 VOLUME  XVIII.                                                        NIARCH  1, 1942                                            NUMBER 11

                                                                              z&&eid zou leven, en  )dan,   -al:s   vrienldknecht   Gods
             ME.DIT-TIE"   ,1 over al, ,de werken van Gods handen hee:rschappij  zou r
                                                                              ihebben.  En  ,de Satan  Ihad  in-:  die.  `eerste   w#erel,d   `een
                                                                              inval gedaan, en was  ,aangevallen  `op dien eersten ko-
                                                                              n~ing,  ,orn jhem  te ,doen  afvallen van ,den  hoogen  God, en
                             Afgewezen  -                                     te bewegen -een  verbond te sluiten met .hem,  den vorst
                 En als.de  duivel  Hem geleid had op eenen                   ,der  *duisternis. En het was ,hem  gelukt. Schier zonder
              hoogen  berg, toonde  hij  Hem al de koninkrij-                 slag  `of stoot had  di,e  zeerste   k$necht  des  Heeren   .het
              ken (der  were6d,  in een oogenb,liik  tijds.  En de            koninkrijk aan hem  eolvergegeven.           Hij, Satan, .had  (de
              ,duivel  xeide  tot Hem: Ik xal u al deze ma&,                  eerste  slag  in zijn  b,ooze  worsteling met  [den   1,evenden
              en de heerlijkheid derxelve  koninlcrijken  ge-, Go,d gewonnen, ten  was overste dzezer  wereld geworden.
              veq;  wrunt   zij is  mij  overgegeven, en ik geef              Z:oo  althans, meende hij ;  iwant  hij verstond het niet,
        j     xe, wie ik ook wil; ~imdien  Gij  (dan  mij  zult              dat ook hetgeen hij in het eersie  Paradijs gedaan had,                      5
              aanbidden,  xoo   xal  het  cr,lles  uwe  zijn.  En             ouder  den &ad ldes  Al~lerhoogsten  s.t&d !                .      .
              Jezus   &ntzuoo~dend.e,           xeide  `tot hem: Ga weg.          Ln de ure zijner gewaande  ,overwinning   .htid  God .
              van  Mij,   Sst-n-!  want er is geschreven: Gij lde Heere hem echter `de nederlaag aangekond,igd.-
              zult den Heere, uwen God,  aa%idden,  en                           Hem  h,ad   #den  `donder van  Gods  Woord-in  de'o&en.
              Hem alleen dienen.                         L u k .   4:5,8.    *geklonken : "`Ik zal  vijandschp  zetten  tussc!hen  u .en
    Christus en Satan!                                                       tussohen  deze  TTOU~W,:  en  tussche,n;  uw zaad en haar
    De Koning bij ,de sgratie  Gods  ,en de usurpateur  !                    zaad  ;  (datzelve  zal  u den kop  vermolrzelen,  maar gij  -
    Zoo  toch  #ontmoeten  ze hier elkander: de  ,Gezalfde                   zult het ,de verzenen  vermorzelen.?'
l$oningsknecht   :des  Heeren  en de geweldenaar  .der                           En  ,de  ,Satan  had het verstaan. En niet begrijpend,
werel,d                 !                                         -          dat  ,hij  nooit iets anders zou vermogen  d,aa te doen het-
    En, vergeet het niet, beide staan hier naar  & `onder gen  d,e  Allerhoogste in Zijn  mijm%chtig  welb&agen                                      _
den  ra.aAd   Ides  Alhxhoogsten,   i,n  dienst van  ,dien   raad;           lover hem  <besloten  had., was  h.ij  uitgegaan, ,om  op te
pdat  hij verv,uld  worde en de beerlijkheild  d'es Vaders treden  als-DDE   loverste  dezer  %werelld,  en vast besloten  ,om                                  _
geopenbaard moge worden ; de En gewiBiglijk,  want door xde  .machten  .der  wereld overal  lhet  Zaa'd  der vrouw
het is  Zij,n  spijs den wil des Vaders te ,d'oen;  `de  ander. ten  doode  toe te  vervolgen,  en  ,om   te'verhinderen,   clat
tegen (wil  en ,dank,  want hoewel hij den;God  (des hemels het ooit hem zou  ve.rwinnen  en van den  tr,oon   (der
haat   ,en  *bedoelt   H'ern  te  wederstaan,  zal hij Hem  to'ch            w,ereld   stooten.   D,aardoor  kwam het, -dat  <overal  en
*moeten  `dienen.                                                            altijd  ,de  ,heidenen  woedden, en de  .volke$n  ijdelheid be-
  --Zoo  is hij hi'er,  de duivel, de tegenstander ~Go-d~s,  <die            ,dachten  ; ,da;ardoor  was het geschied, ldat, heel ,de `oudte
)den   All&hoogs;te  lastert,  ,O&I den  Geza$tXe   ,des  Heeren             bed:eel.ing  ,doo.r,  ,dle  komngen  der aarde zich hadlden  op-
te  .lwederstaan,  maar om  &daaria   tolc&  te  ,doen,  al wat              gestelId,  en  ,de  vorsten  tezamen beraadslaagd hadden
`<Gods  hand  en  G,ods  raad  t,evoren  bepaald had,  ,dat                  tegen  dsen  Heere, en tegen Zijnen Gezalfde. Daardoor
geschiedjen  zou".              -        -                                   kwam het, dat het  Zaald   ,der  vrouw `overal  en  lieel  de
   Zoo  bad ,hij  ,eens,  lalng  tevoren, ingang gevonden in                 tgeschi,edenis   ,dloo,r  gehaat en verdrukt was geworden,
het  eerste  Paradijs . ,Ook  daar verkeerde een ko,nings- -en dat men  Israel  van zijn jeugd. af  $op~  den  r.utg  ge-                                  _.
knecht  Gods,  staande  kin  vriends&apsverbon.d                 met zij- -pl,oegd   .had  en de voren  ldiep  had getrokken !
en Schepper,., opdat hij  "d,en   H,ee,re  zijgen God  zo,u                     Doch ziet, -Die  in den hemel woont- had #gelachen
kermen, van harte zou liefhebben, met  H.em   i.n   .eeluwige                "0%  ,dlat  vruchteloos gewoel", en had gespot met den


                                                                                                                      -_

                                                                                                                            _
                                                                                            




                                                                                                                                               ~.




      2 3 8                                       T H E   STA,NDAR'D   B E A R E - R 2 1 8   -                                            .

      "waan `der.  ,dwaze  volken."                                          ,overste  hij is.
           Hij had immers, k reeds `in  <het paradijs,, van  h&                En bovendien : ook tiij staat hier  ,onder  Gods  raad ;
      besluit verhaald !                                                     en die "ure" is  nolg  niet gekomen..
           Hij had immers Zijn Koninag  gezalfd over SiIon,  den                 Misschien begint hij  ,er  `ook iets van te verstaan,
      berg Zijner heiligheid. En aan  Sions  Koning, niet aan `dat  sop  die wijze ,de strijld  niet kan worden gewonnen.
      den vorst der lduisternis,  had Hij de heideeen  gegeven                   Maar  ,deze   Knecht  des  Heeren   `dan?  Zal Hij hier.
      tot Zijn ,erfd'eel,  de einden ,der  aard.e  tot Zijne.bezitting.      ni'et aanstonds  .den  strijd beslissen,  ,en  #den  menschen-
      En Hij zou hen verpletteren met een ijzeren .screpter,                 .moord,er   van  cden beginne voor  al,tij,d  van zijne ma&
      ,en hen in stukken-slaan als een  pottenbakker&at.              Hij    Iberooven  ? Hij zou het kunnen, want  ofscho.on  `Hij
      zou den kop der slang  vermlorzelen,   cde   .overh&en  en hier wel staat in de  igedaante  van  ,een   mensch'  is Hij
      machten  in het openbaar ten toon stellen als  leugenaars              tooh  eeuwiglijk in  ,de gestaltenis  Gods   i Hij is de
      ,en   ind:ringers,  als  meihteloozen  ,,en  rechitloozen,  :die  de Z,oon  ! Hij.  ijs God uit God, de Almachtige ! Hij is,
      ,eeuwige   ver,dio'emenis  waardig zijn  ; Hij  zo,u heel het naar  Zij,n  goddelijk Zijn  ,de eeuwige Heer, de  Souverin
     `  rijk   d,er',duist,ernis   vernietilgen,   ,en  zijn  `eigen  rijk, het van hemel en aarde. Ook van dezen Satan, den overste
     Konink@ij  k d.er  hemelen opri,ohten  en volmaken, waar-                der wereld, den <Geweldenaar, is  H!ij  de  Heer!*  Zal Hij
      in God zou zijn alles en in allen !                                    ,.hem   .dan niet door een blik Zijner  majxestueuze   oogen
.          Zou  ,dan dat besluit des  Allerhoolgsten,  Die in den            vernietigen, of ,doo'r  een Woord  .uiit-Zijnen  mond voor
      hemel zit, het  ,besluit,  .dat <over  a,ll,es gaat, ook ,over  de #eeuwig  doen verzinken in  ,den  poel, die  .daar  brandt
      machten adter  ldruisternis,  niet  w,orden  vervuld?                  van vuur  :en sulfer?
           Hij was  ,gekomen,  Sions  Koning, i#n  wteerwil  van al              Djo.&  neen:  ldat  mag niet.
      ,de pogingen ,des Satans lom  :het te voorkomen!                           DIeze  `Gezalfde  (des  Heeren  is  Gods  Knecht. Hij is
           IGod  had Zijn Eerstgeborene in  ,de wereld  inge-                gekomen  com  Zij.n  koninkrijk te ontvangeu van den
      bra!cht.  En Hij  Iwas man  gewo'rden.  Met  .den  Heiligen            Vader. En  ,wel   Za.1  Hij den strijd moeten aanbinden
      ,Geest was `Hij  gezlfsd.   V'ol.vaardig  was Hij tot den met al de machten der duisternis, .en wel zal Hij haar
      strij'd.                                                               ,aan Zijne voeten mloeten  ondlerw,erpen,  maar [die  strijld
           %n   idoor dien Geest was Hij  gedronge,n   \orn  den voor Zijn Koninkrijk is  .de strij.d  des  Heeren.  Het gaat
      tegenstander  Gods  op te zoeken, niet  n.u  in het  Pra-             in dezen  s6rij.d   met  `om kracht of  gew,eld,  maar  ,orn  God&
      ldijs,  maar daar, waar  &es  -herinnert aan  Idfen  toorn recht.                Dat recht werd door den eersten koning in het
      ,en  lden  vloek  Gods:  :in de woestijn.                              ,eerste  paradijs vertreden. Naar dat recht lil&  ook het
           Veertig dage:n  had Hij aldaar verkeerd, .als Knecht konin.krijk  van den Gezalfde des  Heeren   tonder  ,den
      ,des  H,eeren. En veertig dagen  .haid   ,de  ,Satan  vertoefd :       toorn  Gods,  onder Zijn rechtvaardig  oordteel.  In  ,den
      was hij bevreesyd?                                                     w,eg  van  ldat recht  Go'ds   zal   `deze  Knecht des  Heeren
            Dooh   ,einidelijk  was hij besloten een poging te               Zijn  koni.nk>rijk   moteten verlossen van  de. macht  d#.er
      wagen, om  `ook dezen Knecht te verwinnen.                             duisternis.         En ,die weg is vloor Hem-een weg van ab-
           En zoo  staan ze `daar  tegenover elkaad~er  : Christus solute gehoorzaamheid ,aan de spitse van `een  schuladig
en Satan !                                                                   volk,  sen   .daarom   ,een  weg van li j,den  !
           Knecht  ,des  Heeren   .en  rebel!                                     D'e  .Vader  moet worden verheerlijkt.
                                                                                 Da.arom  gaat het in deze `ontmoeting van den Knecht
           Wonderlijke ontmoeting !                y                          des  Heeren  met den Satan ,dan ook niet  `om   zde  vraag,
            Of zijn  ,deze  twee geen felle tegenstanders van wie de sterkste is, doch louter  o.m  de  vraag  naar het
      elkander,  .en zullen ze, nu ze elkander ontmoeten, niet recht  ~Go~ds.
      een  strij:d  vo,er,en  op :leven  en dood?                                 Tegen,over  dat  recht   Gods  staat de  lduivel,   #die  ook
           Zalmiet de ,ove~r.ste .der  wereld zich op .den  Gezalfde in `dezen  K,neeht   lo'p   Gods  recht en eer bedoelt  Ban  te
      ,des  Heeren   weerpen,  hier in  ,de  w$oestijn,  om  H,em  te `vallen.
      `vermoorden?  Of zal hij Hem-  niert  zelf  vin   [de  tinne                Vr  -dat  recht staat hier  d'e Christus,  dile  `om  en
      des  tempelIs   stooten?         ;                                     voo,r  dat  zrecht  zal  ,willen  lijlden!
            H'eeft  hij niet de `eeuwen rdoor  gepoogd met waar-                  Dsoor   (dat  recht  lwordt   ,dus  heel  .dezen   :strij~d  bepaald.
      lijk  ~duivelsche  baat,  ,om  &het  Zaad der  vro.uw  te  ver-             Ook van de zijde des duivels, hier althans nog.
      ni,etigen  ,en  van*-dn  aardbo;den  te averdelgen  ? En zal hij          Straks wordt het  and,ers.  Want, als hij zijn doel
      strakIs   niet  de machten  `der booze  werel,d  vergaderen             ni,et  kan  b,ereiken  met  ,dezen  Knecht  ,des  Heeren,  om
      tegen dezen  Gezalflde   .des  Heer,en,   lom Hem aan het               Hem  te  ,doen  afwijken van  ,dezen  weg van  !het  recht
vloekhout te hangen? Zal, hij dan ook thans geen  po-                         Gods,  wordt hij d'or woede verblind, ,en vergadert hij
      gi.ng  wagen,  `om den Koning  Sions   va,n  het leven te - al1 de mchten  der werelId  tegen Hem, lom  Hem te. ver-
      berooven ten  alzoo  `Hem onsehadttlijk  rte  ,,maken  ?                nietigen met geweld, en  ,dient   ,hij   jaist   <daardoor  den
            Doch neen;;dat  is niet zijne macht. Die aanval zal raad  `des   Allerh:oogsten..
      hij slechts  ~kunnlen  doen door  d.e   w~ere~dm~&.~,  wier                 PQ&  than's  .bedwingt  hij zich.                  '


                                               TH.E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                      239

        Hij komt als een vriend ! Hij zoekt voor den  honge-            verzoekt den  Gezalfd,e   #des   Heeren.  Hij ziet in Hem
  rigen Knecht  dies  H!eeren  brood! Hij beroept zich op ,den  machtigen, door.&d  bereidlen  Koning. En hij wil
 `,de  Schrift!  _                                                      vrede sluiten. Hij ziet in den  Christus  een kans om
        Hij voert  H,em  op zijn  hoogen  berg, en biedt Hem -zijn eigen macht te handhaven, ,en ,om zijn koni&rijk
  al de heerlijkheden `van  zijn `eigen  rijk!                          voor altoos te bevestigen! Zooals  hij eens  :den  eersten
  .     W,o,nderlijke  strijd !                                         .koning   bewloog  om zich van God af te  keeren,  en in
                                                                        venb'o.ndm  te  tre'den  met hem, den tegenstander  `Gods,
        O n b e s c h a a m d   a a n b o d !                           zoo  wil  lhij  thans dezen Knecht  ,des Heeren  verleiden,
        Op  eenen   hoogen   :berg had de Satan  aden  Knecht des       om  ,d.en  weg van Gods  recht voor altijd .vaarwel  te zeg-
 Heeren           Igelei,d.       '     .                               gen, ,en om in zijn die,nst  te treden!
        En vandaar had ,hij ,-hoe  verstaan we niet, w.ant               Ik zal ze  u geven!
 we verstaan niet  ,d'es duivels bestaan, noch zijne macht,                 Waarom lijden  ,en   s;miart,   -waarom  den  `weg des
 -den Heiland al  de.koninkrijken             der  werelId  getoond,    bangen  `doods,  als ge  <de  koninkrijken  dle,r  wereld zonder
i n   een.,oogenblik   tij.ds,                                          slag of stoot, zonder w,orsteling  kunt `ontvangen?
        Hij liet ze  ,opd<oemen   volor het  `oog   ,des Gezalfden          `t Zal all:es  uwe z.ij,n !
 in hunne macht  ,en heerlijkheid.                                       Maar: indien  [Gij  mij zult  aanbid,den  !  j
        En m,acht  en heerlijkhei,d  waren daar metterdaad!                ErkenMij  als Uw Heer en God!
 Want  ;de mensch wals, ook nadat hij  `was   afgeval3e.n  van              Van den  Gh.ri:stus  wil hij  ,den  antichrist maken !
 ,den   hoogen  God, tot  ,op zekere hoogte koning (gebleven. -_            IGodslasterlijke  voorslag !
 De  zande   had-.de  schepping. niet verwoest, noch  `ook de
 betrekkingen en  ordinntin   (des  Scheppem  in die                     Afgewezen ! .
 scheplping  omgekeerd  ,of   <opgeheven.  En in  `de  aard-                <Geen  oogenblik  kan, het aanbod voor  ,den  Knecht
 sche  schepping  st,onid  #del  mensch  ,aan de spitse der -des   Heeren   aa,ntrekkelijk,  zijn geweest.
 schepselen. Hij was  ko8ninlg.  Hij  had   he'erschappij.                  Niet  ,alleen  toch kon hij  `er   nbet  ook maar een  oogen-
 En hij' ha,d  de ,opdracht  ,orn de &hepping aan zich te,              blik an .denken,  om zich voor (den  vorst der duisternis
 `ond,erwerpen.  Nog  altijld  waren  dar  heerlijkheid en neder te w,erpen  en hem te aanbidden ; maar ook had-
 macht. Want de  m&sch   `had   zi&in die schepping Iden  <die  koninkr.ijken  der wereld, lhadden  die macht en
 ontwikkeld, en  ,de  heerlijkhei;d   ,en  macht dier schep- #die  heerlijkheid,  `die  Hem' daar op den  hoogen  berg
 ping, ,deor ,Gtod ,daar  in gelegd, te voorschij,n  ,doen  tre- werden getooed,  voor. Hem geen ,betoovering.
 den. Alleen maar, hij had ze geste1.d  in ,den  ,dienst  dqer              Hij zag  voor  Zilch  `gesteld  ,een   an,der  koninkrijk,
 zonde en ,des Satans !. . . .                                          door  #den  Vader Hem bereid, waarin de Allerhoogste
        Het was een  zheerlijkheid  geworden,  `en  eene machts- alkx en in aljlen  zou zijn, en waarin Hij, (de  Knecht des
 ontwikkeling, waarin de vorst der duister,n<s  zich kon                Heeren  tot in ee<wighe%d  h,et  Hoofd boven alle dingen
 verlustigen. Men  ha,d   d'e  he~erlijkheid   Gods  veranderd wezen zou. Hij zag voor zijn geesitesoog  de tabernakel
 in de gelijkenis van mensch en beest en kruipend dier.                 Gods  bij de  mens'chen,  en  ,de  .nieuiwe   hem'elen   #en  ,de
 Men had het beeld Go.ds  verkeerd in het beeld ,dee dui-               `nieuwte   aar,de,  waarin  igerechtigheid  zou wonen. Hij
vels,  het licht in  duisterlnis,  de gerechtigheid in  on-             `zag  Zij,n   priest,erlijk   konin8gsvo;lk,  dat wel in  *deze
 gerechti~gheid,  de heiligheid in  v.uilheid  en-onrleinheid.          werebd was;  `en  <dat.  ook wel onder de  schuld  en  #den
 En  ,de heerlijkheid  ,en  macht  ,d-er  schepping  w.aren  in vloek der  w,ereld  verzonken was, maar  dlat  toch niet
dienst gesteld van  de  lust der  oogen,  de lust  ,des                 van  (deze  wereld was,  !omd,at   het  Hem  #door   Gods
vleesohes,   d'e  ,grootheid  des  leyens.                              ,eeuwige   verkitezing  voor de grondlegging der wereld
        Het was een tafereel van de ~machtp.ntwikkeling  ,en            `gegeven was. . . .
 grooth&d  van ,d,en  mensch. . . . _                                      Het volk, dlat Hij~moest  verlossen uit de macht van
        Aalrdsch,  vleeschelijh,  duivels&!'                            zonde en dood.
       -Ik zal ze `u  geven !:                                             En daarom zag Hij op `dat  ,oogenblik  ccler verzoekmg:
       '  Z'e  zijn mij -overg&eve ! Ik geef ze, lw.ien  ik wil !      kl,aarlijk   tden `weg  van .lijaden  en ,doold als den weg der
 Zloo   spr.eekt  d,e  vorst  i (der  duisternis !                      !gehoo;rzaamheid,  en als  ldje eenige weg, dien Hij  .kon
        Maar hoe?  Ge'eft  ihij  zich-sover?.  Wil hij waarlijk ,en  mocht  ,en  wilde bewandelen.                                 -
 de bonmkrijken `dser  wereld, waarover ,hij,  wel niet  ,in               Vuur schoot uit Zijn heil,i!g  oog, t,oen   b,ij het  ,onbe-
 souvereinen zin, maar dan toch in ethischen zin heer-                  schaam.d  aanbod des Satans ook nog kwam  (de nog
 schappij voert, aan d.e'voeten  leggen vlan  ,den  Gezalfde            onbeschaamder voorwaarde : aanbid mij !
 des Heeren?         Doet hij afstand van die regeering?- ZlaL             En vol  %aj,estei;t  klinkt het uit Zijn mond: "Ga
 hij zich vrijwilliglijk `buigen voor #den  koning `op Sions            weg van mij, Satan-!"  .-
 tberg? Ge weet beter. In dien zin zou hij niet kunnen                     D!en   Heere   uwen.  God zult ge aanbidden !                H e m
 geven. Van  lv8erootmoedi.ging  is bij  ,den  duivel geen #alleen  zult ge >dienen!                       -
 sprake. Neen, hij  gebruikt   Ilist. Hij legt lagen. Hij
                           .-:.                                            Het is genoeg ! Ga heen!.                        `13,  H,
                                  8                                                         -

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

                                         The  Standard'Bearer
  A Reformed Semi-Monthly Magazine, issued the 1st land                                                                                                                                                                      ED'ITORIALS   .-
  15th of each month, omitting the 15th July and August
                                                                                Published by
              The Reformed Free-Publishing Association
                                                         1101 Hazen  Street, S. E.                                                                                                                                           Christian Reformed Church  A:  I
                                                EDITOR - Rev. ,H. Hoeksema                                                                                                                                                             Sttimblingblock
  Contributing editors-Revs. J. Blankespoor, A. Cammenga,
   P. De Boer, J. D. de Jong,  H.  De Wolf, L. Doezema,                                                                                                                                                                   Just  now I am refersring  to the particular fad, that
  M.  Gritters,  C. Hanko, B. Kok, G. Ltibbers,  G. M. Ophoff,
 A. Petter,  .M.  Schipper,  J.  Vanden   Ekeggen;  H. Veldman,                                                                                                                                                   by  its  staed with regard to the  wlo;Ytldly unions The
   R. Veldman,  W.~   Verhil,  L. Vermeer, P. Vis, G. Vos,                                                                                                                                                        Christian Refor.med  Church becomes the ,ooeasion  that
  and Mr. S. De Vries.                                                                                                                                                                                            some of  t_he  `,weaker   brethren   ,of.   &e   P.roltes+ant   R,e-
   Communications relative fo contentis  should  be.  addreSsed                                                                                                                                                   f,o,rmed.  Churches are tempited  to si.n.
  to REV. H. HOEKSEMA, 1139 Franklin St., S. E., Grand                                                                                                                                                                   When  ,one  Becomes  6he  occasion for anl6ther  to fall
   Rapids, Michigan.                                                                                                                                                                                              into si,n,  he is a situm~blingb1ock.
   Communications relative to subscription should be ad-                                                                                                                                                               Thle   Cl&&an   Refo,rm8ed  Church, because  `of  its
   dressed to MR. R.'  SGIIAAFSMA,                                                                                       1101 Hazen   St., S. E.,                                                                 stand,  or  failure  to  `$ake  a positive stand with regard
  Grand Rapids, Mich.  All Announcements. and Obituaries
  must be sent to the above address and `will not be placed                                                                                                                                                       to the unions, is the  occasi,on   ithat  some  Iof our men
  unless the regular fee of $1.00 accompanies the notice.                                                                                                                                                         stmnbl,e   int.0  a %do,uble  sin : *hey   breaktheir  vo,w  pledkged
                                                       Subscription $2.50 per year                                                                                                                                $e5ore  God and  %e Church, when they made confession
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  <of  faith ; and  they -prefer the union to their member-
          `Entered`  as second  class   &I at Grand Rapids, Michigan                                                                                                                                              ship of the.  Church.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          I  `was   rem.inded   .of  this by a  oonitribukifon  in  The
                                                                                          --                                                                                                                      Bcume~   ,of  Jan. 30 by a member of one of the  Chpisti,an
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  R,ef,ormed   Chuzzhes.  He  complai.ns   abolut  the weak
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  and m%eraMe  &an,d  of his C,hurch  and its leade& zwith
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  regard to the "neutral" unions. The Christian Labor
                                                                                CONTENTS                                                                                                                          Alliance  suffsers  because  `of  this,,double-healed         attihude
                                                                                                                                                                                                    Page          of  .his   Chu.rch.  But  mbesitdes, he writes,  the  Chr,isti&n
MEDITATIE                                       -                                                                                                                                                                 Refolrmed   Church  receives  an,d  welcomes members of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  another `denomination, who sever their connection with
   AF\GEWEZEN                                          . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
            Rev. H. Hoeksema.                                                                                                                                                                                     kh'eir  own Gh:ur,ch  because they ar,e  being treated and
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Idisciplined  on  a.ccount  of  thei.r   refusal  to break  with
EDITORIALS                                            -                    .                                                                                                                      .I.             the union. "Lo and  ,behold,  we find  +hat  these censured
   CHR. .REF. .CHUtiCH                                                          A STUMBLIN,GBLOCK                                                                    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240        members have  found  a haven  <of   ref.uge  in the Christian
   A N I'NTERNATIONAL                                                                 PRAYER MEETING ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Refioymed  Church, and are tolerated there because that _
             Rev.' H. Hoeksema.                                                                                                                                                                                   Church   has  not taken a  positive  stand."
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  .       M is  evid#ent   Ithat  the writer  .referred  to  metibers
`IlHE  TRIPLE  !iNOWLEDGE  -                                                                                                                                                                                      of our Churches.
. . EXlPOSITION  OF THE HEIDELBERG CATECHISM . . . ...242
            Rev. H. Hoeksema.                                                                                                                                                                                             bd  what  he  ment&ns   ili  his  article has, indeed,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       oceasionaBy  occurred.  When  our Churches applied
   `T8E   lCANON$CAL                                                 SIGNIFIICANCE                                             OF THE SONG OF                                                                          Christian discipline to some of their members, it hap-
   SONlGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  pened   a- few  ti,mes  6hat  these members severed  their-
             R&v. G. M. Ophoff.                                                                                                                                                                                   connection with us, assured that they would  b,e received
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  in. the  Ch$ristian  Reformed Churches.                  And in this
   GOti, ZELF' IS RECHTER                                                                       ..I . . . . . . . . . ..I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ..I. I.............. 250
 R e v .   G .   Vos                                                                                                                                                                                              assurance they were not  ,disappointed.
                                                                                           (.-'                                           `.'                                                                             Now, we are not -trying to excuse those members.
    GELOOCHENENDE DE HEER DIE HEN GEKOCHT                                                                                                                                                                              Nor do we. mean to transfer the responsibility  and
   I-IEE,FT . . . . . . . . . .  :.: . . . . . . . . .  i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          I . . . . . . . . . . .           2 4 3    guilt of their sin to the Christian Refo,rmed  Churches.
  R e v .   W .   V e r h i l .                                                                                                                                                                                   _       A stumblingblock is never the  cuuse  of another's
   NEW,S                                                                                                                                                                                                          sin,  thongh  it is  &he occusion.
                             FROM-  OUR WEsTERN CHURC,HES                                                                                                         : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i55
             Rev. P.  V&.                                                                                                                                                                                                 The sin bel,ongs  entir.ely.  to the brethren who .thus
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  sever  kheir   corm&&n  with  o.ur   chprches.
 .-.             .-               _.__^_   -  __.-.                                                                                                                                                                       They know better. They do not seek  6he   iell'owship


                                                                                                                                                _.
                                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R `                                                            241

       of the Christian  Refprmed  Churches because it is their How  sh,all  we pray  ho the God and Father of our
       oonvi~ction  that they  repr'es.en.t   .a  `pufier  manifestation      I&d  J.esus   Ch*rist?  What  ,shall  we say to  <him, ask
       of the body of Christ-in *he.. world. The `very  opposike              birn   fey,  ask him to [do? We cannot abide in his pre-
       is  t;rue.  They know that they are departing from sence and *look  .up into his face without remembering
       the truth by this act.            They  !deliberat6ly  forsake that be is  our  God in no exclusive sense, buit  +he  `God
       the Church where, aocor,dinlg  t,o their own conviction, of all men, of all  nati$onsLof  our enemies in the war
       ithe  truth  is most. purely maintained,  50  jioin  khemselves        as  wf3ll as of ourselves."
       to a Church &hat,  again according to their ,own  ,convic-                 In $his  respect there is a notable  ,diff,erence  between
       t&n,   ldepar@d  f,rom  the pure  Reformed truth in 1924.              the attitude o,f the church and  its leaders  tat  the time
       And they do thi,s  #only  foY .the sake of a job.            _         of World  W&T  I,  ,and   nlow.  At  ;that   ,tirne   zeverybody
             B.ut  there. is  .another  sin they  commik  by  *his  act.      was inflamed by the spi,rit  of war, and Me lead,ers  of
             Solemnly  tihey  vowed before God and ithe  Church               the  Church seemed  %o   hive no  ,difficu$ty  whatsoever
       that  *hey  iwouid  sub,mit  themselves to the government to ,d&ermine  their protim attitude  towards it. Nor <did
     - of the Church,  and'if  they shoul;d  fall  i&o  sin, submi%           they seem perplexed as to what to "pray for as they
       Shemselvies,   t'ooj  to the  ,discipline  of  %he  Church.            ,ought."      B.ut,  so  ,writes   ,the   ,editor   (of   %he  above men-
                                                                              tioned paper,  "khis  thought has come to us sines the
       `.    And now,  f,or the  sak&  of their position  ;in the  wopld,     ,other   W'orlld  War with a poignancy that rebukes the
       ;they   wantionly   br.eak  the vow.    They ,refuse  to submit church's conscience ffor  the low~level  upon which, with
       ther+selves  to the ldi,scipline  `of the  Church. And ;this,          a f'ew  ,noiable  ,exceptions,  it proj,ected  its ,devotional  ex-
       of  coar?e,  is surely,!0  their btwn destruiction.                    pressions  ,during  that conflict. Thousands  ,qf pastors
             But  illthough  &e  g&lt   soif their. si!n  carmot  be !aid     ,of   ,our  churches enter  *heir  pulpits  `and  come  to'  &he
       *at  th:e  door `of the Christian Ref,ormed  Chinches,  these          altar  ,determined  not to iepeat the unwitting sacrilege
     .are  guilty  ,of  offering such weak members  (an   ind,uoe-            ,of   whi.ch  the  pas;tors   ,of   th-at  period  confcess   +hat  they
       m&t  60 take this step, because Iof their utter failure to             were guilliy:      But they are perplexed and  ,distressed  by
       ;take  any stanId  at aI1  in rega-rd  to union-tiembe,rship.          the <difficulty of laying hold upon and giving  expaession
             They are  +he occasion of the sin of the  mlembeps               to any really vital yearnings which are  lcoaeeivably
       ref,erped  to.-  Thley   mak'e  .it  e,asy  f,or them to commit consonant  w!ith  $he  righteous will of  our   universal God.
       thse  sin. They  ar,e a  shumbliingb$ock.              i               The  one overmastering yearning is for  victory-f,or
             We  sincer,ely  hope that  *h&e  Christian  -R,ef,ormed          our nation. But remember that there  are  Christians
       Churches may change their stand.                .                      in Japan a&3 ,Germany  who pray to the same Father,
                                                                              shall  $ey  pray for  dict,ory   whi.le  these Christians of
             It is encouraging that the union-question is  <once              enemy lands ask God for the precise opposite?"
       mor;e  being'  d&cussed  by some of the leaders and lay-                   Thns  writes the yediltor  of The  Chriistiawz  Century.
       men in those Churches.                                                     ,A (difficult  problem,  indeed! That is, difficult  ittie
             May it  have  the  de&red  result!                               problem  .is .as  presented by the jwri&er.
                                                                   H. H.          And in  hlis  perplexity he looks  ,about  him for a
                                                                              `way   `out,   .a solution. For  he is in search  ,of  peace of
                                                                              min'd  ,and  heart.      He suggests that we imagine a meet-
                                                                              ing, a prayer meeting of four  Chri&ian  men, represent-
                                                                              atives  ,of  four different nations : a  Japanese,  a  ,German,
                                                                              a Briton aed  an American. And he  furbher  suggests  _
                                                                              that we now ask the question: "what shall they  ssiy
             An  International   Prayer Meeting?                              to God? What  sha,ll  they with one heart ask Him to
                                                                              do? `Their prayer muit be a common prayer. One  wiU
             Abou,t   this   is-u;bi*ect  we.  ?eid   ,an  ediltorid  in  The not  pray for one  thiBg-   while   anotlher  asks  $or its
       Christian Century  of Feb. 18, 1942.                                   opposi;te.   2Ca.n  they  .reconcile  the  yearnings   of their
             Th+  `editor of that  magazi,ne  is  ,often  perplexed hearts in a united  ,petition  which evades no issue,
       about   *he  `proper   attikude  of the Church and of the which boldly confronts  ithe  realities,  whilch  is specific
      individual Christian  with respect  60  war:                   War  is and penetrating and vital and searchingly honest,  an,d
     such an ungodly business, so evidently opposed to all do this with the  minimum  ,of  verbal ambiguity?"
       the  precep;ts   ,of  the Christian faith, that he finds it                And  The Christian Century has sent requests to a
       `extremely ,difficu,lt  ,t,o find a position for the Christian number of distinguished clergymen to compose a
       in relation to war, that will aff,ord  peace of mind, and              prayer such as,  accosding  to their  coec&pti&, these
       conscience.      But "the  creciai  point at  whifch  ,a11   OUT       sour  men, representakives  from `different  nationsi
       difierences  and perplexities- which  `war   crea$es   $or             unilted  in a prayer meeting,  YouEd  send $0 the  thro.ne
       .tie Christian come to a focus is in the act  ,of  prayer:             ,df grace.


L


I
     242                                       T H E   STANDA`RD   B E A R E R   - -

            And these prayers will be published in The-Chris-                 Perha.ps  the editor of The Christian Century wou&d
     tian iZentu.ry  in the near future.                                   object that such a prayer ifs  too vaguce  and general ,and
                                                                           ambigulous,  -and that it -bears no relation to this very
                                                                           concrete war?
         I am afraid  th,at  the  <editor  of  The  Christiart  Century       In that case he is surely mistaken.
     twill  not be deliver'ed  from his troubles and perplexities              I  wonl'd  suggest that he puts this to the test by
     and find the (desired  p:eace   ;of  mind and conscience.             applying these. three petitions  t,o the present situation,
            My flear  is based on the f,act, in part at least, that  - and  ,by then elaborating upon them.
     the "recognized leaders" that  Iwer,e  requested to com-                  Let  hi,m  consider what this would mean:
     pose sluch  a prayer, ,are  by no means capable ,of  repre-               Hailtowhed  iby thy name, in and through this `war!
     senting the  Chr,istian   ,Church.   Tlo  ,mentiion   ,o,nly  one         Thy  kinfgdom  come, in the way Iof this war !
     ,name,   Haarry  Emerson Posd.ick  is one of them.                        T:hy  wi'll  be  ,done,   80 that we may always be `obedient
      But my chief reason is that the  `editor  neither                    t,o thy  pracepts   i,n  this war, and so that thou mayest
     presents the  problsem  correctly, nor does he  po,int  to            execute  thy  will and realize thy  etern.al   ,good  pleasure !
     the right  sour'ce  for a soluti80n  lof  his problem.                    The result would be a truly Christian prayer. No
            Indee:d,  if we consi,d,er  this war from our viewpoint,       Christian,  -frorn~  whatever land .or ~nation  he -be,  could
     from an earthly   ploinit-  of  view,  and then consider our          refuse to unite with us  iin  this prayer.  Nlor would
     earthly  am3   hucmun   and  mtional  longings   avcl yearn-          anyon'e   `else  than a  Ch,&tian  care to  *be  present at
     ings, in order to bring them to the ,throne  of grace, wcj            such a prayer meeting.
     will create f,or o,urselves  a ,difficult,  in fact, .an insoluble        And it certainly would be very much to the  poi.nt   !
     problem.                                                                                                                   ` H .   H .
            Let  .us  say, that with `a  cl'ear  conscience we can
     say that our country represents a strictly righteous
     cause in the  pr,esent   oonflicit.  Let us say, moreover,
     that we are quite sure that it is  ,God's   w,iB  that the
     righteous shall always  Ihave  the victory in this world.
     Well, in that case, I would suggest that we would be
     quite ready to ask God f.or an American victory, and
     to tell the  sapanese  and the German  IChristian  that
     they  ,are  all wrong  :an,d  that they,  t,oo,  must-  pray  fo'r        Th Triple KkWled .ge
     the  .victory  of the American arzns~.
            Blut  `wait!                                                                                                 .`f
            ,Our  cause is not  ,exclusively   .Ameri'can  : it is the          An Exposition- Of The Heidelberg
     allied  [cause.        And the  c&&ion  would immediately                                     C a t e c h i s m   _  '
     a&e,  whether our- allies in this war are also worthy
     lof  this, victory for w&h  we pray. Well, let us pass                                              IV.
     `Great  Britain in silence, for the time being. Then
     there is Russia. Shall  w'e  also  l'ook  ,God   iln  the  face                              LORD'S DAY III
     and `earnestly pleaid  the righteousness  ,of  the Russian
     Cause?  (                                                                                            4.
            I am afraid, that if you bring those four  "Chris-                            Th,e  Universality Of Depravity
     ti.ans"   f,rom  four different  natilons   .in the  .upper  room
     f,or their pr,ayer  meeting `(and it is a good thi.ng  that               `Thus far we ,discussed  the fall  ,of  ,our  first parents
     the  ,edit,or   ,did  n,ot  ask a  Russian  to be present), they in Raradise,  and `we  .re'ached  the concllusion  that it was,
     wou1.d  soon be  fighting-.rather  than praying.                      i:ndeed,  a  fal.1, and not merely an  act  ,of  sin. By the
            A.nd,   tolo,  the editor  Idoes  not turn to  the right  ,- first act  -of disobedience, consisting  .in  eatin,g  of the
     slource  for help and for a solutionof his problem.                   f,orbid'den  tree, the nature  `of  ,our  first parents was
            Ee turns to men, to mere men, for  ,an  ans,wer   to'          .corrupted.     It was not  mer,ely  weakened, but actually
     the question : "w>hat  shall  Iwe  pray for?"                         Idebased   (and   ethically   !corrupt,ed,  so that henceforth
            Why not turn to  the. Word  ,of  God for an answer?            they could no longer serve the Lord their God in love.
        . Why not, for instance, directly turn `to  ,our  Lord             Tlhey  lost the image of God, their knowledge  Iof God
      Jesus  cChri8st, that we may  1,ear.n  from Him what we became  tdarklness  ; their  righteousne&s  was subverted
      should' ask in our prayers?                                          Into  rebellion   ; and their holiness was turned into
            .H,e   woul'd  surely reply: Pray : "Hallowed be thy pollution. Enemies of God they  ,had  become. And the
      name; thy kingdom come ; thy will be #done on earth                  reason for this  corruptilon  cannot  <be  foun,d  in the  _
      `as it is  *in heaven."                                               "natural" effect of that first sin, but must be attributed


I                                                                                                                                              .


                                             T H E   ST.ANDABD   BEARER                                                             243

   to `the ,execution  ,of  the ,death  sentence which God had          man all sorts of sin, being in him  was  the root thereof;
   threatened upon  ,disobedience.   D'eath  was inflicted and' therefore is so lvile,and  abominable in the sight of
   upon them the moment they' transgressed -the  com-                   ~Go'd,  that it is sufficient  to condemn all mankind."
   mand*ment   ,of   Gold;  And death would  hencef,orth  have          And in  Can,ons  III, IV, 2, 3,` the matter is stated as
   ,dominion   <over  &hem, not only physically, but also in            follows : "Man after the fall begat  ach.ildren  in his  own
   the spiritual sense. The  carnal  mind is  ,d'eath.   It  is         ~liken8ess..  A corrupt stock produced a corrupt off-
  not subject to the law  of God, neither in.deed  can be.              spring. Hence all the posterity `of Adam, IChrist  only
       But now we must consider another  questi,on.  The ,excepted,  have  ,derived   .co,rruption  from their original
   Cat,ejchism   i,s speaking, not merely  ,of  the  corruprtion        parent, not by imitatiba as the Pelagians-,of  old .assert-
   ,of  the nature of ,our  first parents, but of our nature. -ed,  but by the propagati'on  of `a viicious  nature. There-
   Throngh  the fall and disobedience of our first parents, .f,ore,  ,a11  men are conceived in-sin,  and by nature child-
   Adam and Eve, in paradise, our nature  $as  become ren of Iwrath,  incapable `of saving good, prone  ito evil,
   so corrupt  thlat  we are  all1  coeceived and  ,bor.n  in sin. cdead..in  sin, and in bondage thereto, and  w&out  the
   The universality of sin is not  ,only clearly taught in the          r6egenerating  grace of the Holy Spirit, they are neither
   Hloly  Scriptures, ,but  is also a matter  `of univers,al  ex-       able  nor-wil.ling  to return to God,  to- reform the de-
   perience. All men  si.n and reveal that they are corrupt             pravity  ,of   tlleir  Inature,   .no;r to dispose themselves to
   by nature. That is the testimony  `of  all   history,  -of           reformation." It  is evident that the ,Confessions  con-
   everyday  ,life, as every  i'ssue  *of   "our  Idaily  papers clearly sider  $d8epravity_a   mo8ral  or ethical [disease, a corruption
   shows,  ,and'  as every news  broedcast  ,ovier   +he   radlio       #of  the :human  nature that is transmitted from parent
   proclaims ; it is the testimony we bear to  o'ne  another to child lay the',generatilon  ,jof the father and the  ,con-
  .in  ,our  social  l.ife  in the world; for not only  cdo  men ceptiion  `of the mother, ,and  that clisngs  to the nature of
  condemn'in   lothlers  that which they  ,themselves   practice,       the  child  from the moment  #of  conception, even in the
  but no man puts  confidence in the integrity ,of  his  f,el-          Iwomb.           .
  I,ows  : when any transaction of importance takes `place                  And this  - is the explanation of Scripture. The
   it must be  duly   ,sworn  and signed  a.nd  sealed  befsore         psalmist complains : "Behold, I was shapen  in iniquity,
witnesses ;  ,and  it is the testimony of  aevery  man's (and  in  siln  .d.id my  moth'er   ,oonceive  me."                 Ps.  51:5.
  conscience, for man not  lonly knows that he ,is sinful,              And Job utters  th!-words:  "Who can  <bring  a  (clean.
  but be cannot recall that he was  ,ever   ~difflerent.  All thing  ,out  of an unclean? Not one." And in Rom.
  men  are   alwfays   sinfu1  and corrupt. That is the ter-            5 :12-14  wse  read: "Wherefore as by one man sin
  rilblie  f.sot with which  th,e  ~Cateohism   Ideals  here. The ,entered  into the world, *and ,death  by sin ; and 80 ,death
   questiton  is : whence is this depravity  `of the entire             passed upon all men, for that  mall  have  sined.    Flor until
  `human  nature?                                                       the  ,law  sin was in `the wlorl'd  ; abut  sin- i.s not imputed
      It  ;`cannot   ,escape  our no&e  $hat  the  ,Catechism,  in      where  ,there  is  .no law. Nevertheless  :death   ~reigned
  snswerinlg  this ,questi,on,  `emphasizes the organic unity           from Adam to Moses, even over them  that  had not
  Lr&her  than the  jaridi,cal   ,or  lega.  solidarity  <of  the       ainned  after the similitude  ,of  Adam's transgression,
  human race. The  questi,on  :of Ioriginal  guilt is left out who is the figure  ,of  him that was to come." In the
   of  considerati:on,   a.nd  the fact  lof   ,original  corruption    bst passage  the  apostle is redly considering  !&he   un.i-
  receives all the emphasis. That the human nature  ,has                versality of the reign of death. Nor is there any
  become corrupt, and that, too, through the fall and                   .reason  to limit this  `tdeatb"  to the corruption  ,of  the
  `disobedience of ,ous,   first pwmts,   Aadam  and  Eve,  so          body  aind  temporal  ,or  physical  d:eath   ,only,  as some
  that  lwe are all  coniceivecl  ar~cl born in s,in, .is the truth Iwould  have  it. Sin and  `death  are mentioned in  con-
  that receives  call the' .&e&ion.       The organic  `oneness         neeti,on  with each other, :and  `that entirely in genkal,
  `of  the  race  is stressed. Aldam  and Eve were Iour  first without limitation. The death that  ,came  through sin
  parents. Both  `were  the bearers of the whole human certainly  Includes  spiritual death,  the  corruption of  tour
  nature. By their fall and disobedience both became nature,  `our  being in bondage to sin. The one man
  corrupt. And this corrupt human mature, in which                      Adam is  ,here  represented  ,as   th,e  brie  by whom the
  it is impossible to <do  any good; they propagated, and.. fl,aodgates   $02  sin and  Ideath   .were   ,opened  upon the
  it is continually  bemg propagated in the way of oon-                 entire human race. The text  makes   IUS  think  ,of  the
  cephion  `and birth. In  ,other   par+s  of our  Co!nfessions         dikes that protected  th,e Lowlands in many places
  thi,s  same aspect  `of original  s.in is emphasized. Thus against  thte angry sea. The  w.aves would beat (against
  we  .read  in Art. 15  ,of   rthe Netherland Confession:. them  :sometim,es  so  persist,ently   .and   powecrfully,   - that
  -f`We  believe that,  throngh  the  ,disobedience   iof  Adam,        they  wer'e   pienced  and the lands behind them  w.ere
  lorigind,  sin is  ,extended   _ to all mankind ; which is a          inundated. "Through one man", thus we read  literal.ly
  corruptilon   <of   the  whole nature, and an hereditary              in the original, sin entered into the world, and death
  #disease,  wherewith infants  &em:selves  are infected, by sin. An.d  this  woulzd   b!e  qu.ite  impossible except for
  even in their`mother's womb, and which produceth in                   the organk  unity ,of  the human race. In the way of


                                                         . .


 2 4 4                                       - T H E   STANDARD   B E A R E R

 propagation  the corruption of sin spreads to the very                    only part of .the  ,human  nature propagate itself? How
`.last  of  ,men  that are  born  of  <women.       `"That  whitih  -is    must it be explained that children resemble  theiT
%om  of the  f'lesh  is flesh." John 3  :6.                                parents, not only physically, but also with- respect
          This raises the question as to the  eonceptilon   and            .to  hraits  of character? And, more difficult  &ill,  h0.w
 birth  <of  each  indiviadual   child,   particula~rly  of the            must-the language of our  Conf,essions  be  explainecl
 "SOUY'.        The  ~)difficult  question of the  o,ri,gin.   ,of  the    with  respect  ti, the propagation of a corrupt  ofsspriil3g
soul always  `was  a  favokite  topic of  ,dlscussion  among               by a corrupt stock.7 If God  crea#tes.  each   ilndividpal
 the;o180gians.  In  re,cent   yea:rs  the  ,discussiton  was  re-         soul, how ,does  that  soul become defiled  sand cortiupt?
cvived  in  thg Netherlands, especially by-  &he book of                   Ahd  if the human nature consists of. body and soul,
 Dr.  Waterink  in  .the  `(Origin of the Soul",  who  was                 did not Christ, then, assume the whole human nature
 al-cused  of  Apollinarianism because of his  apparent                    from the viipgin  Mary?
 ideri+ificati,on  of the  ,human.   per,son  with his spirit.                 Al,1  these  ,obj,ections  would seem to suggest that
Mu& was  wri(tten   _ on  th'e   aubj,ect,  but unanimity of               the  ,disitinction  of the human being  ,i!n  body  <and  soul
 opinison  was not r,eaclhed.        In the past ther,e  were thrse cannot serve as a  babis   f;or the  exp)an.ation  of the
expl<anat$ons  of  th%s  problem. The first is known as                    propagation of original  eorruptilon;  It does not offer
the theory ,of  preexistentianism,           and held that all  +h& .us  the  prdper   workinig   hypoth'esis.             The reason  f,or
souls  were s&ally  created in Adam, and  that  there-                     this  ,mu.st,  -perh:aps,   be  f0un.d  in the fact that it is
 f,bre,   al;1  human  indititduals  really sinned in  l&r  fir@ not clearly  ,defmed  what is meant by "soul".  I'n
$akher   .and  in him became corrupt. This appears  to,                    Scripiture,  too, the  w.oFd  for  sloul   -has  different con-
havte  been the view  ,of   Augu,stine,  `a view  tha,&  `was notations.                    Sometimes it is used for the &hole man;
orea.lly   .b,ased  on  aa mistaken explanation of the last in  `0the-r   eaesages  it  .i,s  properly  tranelated  by  life;.
part  `of R,om. 5  :12  : "for that all have sinned." He                   w,hile   :again  in other parts of the Bible the meaning
interpreted -that  clause in the sense that  is given to it                of the  ternY  ,closely   ap!proximates   tha$   ,ob   spirft.    It
in the. Dutoh translation : "in  Iw,elken   .al,len  gezon!digd            would  seem  expedi-ent,  then, to  pr,o&eed  from  ,a little
 hebben."         Btit  this  camlot  possibly be the  corrred             Idifferent  point  <of  view and  choose ,ano;t;her  distinction
aen'dering   `of the  Ioriginal.         It does not justify  the          as  o;cLr  point  ,of   plrocedure.  I  ,mean  the distinction be-
tran,s/lat~on   "i.n  whom all  havIe  sinned ;"  b@ very  defi-           twje@n   pelrson  and nature..  %The  whole living  izature
nitelly'  must be sr,&nldered  : "for that" or "because all of  man  is  propagahed   through  genera&n,  *,ooneeD%ion,-
have sinned." But this theory never found  much sup-                       and birth. But this pro,pa.gation  of the human nature
port among theologians, as might be expected. Apart takes .place  #under  the oper.ation  ,of  ~1 act #of  providence
 from  .the  fact that  ilt finds no  support  in Scripture, whereby that  nature b,ecomes  a pey.solnal  nature.` T,his'
.it meets  wikh too many  difficuVlties  and is  :real:ly  an              distinctison   land   expl.anation  has this in its favor`;  tha&
impossible  phiEosophi:eal  conception. A second  solu-                    ,it is in  aooord   wi$h  what we  conf,ess   soncenning   $he
+io!n   o$  thi.s   probl:em  is  kno%!n  under  the name of               incarnation. Also in the incarnation  bf the  Son  of
 "+rad~,&~is~".           It, too, proceeded from the  idi&inc-            God the whose  human  nature,  we believe, is conceived
tion  lof  body and  SOL&  and  held  that  *he  whole man                 in the womb of the  +gin Mary land  born from -her.
is born from the parents in each individual instance.                      But  .the Son ,of  God assumed an  -imp@rsond  human
 Son1  and body constitute the whole man,  and  soul nature:  &be  P,er&n  also in this case  leame  from  Gocf,
 aind  body each individual is conceived  aqd  born.                       is, in feet, $he very second Pserson of  the  Holy Trinity
The main objection that   waas  lodged against  this con-                  Himself. If,  &en,   &he  human nature is become  cor-
eeption   iis that  pr,opagation  is  ,only applicable to the &pit in pa+adise,  iand  the whole hsuman  nature in each
body: spirits do not prop&ate their  specces.  This is                     indivi:dal  ohiId   that  is born  coties  Pro,m   &he parents
a rather philosophical  obj,ection.           It seems. to me that through  :oonoeption  and bir;th,  we can conceive of' &e
a far more weighty  ,obj,ection  to this  .view   may   fd,e               possilbility  that a  `<corrupt  stock produces'  ,a corrupt
,deduoed  from the incarnation  `of'   thfe  S,on   ,of  God.              ~offspting ", `and that, as the Catechism  ,expI?esses  it :
 If  ithe  whole man, person and nature,  soul  and,  body,                "OUT  !ntiture   i's  become so corrupt,  thah  we are all
iS coeceived~&nd  born frlom  the  parents, it seems diffi-                con.c&ive,d  and born in sin."
 cult  t,o #escape  the dilenina that, either C#hyist  was  ntit               Bu.t   *his   rais& another question;  D'oes  not the  -.
a  cbmplete.  man,  & He was  t!wo  persons, a human Ido&rifi,e   rthat   al'1  men are conceived  `apd   bou?n  in sin,
pe?son  as  well1 as a divine. And that  wonId  lead us                    so  thjat  they are in&p&ble  of doin'g  any goo,d,  exempt
to  $he  ,errolr   that  is  knpown  as Nestorianism. A third mah from all responsibility? I am born corT;uplt,  t&al-
theory  is  k.nown   `as  Creatianism.  It  holds   &hat   ,the            ly :depFaved.     I `came  into the world wi+h a nature *hat
bb'dy  is born from the parents, while the soul is created wa`s.&apab$e                       of Idoing  any good. And this I ;oer+ainly
 by  <God  in  bilrh  or conception, ,or  some time between                Icarihot  help.  1. never h&d a  ,dhance.  To fight against
conception 2nd  birtli `of the ihdividual [child.           Nor is it thi.s   coiRrupt   nattire  is `hot  `cmly  hopeless, but dso im-
Idifficult-to raise  $objections   agai:nst   +his theory. Does            possible; for  the simple  reason:   th&t   `1   d,o. not even


                                                  T H E   STAN.DA'Rti.BE-iRER!                                    I  ;      .'                  i45

      have the inclination  or  *he desire to reform myself.                   that it can be maintained that the individual  so&d&r
     I am "by pature" prone to hat.e  Goid  aT?d  .my neiglibor,               does not commit the sin `against  the  sixth command-
     and I always was, quite  wikhout  ally  i.ndividuai  fault                ment, when he kil.ls th,e enemy in battle. But this does
     of my own. But rdoes'it  not fol:ow,  then, +hat  I cannot                not mean &hat  ;Dhe  individual  Gcitizens  are ,at liberty to
      be  l-&d  accc+ntabl~e  for my sin ? If it `is not my fault  de&e for themselves,  whether   `or  not they shall take
     that my nature  iS corrupt,  ,holw, then, can actual sin                  an active part in  +h.e war. No right minded citizen  awill
     that  ari+ses  from this  natur,e,  as from a soul   founkain,  5 say : $et the government, that  Ideclared.  war,  fighe  it
     be reckoned to me  as guilt? Can God  hold  me respon-                    out!  `On  the  con$ralry,   :tie government `occupies a
     sible for  &hit   vh,ich  I cannot and never  ,coul,d   d'o?              r,epresentative  place at the  head   ,of  the Stake. When
      Am I not rather  `a  victim of circumstances, of  cruel                  it #declares  .war,  every citizen 5s  %&ally  in war.  When,
     fate, that is to be  pit&d -rather  than  condemned? The                  to meet the expenses of  itrh;e war, .a huge debt is  ac-
      Ca$echi:&   md,oes  not  consider this aspect of  olriginal  xsin        cum~ulated,  us is the case in our present time; that  debt
      in  this connection, but only  ,looks  .at  the  mather  from ais   1o,urs, even though  we  had no part whatever in
     the  organic,  viewpoint. But  unless  this question is                   its accumulation.  And   r&ven  our  Iclhil,dren  and our
      also  ,ask#ed  an'd  answered,  .th.e   .whole   subjlect  of, the       chil,dren's  children will have to bear  &e  burden of
      unilversality  of  sin and  dleath  has  not   (been  treated. itha,t  ,debt.  Thtis   it- is in the hqme  and   ,in society.
      H'eece,  what must be  `our  answer,  That is  th'e  Scrip- Everywhere we  se'e  that  `one  must assume  responsi-
     tural answer -to  this question?.                                         baity  foi  anokher.        A<d  "th'us   $he  Bible teaches that
          Scripture  teetihhes  us, that  ,also   f,rom  a legal view- the  whol,e   .human  -race was creaked a  l.egal  body  repre-.
      point  ,God  tc.r,eated  ithe  human race as a body, a legal             se&d.  by the first man Adam, so that his  fir& sin is
      corporation,  anld that the first man Adam was made i.mpurted  to all, and  211  men  are born  ulnder   8  lo&d
     hhe  head  `of this body in a representative sense. Even as of  guilt. by virtue of their  ,being  members of this
     \the  human l+ace  iivas  created of aone  bloo!d,  80 that there         llegaJ  corporat.ion.       This also  answers   the  question
     is organic unity,  so there  -is  in the one legal  corpor-               thart  was recently ,debated  . i,n   &cles Iof +he  Reformed
     &ion  ,of  mankind legal  s:tilidarity.  Pelagianism is  cunda-           Church of America, whether inf&s  are guflty  before
     mentally  individual&n  :.  ea'ch  individual  man   standi               God in Adam.  That   ;they  are cannot,  <in the  &tit of
      or  falllx  his  cowi   masker;   thetie.   is no  communal   r& Scripttire,  be regarded, as questionable.
      sponsibility  an'd   ~communa$  guilt. But  It;his  is  co!n-                ghis  .is the meaning of that last  clause  in Rom.
     fdemned   `on  every&e,  not  only by  &cripture,  but also 5 :12  : "for that all have sinned". We must  remember
      by actual  lexperi,ence,  and by real life  i`n  the State, in           that  the,apostle.  is ,d&ussing here +he  problem  !of  uni-
      soei:ety,  in the  home. It  i,s true,  `of  co,urse,  that. there       veTsa  ;death.   A%1  men `are under the `dominion of
      is ,individual  responsibility, IScripture   8emphas`izes  th?s          death.  Death   rei.gns.      But death is no  a&dent.  Nor
     very  s@oegly.  When  the  ch&lren  of  I&gel  complain                   is it  %he  `end   of  `a  natma process of decay  and  cor-
     that  the   :dealings  of the  Lord are not  :equal,  and.  a.t-          ruption, the inevitable -anId  -natu.ra.l  end of all life. It
     ,tempt  to justify themselvEs  $n their sins, *he Lord says               is  puniish~ment  for sin. But if it is punishment for
      to them  through His  prophet: "What mean  ye, tha.t  ye                 sin, how can  (death   ,be  univer,saJ?   Not  a;LJ  men  hme  .
      us,e Ohis  proverb concerning the land #of  Israel, saying,              si.nnfe'd  <after  the  simili+ude   ,of   Aldam'   ;transgression.
      The fathers have eaten  so8ur  grapes, and  ithe   chiklren's            Death reigned  fro'm  Adam  t,o Moses,  ,even   `over  those
     teeth  are set on edge? As I live,  saikh  the   Losd God,                that had no.law,  no special  command~men$,  and no per-
      ye sha.11  not have occasion .any  more to-use  this  proyerb            so,nal   .opportunilty  rto  keep `or to violate Ahtat  connnand-
      in Israel.  B,eholsd;   .a11   soule  are mine; as  the  soul   $of m.e$ as did Adam. Besides,  adeath   e6dently  reigns  _
     +he  father, so also ihe  soul  of the son iS mine: the  soul lover  the infants  in `the  cradle. It makes no  ~d+stinction.
     that  sinneth,  it  ,shall   #die."   Th.e  children are  njot            But how can thia  tie  `harmonized   with the justice of
     put&Shed   f,oor  the sins  ,of   their fathers in which they !God  if death is punishment?  Where  is tie legal
     $hem~selves  do not walk. But  *hat  does  not  alter the groun.d  for  &his  punishment of  ldeath   .upon   all?  Th:e
     fact, that there is  also legal solidarity and communal anwer  is : "fear  that  al,1  have sinned". But when .and
     `responsibility and guilt among men. God warns in                         bow  jdisd  all  s%n? The  .answer  is: in and through the
      His law, $hat  He will vi&  the .sins  of thle f&hers upon               `sin of the `one  man Adam. For through  ,one  man siln
     the children, `ev.en  in the $hipd   :and  for&h  generation .entered  into the world; and death  throlugh   sifi,  and
     of them that  ,h%te Him. A:nd  this is plainly, corrobor- ldeaith   pas'sed   upon  all men. And vs. 18 of  rthe same
     ated in actual  life. Individualism stands  cond8emn6d                    `chapter of the epi.stle  60  the Remans  <states very speci-
     everywhere. If our government  ,dedares  war, it is fically, that by the offense of one judgme,nt  `came  upon
     the -government, and. not the individu81  `citizens,  tihat               ,a11  men-to con~demnati~o~n.         This is a purely Jegal  stake-
     is  i33s'ponsibl.e  for  ;this   ,a&. It  bear.s  bhe  sword, and  iit    ment.  `One   `man   ,sinned,  all are  under-'  judgment,  alI
     is responsible for .the way i!n -which it uses that swbnd                 `are guilty. `This could never be the  case, if  Pelagi.an-
     alsd   iti war, Tt  is,-only  in t,his  lixght  an.d  son  this basis     sism were true and the human race con.sisted  of a num-


L


                                                                                                         -
24f5                                                T-H,E-  S-T A N-D--AR  D-  B E A  R-E"R-

ber of individuals without communal  r,esponsibility.
But this is very  clear; if the  lone   man   6hat  sinned is                     The  CBfionicd  Significance of the
accounted as the pepr&entativ,e   `of the aentire,   r&e, so                                          S,ong -of  Songs.
thiat  dl are reckoned ia him. This, th,en,  is &he.  Scrip-
tural solution of the pmyloblem ,of  origijnal  sin. All men                        Nfo   other  book in  $he  Bible  is  .such a puzzle  tp
are born  in sin-;  with a cor:i?upt  nature, that is  iec1i.ne.d              cqventa2;oKs~  `of every school, as $he  Sonlg  of Solomon.
to. hate God and  the neighbor. And this  ,origin&l  poll- -In  the  coulr,se   jof  ages it  h+s been `overgrown with  ;a
lutiron  is  -tihe   ,punishme.I$  of spiritual  ,d#eath, inflicted maze  o)f  both mystical and  #literal   inherpretations   a.nd
upon  the whole. human  rsce,  because  of the co,mmunal                       its  literd  f;orm  is subject to endless  contioversy.              Yet
guilt of al.1  man.kind  in.~l$e  first mail. Adam.                            the fault lies  with the  i&er.prete&, wi'ch  their failure
                                                                    H..  H.    to  allow   th,e  bgok.   Do  speak  t,o them and  w.ith  their
                                                                               failure to adlher,e  to. right prim5ples  `of <exegesis.
                                                                                    11n   ascertabing  the  canopical   signifiea5nce  of the
                                        -                                      book, we are  confronted~  by the questions : "Is  &he book
                                                                               a&go&al  as to. its  lcharaeter   ,or  typical,  ,or is its
                                                                               meaning sol,ely  It&t  w.hich  meets ,the  eyes? Let us see.
                       WEDDING  .ANNIVERSARY                                        Iln  li&ra.ture   au allegory  (f@om  the  IGreek   A&s,
                                1897  - 1942                                   c&noU&er;   Agoreuein,  to  speak) is  :the  `description of'
                                                                               one  Ithing  in terms,-,or   -unlder  the figure of another  in
           It  is  &th sincere thankfulness to God that we  annocnce           yhich  the  real  subject of  discoar.s@-  is  Inot  named.
the 45th  anniversary  of our  p$rent'ls  marriage. On March 4,                In-  +his,   sp"ecies  of  c6imposition   the   sulbject  named is
1 9 4 2                                                                        hist,orically  unreal,  :ncm-exisitent,  and is  :thus  a mere
                           EDWARD BYLSMA                                       fig.ure   or  `name   `02  the  red   subj,ed.  So, if  the  Sonlg
                                 a n d ;                                       i,s. an allegory, the author in what he writes of Solomon
                    GERTRUDE  BYLSMA-Helmholdt                                 and   .Shlulamith,.   ha.d   beflore  his  mi.nd  not two red
                                                                               p.ersons,  who, in the  ",definite  characteristics -possessed
will celebrate this happy occasion. We pray that God's blessing                by  each  apd.  .in the  Tel&tion  which  6hey  sustained to
.may follow them  th&gh many additional years of wedded                        each  other;  typified spirituaJ  and  heavenly ~actualiti~es  ;
l i f e . '                                                              .     but then the  `author  in  .a11  the  langua,ge  that, he .em-
                                         Mr. and M,rs.  George,  Spruit        :pJloys  .is. describi,ng  directly ansd. consciously Christ a,nid  1
                                         Mr. and, Mrs. John  .Bartelds         `FUis  Clhurch.    Now snch  is not $he  case. The view that
                                         Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Griffioen.        i&e  Song is, an $-ll!egori  must be set asi>de 6s incorrect,
                                        - Miss. Geraldine.  Blyl.sma           b.ucmot.beea:use  th$  species  of.composition is unGo&hy
                                         Mr. and Mrs.  ,Gerard,  -Bylsma       `of_  the Song.  br  ,of.  the  Scri,ptures  in  .`general,   ,or  because
                                   .~ Miss Beatrice, Bylsma                    ,of   ceti&in  so$her  :o.bj,ections   .raised  again,&  +his  view.
           Graqd  Rapids; Michigan..                                               `%he  writers,  of,th,e   Holy  Seriptur.eslmade           use  alsp.
                                                                               `of  cpmpo8iti:oa  of -this character. The  l$ahnist-  did
                                                     .                         so in  hi,s  description of  &he people of  Israel  in  the
                                                                               oharacter  ,of.a  vine :. "Thea hast  brought  la +ne  lout  of
                                                                               Egyp?;.  ; thqu  ha&  cast out_  the, :heathen  and'  planted it.
                                                                               Thou,   prepare&  room  besore  it,  anld  ~di~dst   ,cause  it  toi
                                                                               tak:e- deep, rapt,  and it filled th.e  laind.        The  hi,lls  were
                                                                               covered with the  sh3.do&  of. it,  :and  the  bbws  ithereof
twill   `m'eet  in regular  -session   Wmednesday,  April 1,  ait were like tbe.go,_odly  cedsrs. She sent out her-  .boughs
9  100  .A:  M., at  F'ull~er  Ave.                                            unto   i&e,  sea,  -and  her  bran&es  unto  theriver.  . .  ."
                                                  D.:   J-on&r,   S;  C;       `P+  80).
                                                                                    Tl$s.  scripture  answePs  the . requirements of the
                                                                               ,dc$injti:oq  ,of  the -allegory.  The .r,eal subj.ect-the  people
                                                                               of  Xsrae&-is   :not  named and the subject named-the
                                                                               v&3-is   `a  meres  figtire   i$n this Psalm,  historical,ly  un-
                       NOTICE  -  Classis-  West                               real,. Not  the   viDe  b#ut\  the  peop1.e  of  Israel  is the
                                                                               subjecit   dir,e@ly  contemplated. Weye  `the  Psalm typi.cal
Classis will convene at Hull, Iowa, D. V., Wednesd:ay,                         a,ed.  not aJleg~rical,:.the  vinej  +o:o,  wodd  be *historically
March 4, at 9 :00 A. M. W.31, those .desiring  lo'd@ng                         yeal.    And th+. would. b,e  .the subject `directly co+em-
please  contact  ihe  Rev. A. Canimenga.                       '               plated . .
                                                M.  ?Zritters,   S..  C,            If  t&e species of  compositioti   ithat   bears..-the   name


                                               T H E S T A NrD:A.R~,D

  of allegory  is found also in the Scriptuutes,  i8t  `cannot  be        of- the  ,bride':s   featires,  strike  one.  as strange. What
  true that,  as the reasonings of some  critics  seem.$o                 can be the literal sense conveyed` by a  word-pi&tire
 imply,  we  woultd  be  compelled  to adopt the  so-&led                 such  as this: "Thy teeth are like a fEock of sheep that
  allegorical,  me'ch~od  of i,nterpreta%ion  in ,explaining  the         are  ,even  shorn-,  ~which  came up  from  %he washing  ;
  Song, were it an allegory. For t&is  m.ethod-a  method whereof every  ,o'ne   b&ar  twins, and none is barren
  that  (originatead  with  thle Greeks, was first introduced among them. ; . I Thy neck is  .like  the  ItowNer  of David
  .by Philo  .and  w.as adopted by iOrigin-&  truly a vicious             builded   f,or-an   armouyy,  wherein  bhere,  hang  a thou-
  one. It may be us,efd  in the interpretatiton  of no Scrip-             sand bucklers,  ala  ,s;hiel+  of mighty men.            %hy   two!
  tures, not even of, such  & are plainly allegorical.                    breasts are like two young roes, that  ar.e tw<ins;  which
  ,Origifi  taught  that  if the meaning  ,of   1;1  passage of. f.eed  among  th'e  lilies-" (4 :2-4) . If  @he  similes  lof
  Scripture remains obscure and  .uninteliligible  -when the .Dhe   Slang  such as these strike us  as slzanlgg,  ithe..tihing
  .words   ar,e taken  inltheir   ,obvious  `and literal sense,           for us 60  `do  is to  ,confess  that the fault lies, if not
  there must be .an undersense which i,s concealed and                    with our $aillure-  to ,discover  the tr,ue  -and   litez%J  sense
  must be  broiught  oat. This  u(ndersen.se  with Origin `of the language  sem.ployed,   ithan  with  our  inability  to
  was not  +he  true, correct sense `of the `wcrrds--+a  sense .discern  the logic of this language. T'o  set these similes
  of  -which  he at first  iwould  y,em&n-  i,gnorant.  but  itha;t,      asilde  as  .so  mfany  incongruous  ,enormities,  devoid  ,of
  as a  result   Iof more painstaking  &udy,  he subsequently             ,of   ,discovera'bl,,e  sense, is  a&  ,only to assail  tihe  very
  su,cceeded  in app&lending. To the contrary, it was a &piptures;  it is in  aldditilon  to  sdes.&roy for  yourselves
  sense that the words  ldo not  yiel;d  ,and  even cannot have. the very vehicle for the conveyance of divine truth
  It was.  +hu,s a sense  `of Origin's  ow,n  fabrication and             from the mind  of God to ,the  mind of man. It is thus
  lone  *%hioh  he imposed upon, -carried-  into, the text. It t,o  :d:ed,are  @hat  the  song can tell us  nobhing  at all
  is plain that an. inkerp&!t,er,'  who employs this m'ethod,             ,ei+her   sf things  earthy .or  of things heavenly. So if
  make,s  scripture say  tihatever  he; pleases.             Mulch  if .the  language of the Sonlg  is devoid of literal and dis-
  what Origin iaught  ind&tes  that  *he   didrjust  this. If,            Icovaable  sense,  &e  Song might  as  well  Ihave-  been
  i,nst*ead  ,of  rene.wing  his  study   ,of  the hwor,ds, when  the     written in a languiage  unders&ood  and spoken by men
  #meaning   `of the .passage   -remains  obscure to him, the             of no generation either  ,of  the past or the present.
  interpreter  looks.benea+h,  he sets aside *he Scriptures Thus  rthe interpreter who  tist  atisai,ls   the   langua,ge  of
  to place in the ro.om thereof <whatever  his mind is able               this song  8s inherently  unint~elligible.  and thereupon
  to supply in `that  u$lerwor*lad.  For  t,he. meaning of                ppoceeds  with hi,s  interpretation of the book, witi stand
  the text can be  qoee other than the sense of its                       bme$or'e   u,s  in  the  fpufit's  of his  Jabours  as  armed  not
  w\ords.            .                                                    witih truth tih&  Go:d communieated$o         man through-the
      Calling this  Yicious  method allegorical was, I be-                &trumentality  of earthy,  burnan  language, but, like
 sieve,  a mistake  ; for it  br.&ght   that  species  ,df liter-         Origin, with figments @his .ow.n mind.
  ature  that  bears the  -name  of  ,allegary   more or less                 The  question  is  whetlier  the  ,chur:ch  fathers  anid
  under a  clond   lof   suspicioin  and  ,le.d  to the  conldusion       the  christi,an  commentators  ,of   the  middle ages made
that  +he   al.legory   and  the  s,o-called   allegorical  method themselves  gui:lty   lof   ti?is.,   Di!d  they, too, on  cc  whole,
  are inseparable. Now  this  conclusion is wrong. One                    regard  -6he   langu+ge   #of   the   gong   as  inlherently   un-
  can very well  pro'oeed  on +he  foundation %hat:the  song              ,ilztel~igi.ble?  Those who accuse them of this, point to
  is .a.n  :aUegor-y  without finbding  himself under the neces-          their exegesis of the Song. But this ,exegesis-  ,does  not
  :sitji  of  -employing   ,Origin's-  method.  Fez* the allegory,        prove  the  charge. What it Idties show is that the inter-
  as well  `as-any  lother species of literature, is a compo-             pretation of $he  Sung- curr,ent  in the primitive church
  sition in which all- the  lan.guage  employed has worthy,               ,and  in #he  .church  (of  -the  midtdl'e  ages -regarded all  Ithe
  J&era&   anld   disooverabde  sense. What would. be the                 part&J!ars  in the various  deacripti.ons   as allusions
  use of  ;d+cribifig  one thing  uncle;   the  figure of  lanother,      to the relation of  Chrlist  to the  &urch  sand futiher  to
  if it were  ,otherwise.   and,  if  th'us   $he. language  emplopeid    @.e  soil  ,of  the,.  individual  believer. To  Ulustrate,  it
  ,could  tell us nothing at  all.about  the  subj'ect  directly sees in the op.en'ing  words  tif Shulamith 1:2-4  a mani-
  :desczritbed,  tin.d cont,emplated.                                     festition  of %he  longing  of  +he  church  Ear union with
      Yet there have been interpreters who  taok  the her heavenly bridegroom.                                It further sees in what
  stand that the .figpres,  the  figurative language, of .the             Shalamith  says   vss. 5 -and 6 of  `her  blackness and of her
  :Song,   h3vie  no literal, worthy, and  disner8nable  sense, "not  ,having  kept  h?$   own   Vineyard,"  reference  +o the
  that, if expou.nded  literally, th&se  portraits are absurd sins of the  church,   ss the causes of her temporary
  and  ri!diculous,  repulsive and revolting even,  aed.form; .separation  from  .lGod   land  her enslavement by the
  as  literal1.y   intepprete.d,    "a  ta,steless  and  ill-assorted     em,pire   *of  the world.     Thus' what  thiis  exeges.is   .also
  rhapsody of insongr.uous  `enormities?. Now it is  Jrue                 shews-and   #his   ,has  w.eigh+is   that   t h e  ohristian
  that, as .long  as the -1aniguage  is not understood;.espec-            &urch   of.  +hose periods  regafided  the Song as  Me&   -
ially some  ,of  these portraits, such as the  descripti.on
                     _-                                                   sianic.    T+, I said, has  yeight.  To the  rationa&t.


248                                         , T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

commentators, the Song is  meriely  an  eeul:ogy   ,of  natural .&o,Qd  days. But   sh'e  l,o;ves the king, and he fee&  him-
conjugal love. To know therefore that  frorn~the  be-                    self @!rongly  drawn to her. She would  take him  with
ginning the testimony of +he   church  has  alwAys  been                 her  &way  from the follies  and  temp.tatEons  ,of  the coati
t,o  6he   &ect that  thle Song is Messianic  i,s most re-               `down  to rher  quiet country. retreat. He, yields to her
assuring.                                                                ,and  gives u,p <his  unwotihy  habits of life and goes with
       The question  must  now be  ,confronted:   W,hat  is her and lives a  purey  and healthier life. Her  love  is
the  compositi'on  to which  bhe  Song belongs? whereas strong  eno,ugh  to  hol,d  the  kiing  and to retain him
the characters named in the  song--Solomon`.and               Shula-     wholly  .for  herself. Thus  :the  poem  is said to adescribe
mite+and  appearing in it, ,are  not imaginary Lbut  real,               Solomon%  Forsaking  the  ways  of, sin into which he
it is neiither  an allegory tio~ `a. parable.. But just  tihat           had strayed and his return to God and right  living.
is the song? If nothing more  need&  to  b.e   saiid   ,of  its          In  particular,  +he  song  Js   held  to exalt the  t,riumph
characters  khan  that  they are real, if oonld  be termed               of love over the degradation of polygamy. This is the
simply  -a true narrative in  verse  calculated & convey                 ,sol,e purpose  `of it. And  th&  is said to be the Canonical
a moral 1,esson. This  is now the prevalment  view among                 si~g&ficance  of the Song. Let us observe that, accord-
rationalist  commen%ators.         -Only  it is  he&d that  `the         ifi(g  to the above scheme, Solomon is the only lover.
narraXiv8e  is ficti,on  in `ohat  the characters  ar,e  creations           T.he?e is still another line  o? interpretation among
`of the author's mind, true `to' life, perhaqs, but yet                  those who accept  tjhe  dramakic  integrity ,of  the Song.
i.maginary.,                                                             It is this : He witih `w:hom   Shulamith  is in Jove is not
       Though  th.e Song, as will be  &o&n, is  `cypical-                Solomon but a young shepherd .of her country `home.
messianilc,  -thus, tho,ugh  more must be said of it than                but  t'he  king (wants  t&e  rnaild  f,or himself. He  fiqst   #gets
that it is  *rue   narrati,ve,  it  is indeed narrative, or,             her..into  his  (harem  by force or  fraud:        This, so it is
bettfer said, true representation. That is, the sense held, ,is the lay .of  the story at 1:4 where the statement
,of  the  wor.ds   ,of  this song is altogether rational. and            occurs : "Tche  k,ing  has brought me into  his chambers."-
~discerni~le.   -`Its   &sc&ptions `are  tr.ue  to  !iEe  and  con-      After getting her into his  h&em, the kinig attempts to
mcern   dharacters  that are historically real. `This  vi'ew             -estrange her  froim   .her   r;ustic   lolver  by "all  slorts  of
aof   the  Song  must form the  fonndation  on  w:hioh  we               inducements  and   seducive  marts. But .the  maid, .by  her
set but in interpreting  .it. Doing so  we inquire into pur.e  love 60 her mate, resists all the enticements  which
the  mea+@,  of the language in literal  appli,cation.                   the king  ,bT*ings  to  be.ar  upon  h&r,  partly  through  the
W,e  possess  ourselties   -first  of  its literal and  `obvious         .medium   .of  the ladies of the Co&,  ,and  partly in pe~soti
sense., `And it  ,is on the basis of  thi.s  literal and  mdis-          by  his   omin  flattering  speeches   an!d several  +$mes  by
coverable  .s&n!s&  that we  rise  $0   the  spiritual  sign%-           direct  `and  violent  ,assaults  upon her  vijrtue. ,C,o,ntin.ced
cance.                                                                   of her fidelity to her  d,istan,t  lover, Solomon is at
       Inq&&g  i@d  the languige,  we find  ourselves con- length 6bltged  to ,dismiss  her to her  home, whither she
fi-orited  by the question: Does the  styu.cture  of the                 .is taken by her lover,  who has  meanwrhile  hastened to
song conform to the laws of  i$e  #drama?  If  eo;   +h,e                her  ,on  the wings of iove." According to this  scheme
Song  is.  ,a. composition with an  intr'oduction,.  plot or             +here  are two lovers appearing in the  Song-Solo~mon
stolry   ,and  a final. resu!t.  And Do  :this  result  a.nd  to th.e    and  the shepherd.  Accoriding  to the rationalist com-
`development of  tihe story  $o&aEdS   iti  &Fax,  all  the              mentators who follow ihis p+rtioular  ,li.ne of re:asoning?
separz&e   scenes  and  incidents  in  the  Sohcg   co,n@ibute.          the canonical significance of  the Song  ,is that "it  s&s
Such  $s  #now  the`.view   :  helId  by most modern &m&en-              forth  %he  beauty ,of  a simple country life as the scene
tators, rational&s  anld  `cons&&ives   alrike.                          of the true love  ,of  husband and  wif,e   .in  co&ast to
 _ Among  tho& yho accept this *dramatic integrity ,o2                   the  degrada;tion   09  `a  corruplt  court'!. But there are
th'e  Song, tbhe$e. i?e  two d&&i&t  lines of (demarcation.              also conservative commentators who adopt  %his  scheme,
   A,ccord:ing   to the  on&  line  the  story is  8ti%,:.  King         those  whose stand is that  &he  Song is  typical~mess:&nic.
Solomon is on a j'onr.ney,  when he first meets Shula-                   A&o&ing  to these stedents of Scripture the spiritual.
m&h,-   wl!om   ,tiose who  f.ollow   th,is   line  take  for,  a        jcruth  w&h  the Song sets  fotih  is to the  f&owing
country maiden. In her ~,chiIdlike  simplicity she takes                 ,eff,ect  : The people of Israel. had ,asiked f,or an *earthly
the king  for ,one  pf the:cqmmon  young  men in the land.               kingship, not considering  th&  throuigh   -this  request.
She   pl;ayfully   address.&   hi,m  as  shve  would one of  +er         it denied &holvazh.     In  Solomon  the Lo,pd  had given the
village' companions. `Fhe   out&me   ,is  that  the king                 peopl,e  a king with  whog  it &ered the @den  age of
eatiies her ,off  to his harem and sihe becomes another its history. Solomon was the `earthly replica of the
one of his many wives or of  <his.  many  co.ncubines.                   tglory  of  <Christ.  Wisdom, riches, power, glory and
But she has no I?kieg`  for t&e  pomp. of royalty. A n d fame met and  jloitied  in his illustrious person. For
with the  wounen  of the harem she feels herself  ill  ,at               the people this was a temptation to  aposkatize,  to be
ho%e.   She   lo@gs  to be back in her mother's cottage satisfied with a king as  Solcjmon,  and to  find  its itdeal
`among the  \yoods  land,:&el.ds  where she spent her  ohild-            in a woplldly  ki.ngdo~m,     The people on a whole yielded


         :
                                             .THE  S T A N D A R D   BEARERi"`!i                                                      249

to this temptation. `It I,o&ed  no further than Solomo,n:               ooul,d  do. Thus its theme. is a pure  .and chaste  co,n-
But not  ,all rejected the son of David of- the future.                 jvgal affection  .and  its sole  prtmwy   = purpose is `to
The  tr;ue  I.srael  clave  to Him  -who  would one day -slay           portray this affection in all its strength and unsullied
<of  Himself: more Man Solomon is here. They con-                       loveliness: Anid   thi,s  it does with such  ,matchless
tinued  bo  acknowled'ge  Solomon as their ruler. But deli,cacy  as to plainly show that it was written under
their-  <love they reserved for the  trae bridegroom of ?che  impulse of an  infal.lible  inspiration. No human
Israel. Of this love of the Messiah the Son,g  testifies.               could produce such `a book.                        ,
It describes for us the triumph of  holly  love for that                                  '
                                                                               R is  theref:ore  a sad  m?stake-a  mistake fatal to
King, in whom Jehovah Himself will-appear, over  all the Song-to carry into it, as those interpreters ad-
the  .enticemen.ts   ,of  kingship, that  cat  best was but a           dicted to the, shepherd theory or the-one-lover hypothe-
shadow of the true. Such. is the contention. And                        sis have done, the polygamy of Solomon. For in this
therein lies the significance of the Song  anld also Song he appears as devoted <exclusively to. Shdamith.
especially in this that it set  ,bef.ore  the eyes  Iof the, He, says and ,do,es nothing -on which to ground the
:  Old  Testament  Chr&h king  Soloimon  in  &ll his pile-              suspicion of a want ,of  constancy in his love to her.
ness--ech  .is inbdeed  the contention and s,o  he <also ap-
pears in the Song if the  scheme in question is correct                        The Christian Church, through the ages, has  held
-in order that the  :true  Israel might perceive that it                that this Song is something more  ,than  a description
is Christ  son   whom  it should have its  affectioas  set.             of scenes that belong to the sphere of natur,al  conjugal
The proof that this conception of the significance of love. What her stand in regard to this Song is and
th.e Song is wrong is  th,is  scheme. Both schemes-the always has been is that  "iln consequence of his repre-
shepherd theory and the one  .l,over  hypothesis-are                    sentative chlaracter  as the vioegerent. ,and- type- of the
supplied, ,as to .all.  their connectmg links, by the  inter-           ,divine  King of Israel-Jesus  .Christ-his  individual
preter and are not in the Song.  R'omaaoes  they are                    and earthly relations become the.mirror  -of the spirit- -.
,of  the modern commentator yvith  the `elements of the                 u,al  and the heavenly. His  fhuman  love  .to the  wo.man
Song woven in to suit the taste.                                        ,of  his choice  is- the  symbol  ,o,f  the love of God to His
                                                                        elect  peopl,e,   :of  Jeh~ovah   ,to Israel; of Christ to His.
    The S,ong  is no `drama. There is .no regularly .uln-               Church."      The latter is not  1directl.y  described by tie
folded plot in it. But neither is it a  ~collecti,on  of dis-           terms of the Song, b.ut i,s sha.dowed  f,orth  by scenes and
connected. poems that owe all appearance  `of continuity feebngs   Iwhich  are ,depicted  init. The Solomon  ,ob  the
to- the arrangement of an unknown editor. The `Song Song is not the. heavenly ; he .is but the earthly S.olo-
has  structuralunity.  Throughout the book the same                     mon. "He is presented, however, not in his individual
pers80ns  appear in the dialogue. The style  i,s  the personality  merely,  but in the  .capscity  of  ki.ng  and
dame.         The ,center  <of  attraction is  Sojlomon  and Sh$ula-    lover  .or  husband, thus  sug.gesti.ng  th$e  ideal king and
m&h  and  the  identity of their figures is preserved the ideal lover and to this extent and in this manner
throughout. Herein -lies the structural unity of the shadowing forth the greatest and the most glorious ,of
book.                                                                   ,monarchs,  the most tender and  ,affectionate,  the most
    Solomon and  Shulamith  are historically real and Iloving  and the best of bridegrooms, Jehovah-J.esus."
Ithfe   S,olomon   <of  the Song is the son  ,of  David. The                   But the rationalist  commentaiors  will not have
joining of. the two in wedlock  `does not  for,rn~  the                 it so.     yet, there, is something `in it, they say, to
climax  ,of  the  ,song.       Already in the first scene they justify  #its  having been incorporated  .in the canon of
appear as married. There is no climax  to, this com-                    the Scriptures. And this  someth&g is its making Iclear
position.         F'rom  its beginning to its end, it moves             in the  d,ays   ,of  Solomon's  p~olygamy   *among  the Jews
along in its  discours,es  on the same high plain ,of  con-             that  this. gross' imitation of the co~urt-life  of heathen
juigal  ecstasy.                                                        monarchies  wa's  a  despicabl~e   and.   d,egrading.  thing,
    W.hat  is this Song?. Upon examination it appears anid to set  ,over  against it an  ,attradive  picture of
                                                                         L.
to be a  represention  of the loving  :intercourse   `of  .an tr,ue   love   ,and  simple manners.                  .'          .'
earthly bridegroom and his  bride.  The  tw,o  parties                         It can be proved that  -the.  Song  wlas designed by
here  ,described  live  in-and   f,or each `other. The  Solng           the Holy Spirit under  who,se  inspiration.3 was writ-
is filled with proofs and instances of their  folndness                 ten, to, shadow forth the `heavenly, th'e  Ilove  .of  Christ
and  .d,evotion,  their ardent  :l,onging  for each other when          to His bride, the Church.  TU;ou,gho,ut  the Old Testa-
separated,  -their  delight in each  ,other  when united,               ment and especially in the writings- of Jer.emiah  and
their.increased  enjoyment in every source of pleasure,                 Hosea   thle i.dea  of a  ,marrilage  union  betieen  ,Go#d  and
,o,f  which they partake together. It -is the constancy, His people occurs. The Baptist describes the  c&min.g
the' tenderness, the  purity, and the faervor  of wedded                of the Messiah as  .the  bridegroom, and Christ appro-
love that this Song- in the first instance sets forth                   priated the  titlle   -f.or  Himself. St. Paul contemplates
as no oth.er  Song of this character is known to do or                  the  uni,on  of husband and wife as an earthly' replica


                                                    .\     .
250                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

of the union of Christ and His `Church. The mar-
riage of the Lamb is one of the features of the Book                                     God Zelf Is  Rechter  _
of Revelation. But these analogies, it is  sai,d,  are in-
sufficient to  ,establish  any proof. Now this is true.                                           (Psalm 50)
AU that -these  anal,ogies  show is that in general the,                 Voor  ,de zooveelste maal  ben  ik gene&d  om  te  zeg-
,earthly  is  `a  ,symbol.  of the heavenly. The union of            gen :  ,dit is een  Ivan   tde  schoonste  psal,men   uit   `den  bun-
every believing man a,nd wife is a symbol of the mar- ,del.  Dotih ik `doe  het niet. Zulk zeggen vermoeit,  ver-
riage of the Lamb. What is needed is proof that the veelt,  woridt  eentonig en is ook niet  .juist.   Eigenlijk
Song as to the two maibn characters  which  it presents zijn  aer geen  :mooie  en  mieder mooie  psalmen  in  ens
is a prophetic symbol  ,of  the union of Christ  an'd  His           psalmiboek.      Het  schijnt  ~0.0, doCh  het is niet waarheid
Ghurch.          This proof is there and, contrary  .to the          morn zoo te spreken. Alle  .psalmen  zija product van
contention that `the writer never (drops  any hint that (den  Heiligen  Gee&  van God  ,en  alles  wat  ,Go,d   Ido&  is
he has wrapped up spiritual ideas in the sensuous mooi,  lieflijk,  schoon  en  saanbiddehjk.                            Om het anders
imagery of his poetry, it is  contamed  in this very                 te zeggen:  a1l.e   psalmen  zijn  tezamen   gehjk   aan  een
song.       The  f,o:llowing  expressions and passages,  oc-         sch,itterende   .diamant   e n   `elk  `dier   `psalmen   vertoont
curr.in,g  in it  -.are   telhng.  "The  Kieg !has  br.ought         ee.n  fonkelin,g  van  dat lieflijk  gekleurde  licht.~
me into  .his   &ambers.  . .  :" `( 1:4b).        "Behold  h,is        In  ,dit  li.ed   ziet   ,de  ldichter  den  gr,ooten  God  `die   ds
bed  which  is Solomon's;  threescore  valiant men are               Reohter  van Zijn  volk  versohijnt. En Die Zija  `oar-
about it, of  :the  valiant  .men  of Israel" (3  :7). "King         deel   last  tgaan  over  .den   godsdienst.
Solomon made  hi,msel,f  a  6hariot  of the wood  .`iof                  Het   treft  ens, dat  sdi'e   geY#nspireerde   diohters   God-
`Lebanon. He made the pillars thereof  ,of   `silver,  the           gezien hebben, zooals  wij Hem  noo,it  zien. D.e man is
bottom thereof. of gold,  *he covering of it  ,of   purpl,e,         ,geheel  en ad  tender den indruk van God:  Hlj spreekt
the  mi,dst  thereof being paved -with love.  ; . . Go               adaarom   geheel   .en-al   voor God. En  ldat  is heerlijk.
f,orth,   $0 ye  ,daughters  ,of  Zion, -and  behd:d  king Solo-     Wij zijn altijld  geneigd om &,et lvoor tdien  armen  mensch
mon with the crown wherewith  h$is  mother crowned lop te  nemen.   Ni,et zoo  *de   geIbnspir.eerde   profeet.  Die-
him in the day of his espousals  aed  in the  Iday of                spreekt  voor  God  a'lleen  en nooit neemt  hij   !h,et   voor
the  gladnless  of his heart" (3 :9-11).        "Solomon hath `den  mensch op. De  ,geheele   Bijbel is  ei,genlijk  een
`a vineyard at  Baal.hamon  ; . . .  .My  vineyard, which            Theodicea   ,nu  in den goeden  zin bedoeld. Dat   wooed
i:s mine, is before me; thou, 0 Solomon, must' have                  b.eteekent   eigemijk : een  reehtvaardiging           van God. En
:a thousand. . . . Thou that  ,dwellest  in the  ,gardens,           ik  schrijf  dat woord  $neer  met  hanger  in  :mijn  ziel.
the  companionIs  hearken to thy  voioe,  cause me to                &h,  lof  nu al lwat  in mij is Hem prees  !
`hear  .it. Make  lmste,  my beloved, and be. thou to a                  Jaren   geleden   zeide   bet mijn  pr,ofessor:  Wij  heb-
roe or to a young hart upon the mountains  ,of  spices"              ben  .altij,d  -medelijden  met den mensch,  .doch wanneer
 (8  :11-14).                                                        izult   !ge nu eens  medelijlden  bebben met God? loch,  ik
       The writer in thlese  passages and thus throughout tweet  wel,  !dat   dit  1d.was.s   klinkt, ails  ge `die   uits,praak  op
the entire Song presents  SoloVmon  as king  Land   lo&,             .dien   eersten  Mank  af  hoort,   dloch   lhet-  is  verre  van
better  ,sai'd, as king&lover. In his person, king and               !dwaas.     Mcenig,een  van IJ hebt  ook al de wijsheid van
lover  or'husband  are so united as to be inseparable.               dat  vreemide  zeggen bespeurd.  Medelijxden  met God.
It proves that in this Song h.e is presented as type                 De man  bedo.el.de,   *dat het  ens   aan  het `hart  gaat   als
(of  Christ `in his capacity of king not merely (it is               Zij,n  Woord en Wet  `en   op.enbaring  met voeten getreden
not disputed that in this capacity he typified Christ)               wo&t.   Wie,  die God liefheeft,  wordt niet  versoheurd
bat of  kin.g-husband.         Thi,s  is the canonical signifi-      in zijn  ldiepste  hart,  als  men Jews een  vervloeking
 cance of the Song.                                                  noemt  en  ,den   Z.one   Golds   oader den voet  vertreedt?
                                                                     Ziet,  ~gel;iefdle  lezer,  dat  bedoelde  hij.
       In interpreting this -Song, most believing com-                    Do&  de  Bijbelschrijvers  ijveren  alllen  voor God.
mentators of the  *past have proceeded from the pre-                 Zij verdedigen  .God   Ialtij'd.  Zoo ook  bier. Zij zijn
 mise  &at  thle   similles  in the  Sonig,  not only as a           ,eenvoudig  mondstukken.van           #God. God spreekt tot onls
 whole   but.  i.n their  )detailed   featur,es  as well, have       (door   .hen.
 typical meaning.         Is  this   prmemise  correct? If so,            En  ,dat  sehokt  altijd,  ,als ge  .oo,ren  hebt om  geeste-
 what is there to so.gui,de  the interpreter in his search           lijk te  hooren.
 f'or  the corresponding spiritual truth that he avoids
 the pitfalls into which some  commentaturs,  who  pro-                   Hij  wor.dt  aangedien,d  in al Zijn grootheid.
 oeeded  from this premise, have  fa%n?                ThXs  is a         Rigenlijlk  start er : Eel, Elohim,  Jehovah spreekt !
 ~question  that cannot be gone into here.                                En  Tdat  zijn  ,drie   namen  van God. Eel is God als ,de
                                                                     Almachtige.  Elohim is het Eeuwige  Wezen   ,die   ens
 !                                                 G. M. 0..          vreeze  en ontzag' inboezemt  ,en Jehovah,  jla, Jehovah is
                                                                                            b


  _.      ._                                   TH'E   S T A N D A R D  BEAR.ER~   ..                                                             251     _

  sde   .naam  van  XGod  zooals Hij  ,de hemelen zal doen                  worden allen  geo,penbaard   vo'or  den  rechterst,oel  van
  ruischen  tot in all,e eeu,wigh.eid  van tee.der,en  mian. Je-            Christus, om weg te ,dragen  wat ,door  `het lichaam `ge-
  fhovah  is ,de  VerbondsGod,  halleluja~!                                 schied is, hetzij  ,goed,   Ihetzij   kwa&  Somtijds een
           Treft het U niet, `dat   `di,e Godsmannen  God zaggen            ~ontstell~ende  gedachte. En als het gericht  b.egint  bij
  zooals  gij en,ik  H:em  nooit zien? 0 ja, we hebben Zijn                 het Huis Go,ds,  waar ,zal ,de ,goddel,ooze  en zondaar ver-
  Woord en openbaring rondom ons  ,en  sdie #dingen  uiten                  schijnen? Vreeselijke gedachte.
  meen  luide sprake.          Ook brengen zij ons  va,ak  onder                Dus eerst iets  vook  de  .gemeente.  Luistert:  Ver-
  den  i.ndauk  hunner  grooth,ei'd.   Vertoonend  het hand-                zamlelt  Mij  M.ijae  gunstgenoten, die Mijn verbond
  werk  ,des  Sch.eppers  of  .des  Herscheppers.  Doch men                 maken met  .of.ferande!  Dat zijn gij, mijn broeder1
` gevoelt het, hier hebben we !wat  anders. De menschen                     God heeft U nu alvast wat te zeggen. Hij zal het nu
  {die   ,den  Bijbel `ontvingen werden ontzet. Sommigen ,al  reeds  vertelIllen  hoe het er met U naar toe zal  ,gaan
  vi.elen  als dood neer, anderen zuchtten: mijne  beeri-                   in  (dien  ,dag  van vuur en storm.
  deren wonden aangegrepen tot verrotting. Dat kwam                             Het verbond `Gods  maken met offerande. Ja, het
  van de red,e   Gods  die hen sdoorllouterde.          J'esaje  riep : verbond  s;taat  in verband met offerande. T'oen de
  Xvee   m i j !                                                            dichter  ,dit zong  was  er niet meer  ,dan bok  ,en schaap en
           Uit Sion, de volkomenheid der schoonheid, ver- hyssop  ten  wat roode wol. Doch nu is er het bloed van
  s,chi   j:nt  God  blinken,de  !                                          ,Golgotha.     Als hij nu ,dichtte  zou hij zegge&  ; `(die  Mijn
           Hb  ik teve'el  gezegd? Ziet ge Hlem   ?                        verbond maken met Jezus !"
           De `opdracht  va.n  het spreken Cods  is,  ,dat men de               Hoe  zoudt   `ge.   *anders   tgodsdienst  `oefenen?  Gods-
  aarde  ,en  den  :hemel  zal verwittigen  `olm  `v'080r  God te           ,dienst  zonder het  Bloed is voor eeuwig uit.
  verschijnen. Hij heeft  :eea  boofdschap  voor ons.                           IHoo,r   ,dan Mijn volk, en Ik zal spreken.              Ik zal
           Ik  ,ben  er van  8overtuigd,  dat we het hier te doen onder U betuigen. Zie sterk `op  Mij nu, want Ik God
  hebben. met  ,een   profetie van het uiteindelijke ver-                   ben Uw God!                                                    Y_
  schijnen van  Go.d  als Hij zal komen om te *oordeelen.                       Ik- vraag U : Is  `er  ergens muziek, in hemel of op
  Dat kunt ge merken uit het  d:erde  vers. Het is alsof                    aarde, hetwelk  rte  vergelijken Es met  *deze stanza?
  de dichter `het  gevoel,d  heeft: waar is  d,ie God -die zoo              De God  (des hemels is mijn God? 0,  terwijl1  wij in de
  blinkt uit  Simon?  Waar is Hij, opdat wij Hem zien                       gevangenis  lilggen  in den stok, met het  baoed  van den
  motgen?   Zoo  klinkt immers het. verwaten hart des rug  stroomend,  hebben we  ,den  hemel in de ziel. God
  menschen  vain   die  eeuwen?                                             is mijn God.            .             .
           Daar.om  zegt dat .derde  vers, dat  LGod zal komen en               Doch  ,er  is,  `een   and.ere   zij.de.    Die God is Rechter.
  niet zal  zwij,gen   ;  id,at  vuur voor Zijn  Aangez.icht  zal . Hij zal  ihet  mij bekend  arnaken  hoe de  verhoedingen   .
  verteren en  ,dat  `er   tgroote  donkerheid der stormen Hem zijn van God en rgo.dsdienst.
  zal  verzell'en.  Welnu,  d,at ligt zeker nog  i,rl   *de   toe-              En ,direkt  `grijpt de Heere U aan in .het  Tdiepe  hart.
  k~onxt.                             .                                     Luistert naar Hem: Op het Agenda van den oordeele-
           We  ,hebben  hier een aankrondiging  van het richten `dag  komen Uwe  godsdi,enstoefeningen                           niet voor. -Hij
  Gods  in `de toekomst. Die wijzer zijn dan mij hebben . zal  `dan  zwijgen over  het  feit van Uw  aqxgezicht  en
  het  ,mij  vertel,d,   (dat zulk zeggen eigenlijk niet cor- #de   pl,ooiten  van `t vrome geknoei. .Of ge al met  verande-
  rekt is. Eigenlijk moet *men z,eggen  : Het ,richten  Gods,               ring van stem kondet  fleemen  en paaien  cgeeft  God
  hetwelk Hij  .van  eeuwigheid tot  eeuwighieid   ,daad-                   niets om, of het moest zijn om U te verdoemen. De
  werkelijk doet zal in :difen  dag openbaar worfden.                Hij    Heere walgt van e,en uitwendigen  ,go~dedilenst  als `t hart
  richt  nz&  ,ook.     E.n   ,de voors,maak  hlebben  Golds  volk nu. ,er  met in is.
  Daarom staat  chet ons in  ,d,en-  Bijbel  aaageschreven.                     Neen, direkt aan het-zbegin  verzekert oes ,de Heere,
  En  xde  Geest van Christus past het  zahgmakend  toe. #dat  Hij ons niet zal straffen om (onze  offeranden. Het
  En  .de goddeloozen hebben er  iets van in  #de   conscitentie.           zal  ,dan ni&--gaan  over het feit, dat ge naar den pries-
  Doch zij  wer)den  verhard. Terwijl wij  jammerlijlk                      rter' geloopen  zijt met teen bokje of leen tortelduif. Merkt
  ,klagen   i n   ditepen   n a c h t .   D a t   .is  to,ok   h,eilaaam   ,en hlet toch .op, &il de Heere zeggen,  (dit is de Dag wan-
  zaligheild.                                                               neer  cd,e  harten van tengelen en van'  duivelen,  van
           Nu, wat heeft God te zeggen in dezen psalm?                      rechtvaardigen en  o.nrechtvaardigen  binnenst buiten
           Al!h%eerst  zal het leen  sprake  zijn tt Zijn #volk.           <gekeerd worden. En alleen  o,m-t,oe   te-lichten  een zwart
           Hij zal van  ,den   hernel  ,en  tot den hemel roepen, hart zal de Heere  Igetuigen  oproepen in Uwe uit-.
  mitsgaders  t,ot de aarde  .met  h,et   ,doel  om Zijn volk te wendige handelingen.
  richten.                                                                      IJwae  braedofferen zijn steeds vr \mij !
          Gij *wordt  gericht, volk van SGud  !                                 Daar zal het niet over  `gaan.   Veoora.1 met een  en-
          Het  `,oordeel  zal, beginnen van het Huis ~`Gods. W e vel,oppen-systeem,   hetw.elk  ik. van -harte  .,goedkeur,  is

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

 het in `t geheel niet  nood,ig,  ,dat   w:e ,daar  e.e.n  cqdeels-              ---Dat alles geschiedt door Zijn Woord en Zijn Heili-
 dag  `voor  hebben. Dat heeft de heele diakonie in `t geti   Geegt.
 boek #opgeschreven. Een ieder heeft Uw mtwendigen                                Naar -de mate der gave der ,genade  in -Jezus Chris-
wandel gezien. Doch alsdan zullen  #de  verborgene din- tus.
gen van  `t harte openbaar worden. Hoe  vreeselijk,                              Dan betaalt  [ge  den AlIerhoogste   .we  geloften.
 doch ook, hoe zalig zal dat  uu.r zijn !                                         Dat kan een cent zijn of honderd gulden. Een var
        D,aar  komt nog bij, dat  `de Heere `nu.  wil, dat  jge de         was het of een tortelduif in die dagen van  Asaf. Doch-
 ~verhoudi.ngen   go,ed  gewaar worden -zult. Let er  or),                 (dan wilde het hart zich met de daden paren. In zulke
 .God is niet hongerig naar. UIW  `dollar  ! Het is er God ,oogenblikken  ,geefn awalgelijk  gefleem  of een #verachte-
 niet om te doen  ,om   <een   `var  uit Uw huis te nemen,  mij,n          lijke vrome plooi van `t  a.angezicht,  terwijl. het hart  '
 broeder! Die var-  en dire  bok en ,die ldollar  hebben wel               zich verre hield -van  God.
 een plaats,  ,doch  ,dat komt straks. Eerst  iwat  anders.                       Dat eerst.
        De Heere zal Zijn doen ook  ,goed  motiveeren. Als
 I'k hongerig was, zou Ik `het  bdan  Mijn  geme,ente  moeten                     Doch er is' een andere  zijcde  aan.  W'e  komen nu
 zeggen?        Het vee ,op duizend bergen loopt  ,daar-  tooh             aan meen  vers toe, dat ik altijd verkeerd verk1aar.d  heb.
 voor Mijn aangezicht rond? Als  i!k in anno  D'omino                      Er staat: "Ea roep Mij  ,aan in den dag  dl&  benauwd-
i942  gebrek-had  aan wat  go.uds,  zou ik het toch  ku.n-                 heid : Ik zal er `IJ  uithelpen, en ,gij  zult Mij eerent'
 nen  *opgraven  uit die sekure brandkast van Kentucky?                           ,Ik heb  .altijd   Egedacht,  dat  .dit  #sloeg   ,op  d.ie toe-
 "Uncle Sam!' kan  Mij  er toch niet buiten houden?                        standen  al,s men wat pijn in  `t hoofd  hleeft  of een
 x      0, er is wel  -plaats   `voor  een  ,dolllar.  Mijn  dienst-       slechte  spijsverteering.           Op  [die   ,dagen  wanneer we
 <knechten  moeten hun !dagelijksch  .brood  hebben en gij                 voor een operatie staan. Zoo  heb ik dit  vers  altijd ge-
 behoort Uw  ellectrisch   hcht   ,der  kerk te betalen.  EY               bruikt. Wat is God toch een geduldig God.
 moet wat geld zijn voor ,de uitdraging van Mijn Woord                            Doch nu ik `den  tekst zie in zijn verband nu ,merk
 in verre streken en wat hout voor Sions  zalen, zoolag                    ik, dat  Bet iets heel  andters  beteekent. `t  M,oest  ook
 er  copin  van  d,at Huis op  ,aaccle  zijn,  dlolch  ,dat moet          ,eigenlijk  wel .dOuildelijk zijn, zonder het verband.            Het
 komen als vanzelf. Dat zal ik straks wel aantonen.                        is toch  `ons  allen bekend, dat alle hoofdpijn en krampen
 Eerst wat anders.                                                         niet genezen worden. En soms leidde de weg van de
                                                                           operati-tafel naar het  ,stille  graf. Terwijl  ter in den
        Wat  *dan?                                                         tekst staat : IJG  xal  er U &helpcn!
        Och,  off,ert   Gode  `dank !         .                                                                          l)us dat faalt nooit. _
                                                                           Het is een benauwfdheid  die altijd  w,eggeno,me,n  wordt.                 i
        En ge moet  ,001~  wat tranen uit den  treure  tot                        Dit is het. Ik zal het  uitGods  `Woord bezingen:
 Mij !                                                                     Ik lag gekneld in banden van d,en dood, daar .d'  angst
        Dat, o  ,dat, geliefden is het goede dienen van `der  hel mij allen troost dleed missen ; ik was benauwd,
 God !                                                                     `omringd  .dooa  droefenissen; maar riep den Heere
        Offert  Gode  dank, wat is  ,dat?                                  dus aan in al zijn nood. . . .
        Het is `dit, geliefden : E,en  hart dat berstens toe vol
 is van <de  lieflijkhede,n  van God. Vaak blezen [wij, dat                       D,at  is het, `geliefden.
 `de Heere  lgena'dig  is  men  barmhartig, lankmoedig en                         Of ge  `dan  den Heere niet aan moogt  loopen  in
 ,groot  van  goedertierenheid.            `Ge  moogt nu zeggen:           (dagen  van Ililchamelijk  ziekte? : Wtel  zeker. Dat  til ,de-
De Heere heeft Zijn lieven Zoon, onzen Jezus,  ge-                         Heere ook. Doch  tdaar  gaat  h&  hier niet over. Trou-
 zo;nden   voo,r  ons  xom  de hel,  `de  vlerdoemenis  te ver-            wens; het gebeurt heel vaak, dat er in `t geheel geen
 slinden voor  `ons. Voorts geeft Hij ,ons  alle  dmgen  met benauwdhei.d  is, ;al vindt, Gods  kindt zich nog zoo,  ,dicht
H e m .                                                                    bij  ,den   J,ordaan   ,des  ldoods.  Dan heb ik ze wel eens
        D,at  alles moet ge zien, waar.deeren,  w,aar,dschatten,           hooren  zeggen : Dominee,  als de  Heere  mij weg wil
 in U  Iopnejmen,   `er   yover   nCeinzen,  steeds  ,diep.er   gbestu-    nemen  ,door deze ziekte is  het: geheel en al goed. Ik
 tdeeren,.thedoog       worden.  D,oet  ge  Idat, dan  wozrdt  ge ,vle&ng  naar Hem !
 tot  berstens  toe vol. Wreet   ,ge wat er dan  ,gebeurd  is?                    Doch hier gaat het om de  b,enauwdheid   #die  ons
Dan zijn de stralen van het Deugdenbeeld van God                           overkomt vanwege  #de  zonde.  I En  sde  schuld. Wan-
 in  Uw.  ziel  gevdlen,  U in  3am   zett,end.               Dan wordt    neer de nevelen der zonde  tusschen  ons en God komen.
 ,ge inwendig  verteer,d  door  Gods  ijver. Dan zijt ge                   Dan wordt het zeer  ,b&nge.           En in die .dagen  zegt God:
 zalig geworden.                                                           Zie op Mij ! Staar sterk op het kruis vaa Mijn Zoon!
        En dan `bleef het ook  ,niet-  uit. Dan valt ge op `de             En dan zult ge het zien, dat alle Uwe zonden vergeven
 knien en  roept ge het uit : "Aanbiddelijk Opperwezen !                  zijn. Ze zijn  weggewoknpen  in een oceaan van eeuwige
 Dan roept ge het uit :  Halrleluja   !                                    vergetelheid.
        Dan. is- heteen  ware hemel op aarde om te bidden,                        En gij zult. Mij eeren.                          1
 te  aanbi,dden,  te zingen,  ,.                       -..                                                         ._               G. V.
                                                                           ,       1.                  _._i,


                                          T H E   JTA',NDARD-   B E A R E R                                                                      243

    :  Vrloochenend  Den Heer Die Hen                              behagen heb'.                .'
                                                                         Het werk  der  zaligheid  is  ,d& ook even zeker,  ~1s
                        Gekocht Heeft  --                ~           de u?rkondiging  er van.
                                                                         `Daarom  is  dan  ook het hart, als centrum  van-Alle
                                              11 Pet.  2:l.  -       predikinlg,   ,Christus   en,   dien  gekruisigd. Het Evan-
      Zulke menschen zijn er  altij,d  geweest, waar het             gelie  `der verlossing spreekt  van   dn Middelaar  Gods
  lichaam van Christus tot de mee&  zuivere  op.enbaring             en  ,der  menschen,  Die  door `den  wg  van  Zet  kruis,,
  kwam.      Z,onder  eenige omslag begint  -de  Apostel.' dit       Zichzelven  eene gemeente heeft gekocht met den prijs
  tweede hoofd&&  als. een tegenst,elling  van kwat  hij ,ge-        van  .Zijn-  bloed.
  zegd beeft in het eerste hoofdstuk.                                    In alle  prediking, zal het daarlijk  den naam waar-
      Daar toch sprak hij over het vast,  `dat  is, heit             dig zijn  .valn prediking waarop de `gemeente recht
  zekere,  hetihge  en deugdelijke `vlan het  W,oor;d  der pro- heeft, moet er van  dat.werk gesproken  wordeiz.  Een
  fetie. Het Woord  Gods  hebben we ontvangen, doordat               predikatie  Iwarin  dat  lhoodelemerit  ontbreekt, is in
  Gold  mensehen   ,door Zijn  Heillige  Geest  zoo  inspireerde,    den grond der zaak  ,geen  boodschap  van.  Godswege.
  `dat  zij  ,Gods  Woor,d  onfeilbaar gesproken en  geschre-        Wie  ,dat niet wil  ,of   {kan,  moet  verr,e  blijven van het
  .ven  hebben. #Gods  W,oord  iS dus  ni&s   minder  dan het        ambt, of daarvan geweerd worden.
  waarachtig-zelfgetuigenis  vain  God,  ,door Christus, voor            Welnu,  zo0 zegt  ,Petrus  in  ldit`   x$rs,   zoo  zijn er
  Zij.n   K e r k   ,op-aarde.                                       geweest  iri de Oude Bebeeling,  die dit gedaan h&ben.
      Hij beef%  !dan ook  niets  uitstande  met d.en afgoden-      Alleen  m,aar,  ,daar'liep  langs  ,de lijn der ware profetie,
  dienst der heiden,en,  di'e,  in meer of mindere mte, hun die ,der  valsche.             En wel moet  ,de Ken=k des Heeren  het
  ,godsdiensten  gebaseerd hebben -op  kulnstiglijk   ver-           voor  ,oogen  houden, .dat  die. beide lijnen  parlled  iaast
  `dichte fabelen.                                                   elkander  loopen  in de Nieuwe Bedeeling.                   Y
     Daarop moet  .dan  iok  het oog der gemeente gevestigd              `Ook in `uw  mildden  z,ullen  ,er opstaan, diezichzelven
  tiorden.   GodIs  Wo,ord  moet voor haar de groote vastheid        zullen openbaren als de voortzetting  van  wat  iti het
  zij.n  voor  zgeheel   het geloof.  Zoo   ,ook  voor hem, die      Oude Verbgnd  geschied is.                                  1 `Y.
  adat   Wopd  predikt. Hij mag nooit anders optreden                    Let er op, hoe  qet.rus   ,de aandacht vestigt op de
.dan in de vaste  ovex$iging, dat hij te  dosen heeft                wijze,  wa.ar,door  deze  tialsche'   leeraars   zulslen   trachten
  met het eene eln  eenige onf,eilbare  Woord `Gods.  Anders         hun valsche leer ingang te doen vinden.  -Zij zullen
  heeft hij geen recht zicih  tot `Go$ds gemeente te richten, het  doen-  om het terzijde,  tersluikxh  in te voeren, te
  haar aan t,e  spreken, t,e  troosten, te vermanen of van `brengen  (agein), in (eis), bij de zijde of  kerzijde  van
  haar   gehoorzaamheid  te  ,eisehen.  Tenzij hij zichzelf          (para)  . Het doet denken aan spionnen of verraders,
  aan  tdat Woord, als  Gods   ,onfeilbaar  Woord,  onder-           ,die in de gemeente verkeer-,  ,doch zich als vrienden
  werpt, heeft hij  in.   -en waren  zi.n  ,des  woo.rds   geen      `en  meldegeloofsgenoo$en  voorden.
  boodschap,  (die hij de .genieente  kan brengen, wat hij              B,ovendien,  het zijn  leeraars,  wier toeleg, het is,
  dan ook voor&  moge bezitten in gaven `en talent.                  om verderfelijke kett~erijen  ingang te doen vinden en
      En niet  a&en is het waar, dat dit  on$ej,lbaar  ge-           het volk  Gods   achker   zich  te trekken. Ketterijen, die  '
  tuigenis  <der S,chrift  tot `de gemeente spreekt van God,         (naar  ,de beteekenis van het woord dit bedoelen, ,dat %ij.
  door  IChWstus,  maar daar  ,moet nog bij, dat  eansch             en tegen&lling  zijn van ,al  hetgeen `voor  `de gemeente
  het  Woor.d  a1tij.d  en overal, centraal met dien Christus vast en  bond-  is `en het fundament moet zijn in  geheel
  begint en met Rem eindigt.                                         hun  geloofsleveln.  Zij zullen  hu.n  duister en  +e?d&fe-
     (Geheel  de verlossing, zooals die door  `den   Drie-           lijk werk zeer voorzichtig beginnen en dat'lwel  op deze
  enige  van eeuwigheid gedacht is, w,ord;t  ,dor  Bern  in        wijze :
  Christus vervuld.        En ook daarvan  spr.eek$   P&trus             1. Zij zullen, allereerst,  r&t de gemeente  ,geheel-
  in `den  tekst en in het verband. In het verband  ,toc!h           haar  belij'denis  aanvaarden en er vooral in den  ,eersten
  zegt hij, `dat de kracht van den Hee+e  Jezus Christus             -tijd  wel  voor zorgen, dat  &r  ,op hun leer en  leyen
  <is bekend gemaakt door hem. <Hij heeft  d.ie kracht ge-           geen aanmerkingen  gemkakt  kunnen worden. Iederte
  zien  ,op velerlei wijze. Het werk van Christus,  warvan          ketterij is, als  iij aan het begin haar kop opsteekt
  hij ,getuige  is gew'eest  washet  werk der verzoening, de         moeidijk  te  `ondersche.iden  van  zuiver   leer'..  Ware dit
- `weg waarvan liep  .over  het donkere Golgotha en die  uit-        niet  zoo,  dan kon tien- de .gemeente  van (Christus niet
  (liep,  door :do&l  en graf, op den derd,en  morgeqde  dag zoo   gemakkelijk  mede krijgen en  haa.r   bij,   het   vashe
  ,der   opstandinlg.  En  zoo  zeker  waF   !cle  uitkomst van fundament der  waarhei:d   twegtrekken.   Verwierp  men
  Christus'  w,erk,  nog aleer het beindigd was, dat God  ,de       onomwonden  het4  Woord der Waarheid,  .&. zpu een
  Vader  `er  het zegel  ,der  -Goddelijke goedkeuring aan- st&m   `van  -protest losbreken.                             ,.:              -'       '
  hechtte en dit verkondigde op den berg .der  verheerlij-               2. Let er vervo&gens  op,. dart Petrus- iln ,deze  zelfde
  king, en met het oog  ,op de uitkomst verkondigde:                 telilst   spre&,  als van gekochten, met het og, -op ge-
  `Deze is Mijn Geliefde Zoon, in deawelke  Ik Mijn wel- heel  de. gelmeente.                 Zoo  werd  Chris&us   geprhdikt  en


                                                                           _     .
        254.                                    .   T ` H E   STANDARb   B E A . R E R

        voorgesteld, als  .hebbende  de gemeente  gekoohit  met ,een.   streeling voor vleesch  nlag,   -om.  de Waarheid in
        Zijn Moed .en naar die verhouding tusschen  Ch.ri.stus                   al haar schepte. voor te stellen,:  zond,er  zelf' door de
        en  ,Zijne  gemeente moet. zij  word'en   toeges,proken.                 Woorhei'd  te Iworden  gevangen .gno.men  en bekeerd te
        Moet ook geheel  ,de gemeente worden  bearbei,d,  naar                   worden  `van   dag  tot dag.
        den Schriftuurlijken regel, dat zij Zijn Lichaam en                           ,b.  Dat  oo,k  het leven,  .geheel  formeel genomen,
        waar van Hij_het  Hoofd-is. Op dienzelfden  cgrondslg                   naar den buitenkant aanleding gaf om niet aan de-
       werden ook in haar midden de Sacramenten .bediend,                        zelfde. personen te twijfelen.  -Zij  waren immers, en
        de jeugd onderwezen, op oud en jong t,oegeiien  Ben  ge-                 ,dat   dook  verstandelijke kennis aangaande Jezus  Chrs-
        bracht, indien noodig, onder de Christelijke ,discipline.                ,tus  (als een soort moraal) ook in  #dezen  de smet der
                 Maar z is het  ,ook   ,de belijdenis der gemeente.-           w.erel,d  ontvloden. Zij hadden met die wereld en  ,de
            .Zij belijdt, -dat  zij door `Christus' bloed jgekocht  en           dingen. der wereld geen omgang. Zochten in dien tij'd
       dat zij het lichaam van Christus is.  Alldus   tree'dt  zij               ook de  geneugter  der  Werel,d  niet. Wat gepredikt werd
       op  mhet  midden der  `wereld   ,doo.r hare belijdenis, aldus             ,en wat  -men  in het leven zien kon, gaf  iniemand   het
       opentbaart  zij zich in haar levenswandel. D:at  belijdt recht, om van  ,deze   lseraars  .der  gemeente tot een
        zij niet slechts  persoonlijlk,   .maar   &k `met en van                 andere conclusie te  ko'mejn  dan deze, dat in hun spreken
       elkander,  :als n geheel. Wie dan ook kot de  ,gemeente                 ten daden zij be;t,oonden   gekolchten  des  Heeren  te zijn. ,
        behoort, wordt dan ook in den kring van .de zichtbare                            Eindelijk;  zoo  is het ook te verstaan, dat er van
        Kerk gehouden, als een gekocht door het' bloed' van                      zeen loochening van den Heere ook alleen sprake kan
       Christus  (`ook al moet daar  `altijld  bij gezegd, totdat zijn, wanneer men -zelf geen  deel.  heeft aan dien
       het tegendeel  blij\&)  .        Z predikt de  ,gemeencte  het H'eere.  Hoe scherper  i.emand   ,de Waarheid. predikt
        Wjoord   OoIds  aangaande den Christus en Zijn verhou-                        (en dat duurt nooit  zoo  heel lang),  ,des te scherper
       ,ding  t,ot het lichaam, aangaand'e  de Sacrament'en  en de               zal hij, wanneer zijn eigen verstand begint  te walgen
        Christelijke tucht.                                                      van-  `die  Waarheid, de  .leugen  daarvoor in de plaats
                 4. En  laat. ons nu maar vast vooropstellen, dat .kiezen   ,en met alle  gewel,d  voorstellen. Denk  ee.ns
        in den tijd, waarin ,de Apostelen leefden en optraden, .emand,  die "net leerstuk ,der verkiezing en verwerping
        het niet  zoo  moeilijk was, om  ?de  gemeente te kennen.                predikt, doch wiens hart  .daaronder  koud blijft, hoe de
        Van  .verschillende   kerkformati,es  van zuiver en minder beschuldiging van het verstand hem  o;m doet slaan
        zuiver, was in dien  tij.d  geen sprake.  Men'behoorde,                  en tenslotte ,de beiden verkiezing en #verwerping zal
        f  ,bij ,de synagoge der ,Joden,  f bij `de gemeente van               #doen wegwerpen).
       Christus-de `rest behoorde bij het  heisdendom.                    E n
       van uit het heidendom waren  d&e bekeerlingen getrok-                             Z,oo  ook hier:    Geen deel te hebben aan het gekocht
       ken. Daarom, ook uit hun  mid'den  kwamen de  leeraren                    te zijn door het bloed  van.   Chri&us,  schoon tot de
        voort. En naar Petrus ons verder zegt -aangaande deze                    gemeente te  behooren  waar dit  gelo'oft  wordt. Om
     _ valsche  1,eeraars  blijkt  w,el,  dat zij niet  lal  te midruchtig dan, wanneer het. eigenlij.ke  van het verduisterd hart
        zijn `begoanen,  noch ook hun leven aanleidn~g  gaf voor                aan het  woord komt, juist op  ,&xi  pu1n.t  zijn grootste
       reenige  verdenking. Luister slechts : `Want. indien zij,                 vijandschap te openbaren, zelfs  zoo,  dat men niet rust,
        nadat ze  ,doos  d,e-  kennis  Jdes   Heeren  en Zaligmakers totdat ook' andere mede gaan op datzelfde pad des  ver-
        Jezus Christus de besmettingen- <der wer'eld  ontvloden .,derfs.
        zjln,  en in  `dezelve  wederom ingewikkeld zijnde, van                         In de tweede plaats, het is ook zeer  duid.elijk  uit
       sdezelve  overwonnen. worden,  .zoo.  is hun het laatste                  het  ,verband,  dat volgt, dat het daarbij nooit blijft.
       `erger  ,geworden  dan het eerste'; Wel  .een  bewijs, dat                De  apostel  houdt der gemeente niet minder  ,dan vier
        voor  `een  tijd (hoe lang weten we niet en doet er ook                  voorbeelden voor, van `hen die ,God  verachten  ,en om
        niet toe) en in hun prediken ,en  in hun wandel  `waar-                  Zijn genade zich niet bekommerden.  D,e Engelen die
       `lijk niets anders konden ,doen,  dan den indruk geven,                   vielen, de wereld van Noachs  <dagen,  ,de steden Sodom
        dat ook  zij\ gekochten  <des   Heeren  waren.                           en Gomorra  ,en de Aartshypokriet Bileam.
                 .  Ajllereerst  dan in hun  prediking.  Wat was het                    Met de loochening ,der  Waarhei,d  gaat gepaard een
        karakteristielke?        Ons antwoord is, dat zij de gemeente verzilnken  in,  ,de poel  cler zonde. De gemeente, zoolang
        steeds hebben  ,voorgehouden,   `dat  zij  ,door Christus zij  .daari.n  verkeeren, is dan niet veel meer,  ,dan een
        bloed gekocht waren. ZG  was -hun ,begn.  Doch hun *middel,  "om  zichzelven  te verrijken en met het `ver-
        th#eolo.gie  was n.et  nn.ig  met hun innerlijk zijn verbon-           kregene, het vleesch en de zonde te  ,die.nen,   ,om  ten-
       `,den.      Het was niet de drang des harten, het geen voor slotte  uit te. komien, daar, waarmede Petrus dit  hoofd-
        `alle  dinagen  noodzakehjk  is,..de  hen, met .aUe kennis die          stuk besluit:  ."Maar hun is overkomen  hetgeen  met
        ze bezaten spreken  `deed.  Er bestond tusschen de  pred- peen  waar  spr,eekwoord   Lgezegd   iwordt:  De hond is
        Iking   ,en het hart niet een wezenlijke  harlmoni'e.      En zoo        wedergekeerd tot zijn ,eigen  uitbraaksel, gewasschene
        zijn er meer geweest, Hymeneus en Fil'etus,  Demas .en                   zeug tot de wenteling in het slijk",
        Bileam,  ~die toch ,den  tijd gekend hebben, dat er zelfs                           .                                       W'  v,
                                                                                                            -... . .  I


L


                           .      ,                                                                                      c
                                        T H E   S T A N - D A R D ' B E A R E R   -                                           255

     News `From Our Western Churches                             young people selected from the various societies  wi%l
                                                                 provide-  f,or.the  music and local ministers will do the
                                                                 -speaking. -The broadcasts will-be given from 4 :15-4  :45
     It is already some three or four years ago since on Sunday afternoons throughout the months of April
. . the last time an article appeared in our  Sit;and,ard        and May. They  wi.11  be given by transcription since
 Bearer under this  hfeading.  This may -have  cause'd           thi,s  proves to be more economical. All the programs
 ,some ,of  you to wonder whether Iwe  still have churches can be  recor,ded  at home at less cost than the  travelling
 in the West.  We&  we surely do. Of course, they                expenses  would  be if  >a11   those.  participating in the
 are not yet "quite" as large as our  Fuller Ave.  oon-          program were tq travel to Sioux Fall&s ffor  each broad-
 gregation,  .b'ut   Ineverth.eless,  I am glad  -to  be able  to cast. And~this  also makes it possible for the minister
 say that, in general, they  are  still. very  #much  alive.     that takes part in a broadcast to preach for his con-
 Of this life aed  of some of the activities in our Western      gregation that same afternoon, which ,otherwise  could
 IChurches,  I have been asked to  inf,orm  the readers not possibly be done.
o.f our Standard Bearer.         In doing so, in this article        Our Young People's  Soci,eties  have  ,decided  to
 we will confine ourselves to  ,our   churchies  in North- cancel their ,annual  conventmn  usually hel,d  the 1:atter
 west Iowa and  Miinnesota,  while in a future  artic1.e         `part of February.         These  .meetings,  consisting of
 we hope to contribute some news pertaining to  uur              afternoon and evening sessions and  `a banquet, proved
 other churches in the West.                                     to be very instructive in the-past, as well  ,as  occasions
     By the time these lines appear in print  R,ev.-  B.         for Christian joy and fellowship. But at present al-
Kok,  o,ur  Home -Missionary in the, past, will un-              ready seven of our young men. are, serving under the
 doubtedly already have been  instaPed  in our  congre-          .col,ors  of our country and before  lo,ng  several,  &hers
 1gatio.n  at  Hu,dsonvi,lle,   Mieh.igan.  Rev. Kok and his _  wil.1 be called upon to do so. With this in mind; and
family left this-vicinity on February 3. It is with `considering the times  ian which we live, most of the
 ,deep  regret that  ,our  people here see Rev. Kok leave        societies felt that we  ,can  hardly look forward to a
 $h,e  mission-fJeld.  The reason for  thixs, however; is        convention this year which  liivoul,d afford the joys
 that he was  Iwell  qualified for the task, and not that        and pleasure of the `past  years. .Hence  it was  deci'ded.
 in this vicinity he was laboring. in a -field  white with-      to have only  an- evening session, consisting of a speech
 harvest, so that a few :new  Protestant  Ref,ormed  con-        by one of our  -ministers.and  -miscellaneous  rmmbers  by
 gregations might  ,soon   ,have  been  0rganize.d  had  .he     the various. societies.
 yet  r.emained  for some time. Fact is, services were                So much for news pertaining to the churches in
 conducted by Rev.  KoB at  sev,eral   difIer,ent  places,       general. Now let us make a speedy  i.maginary  tour
 but without much positive fruit  !as  far as can be iseen       of the various  ,congr,egations  and inquire as to the
 at  pr,esent.                                                   welfare of each at the  ,home  of  ictis pastors..      .
     A combined service of all our  s.urrounding   songre-            We start out  .from Rock Valley.'  `Our  first stop is
 gations was  ,hel:d .in our Hull Church on the even-ing in  Doon,  seven miles to the northeast, at the home of
 of the last Sunday Rev. Kok  wa's  with  us; On this .Rev.   Vander   Breggen.  We find the Rev. at home
 occasion Rev.  .Kok  preached a  farew,ell  sermon.  All. with the house to himself; Mrs.  Vander  Breggen being
 -our congregations were well' represented so th.at  the         *in Grand Rapids *where  she .is to undergo an operation.
 sp,acious  Hull Church  iwa,s  f&d  to capacity,- every         for goiter.      Upon our investigation we  finid  that,
 available chair having  b,een  carried into the  ch.urch.       though the conagregation  ,consists   <of  ,only i0  families,
 Just before the close of the  serviae'   R,ev..  Verhil, in     yet there are also several others on the sick-list. Mrs.
 name  rof  the various  co$ngregations,  spoke a fitting. Henry  Kuiper  Sr. is  troubled~  with gallstones. Elder
 word to Rev.  KoB, after which the  au,dience  rose and J. Blankespoor, trhough  so far improved as to be able                      _
 sang Psalm  121:4.   Tr.uly  an edifying evening. Not           to walk a little again and also to attend church when
 only was the. Word  ,of   ,God  proclaimed to  .us, but as      the weather is nice, has not yet fully recovered from
 small churches  worshipping  together  iwe were also, his serious illness of last fall. And thirteen year old
 strengthened in the tie that binds. Before their  ,de-           Harold Aardema is still suffering  .from  infantile
 parture  Rev.  aed Mrs. Kok  wlere also  giv&  a `fare-         paralysis.     May the Lord  `grant  complete recovery.
well by the ministers and their families. These fare-             Otherwise grace to bear the cross. Though small, the
 wells are customary here when  ,one  of our ministers congregation has. a Ladies Aid, which is studying the
 leaves this vicinity.                                            P,arables.    Also a  Yo,ung  People's Society  Iwhich  dis-
     Also here, it will soon be possible for .one  to .listen    cusses the Epistle to the  ,Galati~ans  and the Confes-
 to a Protestant  Reformejd  Radio Hour. It will be               sions.
 sponsored by the  W,estern  League of Protestant Re-                 Leaving  Doon  again we travel northeast. This                      _,
 formed Y,oung  .People's  Societies, over KSOO;  the 5000 time 55 miles,  w,hich  brings us to the home of Rev.                                .
watt station at Sioux, Falls, South Dakota, Sixteen Verh,il  at  Edge&on,  Minnesota, Upon our arrival


                                                                                                                        :
                                    I
          :,                                                                                    /
         1                          -                -_____`(  ,.                            _(        .
                                     -5-o
   256  A  .                                 TH,JI  ` S T A N D A R D   Bti'ARE.R
                                                                                      ~
   there we find that, besides the  ,beautiful  parsonage the, announiement  that Rev. Blankespoor had  -declined
   built- a few years ago, a  :newly  erected  ,church  edifice the call from our  Gran,d  Haven congregation.                    This
   finished last fall, now also adorns the church property. they also shotwed  during the week by  ,giving  him a
  And Rev.  Verhi:l   inf,drms  us that  besi.des  paying the surprise.
   regular budget the congregation has  ,already  paid                     N,ext  we  j,onrney  11  mil:es northwest. This brings
   $5,000.00   t,owards-  the payment of the building  ex-              LB  `in Sioux Center at the home Rev. Gritt,ers.             Just
   penses  of  t,he -new  ch,urcch.   .The  congregation is flour-  I glancing over the schedule for  w.eekly  activities we
   ishing  and now consists `of 29 families totaling -155 notice that our congregation `here is  .well   ,organized
   souls.  P'eace.   r,eigns  in the  ,congregation  and a- spirit into  societi~es~. The congregation las  a Men's Society,
   of joy in the truth prevails. This is  :also   ,evident  Ladies' Aid, Girls' Society,  Y.oung  People's  So,ciety
   in the various societies. The Men's  Soci,ety  numbers and Sunday `School.                  Recently a drive was staged to
   25 .members,  the Ladies Ai.d  21, and the Y,oung  Peopl.e's  .-,decrease  the ,chureh  debt.       The  dr,ive  netted the size-
   Society  ~numbrers  20 . The congregation also has a table  su'm  of almost $560. A few of the societies also
   heart  f,or,  `Christian  .Ed:ucation,  as  Ch.ristian  School       &a&d  their funds into action some time ago and  pre-
   attend&?e  is nearly  TOO  percent. However, the goal sented  the  ch&h  with some  126  chairs. Through  `a
   is to  have:a  School.  oftheir  own.  s To  this end a society  aittle  contact the consistory  :establishe,d  -with people
   has been  &ganized   `:which  -has 2'7 members. None of in the Ireton  vicinity, it became possible to have Rev.
   their young men have as yet been called upon for                     Kok  appear  tw.ice   in, the  Ireton  Town Hall. Not so
 military service.                            -_        _               many were in attendance, but at least so%e  25 people,
        Now we return to  Ioawa. We' wend our way to who, had little or no  ac~quaintance-  with  ,o,ur  views,
   the home of  R'ev.   Cammenga'.in  Hull, nine miles east went home  with the  bonviction  that the Synod  ,of   the
   of Rock  Vlalley  from where we started.  H,ere  again               Christian Reformed Church. was  r,ight  when it said
   we  co'me  in contact with. a  flour.ishing  congregation            that we are "reformed".        Two of their young men
   which at present numbers 48 families  ,and  has a total are in  th,e  service of our country, both from the
o,f 254  souls.  And the  Icongregation  is still growing.  -Frankin   fami,ly.             One is. with the Top Division in
 Last year 13  .members  left the congregation, but 33                  &lifornia7  an,d  the other "somewhere" in the navy.
   others  j,oined.    Hull also has many children and young               Now we return to Rock Valley, 14 miles northwest
    peop1.e.      This  b.ecomes-  plain in the Catechism room &of  Sioux Center, where the undersigned is pastor.
   where.  119 receive instruction. Of  these, 62 -are  `yaung          Our   congreg&io,n  here has many large. families, due
   people  whio  attend the evening  clsss. Four of their to which  w'e. have many-  chiIdren   an)d  young people.
   youn;g   rn,en  are serving under the colors, three ,in the          The congregation  has a total  .of  121  souls. We h,ave  a
  nlavy  and one in the `army. The mconsistory  soon will. Men's  SBoclety  and a Ladies' Aid, as also a v&y  active
   call  a ,meeting  of the parents of the congre!gation  with ,Young   Peopl.es'   Soteiety.        T,he   Young People's  S80ciety,
   `a view  Ito  the problem of Christian Instruction. At however, has lost several members of late, .a f'ew  hav-
  this meeting  groued  work  awill be begun to the form-' ing  gone to find work  .in the cities, while another,
    ing  .of  their own  Sodety   f,or Christian Education.,  Lawren,ce   Eooima,  has left us to  prepare   for   the
    Allso  here the Lord'sblessing is being  qexperi,enced  and field  #of  battle.  T.he  latter receives -a letter from one
love and unity reign in the congregation.                    .          of the society members.every week. He also receives
        Alnd  now we go-  16 miles southeast to Orange City, the  Standar,d  Bearer, Church  Newsand  Beacon Lights.
`for.   a~  brief visit  with Rev.  Blankespoor,  who, much             Th e consistory is planning  Ia  .dr.ive  to decrease the
    to  his convenience, nOW hes aCfOSS   the Street fIWIl              .church'&&,w;&h is,&ne,every pear abOut  this time.
   the church. Here we are told that the .congregation                  Christian School &tendanc,e  is 0g1y  -about 50 pehent,
    is still small, only 11 families.  ALSO,  these  fa$milies  but this is  largely   ,d.ue  to the  distance   many   of our
    are not large as appears from the fact that they  total  .peopl,e live  fl?Om the S&001.
    only 46 souls. And to this must  yet.be added that                     Well, `we have completed  o.ur  first tour.  -. But I
    m1an.y of the members have already attained  ho the                 notice the. sun is setting. And  the~space   all,owed  me
    evening of their lives.  .Due  to this the  COllgnegatiOn           for  $hiS  sr;ticle iS taken:, SO \ve WiJl. Wait With th.e
   `is  known  ain  that community  BS  the  "Old People's other tour `till later.
    rCh*urch".      But- even so, also here we' are  again~  re-                                                        P .   v .
    min,dled.  of the fact that in Christ's Church it is not
a question of numbers.              For the congregation has                                         -
    j,oy and peace, stands-strong in.faith and has hope for
   the future. And Christian School attendance- is 100                            Chr,ist  is the  ,everliasting  Rock,
 percent.          Also, they e have. .;a very.  lively Ladies Aid                Faith's resting `place and home ;
    which meets every week; as  well as  ,a Young Pteople's                    " The same today as  *yesterday,
    Society.,  The congregation-way gladdened recently by  -                      And in  `. the days  `to come,
                                                                  -_
                                                                                                                             _


