 VOLUME XXI                                         DECEMBER 1, 1944                                           NUMBER 5


 ~ -                                                              them that fear Him not is not obliterated, but clearly
           MEik!lYATIOaN                                          maintained, and it is only the former that unite in
                                                                  praise. .
                                                                     To give thanks ,one  must not taste thin&, but the

                                                                  favor of the Most High.

                                                                     And for the wicked this is impossible.
                 Open Them My Lips!                                  They taste m&ry  things, but not the grace of God.

                 0 Lord, open thou mzj lips; azd my mouth         Even in their prosperity the favor of Jehovah is. not
            shall shew forth thy praise.                          upon them: His face is against them that  ado ,evil.
                                              Ps. 51:15.          Even in their abundance they receive no token of the
   AC@-     ,                                                     lovingk,indness  of the Lord t0war.d them,' for He is
     ,Open my lips!                            b            _-    angry with thie wicked every day, and when they pros-
     The prayer of the psalmist stands' very definitely           per- Hse sets them ,on slippery places,  that they may
 in the singular.                                                 be castdown into destruction. Even on Thanksgiving
    `Emphatically personal is this outcry; persons1  in           Day, though it be proclaimed by the President of our
 its longings to proclaim the praises of  Jlehovah,  in its       nation, it remains true, that there is' only one  ac.cess
 profound sense' of unworthiness and incapability of              to the throne of grace, and that the way into the inner
 praising the Lord, in its conscious~ness  of lips that are       sanctnary  leads along the blood-sprinkled way, through
 irrevocably seba.led  unless they ,be opened by the grace        the ve61, that is the flesh of Christ that was broken
 of the God of his salvation.                                     for us.    But in that Christ the unbeliever has no part.
                                                                  Even on Thanksgiving Day, the sacrifices of the wicked
     But the prayer and praise` that leave our lips on
                                                                  are an abomination to Jehovah, and it -is only the
 Thanksgiving Day are a united expression of the
                                                                  prayer of the upright that is His delight. And even
 whole Church.
                                                                  on that ,day  of national rejoicing, the wicked but open
     On that da.y we gather to unite in grateful praise.          their lips to eat and to drink, but the prayer that their
     Unite, let it be clearly understood, not as a nation,        lips rnlaiy be opened' unto the praise of the Lord is for-
 but as the people of God.     It is not the wicked a,xl the      eign to them.
 righteous, unbelievers and believers, tthat meet on that            How, then, shall they praise Him Whose favor they
. day before the thr,one  of grace to pour out their  hearts      do not taste?
 before the Most High.        Even though the occasion for
                                                                     How shall they givle thanks to Him, Whose truth
 this day is the ,end of the harvest; and even though it
                                                                  they hol,d under .in unrighteousness, and for Whose
 is true that the Lord caused His sun to rise over the
                                                                  glory they care not? Is it not true that even on Thanks-
 righteous and wicked alikae, an,cl sent rain on the just
                                                                  g i v i n g   D a y :
 aad  the unjust; even though, on this day we are, there-

 fore, emphatically reminded of the truth that in this                       "T~UIS  speaks the `Lord to wicked  meu
 world there is something promiscuous in God's provi-                        My statutes why do ye deeBare?
 dential deahngs  with men, so that the righteous and                        Why take my covenant in your mouth,
 the unrighteous have all things in common, and! the
 latter even receive more of earthly riches 1znd abun-                       Since ye for wi.sdom  ,do not care?
 dance than the former; yet, even on  Thanksgiving  Day                      @or ye my holy words profane

 the distinction between them that fear the Lord  and                        And cast them from you in disdain."


                                           THE STANljAiiD  BEAR-El%
.98                                                                                                                   , .- - - -`- - ---

        And again :        "                                                            l&t while it embraces all the experiences and vicis-
                                                                               -situdes of this present life, it shall transcend them
            ."Consider  this, who God forget,
                                                                               all !
  .          Lest I destroy with none to free;
                                                                                  For with them all, .we'  shall lift up our hessts  to
             Who ,offers  sacrifioe of *hanks,
                                                                               the God of our salvation, and understand and acknow-
             He glol"ifies  and honors Me ;                                    ledge that all these things come to us, not by chance,
             To him -wl~c  orders well his way ~                               but by His Fatherly `hand!
          Salvation free will -1 displra.y."?
                                                                                        Peace band  `war, joy and sorrow, prosperity and

                                                                               adversity, plenty and scarcity, sickness and health,
        But nnite  we do, as God's people .in `Christ; the
                                                                               life and death,-they are ~11 His work!
 Church of the'living God, in ,order  that "the abundant
                                                                                        An,d considering that they are the work of the
grace might through the. thanksgiving .of many  re-
                                                                               God of our. salvation; we .know  that the; are  good,
*dound  to thee glory.of God." II Cor. 4:X.
                                                                               though we understand it not.
        All unite !                                                                     And knowing that He doeth whatsoever He hath
        Unite -so, that in oneness qf ,heart  1x.nd_m!nd,  in the              $@ased,  we are prepare&  to pr%se  Him in all His
one'  Christ, by, the ope Spirit, without a  bingl'e  discord-                 woiks  !
ant note, ,we  sing the praises of the' God of our sal-                                 And so we unite in thanksgiving!
vation !                                                                                Yet, if wle are thus to embrace all things in our
        The .conteats,  the ground, aqcl the pbjeqt  of our                    adoration, if we are thus unitedly to transcend them
thanksgiving must be such that -not -one of the saints2                        all, and tiejoice  in the lovingkindness of our God, in
no matter what his si&ion  and position in life, no mat-                       the  midst of the sufferings- 6f this -present  time, we
ter what`his  earthly.way  apd  lot'may  _be, is excluded.                     may well humble ourselves before the throne of grace,
        It must at once embr.%ce  and tran;scei?,d  .a11 things !              and implore Him for His mer;cy  !
       Embw.ce  all things, for the I,lord  reigneth  over. all.                        For who is able unto these things?
        On `Thanksgiving ,Day,  Par ,qn any other day, you                              Before we um2e  in thinksgiving, w.e may well enter

`dare  .not find the reason far y0u.r praise in $n ahued-                      our clos&t,  and each in his own po;iition utter this .in-
ante; of things, in earthly prosperity and joy.  . ,You                        tensely peVson&  prayer :
,dark.  not let mere things  .be khe mea@ure  of your .gyati-                           0 Lord,  -op&l  thou my lips !
tude and adoration. For, if you do,  you must needs

divide your `fthings" ancl your elxperience  -into  twp
lclasses,  and pile them &lto  two heaps.              Alld you will                    That I may show forth Thy praise.$1

regard khe one ,he.ap,  the pile of what you consider                                   Such is the purpose of the prayer for the opening

"good things," with a certajn  cla.snal  joy, and. con$de                      of our lips.

that !`you  have stiil  many reasons to `be thankful;"                                  To be sure, the shewing  forth of the praise of God

while, with. regard to the."evil  things," you will desper-                    is ladlgo  the result of that grace whereby our lips ar,e

:,ately  attempt, at least  for one ,$ay, to forget. .$hem.                    opened, the .fruit .of it.       And the psalmist, no doubt,

.land  to smother the qqqur  ,of rebel-lion t@+t  r&es                         also intends to confess that he is  incagable  and un-

,in your'  heart.                                                              #worthy  of shewing  forth t,he  praise of Jehovah, unless

        And how small  the pile of "good  bhings' `then be-.                   the ,$ord  by His irFesj@ible  grace  opens his lips.

.comes  for soma.,of  us?                                                               Yet, that which is the fruit of God's  ,grace  is also
        Who, `eyea  i.n the midst  of the' present un?es!                      the purpose of the psalmist's ppa,yer,  the end which he

prosperi+ is able to sorget  that it is war-pr,osper-                          has in View, and which he longs to attai.a,  so t,hat  the

ity? .,Wh,o  as we take our  -places at -the family table                      prayer may be refidered  thus: "0 Lord, open thou my
covered with laibundance,  can fail to see .the .emp.ty                        lips, in order that my mouth may shew forth thy
place ,of husband ,or s,o.n  or brot;hey,  that.  is', ti,e_rhaps,             praise !"
even..on  that very moment, .in the heat of battle,  bpme.-                        And this, to shew forth  the praise  of the Lorcl, is
sick, miserable,  in fear pf death, utterly: perpl.exed                   true thanksgiving!
because of the "hell" that is let loose a!1 l&out  :&_im?                 .        Let us beware,  lest our deoeitful  heart'substitute
Who, even ftir one day, can be oblivious                                       anything else ,for this shewing  forth of His praise 
                                                        `of thte place                                                                   !
that is left empty for always, concerning whom we                                  Bewatie,  lest `you imagine that in any sense you
received the formally cold; but for  UI~' heart-rending                        could remunerate Him for all His benefits to you-ward  !
report: "We  regret.                                                           What w:oul,d  you give Him? He is the ever blessed
                                . . . killed in action"?.  . _. .
       And where, then, if "things" are. We ground of                     God, the fulness of al1 good,.the  absolutely self-sufficient
your thanksgiving, is your j,oy and peace?                                     Lonl?.       And He is the sole Proprietor of the whole
       No,, we shall not ,dividle our experience into two                      u,aiverse,  the Cr.eator  of the heaivens  and of the earth.
piles, but our t.hanksgiving  shit11 en$race  a& thinp!                        The  $ilvqr  and the .&old,  the "`cattle on .a thousand  hills,


                                          T H E  ST`ANDkRD  -BE,ARER                                                                                   99
                                                              . .
-_-

the earth and its fulness, belong to Jehovah!                        Always    ~pr&s in r&n  and su&hin&,. in devastating floods  and
be speaks :                                                                    scorchitig  heat, in abunda.ace  and .in szmine,  in our
                                                                               prosperity and  adversity, `in peace but also in war,
              `"I will `receive from out thy fold
              No offering for my hoIy  shrine                                  . in health but atio in sickness,,`ih  joy but als6 in sorroW,
                                                    ;                           in life but also in d&h
              The cattle on a thousand hills                                                                             ! ..He  reveals them to His
                                                                               people  centrally in the death and resurrection of Hi4
              And la;11 .the  forest beasts are Mine ;                          only begotten Son, through Whom .He revealed His
              Each mountdin  bird `to Me is know.n,                            everlasting love a?d purpose of salvation, and in the
              Whatever roams the field I own."                        -         light of Whose cross and glory you may be asstired

       fhid  a g a i n :                                                       that all other things shall be added unto you, and' ishall
                                                                               work together for your salvation!
              "Behol8,  i,f I should hmgry grow,                                    That is His praise reveaIed  in many praises! z:
              I would not tell My 8i$e.e8  to thee,                                 Shew them forth 
              For all the world itself  is Mine,                                                               !                                  ,
                                                                                    Point  io %hem
              And all the weal)11  belongs to Me                                                          !         Include them all! Exclude none
                                                         ;                      of them!           Do not ptit  y0u.r "things" on two piles! to
              why  should I aught of thee peceiqe,                             praise Him for some of them, but point to then&l,
              My thirst or hunger .to  relieve?"                                and con$ess  that they all show:  forth His p&se,  and

       Beware, lest your evil imagination m2Jkes  you #feel                    that they all reveal that the Lord is good, that'  !E$s

pious and religious in the thdught  that you give Him                           mercy endureth  for ever!                Say it to Hiti'.@ atioratjon

something when you offer Him a dime of His own                                  and worship ! Tell it to your children, to one anoth.@ ! _
,dollar  !    Bewsre,  lest you. become abominable in His                       `De&ire  it in all t,he world, before a boasting and
sight, when you .foolishly  `would pour a little drop                           vaunting and wickEd  world that speaks of chariots

back into the Fcnmtaii  from which your cup w2.s  and                           and of horses, that the Lord  is, God, that ,He.reigneth

always is filla&!  You can give Him nothi!ng!  He h                             over all. . . .
always the Giver, never the Receiver!            ,He  is the ever                   And that He is ever GOOD! '
flowing Fount .of  all good. Eve;1  your thanksgiTii;nq                             Unto this ye were called!

is His gift to you, not yours to Him! _ And as soo"il                               He called you out of darkeess  into His- n~asv'elo~~s
as you have rendered .thanks unto His Holy Name,                                light, that you ,might  shew forth His vi&es!

you ark already under obligation to fall `back `on  yo'c1:'                         His marvelous praises !
knees:  and thank Him for your gratitude!

 ' No, but to shew forth His  pm&e,-that  alone is                                                                                               i, i.
thazlksgiving  !                                                                    Lord, .-open thou my lips!
       His praises, you understand, are His marvelous                               How else shall WC ever declare His. praise?
virtues !                                                                           0, how utterly impossible this is without  *His  grace  !
       God is GOD!                                                              For, on the one hand, with our natural #eye we do .not
       An$HeistheLORD!                                                          see His praisk.  We see war  and destruction, madness

       And He is GOOD!                                                          and confusion, suffering and death; we see that the
       ,He is- the implication, the fulness  of all infinite per-               wicked prosper, and that the righteous suffer, and that

fections! He is a Light, and there is no darkness in                            the ways of the [Lord  are not- equal. . . .
Him at all! He is pure land infinite goodness! He is                                And, on the other hand,. we Iare carnal and sinful-
righteousness and holiness, truth and faithfulness, love                        by nature, 2nd are neither w'orthy  nor capable and
and grace and mercy and l,ovingkindness,  justice and                           willing $0 shew forth the `praises of the Most High  !
power and might, the only Potentate of potentates, the                          Wle are inclined rather tq rejoice in things, and to
only Lord, Who dwelleth in the light no msn can ap-                             rebel when things are against us!
proach urito,  the Creator an,d  Redeemer, Who calls                                 Thanksgiying,  the shewing forth of the praise of

the thing3  that are not as if they were, and Who                               Jehovah, is the fruit of ,H<s marvizlous  grace in the

quickeneth the deeci !                                                          B e l o v e d !
       And this PRAISE He reveals to us in many  ,praises                           Lord,  open thou my lips!
in'all  the works of this hiands!                                                    My lips, yes, but from within!  ,Open  my heart,
       `He reveals them in creation, f,or  the heavens de-                      whence  are the issues of life!                 Work mightily, con-
clare the glory ,of ,God,  an,d the firmament sheweth His                       stantly, irresistibly, in my inmost lieart, th&t I ma:{
handiwork; day unto day uttereth  speech, and niight                            hzve eyes  to see thy glory and thy everlasting mercy
unto night sheweth knowledge,! He reveals them in                               over me in all things, a  will to adore thee, joy in  Thee  I
all the works of Hii3 providence even in this' cursed                                Th,en,  atid then alone my mouth sh_all  be opened!
world, in whi,ch  aal things are ,made  subject to vanity,                          `To ,declare  Thy glorious pgaise !
and we lie in the rn$$  of death.  <He  .reveals  His                            ' For ever!                                               H, H. :I:


       100                                                                                                                      T H E  ST.ANDARD   B E A R E R  _

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ,                                                    ;i
                                                 T&z Stand&d Bearer
                    Semi-Monthly, except Monthly in July and August                                                                                                                                 ,.                       E D I T O R I A L S  -
                                                                          .__ Published by

                                  The Reformed FTeie  Publishing Association

                                                            946 Sigsbee Stree,  S. E.                                                                                                                                             I Told You So                 ,
                                                   EDITOR - Rev. H. Hoeksema


          Contribu(ting  editors-Revs. J. Blankespoor, A. Cammenga,                                                                                                                                               The .,caption  of this article expresses in brief the
          P. De Boer, J. D. de Jong, H. De Wolf, L. Doezema,                                                                                                                                                   contents .of an editorial in The Ec~iiyer  of Nov. 10, 1944.
          M. Grittecrs,  C. Hanko, B. Kok, G. Lubbers, G.  EM.  Ophoff,
                                                                                                                                                                                                          Basing his remarks ,o_n  a sentence or two of very in-
          A. Petter, M. Schipper, J. Vanden  Breggen, `H. Veldman,
       Il. Veldman, ,L. Vermeer, P. Vis, G; Vos, W. Hofman,                                                                                                                                                    complete and hand'ly trustworthy information con-
          3. Heys, Mr. S.-De Vries.                                                                                                                                                                       cerning the "discharge" of Dr. Schil.der that app.eared

         Communications relative to contents should be addressed                                                                                                                                          in a Dutch publication printed in London, England,
         to REV., H. HOEKSEMA, 1139 Franklin St., S. E., Grand                                                                                                                                            the Rev. H.' J. Kuiper reminds .his readers of the warn-
         Rapids, Michigan.                                                                                                                                                                                ing be sounded agalinst  inviting the well-known brothel

         Communications relative to subscription should be ad-                                                                                                                                            from the Netherlands to speak in the Christian  Re-
< '     ,' dressed to MR. GERRIT PIPE, 946 Sigsbee Street. S. E.,                                                                                                                                         f'ormed  Churches at the time-when he was visiting
         Grand Rapids, Mich.  All Announcements and Obituaries                                                                                                                                            here, because of his alleged unsound views regarding
         must be sent -to the above address and will not be placed                                                                                                                                        common grace. The editor calls attention to the fact
         unless the regular fee of $1.00. accompanies the notice.
                                                                                                                                                                                                          that,  in his own opinion, he,, is now finally justified
                                                        Subscription $2.50 per year                                                                                                                       in his former action against Dr. Schilder, though at
       Entered as second class -mail  at Grand Rapids, Michigan                                                                                                                                           the time he was severely criticised  for it. And he
                                                                                                                                        .                                                                 rather loudly shouts :, I told. you so !
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 `The history of the last twenty years convinces me

                                                                                   CONTENTS                                                                                                               `more and more that a sound course in Christian ethics
                                                                                                                                                                                                          would by no means be superfluous for some of the
       MEDITATION-                                                                                                                                                                                        lea.#ders  in the Christian Reformed Church. A frantic
          OPEN THOU MY LIPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97                                                    -determination to defend their own little church and
                                                                                                            ,.
                Rev. H. Hoelksema                                                                                                                                                                         their own  pet notio.ns, and a stubborn obsession with

       E D I T O R I A L S   : -                                                                                                                                                                          respect to the common grace theory, appear to distort
          I TOLD YlOU  SO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                   their ,ethical  judgment.        The above mentioeed  a&torial
                                                                                                                               . . . . . . . . . .  :..: . . . . . . . . . .  100
          GRAND RAPIDS CHlRISTIAN  HIGH . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                                                                         is a clear illustration of the truth of these statements.
                                                                                                                                                                        :....................lOl
          THE EVANGELICAL.& THE REFORMED CHURCH......101                                                                                                                                                  L       Let us briefly consider the arguments of the editor.
          EXPOSITLON  OF THE HFJDELBERG  CATECHISM......102                                                                                                                                                       He tries to justify his action against Dr. Schildei
                Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                                                                                                                                          five years ago ,on the basis of a very scant report con-
                                                                                                                                                                                                          cerning the doctor's discharge from the school in
          DE LES DER HISTORIE . . . . . . . . ." . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . c.. 105                                                            Ksmpen  recently.         Five years ago Dr. Schilder was
                      Rev. G. Vos
                                                                                                                                                                                                          invited by some Christian Reformed laymen to deliver
         JE,PHTHAH'S                                  VOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108          some lectureshere.         He was a pro,fessor  at the school
                   Rev. G. M. Ophoff                                                                                                                                                                      of the "qereformeende  Kerken" in The Netherlands in

         ,CALVINISM  ACCORDING TO KUYPER'S STONE LEC-                                                                                                                                                     good statiding.  Those churches are sister churches of

         TURES - A CRITIQUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..I.....  112                                                               the Christian Reformed Churches in this country.
                      Rev. Geo. Lubbers                                                                                                                                                                   There was no' charge against Dr. Schilder. There

                                                                                                                                                                                                          was not kven the slightest indication that he denied
        `FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IN PEACE AND WAR  .I...... 114
                                                                                                                                                                                                          "common grace."          Yet, the professors of Calvin and
                      Rev. C. Hanko                                                                                                                            `.
                                                                                                                                                                                                          some of the ministers of the Christian R,eformed
         THE. KENOSIS OF PHIL. 2:7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115                                                                      Church, of whom I have good reason to believe that
                     Rev. J. Blankespoor                                                                                                                                                                  the editor.of  T,he  Bkcrzne-r was one,~  wrote him a letter

         CONTRIBUTION                                          . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i ,.........,....... 117          in which they asked..him  not to co,me  at `that time.
                     Mr. H. A. Van Putten                                                                                         i                                                                       This ,I have  from Dr. Schilder himself. When the

                                                                                                                                                                                                          brother ignored this .appeal, and decided to come any-
         THE NESTORIAN CONCEPTION OF THE NATURES
                                                                                                                                                                                                          way, the editor of Th4 Banner  did not hesitate to throw
         OF `C;KRIST . ..**  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118                 suspicion on Dr. Schilder's good name.             The broth.er
                     Rev. H. Veldman                                                                                                                               ~                  ._                  came. He preach&  and lectured. He never denied
                                                                                                                                                              :                                           common grace,          He 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        -               never spoke against the "Three


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R '                                                          PO1,
                      ..-- .
 Points."      He did not attempt to create  unr& in the                   burden connected with tl& Christian High, I promised
 Christian Ref,ormed  Churches. Tke  Banner's sus-                         to write a few lines about it. .             '
 picions `were proved to be false. The editor's fe?s                           The Grand Rapids Christian High School is in .i:eed
 were proved to be unfotindted.             The action 09 the              of new buildings.        Its enrollment cf 280 pupils in 3920
 editor `vas certainly contrary to Christian ethics. Now,                  has increased ,1.-b !.:h enrollmen- ,of  `Xi5 at the' present
 `it should `abe plialin to all whose judgment is not -idi;+               time.        In the la& ten years the .enrollment  has doubled.
 torted  that whatever may have taken place at the                         Plans have been made for a complete building pro-
present time, and even if it  sh&d  be true that Dr.                       gram at an estitiated  cost of three hu.adred  thousJ.nrl
 Schilder is deposed as professor because  ,of  u.:lsound                  ;dollars.
 views concerning common grace, cannot posqibly justi-                         A relatively large number of theji? pupils Selo;lg  to
fy the editor's la:ction of five years ago.            At that tim6        the Protestant Reformed Churches of this city. In
 he condemned a brother unheard, and he cast                               fact, I `was somewliat surprised to find that they con-
                                                                   Sus-
      picion on the name of a ,man in good standing in his                 stitute twlelve  and one third percent of the toD4  en-
, 
own churches, against whom .n'o one lodged ati indict-                     rollment.
 n%ent of unorthodoxy.                                                         It is very plain that our people are responsible  to
        But, secondly, what reason does the editor h%ve  to                make room for their own pupils, arid to provide equip-
 say: I to1.d you so? A very scant  report in Het Vvije                    ment for them.
 Nelderbnd.       Can the editor be sure that Dr. Schilder is                  `And, although, as is well known, it is my  conviction
 "ontslagen"?       He cannot. Even if he should  @,e  "dis-               that our Protesta'nt  Reformed people should complet&?
 charged," does the editor know that  Ihis  action was                     their own system of education, they certainly are under
 Da;ken  on the basis of Dr. Schilder's denial o,f "comma:1                obligation to support the school that educates  theii;
grace" ?.      He k.nows  nothing about it. And, finally,                  children.
 does the editor have data to  provIe  that, if the "dis-                      And they should never refuse to shoulder the finnn-
 charge" should be a fact, it was justified?              Not at $11.      cial  burden connected with this responsibility.
 He tia:kes it all for granted. And in'order  to be able                                                                     H .   I I .

 to give his own act&on of five years ago  .a isemblance  of

 justification, he drags the name o,f Dr. Schilder through

 the mud once more.

        One unethical action may seem to justify a former
 action of the same character. But two unethical ac-                                            T h e  Eyangelictil ~
 tiops ,@o not make one good. one.
        The editor conclud.es *with a: "Let            pray."                                             and                                 9
                                                us                 1
                                                          H. H.
                                n                                           .'  T h e  -Refckned   C h u r c h  ~
                                                                                                                             .
                                                                                To us, who  cannot co:nceive  of any organic union

                                                                           of &hu.rches  except on the basis o,f a common con-

                                                                           fessi,on  of faith, and who take this fundamental requi-

                                                                           site seriously, it is somewhat wmazin,g  that the General
         Grand Rapids Christian High                                       Synod of the Reformed Church in the United  StatEs
                                                                           could, in 1932, unanimously .adopt  the Plan of Union,

        In'connection  with a conteniplated drive for funds                which we published in t@ la& issue of our paper, a:ld                    _,

 to enlarge the Grand Rapids Christian High  SchoOl,                       thus virtually, subjlect  to the approval of their classes,

 I was asked to write an editorial of recomm&ndation.                      accomplish  the merger of the Church they represented

        I realize that it is somewhat extraordinary to com-                with the Ezmmgelical  Symd of North America.,
 ply with this :request.        For, ,first  of all, it con,cerns a            `Yset.,  thus it was decided. We read (An Exam&a-
 purely local. matter, a;nd  that, too,. one that has no                   tion  anid Criticism, p. 89) :
 interest for' our churches in general. And  The Stan-                        -"The Rev. J. Stewart .Hartman  then moved that                             .'
 dcwd Beamr  is not .a local paper, but meant for ,a11 our                 the Genecal  Synod adopt the plan of Union as  relsd

 people.     Be,sid&,  it is difficult to avoid the impression             by Dr. Leonard, and that it be sent down to the Classes

 that this Iarticle  is written'  for propaganda purposes.                 of the Reformed Church for their approval.             After the
 And our publication, is not interested in ,any form of                    motion had been properly seco.nded.  Dr. George W.
 propaganda  or advertisement:                                             Richards addressed the General Synod on the r&&n-  *
       .Nrevertheless,  lest I should leave thle impression, that          ableness and advantage.s  of the proposed union. The

 it is my opinion that our Protestant  Reformed  people                    Plan of Union was further -discussed.

 are not concerned in this drive !for funds, and, @a.t                         "The vote was taken and the plan approved' by  3

 they have no responsibility to shoulder the financial                     rising unanimous vote!,"


        102            _                         T H E  S.TANDAB:D:  DEARER

               Now Set us examine the imp1icatio.n  of, thii?  action    von Nord Ainerika  allein an die darauf beziiglichen.

        by the Synod.                                                    Stellen der.  Heiligen Schrift,                 bedient sich der in
                                                                                                                LXKI
          . What did it adopt?                    ,                      der Evangel&hen Kirche hierin  obwaltenden Gewis-
         `They adopted the declaration, and asked their var-             sensfreiheit."

        ious classes to adopt the same, that "The  Reform_ed                Which means : i. That the doctrinal basis of the
        Church in the United States and the Evangelical Synod            Evangelical SyF1,od of North America before the merger

        of North America -(are) under the conviction that  they          consisted of the Augsburg Confession, Luther's Cate-

      are .in agreement on the essential ,doctrines  of the              .chism,  and the Heidelberg Catechism in as far as they

        Christian faith as contained in the Old and New, Testa-          are in agreement with .one  another. 2. That breedom

        ments and as defined in their respective sDa.ndards-  of         of conscience is' allowed in regard to those ,doctrinal

        doctrine."                                                       "points in which those Confessions disagree.

          They adopted the statement : "We acknowledge and                  Now, we recall that the Confession of the Reformc  i
        accept the historical confessions of the two Churches            Church in the United States was the Heidelberger

        as the doctrinal basis of union."                                alone. It is evident, therefore, that according to  tno

               What do these ,declanations  imply?                       `plan of Union, adopted by the General Synod of  t?ie

               They imply that the General Synod of the Reformed         `Reformed Church in the United States in. 1932,  the

        Church i.11 the Unite& States, as_ early as 1932, express-       latter simply shifted .to  the doctrinal bssi;3  of the -
        ed that: 1. That the' Augsburg Confession, Luther's              Evangelical Syno:ti of North America.
        Catechism, and the Heidelberg Catechism, la.r,e  in agree-        I consider this point of'prmcipal importance. And
        ment on essential doctrines. 2. That henceforth the              I am: amazed that the General Synod of 19.32.  u.nani-

        Reformed Church in the United States adopt these                 mcusly  ta.dopted  this Plan of Union.

        three standards as their doctrinal basis.                           In our `next issue I must elaborate on this some-
               And this means that the Reformed Church `in the           what.                                                    H. H.

        United States permitted itself, in 1932, to be swallowed
        up by the Evangelical Synod of North America.           (This

        was ,the official name of the Evangelical Church be-

        fore 1934).                                                         The Triple. Knowledge
               The merger was the story of the cat  and *mouse:

        the mouse .became  part of the cat. Officially, the  Re-

      formed Church in the United' States  bmecame the Evan-

        gelical Syn'od  of North America.                                         Exposition                   The Heidelberg
               That this is true is evident from th#e  following.
               The Evangelioal Synod of North America has ifs                                 C a t e c h i s m
.,      beginning in a gathering of six "Evangelical" pastors

        in Missouri.* These founded the "Deutschen Evange-                                  . PART TWO
        lischen  Kirchenverein des Westens;"  This gathering                               OF MAN'S REDEMPTION

        took. place Oct. 15; `1840.. Out of this "German Evan-
                                                                                              Lo&s Day XII
        gelical Denomination of the West" developed,  Iafter a

        few decades, the Evangelical Synod of North America.                                            8.
        And. as to the Confession this. denomination adopted,
                                                                                    Christ Our Intercessor. (cont.)
        we quote the following from Kleiner  EmngeXs&er
        Kntachisms,  p. .69 :                                               The',question  is : how must we conceive of this inter-
               Die Deutsche Evangelische Synode von Nor.d                cessory prayer of our ZLord as our High Priest in the
        iAmeri:ka,  !a,ls ein Teil der Evangelische Kirche, ver-         heavenly sanctuary?     How does He inter:ede for us at
        steht unter ,der  Evangelischen Kirche diejenige Kir-            the throne of grace?
       .chengemeinschaft,  welche  die heiligen Schriften des               In answer to this question, we  .must,  on the o.ne
        Alten und Neuen Testaments fur ,das Wort `Gottes                 han,d, eliminate from our conception of this hea.venlJ
        und fur die alleinige untri_igliche.Richtschnur  des Glau-       mystery all that is earthy, temporal, and imperfect.
        bens und Lebens erkeent  und sich dabei bekennt zn               Even though Scripture necessarily employs figurative
        der  Auslegung ,der  Heiligen Schrift, wie sie in  dcen          language; <and  speaks in ea!rthly  language., to aid our
        symbolischen:  Riichern  der lutherischen und reformier-         understanding of the heavenly realities, yet we must
        ten Kirche, als da haupt&,chlich  sind: die Augsburger           never forget that all these terms aild symbols have a
      m Konfessi,on,  Lu.ther,s  Katechismus und dier Hei.del- deeper?  spiritual, heavenly meaning. There is, of
        berger Katechismus niedergelegt  sind;  insofern sic-            course, no material throne in heaven, on the `which
        mit&lan.der.  tibereinstimmen  ; in ihren Differenzpunk-         there is seated a visible  manif&ation  of the invisible
      ten "aber halt sich die Deutsche Evangelische Synode               God, and before which                Saviour appears occasion-
                                                                                                      our 
                                                                                      :
                                                                                                 i


     ;                                               T H E  STANtiARB  BEAR,ER                                                           lo-3


  la.lly to utter a prayer in behalf of His redeemed people.                   body.    And He prays in order that He may bestow the
  Christ, let us remember, is Himself the person of the                        fulness  .of grace and blessings He receives from th*e
  Son ,of  God, the second Person of the  Holy Trinity,                        Father upon .His peopl6.
  God  of God, in His div'i.n,e nature'one  in essence with                        It is `strictly a medi'atorial prayer.
  the Father and the.Holy  Ghost, eternally dwelling in                            We must remember the relation which He sustisins
  the Father's bosom.                 And :in His glorified human              to His people, an,d the relation in which He, with  His
  nature He has the most intimate fellowship with .tbp                         people, stands to the Father.
  Father.            He took our human nature into the most inti-                  He and His people are inseparably united. They
  mate communion with God tha.t  is possible, aa'd the                         are one.     He is their Heed, they are members  of His
  uni'on ,of the divine and human  natilres  in Him is rooted                  body.
  in'and rests in the ,divine  Person.                It is, therefore, not        And this unity ia both legal land spiritual,  forezsi:
  partial but perfect and complb&e  ; not temporal and                         and organic.                                                           <
  occasional, but everlasting land constant; Got  mediate                          His people are, so to speak, a legal corporation of
  but immediate.             Hence, all that ,is imperfect,  temporal,         which. Christ is the Head in the representative sense of          -
  .earthy,  mediate, niust be eliminated from this com-                        the word.
  muaion-  of Christ with the Father, ,and  from its ex-                           But they `a& also a living spirituia.1 body,' unitad
  pression  in the intercessory prayer of our Lord in ou:                      with Christ as their Head in the organic sense.
  beh4f. And, on the other  han'd;  we dare tiot  spealc                           Only when we bear this in mind can we sdmewhat
  about this sacerddtal intercession as if it were a mere                      understand the .necessity  and  significance of Christ's
  figure of speech, without a corresponding  reality,  buC                     intercession with the Father in beha.lf  of His peop1.e.
  tie-                rather  insist- that it .is hi.ghest  and ,deepest          As their Head in the representatiye  sense of the
           rriusf
  r@lity`:  as a petit&n it is the most perfect and highest                    #w&d  He was authorized to. accomplish all the work of
  fio'sBible  re&liiafiQn  df true prayer                                      #salvation for them, in their stead, and in their behaif,
                                                     ; and ai intercession
  it is the  rich;est and ultiinate expression `and function                   and with it to `appear before the Father as the- ground
  of-His  mediatorial .dffice  of High Pr`iest.                                of His intercessory prayer. In this capacity, our only
          Two lasp&?ts,  therefore, thefe  are to this interces-               High Priest took. upon  Him&f the guilt of our sins,
  sory @i%yer.                                  *                              and-  i.n the hour of wrath and judgment bore them
                                                                               away. on the accursed tree. ,As such He could enter
          AS prayer it is directed-to G'od:             And it is highest'
  reality.      Even as with us prayer signifies that we  seek                 illto  death in their stead, and blot out  1~11 their sins,
  and fitid  the F&her, that we-Iexercise  fellowship with                     yea, obtain for them eternal righteousneq  the right
  Him, that we speak to Him iv adoration and petiti&,                          to all the blessings, of salvation, eternal life .and  glory..
  that we open our heayts  and oour  them out befxore  Him]                    Our righteousness, our right to mede-mption  and libzra-
  and  that we apprdach  Hini as the overflowing Fbunt                         tion from the power~of  si,n land death, and to the glory
  of all good, in order thrat  we may drink from that,                         of God's eterbal tabernacle, is never. in us, it iS always
  Fountain and be satisfied, that  we niay' receive His                        and only in Him.     We lie in the mid& of death,      Apart
  gTac8  ai1.d Spirit; so the prayer of Christ as our High                     ,from ChYist,  we.are  not rig'hteous for one moment.       On
  Priest iri the heavenly san&tiaYy  is Ia. real seeking and                   the contrary, we are guilty, and worthy of eternal                -
finding of the Most Blessed, fiellow?hip  with Him,  a                         dla.mnation.  We must never _qverlook  or distort th.is

pouring ,out  of His Mediator's heart before Him, to                           truth. Perhaps,_we  are inciine,d to imagi.me.that,  when
  receive from Him ,and out of `Him all the. fulness  of                       oncl6 we `are j.ustified  by faith, <we-haye  a certain ground
 the blessings of salvation fox His  people.  Only, while                      of righteousness in ourselves.        But it is never so.
  with us this fellowghip  with God, this drinking out of                      Christ is and remains our only righteousness fbr eve?.

 the eternal and overflowing Fpunt  of all good, i,q very                      If it were possible that  we could even for one moment
 much in `p!art and imperfect, with Christ it is perfect                       be separated  from Christ as our Head in the juridical

 and constant.             Coristaritly  He stands' in the attitude and        sense of the word,  that moment we would be damnable

  relatio'n  of prayer to Gdd, ,and constantly He reoeived                     in our sie and guilt.    However, this is for ever impos-

 frqm the Father the full answer  to His prayer.                               sible, because thi;p relationship between Christ and His

          And`1a.s  intercession it is directed to the salvation of            people is rooted in soviereig&  election.     Christ's perfect

  His people a,%  its encl.          In this prayer the Lbrd  is ever          obedience, therefore, is our only righteousness.       Hence,

 conscious of His inseparable union with the elect.                   Not      on the basis of that ,obedience  He also represents us: as
 for one moment is this prayer  ioncerned  with HimselJ                        our Itite&essor  with the Father. On the ground, of

  alone. `He prays for His own, for those whom the                             His.pe?fetit  righteousness, merited foi us, Hte mn say:

 Father has give.n  Him. He prays as the High Priest                           "Father,  I will that they also, whom thou  ha&  given

 over the whole hohse of God, as the representative `of                        me, be viiith me :where  I am; that they'may behold my

 all those for whom He  shed His lifeblood on the ac-                          glory, which  thou ha&  giv&  me : foi Jhou lovedst  `me
 curtied  tree, as the Head of the Church, which is His                        bef&e  the foundation of the world." John 17:24.         And


                                                        ,_:- )
104                                         T H E  S.TANDARD   B E A R E R
                                                                                                                             .-_.

this implies that on the basis of His merits He prays                       Whom we .receive  "even grace for grace." John  1:16.

th,e Father  for a.ll those spiritual blessings that are                    And "as many as received him, to them gave he  powe-

indispensable to bring them  w'here He is, and to place                     to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on

them in a po;?ition  to behold His glory.                                   his name." John 1:12.  And so, the grace of salvation
                                                 '
       It is true, this prayer also becomes our own, but this               in all its implications, redemption and forgiveness of

is possible only through Him, in ,His  name,  and on the                    si,ns,  adoption unto children and eternal righteousness,

basis of His perfect right to intercede for us.                             sl:nctification  and preservation,  perseverance and glori-

       But even so all is not said.                                         fication, reaches us, flows unto us from the Christ,

       If we do not say more we crea.te  the impression that                the Son of God come into the flesh, crucified an3  slain,

Christ's intercession simply means that He petitions                        raised from the ,dead,  afid exalted in the' highest hea-

the Father to bestow all the blessings  of salvation                        vens; Christ, the resurrection and the life, our Inter-

upon us, but that with the, actual .bestowal  of these                      cessor with  the Fathe?  !
blessings our High Priest has nothing `to do. Upon                             But they come unto us from Him  (LS the Medliator.
His prayer God m&es us partakers of His grace with-                            The only land .deepest  Fount `of all the blessings of.
out Christ. The river of the water of life flows  dir-                      salvation is the triune God. <Out  of God, but through
e:tly  from the throne of God, apart frorri Christ, into                    Christ as the Mediator, the stream of the water of life

the New Jerusalem.                                                          reaches us.
       But this is not .according  to Scripture.                               God is the limitless Oiean  of life and bliss ; Christ
     It bel,onged  to the-calling of the High Priest under                  is the reservoir that is constantly filled from the divine
the old dispensation, not only to sacrifice and pray for                    Ocean ; and out of the reservoir Christ, the river of
the people, but.&o to bless them.                                           the water  of life flows. into the Church.               "I in them,
_      The river of the water of life flows from the throne                 and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one."
of God ar& of tihe Lamb.         I$ i$ true, indeed, that Christ               Of God, through Him, and unto Him, are all things,
promised that He would pray the Father, and He woul~l                       also the Christ in all the richles of His salvation.
sen,d  us another- Comforter, that He might abide with                         In the light of all this, we can  somew?&  understand
us;for ever, John 14 :16.         It is equally  true, however,             the intercessory prayer of Christ. He prays the Father,
that ,He said that He Himself would send the Comfort;-                      and upon His prayer He receives the Spirit and. the
er, the Spirit of truth, tinto us, John 16 :7.            And on the        power to send His Spirit into the Church. #He prays
day of Sentecost  it is, indeed, He, the exalted Christ,                    the Father, He, as the,Son-of  God .in the exalted.human
that pours out the Spirit,, Acts  2 :33.        He is the water             n&ure; tin:d up& His prayer He Himself reoeives all
of life, which we must drink; the bread of life, which                      the spiritual bla%ings  from God, "the God and Father
we must eat unto Ieternal  life.       He is made untd us wis-              of oqr Lord Jesus Christ," in order that He may .bestow
.d'om from God, righteousness, sanctific&ion,  an,d. re-                    the blessings of salvation upon His people, and "fill
demption.                                                                   all things."
       Hence, we receive all, the'blessings of salvation out                   Thus it is co,nstantly.
of Him.                                                                        And thus it will be for ever.          The living stream o-f
       He bestows them upon us.                                             the water of life flowisL  out of God, through Christ,  in&
       He imparts Himself to all the elect. For He- is                      the Church.
their Head, not  only in the juridiclal  sense of the word,                    Thus the int&cessory  prayer is very reaJ.
but also in the spiritual, organic sense.             ,He is the vine,         It is the perfect prayer.         It is characterized by none
they are the branches. He is the Head,  thei are the                        of the imperfectibns  that cleave unto our prayers.              W e
members of His body.
                         _.-    There is a spii-itual. bon&;  that          know not ,what we should pray for as we ought;  Chri+
unites them to Him.        Hence, they live ,out of Him, and                knows- al] bur needs.
He, as the  ,quickening  Spirit, lives in them.  All the                       It is a constant pEx.yer.  Constantly, Chriist  stands
spiri$aa3  blessings they need as sinners, guilty and                       in the attitude `of-prayer before the Father, that  out
damnable, boorrupt  and defiled, dead through tres.                         of Him as the F,ount  He may `receive all `the blessings
passes .and sins in themsel.ves,  to become living child-                   of grace ,to bestow them upon His people.
ren of God,%berated,  justified, sanctified,' and glorified,                   It is a prayer that is bIased on strictest justice and
flow from Him unto them.            He is ascended up on high,              perf,ect  righteousne)$s,  the. righteousness of His own
leading captivity captive, to give gifts unto men, Eph..                    perfect sacrifice.
4:8.  He it is thlat gives to `His Church in  tlie world                       And it is always, ahd constantly heard!
"some apostles ; a.& some, prophets ; and ;3ome,  evange-                                                   9           .
lists ; and some, pastors and teachers. For the'perfeet-
ing `of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the                                         Our Eter~nal  King.

edifying of the body of Christ." Eph. 4  :ll,  1.2.               For he       In its exilan.ation  of the name Christ, "tha;t ,i.s

Yills all things." Eph. 4:lO.          And ,He  it. is, too, out 09         anointed," the Heidelberg Catechism finally points to


                                      T H E   S T A N - D A R D   B E A R E R                                                    105


Christ's eternal kingship.          He is not only our  c1~ie.f     wrong conception of the rel&ion  between the old and,
Prophet and Teacher, and our only High Priest, but                  the new dispensation, between the Old and the New
"also             eternal King, who governs us by His Word          Testament, between the Church and the kingdom of
          our
and Spirit, Iand who defends an,d  preserves us in (the             heaven.      As to this last, there can be no question about
e:] joyment of) that salvation H.e  has purchased for us."          the fact that the only kingdom  ,of which the New
   The words in parenth.eses  do not belong in the text.            Testament ever speaks is .the kingdom0 of heaven.           And
The original reads: "und bei der erworbenen Erlijsung               that  the relation between this kingdom and the Church
schiitzet und erhalt,"  that is: "and defendis and pro-             is such that the members o,f the latter are also the
serves            in the redemption obtained for us."'              citizens of the former, cannot be subject to doubt. Cob-
           us
   Christ, then, according to this confession, is the               cerning  the kingdom of heaven, the Lord taught the
King of His Church. As such He rules over her and                   people in parables.     Thus ,He explains that the kingdom
in her by His Word and Spirit,  preserves  and defends              of heaven is likened unto a m1a.n  who sowed good see1
her ,in the midst of the world over against all the                 in his field, but while men slept an enemy came and
forces of darkn,ess,  and leads her unto the glory pre-             sowed tares among the wheat.        And He interprets that
-pared for her before the -foundation of the world.                 the field is the world, the good seed are the children of
Unto this ,end, He is also King over all  thlags,  even             the kingdom, and the tares are the children of the
over dl the powers of evil, all principalities and po-wers          wicked one. Surely, la,ccording  to this, the children
are made subject unto Him. ,He has received a name                  of the kingdom are ,not the Jews, but the believens.  out
above all names', and all power in heaven and in earth.             of all nations, for "the field is the world." The enemy
And He uses His mighty power for the preservation of                that sowed the tares is the .devil;  the harvest is the,
the elect, and unto the coming of the day of His return             end of the world, so that nothing can be expected after
and the establishment of His eter.n,al  kingdom in glory.           that harvest; and the reapers Iare  the angels. And
   He is King over His Church by  \grace.                           when the time for the harvest is ripe, "the Son of man
   But He is, also the Lord of lords, and the King                  shall gather out of his kingdom (established -in all the
of kings by His power.                                              <world) all things that offend and them which do
   This glorious and comforting truth is  ,denied  by               iniquity; land shall ,cast  them i.nto  a furnace of fire:
the Chiliasts, or Pre-millennialists.                               there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then
   According to them, Christ is not the King of  .thc               shall the righteous shine as the sun in the l6ngdom  of
Church, but merely her Head in the organic sense.           ,He     their Father." Matt. 13 :3'7-43.  Surely, these right-
is the King of the Jews, of the nation of Israel, and               ,eous,  these children of the kingdom, are not the Jews,
as such He must still be revealed in the future. `This              but the elect gathered by ,Chriist's  word and Spirit out
national Israel, the kingdom-people proper, rejected                of all the nations of the world.     The Church is ialso His
Him ii1 His first advent.         He came unto His own, but         kingdom, and He is our eternal King!                    H. H.
                                                                                                                   ~
`His own received Him not. *On the contrary, they
crucified the Lord-of  glory, their King.       Because of this

the Jews are-for  th,e time being rejected.        They ar,e  in
captivity, in `exile, in the diasposa, scattered over the                          De Les D& Historie
face of the earth among ali nati.ons.         And during this

period that the kia,gd.om-people  are in the diaspora  and                             (Psalm 78; Derde Deel)
God does notdeal  with them unto salvation, He gathers
another people out of the ,Gentiles.        This other people,          Tot hiertoe h,ebbe:u  we geluisterd naar het  getuige-
gathered in the interim of Israel's captivity, is the               nis des Heiligen Geestes in dezen psalm, zooals bet ons
Church, the `body of Christ, the .Bride of the Lamb,                verhaalt van de groote daden  Gods ,die Hij laan Israel
that will be taken up in heavenly glory when it is com-             gedaan heeft, dezelve nederleggende in Zijn Wet en
plete.      This Church is not the kingdom of Christ.               verhalende door de redenen Zijn;s monds.
On the contrary, the Jews are and remain forever the                    Zie, zoo zingt de zanger Israels,  we hebben die
royal  people of Christ, and Christ is their anointed               redenien  en die wet gehoord. Ook zullen we er voor
King.      Aad  awhen the Church shall have been gathered           zorgen, dat onze kinderen  er van hooren,  opdat ,die
and the fulness  of the G.entiles  shall have come in,              `ze vertellen mogen aon hunne kinderen  tot in verre ge-
Christ shall `once  more turn to His own, gath,er them              slachten.     En dat zal gedaan worden  in biddend opzien
out of all nations, cause them to return to their own               tot God, opdat Hij ons ,en onze kinderen  genadig zij ;
land, the Old Testament land of Canaan, and rule over               en zij niet worden  gelijk onze vaders in de woestijn
the house of Jacob and on the throne of David for                   die Zijne awe&en vergaten en terugkeerden van -den
ever.                                                               strijd.    Hunn,e  roeping was om met God.groote  ,dingen
   We cannot in this connection                                     te do,en  en ,den  vijand Gods te verdoen.          Doch,  gelijlr
                                           `refute  this theory
in detail., Fact iis, that it is based on a fundamentally           de `kinderen EfroIms;  zij keerden weder, zij keerden


       106                                    -TRE &ITAMLARD~~-E.A~IER



       om, ten dage des strijds.                                            lange jaren. Overal waar zij stilhielden was er een

              En nu volgt een b_eschrijving  van het groote kwaad           Rots die gekloofd werd en het water vloeide voort ter
       dier vaders, die gezondigd hebben tegen God  temidjen                verfrisxhing. . Al die rotsen `waren een profetie van de
       van Zij.n  wonderdaden.                                              fonteinen des heils die in Christus tot  in alle eeuwig-
              Het vreeselijk karakter van hunne zonde  was  dit:            heid geopend zijn.      Als er honger was onder d.e schare
       `!Zij vergaten Zijne daden en'Zijne wonderen, die Hij                dan verzovhten  ze den God die hen leidde van dag tot

       hun h1s.d  ,doen  zien."                                             dag. Dan spraken ze #kwalijk  van God en spottende
              Er zit een woord in dezen zin, dat vreeselijk is.             hebben ze gevraagd: ZOLI God een tafel kurmen  toebe-
       dat woord is: "vergeten".          Vergete i is vreesehz"
                                                                   *. .
                                                   i,                       reiden in de woestijn?      Door dit goc?deloos  vragen heb-
       Vooral en bovenal als men iets van God vergeet.  Af;                 ben Te God verbitterd, want de vraag die krenkend was
     men iets vergeten heeft, ,bestaat zooiets  voor U niet                 open,baarde  hun hart. Zij begeer-den spijze  nchccr hun-
       meer. Iemand negeeren  is de grootste wonde en h.et                  nan  lust.    Het openbaarde, dat zij meer dachten aan de
       vlijmendste leed hetwelk ge iemand kan doen toe-                    .bevredigiag  van het kwad,e-hart,  dan een verzadigd
       komen. En als die `iemand" dxn de groote God i:s,                    worden van God, hetwelk all6n  heil spelt voor een
       dan. halen wij Zijn groote grimmigheid ons op  ,den                  :schepsel  naar Zijn beeld geschapen.
       hals.                                                                    De vuile spot en goddeloosheid braakt U tegen in
              Dat had het historische Israel gedaan. Dat deden              de schampere vraag. En huns  ondanks" moeten `ze
       de vaders wavssin de genade Gods  niet ,werkte.                      spreeken  van Gods  wondere  daden.         Ze zeiden: Hij
         Wat had God~  gedaan?' Luistert ren  we zullen het                heeft d.e rotsteenen geslagen zoodat er water kwam.
       weer vert,ellen.      Tot in alle eeuwi.gh&d  zult ge het            Welnu dan: kan Hij ons ook brood bereiden tot spijze
       hooren,  zoodat ge kunt jubelen, jubelen.                            en vleesch #naar onze lusten?        Hoe vreeselijke boos-
              God had wonder gedaan in Egypteland voor de                   heid !
       vaderen, in het veld Zoans.  Een groot@  schaar der                      Al ,die dingen deden ze, doch de Heere heeft het
       goddelooze Egyptenaren ,zat  hen op de hielen. In de                 gehoord en werd verbolgen. Zouden wij den ,Heere
       verte zagen ze de wagens en de ruiters van al de kloeke              niet rechtvaardigen in dezen?         Zoudt ge n,iet ver-

       .helden  die joegen en hijgden om de Israelieten in te              wachten, -dat Hij de gansche vergadering van Jakob
       halen. Ze hoorden van. uit de verte het gerommel en                 vemlinden  zou in grooten  toorn?  `Ja, fdat zouden we
       het gedonder, van wapentuig en -raderen der wagens                  verwachten.        Doch God ia geen mensch. Straks zullen

       van .Farao.                                                  ,      wij zien, aan het einde van  ,den  psalm, waarom God nog
              Toen is hun de :schriB  om het hart geslagen ; toen voortvoer om Zijn wonderen te doen, temidden van een
       zijn ze heel bang geworden, want, teerstens,  konden zij            geslacht, dat Hem vertoor&e  ,door hunne daden.         Ter-

       niet  snellijk  wegvlieden met al die ouden en vrouwen.             wijl zij nog murmureerden, en terwijl zij nog spotten,

       -en kinderkens  ; en, tweedens, vlak voor hen was d,e               o'pende  de Heere de deuren des ,hemels,  nadat  Hij de
       Schelf-zee. ' Vlan bei,de  zijden verrees het hooge ge-             ,wolken geboden had, en o wonder! er regende een

       bergte. Waar moesten zij heen?'                                     zachte regen van hemelsch brood op de goddelooze

          Uit. hen schreeuwen van Mo,zes  tot God' kunnen we               vergadering.       Verworpenen hebben hemelsch brood ge-

       opmaken, dat zij di,en man Gods verweten hebben het-                geten en de godvergetenen onder hen zijn verfrischt

       geel,  onbillijk was. Doch Mozes riep tot God. En God               geworden met hemelsch wlater.        Ze hebben ,de wonderen

       zeide : Zeg den ikinderen  Israels dat zij voortrekken !            Gods gezien gelijk als Betsaida ,en Chorazin. Zij zijn
          En het wonder. Gods werd vertoond. -God kliefdti                 tot den hemel toe verhoogd geworden, ook al is het  ont-

       de zee en zij ontk\v.am,en  uit den handen der  godde-              zettende feit geschiedenis geworden, dat zij terneder-

       loozen.  Erger nog: de goddeloozen kwamen om in de                  geslagen zijn in :de barre woestijnen. Hij regende

       g@ven  van het roede  meer.                                         het Man #en gaf hemelseh  koren.       Leest het maar :. het

      :+& ,Wla.t een wonsder Gods!      Het water. der zeen .deed         staxt  er.     10 het ware beter geweest als ze met de Bata-
       Hij staan als een hoop.- En de wolk Gods gi,ng  voorop,             vieren gesidderd hadden  voor Thor in de bosschen van

      Er `was ook een weinigje  waterdamp sen waterspatten.                Noord-Europa, dan'hemelsch koren te eten en hemelsch
,      .Er moest toch een ,doop,  zijn dier kinderen Gods;  een            water te `drinken. `Gedoopt te zijn met [den doop van
     ' doop van Mozes den man  Gods!                                       Mozes en dan ter helle te varen : het is erg !
       2. <. En de Heere voer voort hen te leiden in de huilende               Toen heeft de Heere wonder op wonder gestapeld.
      {wildernis. De wolkkolom ides daags en de vuurkolom                  Hij bevalden  oostenwind ,de kracht Gods openbalsade
      .des  nachts, 1a.1~00  ging de liefde Gods  voorop in barre          zich in des zuidenwied ten daar kwamen ze aan: de
       zandwoestijnen.        Hebben we hier geen Oud-Testa-               massa's va$n kwakkelen. De Heere gaf hun  vlees&,
       mentische  schaduwen van Christus Jezws,  den Heere?                ,kostelijk  vleesch tot spijze, want niets is ten wonder-
          Die sprake wordt duidelijker als er dorst komt en                lijk voor .den God onzes  heils.
       honger onder de arme zwervehngen.  Voor dorst van'                      We zien de goddelooze Israelieten na ,d:ezen;  zij

      menschen  en beesten klief,de de Heere ,de  rotsen al die            hebben het geruis,&  van de vleugelen der kwakkelen
                                                            .


gehoord; straks zien zij het nedervallen\in  hoopeil.                  mond en iogen  Hem met hunne tong!"            Zij deden het

  Toen zijn ze aan het eten gegaan, doch  ni,et met PIlte.             slechts omdat zij bang van Hem waren.            Het was een

  God vergetende, hebben zij zich  ,zat gegeten alan .$et              slaafsche vrees, welks wortel is de ha& Gold:  doodde`

  heerlijke vleesch van vogelen.                                       hen. God had geen welbehagen in h& en Hij ver-

      Hebben zij zich toen voor God op den grond  gewor-               gramde Zich tege;:over  dit geslacht. Later zegt David

  pen ia groote vernedering en beri>uy  over hunne da-                 van dit volk: Zij- zijn een volk  dwai,ende van harte en

  den? -Wel neen! Er staat van dit geslacht, dat zij,                  zij kennexn NIijne-wegen  niet.    Daarom heb Ik gezworen

  al etende, riog  niet vervreemd waren van hunnen lust.               in Mijnen toorn zoo  zij Mijne rust zuilen ingaan!          j
  De booz,e  woptel  van godldeloosheid  ?zt  hen nog in het            En zoo doet het de go&delooze  mensch altijd. Hij
  hart terwijl zij aten.      En &aarom  was het resultaat dat         wil zonder God leveri en zich  verlustigen  in een ijdel

  "Gods  toorn teg,en  hen ,opging,  dat Hij van hunne vet-            leyen, zonder God.      Da,n  komt. verschrik$king  over hun
  sten doodde, en de uitgelezenen Israels nedervelde."                 zien & gaat God hen dooden.  Doch ,dan roepen zij

      Doch het gaf niets.              -                               tot God en zoeken Hem met gevlei.         Zelfs in hun dood-
      wimt  : "`Boven dit alle,+ zondigden zij nog!" De                .3:i:ood  zijn ze niet eerlijk en spreken zij niet recht van
  ,iT,on&er,en Gods die, spraken tusschen hunne tanden e:             God. En sw,a&r  zit hier de r,eden? Luistert: de psalm- '
  in hun m.aag hebben hn geen goed gedaan, ,want  zij                 ist aegt het I "hu,n hart was niet recht met Hem en zij
  geloofdten  ,niet.    Later, vleel later, zegt Paulus., dat zij      wlxaen  niet*igetrouw  in Zij:1 T,erbond."  Als Uw hart

  vErworpen  werden alhoewel zij -Gods daden algen  -e:!               niet recht Is m.et  God, dar staat ge krom tegenover

  hoorden en ervoeren, omreden het niet met geloof ge-                 Hem, dan ,tiint  ge Hem niet, doch dan haat ge  H,em.

  m e n g d   w a s .                                                  En als er dan toch.een  woord van-  gebed over Uwe li2,-

      Toen is tot hen een kwaad: van God geschied.             Hij     peil komt, dan is dit "vlein"  en "liegen" tegen -God..  .I i

I`deed hyme $dagen vergaan in ijdelheid". Dit, ge-                         Roe  moeten we nu. dit alles rijmen- met wat nu

  liefde lezer, is het uiteindelijke deel van dsen  goddelooze         volgt?     Wlxnt  nu komt er een  vers dat spreekt van Gods

  op aarde. Men mag dan lild tder  kerk zijn en de grootc              barmhartigheid en qan  het verzoenen der ongerechtig-

  daden Gods `zien .en hooren  : men verslijt zi:jn dagen in           heid? Bovendien, we zullen. het moeten verklaren,
 ijdel,heid.  Dat wiJ zeggen, dat Uw gansche leven ge-                 dat het drinken  uit den  rotsteen  en`het eten van manna

  lijk is -aan een ad,emtocht,  aan een mist die  NIS ver-             en kwakkelen een zegen geweest is voor Israel  ! Leest
  dwijjnt. Dan zit er geen bestand in al Uw streven en                 slechts vers 40 van Psalm 145 en ge zult het probleeql

  wlerkn.    Ge kunt dan niet_komen  tot eenig  goed ,doel.           zien!     Ik schrijf dat vers over : "Zij ba:den, en Hij deed
  Ge werkt ,wbl en ge spreekt en leeft wel, doch er wordt              kwiakkelen komen en Hij verzadigde ze met hemelsch

  n, sIechts  n element gemist in Uw  wer,k  `en leven en          brood."     In Psalm 105 is het enkel IiefIijkfieid  en zege?1

  dat n is God! Dan is men. den-  naam wlx.:ar.d,  die               voor ditzelfde vlk Israels! Hoe moeten wij dat rij-

  vreeselijke naam: Goddeloos! En het einde van zulk                   men ?

  een leven, iederen  `dag,  `ieder uur, iederen  hartslag is             Ik moet `nu wel even vooruitloopeti  in den psalm e:?

  dan ook verschrikking ! Dat sta& erbij. D,e ver-                     U wijzen op de verzen 67-72.  . Daar is de oplossing.
  Fc.hrikking  is `de rechtvaardige soldij .van  het ijdele.              We zoeden  het volgende er van willen zeggen:

  Dan vqest  ge voor Uw schaduw; dan springt van                       1. God verwierp de tent Jozef's  en den stam van

  schrik op bij het hooren  van een vogeltje; dan zijt, ge             Efraim verkoos Hij niet.       En hoewel w.e weten, &.t dit

L bang veel en velerlei. Vm.agt  het aan de gddeloozen:               allereerst gaat over het vraagstuk: uit welke stam zal
  zij hebben immers hun leven ih hun rechterhand?                      de Messi.as  komen? toch ligt hierin ook de gedachte,

  Laat ze dan voor zichzelf zorgen.         Maar hoe <kan  dat in      dat .alles .niet  Israel. is d& uit Israel, voortkwam.      Er

  dit vreeselijk heelal? Er zij,n millioenen van boozen,               was een verworpen bolster rondom'  Zijrn van eeuwig-

  van duivelsen,  van mij vijlxndig  zijnde elementen !--Waar          heiid  geliefd volk. En tot dien bolster behoort, eerst,

  moet ik heen?         En zoo  zegt het ,ook  Paulus, vele jaren      het vleeschelijk Israel die nooit bemind  waren; en,

  later; "met vreeze  des doods bevangen al `hua lev.en."              tweedens, het vaeesch  van Gods eigen  volk.  Al dat

  Zaait ijdelheid temidden van Gods wonderen en ge zuK                 vleesch  haat Gpd en Hij toornt er tege.n.  `2. Maar Hij

' verschrikking oogsten. Ge behoeft niet ,eens te wach-                verkoos den sDa.m  Juda, den berg Sion, dien Hij lief-
 ten totdat ge ,dood  zijt en geworpen wo'rd;t in den poel             had. Daar hebt ge het feit der verkiezing. Daar heht
                                                  .
  des vuurs. De voorsmaa:k  Van eeuwige  schrik .is nu                 ge het lie&  van `eeuwige liefde. Eh om dat bemhds
  Uw deel al, als ge gebonden zijt in boeien van een ijdel             volk gaat alles. En dat bminde  volk heeft Hem &.-

  leven.                                               * _             loofd en geprezen ook dan als de  vergxdering  van
      En, let ,wel,  het is God die het doet. Dat merken               Kor&h,  Dathan  en Abiram spotte met God.           De liefde

  we in wat er volgt.         "Als,  ,Hij ze doad:de,  zoo  vroegen    Gods woonde in hen.       3. Die uitverkiezing zit vast aan'

  zij naar Hem !"        .Denkt eEhter  nu `niet, #dsat  dit zoeken    de verkiezing van David, den beminde God; bij uit-

  en `vragen naar God zuiver was.- La.ter  staat er. van               nemendheid, & dat is Christus.       Die werd geroepen om

  dit zoeken en vragen: "Zij vleiden Hem mst hun'nen                   de herder Van het v.011~ Gods te worden in de historie,



                                             c


      10s _                                   T H E  ST.ANDARD  BEARE-R,

       Da*t  was ook een van ,de redenen waarom `de mindere             children of"I,srael  into my hands, then it shall be, that

       David in de historic  verschijnt : hij moest een schaduw         whatsoever cometh  forth out of the doors of my house
       voo,ruitwerpen  van .den Beminde Gods, Jezus Christus,           to meet me, when I return in  pea.ce  from the children

       onzen  ,Heere.  4. En die Herder heeft :Zijn schapen             of"Ammon,  shall surely be6the  Lord's, and I will offer

      ;dan ook geweid naar  "de oprechtheid Zijns harten".              it up for a burnt-offering."

       Dat kwam  uit ook in bet tijdperk, dat we hierboven                  Let us now attend to. this vow.       The matter of Jeph-

       behandelen. .Temidden  van het uitgieten ven  den                tha.h's sacrifice has al,ways  divi,ded  opinions in _ancient

       toorn Gods was er een volk ten allen  tijde, dat v66r            as well as in modern times. First  <there  is'the questiton :
       God sprak en met Hem waedelde. En om den  wille                  What did Jephthah actually vow or promise? There

       `van dat volk, ,en nu keeren we terug tot ,de  plaats waar       is the view that the vow could  compraehend  only human

       we planzeerden  : "Do& Hij, barmhartig zijncle,  ver-            beings and not animals.        This view reposes on the fol-
       zoende de ongerechtigheid, en verdierf  ze niet, maa:r           low,ing  consi.derations.  1. In order to be effected by

       wendde d:ikwijls  Zijn toorn af, en wekte Zijn gansche           the vow, the creature ha.d to go fwth to meet Jeph-

       grimmigheid niet oh; en Hij bedacht  dat zij vleesch             thah.      A dog will go forth to meet and  ,greet  hi:s- mas-

       waren,  een wind die henengaat en niet wederkeert  !!'           ter, but such behavior is not very characteristic of
          En die barmha,rtighei,d  vindt stee.ds,  onophoudelijk        cattle, that ,is, of animals that could be offered up for

       en excmsief  het volk Israels ,die van voor de grond-            a burnt-offering.      2. To ,qulalify  for the vow, the crea-

       legging der zwereld  bemind  zijn en in `die liefde la..an       ture had to- come forth ,out  of the very doors of Jeph-
       Jezus .gegeven  zijn. (Joh. 17) Vanwege ,dien Jezus              thah's house. The vow therefore could include only

       worden  Uwe zonden verzoend en wordt ge geleid langs             human beings, unless Jephthah  was living in the,`same
       zeer stil1.e  watere,n naar het harte `Gods.          G. V.      house and `under the same roof, was  thus ,domiciling,

                                                                        <with  his cattle. s But this was not likely. 3. It is in-
                                                                        conceivable that Jephthah t,hought  it probable that

                                                                        cattle would come forth to meek him on his return
                         JephthahkVow                                   and not the members of his own family-his wife
                                                     ~                   (were she still l.ivi.ng)  ,or *dau.ghter,  or his serva:n.ts.  I
         As was said, Jephthah's  right to wage war with the            4. To qualify for the vow, the creature, according to

      , Ammonites was impl$c.it  in his calling.    He had to wait      the text ia the original, had to be capable of ra.tiona.1

       with drawing the sword until the Lord by His Spirit              action. The vow was that "Whatsoever cometh  forth

       should raise him up. And Jephthah did wait. Butin                out of the doors of my house'to  meet me. . . ." Now

     the meantime h,e could request the Ammonite king to                the Hebrew verb rendered to meet also has the meaning

       justify, if he*were  able, his invasion of God's country.        to call, to praise, wagnify,  laxd,  celebrajte;  This Heb-

       He di:d so.    The _question  he put t,o the king was perti-     rew verb is kaya.      Doubtless, the text shoul,d  have been

       nent: "What hast  thou to do with me, that thou art              rendered, "Whatsoever coimeth  forth to celebrate my

       come aga.inst  me to fight in my land?"         It was a most    victory," and thus not, "Whatsoever cometh  forth to
       embarrassing question.      For it was a question of right       Imeet  me. 2 . ." And this for the following reasons.
       before God, and for such a question the Ammonite king.           a) Kara to mieet  is to encounter, to meet in  !a: hostile

       was ill prepared. But the king had an answer.             He     sense. Jephthah, certainly, was not looking forward

       said to the messengers P,ent  by Joshas:  : "Because Israel to a meeting of this character from whatsoever should  ,
      -took  away my'land,  when they came up out of Egypt."            come ,forth  out of the doors 09 his own house.            What
       Jephthah made plain to the king that his claim to                he could aeason&ly  expect and what he doubtl.es,s  was

      the contested territory ldid Bat even wear the appear-            also looking forward to is that some member or mem-

      la.nce of truth, that, in his  ,-tiarlike  expedition against     bers of his own hodsehol,d  would come forth to cry out

       the people of Israel, he was pitted against the only'            in his hearing their great joy with which the tidings

       true God and that therefore his sin was great. But               of the victory filled then,      If this was his expectation,

      the king refused to be dissuaded.       "Then the Spirit of       and doubtless it was, the volw takes on meaning.           Jeph-

       the Lord came upon Jephthah and he. pass,ed over                 thah knows that victory will awaken great rejoicings

       Gilead,  and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh  of                among his people and among the members of his own

       Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto            household.      They will meet him with acclamations and

       the children of Ann-non." . As the location of Mizpeh            gladness. They will receive him with timbrels and
       is a matter of plain conjecture, Jephthah's course,              dances.      He will b'e celebrated and pr?a.ised.  But .he

       though plain to the contemporaries of the sacred writ-           also knows that victory belongs. only to God.           And so,

      er, cannot be made out by LE.        This matters little, for     inthe fulness of his love, ,which <would give to God that

       it is not important.     `Either just before he set out or       which belongs to Him, as the author of the victory,

       while `on th,e march, "Jephthah vowed & vow unto the             he makes his vow.       He promises that if `God will grant

       Lord, and said, if thou .sba.lt  without fail `deliver. the      him victory, then that which goeth forth from the




L


                                         T H E  STAN.DARD  BEA.RER                                                           109.


1 doors of his house, to meet him with acclamations of              Thus, what these interpreters want to pass off on us

 gladness, shall be Jehovah's.                                      as exegesis is simply an expedient for the extinction of
     The above arguments have weight. Certainly the                 a d.ifficulty.  It thus remains certain that Jephthah's

 view that, according to the intentions and `expectation            vow, according to his own intentions, foresight, and

 of' Jephthah, the vow inclu,ded,  besides humtan  beings,          choi,ce of words, covered only human beings and  rot

 also animals is too improbable.' This view. may there-             also animals. We have fortified this view with cogent

 Sore be dismissed.      Yet there are interpreters, who;  in       reasons, to `which another cj38n  be added. Let us notice

 their effort to lay a firm foundation for the  v:iew  that         once more the language of the vow.       "Whatsoever com-

 Jephthah did not slay his only daughter, try to make               eth forth from the doors of my house to meet me. . . .
 plain from the text that the  .vo,w  did include anima1.r          shall surely b,e tlte Lowi?s,  and I w,ill offer it up for
 as well as human beings. It is maintained that the                 a burnt-offering".     The impression that this language

expression "shall be the Lord's" is used in the Scrip-              makes upon t,he  unbiased rea,der  is that Jephthah re-

 tures ,of persons only land that the word "burnt-                  solved and was prepared to make soame  eztraord&~~~

 offering" ih the statement of Jephthah, "and _I will               sacrifice, thus a sacrifice that precluded cattle. Whaat

 offer it up for a burnt-offering" is used only of animal           `was  to be consecrated had to come forth out of the

 sacrifices, that thus when Jephthah said, "Whatsoever              very #d;oors ,of his own house, thus had to come forth

 c0met.h  forth to meet me.  `. . . shdl swely be the LoYTJ'!:      not merely from his fiel,ds  or estate. Whatever came
 he had reference to persons  taad that when he said,               forth to meet him would surely be the Lord's. This  `_

 "I will offer, it up for a burnt-offering" he had refer-           languzge,.  ,certabnly,  is too emphatic if the vow had

 ence to cattle. The view then is this: Jephthah fore-              refereece  also t,o animal sacrifices. As a God-fearing

 saw that cattle so well as human bei,ng aed  human                 Israelite, Jephthah, it must be supposed, regularly of-~

 beings so well as cattle might come forth out of the               fered up bur,nt  offerings.     There would therefore have

 doors of his house to meet him. Foreseeing this, he                been little meaning in his binding himself by a  e&red

 made in his vow provision for both.         Thus, what Jeph-       vow unto the offering of animal sacrifices. 3 Israel's
 thah, according to this view, said as to his intentions            law prescribed and required them. The more certain

 is this, "Whatsoever cometh  forth out .of  the doors of           it is therefore that the vow covered only human beings;

 my house to meet me. . . . shall'aurely  be the Lord's             We even go. a step further.       The text suggests that in
 if it be CL human being, or if it began animal suitable f@j        vowing th1a.t  vow Jephthah had'rkference in particular

 the sttur,  I will offer it up'for a burnt-offering."       As     to his daughter and only child.      For he promised to set

 it turned out, it was ,a human,-it was his daughter                apart for the Lord whatever would come forth out of

 and only child tha.t went'forth to meet him and not one            the doors of his house.        That might have reference to

 of his cattle. The first clause therefore went into ef-            his daughter alone, if his wife no longer liveld.  `For it
 fect.    Thus; he' Id.id not slay her, he shed no blood,, as       `was a promise to consecrate unto God one taken ,from

 he would have been obliged to do, had it,been  one of              his very `he&h, thus a-confident and ,daily  companion.

 his cattle that had gone fo,rth out of the doors of his            The language of the vow therefore might even exclude

 house to meet h.im.  But he did with her according                 servants. Whatsoev,er  would meet him, would surely  _
 to the first clause of his vow, "It shall surely be the            be the Lord's.    Also this language may indicate th.st  he

 Lord!s."      He set her la+part for God, so that, all her life    binds himself to consecrate to God someone very :close

 she remair&  unmarried.           In this way these inter-         and dear to him, ia all likelihood his on1.y child.

 preters think they succeed in establishing that Jeph-              "It sh1a.11  surely be the Lord's . . . I will offer it up for
 thah  was not obliged to slay his daughter,  4amely,  in           a burnt offering."     There is next this question. Just
 the way of' showing that the vow  cover.ed  animals so             how was Jephthah's daughter to be the Lord's, through
 well as human -beings and that it prescribed for each              his actually slaying her aed  thereupon placing her

 a distinctive treatment.      Now it is certain, as we shall       dead boldy  upon the altar of burnt-offering that  stoo:l

 see, thlat Jephthah did not slay his only child: and               in the outer court of the sanctuary  ,in Shiloh or was

 `daughter.     However, it cannot be proven in this way.           she to ,be the Lord's in some other way?         The former

 It is not true that the formula "it shall surely be the            view has been defended with vigor but with lack of

 Lord's" was used o:nlsy  for persons and not also for              insight into the S,c.ripture.s  and in ignorance of the

 animals.      There is the passage in Ex. 13 :12, 13. ( There      character of Jkphhah  by literalists of ancient times
 it is commanded that, when Israel shall come into                  and .by interpreters `of this day mostly of. the liberal

 Canaan, every first-born shall be set apart unto Je-               school.    "The implicit designla.tion  to God of whatever        .
 hovah, both the firstlings. of every .beast  "which thou           came forth out of the Idoors of his house.`.points un-

 hast",  and the /first-born of man. The firstlings of              mistakeably," it is said, "to a human  life,as  the devoted

 such .animals  !a8 were suitable for the altar had to be           thing.     T,oo  ready from his aoquaintance  with heathen

 offered in the sense of slain.         The first-born man,-        sacrific.es land ideas to believe that the God `of Israel

 however, must not .be slain but redeemed <with money.              will. be pleased with the kind of offerings by which


            110'                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                  _ _

            the go'ds of Sildon-  and Aram  weye  honored, feeling him-       her but by bringing her under the necessity of iiving 2

            self as the chief of the Hebrews, bound to make some              virgin life. The view that Jephthah actually put his

            great and unusual Sacrifice, he does not promise that             danghter  to death r,esults  from the unwillingness to

          the captives takeri  in ,WIU  shall be devoted to Jehovah,          explain the language of the vow, "And I will offer it up

            but. some- one #of his own people is to be the victim.            for a burnt-offering," in the light of the explanatory

            The &edication  shall be al1 the more impressive that             sentence, "An,d  she knew no man."       The lstter  sentence

            the: life give:1  up is one of which .he himself shall feel       is changed into, `-And  she ha&Z known no man," (pluper-

            the loss. . . ." The writer whose words we nolw quote fect) and is thus made to indicate cot "that Jephthah's
            goes on to say, "The. insufficient religious intelligence         daughter livad  a virgin life in answer to the require-

            of the man, whbse  life. has been far.  .removed  ,frcm           ments ,of the vow but .that, when her f&her slew`her,
            elevating influence, this once perceivead-an,d  we CQY-           she had known no man.         But if this were th,e  meaning
            not escape from the] facts of the case-the  ~0% i,s paral-        of the notice,. it could just  as well have been omitted.
            lel to others of which ancient history tells. . . . We            For if she was slain, her being a virgin at the time of
            see in his vow a fatalistic strain ; he leaves it to chance       her `death, had no significant  whatever. It is-hard to
          . or\fate  to determiile who shall mee`t  him.    T.here  is the    understand why interpreters insist that the maiden
            assumption of the right to `take into his hands the               was slain, despite  the fact that the narrative plainly
            disposal of human life; and this, though most confi-              indicates  the zclntrary,.  unless it be that they wan?
            dently cUrned,  was entirely a fictitious right.?'                to make out those Old Testament worthies for `heathen,

             . Such is the appraisal of liberal commentators of               If Jepht.hah  sllew his daughter he was verily a heathen
            the man Jephthah and his vow.          And all that they say      and an Israelite only in name.  Lf he were a true
            of the man is true, if he  actaally  sl,ew'  hi? daughter         Isrselite, he could not vow to bring a sacrifice by blood
            aad ,offereld  up her body for a burnt-qffelring.                 with `a human bei'ng  as the vi&i6        Such a ,doing  was
               The question is then whether he was guilty of this?            an abomination to God. It was forbidden and de-
            Statemerits  occur in the narrative that unmistakeably            aounced  by Israel's law.
            indicate that he w1a.s not..    The dapghter asked that she            In the 27th chapter of Leviticus, Israel's law  le&i-
            be left alone "two months that I may go up and  dow:l             matized  such defdications  of persons to God..    The whole
            the mountain, and bewail my virginity."         Thus, she is      cha`pter  is taken up with the subject of the setting
            to live-a virgin life.      If not, it would have been un-        apart for God human"beings.  But the law there also
            natural to lask f,or a space of two months to weep over           prescribes that such persons could  or should be re-

          _ her virginity instea.d  of &er her:lifej.  If she was to          deemed, that is, freed f.rom  the obligations of the vow
            die, she woulbd  have r:emained  at home with her father          by 18 price pai,d  to the priest. Why did Jephthah not

            instead of departing nwith  her companions.           But she     follow this presciption?  The only possibl,e  answer is

            departed to lament not that she must die `as a virgin             that it did not cover his vow.      He had vowed that his

            but'to  bewail her virginity.     At the .end of tw,o  months     daughter shou1.d  live a virgin life for t&e  rest of ihe?

            she returned to her-f,+ther,  "who di'd'with  her accord..        clays.  The uniqueness of the vow is  indiCated  by its
     _      ing to his vow which he had vowed : and she knew. no              language.      "I will, offer it up for a burnt-offering."
           man."     So reeds the text.      l?ad she bsen put to d,eath,     The bur.nt-offering  symbolized the worshipper's com-

           the narrator would have-said, "And he presented her                plete dedication to God through the consumption by
            as a sacrifice on the a&ar, and she died `ha.ving  k-flown        fire of the ,dead body of the :a.nimal  that had been
            no man."    Or, what is more likely, he  `w,ould  have re-        s l a i n .
            frained from,making  any mention of her virgtnity &cl                  Jephthah's doing-his vowing a vow-was in har-

            simply asrrated  her Ideath,  if, according to the vow,           mony with the fact that in the period of  the.  judges
          she had to be the Lord's through h,eath, if her death               Nazaritism flourished and was widely ,defused.  The
            alone could satisfy the requ.irements  of the vow.      Thus,     Navarites  (were persons,  `who through the vow that
            as `here death is not indicated, she did  ,not  <die,  was not    they took upon them, presented to the people the image
           slain by her father, unless the narrator is to be  chlsrged        or symbol of its sacred and priestly calling.            The
            with the failure to spea,k  of the transaction in su,ch           Nazarites were raised up by the Lord for this purpose,
            ter_ms  as rightly describe ,it. But we deal here not             especially in times  of apostacy.  Says Amos &I back-
            with man's word but with the word of God.              OS the     sliding. Israel, "And I have raise'd up your sons for
            two' clauses                                                      prophets and your young men for Nazarites.          Is it not
                             : "And' he did with her according to his
          vo'w," land, "And she knew no man", the second is                   even thus, 0 ye children of Is'icael,  saith the ,Lord"
           ,explanatory  of the first, is thus explanatory. of the            (Amos 11:2),.       Jephthah's vow was not the Nazarite
            iTow,  of the language of the vow, "It shall be the Lord's        vow.      But it had this in  common  with tha,t  vow that it
            aad I will offer it up fdr a burnt-offering."       Thus the      placed his Idaughter  under the necessity of pr,esenting
            senteace,  "And she knew no man," tells us how  Jeph-             herself to her people as an image of whole-hearted
            thah offered up his daughter, to wit, not by slaying              consecration to God.      In her case this had to be accom-

                                                                     ` _


L


                                          T H E  ST.ANDARD   B E A R E R ,  -                                                        111


 ,@ished-so  it appears from  the sscred  ntirrative-                   and place amon,g  Go!d's people. Then the Lord called

  through celibacy (the state of being unmarried).                      him to lead Israel in the war af liberatiop  ls.gainst  the
                                                                   s
      There is also this question.      Should Jephthah have            Ammonites. The Lord would grant him the victory
  taken it upon himself to obligate his daughter to per-                he knows.        And he is deeply grateful, for he lov&  God,

  petual virginity without her knowledge and consent?                   His cause, and His people.         So he has heed of giving

  The B.nswer'  that the thought was furthest from his                  some extraordinary expression to his gratitude. He

  mind that Lit would or might be his only child %ho                    is mindful of thse aspiEa.tioils  of his daughter and only

  would come forth to meet him, will not do. If this                    child. So with her before his mind, and as aware of
  were true, Jephthah was a rash,  stupi.d  and thought-                her wish, he vows his vow. If the Lord without fail
  less man. But this hs was <not. The wol"ds that the                   ~31 del,iv:er  the enemy into his hands, then ewhatsoeve:

 maiden and Jephthah exchange after the latter's re-                    cometh  otit of the (doors of his .very  house to meet `him,
 turn, suggest that he knew that the vow was expressive                 shall surely be the Lord's.      He made no mention of  bei:
  of her aspirations and would therefore me& with her                   in his yaw;  But the omission was deliberate. He pur-

approval,' that thus he `W~ZIS not putting her under obli;              posely gave .his vow the generality  that it must have
  gation from which she would shrink.          "Aed  it, came to        in order to includ@ all the members of his. family.
  pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and                  For he knew not the Lord's will.          But the Lord then
  said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very                    spoke. His only child went forth  td greet him on his
  low, Ixn,d thou art one of them that trouble me!:  ?or I              return. That was to him the finger of God.  Inde:eZ,
  have opened my mouth unto the Lord, a;ld I canllot                    he bed opened his mouth and could not go back.                   He
  go back. And ;she said unto him, My father, if thou                   told her so.      He div.ulged  to her the sorrow of his heart.

 hast opened thy mouth unto the  Lo,rtd,  do to me accord-              She understood.         He need- -say no more. Without a
 `ing to. that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth;                   moment's  hesitation, she assumed full responsibility
 for'as  much as the Lord hath tsken vengeance for thee                 for his vow. For she bad prepared herself for that
 of thy enemies, ,even  of the children of An-n-non.           And      moment. He was sorrowful, But his ,grief did not
  she said unto her fathe?,  Let this thing be done- for                bespeak a soul vexed with God's way with him. His

 me: let me alone for two months, that I may go up  and                 sorrow was but natural.
  dowi1 upon the mountains, ,and  bewail my virginity,                      There is nothing strange in this imaginiilg.  It is

 I and my fellows. And he: ssid Go." Let                    o'bserve    suggested by the w30ticls of Jephthah'ls.  daughter and not
                                                     us
 that, though Jephthah told his datighter  that he had                  rendered unlikely ,by the reactions sof Jephthah, consist-

 opened his mouth and could not go back, thus &closed                   ing in his rending his. clothes at the sight  `of her ,ap-

 to her that he had vowed a vow and must perform it,                    proajch.       If this reaction be taken as an ,expressEon  of

 land indicated by his profession of grief that the vow                 surprise, wr2  are s.hut up to thle view that, despite the

 concerned her, he did not tell her just what the obliga-               definiteness of the vow, it had `ilot occurred to him that

 tion was un-der which she had been brought by his                      his daughter was also included.         Now this,  of could,
 vow. Y,et her instant'.reply  seems plainly to indicate                for some reason not revealed to us was possible.  FunkIa-
 that she knew,-knew that she had beei1 placed under                    man+a,lly  it makes little Idif$er,en,ce,  as 1on.g  as it be

 the necessity of living a virgin life.        "Let me alone",          maintained that the vow was not  Eash Andy  indicative o 1"

 such w1a.s h& response, "that I may bewail my vir-                     stupidity an.d mipaadonable  thoughtlessness. Certain

 ginity."    Also to be observed is her apparent willing-               it is thalt,  were. we  in the  possession of the kn,owledge

ness, nay, eagerness, that her father do with:her  ac-                  of.,all  $he ,attending  circu.mstances,  it would `appear that

 corlding "to his vow.     Not dne word of protest fell from            this vow was. anything but rash.        This myth  is plainly

 her lips, not one `word  of regret. Her father was in                  reveal&l : Jephthah actually diid not slay his daughter ;
 tears, `but she, at the moment, was far from tel?.rs.                  he set her .apart for a; virgin life ijn obedience to his
 She behaved as a daughter who had gotten her way                       vow and' thus `did not go back  when he saw the finger af

 with a reluctant parent.       Tha.t  she bewailed her virgin-         God pointing to her, his ,only child.      This is .a11 ,we  need
 ity was `but natural and must not be construed as                      bo `know  defi&ely.  This is fundam,ental.  For herein

 ind.icative  of a rebellious spirit and of a maiden  bowe2             lies the chief si.gnificance  ,of this Old Testsmengt  worthy.

 (down  with grief oa.used by the .consideration  of what               Jephthah is. the judge  of the vow, who consecratad  his

 the vow implied fop her.                                               only child to .a virgin  *life,  and thiereby  p?ovided  the

     May we not then imagine the situation to have been                 Israel ?f his evil day with a most  ,remark8able  image or

 this?    God had given it in the heart of this maiden to               symbol of Israel's aa:lling.     His .dolng alsp made a pro-
 be to her people, in those troublesome times, an image                 found iImpression  on his people, as i@ evident from thn
 of it:s.  calling. She had reveEle&  her desiye  to Jeph-              notice that "it was a custom in Israel that the Idaugh-

 thah.    But he *wss reluctant to give her up; for she was             tens.  of Israel went yearly to  praise  qr celebrate `(not
 liis only chil,d.    ShouBd  she live out her life as a virgin,        "l,a4ment".      The original has "praise) -the iisughter of
 he would be without offspring to perpetuate his name                   Jephthah  four  days in the year,"                  G. .M. 0.


.I12                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D  B.EARER


                                                                   from the facts. of experience and d&w certain funda:
 Calvinism According. To Kuyper's                                  mental conclusions from these when he draws the iiues
   Stone-LeCtures  -  A  `Ckitiqtie                                of Calvinism as set forth in these lectures? To seek
               .                                                   to give an answer to these questions will be the bur-
                               (2) *                               den of this writing.
                                                                      It is an interesting fact, that the Holy Scriptures
                     KUYPER'S METHOD
                                                                   shed  a great dea.1 of light on the history of what it
        In our former article we quoted rather at length           calls "the nations".       In the prophecy of Daniel this
from Kuyper's Stone-lectures. We may therefore as-                 is especially the case.       Both in the image of Nebuchad-
sume in this articlje  that thele  remains no doubt in the         nezzar's (dream  (chapter 2) ariS in Daniel's vision ot
min,d  of thle reader las .to what his cdnception  really          the "Four Beasts" (chtipter  7) we see the  dewlopment
`was ;`what  he deemed to be a Calvlnistic  interpretation         of the world-powers in their Antichristian  cl+racter.
of the histbry  of mankind-mankind as such. `apart                 And again  the Holy Spirit shotis  John on the Isle of
from +he work of the Wonder of Grace in Christ                     Patmos the vision of -the "beast" coming up                      of.
                                                                                                                            out 
Jesus.                                                             the "`sea." and also of the -"beast" comiijg up out of the
    The conception developed in these lectures land the            earth. Rev. 13.     And again this is referred to a4nd sex-
conclusions arrived at as it touche3  Calvinism is bo$h            plained  in Rev. 17. And' the lines of nations there

negative and positive.       Negetive, in that it is asserted,     given is : Seven nations. Babal-Assyria-Babylon-P,er-
that-Calvinism is not to be understood in an exclusively           sin-Greece-Rome-One not yet! This i;s the bes.st  with
:c.o.:lfessional,  ecclesilaatical-dogmatical sense. And posi-     the seven heads arrd ten horns!
tively, it is asselrted  that Calvinism is a  lnovement  in           Now it must be borne i:n mind that we are not  criti-
the entire &main of life : religious, political, scientific        ,cizing  Kuyper's conclusions, but we are interested
and artistic. And that not merely in this sense that               merely in the question of Kuyper's p*j:o&ure  to come
this  indicates* the entire orb of the life of the regener-        to his conclusions.     However the foregoing paragraph
I:.ted an4 enlightened Christian, but that this is the ease        d&s  shed `a great deal of light on whether Kuypcr's
with man&&d.  as swch?                                             conclusions are Scriptunzl.
        In this article we wish to institute an investigation          This question becbmes  all the m&e  to the point
to see what method Kuyper employs in these lectures.               when we rem-ember  that according to Kuyper it is Cal-
To be sure, when we speak of method we do not mean                 vinistic to see mankind develop in the three-fold re-
the purely for,mjal  method in which Kuyper would make             lationship, the entire orb of ~lifre.     1. Man in relation-
the subject matter clear of these lectur&.  We refer               ship to Go'& (Calvinism and Religion) Lecturk  II.
here to the `question of what is  *known  by scholars, as          2. In relation to' fellow-mlaa  (Calvinism and Politics)
"methodology", `that is, the science- of method used               Lecture III. 3. In relationship to the: world, creation
by. one to arrive at and to ascertain the truth of the             Calvinism and Science and Art) <Lectures  IV, V.'
u&erlying  presuppositions. In this case the premise                Once more 1, `ask, does Kuyper in these lectures
that the history of the world band of mankind must; be             develop this conception exegetically-synthetically? By
j&geld  to have followed the course of: Paganism,                  consistently applying to fallen man in his primordial
Islamism, Romariiam,  Calvinism, Western European                  re&ionship  to God what the Scriptures teach and what  I
civilizBtion-San  Fran&o !                                         the fathers of Dort had set down in confessional  .:tatz-
        Speaking df "method" it will be well to remember           me&,  sta.;tements  concerning the things that are re-
thatthere ta.re  in the last analysis but two methods that         vealed that must soon come to pass, and from that

ban be followed. The one is to  have Smipture  be our              Scripture  teaches concerning the nature of these "na-

guide.       The otlier is to disregard the Word of Go-l           tions" ?

altogether, and to merely reason fro?,  an assumed                    One might obj,ect  to these questions and say I Kuy-
premise by inference or observation,  oq to reason from            per had performed all tha$ .groundwork  in other works,
the facts of experience.      It stanlds to resson  that if the    and he is merely giving here the product of that  invesii-

first method is employed one will have to, proceed                 gation.     He might say: don't expect a  mai1 to do every-

,exegetically-syinthetically,  that is, he will have  tq study     thing in a f,ew  lectures.     If this &hould  be the 82se, then
all the testimony .of Scripture having  bearing on a cer-          in a way, this investigation can cease here.         We wo~~lcl

tain matter &nd come to conclusion and judgments                   m&reljT stand before the question whether the  cow
from the data of Scripture.                                                            at were Script&al;       This by the way,
                                                                   clusiom  awived

    .Tbe question is therefore in o$rder:  Does Dr. Kuy-           is the tas:k  awaiting us in the next  instalment on this
per in attempting t.o establish, the underlying prer               ,subject.  (
supposition of his conception of Calvinism prorede                     However one would wish to judge of this matter,
exegetically-synthetically? If sb, Idoes he apply this             the fact is that one  looks in yain  for any semblanc'e

rule consistently to the very ,end,  or `does he xeason            of an attempt  in these lectures to proceed from the,


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                         J13

 plain teaching. of Scripture. That is an undeniable                 consider your own surroundings, that which is re-

 fact. Nqwhere  does Dr. Kuper show that his con-                    ported .to youj xnd  that which you derive from the

elusions are in accord with Scriptures, neither ,does  he            studies and the litelrary  -productions of -professed  in-

 show th&  the positive J,ine,  of which he speaks, is in            fidels, how much there is that attracts you;  $with which

 harmony virith  the, plain teaching of the! prophecies in           you s,ympaZthize  and which you admire. It is not ex-
 this matter.                                                        elusively the spark of genius or the splendor of  talent;,

     We would here' discontinue our discussion were It               which excites your pleasure in the word's and actions

 not for another matter in  thas,e  -lectures wdrthy of              of unbelievers, but it is often their beauty of character,

 notice. I It also touches the matter of Kuyper's Method.             the&+  xed,,  theirr clewlotion,  the&  l o v e ,  the&r  candor-,
    To understand  this point it should be borne in  n&d             their faithfdness  md their sense of ,honesty.  .(I under-

 that Kuyper has one underl$ng thesis which lies back                score, G. L.)      Yes., we may not pass it ovea in silence,

 of his .Fntire  conception and presenta.tion  of .Calvinism.        not unfrequentljr  you entertain the desire, that certaia

 It is what he denominates as: Common Grace. HS                      believers might have more of this attractiveness, and

 brings thils,  tlo play wjh&ln he &cusses fallen and un-            who hiJn?self.among  us has not been put to the  b&h

 regenerate man's relationship to God. Thus the mat-                 occasionally by being confronted with what is &led

 ter must be stated. _ Fe is not  spesking  of the re-               the "virtues of the heathen."  .
 generated man in Christ Jesus. I;n unregeneratkd man-                    "It is a fact, that your dogma of total depravity by

kind there is the sense of the Divine, the Seed of re-               sin does not alwayls,  fu1ll.y  tally  with your experience

 ligion., This has a positive content. There is some-                in -life."

 thing well-pleasing to God here in `their endeavors.                    What does  this quotation from this lecture teach us
 This is due to the rest.raining  influence of commo.3               as to the author's approach tq the question pf Co-on

 grace. p. 63.                                                        Grace? Of t&e  possibility of a good world-life in the

     Again this principle' of Common Grace is brought                threedold  relationship of Goid, fellow-man atid  the

 to bea,r in the_ relationship o,? man to man, that is,              world.?

 in the fi4.d  of Politics and Social life.    Also here there           Briefly stated the method .is : the approach of
 is a restraining influence.       The Msigistrate  is there         expmience.       Practi.cal  life does-not tally with questioqa

 because of sin a.nd is really a gift of Common Grace.               5 and 8 of the Heidelberg Gatechism,  neither with

 `And finally in the last relja.tionship  of man's relation-         Remans,  3 :lO-18 and' Ephesians 2:1-3.  Wh1a.t is the
 ship to the world. Also here the great and noble  en-               conclusion? This. I must Iearn  to tally my experience .
 tdeavors  of men are by' reason of the restraint of sir:            with God's verdict? Ndt .at all. The good that we

 due to Common Grace.                                                experietnce  is better than the Scriptures say.             Hence

     The question h,as  been asked repeatedly by interest-           an explanlaiion'must  be given. Anid that explanation
 ed laymen: "Where did Dr. Kuypey  obtain this teach-                is.: Common Grace !
 ing ?"    We believe that the followiilg  quotation from                What to i&y of this method of procedure?             It is thp

 Lecture IV on "Calvinism and Science" p. 159, will                  same rule that in the last decades has been applied

 shed some Zght on this question, and we believe' also               to Genesis 1-3.        `Scientific observation finds thls;t it .
 demonstrates Kuyper's method. We quote: "Now I                      cannot square. its facts witli Genesis 1, the, biblical

 proceed to consider the dogma of  "Commo:n  Grace",                 account of creat%n.  And what is done  about it?
 that natunaa outcome of the general principle, just                 Either the facts of Genesis. are denied, or the text, is

 presented to,  you, but in its special application to  sisz,        made to fit the ease.       S,cientific  conclusions rule in ide-
 understood as corruption of our nature. Sin places us                tiding  the mexaing  of the text. And thus also Dr.
 befbre  a ridldle,  which in itself is insoluble. If yon            Kuyper attempts to construe the sefise of the Scrip-
 view sin as a deadly poison, as. enmity  Iagainst  God,             tures to fit with, to tally with experience.                  *

 as ieading to everlasting condemnation,  and if you                     But what Kuyper does is more ingenius.              But what
 represent a sinner as being "wholly incapable of  1doin.g           Kuyper attempts in his. method is to show that their
 any good, and prone to all evil" and on this account                1 are two operations of the. Holy Spirit in- sinful man-.
 salvable  only, if God by regeneration changes his heart,           ,kind. Hence there is not only the work of God in
 then it seems as if of necessity all unbeliev&s  and                regenenaiion,  the positive .line  in .history  which runs
 unregenerate persons ought to be wicked and repulsive               Abraham-Prophets-Paul-Augustine-Calvin, but there
 men. But`this is far from being our experience  in                  is also the line which runs: Paganism-Egypt-Babylon-
 nctuccl  life (I underscolre,  G. L.)    On the contrla#ry,  the    Greece- Rome; Islamism- Ronianism- Galvini;s)m.               Two
 unbelieving world excels in many things. -Precious                  pana.llel  lines, the lines of natural grace ana  of saving
 treasures have come down to u$ from the old heathen                 grace..
 civilization. In Plato you find pages that devour you.                  Our conclusion: Kuyper :did tiot  arrive at this con-
 Cicero fascinates you and bel2.#rs  you along by his noble          ception in the way of. exegetical-synthetical study, but
 tone and stirs up in you holy sentiments. And if you                in the I way of attempting a reconciliation of what he


                                                                                              I





        x14:                                THB,        S     T    A    N    D     -     A    R      D     B'EiA.R,E~R


        considered a di@crepancy  betwefen-  the doct@e. of total                 social interests of the people i& articles must be read
        depravity and the good that the unregenerate do.                          in that light.
                And': this was not the  methbd  of the Reformers.                        It is interesting to note that this is the position held
                                                              G. L.               ' by the Supreme. Court of the United States.           The Court
                                                                                  h&s riled  that "the rights of which our Constitution

                                     -                                            speaks are not absolutes to be exercise8 independently
                                                                                  of other chkrished  privileges, protected by the same
                      Freedoti of The press                                       organic instrument."             Therefore it `has granted Con-
                                                                                  gress and the States.  the right to puni&  any printed
                          In Peace and- War                                       matter deeme:d  dangerous,?or otherwise.harmful  to* the
                                                                                  State.           It h&s determined. that Congress may censor n
                Freedom of the press, is cdnsidered  to be one of the             publicati,on  ia (advance in cases of obscenity, and may
        inherent. attributes'of  a democracy. While a dictator-                   deny Mailing  rights or otherwise punish by law any
        ship necessarily suppresses the press under its. author-                  printed matter which threatens the welfare of the
/       ity, aa&owing  liothiag  to be published for public i co;!-               State. Thus profane and o.bscene  language, libel,
        sumption than what can serve  its interests, a demo-.                     f~~~.ud,  p:opagating  sedition, advocating methods of
        c-racy  i&stipposed  .to give every individual free rein to               yiolence  or crime, and revealing military information
        express in print atip  views an& opinions or divulge aGy                  in time of war_,are  considered misdemeanors in the

        information within the sphere of decency ati&  good                       free use of the press.            As aate  as June 9, 1942, the
        order.      Thus free'dom  of the press,  as s part of free               Supreme-Court held that the exerci&.  of free speech,
        speech, is oae  of the "four freedoms" we are said'to                     press and! religion may be limited by  legisl&,ive  bodies
        be fighting for ,in this' present war.          _.                        "to times, places and methods- not at  oldds with the
                It is one of the freedoms guaratiteed  to its citi-               preservation of peace and go&t  order." This, by'the

       `zens by the constitdtion  of `the United States.                The       way, was a decision passed in rega.rd  to the right of
       Bill of Rights, which includes the first ten anieridments                  the Jehovah Witnesses to `sell tracts without a public

       to the constitution as adbpted in 1791, speaks of' free-                   license. We cannot ftiil  to note the difference between
        dom of the press in' one  br&ath,,iyiih  freeldom  of re-                 this interpretation of the Bill  Iof Rights and' that piarti-
        ligion la.nd.of  peaceable assem.bly.     It is th,e veu;y  first         ,cular  article itself. The article states that Co.ngress

      - article which states that "Coh-gress  shall makeno  laws                  shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of re-
       respecting  an establishment of religilon  ,OF-  Ijrohibitiing             ligion and the press.           The Court rules that "peace arid
        the free exercise thereof, or of the press, or the right                  good 0rde.r"  shall be the criterion, the sole criterion,
        chf the people peaceably td ass&M& and to petition the                    to dtiterniine  in how far the press, and even religion,
        government fdr Ia redress. of grievance,?.."                              must be restricted.

           It is quite. evid&it i&tit  this statemeht, "Ctingress                        To date all this presents no particular difficulty in

       shall make no laws,. . . . prahibiting the free exercise                   times of peace.           The press expresees  itdelf quite well as
        . . . . of the press" tin Fever be interpreted literally,                 it ple'ases  without anyone giving special thought to the
        neither ir_ times of peace aor  .`in war. To place the                    `restrictions of the lay.          It may happen that a certain

        press beyond the jtiritid5ction  of all .national  laws/ "magazine i.s depriVe:d  bf its mailing privileges, an&thus

       amounts ,to abqolute licejnse arid anarchy. It means-that\                 b,ar.red  ,from  the market because of its .obscene  char-

        every individual is f?ee  to express hiTself in print                     &cter.           Or it may be that a certain newtspaper  is drawn
        exactly as he pleases, and the law has nothilig  to say.                  `into a lawsuit. on the charges of libel or the like.         And

        about it, neither as to form nor contents.            A ljerson           it may even happen that some periodical is occasionally
     , ,rnay- spread sedition; fraud, slander' and what not;                      called to tas'k  for its radical views, especially if it
        he may express himself in `the most o,bscene  arid pro-                   makes a practice of opposing every public issue and

        sane  language, whi1.e th`e ,public  and' the nation have no              public figure. But beyond the restrictions of d'ecency

        cohstituti~onal  protection against it;                                   and fairnas  to others the press pretty well speaks its
                Therefore it is' generally conceded that this article             tiind' as it pleases. In fact, a  ,democracy  so proudly

        of the Bill of Rights must be interpreted in the light                    boasts bf its freedom` of the press that in times of
        of the whole constitution: The individual cannot be                       el,ectioneering  it condones "mud slinging" and insinua-

        granted liberties at the expense of tile public welfaye.                  tions almdst without end.. Often the mork radioal  n

                                                                                  publication is, and the more it appeals. to the public
      * Liberty, so it is.siid,  is ti social benefit, to-be  exercised
        onljr  in so far as it serves-  the.  greatest good of the                mind, the m6re liberties it takes and receives. `Public.

        greatest number.       It is considered just as tiangerous`to             ,oponion  seems to be a sufficient check on the press.

        allow the press um&tiricted-  freedom of expression as                    What'  the public refuses to read it refuses to buy, and

        it is to grant anyone the right to shout "fire" in  FC                    thus  ba,rs it from the market.
        Crowded th&er.         Aed  since our. constitution seeks the                   It is in timd of war that this becomes quite ? dif-


                                                                                                                                  :.


                                        T W E.    ST A N B A-R D-           B-,I4 A R E X-3                                    115.


ferent matter: As soon as a war breaks out the press                war' nothing must be sta6d or published that might
realizes that there are .government  restrictions to be             threaten the unity aad  welgare  of the nation. Criti-
considered.    This is felt moist  of alil in the strict censur-    cisms of national policies and actions are soon branded
ship of the news, allowing only that to be publishe~l               as unpatriotic, seditious land communistic, if not pun-

which has been rel.eased  by the War Inforlnation  Board.           ished by- lbaw.

This is a _big item especially in our day, because, if                  It shotid  become increasingly clear to us that even
allowed to be sent out ulnrestrhcted,  the news could               in a de&ocrati,c  system the iInterests  of the community
reach any part of the world oil the same day that it                overrule `every other consideration.       God has no place
happens.. Thus the obj'ect  `of restriction is twofold.             in th<s purely humaniistic  set-up.         The question of
On- the one hand, no information may be published                   what i;s ethioally  right ,or wrong according  to. the,
which  may prove advantageous,.to  the enemy. ,On the               precepts of God is not haken  into consideration. The
other hand, all military' information must be released              first questiion  is not our moral obligation overagainst
in such ,a way that it serves to build up the unity ahd             the living God, but what is regar&d to be the social
morale on the home fro&. Even defeats and losses                    welf;a$e of the pe:ople.       "The  greatest good for the
must be- reported at such a time and in such  la way. as            greatest number" is &he .motiva+ting  principle that
to be least felt by the people at home.       Before the w;ar       opposes such things `as prof,anity,  frauId', se@tion  and
a huge cry went u'p about the dictatorial style ,of re-             the like.. The atheist is given full freedom to propa-
ieasing  information to their -people, withholding the              gate' his blasphemous mockeries with the living God
facts minimizing their ,own  losses and `exaggerating               under,  the. protection of the constitution. The  evoltition-
the losses of the enemy.        Today we have become so             ist is ,aUowed  to publish his lies in 6he text books esed
accustomed to these practices in our own country that               to instruct the children in the pu,blic schools of the             '
we think little of. it, and many are even'read'y  to `def6nd        nation.      But .anything that is reg!asded  as a disturbance
a misrepr&entati,on  of facts on the btxsi,s  that the end          of "peace ,and good order" cannot serve the public
justifies the means.                                                welfare, and must therefore be puaished by legislation.

   But there are also other wartime restrictions of the             It .is that principle that governs the freedom of th?
press.    In peace-time it is c&ceded  that a-person has            press, and brings about numerous restrictions in time
the right to ekpress` his views and opinions on ariy                of w1a.r.
subject, ,regardiess  of whether he is right or wrong.                  This should be a warning ts the, Church af Jesus

It is Iargued  that every case sh0d.d be. strong enough             Christ not to allow herself to  be misled by high sound-
to withstand all. ,its oppolil-ents  aml  that truth will           ing phrases that appeal to the flesh.       It is not difficult
tiiumph  over the lie,  But in time of war the national             to se!e how easily this highly praised' freedom can bc
interests overrule every  other consideration.         A,nyone      turned as a w'eapon  in the bsnds  of antichrist agai,nsl;
may denounce all past. and future wars, but he must                 the Church.        Today the Church may be free to publish

be silent on his ldenuncila,tion  of tile present  war.      To     her adoctrine  and teachings in as many forms and

denounce past. and- fu.ture  wars is considerecl'  innocent         publicatibns  as she wishes, tomorrow these same tesch-
enough, but to, denounce aa present war, to question                ings may be regarded as `a detriment to the peace and

national polities or to critidze the manner- in which               welfare of the community.         It would! not be .the first

the wap is, waged is considered  dangerous to the; public           time in history that the Truth was consid,ered  a dis-

safety.  And ,anything  tih&  does not serve .the "wel-             tur.ber of the pesce  in a world that has  rule:d God out

fare ,of the public"\must  be condemned:.                           of its life. Toddy  &e Church may still be the voice

   Thils was especially evident under the "sedition                 crying i!n .the wilderness, but ,also  that voice will be

laws" pf the last war.    There are cases on record where           silenlced.  And -that ,is very possible und!er a Bill of

people  were pu&hed for criticizing the goveu;llment                Riglits in a country that is waging a war for freedom

qr the Red Cross, for demanding a referendum to pre-                of speech.      We do well always to be on the l&ert.

cede the declaration  of war, for complainipg  about the                                                               C. H. ;

ammunition and guns used  by the ar.my,  and for saying

that war is contrary ,to the teachings,  of Christ: At                                            -
that time the press experienced very little more  fre&

dom than under a dictator.       And that is also true to  a-
great extent today.. The restrictions of war informa-                            The Menosis  of Phil. 27
tion is a clear. example of how the press  can be and

is repressed'. The hesitancy. to publicly expose the                    The'word kenosis  is ,a Greek wopd used in the above
tragedy of Peas1  Barbor  is but another exampl,e.  Even            mentioned portion of Ser.ipture.  There we Yead: But

during the recen$t  election campaign there'was  a cer.tain         made himself- oS no reputation, and' took upon him the
amount of re&icence  about opposing the Dresent  ad-                form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of
ministration in: its war efforts.      Especially in time of        men.    In the Holland language: the first  clause reeds as


 foll,ows : n-mar heft xichzelven  veynietigd,  ,in &`e Greek :      them on again in His evaluation. The question is
 but He empltied  Himself. The word kenosi,s  +hus                   whether Christ ,did this by mez.ns  of the incarnation
 refers ,to the wor,d  "emptied" in the`first clause.       Now      or whether he di:ci  :so after He became flesh.        Accord-
one ma$  wonder why this particul,ar  word! is so out-               ing to' the Lutherans Christ was in the  f:orm  of God
 stanlding.  aild wlhy an article is written on it in the            before the incarnation ,anld  with the 41atter emptied
 Standard Bearer. The rea&n is because it's expla=-                  Himself of the f,orm of God.          Perhaps we ask whekher
 ation  in connection with the whole' context is of vital            it makes a great edea*l of difference how we explain this
 importance for the doctrine of the  humi&tion of                    portion. The answer is that it makes all the differ.-
 Christ.     Cur  conception of this state of Christ depends         ence.    With this verse the ol,d  question is again brought
,upon  the exegesis of this word. The Lutherans claim                to .the foreground; What thi.nk  ye of the Christ? T?
 to find a very ffirm ground ,for their particular con-              He really God's Son or only par.tly Go'd.`s Son, or only
 ception of Christ's humili&ion  in this wor3.             Hence     a rnL2.n and not even partly God's Son?         You see, there-

 their doctrine which  is called ,the Kenosis Theology.              fore, that this is ,no squabble of Atheologians,  this is an

     First of all I want to say  .that  it is not my intention       issue on the life or the death of every Christian's faith
 to write an essay .on this doctrine of Kenoticism,  no?             in his Saviour.      Centered on the humiliation of Christ,
 on the doctrine of Christ's humiliation. I'm convinced              it involves automatically the w>h:de  saving work of

.for  movre  than ,one reason that thits. essay must be of a         Jesus wrought here on earth; and involves equally his
 pDactica1  nature. It is trtie that dogmatics must find             exaltation.     Conclusively the Lutherans must admit
 a prominent place in writing about this  .truth but that            that since Christ emptied Himself of the form of God
 with a view to the pra,ctical  life of the chr,istian.     This     with the incarnation He  while on easth had only a
 Paul does fi.rst of all. Take eotice  of .&he practical             h u m a n   n a t u r e .
 nlsture  of the first few verses.        "If there be -any con-         Some of us may  readily see that unknowingly many
 solation in Chrjst,  if any comfor*t  cxf love, if any fel!o~~--    "Reformed." people adhere to the #same  notion.          Do we
 ship .of the Spirit, ,if any bowels and mercies, fulfii             not often hear .people:  say, and milnisters aas well, that

 ye my joy, that we  belikemindeld,  having the s'ame                Jesus left His heavenly home, or that the Son of God
 lpe, being of one ,accoa&,  of one mind. Let nothing                for the short span of thirty-three years became `man

 be done through strise or vain glory; b_ut in lowl.iness            and  during this time was no. longer God but man ?

 of mind let each  esteem other better than the&                     Think of thte sadrifices  the Son oi2 God mlalde  when He
 selves."     From these words it is evident  that there             came to ea?th,  Idenying  H'is heavenly home, the bliss

 was Ia Back  of uniity  among the Philippians, a lack               and glory, of heaven !          All this is Lu$theranism  plain
 of mutual  love ,and  cooperation.         Everyone lived for       ,and simple, and a idenial of the Divinity of Christ. .The

 himself. Tlieref,ore  the apostle- admonished them to               Son of God did not leave His heavenly home. He is
 change their strivings a.ad  lives:       They must be one in       omnipresent and while on earth He is  ,also-  in heaven.

 the Lord.      In lowliness of mind each must esteem                With the incarnation the Divine nature was ulnited

 other better than .themselves.  Each  is to put every               with  the `human  nature in the one Person of the Son of

 other brother first on the list to be considered,  hint-            God. In .ihis  connection we can  also ,szy  that Christ's

 self at the bottom of the list.        The worldling reverses       humiliation d,icd  not consist Jn the %a&  that He took on

 this order, he comes first, ,everyone  else coma IstiL,             our human nature. .So it often is presented. What a

 perhaps, Idoes  not come at all. Only lowlimindedness               humiliation for Christ~to  become man!          Our objections

 can ,do such a t.hing,  dfo it truly  and sincerely. Then           to this presentation is twofold: 1) Ithat it .implies an

 we read in verri;e  five: Let this mind:  be in you which           ,emptying  `of the form of God, which is  impossible.      The

 wtas  also in C,hri,st Jesus..    Christ must be'their  examp'le    Divine ;nature  of Christ never changed, and enjoyed
 in this.                                                            the heavenly bliss and life as much -while Christ was

     In verses six and seven the apostle .goes on to tell            on earth as when in heaven.              2) That then Christ
 us %what Christ did        "Who being in the form of  G-od,         Gould  still be in' the &ate  of humiliation because He

 thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made               todlay  aand  unto (eternity will have a  htimaa  -nature.
 himself of ao repu.tation  and took upon him the form               No, His humiliation consisteld  in the fact that He
 of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men."                 assumed a human nature u.nder  the law and its curse.
 Our:  question is whla,t  is meant by the expression: b&            From this He is delivered with  J&s  exaltation.

 made himself `of no reputation, in *the Greek: He                       Reformeid  theology has .always  maintained tliat the
 emptie'd  Himself.. The word kenosis therefore pie-                 Lukheran  conception is untena,ble.  Christ while on

`tures  bef,ore  our milfild an emptying, a full vessel being        earth is also God.           Christ had a Divine ,and a human
 emptied of its contents until i~t'a. gone. How now did              nature united in the Person of the Son of Go-d. Fur-

 Christ empty Himself? According to the Lutherans,                   ther it is believed,*  however, that w&h  the incarnation

 the doctrine af Kenoticism, Christ emptied Himself .of              His Divine nature or form of God remained hidden,

 35is Divine attributes when He became man `and too>                 was obscured (Dutch: ging schuil) "by the human


                                             i,
                                             ITHE   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                       117


nature. The Divine nature did .not  become manifest                   was far `from Him t"o even think about it. This is
while oil earth. In this way, so they say, He emptied                 exactly the sin of the devil. Being only an angel He
Himself.      To say the least, it is a very poor explan2.tion        attempted this robbery. But Christ in a much  m?r?
of ihe, word "emptied".        According to this conception           favorable position .Pefused  to usurp this place. And

we could  very easily substitute another word without                 think of m2.n.     Give him any form of power and ability
changing the meaning.           Besides, eaccok"ding  to this         anld he will always ute it to his own  ,adva.ntage  to make
explanatilon,  Christ .to a certain extent ,did empty whim-           himself great and deprive G&l  OS His honor.                 He will
self of the form of God, which the Lutherans believe                  be Zke God.       Not so with OUT Lord .Jesus  Christ.
too.                                                                      No, Christ went in the ,opposite  direction. This is
        To obtain ,the proper and ,true conception of this            expressed positively in the .kenosis  of ver;se  7. He

emptying of our Lord we must understanld  the ex-                     emptied Himself. Of what? Not of !he form of Go<!

pression that Christ was in the form of God.             Usually      but of all the display ,of  honor, power and f%me  an;1
we read ,that He was in the form of God, the past                     beauty  which He a&or!ding  to His hmpan  nature did

tense  being use,d.    This gives tkie  ver.b used a tempora.1        have and could have increased. He emptied Himself-

significance. But we ca,nnot  speak of a hast tense in                of all these.     He humbled Himself u*ntil He finally died
respect to God. .He  always is. Neither can we infer                  ;the ignominious ,dea.;th  ,of the CL?OSS. It was always

the past tense from the Greek. Therefore it is also                   His meat thqt God His Father become great  .and Hc
imp.ossibl'e  to. say that Christ who had a Divine nature             be ,a willing servant of Him  f.or the-sake  of His own.

also on Iearth  wais  in the form of God. The Son of                  Though His emptying Himself .we  would be saved.

God .is always in the florm of God;  as the incarliated               In this we behoLd the &pths  c,f grace. He emptied

Son as well `a,s before the-incarnation.           Of this He can     Himself -of all beauty, comeliness, "fame, position and

never be emptied oY; empty Himself. We must re-                       place in the worl,d  that He might redeem His people.

member that P.aal is speaking of Christ, .who  al,so  has             We see Him completely empty oil the cr,oss. There

a human nature.        He has a form of God anld a form               He is the exile, the  `outcast, the despised One, reckoned

of man.       Accordirig to the Council of Chalcedon  these           with transgressors.       It is the perfect ancl ,marvelou.;

two never become one, nor that the'attributes  of the                 `display of the,deprivaiion  of all .of self.    It is the am%-

Divine can ever `be a,ttributed  to the human nature of               ing display of sticrificing  all He had for the sake of

Christ. Christ, e.g. can never become almighty or                     those given Hi:m by the Father.

omnipresent. It is true, however, that due to ,this                       Shall we then, who now are saved .through  this .
mysterious union spe:cial  gifts are given to His human               deed of Christ and congess  His name, be selfish, seek-

nature, such `as wilsdom, holiness, knowledge and power:              i.ng self? Such is the drift of Paul's argument. Fo:.

Think of His &sldom  as ,the  perfect pedagogue and His               those saved ,by  Christ He: has now become the  perfez!.

power :as th'e healer.  Now we literally read  in the                 example. Theref'ore  the apostle admonishes them 9s

Greek that` having taken on thle form of a serdan'i  He               well as us to love one another, exercise the fellowship

emptied Himself. He did not empty  Hi~ms.elf by_ be-                  of the Spirit, be filled with bowels of mercy, in lowli-,

coming Man, bu.t having taken on the human hature  He                 ness of mind let each esteem other better than them-

emptied  .Himself.     The question then follows how He               selves. Let thi.s mind be in you which was  .a.lso  in

emptied Himself.       Surely not of the: forti of God, His           Christ Jesus who became miserably poor thiat  we might

Divine ;gature.  But this is told us in  th'e following               become unspeakably rjch.                                 J. B.

verse: He humbled Himself and became obedient urito

aezth,  evea  the .deatb  lof the cross,.

    Negatively th,e apostle expresses the! .actions  and
desires of Christ in the words: He considered it not                                        Chtribution
robbery to be equal with  ,God.         Being in the form of
man and also ip the form ,of God (,and  #due to this union            Dear  Editor and Brlother  : ~
also h.a+ing  special gifts in His human ;nlature)  Hc                    When I read the first of your last two articles on

couM have striven  to be equal with God.                  In t;1is    the C. L. A. in the Standard Bes.rer, I said: It does m::

peculiar position wilth all His ability He certainly  was             he&rt  god3  to lz.ee  Rev. I3oeksema  come out (of his corner.

: able to `rob God of His name and -honor, and make a                 A few days later  I received a letter from a friend of
name for Himself. Christ lcould  have. made Himself                   mine vho expressed the same sentiment. Now,  w.e  <o

-:*ery  great in the eyes of the  worl,d.  No man has                 .not  mean that R~ev.  H,oeksema  hid `away  in a corner

ever  shad such opportunities.         Couldn't He have be-           someivhere,  but we, and others with                     hav,e  neve!'
                                                                                                                       us, 
come a wonderful k.ing of the Jews,  establishing a                   been <able  to justify the action  of the Fuller Ave. Con-                '
kingdom in whi'ch men woul,d  not ha.ve  to work, where               sistory which ,appeare!d  in the Standard Bearer semi!

there woul:d  be no silck or dead, no poverty or subjec-              time aago. This Consistory  stated, con,cerning  the C.

tiorz  to other  e&is&  ? But this He .refused  to do, It             L. A. : "we w.oulid advise you to support it and use your


                        \,
118                                       T H E  STANDARD  B'EA'RER

influence with that orgaaizatioin".                                 "what must we do & a 1,aboring  class to get whit  is

       Since then the Rev. H,08eksema  had been ve?y  silk&         coming to US?"            My answer was th,at  he could and

on the question.      Our long wait for further light was           should bakgain  alone, and if he did not receive the

well rewarded, hpwever,  by his recent' discussion of               merits of his worth he could seek- employment else-

t h e   p r o b l e m .                                             where.       I `pointed ,out to him that he was only capable

       It seems to me, howe'ver,  that (although this point         of judging and bargaining in his own  cease and never

has been trea$ed  in passing) there is still  knother.  angle       in that of another.          He did not agree With rn'e in this.

,td~this.  whole Union question which deserves considera-           so I illustrated to him why I  ldid not `believe in the

tion and emphasis.  This point ,is the evil of oolle:tive           Union and stated that he didn't either. This caused

bairgaining.      Thi.s method was ,also  upheld in the             &ill more amazement on his part.

article ref:er&d  to above, for i%t was stated: "the Con-               "Let            assume," I saild, "that I am working in your
                                                                                 LB
si,skory  recognizes'  the fact tha+t the individual laborer        home as ,a ,decorating  contractor.         We have made `cer-

can hardly have a position, and co!lective  bargaining              tain agreeamen&  -as to whait and how the w,ork  shall be

and organization ,are  oftell  ,necessary".  I firmly be-           done and what my hourly.wage  shall be.             After a few

lieve, tha.t apart fy~om  everything eise : - strikes, pick-        days on the job 7 fed that I did not g&t  a square deal
ets, coersion,  corporate responsibility; which are a:?             a.nd,  `the&ore, demand  `a,n *`increase  in hourly wage.
related to the whole question, collective bargaining l:t-           To this,             as owner and upon thje basis of             origin-
                                                                                 you                                         OLU
self ,is a great evil. l?urther,  that taken $y itself, it is.      al agreement, refuse to comply. If. then I began to

so far from, being justifiable that it will .over-rule              `drive out of your home you, your wife and cl+dren,

possibili,ty  of membership in a+ Labor Union.                      and to destroy .the  furniture and mutilate your home,

       T.o .bring out this point, let's consider the following      what would you do?"              He stared at me and did not

example.      An employer  has 30g~men  worki.ng  5or him.          answer.       I suggested to him that, in such a case, if

Of these 300 men, 100 (are good mechanics, 100 ,are  fair           he had a good shot-gun in the basement  he would very

mechanics ,and the remaining 100 are poor mechanics.                likely make good use of it.          He stated that he thought

All agree to collectively  barga&  f6r a raise of 10~ peT_          th1s.t  is just what he would do.        I assured hi.m that the
hour in pay. The representative of the Union there-                 shot-gun would &lso be my answ,er in such ,a case.                     I
upon ,applies  to tlze employer *for  this--increase.    Among      think he was convinced that ifter  all he dimd not believe

the 300 men  the 100 may be worthy of  10~ an hour                  in the Union.
more, k.he  second 100 barely entitled to' it, while the  l,asst        Think it ,over-members of the C. L. A.!

100 may already be overpaid.         Of the last 100 the em-                                     Your bvrother in Christ,
ployer tiight lik'e  to discharge  qany but ,due to the fact  ,                                             H. A. Van PLitten.
that hse needs workers or because of the pressure of the

Union he keeps them in his employ.

       The question is : in alJ `sincerity before God, in the
name *,of ,a Christian Zabor  Union, or as an individual

Christian, can one :trtithfully.  claim th&  these last 100

men are worthy of the increase that their representa-

tive asks `for?      May he as a Christian ask and ,cl,aim

a raise for them, may they as Chritstians  allow him to                 The `doctrine of the Person of Christ implies ,espec-

,do  so? Tbe.fact  remains, rDhat  if they .ajre not worthy of      ially four factors.           Christology,,  of course, in&Ides

an increase, ,an outright .injustice  has belen inflicted           other ,doctrines.  besides the Person of Christ, #such as

upon the emploper  and sin hsJs been committed agai&t               .the truths conce&ing  His names, Hits b,ffices,  and His

the 10th commandment.                                               states.    The doctrine of the P,erson  ,of  Christ, howeve&,

       Hlow can anGone represent another by collective              implies especially four factors.          First of all, it implies

bargaining and p?oclaim,  by his represeilting  many,               the true $and  proper :conceptibn  of the Divinity of the  '
that .he swears before God- that wha.it he claims for               Lord.      We must conf'ess  Christ tb be very Gold. Second-

them all is the truth, th,e whole truth and nothing but             ly, this, doctrine refers to the tru,e a,nd proper human-
the truth? To my mind th#i.s  is.impossi.bl,e.      A man @an       ity of Christ. We must not  #only  confess that He is
and may bargain alone, basing his plea, .upon his own               very God but also th& He is very man.               In the third

talents and circumstanoes,  but never for another.                  place w,e  must confess that these two natures, the

       Let me pass on' to the readers o(f th,e  S. B. a little      Divine and the human, are united in the one Divin?
4discu&ion  I had witih a member of a Union here in                 Person. And, finally, the proper distincti'on  between.

this city.    It will .also  further clarify the point I mtike.     these two. natures  must bee maintained, so that they,
Aft&  discu.&ing  the Unison  8question  for a little while.        although united in the one `Divine Per'son, ret&  their

he asked me: "Don't you be1ieve.i.n  the Union?" My                 own peculiar properties.              `Ihe two natures `of the

answer  :w+~  : "NQ!  Hrow  could I?" `LWeil,77 he said,            -Christ  r&St  never be mix&  or co&used,


                                         T H E  E3.TANDAR.D   B E A R E R                                                          119


    All the heresies Ior wrsSg  comeptioas  which have                he was d&en from  one place to another `until the

arisen .and developed about  the Persori  of Christ in the            `day `of his Ideath, Nestoriroism  did cot flourish for

couree  of history ;are ,rooteid in 811 ~err.oneoua conception        alny length of Cime,  undoubtedly due to the. fact  th.at
of one <or more of these ;factors.         Arius, e.g., w,ould        the Church gsadual1y  restated the .doctrine  ;of thz'

n`ot  ooncede  the existence of a truly and properly                  Person of Christ.
Divine nature in the Person of Jesus Christ. Others                       Appraising the heresy of Nestorianism we must

want  $0 thk opposite extreme #of ,error  and d~eaied  His            bear in mind  that we refer to Nlestorianism.             It may

humanity. Opollinaris  d'enied.  the tr.ue  ,and ,complete            b'e oonsidere'd  doubtful whether  Nestorius himself was

humanity, of *he  Christ, lcon$ending  that the son of                a heretic.     He is surely ai sad and tr,agic  figure in the
God, the I+ogos (the  Eternal W,orld) took the pdsace  of             history of the Church. Much `uncertainty as ,well as

&he  humian  spirit in Christ. Nestorianism, which is                 bitter jmealousy between him and Cyrillus enterted  into

the subject of this .essay,  denied the union ,of  the twp            the controversy, On the one hand, it may be noted that

natures in the one Person of the So,n  of God.                        Cyril, ~the mo'st  ardent ,opponen(t.  ,of  Nestorius, d+d not

    Nes.torius  betongs  to the fifth century, although               entertain ai correct conception of the Person of Christ.
thle date of his birth and of  h>s death its. not known.              H,e taught that the Logors. (the Eternal Word) did not.,
He was  born in the Syrian city (of Germanicia.  Hei                  merely clSsume  the. human nature, but becanze  man.
belongs to'the ,school  of ,Antioch  and.,was  a ldisciple  of        After the iiicar&i,on there WY!S only the nature bf the
`Theodore of Mopsuesta, the most famous represents-                   incarnated Son ~of  God.         The pr,edicates  of the human
tive ,of that sch,ool.       There were at that time two              and Divine naiumes  became the comm'on  property of
schools, *he  one Iat Alexandria and the ,other at Antio&.            .both.    He thereby  certainly l.ost sight .of the ,distincti'on
The school at AlexFndria,  whol3.e  chief representative,             between the two natures.               On the other halnd  it may
at this time was Cyrillus, was char,acterised  by a ten-              be saild that Nestorius- mabntained  that the two natures
,dency to obliterate the ,diffepence  between the two                 were united in the one Person, although, in the heat of
natures of Christ.     The school tat Antioch op the jot&r            the coiatroversy,  hle, probably did not alwsfys  express
hand' emphasized the distinlction  between the tw'o na-               himlself  cliearly.

tures and  revealed a t,endency  Ito seperate them.           Nes-        We must certainly be careful  beSore we condenin :a
toirius  soon  .gained $or himself a wide reputation as 9             man because he preferred the expression "mother of
monk and a's a presbyter (a ruler  +n ihe church), espe,c-            Christ" to "moth'er  of -Gold".         This w.as already a moot
ially  because of his ardent defense of the orthodox                  question before Niestorius  osme  to Constantinople. Ilz
truth' o.ves  against heretics.      He i:s kilown  as -an ,el$o-     his sermo,ns  against the expreseion  "mother of God" he
quest  and pious man, dthough  hasty and impruden'c;                  declared that "Mary dild not give birth to ,divinity,  b&
with little  kn,o.wle`dge  of -the wo,rld  and human nature,          to man; the instrument of Divinity."             Here his motive
:and immoderately severe against heretics.           .                was his desire to exalt *the Divilnity  of Christ, holding,
    Nestorius became  bishop ,of C:onstantin,ople  h 428.             ashe did in hlis first sermon, that "the creature  hati?
Soon he began a controve?sy  ,about  the Pierson of                   not given birth to the uncresrtable."  Whd among us
CBrist.    He critjcized  severely a phrase, ,, much in               would object to snch  a presentation? It is  certa!nly
.vogue  at the time, which #designated  Mary as "the                  a fact. bey6nd  ,dispute  that the Son of God was born `of
mother lof God."       Nestorius objected,  to this phrase            the v,irgn  M:ary owr @eslz  an,cF  b.bood.  Mary certainly
and woul'd  rather s.peak  .of t.he m'other  ,of  Christ.     This    di,d  not givie  birth to Divinity. T.o teach this would
:actilon  .of  the church: l~ealder  aroused a storm of opposi-       render one guilty of pantheism, whi,ch is, of course,
tion. Clergymen began to pseach  against h'im.  Lay-                  the denial of the liae of dtemar.cation  between th?                 `
men ,opposed  him while he was in the pulpit, even to                 Creator and the, creature, md therefore a denial of
`the *extent  of ,interrupting  him in his s&mon,s.          Cyril    the aiv!ing God. ,On ihe other hand this `does  not imply            _
of Alexandria rose #against him atid bitter ansithemas                that the expression "Mary, the mother of God" is
were `exchanged between the two leaders.                              therefore nlecess,alrily  w$ong  and to be rejected. I ati
    At a synod ,of R'ome. in 430 Nestorius wals, condenin-            of the opinion that this expression  .shoulci  not be used
ed. His vi&s `were icondemned  again att the geeeral                  without a care?ul  explanation.             But, if the term bc
Synod of Ephesus,  431, although  -it must be said that               properly ,defined  and explained, it cari ha,pdly  be denied
the <truth  of Christoliogy  was not  very clearly stated by'         that it has much `in its favor. We must, of course,
the opposing party.       M'oaeover,  the, followers of. Ncstor-      be Qa&lful  to distinguish between th&e  two nature of 01.1~
8iuIsl, in a separate gaithering,  ,also  condemned Cyril.     At     Lord and maintain that they are united in the ,one  Per-
First Nesto8rius  $ound  many friend,s  .and  supporters.             son of the Son of God "unchanged, unmixed,  uadivided,
Later, howlever,-  these friends fbr.sook  him and made.              and inseparablle."      However, `we must rllever lose sight
a coypyomise  with Cyrillus in 435. In the year, 435                  `of the fact ihlat  they `are united in the dne Person of the
Nestorius was b'anislled  .by  the emper,or  to Petr?!  in            Son of God, tha,t  it was the living God who assumed ou?
Arabia.                                      .
           In k&r l$e he probably lived m. Egypt, where               flesh and blood? that  it wg+  J&ovFh?  W&I  is an{ ~8,:

                                                                                                  ,

                                                                                                        .


mains true anld eternal God, who .also became map.                  `I         from the human in                   Lord,  and it must lead to
                                                                                                           OUT
believe that we,  tia,y  safely say that this truth -is ex-                    Pebgianism  wlYich denies the atoriing charz.cter  of the

pqessed  beautifully by asserting that Mary was the                       .suffering  of Christ ,and regards the Lord's passion 0s

m$other ,of God.     ThL, expression teaches, as far as I am                   merely that `of an example. Indee,d.,  to believe that

con&rned,  that the true and eternd Son ,of God; the                           Christ wz!s tw.o  perso.ns is tantamount to a denial df the
Eteratal  Word, took upon Hi,mself,  out ,of the virgin                        atonement.      To be sure, th,e Son .af God suffered oh1.y

Mary, ,our human nature, .and  that therefsore  the Divine                     in the human nature. Nestoriasism, howeter,  separ-

and human natures are insepambly  united in the one                            `atcs  the Divine `from the human in the passion cif
Person of the Son without' at  :a;ly time losing any of                        Christ and aegards  His suffel;ing  as not Idiffering  from

their peculiar ~prope~&ies.                                                    that Iof any other mere, man.  Atonement. is po&ib!e

    Whatever ,opini,on  o,ne may lentert,ain,  however, with                   o.nly in the way ,of `full and complete .satisfaction  6f the

respect to Nestorius himself, Nestorislnism  is a heresy.                      justice of Go'd.  The guilt ,of -Zion niust be paid. The
It certiainly  separated the Divine and human natures                          wrath ,of God must be boril,e  unto the end.          We bel+eve
an@,  really beli,eved  that Chri& was `two persons.            N&-            that our Redeemer must be the Eternal Son of God,

torianism would concede a true  and pr'oper  deity and                         Go.d Himself in the flesh, not only because it is only

a true and proper humanity.              But they are not united               the Eternal1  God him&f Who can pay the eternal price

in ,a single self-consci'ous  pessanality.  The  Nestorian                     and bear Hi:s own eternal math, but also because it is

Christ is two per,sons-one  divine and the other human.                        only the Persola  of the Son of God, Who, because He  ii;

_hhe imporkant  distinction between "r&z&  and `%er-                           the Divine Person and theref,ore  not personally guilty

son" is nlo%- observ&,  and the consequence iz that there                      of the sin of A.dam,  can take upon Himself  the guilt

,are  two separate ,and -diverse selves in Jesus Christ!                       of ,others,  the gbilt  of the elect hu:maa mace  and of the

I&ead  `of `;1 ble.nding  `of the two nature in the one                        whole world  as it shall be redeemed in anlcl  for thlr!

Divinie Self, the Nestor&  &h&me  places two selves                            sake of God's chdsen  race.         Remove this Divine ,element

side by side.      The result is thajt the ,acts o,f each nature               from the, passion (of the Lamb of Gad and the,  ,only

derive no character or .are not influenced by the quali-                       thing that remains is the .sufXeriilg  `of a mere man wh.o

ties of the other.. Nestorius appears to have  r,egar,ded                      cslnnoit satisfy the justice ,of  God., We thereby 1as.e the

th,e associati,on  of deity with humanity `as occurring                        atoning &aractek:  of Calvary and retain merely an

ait btrth,  aad  $0 have reprels,ented  the humanity ,as laid                  examplary suffering. Our guilt has, `then, not been

aside lagain>after  Christ's ,death  and resurr&tion.  Therr!                  paid. We aaalre pet in our sins. The people of  Gbd are.

is ho Divine humiliation because the humanity is con.-                         of all men, the most miserable.                       H. V.

fessiedly  the seat of the humiliati~on.        And there iS no

exaltaition  of the humanity .because  the Divinity is

confessedly the so'urce of the exaltation.            Hence, al-
though Nestorianism ,acknowledged  the alliance of                             1                 WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

God with man in Christ Jesus, it so separated, the  tw6                             On December, 1, 1944, our beloved. parents,
natures from each other in His,Person,  that the ,suffer-

ing which the Redeemer endured  ,derived  no char-                                             l$lR.  CORNELIUS LUBBERS and

acter ,or value from  His Divinity, and was in reality                                     MRS. CORNELIUS LUBBERS-Van Putten

nlot .different  from that of ahy mere-man.            There is
                                                                               commemorated theiF  40th Wedding Anniversary.
,a God, and Ithere  is 8 man ; but there is no God Mtan iTi
the one Person of the Son.                                                          We their children and grandchildren,-extend to them our
                                    '
     It is &urely  unnecessary to r'efute  this heresy, that                   sincere congratulations.    Together with them we look back
Christ wais actually two persons, from Holy Writ.                Suf-          upon the road travelled throughout" these years with all its
fice.it.to say; that Scripture literally teaches                 that          joys and sorrows, and'with  the hand of faith we write:  "Eben-
                                                         LIS
a virgi,n  would conceive, that  she  would bring fort:?                       Haezer".     Looking f,orward  into' the cnscrutable  future we
a s,on,  and that His Name wou1.d  .be called Immanuel,                        thankfully commit  our way to God and His promised care
Gold. ivith us.      The truth that Christ is the Son of                       over us.
God, the  Eternal Son `of God, acn'd that the mystery `of                                       Their grateful children and grandchildren,
                                                                          D
isalva45on  is, tha$  God is revealed in the flesh, is the                                                   Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Berens,

rock upon whitch  the Chur'ch .of God .is built, is the co%                                                  &ev. and Mrs. Gee.?.  Lubbers

fessi'on  to whitch  the Church has clung tenaciously                                                        Mr. and Mrs. John  C. Lubbers

throughout the ages with all the power at her  :command.                                                     Mr. and Mrs. Peter .J. Lubbers

     To separate the two natures ia the Christ and be-                                                       Mr. &nd Mrs. Cornelius Jelsma

lieve tha.it  `our Lord was two persons  i.s a very grave                                                    Mr. and Mrs.  Henry C. Lubbers

,e.*ror.    It is tantamount to Deism which hais, no place                                                   Miss Henrietta- Bernice  Lnbbers.
for God% immanency because ,it divorces the Divine                                                                  and Sixteen grand&ildren.-


