`e Standard: Be


       I N   H O N O R   OF
       c                       i  I





   Young Ci%v@e's Federatiun


                                                                   In view of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the
                                                                ministry of Rev. Hoeksema, the following resolution
                                                                was adopted by the P.R.Y.P.F. at the business meet-
                                                                ing of the Convention.
                                                                   "Resolved that the 1940 Convention of our Pro-
                                                                testant Reformed Young People undertakes herewith
                                                                to extend the most hearty congratulations of the Feder-
                                                                ation to the Reverend Herman Hoeksema upon the
                                                                completion of his twenty-fifth year as a Minister of
                                                                the Gospel, feeling confident that all of us wil be ever
                                                                grateful for. the work he has done for us as Protestant
                                                                Reformed people.
                                                                   Our prayer is, however, that our  Iives will so clearly
                                                                testify that we have had a truly Reformed training,
                                                                that he, as our leader, will be encouraged to continue
                                                                that good work in the development of the  Truth.of the
                                                                Scriptures.
                                                                   And above all, may he be assured that he personally
                                                                is not the end of our praise  - but that truly we have
                                                                learned that God alone is worthy of all Glory, and that
                                                                men are praise-worthy only in-so-far and in-so-much
                                                                as He has seen fit to work through them."


                                                                                        -      I.





                       E D I T O R I A L   N O T E                                                   .
             _
          Once again our Standard Bearer appears in a
       special garb. This time it is upon the request of the
       P.R.Y.P.F. that just recently held its second annual
:      convention in Grand Rapids. We assure our young
     .  peopIe that we are both proud and happy to serve
       them through the Standurd Bearer in this way.
          The convention we just mentioned was a wonder-
       ful success. Our hearts were warmed and gladdened
       when we saw the zeal and activity of our young men
       and young women, their interest in the things of the
       kingdom of God. They certainly manifested a Chris-
       tian spirit throughout, not only in their business
       sessions, but also in the banquet with which the
       convention was closed.
          May the Lord further keep and bless them1
          This number of the Standard Rearer con-
       tains the addresses delivered at the convention
       and other material connected with the activities
       of the P.R.Y.P.F.                                                         First Protestant  Reformed Church
                                                                   Meeting place of the Second Annual Convention of the P.R.Y.P.F.
                                                 H. H.


                                            A   R e f o r m e d   S e m i - M o n t h l y   M a g a z i n e
                   PUBLISHED BY THE REFORMED FREE PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, GRAND RAPIDS,  MICH.
                                                                                              EDITORIAL STAFF
       Communiestions   I-dative   to am-                         Fditozs-Rev.  H.  Hoeksema,  Rev. G.  Mi Ophoff,
                 s h o u l d   ba  a d d r e s s e d   t o                        Rev. Wm. Verhil, Rev. G. Vos.
             EEV.        Ii.      HOEKSE?sfA
             1139                                                 Associate EditowRev.  A. Cammenga, Rev. P. De
                       lb~klin   S t ,   1.  E .                  Boer, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev. B. Kih, Rw. C. Ha&o,
                Grand Rapids,  lieh.                              Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev. R. Veldman, Rev. H. Veld-
                                                                  man, Rev. A. Petter, Rev. J. Vandez Breggen
Entmed   u  S e c o n d   clssa  m a i l   m a t t e r   a t   G r a n d   Rapids.   Yich.

VOL.  XVII, No. 1.                                                                     OCTOBER I, 1940                             Subscription Price $2.00

                                          Attitudes                                                      There is still another, a more specific reason why I
                                                                                                      take particular' delight in addressing you tonight. I
                        inspirational  ADDRESS                                                        am reminded tonight of a similar occasion at which
                                                                                                      I delivered the inspirational address. It is some twenty
     It is a privilege and a great delight to me that this                                            years ago that I spoke at the opening of the Federation
evening I may deliver the inspirational address  at the of Reformed Young Men's Societies, the first meeting
opening session of the Convention of Protestant Re- of that federation. I had heIped  to organize it. I was
formed Young People. The task assigned to me is its first president. And I had the honor of being the
wholly a pleasurable one. I take it that  .this conven- fist editor of its publication,  Th Young Calvinist.
tion is proof of the fact that in our churches there is                                               But that federation did not'spring  into being untiI
a flourishing society life, particularly now with a view after the Christian Reformed Churches had existed for
to young people's societies. And this is a good si,gn.                                                more than half a century. When I combare  that oc-
It shows that our young people are interested. in the casion with the present one, my heart is filled with joy
church, the things of the Kingdom of God, the cause and gratitude to God. It is only about fifteen years
of the truth as we bebeve  and profess it. Catechism ago that we were expelled from ,the fellowship of the
is, of course, of first importance. But the difference                                                Christian Reformed `Churches. And we were very
between catetihetical  instruction and the activities of small. Our enemies predicted, the wish, no doubt,
our societies is that the former is compulsory, while in being the father-  t5 the thought, that we had but a very
the latter one participates of his own free choice. That short time to live. And when I recall all this, and then
our young people evince an active interest in the life look upon this gathering of young people, having come
and activities of their societies reveals, therefore, that from far and near, representing the young people's
they take a personal interest in the things of the King- societies of several of our churches ; when I consider
dom of God. And this is a hopeful sign. For you                                                       that after so short a period of our separate existence
represent the church of the future. Besides, a well we may already meet as a convention of Protestant
conducted young people's society, or, wherever this Reformed Young People's Societies that are very much
is possitble,  young men's and young Iadies' society may,                                             alive, I am inclined to exclaim: "what hath God
indeed, be a power for good in the church. Catechism                                                  wrought  !"
serves the specific purpose of indoctrinating the youth                                                  My task for tonight was assigned to me: I am
of the church and preparing them to make confession supposed to speak on the theme of this convention,
of their faith and to assume their covenant obligations.                                              "Attitudes". I  fmd this somewhat  difficult  just be-
But our societies may serve the wider purpose, through. cause it is the convention theme. During the course
mutual edification, to prepare their members to take of this convention there will be other speakers who are
their place in the church and in life in general as asked to speak `on  sp,eciiX topics, that are, however,
Christian men and women. You will understand, then, all related more or less directly to the general theme
that when I look upon this convention as a tangible that constitutes the subject of my address. In order
proof of the fact that our young people are taking an ,not to conflict with them I will, therefore, have to be
active interest in the things of the kingdom of God,. careful and confme  myself to some general remarks.
in the truth as we profess it, it is aitogether  a pleasure I shall try, therefore, to be as specific as possible with-
to me that I may deliver the opening address of this out colliding with the other speakers of this convention.
second convention of Protestant Reformed Young And I will try to make clear to you, that, in the sense
People's Societies.                                                                                   in which we now speak of "Attitudes":


4                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D ,   $)ZARER                                           ,,/

      1. Principally there are  ,but two possible attitudes. love the;Lord  our God "with all our strength". To love
     II. In actual  hfe one meets with various attitudes. the Lord our God implies that we serve Him, that we
     HI. We must strive to cultivate the proper attitude. keep His commandments and apply them to every
                                                              department of life. Not  only in the church and on
     3. The word attitude in its simplest and `original       Sunday, but aIso during the .week and `in our daily
meaning denotes a physical concept. It means posture. life we are "for" and "walk in a new and holy life".
Thus we can speak of the attitude, that is, posture, of       In the home and in the school, in shop and office, in
a person, the attitude of an animal, the attitude of a society and in the state, aIways and everywhere our
statue. But as the posture of the body often refle@..s        calling. is to love the Lord  ,our God with all our
the disposition of the mind and heart of man, the word strength. And, thirdly, this part of our Baptism Form
attitude is frequently, if not most ,generaIly,  used to      reminds us that to be ccfor,' implies the antithesis ; for
denote this mental or spiritual disposition with re- to love the Lord our God also requires of us that "we
spect to some object. Hence, we speak of one's attitude forsake the world, crucify our old nature" and thus
to war, to politics, to Christian education,  to woman        walk in a new and holy life. You cannot serve God
suffrage, to religion, etc. It is in this latter sense that and Mammon, but neither can you merely serve God
we use the term in our speech tonight, and that without assuming any attitude over against Mammon
especially with regard to the things of the Kingdom whatsoever. If you love the one; you despise the other.
of God as represented by our Protestant Reformed You are called to be of God's party in the midst of the
Churches: our church, the truth, our doctrine, the world that lieth in darkness. Hence, you cannot avoid
f`three points", the activities of our churches, our          the antithesis. To Ibe #friend of God implies that you
mission, our societies, "The Standard Bearer". Atti-          assume an attitude of enmity over against sin within
tude as I use the term, therefore, denotes the mental         and without, the world and its prince.
and spiritual disposition as reflected in our actual life,       To be "agaiyst",signifies  the very opposite and this
with respect to the specific things for which we as           in the same comprehensive sense. as to be "for". It
Protestant Reformed people stand.                             means that we are enemies of God with all our heart
     Now, I stated that principally there are only two and mind and soul, with our whole being. And this
possible attitudes. We are either for or against.  An-        inner spirituaf disposition of enmity against God re-
other attitude is  Sundamentally  impossible. This is flects itself in a -hatred of God with all our strength,
`often emphasized in Scripture. The Lord Jesus de- that is, in all our actual life and al1 its departments.
clares : "He that is not for me is against me". , You And this implies that we love darkness rather than
cannot serve God and Mammon, for either you  WiIl hate light, that we indulge in the lust of the  flesh, the lust
the one and love the other, or you will cleave to the
        "..                                                   of the eyes, the pride of life ; that we love the world
one and despise the other. The  .apostle  writes to the and seek after its pleasures and treasures rather than
Corinthians : "What fellowship bath-righteousness  with after the things of the kingdom of God ; and that we
unrighteousness? and what communion  bath light               walk in the  oId corruption of the  flesh.. You are
with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with "against" God and His Christ, and, therefore,. "for"
Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an the world and the forces of darkness.
infidel? And what agreement hath the  temple of                   The question might be asked: why is it that with
God with  idohs?" II Cor. 6  :14-16.  The tree is either respect to the things of the kingdom of God there are
good or evil,. and accordingly its fruit is good or bad.      only two attitudes possible fundamentahy? And why
And he that is friend of the world-is an enemy of God.        is it, that man must necessarily assume either of these
It is either or. It is for or against. Neutrality with two attitudes? Why is it that an attitude of neutrality
respect to the truth and the things of the kingdom of         is impossible, so that one may be neither for nor
God .is impossible. Here one must choose.                     against? Or why can there be no compromise, so that
     What it means to be "for," is  well expressed by our     one is partly for and partly against, and so that he
Form for the Administration for Baptism, which it             may serve both : God and Mammon, Christ and BeiiaI?
teaches us that it belongs to our "part" of the covenant          The answer to these questions is objectively in God.
that we love the Lord our God with all our heart, with        God is God!  .He is the sole Sovereign of bheaven and
ail our mind, with all our soul and with all our strength, earth, Who is the Creator of all things, and Who made
that we forsake the world, crucify our old nature, and all things for His own Name's sake. And He is One.
walk in a new and holy life. This declares in the             There is no God beside Him, next to Him, under Him.
first place,  that our attitude to God,`to  Christ, to the     The Lord our God is one Lord ! And He is a light.
truth and the things of the kingdom of God, is a matter        There is no darkness in Him at ah. He is good, not
of the heart and of our whole being and life: "with ail       merely in the supreme sense of that word, but as the
our heart and mind and soul and strength" we must              only Good, the implication of all infinite perfections,
love the Lord our God. In the second place it teaches the Holy One of Israel. There is no division in God.
us that to be "for" covers all our active life: we must        There is no compromise in the sole Sovereign of heaven


                                       T.HE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           5

and earth. From this it follows that the end of your theology from theirs. He spoke the truth. Grace is
existence is in Him only. To serve and glorify Him either particular or common,-it cannot be both. God
is your sole purpose, that is, it is the end for which either loves or hates the wicked,-both at the same
you are made. And He will have your all. There is               time are. impossible. Man is either wholly depraved or
no Lord you can serve beside Him. To Him belongs he is not. The "Three Points" are either true or they
your body and your soul, `your mind and your will, your         are very fundamental errors.      And our Protestant
talents and your strength, all that you are and have. Reformed Churches have maintained the truth over
Hence, it follows that your attitude to Him is either or:       against corruptions and errors, so that they have a
you: are wholly "for" Him, or you are wholly "against"          right to exist as churches; or they erred in 1924 and
Him; you love Him or you hate Him with all your then they are a mere sect. Hence, here one must
heart and mind and souI and strength.                           choose. You cannot be neutral. You are either Pro-
   And subjectively the answer to the above questions testant Reformed or you are opposed to the Protestant
must be found in the fact that our attitude to God is a         Reformed truth. You are for or against. And if
matter of the heart, whence are the issues of  life;            you are Protestant Reformed you reject all heresies re-
From an ethical viewpoint the heart is the center of pugnant to our confession.
our whole life. As our heart is so are our thoughts
and desires, our longings and aspirations and all our              II. Fact is, however, that in actual ,life one does
actions. . As the heart is so are we. And that heart is not meet  v'ei'y  often with this sharp antithesis of "for"
either good or evil. It is never both. It cannot be             and "against". Life seems to be different. Somehow
neither,  .,good  nor evil. By nature our heart is cor-         it appears as if this  .uncompromising*  theory of the
rupt, perverse,.moved  with enmity against God. And antithesis does not prove  itseIf capable of application
if our hea-rt is corrupt, so are all the issues of our life.    in reality. One is not always  "~for" or "against".
It follows that in our natural state we hate the Lord           There seem to be many other possible attitudes one
our God with all our heart and mind and soul and may and actually does assume. The "for or against",
strength. From our corrupt heart we cannot partly the "either or" of Scripture are not practicable in the
love God and partly love sin. And on the other hand, world. A certain measure of compromise, of "appease-
regeneration is a radical change of the heart, a change ment", is required  *by actual life. The'man that would
from death into life, from darkness into life, from cor- really bring the antithesis into practice often stands
ruption into holiness, from enmity against God to the alone.
love of God in Christ. It is a change of the whoIe  man            The reason for this must not  `be sought in the
in principle. Hence, principally the regenerated man "world". It is always world. The natural man is
loves the Lord his God with his whole heart, and always ."against", even though there may be different
therefore With all his mind and soul and strength. degrees of manifestation of this attitude. He is never
Lf any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature; for Christ and the truth. But the Christian individual-
old things have passed away, behold, all things have ly and the Church collectively are not always clearly
become new !                                                    and  uncompromisingIy  "for". This is true, not only
   Perhaps, you. would object, that although with of the Christian and of the Church of today, but equally
respect to God and Christ it may be true that only holds `for the people of God as they are pictured to
two possible attitudes are conceivable, so that one             us in Scripture. The reason for this is in the flesh,
must be either for or against, you .can hardIy  apply the old nature in the Christian, and the carnal element
this truth to one's attitude to the specific cause and          in the -Church. The Christian is a new man, a new
truth which we represent and maintain as a Protestant creature, but he is such only in principle. He has only
Reformed people. Here one must draw the line less a small beginning of this new obedience that causes
sharply.    Whether one is Protestant Reformed or him to walk in a new and  hoIy life. His heart is
Christian Reformed, or even Baptist or Methodist can radically changed, and, therefore, he is principally
hardly be a matter of "for" or "against". But this "for". But his old nature is a powerful factor still
objection is an error. One is principally either for in his  4ife. That old nature is inclined to seek sin
or against our Protestant Reformed faith. In fact, I and the world. And to the inclination of that old
would even maintain that the difference in attitude is nature the Christian often yields. And the same is
here rather accentuated. The truth as we confess it true of the Church. Not  all are Israel that are of
concerns the doctrines of God, of Christ, of man, of Israel. Not only is there always a carnal element that
salvation, of sin and grace, of our life and walk in arises from the Church itself, carnal children of the
the midst of and over against the world. These are covenant,  {but a carnal element also joins itself to the
fundamental doctrines. And they are all concerned in Church for various reasons, and their entrance into
our controversy with the Christian Reformed Churches. the Church cannot always be barred. If this were
One of their spokesman said in the well-known con- not the case I could close my lecture right here ; now, '
ference of the Pantlind said that we had a different however, I must call your.attention  to various attitudes


                                           TtXIEi   S T A N D A R D   R E A R E R

       which the flesh often causes the Christian individually their earthly position and carnal ambitions. As soon
       and the Church as a whole to assume. I will limit as this conflict arises they easily depart from us.
       myseIf  to a few typical attitudes that are illustrated        Then there is the attitude of selfish pride and am-
       for us in Scripture.                                        bition. They that assume this attitude would let the
           One of the most striking and frequently assumed things of the kingdom of God revolve around the glory
       is the utilitarian attitude. This is a big word, but the of their own ego. They want to be the greatest, and
       meaning of it may lbe very simply and concretely ex- do not understand that the greatest in the kingdom
       pressed in the question: does it pay? They that take of heaven `is he who can humble himseIf  as a little
       this attitude always ask themselves the question: how child. You may  find this class of people very active
       does the application of the truth affect my life in the     sometimes in the affairs of the Church and the king-
       world; my natural well-being, my name and position, dom of God in the world. They are zealous. They
       my wealth and influence? They are people who are            usually have capacity for work, too. They are able and
       "for" Christ and the truth, for the Protestant Re- willing to take the lead. But their zeal is largely moti-
       formed faith and cause, as long as this attitude does vated by the. desire to realize their personal tmbition.
       not come into conflict with their earthly position and They are in' it  .for their own gIory. We find this type
       carnal desires. They are practical people, not men of attitude illustrated in the pride of Ephraim in
       of principle at all. They certainly dare not lose their Gideon's time once more. He had taken the initiative
       life in the world. Rather than lose the world they against  Midian,  as he was called to do so by the Lord.
       would lose their own soul, though it is their deliberate And Jehovah had given him and his men a glorious
       attempt to save both. If the cause of the truth requires    victory. And only after the decisive battle had been
       sacrifice they forsake the cause. And if their carnal fought and the Midianites had been routed, did he call
       interests conflict with their calling in the cause of upon the men of Ephraim for help in the hot pursuit.
       Christ they deny the latter and pursue the former. And we read in Judges 8 :l that the men of Ephraim
       A  hne illustration of this attitude you have in the. "did chide with him sharply". They said:  (`Why hast
       men of Succoth and Penuel at the time of Gideon. You thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when
       know the story. The Lord had wrought a glorious             thou wentest to fight with the Midianites?!' They were
       victory and a great deliverance in  Isreal  through hurt in their pride. The Lord had wrought a great
       Gideon and his brave band of three hundred. They salvation in Israel, but for it they cared little; what
       were pursuing the Midianites in the land across the         concerned them was that the glory would go to Gideon,
       Jordan. It had been a strenuous day and the men not to themselves! Of course, they had had abundant
       were faint. Faint, yet pursuing! And Gideon asked opportunity to make the attack upon the host of  Midian
       the men of Succoth and later those of Penuel: "Give,        themselves, had they had the faith and the courage to
       I pray your loaves of bread unto the people that follow do so. But they had failed. But now salvation had
       me ; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah       been wrought through Gideon and his band, they chide
       and Zalmunna, kings of  Midian".       But the men of with him, because they were far more concerned about
       Succoth and Penuel answered: "Are the hands of their own honor than about the cause of God! A very
       Zebah and Zalmunna now in Chine hand, that we should dangerous attitude this ! People that take this attitude
       give bread unto thine army?" You see these men in the Church, in society, in respect to any activity
        "played safe". They wanted to see results first. They in the kingdom of God, are always a menace. In this
       were afraid that Gideon might fail, and that the kings frame of mind one is ready to sacrifice the cause of-
       of Midian might return and take revenge upon them God to his personal ambition and pride!
       if they aided and abetted Gideon and his men in their          There is, in the third place, the attitude we might
        pursuit. They wanted to be sure that they did not describe by the French phrase: "laissez-faire", the
        risk their own necks, before they. would take sides ! "let it run" attitude. We find some such attitude illus-
        You know Gideon's reply to these miserable curs. He trated in what Scripture tells us about Gallio, the
        promised the men of Succoth that he would tear their deputy of Achaia, -in Acts 18. You recall the incident,
        flesh with thorns and briers of the wilderness when he `no doubt. There was an insurrection of the Jews
        would return and the Lord had delivered the kings against Paul, and they brought him to the judgment
        of  Midian into his hand; and he threatened that upon seat. But Gallio refused to be judge in the matter and
        his victorious return he would break down  PenueI's        drove the Jews away from (the judgment seat. Then
        tower. Judges  8:4-9.  And I for one would  li,ke to
. .                                                                the Greeks, making the best of the occasion, took
        have been present when Gideon's thorns and briers          Sosthenes and beat him right in the presence of Gallio.
        lashed the backs of those wretched cowards who pre- And then we read characteristicalIy  : "And Gallio cared
        ferred their own safety to the victory of God's cause !    for none of these things". He assumed the "laisses-
        Always one finds these  utihtarian bargainers. If they faire" attitude. Just let it go! Well, one finds Galho's
        belong to us, they are Protestant Reformed only in as in the church. They are,  ,perhaps, among the most
        far as their faith and confession do not conflict with regular members of the church. Faithfully they attend


                                            TZIE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R , "                                       7

        public worship and contribute to the needs of the member, but they can see the good of the "Three
        church. They never cause trouble. But they are in-          Points" too. They do not like sharp lines. Their
        clined to avoid trouble and strife at all cost. They sympathies are very  ,broad.  And they hate contro-
        see and admit that the church is apostatizing, depart- versy. They like to bury the hatchet. They do not
        ing from the truth and becoming worldly minded in like us to assume the attitude that we know it alone.
        life and walk. But they "care for none of those things".    We ought to `have  ,due respect for the opinions of
        At all events they will do nothing about it. They do others. There is some good in every  view, no matter
        notlike trouble. They love peace. The truth of the how far it may be beside the truth of the Word of God.
      matter is really that they love their own leisure and The attitude of these people is, not unlike that of the
        tranquility more than the things of the kingdom of          people of Israel in the old dispensation, who served
       .God. If it were left to them you would never shave a        Jehovah, but also worshipped the gods of the nations
        secession in the church on earth, a reformation would round about. Thus it was, for instance, at the time of
        never be started, the church would be permitted to          Elijah. But the prophet must have nothing of their
        go to destruction in the way of  apostacy.  A fitting "broadminded" attitude and urges them to make up
        e,xample of people of this frame of mind and atttitude their mind as to who is God. No longer must they halt
        is, according to my opinion, that often lauded scholar between two opinions. It must  ,become either or. If
        of Luther's days, in whose honor, to the shame of that Baa1 is God, very well: let them serve him then; but
        Dutch city, Rotterdam erected a statue, which even          if Jehovah  is. God let them worship Him alone.  Zf
        escaped the destruction caused by the German air raid.      the "Three Points"  are the truth, `very  well : embrace
       . I mean, of course, Desiderius  Erasmus. Well he knew them and confess them openly, without a pretense as
        the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church. But to being Protestant Reformed; but if they are errors,
        he loved the leisure of his study too much to do any- `oppose and reject them as being repugnant to the  truth
        thing about it. Laissez-faire !                             of which you are convinced !
          Closely related to those we just mentioned are those         The last i$pe `of attitude to which I wish to call
        who assume the attitude of self-complacency and cold your attention in this connection is  @hat of the double
        indifference. They are  #people that are really well minded man. He is, of course, very closely related
        satisfied with the goal that has been attained, with the    to the type just mentioned, yet he is also distinct from
        actual condition of the church, no matter what it may the  "broadminded"  man.  ,James   ,mentions  this type
        be. They have no ambition, no zeal for the cause when he speaks of the double minded man that is un-
        of the kingdom of God. They are self-satisfied. You steady in all his ways. It is the attitude of those that
        can never persuade them to do anything in the interest are never sure whether they would serve the world
        of the church. They are not member of any society,          or confess the Lord in word `and walk. They divide
        and if they `are they might better not be. They take their devotion. On Sunday they are with the people
        no part in any activity. Their biblical picture you of God, on Monday they are friends with the world.
        may probably  tid in the condition of the church of They sway to and fro. And as it is with their walk,
        Laodicea. Its members are described as being peither        so it is with their attitude toward the truth. One
        cold nor  *hot. While they consider  $hemselves  rich never knows where they really belong. They are mem-
        and enriched and as having need of nothing, the Lord bers of the Protestant Reformed Church, but they of-
        judges that they are naked and wretched. They are ten talk as if they belong to the camp of our opponents.
        nauseating to Him and He threatens to spew them out They are as two-faced as they are double-minded.
        of His mouth. Also this sort of people you usually meet They are people who in their double-faced attitude
        with in the church wherever it exists. And there is are a shame to any church of which they happen to be
        no need of saying that they are never an asset to the member. They should, of course, be persuaded, if at
        church. You can do nothing with them in any sphere all possible, to make utp their mind and then go where
        of the church's activity.                                   tlhey  belong.
           Fifthly,  I must  c-all your attention to. a type of        III. These are some of the outstanding types of
        people that assume the attitude of what is often erron- different attitudes mentioned in Scripture and exempli-
        eously styled "broadmindedness", the latitudinarian fied in the actual life of the people of God in the world.
        attitude. They are really not  ,broadminded  at all, but No doulbt, other types could be described than those we
"-      rather lacking in definite and well  estabished con- characterized above, but these are sufficient to show
        victions. They halt between two or, perhaps, between that the only two possible attitudes of "for" and
        a dozen or more opinions. They are Protestant Re- "against" are not always clearly manifested by those
        formed merely in the sense that they happen to belong that profess to be of Christ. And it also proves that
        to a Protestant Reformed Church, not because in their here we have a calling, a task to perform. I mean that
        conviction that church  is the purest manifestation of as a church and as a people, particularly also as young
        the Body of Christ in the world. Yes, they can agree people, we should be careful and diligent to cultivate
        with the doctrine of the church of which they are a the proper attitude. What this attitude is we have,


  8                                      T-HE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

  in general, already indicated. It is that we love the         and pray and fight that he may assume and maintain
  Lord our God with our whole heart, and with all our the only proper attitude of being singleheartedly,
  mind and soul and strength. It means that we assume wholeheartedly and steadfastly "for", and never
  an attitude of opposition over against the world and "against".
  the flesh, and that we walk in a new and holy life.               How this may be done, you ask? In answer to this
 _ Specifically it implies for us as a Protestant Reformed question I would emphasize in the first place that `in-
  people, that we embrace the truth we profess with all struction in and study of the truth is paramount. We
  our heart and mind and soul, that we consistently re- must study the Word of God. We must be founded
  ject, every heresy repugnant thereto, and that we are in our Reformed doctrine. This is all important. The
  faithful to this truth in profession and walk.                ignorant Christian is a weak Christian. The more we
       If we analyze this attitude I wouId say that it im- grow in the knowledge of the truth, the stronger we
  plies especially three things : singleheartedness, whole- will become spiritually, the more firmly rooted will be
  heartedness, and steadfast-heartedness. It implies our convictions, the ,better we will be able to oppose
  singIeheartedness  because the Lord our God is one all false doctrines and reject all heresies.                             In the
  Lord God is one, Christ is one, the truth is one. It second place, ,I would emphasize that we should study
  follows that the only proper attitude we may assume the Word of God prayerfully, and that our whole life
  with relation to this one God, this one Christ, this one should be in  l&e attitude of ,prayer. Mere  inteIlectua1
  truth is that of singleheartedness in confession and knowledge is not sufficient. It must become spiritual
  walk.    It  i,mplies  wholeheartedness, because God is knowledge, so that we spiritually discern, love and
  God, the Lord, the sole Sovereign of heaven and earth, appropriate the truth of God in  CXrist. This can be
 and His Anointed, our Lord Jesus Christ, is at the             realized only through the grace of the Spirit, which
  right hand of God, and has a name which is above God will give unto us in the way of prayer. Thirdly,
  every name. And He is our Lord. We belong to Him I would emphasize the necessity of close fellowship
  with body and soul, for time and eternity.         Hence,     with the church in which you have a place, faithful
  there can be no division in our devotion and obedience. attendance of public worship, employment of the means
  Wholeheartedness, and therefore, complete consecra- of catechetical instruction, exercise of the fellowship
  tion of our whole mind and will and all our powers in of the saints, active participation in society life. And
  every relation and in every department of life, is the here I. would emphasize that our societies, also our
  only attitude that may be assumed toward this one Young People's Societies, may be a power for good in
  Lord of  all. We must serve and confess Him always this task of cultivating and keeping the right attitude.
  and everywhere. And it implies steadfast-heartedness, May they always keep this purpose before their con-
because God is Jehovah, the eternal and immutable sciousness as the ideal after which they strive. And
  One, Jesus `Christ is the same yesterday and today and may this convention serve as a means to strengthen
  forever, and the truth is unchangeable. Hence, we us in the determination to cultivate that one and only
  must ,be steadfast and unmoveable and not be tossed proper attitude: to love the Lord our God with all our
  to and fro with every wind of doctrine, assured that heart and mind and  sou1 and strength, forsake the
  our labor shall not be vain in  tihe Lord. And in &all world, crucify our old nature and walk in a new and
  this  westand antithetically over against the world and holy life! Be ye therefore steadfast, unmoveable,
  the .powers  of darkness, fighting the good fight even always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing
  unto the end, that no one take our crown!                     that your labor shall not be  vainin.the  Lord!
       This only proper attitude we are called to cultivate.                                                           1H. II.
  When I say this I do not mean that this only true
  attitude is merely a matter of cultivation. Christianity                                 -
  is not a matter of cultivation, but of regeneration, of
  the efficacious operation of the Spirit of Christ and                              IN MEMORIAM
  the grace of God in our hearts. The natural man can-
  not see the kingdom of God. He certainly cannot re-              Gedurende de zomervacantie heeft het Gode behaagt om
  form himself and cultivate the only proper attitude tot Zicb te nemen uit onze vereeniging, ons medelid:
  over against God and His cause in the world. You can-                             THYS HELMHOLDT
  not train a natural man  to  ibecome Protestant Re-
  formed. But  the Christian, he that is in Christ Jesus           Noge dit heengaan ons  alIen  aansporen tot meerdere  bereid-
  and has become a new creature in Him ; who principally heid om rekenscbap te geven van  ans rentmeesterschap. Trooste
  stands in the right relation and proper attitude to his de Heere de bedroefde  familie.
  God and the things of the ,kingdom  of God ; but who                        Namens de  HolIandsche   Mannen  Vereeniging
  has but a small beginning of this new obedienree,  while                                      van Fuller Ave.  Kerk.   '
  he is daily tempted by the flesh, the world and the                                                   JYI.   K n o t ,   Pres.  -*
  devil,-that Christian has the sacred calling to watch                                                 &  Yieciema, Sec.  "


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        9

     Our Attitude Toward Recreation                          usage the word amusements includes much which the
                                                             Christian condemns. But also amusements, although
                                                             they do have a place in our lives, can only serve as
Mr. Chairman, Board-members, delegates, visitors, and recreation.
friends :                                                       In answering the question before us we should first
    It is a privilege to address you on this  accasion  for agree on what we understand by recreation. An
more reasons than one.                                       answer to that question will also determine our attitude
   The chief reason is that you as a Covenant youth toward it.
represent the emerging Church of tomorrow. You are .            I. What do we understand by recreation?
the timber from which future elders and deacons and             The word comes from a Latin word to which is
`ministers of the Gospel are formed ; but no less the added the prefix `re', so that the meaning becomes. `to
material for future Covenant parents and teachers, create again or anew'. You readily recognize the word
valiant soldiers of the cross and faithful witnesses of re-create in it. As  such it means, refreshment of the
the Name of God in these last days.                          body or mind; diversion, amusement, as a pleasurable
   And I admire your undaunted zeal. You might be occupation or exercise.
compared with a rosebud unfolding its petals to the             Recreation, from the very nature of the case, must
light of day, or a butterfly, just emerging from its be some engagement, whether physical or mental or
cocoon, testingly spreading its wings as it basks in the spiritual, which tends to refresh a person. It must be
morning sun. But these comparisons would fail to something different than the regular occupation, a
express your ambitious enthusiasm as you challenge diversion from the strain of our daiIy work. We  are
the future before you. Your problems are vital just so constituted that we can put forth our best efforts
because you are preparing yourselves for your place into a certain task only for a limited time. Then we
in God's Church and Kingdom, and you have the vital- need a rest, which need not necessarily be inactivity
ity, the zeal and the daring to face your problems with but must be a diversion, a relaxation.
a challenge.                                                    Therefore recreation also includes the idea of
    The more reason why it is a privilege to discuss         pleasure. Health authorities tell us that a,, pleasant
these problems with you, especially in an  assembIy          conversation during a meal aids digestion. A person
where a `large  number of our Prot.  Ref. young people       who cannot sleep should  rest  himself by enjoying
from at least three States are represented.                  pleasant, refreshing thoughts. A laugh is healthy.
    No less does the subject appeal to me on which I This is certain, that doing a thing purely for  the-
,am to address you briefly this morning.                     pleasure that is in it affords relief and rest. As such
    Not one of us is unaware that especially for the the question of recreation is closely related to the
youth of the Church recreation presents its'own prob- matter of amusements.
lems and has created much discussion even in ecclesi-           The question must be put, what is the place  of,
astical assemblies in the past. The time in which we recreation in the life of a Christian?
live is partly responsible for this. Not as if our `young       In answer to this question it is sometimes main-
people of today are any worse than they were some stained  that recreation is an end in itself. It is its
years ago, but the many developments of our day have own excuse for being. Thus, for example, young men
created new problems. There was a time  when.a  per- who have toiled in manual Iabor all day will go `out
son hardly stepped beyond the narrow sphere of his           evening after evening to engage in a game of ball,
own church and family. Long working hours, horse simply for "the fun of it". Young women who have
and buggy transportation, etc., simply made it im- spent the whole day nailed down to an offiice chair will
possible. There were not so many outside amusements, come home in the evening and  settIe down to a romance
nor was the opportunity of participating in them so in some magazine, only because they "like it". In
great. But today with the radio and the automobile, that case the only argument for recreation, if you can
not to mention the wide range of amusements of every call it such, is the common idea that "we need some
type offered wherever you turn, the problem becomes fun". The old adage of "all work and no play" is
far  more acute than ever before. Especially for the         taken to mean that life is too short that we should not
Protestant Reformed youth who are not willing to `get out of it all the pleasure we can. Work is drudgery
follow the dictates of sinful  ffesh, nor satisfied with which we cannot escape, but in our spare time we do as
merely placing the question, "may we do this or that",       we please, give vent to our feelings and let our
but who want to apply their principles to every sphere emotions run riot. You will all agree that there is
of  ,life,  the question becomes vital, "what must be our nothing Christian in sudh an attitude toward recrea-
attitude toward recreation?"                                 tion ; neither is the defense very strong.
    Let me add that the word recreation is much better          Again there is the idea, not too strange, that recrea-
for the purpose of our discussion than the word amuse- tion must serve as a sort of antidote for an overciose of
ments.       First of all, because especially in common religion, We go to Church, to Catechism, to Society

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

possibly, maybe to this or that other meeting, but "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable
we also need some sport or amusement. The argument unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be
is raised that we cannot always walk with long faces,         not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by
nor sit -in a corner twiddling our thumbs and acting the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is
like old men and women. The idea seems to be that that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."
religion is alrigh,t, but it needs an antidote ; we are Rom. 12:1-, 2. And again, "whether ye eat or drink,
willing to serve God, but we want our days off and our or whatsoever ye do, do it all to the glory of God."
time out. Recreation is then the Christian's safety           1  Cm.  10:31.
valve. It possibly might be called a "necessary evil".           In the second place, recreation can be of a three-
There can be but one conclusion, if that is the case,         fold nature. It can be physical, mental or spiritual.
recreation has no place in the life of a Christian.           By physical recreation must be understood those sports
      But how, then, can `we defend it and what place does    or pastimes which especially tend to exercise and de-
it occupy in our lives?                                       velop the body.    It is but natural that. one who is
      As a proper approach to this'question  it is essential engaged a very large part of his time in mental work
that we are reminded of the fact that we are created          must seek his diversion in some physical relaxation.
as image bearers of God. God formed Adam from the While, on the other hand, anyone who is engaged in
dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the         manual labor should seek it in something that is almost
spirit of life, whereby he became a living soul. Man          entirely free from physical strain, in some form of
was created with what we sometimes distinguish as mental recreation as music, reading or study. But it
the three H's, head, heart and hand. He bad a mind makes no difference whether your labor `be mental  or.
to think and know and understand ; a `heart as a center       physical, there always remains room for spiritual
of feeling and impulse whereby he could will and de- recreation. True religion must be more than recrea-
sire, love, consecrate and devote himself; and a body tion, but also that. By spiritual recreation I mean
to use in subjecting al1 things of this earthly creation such engagements as reading the Word of God, the
unto his service. His calling with mind and heart and church papers and spiritually upbuilding literature,
body was to replenish the earth, subdue it and have attending Catetism and Societies, preparing for these
dominion over it.      All that remains the save even         meetings, discussions on spiritual matters when we
after the fall. But the point is, and that is significant, visit with one another, and anything of that nature.
that Adam was called to serve God as God's friend-            If our service of God is a pleasure instead of a mere
servant. He was king in this earthly creation only as  ' drudgery we shall not only find time and place for it,
vice-regent under God. He had to use all things and but what is more, develop a liking for it as a pleasant
do all things in the service of God, not as drudgery but form of relaxation.                                     .
in willing devotion, a consecration of love. That was            And finally, whatever our form of recreation may
Adam's calling in Paradise and that, no less, is our be, it must always be and remain a diversion. Recrea-
calling as we are restored in the image of God in tion must never be an end in itself, but must always
Christ Jesus.                                                 serve to relieve the strain of our daily toil and thereby
      That  limits and determines the place of recreation refresh us. It may never take the place of or hinder
in our lives.                                                 us in performing our duties, but always aid us to do
      It means, first of  al1, that also our recreation must the very best work of which we are capable. Even so
be a service of God. I consider it essential that we          it must serve the purpose that the man of God may be
view it in that light. In God's service there are no          perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works. 2
days off, no vacations, nor even recesses. God de- Tim. 3:l'i'. Instead of being in conflict with, it must
mands of us in every moment of our lives that we &ha11        serve toward a more perfect service `of God.
love the Lord our God with our whole heart and mind              II. That  aIready  determines our attitude toward
and soul and strength. And the application of the             recreation,                      I
parable of the Unprofitable Servant is, "and when ye             If we have learned to properly evaluate our recrea-
shall have done all those things which are commanded tion we are ready to condemn all those forms of amuse-
you, say, we are unprofitable servants, we have done ments which from the very nature of the case are sin-
that which was our duty to do." That is certainly also ful. I have in mind such entertainments as the world
the attitude, of the true child of God. We serve God has to offer us. Pastimes and sports which bring us
not out of force of duty, but willingly and in love. As right into the midst of the worId and cause us to rub
we also sing from our Psalter:                                elbows with the works of iniquity. Gala events and
            Thy precepts are my heritage,                     amusements where the lust of the flesh, the lust of the
            For daily they my heart rejoice ;                 eyes and the pride of life are given unbridled rein.
            To  keep Thy statutes faithfully,                 Any entertainment where the Christian must neces-
            Shall ever be my  wilhng choice.                  sarily forsake his faith and' give `himself as a slave to
      This is also the command of all the Scriptures.         chance, to carnal pleasures and to sin. Amusements


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          11

 such as dances, theaters, games of chance  .and all that distinctive calling of the Church is to preach the Word,
 they represent.                                               in season and out of season, and we may certainly
    That also means that our own entertainment in the expect that where the Word is preached in all its purity
 Church will necessarily be of a nature that. is worthy the true Covenant youth wil also walk according to it.
 of a Christian. Any social or banquet which is so filled         In conclusion, there can be no objection to games or
 with hilarity that one all but laughs himself sick can Christian amusements, but let them never escape from
 hardly be classed as a Christian form of entertainment, their subservient place in our lives. They must serve
 no matter if it is opened and closed with prayer. No to refresh, recuperate, and thereby aid us in fulfilling
 more does a reel of pictures, whether it be of LMickey        our God-given calling in every sphere of life. And as
 Mouse or anything else, have a place in Christian to spiritual recreation, we are more liable to suffer
 amusements..                                                  *from a lack of it than from an excess. Let us have
    Moreover, recreation can never take a predominant more of it.
 place in our lives. A while ago I mentioned that young           In all that you do, equip and prepare yourself for
 men will sometimes induge in a game of ball evening a well-rounded Christian life in the service of God.
 after evening. Purposely I chose what may be called
 a very heaithfu3  sport. ' There can be no real objections       The man of God must be perfect, thoroughly furn-
to the game as such. And yet' it would be wrong for            ished to all good works.
 any of us to live purely for that sport as well as for any                                         Tharck  you,
 other.    By indulging purely in physical exercise a                                               Rev. C. Hanko.
 youn-g man may vie. with a gorilla for strength, but
 he certainly can expect nothing else than that his fore-
 head, too, like the gorilla's  will begin to run back just
 above the eyes.     Likewise, what good does mental
 development do for a  .young  woman if she has learned                                        m
 nothing more than the tie arts of making love and                       Our Attitude Toyard Politics
 how to share the vain fashions of the world. Christian
 young men are strong, but their strength is spiritual Introductim.
 rather than physical,  "for",  says the apostle John,
 "they have overcome the evil one." Theirs is the battle          I have been asked to speak to you this afternoon
 of faith against principalities and powers and  spiritua1     on the  subject;"Our  Attitude Toward Politics". Allow
 wickedness in high places. Christian young women me to say that I found this a  rather  diEcult subject
 adorn themselves with the truth. They are examples due mainly to two things. In the first place it is a
 of true Christian modesty, beauty and virtue.                 subject about which I have concerned myself but very
     Even that demands of us the self-denial of Chris- little. Hence, I am not acquainted with the subject
 tian discipleship. Jesus warned the over-enthusiastic either in theory or in practice. I am a minister and
 candidate for the discipleship that the "foxes have not a politician. In the second place, this is a subject
 holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son that is rather far removed from the sphere. of our
 of Man has not where to lay His head." And His interest, generally speaking, both as individual  chris-
 demand to all of His disciples is, "If any man will come      tians and as Protestant Reformed Churches. I do not
 after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross          mean to justify this attitude, but I state it simply  as
 and follow Me.`" If we are ready to do that, we are a fact. We have been concerned with other things
 also ready to, allow recreation onIy that small place in and have taken our citizenship, with its various impli-
 our lives that it can serve us physically, mentally and, cations, as a matter of fact. This is not the case in
 spiritually unto the service of the living God.               the Netherlands. There the Christian is vitally inter-
    Finally, the question might be asked whether the ested in the things that concern politics. There a
 Church should supply entertainment for its youth. Christian party exists which propagates its own  Calvin-
 The Catholics, as you know, have gone to the extent istic princbles and produces candidates for the various
 of preparing public boxing bouts for Catholic youth. offices. Hence, one can (very easily understand that
 Even  in Reformed circIes the possibility has been men- the question of the Christian's attitude toward politics
 tioned of preparing "movies of a high order" within is a vital one in the Netherlands. Perhaps we should
 the Church to satisfy youth's demand for that form have said that these things were the case instead of  are
 of entertainment. Personally, I want to go on record the case, because we do not know how things have been
 as `being adverse to the whofe idea. What is more, altered since the Netherlands has lost her indepen-
 I am of the conviction that it spells the ruin of the         dence.
 Church and its youth if the Church must preserve                 Nevertheiess,  notwithstanding the difficulties, you
 the youth by compromising with the  world  and bring- have asked me to speak on this subject and I have
 ing the world's entertainments into the Church. The consented to do so. I shall now endeavor to comply.


     Ii!                                     T.HE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

     In discussing the subject, I shall call your attention politics without a party is impossible. The party  .is
     to three things :                                               the natural result of politics. The party in politics
                                                                     is composed of like-minded individuals who band to-
                 I.    What we must  understand by politics.
                II. How politics affects us.                         ,gether  formulate principles, propose methods, produce
                                                                     candidates for office, advocate their specific principles,
               III. Our attitude in respect to it.                   methods and candidates and work for the execution of
     I. What we must understand by politics.                         their principles and methods through the election of
            The word "Politics" has in our day acquired a very their candidates.
     unfavorable sense which it does not have of itself.                It is in this party form that we come into contact
     Today the word is used to denote scheming and trick- with politics in our own country. This form is very
     ery on the part of a ruling *body or a member of such outstanding in our land because of our democratic
     a body. One who is engaged in politics, who is called form of government and because there are principally
     a  poiitician,  is regarded as a most untrustworthy indi- two parties that vie for power. But that is no less true
     vidual. None of us, I am sure, would feel ourselves in,other  countries, .even  in such nations as Russia and
     complimented if we were called a politician. We would Germany. The difference is that there one party is
     !be inclined to interpret such a remark as a reflection in power and holds sway to the exclusion of all other
     upon our honesty and sincerity.                                 parties. There no one dares to oppose the party in
            The fact is that the word politics :has such an un- power; to do such is to place one's self in danger of
     savory connotation that one, upon hearing the word, life imprisonment  or  death.
     involuntarily assiciates  with it the adjective "rotten".          We stand `before the question: how did politics
     The two seem to fit together. "Rotten politics" is a            originate? To answer this question we must go back
     very common expression. However, we should under- to the very beginning when God created man. When
     stand that that is not We fault of politics itself but of God made man, He did not create him  as  an individual-
     those who are engaged in the field of politics. The ist, as a creature who could live entirely alone apart
     blame for the universally unfavorable conception of from others, but as a social being. God created him
     politics lies at the door of the crooked individual who so that he stood in relation with others. Therefore
     uses his position and imluence  in the sphere of politics,      when the Lord had made man, He said, "It is not good
     to promote  ihis own selfish interests at the cost of the that man should live alone". So the Lord created Eve
     welfare and honor of others. It would not therefore be to be a helpmeet  for him. Moreover God put in him
     fair to judge politics in the light of the crooked poli- the social urge, as is plain from the fact that what God
     tician, no more than it would be fair to judge the              did for Adam became the rule for all others. One shall
     church in the light of her worst member.                        leave father and mother and cleave unto his wife; and
            Politics~  in itself is not evil. It is not necessarily they two shall be one flesh. There God laid the founda-
     "rotten" and underhanded. For the purpose which tion for  Uhe family, the social structure in the narrow
     we hav_e in mind at this time, we want it to be clear s-sense,  and for the community and nation as well, the
     that we do not speak of  ,politics in an unfavorable social structure in its broader sense.
     sense. We ask you therefore to disregard as much as                And God ordained government for the family both
     possible the unfavorable aspects of politics and think in its narrow and broad sense. In the family proper,
     of it in its more favorable sense.                              the husband is the head of the house and the wife is
            What is politics? The word politics comes from a called to be in subjection to her busband. In the com-
     Greek word, the root meaning of which is "city".                munity, state and nation, God has set places of author-
     Hence the word politics means literally, that which ity. Hence Scripture teaches us that government is
     pertains to the city, particularly with a view to the an institution of God and a servant of God as well.
     government of the city. Politics may therefore be de-              In Israel, in its theocratic form, God did not merely
     fined as the science of government. As the science of ordain places of authority but also directly appointed
     gavernment  it includes within its scope:                       men to  fill those positions. .Prophets, priests and kings
            1. Principles of government, with a view to the were appointed by the Lord directly.
     internal affairs of the city, state or nation and also all         In our day the form of government is different
     things that pertain to international affairs, i.e. the          from that of Israel. The difference consists  iii this
     relation of one nation with another.                            that today men are appointed  or  chosen by the people
            2.  gethods of government, e.g. specific policy of to exercise the offices instituted :by God. The office al-
     managing  ~public affairs.                                      ways remains, however the people elect and determine
1           3. The propagation of principles, e.i. putting prin- the individuals who are to  f?ll them. (Of course, `not
,    ciples into effect  through the application of its methods apart from God's providence. Nothing can be separated
     in actual operation, appointment of officers, etc.              from God's providence. In the providential sense, God
            In this light one can readily understand that politics puts individuals in office also today.)
     is hard to conceive of apart from parties.          In fact,       There you have the beginning of politics. Politics


                                      THE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           13

begins there where the people, either in greater or are worldly, earthly, sinful, wioked. The principle of
Iesser degree, have a voice in their government. I the world, and therefore also of politics in that world,
think we may safely say that it is the  Ihuman element is the enmity against God and the exaltation of man.
in government that produces what we call politics, in In the last analysis the world aways  says there is no
the practical sense of the word.                             God and its religion, so-called, is at best nothing but
    For  the correct understanding of our subject, it humanism.
is necessary that we make a few distinctions. We must           Its wrypose is plainly stated in that oft-repeated
distinguish between politics and government. They phrase, "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness";
are not identical; the one serves  the other, politics a heaven on earth, but a heaven without God, a full,
serves the government.  Government  is an institution. rich life on this earth apart from God, `that is what
Politics is the practical science that concerns itself the world wants, seeks and strives for in all its spheres,
with institution. The question is therefore not, "What politics not excluded. And that is what politics always
is our attitude toward our gozlernment?"  That ques- promises. So it is today in our own land. Wilkie prom-
tion is rather simple to answer ; briefly we might say,      ises the people that should he  ,be elected, he will give
"Our attitude must be one of obedience in the love of        them exactly that which they desire, life, liberty and
God". But the question is, "What is our attitude to- happiness. And strange though it may seem the world
ward Politics?" that is, toward that science that deals      is always foolish enough to believe that it can be done.
with the operation and administration of government.         Foolish, because in the Ipast there have always been
And shall we come to any definite conclusion, it will those who have promised these things and have failed.
be necessary to ask:                                         Yet today people desire a change in administration
II. How does politics affect .w?                             because they think that another party, another presi-
    There are some who deny the necessity of being dent will be able to give them what they long to have.
affected by politics in any way. They are the  Ana-             Its method is always  that of cunning deception,
baptists.    These people withdraw themselves from force and domination. It deceives by means of lies,
everything that is of the world and refuse to be affected    it promises much with no intention of fulfilling the
by anything in it. They believe in a local separa- promise. It threatens and harasses ; it persecutes.
tion ; they want to live alone. Actually such a thing           And as Christians we may not and cannot agree
is imposs3ble.  To realize such a local separation, "we with  such principles, purposes and methods. Our prin-
must needs go out of this world" and that is impossible. ciple is expressed in the admonition of the Lord,
Hence, one may maintain that he will not be affected "Seek ye first the kingdom of God. . .  ." Our prin-
by politics or anything else in the world, the fact is ciple is the love of God. Our pumose  is the glory of
that he cannot help himself in that matter. As long .God and we declare that all that misses that purpose
as he is  in- the world, he is affected by it, also politic- is sin. Our method is that of love, love of God and
ally.                                                        love of the neighbor.
    Politics affects us in the first place as citizens.         In this light it is not difficult to understand the
Politics is  IvitalIy connected with government, so much conflict which arises between the Christian and the
so that the principles and methods of government are world and it is easy to see that the politics of the world
controlled by politics. And the government has author- oftentimes affects us adversely.           And that conflict
ity over us as citizens of the nation. Its laws concern shall continue to exist as long as this world exists and
all its citizens, the Christian citizen as well as the un- the Christian is called to live in it. The world does
godly. Also we Christians must meet its demands and not want the Ghristian way. And we may not follow
abide by its regulations. Now, the nature and char- the world's way but must testify that it is evil. Hence,
acter of these laws, restrictions, regulations and de- the conflict is inevitable, a conflict which usually ends
mands depends largely on politics, is influenced by in the persecution of the people of God.
politics. A practical exampie  of that one may find in          If, then, these things are true, and we believe they
the many changes that take place in the forms of are, the question very naturally arises :
government when the administration goes from the             III. FVh& must  our attitude be?
one party to the other in our own land. Hence, in as            In the first pIace,  negatively, it should not be one
far as the government is controlled by, or influenced of false optimism as we find in the world. The world
by politics, we are affected by politics as citizens or always expects something better, even in the face of
inhabitants of the country under whose government we disaster. The world is always willing to try some-
have placed ourselves.                                       thing new, new `methods and different systems in its
    However, politics affects  us to an even greater ex-     expectation of better things. The world expects to
Itent as Christians. That is due to the fact that there succeed, expects politics to succeed. We, on the other
is often confiict between the principles of the Christian hand, should not foster such expectations. God's Word
and the world. Politics is of the world, in the spiritual teaches us that He makes foolish the wisdom of the
sense of the word. Its principles, purpose and methods wise and that He will bring it to nought. What expect-

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

ation therefore can we have of the world or its politics? convention reveals that our young people have a desire
      Neither should our attitude be  suoh  that we would and a yearning to serve God. It has been said that
attempt to improve the situation. We cannot change the youth needs the church, and that the churc;h needs
the politics in this nation. That is not pessimism but youth, and this is indeed the truth, providing that it
simply fact. The Christian has no voice in the world.         is a youth that fears and loves the Lord. That is
Should he attempt to alter the politics of the worid, he      essential. In our day we often hear the complaint that
would doubtless soon be branded a traitor to the nation       there is such a great lack of true spirituality and of
and the cause of the people. That would be especially sanctification. 1 dare not say that these complaints are
true of us as Protestant Reformed people. We would unfounded, for we are certainly living in a time, when
stand entirely alone. Even those who call themselves not only youth, but men are lovers of pleasure more
Christians would refuse to give us their support. This than lovers of God. We are living in days of great
cannot be otherwise because we must  aways  reject apostacy  as great or greater than the world ihas ever
their imaginary basis of compromise with the world,           known. But having spent these days in your midst,
the theory of common grace, expressed in the  well-           we do not complain, but rather take courage, and wish
known Three Points; The fact is simply this, that we          you God's blessing up,on your convention and upon your
have no voice in the world and even though we should          societies.
try, we would find it impossible to change the politics           Your committee requested- me to give a brief talk
of the world.                                                 on "Our Attitude Toward Missions", a subject which
      In the second place,. positively, our attitude should harmonizes, with your convention theme. I am glad
be that of faithfulness. Faithfulness to God in all our this subject was assigned to me, because undoubtedly
life's spheres, to let our light shine and testify to the     you also have often heard  the slurring remark that the
world that its politics is evil and that it cannot suc- Protestant Reformed Churches do not believe in doing
ceed.  *                                                      mission work, in fact we are accused of being  anti-
      Moreover our attitude must be sudh that we seek missionary. We must not let such slurring remarks
the kingdom of heaven. Practically, with a view  ,to          frighten us, for this accusation is not something new,
politics, that would mean that we  shouid support that but was also hurled at the reformers and at our Re-
party, system and candidate, whose policy is conducive formed fathers. To the carnal mind the' great funda-
for Christian liberty. Not for the sake of the principles     mental truths of God's sovereignty and man's total de-
of that party but for the sake of the kingdom of heaven pravity seem to be  incompatiible  `with the command of
as we are called to seek it and its wellbeing in the          Christ to preach the gospel to all nations. Whenever,
midst of the world.                                           in the history of the, Church, there were those that
      Finally, it should be our aim to organize and estab- maintained, defended and preserved the doctrines of
lish a politics of our own. We should have our own God's sovereign grace and  the total depravity of man,
party, Christian party with Christian principles, Chris- they were immediately accused of having no place in
tian methods and Christian candidates. Then, although their theological thinking for the cause of missions.
even that would not give us a voice in the politics of This accusation always savors of Arminianism. Ac-
the world it ,would insure for us the freedom of con- cording to their bigoted and narrow-minded conception,
science which we desire.                                      one must be an Arminian before one can truiy be an
                                                              enthusiast for missions, and let me hasten to add that
                                    I thank you,              to be an enthusiast for missions in the current sense
                                   Rev. H. De Wolf.           of the word, namely, to save souls for Christ, one in-
                                                              deed must be an Arminian. On the other hand, the
                                                              real significance of missions and of the missionary task
                                                              is understood by him, and by him only, who believes,
                                                              maintains and defends the truth of God's sovereign
         Our Attitude Toward Missions                         grace.
                                                                  We must  ,beware  of this subtle argument, that one
      It affords me great `pleasure to have had the privi-    must be an Arminian, before one can believe in, and
lege of attending your convention of Protestant Re- enthusiastically support, the cause of missions. It is
formed youth. In the fist place, because a convention maintained that the denial of the first point of 1924,
sudh as this is a wholesome sign, that God has blessed which teaches a general well-meant  offer  of salvation,
and is `blessing our churches, and that our churches on the part of  .God, to ail that hear the gospei, makes
have a' future. For in our south, under God, lies the         it impossible to heed the command of Christ Jesus, to
future welfare of our Protestant Reformed denomina- preach the gospel to all nations. They do not seem to
tion. This is indeed for you a great prviilege, but also be able to distinguish the difference between the phrase
at the same time a grave responsibility. In the second to preach Christ to ail nations, or to ~of&meaningC~!
place I am very happy at this occasion because your           ogler Christ to all. The first is Reformed, the second


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   R E A R E R                                       15

is Arminian. The Christian Reformed Church main- man, and his well-being, the ultimate purpose of all
tains the fatter, while our churches believe the first.      things, instead of the glory of God. No, our attitude
It has been said that we  oniy (preach the gospel to the towards missions must be the Calvinistic one, that seeks
elect.  This statement is as untrue as it is absurd.         its point of departure, not first of all in the salvation
How would it be possible to preach only to the elect,        of man, but in the glory of God. Even as the  apost!e
seeing they are known but to God. Rut why is it im- expresses it in the above-mentioned passage of  2  Car.
possible to preach to all men in general, unto whom          2:14-17: "Now thanks be unto God, which  always
the Lord sends us, a gospel, that as to God's intention      causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest
is only unto salvation for the elect. To put it very the savour of His knowledge by us in every place.
concisely, we believe in a general preaching of a parti-     (And what is that savour of His knowledge? That
crLlar gospel.    Certainly the Word of God is made          God wills all men to be saved? Indeed not, for the
known to all that hear, even as the apostle expresses it apostle continues ;) For we are unto God a sweet savour
in Romans 10 : 18: "But 1 say, Have they not heard? of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that
Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and         perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto
their words unto the ends of the world". But its mes- death ; and to the other the savour of life unto life.
sage of comfort, its assurance of salvation, comes only And who is sufficient for these things? For we are
to those that believe, whose faith is a gift of God. not as many, which corrupt the word of God : (Such
Again I would ask, why is it impossible to believe in as those that make of it a well-meaning offer of salva-
election, that God does  not  will.the salvation of all men, tion for all men.) but as of sincerity, .but as of God,
but only of His elect, and still believe in a general in the sight of God speak we in Christ."
preaching unto all  Znen promiscuously? Would it be             The word Missions literally means to send, to de?e-
impossible over a national radio hook-up, to address gate, to perform some service or function by authority.
only  t.hose of foreign birth? All that tuned in would fn connection with our subject, in the theological sense
hear,  but the message would only be for those who of the word, it means to send forth men with authority
were born outside of our shores. Thus it is also in the to preach the  GospeI  and administer the sacraments,
preaching of  +&he Word of God. When God's Word and  Qhat upon the authority from God. The term
calls the hungry and thirsty, the weary and  ,heavy          Missions is not a Scriptural term. It is not literally
laden, the `blind, the naked, the poor, the lost, then found in Holy Writ. All that the term implies, how-
all hear the sound of these words, but the Lord calls        ever, is found in the so-called great commission, Mat-
a very distinct and a very peculiar people. For thus         thew 28 :19, 20 : "Go ye, therefore, and teach all na-
He calls His sheep by name, and they hear His voice.         tions, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and
He does not cal,l the righteous, and jby nature every of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to
man is righteous in :his own eyes, but he calls sinners observe'all  things, whatsoever I have commanded you:
to repentance, i.e., those that acknowledge their sins, and lo, I am with you alway,  even unto the end of the
and that hunger and thirst after righteousness. No,          world. Amen." These words indeed embody all that
not we make the distinction, we must bring the Word is  imphed in the term  Missions. The Lord sent forth
to all unto whom.the Lord sends us, but the Word of          His apostles wtih the authority to preach the gospel
God, as a sharp two edged sword, makes distinction and to administer the sacraments. Go ye. . . . To do
and seperates between the righteous and the wicked, mission work, to preach the gospel is a command of
between those whom God has chosen and those whom Christ. Not to do it is disobedience. No church, that
He has not. Not we, but the Word of God seperates            is worthy of the name, can be disobedient to this clear
the sheep from the goats. In this world this separation      command of its Lord and King. "And teach all na-
is not  Ioca1,  but spiritual and ethical, while its visible tions," not merely the Jews, but  all nations;  both Jew
manifestation awaits the day of judgment. Therefore          and Gentile, richand poor, bond and free. Beginning
the purpose of God, in the preaching of the Word, is         at Jerusalem, Luke  24:47,  and then to the uttermost
not only obtained in those that believe, but also in those parts of  _ the earth. "Teuching  them to observe all
l2-d do not believe. And the minister of the gospel,         things," mark you, all things. Hence  the preacher
the preacher of the Word of God, must know, that he or missionary must not come with a gospel that can
is a sweet savour unto God, not  only  in %hose that are be written on a thumbnail, or tihat you can put up;.?
saved, but also in those that perish. 2  Car. 2  :14-1'7.    a billboard or spare tire, but he must teach men to b-
   After these preliminary remarks it must have be- serve all things: the whole counsel of God, as it has
come evident that our attitude over against missions been revealed unto us in His Word.  "Whatsoever   I
can never be that of the Arminian conception, of a  well-    have commanded you."        A missionary or preacher
meaning offer of salvation unto all men promiscuously, may never speak his own word, or his own opinion; but
and which has as its primary purpose the saving of only that which Christ has commanded him. Strictly
souis.    Al.11 Arminianism is essentially humanism and speaking he has nothing of his own to deliver, and
therefore must lead to Modernism, because it makes whenever he speaks his own word, apart from the

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

Word of Christ, he ceases to be a missionary. Even in those who believe but also in those that perish. 2
as an ambassador, who has a definite message to deliver Cor. 2 : 14-15.
in the name of his government, may not express his               We must warn against  the wrong attitude towards
own opinion, and if he does he cannot do so in his            missions of the Pelagians and Arminians. They go out
capacity as an ambassador, even so a missionary or from the erroneous doctrines of universal atonement
preacher, has a very definite mission, and that mission and of a general well-meant offer of salvation. Ac-
is, to speak onIy  whatsoever Christ has commanded cording to them, the atonement of Christ, as far as
him.                                                          God is concerned, was intended for all men, but
      These words of Christ were first of a11 addressed to    whether or not it shall be effective depends upon man's
the apostles. They  were delegated by Him to preach free will, whether he accepts or rejects the  gospeI
the Gospel and to administer the sacraments. The              invitation. Hence, tlhey  believe that the Kingdom of
word  upostle,  literally means, one sent forth. They God depends upon the free will of man and upon our
were directly sent by Christ, "Go  l/e. . .  ." These efforts. Man must save souls for Christ. Many thou-
words, however, cannot  possi;bly be limited to the           sands, according to them, perish every year, yea, every
persons  of the apostles, but were addressed to them as day, which could have been saved, if we had brought
tlhe representatives of the New Testament Church.             them the offer of salvation. This conception induced
The apostles  personally   could not  fuifill the task of a well known secretary of missions, to base  lhis appeal
preaching the gospel in all the zuorld. Neither can the for missions upon a line of David, "The king's business
promise, "And lo, I am with you, even unto the end of         requires haste." But their very actions belie their
the world," be limited to the lifetime of the apostles. .words, for if this were actually true, that many thou-
Hence it is to the New Testament Church in the world          sands are perishin,g  daily, that could be saved by our
that the Lord addresses His command, "Go ye!" It is efforts, how can they stand so idly by, when every day
well to emphasize this, especially in our day, that the thousands of souls are perishing. Such a conception
work of missions is not the calling of the individual, is a denial of the most fundamental reformed truths.
of societies, of boards, or of alliances, but the Church,     It is a denial of God's sovereignty, of man's total
and the Church only has the commission to preach the depravity, and also that faith is a gift of God. Essen-
gospd.      Indeed, by virtue of the office of believers,     tially the first of the "Three Points" of 1924, which
every child of God has an earnest calling to let his          teaches a well meant offer of salvation unto all, goes
light shine and to bear witness of the truth, but only        out from this erroneous doctrine of Arminianism.
the Church as institute has the commission to preach             Over against this erroneous conception we must
the word. Therefore Christ has given unto her "some maintain  that Christ and He alone, gathers His church,
apostles, some prophets, some evangehsts  and some which has been chosen unto everlasting life. He is the
pastors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, great missionary, even as our Heidelberg Catechism
for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the         expresses it so beautifully, where we read, "That the
body of Christ  :" Eph. 4 :11, 12. Rence,  not the indi- Son of God, from the beginning to the end of the world,
vidual believers, but the Church has received the divine gathers, defends, and preserves to Himself by His
commission to preach the gospel, and she fulfills her         Spirit and Word, out of the whole human race, a
task through the ministry.                                    church chosen to everlasting life." According to this,
      Therefore the missionary or preacher, who has it is all His work, and His alone. There is absolutely
truly been called of God through His church, goesforth. nlthing of man in it.  It is all of God, according to
upon the command of, and in the name of Christ.               His good pleasure, through Christ's Word and Spirit.
They are the ambassadors of Christ, who is the Lord           God is the beginning, the middle and the end of all
of lords, and the King of kings. From this follows that missionary labors, and Christ is  the  missionary. And
they come with authority. They do not come with a thus it is indeed. All that departs from this truth,
mere invitation, or a wellmeaning offer, but they come all prattle of saving souls for Christ, no matter how
and speak with authority. The returning refrain of            pious it may seem, is a departure from the truth.
their ministry is, "Thus saith the Lord!" They come           -4nd if for this truth we are accused of being  anti-
with the command, "Let the wicked forsake his way,            mission, let us bear this reproach for Ghrist's  sake.
and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return unto Thus also the Lord Himself taught us, when He said,
the Lord" ; and "Be ye holy, even as 1 the Lord thy "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am
God am holy; "Not to heed them is to disobey Christ. known of mine. . . . And other sheep I have, which
Indeed, with the same authority, they assure all those are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they
that repent and believe, of divine forgiveness and of         shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold and
eternai  life, while upon ail those that do not believe and one shepherd." John 10 :14, 16. Also in ddhn 12:32:
repent they pronounce the wrath and the judgments of "And I, when I shall be lifted up, shall draw all unto
God. And such a true ambassador of Christ has the me." Again I Rev. 3 :`I: "These things saith he. . . .
assurance that he is a sweet savour unto God, not only that hath Ithe key of David, he that openeth and no


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                            17

man shutteth; and shutteth and no man openeth." this torch of truth, and hand it down undiminished,
Thus also expressed in our Psalter,                            yea, burning brighter than ever, to the coming genera-
                                                               tions.
           "The Lord our God builds of His church,                       In order to do this we must know our Reformed
           He seeks her wandering sons,                        Confessions, study them, cherish them, maintain and
           Ne binds their wounds and gently heals,             defend them over against all heresies. Especially as
            The broken hearted ones."                          covenant youth in our societies. Ye are indeed the
                                                               salt of the earth, not in the sense of being a preserva-
     But you ask, does He not use men for this purpose? tive against the corruption of this world, as it is often
Indeed He does. As we have seen He,gives some to be erroneously explained, but from the point of view of
apostles, some prophets, etc. And those whom He calls its savour. If salt has lost its savour, it is good for
unto this task must indeed be faithful in their calling. nothing, but to be trodden under the feet of men, so
Rut even then it is Christ that gathers His church, and also we as Protestant Reformed youth only have right
never is it the work of men.  .It is His Word,  His            of existence as long as we are faithful  to our distinct
Church,  His Spirit. It is His mission, He sends, Ne           Reformed heritage.
regenerates, He calls, He gathers, protects and pre-              We must also propogate these principles beyond the
serves.      And when the great task of missions shall sphere of our own churches. We must seek to share
have been accomplished, and the great multitude of the this glorious truth of God's sovereign grace with
elect from every nation shall have been gathered, then others, and warn against those that would deny this
it will be perfectly evident that it was all the work %ruth. First of all it is our calling to do this over
of Christ, and of Him alone. There will not be one against the churches that have so cruelly cast us out.
single part, of which we will be able to say, this or We must seek to reveal' unto her the error of her way
that is our contribution to the kingdom of God. (Soli          and call `her to repentance. This task has especially
Deo Gloria!) There will not be any stars in  our crown, been entrusted unto me as your home missionary, and
but we shall aI1 be stars in His crown.                        by the grace of God I have labored in this difficult call-
     We must also warn against those that would em- ing for the past three years, and your convention has
phasize missions ( ?) at the expense of the truth. Those served as a great incentive to continue. And may
that care nothing about pure doctrine, and who would God's bIessing so rest upon you and upon our churches,
erase every line of demarcation, not only between de- that the day may come that we may carry the  bllhner
nominations, but even between the church and the of the truth of His sovereign grace to ever wider f&I&
                                                                                                                    ,             I
world, but are so concerned about bringing the Gospel of labor.
to the poor heathens. They are willing to sacrifice so                                                    Rev. B. Kok.
that children of heathen lands may be instructed in                                                                       *  ;
the truth, but-entirely neglect the Christian education
of their own children, yea, send them to schools, where
Christ and His Word are denied. Let me warn you
against such an attitude, and remind you that God                         Minutes of the Convention
realizes His covenant in the line~of generations. Our
first calling is to instruct our own children in the fear         In this report of the minutes of our latest Federa-
of the Lord, for if `we do not, our own children might tion Convention the undersigned wil1 confine herself
soon degenerate into heathendom. Not many genera- to the business transacted, as the other activities such
tions ago,( there are approximately but 150 genera- as speeches, banquet and program numbers will be
tions from Noah unto the present time) even the very recorded in this issue of the Standard Bearer by others.
darkest of heathendom had access to the Divine revela-            The business sessions were opened in the morning
tion of salvation. It `is positively wicked to be an en- of Thursday, Aug. 22, by the Rev. L. Vermeer, after
thusiastic supporter of Missions (?) and at the same our President, Homer Kuiper, read Psalm 144 and the
time sacrifice our own children to the Molochs of this Psalter number 311 was sung by the delegates. The
world. Indeed we must do the one and not neglect the           rol1 call was then taken and ali societies were repre-
other, and in our missionary labors we. must always sented, including the three new member societies of
begin at Jerusalem.                                            Creston, Kalamazoo and RooseveIt~  Park. The minutes
     8Hence  it is first of aI1 our calling to preserve the    of the previous convention were then read by the secre-
glorious heritage that is ours. In the midst of a world tary and declared approved by the President when
that is flooded with the heresy of Arminianism, we no remarks were registered against them. It was
have been privileged with the truth of God's sovereign moved to accept the three above mentioned societies
grace. That torch of truth has been handed down to us as members of our Federation, which motion was ac-
by the generations of God's covenant  people. In spite cepted.
of dungeon, fire and sword. For thattruth  our fathers            Mr. A. 6. Boerkoel,  representing the Men's League,
have suffered and died. It is our calling to preserve
.                                                              asked and received the Aoor and extended the greet-
                                                                                           . .    -  1


  is                                   T.HE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

  ings of his organization. Upon request of the presi- and accepted to attempt uniting the Western League
  dent, the Rev. L. Vermeer responded in the name of the wjth our Federation. The committee appointed to
  Federation, assuring the League of our well wishes carry out this work consisted of John Piersma,  June
  and heartiest co-operation in matters wherein the two DeZeeuw,  Grace Lubbers, and Walter Hofman.
  organizations have joint interests. A motion was also           A proposal of the Fuller Ave. Societies to find a
  accepted to extend a courtesy vote to all ministers more suitable means of expression for the Federation
  present.                                                     than is now offered by "Our Church News" was put
        Miss Betty Van Dellen then gave a formal report into the hands of the publication committee of South
  of the constitution committee, which report was ac- Holland. A motion to express our thanks to the Fuller
  cepted for information. It was decided that with the         Ave. Societies in being our hosts this year was un-
  reading of the various articles of the proposed consti- animously accepted. AIso it was decided to accept as
  tution, any article or by-law upon which no remarks our own, the expression of congratulations to the Rev.
  were made, was automatically accepted. Various art- H. Hoeksema on the 26th anniversary of his active
  icles were amended or changed, which need not be ministry which appeared in our Souvenir Booklet.
  reported here, since the constitution as revised and Being notified of this expression from the Federation,
  amended will be printed and sent to all societies hold- the Rev. Hoeksema appeared and asked for the fioor
  ing membership in the Federation. We may remark in order to express his heartiest thanks for this remem-
  here that a lively and interesting debate centered brance and wished the Federation the Lord's richest
  about the question  w`hether  any articles in the con: blessings.
  stitution should be unalterable or unchangeable, espec-         The election of officers took place as follows: Vice
   ially as pertaining to the article on the purpose and       Pres.-Walter  Hofman; Treas-John  Piersma  ; Vice
  basis of the Federation. This debate brought to the Sec'y-Treas.-Alice Rietsma and Advisor the Rev. B.
  foreground the question whether or not a fallible body Kok. The President, Secretary and our two advisors
  or group of Christians could in the future change an will continue another year in office. An invitation of
  article which positively states "we stand on the infal- the Fuller Ave. Societies was  entended  to meet in
  lible Word of God". However it was decided that the Grand Rapids again the coming year. This invitation
1 one article pertaining to basis and purpose could not was declined with thanks, upon an invitation coming
   be changed. Also the change was approved to elect as from Oak Lawn to meet there in 1941. The latter in-
   President and Vice-president, only those who are mem- vitation was accepted by unanimous vote. Due to the
   bers in  full communion in one of our Prot. Ref. late hour it was decided to leave in the hands of the
   Churches. It was decided to eliminate from the by- Executive committee the approval of the concept min-
  laws the rule that future conventions be. held in the utes. After the motion to adjourn was adopted, the
   month of August, and instead to have the executive president asked the Rev. L. Vermeer to cIose the meet-
  board stipulate the time of future meetings, after con- ing with thanksgiving, after which the Doxolgy was
   sulting the societies. Further it was included in the       sung.                   Respectfully submitted,
' by-laws  that  : "all officers must retain membership in                               Alice Van  Baren,  Sec'y.
  a Y.  P. Society during their tenure of office, otherwise
  the officer must resign." After all proposals pertain-
  ing to the constitution were approved, the constitution
  as changed and amended, unanimously ratified by the
  delegates present. The committee chosen to have the                           HeJp Wanted!
  constitution printed were Alice Rietsma, Hanna Bloem
  and John Piersma.                                               Wanted-hundreds of liveIy, peppy, Protestant Re-
        The reports of the Secretary and of the Treasurer formed young men and young women who are willing
   were now read and approved. An auditing committee to give a generous part of their time and energy to the
  to examine the books was appointed consisting of development and support of our Federation.
   George Lanting, Jacob Regnerus and Janet Smits. A              What work is there that must be done? First of
   letter of greetings was received from the Young all, the Publication Committee is endeavoring to launch
   People's Society of Manhattan, whcih was accepted a Federation paper in the near future. This is going
  for information.  -4 committee was appointed to study to be your paper, devoted to the current needs of young
  the idea of organizing our Societies into leagues, this people. Among its features will be included a Bible
  committee, which is to report at the next convention, study outline suitable for Bible discussion hour in the
   consists of Jennie De Jong,  -4nn Windemuller and various societies. Another feature wil probably be the
   Grace Monsma. During the morning recess coffee was offering of a Scripture memorization plan. This plan
  served and tea in the afternoon by the host societies will include a systematic arrangement of texts as  well
   of Fuller Ave. We need not mention that this was as hints and suggestions as to the best methods to
   enjoyed by all. After recess a proposal was considered follow  in memorization work, Still another feature


                                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          i9

     will be timely editorials on questions and problems
     which we as young people must face today. Now in                               An Interesting Discussion
     order that this project may be a success, it is necessary
     that the Publication Committee has your full support.                 At the after-dinner program of the banquet which
     This is an ambitious undertaking, yet it can and will marked the closing of the second convention, the host
     be a success if YOU ,get  busy and see that your Society           committee had arranged an interesting debate on the
     has a hundred percent subscription.                                topic, "Should doctrinal differences be minimized ?"
         Another project requiring your aid is the lecture The affirmative position was maintained by two young
     plan. which the executive board will sponsor during the men of Fuller Ave. Young Men's Society, John Piersma
     winter months. We plan to have a combined lecture and Walter Hofman. The negative was represented
     and social gathering. We assure you that worth-while by two young ladies from Talitha Society, Alice Reit-
     topics will be treated as well as the best speakers will sma and Eileen Slopsema. No judges were needed
     be available. Your very important part is that you because the Messr.  Piersma  and Hofman capitulated
     give the proper publicity to these arrangements so that            to the negation in their closing speeches. In order'that
     they will be a smashing success.                                   the views expressed might have a wider circulation,
         Thirdly, begin to work to come to the big annual               the debaters have consented to the publication of their
     convention at Oak Lawn next year. Anyone who has speeches. They are as follows:
     been at our last two conventions wili certainly say that
     if you miss this meeting, you are missing the greatest                                  ,~ Debate ,                   ~
     inspirational gathering of our young  peopie.
        Per.haps  your society is not a member of the Feder- RESOLVED : That Doctrinal-Differences Dividing
     ation. Well, now is the time to do something about it.                             Denominations Should Be Minimized.
     Don't let distance or any factor hinder you or cause
     you to have any misgivings. We have provisions for                 Pro:-
     associate as well as full membership and we suggest
     that you instruct your secretary to correspond with the                  AFFIRMATIVE-1st Constructive Speech
     Federation  secretary,  Miss Alice Van  Baren, 1129                   Strictly speaking, this is not a debate. It might
     Bates St., S. E., Grand Rapids, Michigan, and you can better be called a series of pro and con speeches on the
     be sure that a suitable arrangement will be made with stated'topic.
     your local Society.
        Let's get busy, then. Roll up your sleeves and pitch               We of the affirmative can  aIready feel the prick
     in and you can be sure of a blessing, for as you sow,              of the thorns and briars of the "scourge" in our backs
                  ..,
     so shall you reap.                                                 and hear the epithets of "despicable curs and .miser-
                                                                        able creatures" ringing in our ears.
                                             Homer G.  Kuiper.             To allay a misunderstanding, we fee1 that a few
                                    -                                   words of explanation are in order. Because of the
                                                                        nature of the subject, it becomes necessary for us to
                              IN MEMORIAM                               affirm several things whicih are not necessarily our
                                                                        heart-felt convictions. We hope to show rather by our
                                                                        speeches the complete absurdity of the supposition of
1        The  undersigned consistory  of the  Protes6ant  Reformed
     Church of Sioux Center, Iowa, wishes to express its sympathy       the resolution. We ask you to bear this in mind as we
     to  its fellow-member  atnd elder, Nick Buyert,  & the  Ioss of    proceed.
     his father. May God give us peace in all our troubles.                As is customary for the first affirmative speaker,
                                                                        it is my task to define the terms of the subject. By
                              Consistory of the Prot. Ref. Church,      "minimized" we understand the "process of reducing
                                            John Broek, Vice Pres.      to the smallest possible part". "Denomination", which
         Sioux Center Iowa.                                             is derived from the Latin  "Nomen",  meaning "to
                                                                        name", and with the  preti "de" means "that which is
                                                                        named". In our subject, therefore, "a group named
                                                                        alike". Denomination is not strictly an ecclesiastical
                                   NOTICE                               term. It is used in connection with several things, as
         The new address of the Treasurer of the Standard for example money, bilIs being of one denomination,
                                                                        etc. In ecclesiastical circles*, however, there are several
     Bearer is 1101  Hazen  Sreet, S. E. Grand Rapids,                  denominations-unnecessariIy  so, as will be pointed
     Michigan.           Please bear this in mind when you send out. Bringing to mind a few, there are the Protestant
                                                                        Reformed, Christian Reformed, Reformed, Episco-
     in your Subscription Dues.                                         palian, etc.


      20                                       TNHE  S T A N D A R D .   B E A R E R

            "Doctrine", also derived from a Latin word "docere"           That is what doctrine does. It constricts us in body
      means "to teach" or that "which is taught". Doctrine, and mind so that we lose sight of the important truth
      therefore is the  tea&ing of a particular group. A that Christ died and will save all His own, and not only
      mere definition of this term does not designate its real those in a special group. All the elect are not present
      meaning.       What it really implies in relation to our here tonight. All those that will inherit the Kingdom
      subject will be brought out a little later.                      of God do not go to the Protestant Church. Who dare
             I will point out that doctrines should be minimized deny that some from every nation and creed will see
      because it is not the essential thing, nor is it under- God and reign with Him?
      stood as such.                                                      What difference does it make then whether we all
             My colleague will show the way in which peaceful          agree as to what is taught in its entirety. All profess
      harmony can reign in a united Church.                            the same God and receive the same reward of life ever-
             There.are a few observations I would like to make lasting where love shall reign. That, too, should be .our
      concerning the subject. First, it admits of differences aim in this life, forgetting petty d,ifferences  and having
      -nor would anyone deny this. All that is necessary no Creed but Christ and Him crucified.
      is to look around `and see the several names of the                 Think, too, of the ugly picture the Church must
      several Churches, revealing the great disagreement present before the world when engaged in one of her
-.    among church-goers.                                              periodic quarrels. We, who should be an example be-
            Secondly, it implies that these differences are of an fore men, arguing and quarrelling not as Christians
      essential nature for they divide denominations. But,             living in love, but as men and women of the world who
      is this really a fact? By investigation we find that are self-centered and self-righteous.
      these. differences are really non-essential. The example            Neither is this the way we are taught to do. Christ's
      which lies closest to our hearts is the split. between the teaching was not so. His was informal and construc-
      Protestant Ref. and Christian Ref. Churches. A separ-
      ation not of essential differences, but merely a differ- tive, deriving its great power from His works.
      ence of teachings. We, and they, still have the same                The Scribes and Pharisees on the other hand were
      Creeds, the same standards. We still. both strive for steeped in doctrine.               Theirs was a formal compact
      the same goal. The difference is only one of opinion.            `body of knowledge strictly adhered to and handed
             The same' is true of the differences between the          down from one generation to another. Of them we
      Reformed and the Christian Reformed Churches. Nei- are warned- "beware of doctrines of the Pharisees".
      ther was this split of an essential nature. Its cause But what is the testimony of Christ? "He taught as
      was a difference of opinion among the various leaders one having authority and not as the Scribes".
      over  such questions as "admission of lodge members",               What then was the essential teaching of Jesus?. In
      the "insurance question", and other minor matters.               its development by the apostles it `has three main char-
             So we could go on comparing Baptists and the Re- acteristics :
      formed, or the Methodists and Episcopalians, and we                     (1) That Jesus was Christ.
      would have to conclude each time that the differences                   (2) That He was risen from the dead.
      were really not of an essential nature.                                 (3) That salvation was by faith in His name.
             Thirdly, besides essential differences, there are also       It is further developed by Paul in his Epistles.
      non-essential differences, which may still exist within There are several references in his Epistles to sound
      a particular  Church. Nor can anyone deny this. I am             doctrine, which implies that a body of teaching had
      quite tempted to say that no two people see "eye to eye"         emerged which should serve as a standard of Ortho-
      on all of the various minute details involved in Church
      teachings. No, not even in our own denomination,                 doxy. The content of this is nowhere implicitly stated,
      which pounds away at doctrine so fervently.                      but it is a very probable inferende  that these references
            This is all we ask, that differences among individuals are to the Roman formula, which later became known
      be acknowledged and tolerated.                                   as the "Apostles Creed". Upon this Creed rests the
             Everyone knows and feels. that it is much more            Church. It must become the great common  denomin-
                                                                       ater, which will unit all of the factions into a Universal
      preferable to live as congregations in a spirit of love
      and fellowship, rather than to be continually `bickering Church of God.
                                                                          All who profess this Creed have said enough.
      and quibbling about non-essentials.
             Doctrine is harped upon often at the expense of            "I believe in God the Father Almighty
      true Christianity.                                                 Maker of Heaven and earth
             Many believe that  becanse  they belong to a certain        And in Jesus Christ his Only Begotten Son, our Lord
      denomination professing a logical system of thought,               Who was *conceived of the Holy Spirit,
      that they will be saved. No matter how they may  treat             Born of the Virgin  Mary,
      their neighbor, they go to "the" Church and possess                He suffered and died under Pontius Pilate.
      all that is necessary,                                             Was crucified, dead and buried.


          !.                            `2`



                                      T H E   ` S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       21

   He descended into Hell.                                    ing ear-mark must in that same measure, be classified
   The third day he arose again from the dead,                as the faIse church.
   He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right              What is wrong with so many of our modern
     hand of God the Father,                                  churches today? Why is it that sound, weII-founded,
   From thence he shall come to judge the quick and           shaI1 we say "well-doctrinized"  Christians cannot enjoy
     the dead.                                                or gain spiritual benefit from many sermons preached
   I believe in the HoIy Ghost.                               from their pulpits ? Why is it that from many of them
   I believe an Hoy Catholic Church,                          you would hear little more than an inspirational ad-
   The communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins,          dress, a pep-talk or a sermonette? Why? Because
   The resurrection of the body, and,;                        thei,r  doctrinal differences that once existed have long
   Life everlasting."                                         since been so minimized that they no Ionger have doc-
                                     Walter Hofman            trinal standards  ; they have no . doctrinal differences
                                                              and therefore no basis of unity. They now concern
                             -                                themselves with. present-day economic conditions and
                                                              perhaps can give you a fairly good remedy for them or
Con:-                                                         can tel1 you what's wrong with HitIer or who shall w,in
                                                              the war. The ear-mark of the true Church, the preach-
                NEGATIVE-1st Constructive Speech              ing of the pure doctrine of the gospei, is obsolete and
   The proposition  has already been stated. We. of ,oId-fashioned.  To be sure their inspirational address
the negation maintain that doctrinal  d'ifferences  divid- will be based on a Scripture text, but' for illustration
ing denominations should not be minimized, but on the and authority, they will hand you just a bit of Shakes-
contrary, that they should be emphasized. Doctrine is peare or the theories of some supposedly great scien-
the very backbone of the Ghurch  ; therefore to mini- tist.
mize that doctrine would rob her of her very right to            The calling of the true Church according to 2 Tim
exist.                                                        4:2 is "Preach the Word, be instant in season, out of
                                                              season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with al1 Iong-suffer-
   Doctrine, we understand from our opponents, means ing and doctrine." Now we are asking our opponents
teachings-teachings of the Word of God, teachings of to reconcile, *if they can, that text, that sacred calling,
the true  Church  with respect to that Word. You will with their idea of minimizing doctrinal. differences.
agree that God entrusted His Word to His Church Is it possible, do they think, to preach the Word and at
that she might preserve it, propagate and proclaim it, the same time to minimize it? We have proved that
maintain it, and defend it. Now when the Gh,urch so to minimize doctrine would inevitabIy  mean.minimizing
maintains and- defends it and also when she so rejects the BibIe,-God's Word can never be separated from
the errors of those that preach contrary notions there- doctrine. Or perhaps can they reprove, rebuke and
to, that Church expresses her doctrine. Therefore in- exhort with a11 long-suffering and doctrine" and at the
asmuch as the Word must be proclaimed and defended, same time minimize that very doctrine? We maintain
we must have doctrine,, and inasmuch as these will al- it is impossible!
ways be those that oppose that true doctrine, we  must           AIIow me. to show by way of Ilustration how a policy
have doctrinal differences.                                   of minimizing doctrinal differences with respect to
    Since doctrine is then the ground on which the            church membership would lead to a false church. Pic-
true Church is built and since doctrinal differences are ture with me a church, probably a small one, one that
therefore inevitable, I shall attempt to prove that to has heretofore consistently borne the ear-marks of the
minimize  that doctrine wouI,d in the first pIace be a        true Church. Fifty percent of this congregation is
very definite step in the wrong direction, a very definite    made up of parents and smaller children  whiIe the
aid to the  faIse church. iKy- colleague later will point other fifty percent consists of young people, "eligibles"
out that to minimize doctrinal differences would cause we'll call them, all about to be married to young people
the Church to hide the truth. .                               from other churches between whom there do exist very
    According to Article 29 of our Belgic Confession,         definite doctrinal differences. I'11 stop right `here to
one of the marks by which the true Church is known admit that this ilIustration is preposterous and far-
is the preaching of the pure doctrine of the Gospel. I fetched to be sure, but what is impossible at a point of
repeat, the pare doctrine of the Gospel. It is o&y that time may easily become the result of a gradual develop-
pure doctrine with which we are concerned tonight; ment over a period of several centuries.
we are not considering those doctrinal differences               It so happens that all of these prospective husbands
which might separate two or more false churches. and wives have been pursuaded to become members of
Now it must foollow  that if the preaching of the pure this church not because they acknowledge that the doc-
doctrine of the  GospeI  must characterize the true           trine taught there is the true and most perfect doctrine
Church, all churches who do not bear that distinguish- of salvation but because the doctrinal differences were


2     2                                      TlHE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

     not so essential after all and "at all cost they must have matter where you stand in relation to this question.
     peace in the  famiIy". The church officials having had Every movement, whether religious, or political, or
     visions of the results of a fifty percent membership             social, or whatever it may be, must have, and neces-
     increase, now decide to accept our opponents' policy of sarily does have certain teachings, or ideas that are
     minimizing doctrinal differences and accept the new fundamentai  to it, and without which that movement
     members on that basis. As a result you have a picture by the very nature of the case would drop out of exist-
     something Iike this. One third of the congregation re- ence. If the orthodox Christian denominations would
     mains as before; another third is made up of the new eliminate the doctrines of the substitutionary atone-
     members who disregard what they consider "non-essen- ment, or justification by grace, or any other simiIar
     tials", and the other third consists of those who have tenet, it is very evident that the very idea of Christian-
     compromised  wi*th  the  previousiy  mentioned third. ity would have to be eiiminated.
     Those who have a real concern for the mark of the true              Nor do we have any desire to squeioh  a11 dissention,
     Church are now in the minority-a sad picture indeed ! and hide under certain phases of the Christian faith
           I repeat, this is a fantastic and impossible illustra-     in order to preserve peace. Discussion is a good thing.
     tion but not too fantastic to deveIop  over a period of          However, we wish to eliminate  al1  quibbbng, and
     three or four generations. Look about you-it has bickering-in short, we wish to grant to every person
     happened in history!                                             agreeing to the doctrine set forth in the Apostles' Greed
           We believe that our opponents' strongest argument a right to his or her opinion in regards to the details
     is that of the desirability of unity in the Church. We of these doctrines. Let us be tolerant, and not attempt
     certainly agree that  the Church as the Body of Christ to force our conceptions on someone else!
     is One and that it ought to be made manifest in the                 For after all, none of us would dare to admit that
     world as such. However we want unity  in. the true we agree perfectly in every little thing with any one
     Church-never a unity between the true and false other person, whoever that person may be. They teI1
     Church ! Unity, but not compromise !                             me that even husbands and wives do not  aIways see eye
           Rev. Hoeksema in his book on the history of our to eye on everything, and,  athough  I really know very
     own churoh  said, "Far more precious than any externa1           little about  this from personal experience, I suppose,
     unity is the truth, and  whiIe the former must often be that if in that intimate relation agreement is not en-
     sacrificed on the alter of the latter, never may truth tirely possible, among men not so  closeiy bound to-
     be sacrificed for the cause of an external oneness of gether agreement is `still less possible. And this fact
     the Church as an organization in the world".                     is not difficult to understand, is it? For after all, ail
           Shall we then as our opponents suggest, minimize of  !us are very really different. We are a11 individuals,
     those  doctrina1  differences that are dear to us, minimize having our own personal traits, natures, characteris-
     that pure doctrine of the gospel that marks us as the tics, .etc. None of us can view the same thing and see,
     true Church ? On the contrary, we of the negation                I mean "see" in the broader sense of the word, the
     maintain that we should not  onIy   not  minimize it, not same thing. Strange as perhaps this may sound to you,
     only emphasize it, but that we should study it, talk it nevertheless is true. Therefore, the negative  postu-
     about it, and-make it our own. We as young people                Iates here that those doctrinai  "differences" dividing
     should find where we stand, then stand there, and as denominations should be minimized.
     Paul says, stand fast!                                              And, if we anaIyze  the subject materia1  furnishing
                                          EIIeen  Slopsema.           rn'sc for disagreement among Christians we can readi-
                                                                      Iv  see that agreement is hardly possible. Examine
     (The first  af%mative speaker filled in for Gertrude Yonker      with me for a moment such tremendous concepts as
     who submitted to  am operation just a week previous.)      .,    Immortality, Creation, the Incarnation, and; even the
                                                                      concept of God, Himself! Who will dare to claim the
                                                                      iasit word in respect to these and al1 of the other things
     Pro:-                                                            discussed in the Scriptures? To ask the question is
                                                                      to answer it. None of us  will presume to believe that
            AFFIRMATIVE-2nd Constructive Speech                       he or she has exhausted the potential wealth of thought
                                                                      that any one of these subjects contains. We agree to
           The negative so far in this debate has assumed a them, that much is sure. And nevertheless, aIthough
     good deaI and has accused no iittle without a semblance we agree to them, we must admit that there must be
     of support. For example, the speaker that has just much about any one of these fundamentaI  doctrines
     left the  floor has stated that we must agree that "doc- that we do not understand. Therefore, the affirmative
     trine" is the backbone of the church. And allow me draws the conciusion  here that any attitude that seeks
     to assure you that we  certainIy  do agree that doctrine to  exdude  dissention in regards to the details of these
     is an essential thing in the Church. We must agree doctrines is not practicable, nor the right attitude tom
     with that statement, and you must agree to it, no assume.


                                      TJZE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           23

   This becomes still more apparent when we take a
glance at the average member in the pews. What abut
Mr. John Q. Churohmember-is or is he not able to                     NEGATIVE-2nd Constructive Speech
come to a real logicai  concl,usion  in regards to these         All that our opponents have done so far in this
machinations of the theologian. That is what most of
these doctrines are, I mean those dividing denomin-           debate is to try and find a road that runs between the
ations, aren't they?                                          narrow road of the truth and the broad road of the
                         They spring, of course, from the
minds of those most able and most active in these worId. But they. can't find any because there isn't any
matters, the ministers and professors in the semin-           there. There is no road that runs parallel to these two
aries, whose daily round of activity brings them into         roads ; but there is a road, a cross road, that branches
contact with the doctrines of the church constantly.          off from the narrow road of emphasizing the truth and
You and I, the average "layman", do not manufacture .run directly into the broad road of discarding the truth
hypotheses and conclusions in regards to what should and that is the road of minimizing the truth. And by
be believed and practiced in the church, do we? Of            the end of this debate, you will see clearly that that is
course not. We seem to have all we can do to assimi- the road w$hich our opponents must take.
late that w'hich is given us from the pulpit ,in cate-           Our opponents stated that we should not always be
chism, in the Society and in the Sunday School, and           harping on and wrangling and quibbling over doctrinal
through any other means employed by the church.               differences; that we  shouId   nothave hair-splitting and
And, isn't it true that amazing discoveries are  fre-         quarrels, because after all, we are all striving to go to
,quently  made when we seek to discover that which is the same place. That is not the point; however. We
actually understood by the average man. In spite of are called to live our lives as closely to God as possible
all the efforts of the above-mentioned agencies, very and God is Truth, therefore, ,we must have truth at
little seem to sink into the understanding. Conse- all costs. That this causes friction, we are willing to
quently, when theologians begin to' argue and to dis- concede, but we must not be afraid to offend with the
agree on a certain matter, most often a good deal of truth. Christ  EIimself  says, "Think not that I came
the argument goes over our heads. We spend our to send peace, but a sword."
time, for the most part in secular work, in activity             Our opponents went on to point out that the aver-
that excludes from our attention the things of the age layman does not understand these underlying doc-
spirit. Especially now, in our day and age, when com- trines anyway. However, if the people in the church
petition is keen in all lines of endeavor, and we are         are too ignorant to understand and appreciate the basic
required to exert the best that is in us to keep our jobs,    principles, things surely are not as they should be.
do we fmd it difficult to hold fast to that which we          This certainly can not be used as a reason for mini-
have. Besides, we have not been trained to think into mizing these principles. 6n the contrary, instead of
the more difficult aspects of these doctrines. All of minimizing the doctrines to suit those ignorant people,
this, and more, forces us to conclude that it certainly those ignorant, peopIe  had better do what Paul tells
is useless to expect the laity to be vitally concerned Timothy to do, that is, study so that he may be ap-
with the argumentation  of. theologians.                      proved of God and able to rightly tell what is truth and
   Finally, we wish to recommend the  followin;  plan what is not truth.
to you in regards to this situation. Do not think that           And that brings us to our. second point, namely,
we desire to minimize the problem as such. Rather, that if doctrinal differences are minimized the truth
we wish to maximize its importance as a destructive will remain hid. It stands to reason, the church must
power among orthodox Christians. It is sad that cer- have the truth to begin with. And since we believe
tain groups are denied the possibility of fellowship that our church has that truth, we wish to use our
with us because they feel that they must disagree in          denomination  as an example.
regards to our conceptions df various aspects of our             If we as Protestant Reformed Churches, were to
common faith. Let us therefore advocate that the minimize our doctrinal differences with other denomin-
church seek to confine itself to certain prescribed ations, we would, in the first place, have to discontinue
fundamentaIs;  and that these fundamentals be pre- the publication of these pamphlets on "The Millen-
requisite to membership. And also, that upon these nium", "Sin and Grace", "Baptism", etc., for, after all,
fundamentals entire agreement is not essential, al-           if we wish to minimize our doctrinal differences with
though desired, of course, but, that everyone is entitled other denominations we surely do not want these pam-
to his or <her own interpretation of the more remote          nhlets floating around, for they express what we up-
details of these doctrines. Then, if the fear of being hold as the pure preaching of the Word of God-our
branded  as  a heretic is removed from the scene of Doctrine. In the second pLce, we would certainly have
argument and discussion, men will feel encouraged to to call home our missionary. For, if we wish to mini-
meditate and to think for themselves upon the doc- mize our doctrinal differences with other denomina-
trines of the church.                 John Piersma.           tions, what in the worId  would our missionary be doing
                                         ,.


                                      TH%`STANDARD   B E A R E R

out in that field, working amongst the other denomina- hand, maintain that doctrinal differences should be
tions, telling them what we uphold to be the pure minimized, and then also admit that the church will
preaching of the Word of  God-ofr Doctrine. And in then have the existence of a jelly-fish because it will be
the. third place, I am very much afraid we wouId have         robbed of its doctrinal backbone, that it will no Ionger
to cut out-our Standard Bearer completely, for that is        bear the mark of the true church, and that it will have
the Bearer of our Standards-our doctrines, and if we to be satisfied to bury its principles for which it stands;
are going to minimize our doctrina1  differences with or on the other hand, they must agree with us that doc-
other denominations, we surely would not want to pub-         trine is the very backbone of the church, that the only
lish a magazine filled with what' we uphold to be the         way to maintain the true church is to maintain the
pure preaching of the Word of God--our  Doctrine.             princip1es  for which it is in existence, that the only
    So you see, if in our own denomination, we were           way to let our light shine out clearly is to reveal the
to minimize our doctrinal differences with other de- truth ; and that the only way these things can be done
nominations, we  wouId have to discontinue  al1 our           is .by emphasizing doctrinal differences between de-
efforts  to reveal the truth. And that  certainly.is..not     nominations.                               A l i c e   Reitsma.
what the Bible teaches us to do. The Bible tells us
Iet our light shine, to. gird our loins with the truth
and in Titus 2:7 we read, "In all things showing thy-
self an example of good works ; in doctrine, uncorrupt-
ness."                                                                                 Convention Theme  qong
    What is' true' of the denomination as a whole, is
aIsd true of the individuals of the denomination.                              THE CHURCH'S ONE FOUNDATION
    Our opponents have implied that for the sake of
&$&e and friendship, it is much better that friends do                         The Church's one Foundation,
not talk about their doctrina1  differences because a11 it                          Is Jesus Christ her Lord ;
doesis  create hard feelings and" everyone goes home                           She is His new creation,
hat,; under the collar. Well, sometimes it does take a                              By water and the Word:
little heat to produce the necessary effect, but at least                      From heav'n He came and sought her,
if you are a hot-head about your doctrine, you won't                               To be His holy bride ;
be accused of having cold feet. And, after all, what                           With His own blood He bought her
does a friendship amount to, if friends cannot talk                                 And for her life He died.
about `and agree on the thing which should. be dearest
to the heart of a Christian,`that  is the truth.                               Elect from ev'ry nation,
   Let us-see  what happens when friends do not dis-                                Yet one  o"er all the earth,
cuss their doctrinal differences. I read a book a short                        Her charter of salvation,
time ago a11 about the Negroes. You know, when one                                 One Lord, one faith, one birth;
darky starts singing a song, then all the other  da&es         I               One holy name she blesses,
start chanting the same tune. Now, if you, and your                      m          Partakes one  hoIy food,
friends of other denominations talk about the Bible and                        And to one hope she presses,
religion in generaI, but when it comes to your doctrinal                 .1        With ev'ry grace endued.
                                                                    .
differences, you think you had better  iet  that slide, so
you sort of beat around the bush and talk over it and                          Tho' with a  scornfu1  wonder,
around it, well, then, all you are really doing is just                            Men see her sore oppressed,
chanting the same tune. And, of course, there is al-                           By schisms rent asunder,
ways the method of keeping still  eompietely.         But,                         By heresies distressed,
when you go fishing, is there anything that irritates                          Yet saints their watch are keeping,
you more than when the fish keeps` its mouth shut?                                 Their cry goes up, How long?
Well, that is the fish's method of staying out of trouble.                     And soon the night of weeping,
And it is also the method used by a great number of                                Shah be the morn of song.
Christians..
   And, now, if you do not care to join in and chant                           Mid  toil and tribulation,
the same tune, or use the fish's method of keeping your                            And tumult of her war,
mouth shut to stay out of trouble, you wi1l become con-                        She waits the  consumation,
scious of a strong bond of fellowship between yourself                             Of peace for ever more ;
and your friends.with  whom you agree  doctrinahy.                             Till, with the vision  gIorious,
   So you see what is true of the `denomination as a                               Her longing eyes  8re blest,
whole, is also true of the individuais of the denomina-                        And the great church victorious,
tion: Now, then, our opponents'must  either, on the one                            Shall be the church at rest.


