the features
Hence they were supposed by some to have been pome- of a symbol are that have symbolical import? There is
granates, and by others apples. The word rendered in but one answer: By ascertaining which and how many
our version flower is the only one of the three whose of these  feetures  receive illustration in other parts
meaning is sufhciently  definite to permit us to say with of Scripture. -This is equivalent to saying that the
certainty that trhe ornament it signified resembled a sole interpreter of the symbols of Holy Writ is this
flower or blossom. Yet, despite the indefiniteness of Writ. Thus we hold the candlestick to have been an


                   --.---.                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        38'7

        image of the church on the ground that in other parts             In the lamps of the candlestick was ordered to be
        of Scripture the spirits of the just are represented bunned  pure ohve oil ; but in the night only, so it seems.
        under the image of lamps of fire, and the Holy Spirit The instruction reads, "Command the children of Israel
        under the i,mage of oil. Why then should we refuse to that they bring unto thee pure oil, olive beaten for the
        say of the candlestick that it imaged the church also ,light,  to cause the lamps to burn continually., Without
        on the ground that its ornaments resembled the almond bhe vail. . . shall Aaron order it from  the  eveni%?
        if in other parts of Scripture the holy zeal and wakeful- u&o the morning before the Lord continually: . . . ."
       ~ness of Jehovah and thus also of His wople are pre-            (Lev. 24 :2-4). An identical testimony is contained in
        sented under the image of an almond? Would not such Ex.  30:`7, 8, "And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet
        a refusal involve us in a strange inconsistency? But incense every monning  :  ,when he dresseth the lamps,
        aside from this, is not spiritual wakefulness precisely he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron  light-
        the state of the soul or spirit of ,that macni who is light eth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it."
        in `the Lord? Are not, rightly considered, these two In the original this last clause reads, "When Aaron
        states essentially one and the same?                           causeth the lamps to ascend," that is, when he sets
           The position of the candlestick and of the ether them in their places on the tops of the arms of the
        two pieces of furniture of the Holy Place is known oar-n&stick  "between the evens" (not at the even).
        from the  folrlowing  Scriptures,  "And thou shalt set The information gained from this passage is that in
        the altar  of gold for the incense before the ark of the the morning  (the lamps were taken down and cleaned
        testimony f Ex. 40 :5). And he put the table in the and as so cleaned were returned to their respective
        tent of the congregation, upon the side of the taber- places and lighted at the same time when the holy
        nacle northward, without the vail (Ex. 40  :22). And incense was burned upon the altar, namely, at even.
        he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation,           The candlestick imaged the church. We learn this
        over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle from the  firrrt chapter of Revelation. Being turned,
        southward (vs. 24). And thou shalt make the seven John saw seven golden lamps (not, seven  candlesti`cks
        lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, as  in our version) ; and in the midst of  the `seven
        that they may give light over against it (Ex. 25 :37).         lamps one like unto the Son of man. . . . In the se-
           These passages tell us that the candlestick stood on quence, these lamps are said to be seven churches.
        the ,south side of the Holy place ; that the position of In the- fourth chapter we again meet with seven lamps
        the  tabIe of shewbread was on the north ; and that be- of fire burning before the throne,  whiclh are  exptined
        twixt the two,  itn the middle of the compartment nearest to mean the seven spirits of God-either the One Spirit
        the vail and immediately in front of it, stood the altar in the diversity of his spiritual and sanctifying work-
        of incense. The statement, "that they (all the lamps)          ing or seven spirits of men qualified by the  One Spirit
        may give light over against it," should be noticed. for the office of pastors and shepherds of the ohurch.
        In the original we read, "that they may give light over           The church, being the true candlestick, is light. So
        against her face." By the face of the candlestick is to the believers repeatedly appear in Scripture. "For ye
        be understood the front shown by the seven arms. As were sometimes darkness, but now ye are light in the
        the position of this  lasticle was on the south of the Lord: . . .  ." (Eph. 55  :8). But what is meant by
       . dwelling place, the side over against her face was  meces-    light and darkness. Both natural and artificial light
        sarily the north. Thus the line of the lamps of the appears in Scripture firstly as the emblem of %now-
        seven arms must be imagined to have run from back to ledge of God as defused both by God and His believing
        front of the Holy Place.                                       people. So in John 1:5, "And the light shineth  in the
            On the top uf the arms were vessels for the wick darkness ; . . . ." and again in 2 Car. 4 :6, f`For God,
        and the oil, called lamps, wehich  could be removed to Who commandeth the light to shine out of darkness,
        be cleaned. The circumstance that the light was thrown hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the
        on one side leaves no room to doubt that the hole of knowledge of the glory of God  ,in the face of Jesus
        the lamp from which the wicked projected was not in Christ," and finally in 2 Cor. 4 :4, "In whom the God
        the middle lbut at the edge. The things b'elonging  to of this world h&h blinded the minds of them which be-
        the candlestick were tongs for the removal of the lieve inot, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ,
        charred parts of the wick ;  isund the ash-dishes to receive Who is the image of God, should shine upon them."
"..     such parts. These things, too, were made of pure gold.            Here then (in 2 Cor. 4  :5) the light brought into
            The size of the  candlest,ick  is nowhere given in the being by the  Allmighty  creative word of God on the
        Old Testament; but  <having been an article made of a first of the six days of creation appears as an emblem
        talent of pure gold, its size must have been considerable of knowledge, of the light of the Gospel and thus of
        corresponding perhaps to that of the table of shew-            God's glory. But what is there about the physical light
        bread, namely, two and a quarter feet (providing a of the sun that renders it a fitting figure of the light
        cubit measured eighteen inches) in length and the same of God's Word? And the answer : Physical light is the
        in breadth between the two outer lamps.                        agent of physical perception in t,hat it conveys to the

                                                                                                                                   I

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

bodily eye of man the images of the physical objects If the light of the sun should disappear for a space of
of sense, yonder tree, or house, the earth and its ful- a single week, this earth would be turned into a wilder-
ness. If water were a substance that could receive and ness. All creatures would perish. So, too, is Christ
retain the impress of the object  iagainst   w#hich it were the light and thus also the life of His people.
dashed, then ,the rebounding waves of the sea would               Between physical and spiritual light (the light of
Ipresent  to the eye of the observer an image of the coast     revetatioa)  `there is, to be sure an intimate connection.
against which they  ,were  flung. Light is such a crea- Physical perception and physical light are of necessity
ture, a substance of  marvellous  subtility, tilling all the beginning of all our knowledge, also of our know-
space and bearing the name of ether. Set to vibrating ledge of God. For man is a sensuous being. He can
by the action of the sun, it beats against the objects of have knowledge of God, of the things which are
sense, and the [rebounding light-wave reaches the eyes of the Spirit of God only if these things be revealed
of men as imaging these objects. And the result is             to him through the things that can be seen and handled.
that these objects are being seen by men. And what Thus the reason that man knows God is that He gave
is seen by the perceiving soul is not the objects ,by          us a physical and thus tangible and perceptible revela-
themselves but their light-images. And from these tion of His blessed Self, of the praises of that Self. It
images the objects are known. Hence, physioal ,light is the things that can be seen and ,handled  that reveal
is the external principle of knowledge, the medium to us God. The heavens declare His glory ; and the
of communication, between the physical  world of sense firmament sheweth His handiwork. All creatures are
and the mind of man. Thus one who would know these the crystalization  of His eternal thoughts. The highest
things of sense, must walk `in the. light, for then only revelatioln  of God is Christ. His  agpearance  made it
does one see light, that is, have knowledge of the  thiings    possible for us to feel and handle the Life. Says the
immersed in the light.      .                                  apostle, "That which was -from the beginning, which
       Being what it is, physical light is the symbol of light we `have heard, whiuh we have seen` with our eyes,
spiritual, of the self-revelation of God in creation and which we have looked upon and our hands have
in the face of Christ as now possessed in the Scriptures. handled, of the word of life. For the life was manifest
There is then also this light. In the begiuming was the and we have seen it, and hex witness, and shew unto
Word, the personal Word, Son of God. . . . In Him you that eternal life, which was with the Father and
`was life ; and the life was the light of men. And the was manifest unto us" (John 1 :l, 2).
light shineth in the darkness. . .  ." (John 1). Thus             So, too, are the benefits accruing from the suffering
the invisible things of Him from the creation of the and death of Christ, revealed to us through things that
world are clearly seen, being understood by the things can be seen and handled. Tjhe ,life in Christ, to illus-
that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead. trate, is presented to us in Scripture under the image
However, "God, Who at sundry times and in divers of bread, wine and milk. It is  t,hus in the things
manners spake inI time past unto the fathers by the seen that God embodies His thoughts. And the aggre-
prophets, hath in these days spoken unto us by the Son" gate of these things form the glass in which is seen
Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word (Heb. 11). He came the glories of God.
and gave us  #by the word of His mouth and by the life            Th& light from heaven is manifested In every man,
which He lived  Ia revelation of the glories of God. As thus also in the widked devoid of grace. Though de-
the faithful Witness, He spake  of many things: of the         praved, they, too, perceive the thoughts of God as
plight of His people, of Himself as the lamb of God set forth by the things made. Yet, though perceiving,
that taketh away the sin of the world ; of the cross He they do not comprehend spiritually.
was to bear, of the Father's house, of the inheritance            Light has still another meaning in Scripture. Be-
that fadeth not away. He told us of the Father's good sides being the emblem of the light of revelation in
pleasure to reconcile by Him all things to Himself. creation and in Holy Writ, it is also the symbol of true
Christ is thus the light. He shines in the hearts of moral goodness, as is evident from the following pas-
His people ; what may be known of God and the heavetn-         sage from Paul's letter to the  Ephesians,   ". . .  .but
ly He manifests in them unto salvation. And His now ye are light in the Lord: walk as children of the
Word, as it images the mercies of God and shows forth light: for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness,
His wisdom, Iis the light upon their pathway and the righteousness and truth." If the believers are light,
lamp for their feet. And by the light, by the beams of their walk also is light in the Lord. As this walk is
H%s grace, are they quickened, gladdened, freed from here  indentified with goodness, righteousness, and
sin and beautified. For He, His Word, is the light. truth  - the fruits of the Spirit - the word light of
Being light, it has power to quicken as does the light this passage signifies the believers as to the true good-
of the sun, whose power in this respect is manifest ness of their ethical nature and' of  their  moral, `walk.
in the growing blade of grass, in the bud unfolding Light, then, is the emblem of goodness as to all%
itself a.xxd setting free its fragrance, in a word, in the aspects, - thus of righteousness, holiness, mercy, kind-
entire changed aspect of God's creation in springtime. ness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering.


                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEAR&R                                               389

  Darkness,  on the other :hend,  is the symbol of sin in        pure gold with an oil-vessel on the top, suspended
  all its variegations.                                          #above  the seven lumps, and from which the oil flows
     Such now being the symbolical significance of light, into each one of the lamps through seven tubes ; and
  the seven lamps  .in the worldly sanctuary, imaging as two olive trees by the side of the candlestick dropping
  they did the church, the believing people of God, re- their oil into the bowl. The Hebrew phrase rendered
  quire of us that we say of this people that they are           in our version "seven pipes" reads "seven and seven"
  the pure of heart in Christ and thus love God and the          thus forty nine pipes, seven for each lamp. The candle-
  brethren, do God's will, love and practice righteousness stick images the  ohurch  as God's appointed light-bearer.
  and so through their entire conversation, declare the Seven is the  inumber of the covenant. The seven ,lamps
  praises of Him Who called them out of darkness into indicate the fulness of light that was shed, and the
  His marvellous light; that, further, being the pure seven times seven tubes signify the great abundance
  of heart, they spiritually comprehend the light, the and the variegation of the splendour land beauty of the
  revelation of God in the face of Christ. And  this is          grace imparted to the church. The meaning of the
  but another way of saying that they are  Q people upon         two trees is explained in verses 12-14, "And he answer-
  which rests the Spirit of Christ, - the Spirit of wis-         ed me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And
  dam, and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and I said, No my Lord. Then said he, These are the two
  might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the          anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole
  Lord, so that they are. quick of understanding in the earth."           In the original this reads, "And these are
  fear of the Lord and have righteousness as the girdle the two  sons of oil. . .  ." This phrase denotes the
  of their loins and faithfulness as the girdle of their kingly and priestly offices which were the two media
  reins.                                                         for conveying God's grace to the church, and which
     This ascribing of the virtues of believers to the ope- are being served by Christ. He is the true olive-tree,
  ration of the indwelling Spirit, is in perfect agree- the eternal prophet-priest-king of His church. As the
  ment with the speech of the symbolism of the seven anointed of the Father, He is the everlasting seat and
  lamps.. The llight that shone forth from. these lamps channel of the grace with which He  fill's His body, the
  was the splendor of a fire fed by pure olive oil,  - the church.
  symbol of  Ghtist's  Spirit. `How true it is that be-             It is to be considered that not only the light but
  lievers  me light solely in the Lord. To deny this is also the fire of the seven lamps imaged the church.'
  as absurd as to say that there can be fire  andlight           Now fire is sheer energy. Bemg what it is, consuming
  without fuel. Yet it is not to be supposed, of course, and devouring energy, it is necessarily unmixed  with
  that the holy fire with which Christ baptized His people any substance foreign to its essence. These burning
  is the essence of the Spirit of Christ or of Christ Him-       lamps of the Holy Place, flooding, as they did, this
self in a state. of consumption or burning. To main- compartment  with the brightness of their fires, -what
  tain `this is to give expression to a thoroughl<y  Patheis-    an apt figure therefore of the spiritual beauty of the
  tic sentiment. The truth set forth by the seven lamps churuh,  of her purity, of the ~ardour of her holy pas-
  is that Christ's Spirit, thus the triune Jehovah; the sion, of her intellectual; and moral' enthusiasm, of her
  God,and  Father of Christ, is the  creative  fountain and earnestness for God and His objects !
  the `eternal replendishing source of the holy fire that           The Holy place, filled as it was, with the light of the
  everlastingly burns in the bosom of the church.                seven lamps, was a figure not of this earth but of  ths
      Of the truth here touched upon the vision of the new earth, full of the glory and of the knowledge of
  prophet  Zechariah forms a most striking illustration, the Lord, - a tlgure  of the eternal. city - the new
  "And the angel that talked with me came again. . . .           Jerusalem  - which will have' no need of the sun,
  And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I neither of the moon, to shine in it, in that the glory of
  have looked and behold a candlestick all of gold, with God will lighten it, and the lamb will be the light
  a bowl upon the top of it, md his seven lamps thereon, thereof (Rev. 21). On this earth night reigns. True,
  and seven p$es to the seven lamps, which are upon `in the darkness of this night shineth the light. Yet it
  the top thereof: and two olive trees by it, one upon the       is still dark here. And the reason is that the dark-
  right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side ness  - this world of wicked men  - comprehendeth-
  thereof. So I answered and spake to the angel that nat the light. Tjhe ,wicked hold the truth in unright-
  talked with me, saying, What are these my Lord? eousness. They do  mot reflect the light through their t
  Then the angel that talked wiitrh me answered and said praise. A light beam remains invisible until reflected
  unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I by yonder object. What floods this earth with light
  `said, No, my Lord. Then He answered and spake unto during the time of day is *the light of the sun as re-
  me, saying, TMs is the word of the Lord unto Zemb- flected by the earth's crust. Hence. one who should
  babe&  saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my descend beyond the range of this reflected light would
  Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts" (Zech. 4 :l-5).               be in darkness even with the sun shing in his heaven.
      What is here presented to us is a candlestick of Thus though the light'shineth in the moral darkness of


390                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                              *
this world, it is nevertheless night here. But this              "But the question is whether after the fall man
night, in the words of Paul, is far spent, the eternal remained the image of God simply in this formal sense,
day is ,at hand (Rom. 13 :12). Christ, the Sun of right- so that absolutely nothing remained of the stage of
eousness, is about to rise over  an earth cleansed from God in the material sense.
the race of men that now corrupt it and peopled solely           "As our readers will understand, this conception
by God's redeemed family, the children of light in is agreeable to the trend of thought of those who deny
whose hearts God will everlastingly shine. Then, when common grace. There is no room in their  phyloso-
this will have Icome to pass, the earth will be full of phical-theologioal  system for the small remnants.  .Ac-
the glory of God and of the Lamb as reflected by the          cording to them, the vessel. is still there, but it is empty.
golden candlestick of the Holy Place - Christ's re-              "If this conception is the right, one, then our Re-
deemed people.                                                formed fathers erred when,  followiinig  in the footsteps
                                                 G. M. 0.     of Calvin, they made mention in Art. 14 of our Con-
                                                              fession of `small remnants' . It is true, these remnants
                                                              are small, they are totally polluted, they are held in
                                                              unrighteousness  .- but they are nevertheless there.
                                                              And they are suflicient to leave mn without excuse.
                  The Image of God                               "According to them (the Reformed fathers) the
                                                              vessel is still here, and it also contains something,
                 (REPLY TO  REV.  D.  ZWIEFL)                 however negligible it may be.
       Rev. D. Zwier is writing  ia series of articles cm        "The fathers of  -Dordt  have also stated wherein
"The Image of God". What we have from his pen on these  `smal1  remnants'  coarsist. They spoke, as  wm
this subject in "De Wachter" for the second of this just said, of `the glimmerings of natural light' , where-
month reads, as freely translated, thus:                      by he retains some knowledge of God, of natural things,
       "The old reformed distinction between the image and of the difference between good and evil, and dis-
of God in the broader and narrower sense is to be pre- covers some regard for virtue, good order in society,
ferred above the new distinction to  which  the editor of and for maintaiining  an orderly externa1 deportment.
The Standard  Bearer gives preference,  - the distinc-            "These are, it shall `have to be admitted, not merely
tion between the image of God in material and formal formal matters.. Man has not simply a mind (formal),
sense.      According  ,Jo him, fallen man has retained but also knowledge (material). M&n has mot simply
something of the image of God in the formal sense, but a will (formal), but also discovers some regard for
of the image of God in the materi& sense nothing re- civic and ethical good (material).
mained in him.                                                    "The conception that, fallen man had retained some-
       "The image of God in the formal and material sense thing of the image of God merely in a formal sense,
- this distinction is in the need of some explanation. and that he is totally devoid of this image in material
In meeting this need, let us avail ourselves of an illus- sense,  is not in agreement  with our Reformed con-
tration. We would compare the above-mentioned, dis- fessions.
tinction to that of a vessel and its content,  let us say,        "It is now not our purpose to show that our fathers
a vessel of oil. The vessel is the form in which the          in the matter of the image of God and the small re-
substance is contained. If the vessel should develop mains therefore, have accurately grasped the teachings
a leak, it would run empty.                                   of Scripture and estabhshed  them in our Confession.
       "Let us apply this to the image of God. Before the This is the position from which we proceed in  this case.
fall, man wias like unto such a vessel, but through his       We  mereIy wanted to show that the old Reformed  dis-
fall into sin the vessel sprang a leak and of its contents tiaction  between the image of God in the narrower
nothing remained. Fallen man is become like unto an and broader sense agrees better with our Reformed
empty vessel.                                                 Confession than the new distinction `between the image
       "According to this conception, fallen man is stiI1 the of God in the forma1 and in the material sense." So
image of God in the formal sense. He remained a far Zwier.
rational and ethical creature. None of the primary                1 set out with the remark that Zwier's article is
features of his being were lost. His soul still possesses amazim,gly  deceptive. One simply cannot refrain from
the faculty of  m&l and will, through which he differs asking,  when reading an article of this character,
from the irrational beast. Had he become like unto whether its author actually dbelieves in a coming judg-
the beast, he could not be saved nor bear the punish- ment.
ment of eternal damnation. Even those who perish                  What is the case here. Let me explain. In setting
in hell remlain lhuman  beings, degenerate and corrupt forth our position in respect to the matter of common
,beings, it is true, but nevertheless human beings of grace and related subjects, Rev. Hoeksema let it be
like passions as Adam in the state of integrity.              known that he prefers the phraseology  "Image  of God
       "Thus far `we gan go along with the conception.        in the material sense" and "image of God in the formal


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEARE;R                                           39s
-
sense" above that of "image of God in the restricted he deliberately ignores this content and gives to these
or narrower sense" and "image of God in the broader terms a contat as he, Zwier, pleases. Thereupon he
sense." Zwier felt constrained to criticise  Rev. Hoek-     turns to h&s readers and exclaims, "Take notice, my
sema's preference. And, of course, we have no ob- readers. This is the expression to which the opponents
jection to his having done so. That was his privilege. of common grace give the preference ! And what does
Our grievance concerns Zwier's tactics. In criticising the expression, as' they use it signify? Fallen mm's
the terms or expressions "God's image in the formal         mind and will but no more. Thus not the "remnants".
sense" and "God's ima,ge  in the material sense" Zwier This is the speech that Zwier ,directs to his readers.
tells his readers that he deals with these terms as Amazing!  ?ne cannot help asking, "How dare the
Hoeksema employs them, that is, as to the contents man lie so"?               '
which he gives to them. Let me prove this.. In the             But there is more to say. Zw,ier not only makes
above  excenpt, the following paragraph occurs, "As our himself guilty of the doing just described, he even
treaders will understand, this conception is agreeable goes a step further. He tells his readers that the
to the trend of thought of those who deny common opponents of common grace deny the very existace of
grace. There is no room in their phylosophical  system the small remnants. Attend once more to tihis state-
for the `small remnants'.  According to them,  the ment from his pen, "There is no room in their phylo-
vessel is still there, but it is empty." What' Zwier sophical-theological system for the "sm~all remnam8".
virtually tells his readers in this paragraph is this, Amazing ! As if we deny the existence of these small
"My readers, according to the opponents of common remnants ! As ,if the lcontroversy  between us and the
gnace,  the vessel `the iwge of God in the formal sense'    brethren from our side  turns on these small  rernm&s
contains not the oil of the `small remnants', that is, us  s u c h .
the expression "image of God in the formal sense"              And mow Zwier is ready to deliver' what he, I
as employed by Hoeksema, signifies merely fallen man's suppose, considered to be  Ihis knock-out blow: Hav-
mind and will, but not the `small remnants', thus not ing ignored the content of the term "image of God
natural man's knowledge, light of reason, his  diseover-    in the formal sense" given by  Rev.,  Hoerksema,  hav-
ing some regard for external deportment." Is Zwier ing given to this. term or expression a content as
telling the truth here? He is not. Fact is, that  tihe it pleased him, having ascribed this term as to the
expression "image of God in the formal sense" as contentwhich he, Zwier, gave to it to the Rev. Hoek-
employed  ,by the opponents of common grace, signifies sema,  the Rev.  Daniel  Zwier hereupon once more
not merely natural  man's  mind but also the "small turns to his readers (he does this not literally but
remnants" and thus natm-al  knowledge and volition, `very actually by implication) and exclaims:  -!`Com-
in a word, the light of reason. If our conception of the pare now this preferred expression "image of God
natural man were what Zwier says it is, then this in the formal sense" as to the content given it by
man would be standing out in our minds as a mon- the  opponents  of common grace (Zwier should say,
strosity, as an "onding", as a creature that is neither as to the content given it by Zwier),  witih! our Confes-
man nor beast; for even a beast has knowledge. He sion, and mark well, my readers the c&lict. Our Con-
knows his master's crib. Zwier here lays it on too fessions speak of the  small  remnants, retained by man
thick, so thick that the thoughtful reader, concentrat- after the fall, land of the natural light whereby he re-
ing on Zwier's writing, will exclaim, "It oan't simply tains some knowledge of God ; but the preferred expres-
be true !"                                                  sion, as to the  content  the opponents of common grace
     What  was the moral necessity under which Zwier give to it, signifies merely fallen man's mind and will
fom,d  himself, when he addressed himself to the task and thus not Dhe "small remnants". Do you not see,
of criticising the expressions "The image of God in the my readers, how these men have departed  in their
formal sense." "The image of God in the material thinking from the truth of God's word  ri\s set forth
sense" ? Since he tells his readers  t!h& these expres- by our Reformed creeds? Can there any longer be
sions or terms were coined by Rev.  Hoe!ksema (and any doubt in your minds that these men are' what we
this is the truth), and further that he criticises  these all along said they were, namely, heretics and schis-
terms  as  Hoe7csema   uSes  them,  that  is, as to the  am- matics?" Such are Zwier's tactics.
tent which the last  inamed gives to these terms, Zwier,       Some of the closing paragraps  of Zwier's writings
of course, was under the moral necessity of  doing  pm-' read, "By this doctrine of the small remnants, we give
cisely what he tells his readers that he was doing,         no support to the  Arminians. This reproach we must
namely, criticise these terms to the the content given continually  Ihear."
them by Rev. Hoeksema. But did Zwier do what he                Zwier lonows that this last statement of his is not
gives bis readers to understand that he was doing? true. He cannot point to a single statement from our
Absolutely not.    That is what Zwier does:  havi!ng        pen, which  asserts  that the tern  "small  remnan+s   is
given his readers to understand that he lcriticises  these necessarilly   expressive of Arminian heresy.      Zwier
expressions as to the content given them by Hoeksema, purposely ref,rains from presentiln,g  to his readers the


392                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               M
real issue in the present controversy.  Tihis issue is eenige voorbehoud  de algeheele verdorvenheid van den
,not whether that "vessel" (image of God in the formal natuurlijken  mensch."
sense) still contains small remnants. It does, to be            Yes, I took cognizance of this paragraph. But I
sure. This, as Zwier himself knows, we have always also  took cognizance of the paragraph that follows
maintained. The real issue is whether this vessel still which reads, "Tech is er, volgens de Gereformeerde
contains some of  ~man's  original  holiness,  and  thus     opvatting, en we gelooven, dat deze op Gods woord
whether the tenms small remnants and natural light as gegrond is, nog iets van het beeld Gods in den ruimeren
used by our  Refomed fathers are representative of a zin in den mensch bewaard  gebleven, "e&g licht der
doctrine according to which there still openates  in fallen natuur. . . ."
man, by virtue of his having been created in true               Mark that little word  `Tech.  It speaks volumns.
knowledge, Tighteousness and holiness, a principle of Man is totally depraved certainly, tech, still, yet. . . .
true holiness. This is the issue. And our  stsmd  is, This little -word tech pits the paragraph which it intro;
as Zwier well knows, that man is actually and thus duces  against the paragraph  immediately preceding,
not merely in the abstract totally depraved so that and thus causes  the two paragraphs to set forbh  two
all his works are sin. And this is what the exponents ccmtrary  moods of thought, so that the statement,
of common grace, Zwier and his colleagues, deny.             "Tech  is er nog iets van het beeld Gods in den ruimeren
Tlheir position is that the  vessel  still contains some of zin in den mensch bewaard gebleven," is indeed equiva-
man's original holiness. Let me prove, now that this lent to the sbtement,  "tech is er iets van die oorspron-
statement of mine is correct. Wrote the Rev. H. J. kelijke gerechtigheid en heiligheid in den gevallen
Kuiper. in his  "The Three Points of Common Grace", mensch overgebleven."
This in particular is the bone of contention in the pre-        Thus according to Zwier there belongs to the image
sent discussion. Those who deny ,Common  Grace freely of God "in deuz ruimeren zin" some of man's original
admit that Inhere is civic righteousness (thus, according holiness, and this of necessity if man has  actually~
to Kuiper we freely admit that fallen man has the retained the image of God in "ruimeren  z&-z". Consider
small remnants. Z wier, t&e notice). But they deny that according to this term what wlas retained is a
that it is righteousness in God's sight (Exactly G.M.O.)     broadenimg  out of  w&t was originally possessed,
. . . .This then is the question (I am still quoting namely, God's image in the "engeren zin". And here-
Ktiiper)  : Is' eberything  which the ulnregenenate  does with we have disclosed the reason of our rejecting this
sin and nothing but sicn: in the sight of God (Zwier, terminology and also the reason of Zwier's cleaving
take notice once more. This- is indeed the question,         to it. Fact is then that in the writing under considera-
according to one of your very own colleagues. Are tion, Zwier says two things, namely, that man is totally
you, Zwier, unaware that this is the real question? If depraved and yet that the vessel contains some of
so, where have you been all this time? Had you not man's original holiness. The issue upon which our
better lay down your pen until you become tihoroughly        controvery  turns is imdeed, "Does fallen man perform
aware what it's all about ?) ."                              #works  that are truly good, - good in the sight of God.
       Kuilper continues, "To put the question still more This is at least one of tee issues.
pointedly: Does  God in His Word ever speak of any-             In  tie, let the reverend Zwier cease his equivocat-
thing which the sinner does as good." And what is ing. Let him, Iike an upright man, concentrate on the
Kuiper's reply to his own question? As follows,  "Our real issue  and cease misrepresenting his opponents.
answer is r/es."                                                                  (To be Continued)
                                                                                                              G. M. 0.
       This is Kuiper's reply. "Yes, the Bible does say
that the sinner does good - good in the sight of God.
Holy Writ does not teach that everything the simner
does is sin and nothing but sin." Now if Kuiper is not                           ECHTVEREENIGING
here telling his readers tihat the works of depraved
men are reIatively  holy, tih,hen  words have no meaning.        Den  19den  Mei  hopen   onze  geliefde ouders
So YOU now see, Rev. Zwier, this is indeed the issue.                             DICK DE BEER en
It is the view of the exponents of common grace that                          DORO DE BEER - Anema
the vessel contains a remnant of mm's original holi- hun 40 jarige Echtvereeniging te herdenken.
ness. And this we deny.                                         Wij  danken  den Heere voor dit  voomecht,  en bidden dat
       The Rev. Zwier will, perhaps be wondering; when Gods rijken zegeningen bun deel mogen zijn.
he reads this, whether  1 failed to notice in his article                                 Mr. en Mrs. Edward Fennema
that particular paragraph in which he declares with                                       Mr en Mrs. Nickolas  De Beer
great emphasis, "van de ware kennis God, gerechtig-                                       Mr. en Mrs.' Abe Vree
heid en heiligheid is er niets,  adsolute niets in den                                        en 10 kleinkinderen
gevallen   men&h  overgebleven. We belijden  zonder              X16 Logan St., S. E. Grand Rapids, Mich.


