        I




     , VOLUME XXII                               DECEMBER 15,1945-GRAND'RAPIDS,  MICH.                                                             - ..- NUMBER 6

                                                                                                  revelation of  <John  we. are invited to soar into the
                                                                                                  mysterious heights of eternity, the "$beginning" when
             .               MtiDITAT:ION.  the  ~World was with God and was God. But the gospel
                                                                                                  as Luke viewed it brings Him very~ close to us, as'thre
                                                                                           _     Son of man, like unto His brethren in dl things. . . .
             Bethlehem's Hidden Rev&&ion                                                                 His incarnation narrative~cen'ters  around the simple
                                                                                                .words- of 2 3, marvellous in their simplicity, amazing.
                                                                                                  in their- inexhaustible depth : "And she brought forth
                              Let us go  even unto. Bethlehem,  an@  .see  h.;.er firstborn son; and wrapped him in swaddling
                          .-- this thing wshicA is aomde to pass, whiih the clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was
                           Lord bath made ,bmow*p  u&to us.                                     `-mo room for them  .in the inn."
                                                       Lwke                    2:151               0, yes, marvellous things are told-.us.  as the narra- _~
             How  near! . . .  ._..:       '     '          -           `-      `-               -t&e  ~~continues~     Angels appear to  `shep&rds in the
                   Let us see this thing, this Word, that is #come to, hollow of the -night. -They preach and sing, they re-.
     p a s s !                                                                             -      joi'ce and give  glory< to the Most `High.  -Yet,,  it all
                   Holw close. He is to us, `there in Bethlehem, in the concentrates around that little Babe. in t,he manger.
       manger, in the swaddling clothes, in the flesh and  109 Him they speak, to  Him- they point,  totward   IHim
       blood of that  httle babe. . .  .'                                             '           they direct the way of the angels when they declare`
              Let us go now, and see this thing,* this Word; Him, ,unto cthem : "And this shall .be a sign .umto you': ye shall
     * the. God of our. salvation.! Let us beholld .Him; and, find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and dying
       yes, let us touch Him if we may : for now IHe is. as                                       in a manger."
       close to us, as possible ! _ Let us go now, ,and see this                                         The  sign!  r            ..'
     thing that has .come to pass, for He. is there of which                                             `That which may be seen'&d  handled of the Son of
       the apostle later declared :: "That which was from the ,God become flesh 1                                            '
       beginning, which we: havie heard, which `we have `seen                                            Let ~11s go now, and see!' Thuxs  spoke the shepherds !
       with o'ur eyes, which we have looked upon, and our And they went and saw !                                                            '              ..
       hands have handled of the Word of #life".  : . .                                                  .Let us, too, `go, and let us behold the-thing that has
        The God of our  salvationi  _                 __                                          come  to-pass.  i
              Naturally, it is through Luke that this invitation                                         Yes, and let us follow the shephends, that `we may
      to go to-  .B&l~ehem,  and  see, this  thin& comes  -to  US.  &hold  m&at  they  sal,w. -To. the fir& witnesses of the
       With him we find the` [narrative' of the ,in,carnation                                     fulfillment of the gromise they belong, and through
       irom its human aspect, the story of that which might                                         '
                                                                                                  their eyes, ,by faith, we would behold the Word ,that is
     be seen and heard-and touches of it. In Matthew, the come to'pass. Yet, as t,oday  we turn to Bethlehem, let
       gospel is  parti,cularly  concerned with the genesis of us not .be satisfied with the company.of the &ephie;r&
       Jesus that is called the Christ, the son of Abraham, the to follow .them alone.  ", Other witnesses have come an;
       Son of David, the Messiah. There ,He is p:resented  as seen, and.heard  and h&&led. They heard and tesiified
       the fulfilllment  ,of the prophecy that a' virgin should be that He, has thk words of -eternal life * that- He is the
      `with child, znd should bear a son, and that-His name Christ, the Son of the livin,g. ;God;  thai He .is the One
       should be callled  Immanuel. 1r.r Mark the gospel pro- that is in the bosom .of the Father, : the .Word become
       oeeds at once to picture Him as the mighty  Kinlg, flesh, the- Way, the Truth? the Life and-the Resurrec-
       marvellous in power, On the -wings. of the profound tion.
                     .                                                                                      They heard Him speak,- they saw His mighty
             .:
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 122 ,                               TIhi   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

works, they witnessed His awful death, they beheld hem you must direct your steps, into a stable :you must
 the reality and the glory of His r,esurrection,  .and they enter, and there the sign and symbol of your (Zod shall
 #looked up into  heav,en  as He was received  .into the be a Babe, a msvnger, swaddling clothes! _
 heavenly glory. . . .                                                 .I How near, hoiw dreadfully near!
      Let us ~go.now  unto Bethlehem, but not ,as if we had             Yet, t,hough you approach with fear and trembling
 no mo:re  than the `begin,ning of this revelation of the because of `this nearness of your God, how I:plesaed  is
 God of our salvation, but with all these wit;;esses, that this proximity ! For He is become- like unto .us!  H e
 in the lisght of their light we may see, and by th!eir           tabernacles with us! Uniting Himself with u.s in per-
 testimony we may believingly  contemplate this thing solnal union He has fellowship with us !
that has come to pass!                                                  There in the manger of Bethlehem is the central
      T.hen .we know : that ChiBd is the God of our salva- realization of the tabernacle  uf God with  :men, the
 tion !                                                           eternal  ,covenant of Gad's friendship `in itsyhighes t.
      The Wondker of .wonders: God come near, extremely possible  fulfil~lment !                                         .(
 n e a r   u s   !                                                -      In the first Paradise God, too, was near to man.
      Yes, even in that Christmas night, Mary kn`ew  :            Yet, Adam's knowledge of the living God, and his
 through h.er. own amazing experience a.s interrupteld by .fellowship:   Iwith Him,  were always mediate : though
 the `wor,ds  of the angel b&r&and : That holy thing near God was always far.
 that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God !            But in the manger we see the thing comt : to paps
     Joseph knew, for in a dream it had .been revealed @at God is become man!
 .$ohim that Mary was with child of the Holy Ghost,                     He. that is eternally in the form of God, eT;'211  I?:-;iile
,-that- her chilrd sh,ould be called  Immanuel,  and Jesus,       we-behold that Babe in the manger, assumed t!j.e  like-
 for l.He would s&ye His people from their sins.                  ness of man, thle alikeness of sinful flesh !
     And the shepher,ds knew, for the angels 4i.n the fields            The eternal On'e has come within the limitation of
 .of ,E!p,hratah  ha.d p.reached the @oslpel  unto them.          time  ; the infinitely Immense lies wrapped in swadcl!`:!y
      Yet,, as they went and saw, they could ;npt behold          ~1 othes !
 Him, as .we do by faith, in the light of His terri3ble                  God lives `,our life, t?rinks our thoughts, jid moved
.-death and glorious. resurrectio,n  !
            2.                                                    -by our Idesires, is come into our sin-cursed wg
      Let us go, then, and, see ! No, indeed, not to fathom             In this  Chi1.d the  fellowship  of  .Goc!  wi;tt t man is
-the.mystery  of the -Babe .in the manger; not to compre- immediate !
 hend the Wonder of all lwonlders  ; for the oftener we go              How amazingly near!
 and see, and the ,more earnestly we contemplate this                                        -
.thing that has come to pass, the more profounrd and                    Yet,  ho,w far  ,away  !
 .amazing the Mystery becomes. Yet, as we now go to                     This, too, must be confessed, as we go to BE!thlehem,
 Bethlehem, and look upon that Babe in the manger, in to see the thing that has collze to pass!
 the .light of His own Word which .He spoke concerning                   For, as we. staled.  there at the manger, :and con-
 Himself, in the light of His deep humiliation and glor- telmplate  this amazing revelation  o,f the liv:ing God,
 ious exaltation at the right ,hand of God, in the light, we, cannot ,but be strack  by the astoundin,g. :fact that
 too, of  the- Spirit He  ,has given us,-we  .know and now He is completely hid!
.+u$erstand the riches. of- the -gospel  th~at ther,e, in thle          In His highest revelation `it is wholly conccealed !
 manger, in that frail  little Baby, is very God come                  In His closest approach to us  IHe has  I+holly re-
 do7wn$ous? .                                                     ceded from within the range of our vision!
   How near  ,.He is-!                                                   0, indeed, ,alw.ays- there is an element of conceal-
      Near He is,-not in the provildential  sense, sccordinlg ment in the revelation of God. .Does not the rleveiation
 to -which in Him we live and move and have pur being. of the -Et~ernal necessarily imply that `He spewLks to u.s
 For, mark .YOU well, we must go to Bethl,ehem,  to .a            in time? When the Infinite makes Himself' 1;nowin to
 manger, to swacldling clothes, to a .little Child, `this us, does He not come down to the level of the infinite?
 -time, to behold our God, No, this time the message is When His Word  -,goes  fo.rth to the  understa ndmg pf
 not : "Lift up your eyes on high, and see Who bath man, does it not assume the form of human speech.?
 made all these things ; your mi,ghty *God ,&l&h them all And is t:here, then, in that limitation of time: no com-
 by name !" Your attention is not now caPed j&the fact cealment of the Eternal? Does not .always thbe measure
 that "the heavens dedare th$e glory !af  .God,  and the ,of the finite hide the Infinite? And is  noit human
: firmament sheweth his handiwork." On the contrary, qeech incapable of representing completly  thle rfu1nes.s
 -You must now, for the moment at least, turn your ,eyes          of the divine Word? And would it not lead u:s to idol-
 away from these witiesses of God's eternal.power  &d atry if we should forget this element O,f concealment
Godhead,  and you must look for.  your God close  ,by,            -and anthropomo8rphis,m; and identify the. glowY  of the
 ,very near, -whene  you may `even-touch Him; to Beth,le-         sun and of the moon, and ,of all the starry hea vens and


                                             T'H%  S.-    T    A      N        D     A         R    D      BEA:RER           ~123
   -
   all the Wilde creation, with the glory of the Creator                   If you worship Him there, +nd kneel down at the
* Himself?  _                                                       manger, He !virill pay no. atte$ion  to your devotion. . .- .
      .Yet,  in. the works -of  ,cre&ion the glory of God                  If you pray, He will not answer.. . . .
   shines thl-oulgb !                                                      In .His central revelation God is lost in concealment ;
        The heavens do dleclare the glory of `God, and the in His closest ,approach  to us He is far aw,ay !
   firmament  does show His  handiwopk. Day unto day                       0,  how far!-
   does utter speech concern&g God ; and amight unto night
   do& shew  knowled.ge  of Him. In and  througll the                      Marvellous beginning'!  '
   things that are made, the invisible things of Hi& are                   The paradox of i;he incarn_ation !
   clearly seen, even His eternal power and divinity. For                  T,he u&on of God and man, of. the C&&or  and the
   even the concealment- is revelation ! We know Him as creature,  qf the Eternal and the temporal, God revealed
  the One that calleth the thtilgs that-are not as if they completely hid, very near yet far away!
.~ were ! Though ,He reveals Himself ia time, recognizinlg                 The living ,God in the mi'dst of death !
  clearly the el,ement of concealment, we know that He                     But we must not be lost in the paradox ,of Bethle-
   is eternal ; though His revelation takes placre within the hem. We dare not fprget,  as we stand ,by the manger,
  limits of the finite, we know t&t He is the Infinite. . . . and cofitemplate  that Babe, anId marvel at the mystery
        Bu$ as we go to Bethlehem, to see this thing, that of godliness, and worship .and give glory to God in the
is&me to pass, what  [do  `we see? . . . .                          highest, that here wle behold only the begin;ning  of the
   ABabe!                        _                                  revelation of Jesus  Chris!,  0.2 the Anointed  `o,f.  Gtid,
        A Child like. unto our children !                           Who came to save His people `from their ,sin. In the
        A manger! Swaddling clothes!                                greater, the clear light of His  com$ete  revelation,
        And as you enter,. you quidkly shut the door -of the through the faithftil and inspired testimony of those
  stable, #llest the chill of the night strike that frail little that heard and saw and handled the Word 09 life and
  body; and y'ou are caref,ul not to remove those swad- dedared Him  unto  tis,  wle know  that- this beginning
   dlin!g clot&s. IThe  l&tle  Child. might get a &ill, It of God revealing Himself in the likeness of sinful flesh
  might get sick, It might even . . . .sdie ! l$r y,ou see was, aindeed necessary unto our salvation.
  Him there in the likeness of.sinful  glesh, tieak, mo'rtal,        .His  Iglory must  be hid  be:fore it can shine forth in
  subject to death. . . .                                           g r e a t e r   g l o r y :
        No, He will not die until His hour is come, w.eknow  !          Nay, it must be hid in order that it may #be revealed
  He has power to lay down His 1iCe and to take it again. iln dl its riches and beauty of -divine power and virtue.
  Hle is the life and the resurrection, the mighty Gold!                Yes, as this Child grows. up, ,increases in stature
      . Bu;t in .Bethlehem you cannot see this: it is com-          and understanding as any other child, the Wonder of
  p l e t e l y   h i d !                                           the incarnation, of His being Immanuel, God with us,
        Where now is the glory of the Eterilal ? It is con- w-ill become known' to those that believe. For He will
  cealed in the temp.oral,  and the eternal ' glory, is. tnot       speak with authority, war% of grace as no man ever
                                                                                    I..  .;
  ,even suggested here; in Bethlehem. Where is the in- spoke, words of eternal life; and He  twill  perfom
  -comprehensible  glory of the `Infinite? It is wholly hid mighty works, such as no mere man lever did : He will
  in the finite, wrapped up in human flesh and .blood, in heal the sick, open. the eyes ,of bhe blind and the ears
  swaddling clothes! Where is the majlesty of the L&d of t,he deaf, cast out devils,. bid the tempest be still, aild
  of heaven and earth? 0, it still shines ii> the heavens ; `raise the dead.
  but here in Bethlehem, the central and highest 1-evlela-              Yet,.  His  gl,ory must be eclipsed still  mor,e  com-
 ti&i of the God of our salvation, it is. quite  -covered           `pletely than it is in that Babe in the manger: it must
  by the form of a servant !                                        be contradicted in death !
        If in Bethlehem we must behold our Gold, where is            Then, when He, &he God of our salvation, Who took
  -His omqiplotence ? It has .assumed the form -of ,a frail all our sin,S up!on Himself, has idescen&d into deepest
  human  b.ody, mortal flesh!                                       death, when His glory seems hopelessly swallowed ,up
        Where is the I AM, the Immutable, the Self-existent, of' death, yea, Qi the death of the cross, then He will
  6he_  Iiladependent, the  Creat,or?   IHe. is  wrappe,d up in mightily  bre&k  forth through the darkness into the
  the swaddling clothes of a weak, changeable, depenldent           glorious light of. the resurrection, and -ascend into the
  cre.ature,  !                                                     glory of the Father. `. . .
        And how far away is our God in Bethlehem, though i  And then  IHe  wi.11  r'eveal  Himself,  -t@ro;ugh  ,His
  IHe is so near!                                                   Spirit and Word, as being God with us, very near with -
      `!I?&, indeed, ZHe is the Word that is God; the efful- -His blessed fellowship.
  gence of the Father's glory, *he express image of His                 He will draw us unto Himself, that we may be
  substtincre  ; yet no.w, here in Bethlehem, the Word can- with Him.
  `not  speak: He must learn  .our language. . . .                     For evermore! .                                 H .   H . '


         124-                                                           .
                                                 :                                      ,THE                      BTA~DAI~D                                  BEA.R`EI~                  ._

                                   The Stqndqrd  mr.                                                                                                  E-D I T 0 R,I AL $
                     Semi-Mbnthly,  except  anthly in  J&y and. August

                                                      Published by
                           The Reformed Free Publishing Association
                                          1463  Ardlmore St., S. E.  r                                                                             `.  Clorrection, Please!
                                     EDITOR  + Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                        .  ._                   In  The. Banner  of Nov. 30,  1945, there occurs a
              Contributin!g Editors-.,-Rev. G. M.  Opbo$f,  Rev. G.  Vos, Rev.                                                             statement shy the `editor, the Rev. .H. J. Kuip&, which
              R. Veldman, Rev. H. Veldman, Rev. H. De-Wolf, Rev. B. Kok,
              Rev. J. D. De Jong,  Rev.  A. Petter, Rev.  ,C.  Hanko,  Rev. L.                                                             is wholly untrue, .and which, therefore, ,I mu&ask the
             -Vermeer, Rev. G. Lubbers; Rev. M. Gritters, Rev.*  J. A. Beys,                                                               editor to correct, or rather to retract. I will iuote the
              Rev; W. Hofman.               _                                                                                              entire paragraph in which the statement occurs :                          -.
               Communications relative to contents should be addressed
             .to REV.  -IX. HOEKSEMA, 1139  Franklin St., S. E., Grand                                                                             "Prresumptive   r&generation  does not  ,mean,
             Rapids,          Mi,chigan.               _          _                -                                                           says Utrecht  (1905)) that the presu.mption  of
                Ctommunications   .relative  to subscription should be addressed                                                                the new birth is the grour& for infaat b?p-
              to MR. GERRIT PIPE,, 1463.&&ore  St., S. E., Grand Rapids,                                                                        tism. That ground is the pr:omise of God to
             Michigan. All Announcements, and Obituaries must' be s&t                                                                       the seed of believers..: `I will  ;be your God.'                               -
             to the above address and wiil not be placed unless the Tegular
             fee of $1.00 accompa@es  the notice.                                                                                               The leaders of `the,  <liberated'  !chtiEches  say
                                                                                                                                                again and again-and even Rev. H. Hoeksemi
                               (Subscript&n  price $2.50.  per. year)                                                                           repeats it in, the aforementioned  is?ue of
             .Entered  as Second dlass mail  at  Grand  Rapids,   &I;Iichigan.                                                                  T:he Standard Bearer-that  Utrecht-  makes
                                                                        -                                                                       the pr&um$ion  of regeneration the g~oiwn
                                                                                                                                             of infant  Fbapitism. And this in spite of .the
        -                                                                                                                                       emphatic declaration to the contrary in those.
                                                      CONTENTS                          t          II 1     .,                                  rcoticlusions  (see above)  !"
         MEDITATION  -                                       :                                !
                                                                              <                                                      L:
                                                                                                                        :.            ;       Nolw, it would have been no more than right on the
                                                                                                                                           p&t of the editor to -quote me literally rather than
        BETIILE:HEM'S  HIDDEN -REVEL-ATION . . . . . . . . . . . *..........; . . . . . . . . . 121
                                                                                                            "                              simply .ascribe to me a statement in hi$ own words.
                Rev.  H.  Hoeksema                                                                                                         Ai it is now, the editor  F.&e it ineoessary for tie to
                                                                                                                                           sear'ch  tihrough  two  issues  .of  The Standard  BenreT
     E D I T O R I A L S   1                                            .-                                                                 to  reassure myself that such an opinion as the Rev.
                                                                                                                          .                Kuiper ascribes to me was never exljressed by me ,at.
         CORRECTION, PLEASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124 ball. For,-even   th6ugh I never entertained  the idea
        TIjE LIBERATED  CHV,RCHtE,i  IN THE  NETHERLANDS.:126                                                                              expressed in the words that "Utrecht makes.tzhe pr,e-
      THE  STANbARD  BEARER,  AtS A  %`ITNEiSS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I..128 sumption of regeneration the &round of infant .bap-
               Rev. H .Hoeksema                                                                      -                                     tism," yet,.-especially  Iwhen one usually has to cempose`
                             -_                                                                                                            in a hurry, it is but human to m&ke  a slip. And rnihil
        ELIM.ELECH   AND NAOMI  Gd TO MOAB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -130                                    humanurn  aliewm est  tiihi.  .SO  I perused the issue
        THE PAPACY AND CHARLES l'HE GREAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :...133 of The Stan'dard Bearer, Nov. 1, to which the (editor -
               Reu. G. M. Ophoff  .,  "                                                                                                    of The BanneT.refers,  and discovered that in that issue
                                                                                                                                           I dild not even write CUT the particular question of pre-
        DE VERBONDSPSALM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ..~~.`.~........................135 supposed `or presumptive regeneration. Natur.ally, I
                Rev. G.  Vols                    ,                                                                                         turned to my editorial in -The Stavadard Bearer of Nov.
\                                                                                                                                          15, which does, indeed, deal with the question, but in
     FROM'  HOLY   WRIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ..~.......133 Iwhich I failed t6 discover ,a statement that might give
                Rev.  H.  Veldman                                                                                                          the. editor  `af  The  Banner  ,any ground for what he
                                                                                                                                           writes  in the above quotation from his pen. *
        EDUCATION - INSTRUCTIO;N - TRAINING . ..I. ;.,...;  ..,I,, ., . . . . 140                                                             I must, therefore, leave it to the Rev. Kuiper ,either
       R e v .   R:  Veldm&                                                                                                                to find t!he statement which he; ascribes t6 me or to re-
                                                                                                                  _                        tract his own.
        A SIGN OF,THE. TIMES . . . . . . ..~...................................................                                               May I, besides, call the'kttention  of the Rlev. Kuiper
                                                                                                                         14i
                Rev. L. Vermeer _                                                                                                          to the. fact that the paragraph Which 1~ quoted above is
                                                                                                                                           ambiguous, an13 that he should write more caFefully,
         --.- .__-. -.-.._ - __. ,... --.- .                                                                                               in order to do justice to the parties in the Nekherlands
                                                                                                                               ._


                                       T H E   STANDARD,.   B E A R E R                                                   125 .

  that are involved in this matter, as well as to me? Note nor fair. If he desires to inform his readers on the
  the following :               -'                              cofitroversy  in Th.e Netherlands,. he must do so fairly
     1. iTwice .the editor, in the above quotation, men-        ancl objectively. I realize that this is not an `easy task
  tions Utrecht. ,Once he' definitely speaks of Utrecht for& him, seeing th,at Dr. Schilder is one of the main
  1905 ; the second time he simply speaks of `Utrecht.          leaders of the "liberated" churches, whom he condemn-
  Now, there are two  `Utrechts"  i.nvolved in the  con;        erl before he knew anything a&bout the whole matter;
  troversy, those of 1905 and of 1942. Does the editor and seeing, moreover, that he, the editor, is ecclesiastic:.
  refer to Utrecht 1905  ,bo$,h times? Or does he, the ..ally prepossessed. Neverthel.ess,- he. iS in duty boned
  second time, refer to Utrecht 1942?                           to present the `matter fairly. If he does, he will have
     2. The editor dare not, say that it is self-evident        to  ,admit   that the  Condusi~ons of Utrecht 1905 and
  (what !hje. means. For in the light of his last sentence those of -Utrecht  1942 are not the same, For instance,
  (of the paragraph quoted) he refers to the Conclusions the "emphatic  declaration" of w&h the Rev. Kuiper
o.f Utrecht 1905.      Yet,, according to the  prec&ing speaks does.not occur in the decisions of 1942. Nor did
  statemen!t  "that the leaders of the `1iberate.d' churches,, the Synod of-Utrecht 1942 adopt the following state-
  say again and again that Utrecht makes the presump- ment from the Conclusions of 1905 : "Meanwhile Synod
  tion of`regeneration -t&e gyownd of infant baptism" he feels that the posi.tion  that every e1ec.t  child therefore
  cannot `refer to Utrecht 1905, for then the statement .is is  ,actually regenerated before baptism is not to be
  not true. The leaders of the- `liberated' .churches,-ex-      proved either on the ground of Scripture or on the
  a&y do not say that Utrecht i905 .made presupposed            ground of the Confession, since God in His sovereignty
  regeneration as a ground for baptism a church doe: fulfills his promise at his  `own time, whether before .
  trine; -but they do maintain that this was raised to a `or after baptism." Now, what becomes of the theory
  doctrine by Uirecht  1942.                                    of "presumptive regeneration" Iwhich Kuiper maintains
     3. The editor writes that th~s~e  is an.`.`emphatii:  de- is clearly taught in the Conclusions of Utrecht 1905?
  daration to the contrary in those Conclusions," con- It is denied, is it'not? If .a child may be regenerated
  trary, that is, to the doctrine -of presupposed or pre- after baptism, .he may be regenerated-when he is ten,
  sumptive regeneration -as a ground for baptism. Also twenty, or fifty years old, The -last statement of the
  this is not quite. true. In fact, it may be considered `Conclusions of Utrecht (it was by Lindeboom, `just as
  extremely? improbable that, if this' theory of Dr. A.         the first- was by Kuyper) contradicts the first., But
  Kuyper had been so emphatically condemned by Utreeht "Utreeht 1942 did not adopt it. How then can the
  1905,`the Conclusions could have been subscribed,to by Rlev. Kuiper repeat  the misrepresentation  of- Dr.
  all at the time. Fact is that, instead of an "emphatic Aalders  by writing : "The blame of the separation must
  statement" there is a very weak and ambiguous state-          lie -with the group that refused to submit to the de-
  ment in the Conclusions of  Utreoht concerning this- cisions of their Synod, which merely. maintained the
theory. -The statement is : "that it is less correct to say position  which had once  .been taken?"
  that  bziptism is administered to the children of  be-i          5. However, whether in the `above quoted para-
  lievers on the ground of their supposed regei:`eratio.n.,' .graph the editor *referred to Utrecht 1905 in both in-
  Now, to say that anything is less ctihvct certainly can- stances or ,not, I kindly ask him-to prove that, and to
  sot be called an emphati'c d,eclaration. And, secondly,       point out (where, I made the statement "that Utrecht
  it is ambiguous. Does it mean "incorrect"?  IOr does makes the presumption -of regeneration the grownd. of
  it mean %orre& but not entirely"? Would you give a infa& baptism." * If he cannot do so, I must ask him
 .man who, in an examination, made a statement  that is kindly to remove the wrong impression he made.
                                                                                -.
  "less correct" zero? Or would you  give him ninety                                                         H .   H .             .-
  five? At the Synod of Sneek-Utrecht  the late Dr. !H.          * We did  kite that  the Synod of 1942 reveals .a  t&dewy
                                                                                                                    :
  H. Kuyper (and he ought to know, seeing that he had toward  the Kuyperian theory.
  a good dIea to do with the formulation of the "Con-
  clusions', of 1905)  iInsisted that it  m!eant "correct,`.
  Perhaps, if you could ask Prof. Lindeboom, he would
  say "incorrect". And how could you expect emphatic                        MINISTERS CONFERENCE
  declarations in such a comp:romise  agreement as the
  Conclusions of Utr.echt 1905 3                                   Off &al N&ice : - The Ministers' C,onference  of
     4. Nor <dare the editor of The Banner, in regard to        Classis East will meet on Tuesday,`January 8, 1946, at
  the ambiguity which I mentioned under 1, say that it 9:30 A. M. in the Fuller Avenue Church.
  is all the-samle (whether he writes about Utrecht 1905           Program:  - "The Man of Sin"-by the Rev. M.
or about Utrecht 1942.           It is true that his entire Gritters:       "The Netherlands Decisions on Common
  artide on the ,controversy-  in The  &inner of Nov. 20.       Grace"-by the  .Rev.  J. D.  Die Jong.  '
I  iS -based  on this assumption. But this is neither  t&e                                       IV. Hefman,  Sec'y.


126.                                       T H E   S`TA.NDARD  B E A R E R

            The Liberated Churches                                        Let the-editor of The B'anner refute this, if he can.
                                                                       But let him not hide the true. situation ,from  his readers,
                In The .Netherlands                                    and leave Dhe impression as if 1942 simply adopted
  /                                              ~  '
                                                  -,          a        the Conclusion of Utrecht  1905.
                                                                          For I consider this very important.
       The  promise  of God is for  ali!  the`chilldaren  of be-  '       For the sake of possible repercussions,  in the Chris-
lievers, according to the view of the liberated churches.              tian  Rxeformed  Churches, of the controversy in The
       Moreover, this promise is ulot to .be identified, with Netherlands, Dhe issue must not be covered up or ,can$u-
a mere "offer of grace" such as comes to all that hear flaged.
the' gospel,`afcconding to them. It is much more. It is                   I write this `all the more confidently, because neither
a  bequest `(sohenking) on the part of God to all that the editor of, The Banner nor anyone else can accuse me
are baptized. God bequeathes upon &ll the ,children of of wrong motives. I have  ,opeilli declared,  wr?cten
believers all the, blessi:flgs  of salvation. He gives them to Dr. Schilder personally, and repeat it `here, that I
the right by testament to the yiches o,f grace. And He (d.0 not agree at &ll with the Heynsian conception! of the
solemnly seals this bequest, this testament, this oib- Icovenant.
jlective  right to the forgiveness wf sins .an,d eternal life,            That the Heynsian conception is that of the liberated
to them all :by baptism.                   .-                          ck;urches is evident from the fact that they appeal to
       But with this pro,mise the comm+nd"is inseparately. him, and quote from his "Gereformeerde Geloofsl&er"
con'nected  : "wal,k before me, and be uprilght."                      repeatedly, .in support of their biew.
       The  promise  is  conditional.                                     F'or instance, the Rev. R. H. Bremmer writes in
       And the condition connected with the promise is be Reformatie, Vol. 20, No. 51 (,I translate) :
faith and repenrtance.                                                    "What follows from this for the practical life of
       All have the promise. `,On the part of God the be- faith, may easily be surmised.  !To make  Ohis  ,&ear,
iquest is made to all by pr,omise. God swears t'o :aEl in we will n,ot now appeal to .men like Woelderink  and
baptism that their names are written in His testamenit.                Van Dijk, #but to the American professor Heyns. He
.But the blessings promised al"re applied only to those is, we believe, not as yet suspected of being `se?on-
that accept the promise by faith.                                      stratit." Dr. H. Bouwman wrote a preface for his
       This is pure Heynsia?$.sm.                                      `Gereformeerde  ,Geloofsleer' in which he says: `Prof.'
       It is the conception of the ,covenant that, for many' fieyns gave us, in this Reformed Confession of Faith,
ye&s; has %been inculcated in the prospective m@i&ers                  a book which is not only thoroughly Reformed, but
of the Christian Reformed Church, a:nd t,hat, perhaps, (which, because .of its coasecrated  style and lucidity
is still most  -widely taught and preached  .in  those                 of p!resentatioti, makes pleasant reading, and is easily _
m&urches. And it-is quite simil:ar to, and in line with underst,ood.
the theory of the `swell-meaning, general offer of                         "Now, *this Pro<. `Heyns writes on page 206-: `Then,
grace," also. strongly emphasized  ,by. Prof. Heyns,. and wheh all support f,or our faith threatens to collapse,
officially adopted by the Syqod of Kalainazoo, 1924.                   the Form (,&f Baptism) means to say, the support'-of
       This view of -the. covenant is emphatically reiected our baptism, is still left us as an nndouibted testimony.
by the synodical church&s,  as ?s (evident from all their Thus the Form  `can speak only by  ascrijbing to bap-
writings.                                                              tism an objective signifiance, valid for all, for never
       And for those thkt teach it, there is no pIlace in their copld baptism be such an `und,oubt&  testimony' for one
felbwshZp.  They are  !deposed  from  qffice.  ThiF;,;also that is fallen into sin, if it `were a real baptism and if
can be abundantly proved.                                              it really sealed those benefits only for the elect or fou-
       I underscore these statements especially in o,rder              the regenerated.. One fallen into sin, wlho is in danger
that they may catch the eye Iof the Rev. H. J. Kuiper,                 of despairing of God's mercy, will Idoulbt, first,..of  all,
the editor of The Banner. I sincerely hope .that he will his election or his being regenerajted,  and thus he would
take note of this.                                                     find no support at all for his-faith in his baptism.' ,,
       The editor consistently instructs his read&s that                   "A little further the professor writes: `Baptism
the liberated churches are al1 wrotng,  that they are to seals unto us the B-EQUEST (SCHENKING)  as .being
Iblame fo,r the separation, that it is incoficeiviable  that. a matter o:f fact, not the IMPARTATION (DEELACH-
the Christian Refor8mled  Churches, `when the questio:Dm               TIGMAKING) as having taken place ; it seals the
as to "sister  ehtirches"  tind correspondence must  .be benefits- as BEQUEATHED (GESQH.ONKENE)  not
decided, should choose for the liberated churches.                     as  SUBJECTIVE.LY IMPARTED  (ONDE;RWERPE-
       But I still insist that this is not honest.                     &IJK  DEETLACIHTIG gemaakte). That this `is the
       By, refusing to establish  Iofficial   oo~esp,on&e,nce          meanin/g of  bhe Form for Baptism is, among other
with the  1iberate.d churches the  .Ch@+iam  Reformecl                 things, evident from the expression: `applying unto us
Churches _would  repudiate Heyns!                                      that which we have in Christ.' That which baptism


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   BE~ARER                                              127

  seals tinto us as beiilg in our possession is .the objective Israel  ZLS  Coven.ant-people,  .tci those  ihat  are wanton
  `having in Christ, in virbue of the bequest. But.. this idolaters, and in &ear words- He declares that, .in giv--
  can only acquire a saving character through the appli-            ing to these ildolaters  the benefit  of His Covenant, He
  :cation of the !Holy Spirit, .and, .in reference to this the dicl all that was  `nec.essary to  btiwg  foarth good fruit,
  Holy Spirit again seals unto all..equ~lljr,  Inot. that H'e       so that He had the fullest right, nqt merkly to demand,
  has done this or shall do this, but that He WILL do but to expect such fruit. Would He, Who is the True
  this.' "                                     .'                   ,One, thus ask, would He be able thus to ask, if what
     Thus far the quotation from Heyns' "Gereformeerde              H,e had done consisted only in  ,exter;;mtii. bestowal  oif.
  Geloofsleer." And to this, the Rev. Bremmer  `adds :              labor khrough the means of grace, and not also in the-
     "Souncl. Reformed language, says Prof. Bonwman. giving of an inner receptivity for this? Tthe covenant-
  But he is  ae` American, the Rev.  Lui'ks  will  otbje1c.t.       member (bondeling) is presented ip Ezech. 16 :6 ds one
  Yes, but at all events a soundly Refolzmed  Ameriean. to whom the Lord said: Live ; in Luk. 13 :6-9 as a fig-
  He w;ould be amazed if he we're  in the sister-church tree, not as.a thori or thistle, but as a fig-tree, planted
_ ,of the Netherlands, .tith which the Christian Reformed           in a vineyard. In John  15:2 he is presented as a
 a  IChurch  of America keeps  corr,espondence.           With his ,branch in Christ: `Every branch iri me that beareth
  doctrine he would not be tolerated any more' in the not fruit he taketh away.' The phrase `in me' could
  pulpits of the sister-church."                     -              have been omitted ; the sense would then have: been
     It is clear, then, that in the? covenant conception complete; it is,, therefore, intentionally idserted, aed
  the liberated churches admittedly agree with Heyns. mtist receive letiphaiis. This is :necessary  to bring out
  Objectively, a11 the blessings df the covenant are for the more.strongly the heavy responsibility of not bea+
  all that- are baptized; To all they are bequeathed.               ing fruit, the justice of being cast irito. the fike and
  Their bequest is sealed to all in baptism. But whether burned. Hence, one dare not overlook  this phrase or
  this bequest is to be realized unto them, whether they explain it away. -And the undoubted commentary on
  shall actually enter-upon the possession of the  solemn!ly this phrase `in Me' we have in Rom. 11:17, where the
  promised inheritance', depends oln their "part" of the c&enant member (bondeling) is pnesehted  as a branch.
  covenant . Only` in the way of faith are the bles'sings, partaking `of tihe root and fatness of the oliGe tree.`.
  that .are promised to be obtained..                               Add to this questions as: `Why then is not the health
                                                                    of the ddiighter of my people recovered?' Jer. 8 :22 ;
      Now, naturally, [when one reads about this view `Why would `ye die, 0 house of Isra,el ? Ezech. 33 :li.
  of the  .liberated  chusrches,  one feels immediately in-                                -__  -~".
                                                                    Whether one like it or not, tXi do justice to such ex-
  clined to accuse them of Artinianisni. And repeatedly pressions, one must ,come $0 the conclusion that Scrip-
  they have been accused of .th$ by the leaders of the ture teaches the giving of' a* subjective grace to each
.  synodical  chunches. But they  emphtitically  repudiate covenant member, i.e. to each child of .believers, s&f-
  this accusation. They insist that one can believe aadl ficieht  to  btrin~~ forth  good  fruit.  (ICalics are mine,
  fulfill the ,covenant oondition  only ttiough. grace, aficl       H.H.) . To' each covenant  ch.ild, and  n:ot only to the  -  '
  God works this grace  only in the  Ielect. How they elect, for it is abundantly clear, that what is `mea& is
  harmonize this with  +heir  insistes!ce   :u'poti the view        not a grace  t!hat cannot be lost,  that prooeeds from
  that, on His part, God promises thk blessings of sd- elejctiqn. For  *hat is said in Isa. 5  ang Ezech. 16
-\ vation to all, ,I have not beeri able to understand.             refers to those that make themselves guilty of the most
     iHeyns,  whom in the NetheAands  the leaders-,of  the wanton sins, and even offer thei-r children to Molech;
  liberated churches'.now  call thoroughly Rtiformed,.  has in I;uke 13 to a figtree that is barren; in John 15 and                   f
  a solution of this problem. de makes little Pelqgians Rom. 11 to vines and branches fdr the which the being
 of all the baptized children, for, according tw hini, all          taken away or broken off, the being cast out and bunn-
  receive sufficient grace to accept- or to reject God's ed is not excluded, but that are being warned against
  covenant!    I wonder if the brethren  ,of the liberated this.
  churches are aware ,of this, and whether they will fol-               "Ztence,'  &  subjsective grace which a) is  suticient,
  low him-also in this. That this is, i&&d, Dhe view df in conn&ion wi%h spiritual labor bestowed through
  the, late' Prof. Heyns, there can be no doubt. Let me the means of gra'ce, to bring f,orth good fruit of faitli
  @,uote.  him literally (I translate) :                            and obedience,- so that God .jtidges  that He ,has the
      "If we examine Scripture, we find, in reference to niost per;f&t right to expect thes'e ; b) do& not &elude
  this matter, remarkable expressions, that  h,ave received the' possibility to bring forth wild  gra@es, when,  in
  far t,oo little attention. Thus, Kg. the question of Isa. spit,e of the most excellelit  labby  besto.wed upon him,
  5 :4 : `What could have been done more ;to "my vineyard,          the covenant child `(bondeling)  remains  un&iitful,;
  that I have not doqe in it? Yirhe%$ore, when  1 ,looked           and, therefore,, doe& not cofisist il`l saving I@%ce; c) not`
  th:at `it should bring forth  ' grapes, brought it  $orth         in conflict with the confession that the deepest ground
  wild grapes.?' This  ,refers to what  the  Lord  .di,d to ,of our  salvatiiin   !lies in  e1ecticni~  and that salvation
       \\\,                                               .  _
                                    B


                  :
                                                     1     -

l?f~                                T H E   STANDARD  B E A R E R
                                                                .r
shall be the work of Gold! entirely, The outcome will had earnestly .endeavored  to shed the light of the Word
not be the same in all, and the._diffierence  (will be: ac-           of God on- this problem; .and w,ho insisted. that God's
cording to the, counsel of God : `the election hath ob-               grace  is  tip.om His people only,. were attacked from
tained it, ,afid the rest were blinded.' Rom. 11.~7. , How            every si.de, and thregtened  with ecclesiastical discipline.
 God, in the ethical- spher.e,  execvtes His counsel, with- throiigh  which to present *heir ideas to %he people.,
`out violating ma~`s moral freed'om and responsibility,               Hence, some brethren, deeply. interested in. the truth
 remains for us a Drofound riddle; d)' but makes the                  of Scripiure and of ,ou-r Reformed. faith, conceived of
covenant member all the more responsible for his. re- -the idea of creating an organization <that. would spqnsor
maining unfruitful and, bringing forth of- wil'd grapes,              the  publi,cat,ion  of whatever the two pastors might
 and threat&s him  with,- a -more severe judgment. write in-the  iihterest  of the development  .and  mainlteh-
.Scripture  teaches, accordingly, that the `covenant-child ante `of the truth that was dear unto us all. The Re-
 (bondelin.g),  that enjoyed the influence of  the work               formed Free Publishing Association was the result.
 of the gospel, is ,left wholly without  &x:cuse." Cateche-           Whatever was written in the form -of pamphlets and
.tiek, 143, 145.                                                      books by the Revs. H. Danhof and H. IHoeksema  this
     Accordifig to Heyns, therefore. :                                society proposed to publish. And- it was, in part, due 0
  1. The  p?omise  of the covenant is  ,6bj&tively. for to their'eff,orts  !hat also a regularly appearing publica-
 all-that are baptized. All are given the right to  bhe tion was started in the form of our Standard Bearer;
 blessings  : of salvation. "                                            Now, phen I cdl1 jrour attention fdr a few moments
     2. The realization of this pro&se depends .on the $0 the StLndard  Bearer as ,a Witness, I may well con-
 attitude of the  coilenant children: they must accept nect my remarks With the name ,of your association. It
 the promise, and walk in.faith.                                      is called the Reformed Free Publishing Association,
        3.. All receive sufficient  grace to comply with- the and in this name 5 find Iexpressed the character and
 condition, yet so that they  can  `also  .refuse and be purpose; not',only  of your association, .but also `6f the
 aost.                 .-_                                            periodical  wkose  pu+eation  you are sponsoring. It
   ' *Lf ,this is inot Pelagianism  applied to the cpvenant, is Reforwied, t,hat is, it is devoted..to' the development
I never knew #what this ancient hevresy .implied.                     and defense of the Reformed fait%. It is free, that is,
     Will the liberated churchesiadopt this. solution?                it is non-ecclesiastical in the -insti$utional.  sense of that
                              ?                ,H.- H.                word. ,"*It .iS a p'ublication,  that' is,: it in&ends to: reach
                                                                      the  publiNe and to witness  gor the Reformed  trutli.
                                                                      And, therefore,  it his supported .by an associatim, it is
 The Standard Bearer As A Witness not sponsored by the Synod, ,but by $he free:assoc"iation
                                                                      ,of brethren that  tare  inkerested  in the truth and its
                                                                      prupagati'on.            ..
        On the above su.bject th,e undepsigned made a few                 The Standand k,earer means to be a free witness
 remarks at Me last annual meeting of the Reformed ~ of the Reformed truth.
 Free Publishing  Associa'lion. At the request of the                     But what do we mean when, in this connection, we
 Board of that Associatipn  I here reproduce it as nearly speak of -the Refo.rmed  truth .and of witnessing for it
as I may  from memory, for evei  the notes  ,on which through the,Standard  Bearer? To be sure, by Reform-
 I based  n-& remarks I destroyed.  '  :                              ed truth we mean the truth of Scripture as it is briefly
                                                                      and oficially express&d in the Ref?rmelcl  Standards,
        Being asked to speak on this annual meeting of the pa&cularlj; in the Three Forms  of Unity: the Nether-
 Reformed Free  Pu!blishing  Assbciation,  I thought it lenId Confession,  the Heidelberg  Catechism, and the
 but prpper  to.. make a few remarks on the subjeat :                 Canons of Dordrecht. The Standard Bearer intends to
           / The  L%anda& Bearer  ,As A Witness.                      Ibe confessionally Reformed. However, I$& is not to
                                                                      be nnderstood in the sense of a dead otihodoxy, *hat is
        Well I remember, and, perhaps, some of you with perfectly satisfied with what our fathers &veloped.and'
 me, the IgatheriQg &at was hel'd, now more than twenty expressed of the-truth, and proceeds from the .assump-
 years ago, that resulted in the, :organization of yorir tion that. they have said the last [word about it. Such
 association. The purpose that -convoked the bpet,hren                an attibtude  would be the jexpressi.on  of a conservatism
 was to .provide  -ways aad means for the publication of without life and love of the truth, such as  `our Re-
 the writings of the,Revs.  H. D.anhof and H. Hoeksema.               f6rmed  fathers certainly would have c&demned. No,
 It `was a time .of controversy in the churches. The de- we do not intend merely to repeat,j and rise in llefense
 bate cetitered  chiefly i&he question copcerning."com-               `of, whit has <been officially laid down in our Standards.
 m&n grace." Already the two pastors .mentibned, who But taking our stand--on  the basis of those Confessions,
 The, official  orgafis  :of the `churches  w,ere closed  to Xve make it our aim to con%inne  in thk direction plainly
 them, so that they could not ase them as an avenue indicated by them, to criticize much that. is offered as
             /


                                                                       I .`r;
                                            TH.E  STANDAR.D-  B E A R E R                                                   129
 t-           ".'
 Reformed truth, and is not, and, always endeavoring .individ*uals, ntor to an association or to a Bible Institute5
 to maintain the very heart of the Reformed faith is but very definitely to His chosen alvd called apostles,
our starting  pointi  Do  idvance.-to  a purer  ,an'd richer and in them to the Church. And for #this purpose He
 development and expression `of t,he truth `as such, and also gave unto His Church in the world .pastors and,
 icts .applicatioil  to. every phase of the Me df $he beli,ever teachers, that throigh  them the Church niight fulfill
. in this` present world.            - -                          its calling and mission to preach th'e Word. .But the
        The Standard Bsearer wants to send forth a trumpet Standard Bearer, and the associat.ion  ithat sponsors I;ts
 blast. of no uncertain sound.                                    publication, are not a part of the Church as an insti-
        It purposes to sedd forth a testimony that is very tute; they belong to-the Church as an brgacism, and
 specifically        Ref,ormed.      .'       -                   t?ney fun&on i; virtue, nut of the specially instiMed
        With regard to this specifically Reformed truth, we offices,  but in virtue of the office of believers; It is
 may assert, that its very heart is found in the idea with this  d+tinjction in mind that we speak of our
 of the coveqant of God. It is $rue `that, in order to give publication as a Witness.
 a truly Reformed testimony, this ,truth  concernilalg  bhe            It is also with `this distinction #before  our conscious-
 covenant of ,God ,daFe not lbe divorced from the doctrine ness that we.say that the Standard Blearer is free, anld
 of sovereign predestination. Election has right,ly `been that the society that sponsors it calls itself the Re-
 called -th,e car eiclc:Zesicle,  the heart of the Cburcl+ And formed I%%e Publis:hing  Association. IThe freedom. we
 yet, fundamental though this ltruth~may  be, `an,d though thus denote is not  akin to doctrinal licentiousness. We
 its -heart-beat must be discernible in every part of the do not intend to separate ourselves from the institutie
 do&Tine  proclaimed by oae that lays clailm to beiug Re- of  t.he  Chuxxzh; The very  fact, that we adopted  ,the
 Iformed, It is IDOL lthe most peculiar, not the most disi        name Reformed Free Publishing AssociationI,  and tliat,
 tinctive of Reformed principles. There are other Id,e- therefore, we place onrselves on the -basis of. the Rei
 nominations, :b&ides those ,of tht6 Reformed persu.asilon,       fQrmed  Confession!, indicates the very opposite.  .But
 that -adhere  to the truth of God's.sovlerei.gn  predestina- free*lwe are in the same sense in which our Christian
 tion. BuQ the doctrine ,of the covenant of God is a dis-         Schools.a~e free schools. The Stand&d Bearer is not
 &ctively R,e$ormed heritage. The reasofi for this fact, an ' ofFicia1 church organ. It is not sponsored :by the
. ;that. it `was in Calvinistic circles alone &hat the truth church as insjtitute. And this freedom implies .that we
 cmcerning  God's `covenant  wa6 developed-  and -given a are ,not hampered by purely' institutional bo,nds, and
 central place in the system ,of do&rine, is that in t.hose       ar8 not motivated by mere;- form&&&it~utional~  con-
 circles `more than in any .other  strong emphasis was siderations or prepossessions.                  In 1923 the institute
 plaoed  on the 1@1ory of God as ;the sole purpose of all         of the  achristian Reformed Church meant to silence
 the works of Gold, both in creation  and in re-creatimon,        dur  testimonjy. They closed the official  ,ongans to  ns. .
.and that this gl,ory is realized ijn the highest possible They tried to put the yoke of the Three Points .upon <us.
`degree ir the revedat,ioil,  of God's ,coven.ant,. Especially    They cast us out_ of their fellowship. Much of this
%S this  true if the very  essen,ce of  .that covenant is         action was motivated by personal opposition, and $he
 found, not in the idea oif a pact ,or agreement, or in a         desire to maintain so-called "rest" in the churches, the
 way of salvation, but in the f.ellowship  <of God's friend-      rest  ,of corruption and death. But the .Star%darrd  Bearer
`ship, the highest revelation of the covenant-life of 6he remained free.  No  &x4,itution+ontiqlled  it.  lIts voice
 Triune  Hims!elf. When,  therefoi-e;  we say  f.hat it is could noi be silenced. And free it should ~rem&n.  Un-
 the purpose ,of .the- Standard Bearer to send forth a hampered by  coQsiderations that are foreign to the
 specifically Reformed testimony,. we mean esped,ally             I,ove of Reformed truth, our  publicaKon  p&poses  to
that it purposes to wibness ~con~ce~ning the covenant of          continue to ,maifitain and develop the t&uth as our ZGod
 God, as He Himself realizes  it through Jesus Chrislt  our [delivered it to us !'
 Lord, according to -His sovereign good pleasure, in -the         a    This also implies that t,he Standand  Bearer is. yoecrs.
 way of sin aed grace; anIda along bhe ant,i&etical  lines It is not an ,organ of any con&tory,  xlassis, or synod.
 of- election and reprobation ; and that, &oo, i:n connection     Nor is it under We sovereign control <of `the editors
-with the ,org&ic development of all things..                     that fill its pages. It is.yours. Even as our f&e Chris-
        tO!f this truth the Standard Bearer means to be a ti,an Schools are not ultimately  contro~lled-   -*by- the
-witness. I use this term ,to dist,inguish the na.ture  of teachers, but by the parents ; so the Standard Bearer,
%ts testimony from the offi'cial preaching of the Word t.hough its contqts are the care of its editors, is yo&r
 of God through the instituied  C&r,ch, (whether in the paper,, it is a means thr,ough which qou have the.oppor-
 ministry  `of the. Word within the  Chur+ or in its tunity to sound forth bhe testimony in .behtilf  of the
.r&ssionary w,ork  to &e ends of the earth. Our publi,ca- R,eformed  tr'uth, within our own circles and without.
 tion has some'times  been called-a missionaw. Strictly           To have such a paper, to be able to-let this testimony
 speaking, however, this is not correct. ,Christ has be heard. as far as pOssible, is .your. pyiville.ge. To Ten-
 committed  tlze task of preaching thk gospel, not to hder this testimony as effective as lies within our power


                                                         . .


                                                                                              /
                                          .~~g~`~TA'N~A~D  _:_;  B'eAkER  _                              ,.     ..:      -     .-          .(
b..,isn .
 _.
"' is ,your responsi~bility j and I do not mean only you who lands:        Its voiumes are carefully preserved in the  ~
 ark present here, ,:but all the members of the Reformed library .of the Free University.               Some of the most
L ~Jf?~ee  :Publishing  Association, an\cl, in fact, all~~Prot&-  _' .important v&mes  `written by Reformed men in the
"' `ant Reformed~me&;.yes,  and why not include our Iwomen old country were sent to the Standard Bearer for re-
~ also?, You whop are present here ought to make.3 your view. Its voice was respected as often as it expressed
,I ; task to iinpness this t,ruth, this privitlege  and this ore- .an opinion with respect to points of controversy over
       sp?msibility; up.on those that are absent. Tell them there.. And &any a paper. reviewed the material of
1, `{hat the Standard Bearer is theins, that they ought to the Standard Bearer, when in book form it was sent
" " consi&&.  it a' privilege that, in vi,r%ue  `of their office. to the' leaders of the Reformed Churches in the land
`..`of'belieyers,~~they  may work !for the sending forth of whence we came.
`I' this testitmony far and wide ; and that they ought to             Do I recount all this to boast? Yles, indeed ; but not
-:""assume  their responsibility in  th.is respect.     In the in self. Rather let us marvel with a  Igrateful heart
 Standard Bearer God has ,given us a work to do. Let `that our Gord gave to so small an .organ of so small
       us  do:it with all our might!      ,_.  ;,                  a group as :we are such a wide place !
          `IHAS it been worth while?  W,hen we pass in  re-           And considering  what God, has done for us in the
"`view. the more than twenty years ,during which our past, let us not grow weary, but continue, ad,vance,  and
' "`paper was published, may we say that it has been faith- work  awhile it is day,  er.e the night  ccmeth in which'
.a I ful' to its original purpose? And has. its testimo!ny mo .man can work! `The privilege is YOURS !
       been,  .effective? Has it born `fruit?                                                                           H .   H .
         _ .No one knows better than I that theneis abundant.
       room for criticism.here. - And many a time the Stan-
       sdard. Bearer was criticized during these years. Its           -TIiti DAY, OF SHADOWS                                          .
contents  `w.ere too limited. Its articles were- too long.                           -                   ,
 The material it offered was too deep. I  aM  wtell aware
       ,of` it: ,Our powers are limited, and, with. the limited
,.  -powers God gave ,us we must. work.. `.Then, too, in as              Elime~ech  and,Naomi Go To '
!' far- as the criticism was not- destructive, but. h&d a
I positive purpose, was offered, not by those that refuse *                   The Country of Moab
       to' put 0:~ their thinking-cap and put forth effort'to
       ,read  and understand, but Iby those that read and are         According to verse 1 the ,events related in our book
' `interested in ren,dering  .our publicati,on as effective as took place in the days when the "judges judged". `Con-
-""possible, it was gladly received, and did not  ,go  un-'sidering  that.  Bsoaz,  who  marrie.3 -Ruth, became the
       h e e d e d .                                            .grandfather  of king David, the  ,occurrences  related
           Yet; first of all, I may confidently assert that any- must have come to pass during the pontificate of the
`i one  lwho will peruse the volumes of the  Staedard  -  highpriest Eli. Thus the migration of Elimelech and
       Bearer thus- far published,, will have to come to t,he his family to the l,and of Moab, with a view to a"tem-
' conclusion that, in  the main, it was faithful to its  porary residence, on  alccount  of there  Ibeing a famine
       purpose, -anId strove to serve the defense and develop-     in the land of Canaan, also, is, ascribable to the' fact
       ment of the Reformed truth.                                 that, there ;was in Israel no king ,in those days so that
          Secondly, the very fact itself, that through all these every one di.d that which was right in his own eyes,
       years the testimony of the Standard Bearer as a free Discipline was lacking. Each di,d ,what  he would- and
       witness might ,be heard, and that still its voice has not helped himself in whatever way he thought best.`.?.`That
       beensilenced, is a cause of deep gratitude to our God,      Elimelech was a person of some prominence in Bethle-
       Who  -providled  and still providesthis medium of  `ex- hem is inldicated  by the name he bears-it means "God
       pression   f o r   u s .                                    is my king"-and by the  .fact  ob his  beijng a  lanld-
          An'd thirdly, we do not say too mulch when, with owner. He did not belong to the class of the poor and
 thanks to God, we acknowledge the fact th,at, our organ the insignificant. All names compounded with "riielech~
       was a blessing, an instrument _orf edification and .in- king, kn\own to us from the Scriptures, wer.e borne by
       structioq- to many in  our own circle, as  well as a distinguished persons, The name of We man's wife
       mighty. influence  o,utside  of  ,our Protestant Reformed was Naomi; "the gracio,us  one." There wer.e'two +mm
       Churches;$oth here and in the Netherlands. Hundreds' Mahlon and  Chilion.           The ,derivat,ion  of these names
       outside of our own group `have read it. Ministers have is  uncer;tain. Mahlon may be obtained from machile,
       use,d its material for sermonizing, As soon as the  cinde~dance,   anld  i=hili;on  may be traced to  celql, to
 war was  `over we received letters from  Olld  -Holland crown, which  wojuld  Igive the meanings "joy" and
       asking for it. Before the war it was an exchange "crown" tiespectively,   -. and contrast them with the
       ~w~VI some thirty papers and periodicals in the Nether-     doleful outcome of the migration. Another. derivation


                                       ~-
                                 .-          ?lI$  $TAN@izi>   :..;~,~~,,&,~~~~                                     _-     '                    $.~,
        --  -.-  .___..   ._.
                          .                                                                                   _      .          -     ,-_     T-.;-    _,_     :_     _
                                                                                          --

 makes them signify "sickly" and "pining" in consider- law and, apostatizes.                         Hence,  the  ,bonclusion  that  the
 ation of their vnt,imely  death. : B,ut this. is errone6us.          church-is spiritual just because she is rich in.tYorldly
                                                                                                                                                .          ., :
 For the parents, by whom, these sorils were named at Igoods, is false. `Though at  the dawn of. the  Refqum%-  '                                                            .
 birth, did not know the future. -It is stated that they tion, the .tioman hierarchy iwas rotten to the coqc, i&:, ,
 were "Ephrathites-  `of Bethlehem Judah". Thus  +hey. was,  in a material sense,  the rightest  institutiw  qq.d,-
 were not nat.ives of Eihraim, also-called EphT@hites.                earth and  ;wallowed  in material abundance.  I The.  ..
 And the full n&&e "Bethlehem. Judah" is used to aVoi;d ,, c;huFch of the Laodiceans:.was rich a&l increased-&h
 confusion with Bethlehem  irnj  Z&ulon. According to  ,;  .goods,   but  ,at the, same  .time she was  ;metche(d,.  -Andy:,:;
 Gen. 35 :19, Bethlehem, "hous!e. of bread," was callel.d,..  miserable, and poor, and blincl, .and naked,. RF?:.  3::1$-
 Ephrath or Ephratah in ancient tiFes.                               -17. The church in Philadelphia had little strength;....`.
     "There was a, famine in the land." And l&m&~ she was poor in worldly goods,,:and  yet her spiritual _.
 .t,ook   his  ifamily and  -rem,oved  to  the  lanld of  Moab. life-mras flourishing. *H,ow .couBd the curs&$  ;qd.. the
 This was sinful of him. !I$e `mi;ght not do that. Thi,s Iblessings  of the law stili be,valid  in this mat&ial,.sense,,  :.
 is  pl,ain in the light of the following consideration. if the church is now spread over the while earth and,& f i.
 When tize people of Israel kept cdvena& fidelity, .the i9n this account, it goes well or ill wit& her $11 a :n$qTal.:,
 Lo,rd would send them material prosperity. When they sense.  according as it goes ,.well  or ill ;with the .n&oq ,;
 forsook him anId served %he idols, ,He would visit upon of the earth among whom she dwells and pf whom,she,
 them )div;ers plagues such as famine an&war in punish-               is  pa&  and parcel  politically  and economically?,  .-,.If  ~
 ment of their  apostacy, and this  socordinnig   to.- the. the  cursings and  :ble%$ngs   .of the law are  po.  l+ger  ;.
 threatenings  of. the law as recorded in the  B,ook of valid in a material sense for the church iq her cqrpqr- .j.                                                        I,_
 Detiteronomy. Should they serve the- Lord; then a,11 fate capacity,, neither ar?& they valig for the indi$d.u?l. ,,
 th+se blessings twould come upon them. .Blessed  would. Chris$ianl. A  man is not blessed  materia!l%.~~~eca~~~r~;
 they be in the city and in the, field. Blessed would he- fea.rs  the Lord; neither is his p@verty  .aq&&ti+on :::
 be- the fruit of their body, and the fruit of thek ground, that  he is  unspil;itual.                  UsualAy, great rich$&.iq  .' the :::.
 ani3 the fruit ,of their cattle; the increasle  of their kin?, portion of the man, who, contrary. to the command of;..'
.-  anyd the  iflocks of their sheep. The Lord, in a word, Christ,  lworks `for the bread that  .perishes.                               :, .I> .l.,:,  i
 would make  them plenteous in goods. He would Opel1                        The statement was just made. that,: in. this day .anld;+:
 $0 them His good trea&re, the heavens to give rain to age; it goes well & ill .,with' the people of -`Go& in ,a:-.+;
 the land iri his season. On the other, hand, would t&ei' material. sense, as it :goes. well or ill with the. WQ& .r'
 tiqt hearkeri  to the voice ,of. the Lord, to o.bserve  a!! His the `nations of the world. Hence, -when the :chu&h  is.. ...
 com&andm~eit~; then  would they be cursed in the city carnal and in her  .carndity  l&-her  .affe.ctiuq:   s&;?i
 and- in the field. Then pestilence would cleave unto upon the thiti,gs belay; she invariably idvents a ~os@~, `;                                                                 . .
 them and they would be smitten: with a consumption, lfor the world&he Scriptures !hav.e no gospel .,f.~~;`$h$he'.,
 and with a fever, aad wit& an infiamation, aed (with an re!probated  world-in the attempt, to induce_ all,.qi& ta.' .
 extreme Burning,, and ,with the sword,, and with blast- forsake  their iniquity and  id back to  `Gocl,  iw'.o,@er,  I
 i!ng, and wi$,h mildew. And the heaven, +hat was Qver thatthe  {world may be ff&d: of its"plagu&Qf  i&wars, .::-
 )$h!rn.  ,would be' brass, Bnd the earth that .was over famines, and economic  d@pressic'+&?   *ibe  hlesq.&-;;.
 them would be iron, Deut. 28. Such Rere the cursings. ,;with mat&i& ~&und&&e.:  :8&h `b &ng, .;on.,the> .par&;;
 .and  threateninlgs of the  .law.,          For Israel was the  &f  the- apostate  c&urck;:  $inds its explanation in-  .heEi;:-
 church and `itwas the dispensation of shadows. Th$  l&t  :of the earthly  atid in  the  Iqnsideratiqn   that;;`if
 material  prospetity was therefore- the type of the the' church aid the individual, Christian `i$..+$ pros;p,es.:.:
 spiritual blessings od the  dheavenly kingdom of Christ. materially,. the  weld must prps?sper.   Bdt .&`coo:@iq.g-.:;,.
 It was bestow&  in the way of covenant fidelity on thle to the determinate, counsel of &cl, as reveaB&d in the'- ;
 part of the nation; $n#d it `was 4&? typical expression I Scfiptures,  the.tiorId  is.not Igoicng  to  .r.epent;. It ne&her:-`
 of God's love of the true Israel.              :         -.          ctin Inor may. .It h&s n&her the newer  nor the rright;;::
    .The plagues of the law Iwere-a `type $ the desolation            The wrath of Go!dd, will continue .to be revealed.i,from,ir
                                                     .
 of hell anld of the miseries of the doomed m hell: !Tbey heaven over all unrighteousness  of men as lorig !&.ihe ::
 were inflicted upon the i&ion in the way of covenant' earth endureth.                          The suff e&figs-of  this present,. titie.
 infidelity on its part ; and they `were the $yical expres-           wil,l -continue  to the eild of -time. From,.it  God's .people
 sion of the wrabh of God's h&red of the carnal Israel. will be delivered  by  &i&, when  He comes.  :;:.Thus,
 As the dispensation of the shadows has ended, material, ,-suffering, as it effects .also the true belilevers,,  daesrnot  ..
 progperity  and adversity ldlo not have any. more that `indicate that"fhey have forsaken the Lord. Yet;.since
 significance for the church. I In this day s~nld age,. the they have sbtii a ,&all beginning ,of true obedience;they
 -Lard does not prosper His church, materially in the .do not ,complain thtit it is not deserved, but they con-
 way of covenant fidelity cm her part; nor. doe,+,  IJ3e jisit fess that whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth;.  Such
 her  with..v&eri+l  adpersity, if  ,she  .departs  frqrn-  His.  beilng their  cDnfessioq  they  are spiritually  profit&d   `.
                                                                    ,:.:       :.  :.y


          ,                                                                              -
  132          .-    p             '    `T H  i3  /  $KFAA--N-D-`A,R,IJ  B E-A  R.E.R

  by it. As to the world, though it  -I~ould repent,.' it w&t the -!va~y of removal to Moab. That `was his great
  wo,uld not, & this, account, re &&e from the ha.na of sin. It is tiot-difficult to-imagine how he, to his ow:n
  God sunshine -and rain in its season; f,orthe @@ensa- sati&action,  justified- his ,doiing. T.hat  he and his- wife
  tion of shadows has ended; But this is  not, denying were  ,Godfearing  ,Israelites is  cer,tain. They did not,
  that the- fear of God, as ,operative  in the hearts and from diffidence to the  Moabibes, serve Moab's idols,
  l.ives df the wicked, wiould be the solution of the worldls Iduring their residence  in the  conn'cry of Moab.  IHOW  `.
  problems. One more thing. From the Genesis narra- would Ruth'have~ been gained for Christ, if not by their
  tive we lea& that the land of Canaan .was being visited ,%vitaessing for Jehovah ?' So. Elimelech may have rea-
  per&di,cally  by famines already. in ancient ti&es, lo,ng soned by himself that, whereas he had not ap,ostatized.
  be&e the people af .Israel  took p&session of that land. -The Lord's strokes were :not meant~ fsor him personally,
  We.r.ad of the occurrence of thr,ee- famines. during the and that therefovle he need not endure the affliction..
  joint Tesi'dence~,of the three great patriarchs in Canaan. But that was a carnal reasoning. Though  his' guilt  -
  But ih&s!e famines .do not belong in *he category .,of the ma.y not <h&e been as great as that of the.others, dare hi?-
  famines and. plagues in general that God -visited upga say -&hat he was alto,gether  guiltless? What -had he
  the people. of Israel in times- of national, apostacy. As- done to stem the tide oif u.nbelief? How often had be
  has -already  been `observed, the f,aminles  that ravaged     perhaps kept silence~when  he should have spoken? AC-
  outside of Israel ii1 the worlld at large and that riot in cording. to Israe!`s law, idolatry was a capital crime
  th:&world  of- th+ day and age; aEe one..of several kindS to be.punished-by  the death of the,offenders. Had'hiS
  of plagues .that Gord through the ages visits upon, the zeal. been th& burning that he had insist4 that the
  world. that lies .in darkness in. punishment of its- sin. rulers in Israel resort to t&is extreme measure? If not
  to:. prepare it, through .its. sinful. reactions to. these\ he was. guilty, so-guilty that, if he-had -b:een spiritual,
  plagues and to. the goo,d gifts ,olf God -as well, for ever- he woul*d have reDaired  to'the sanctuary  to bewail his
  1astin.g: &$&ation and to *deprive it of every excuse in sins and the sins of his people before'the  face-uf God
  the&day ofi ftidgment. The plagues and blessings of the iinstead  ,of setting out for Moab in search of bread?
  law. were visited upon the `Old Testameait church and ,Had- he -been spiritual, his great `,concern ,would have
  belong to the dispensation of shadows. The plagues been not wherje -his next meal was to oome from but the
  were sent ti `order that thg trde Israel, might- repent,. plight  oi  the  churoh.   `.For  verily;  the  ,curse  of -God..
  whi,ch *it did by -God's mercy' while `the others were again stalked  th,e  larid. And  util!l&ss  Israel repent,  it,:-
  hardened- thr;ough -their sinful reactions to both: the #would be consumed. B,ut that seemed not to disturb him. 7
  pl&ues. and. the blessings. Both the plagues an,d the He was too ,o@cupied in his thoughts with-his life, what
  Wessings of the law  belon.ged in the: category of he  sholuld eat, and what he should  ,dritik, and what
  miracles. Finally, as was.s&id,  the plagues. of God as. he should wear. Rather than remain under the rod of.
  visited upon. Israel were undoubted indications. that God in contrition of heart, as coinlfessing  that he, too,
  Israel again had departed from the Lord, but not so deserved God's strokes, and as urging his brethren to
I the plagues that God: visits on. the world. For there         repent  in order that God  might be  seared  &d the
  .are-no idepartures.  aed returns on the. part of the world plague. be lifted, he.chose to, eat his bread- to the full
  w:ith respect to. God. The world departed from God with the cursed heathen. He may also have reasoned
  -once and for all, when, in Adam, it disolbeyed the com- ,by himself that God could be -found and served there in-
mand of. God.                                   D               the ltied of Noah as wel.1  as in Canaan. But therein hii
     In. the light of. the above observations, we per,ceive was mistaken. For in that day-it  was the  dispensa-
  .the.sitiulness of  Elimlelech's  doing. The  LoEd's hand ti,on of shadows-God  odi.dd be  found only. in the
  was-upon His people in -that it. again had forsaken Him.      Holiest Placre of the earthy tabernacle that stood in
That was the undoubted. testimony  ,o!f the  rioting% of Shiloh. There atonement `was made for sin by  +he,
  tkat fatnin~le iK Canaan.; IThere %ere two ways. ont. of mjnister  of Jehovah, the-priest.- There at God's altar
  Israel's present  troublle&the   .way of repentance or that  stead in the  loutey' court of, the tabernacle the-
  the wlay. of' pernova  to Moab or to! some other. heathen people of Israel fellowshipped  with Jehovah. The law
  land :where the plague did nqt riot. The way of removal sopbade  the duplication of `this- service in any other
  to IVIoah was Me forbidsden way,. not solely by reabon        p&e and especially in  heath&n   land% From  th,is
  of;the fact that. the Moabites .were.  heathen but because service  Elimelech separated himself.          And  ai this
  Israel must. repent arid-must  will'to be freed. from the service :might not be duplicated in Moab,-  he lacked the
  plague.only  in the way of repentance. And God's dieal- instrument for the expression of his f&h in that coun-
  ing. with His peopleTin  the ages of the past testified that, try. He could nbt, institute public worship of Jehovah
  relief:from-his  plagues always. ditd. Come in the `way of ila- that- land. What he did is equivalent to the d,oing
  repen@nce )on the, part of Israel, and that the Lord- .of a Christian who, in order- to improve his. condition
  therefore coul,d be (counted. on.to  senldbrain in its sea&n of life, removesto a community so far removed from
  now,. t,oo, if Israeli sought &ter God. Yet Elimelech. an.y ,chu& t6at. it- iS impossible $or him. to attend pub-


                                   T H E   STA,NDARR.D.   B E A R E R                                            1%
                                                             .                          i                                *
lit worship and. partake of t,he-Lorid's Stipper.  . . J&t if ,celebrating  Christmas in St. Peter's. While he knelt-
this  ,family group. thought  that  t@ey  had  ,done well, in prayer.before the altar, the p.ope,`Leo  III- (795-81.6)'
they were.soon  made to. nealizeethat they.:ha,d- deceived, placed a golden crown upo!n his headj and the Rorhan-.
themselves. The Lord- laid .His-hand. upon them alsd. populace, as. the `witness- of the scene,' yhoutedj "To
there in Moab; First Elimelech died; and -Naomi was - Charles- Augustus, crowned by God, the great emperor -
left with her two sons. :Blut they failed to discern.the     of the Remans; life aed victory." Hencefor-th.  Charles
significance of that stroke. So the LOFT ag&in spokei        was called emperor anId Augustus. A,nd with reason.
&r&the two sons died, after having taken theq wives- As a result of his fifty three military campaigns-he`
of--the women-of -Moab afteti `a prolonged  residence, of. was a warrior -of great abilibyLthe-kingdom of France
ten years in that `land. Naomi was ;now alope withoat        by this time had expanded iato,,a Igreat  en@re, includ-
ojffspring. Bat she -had Ruth:             `G. M. 0. ..      ing  France, Germany, Hungary, the  lgreat,er  ,pa&  o$.
                                                             Itay and Spain. Charles was no,w the,zruler of a Ido-
                                                             m&n, which extended- from the- Baltic to the Elbe -in
                                                             the North to the Ebro, in the South and  .from-  the.
        -`I&ROUGH- THE AGES                                  British Cha&el. to Rome; But Charles zmust und&-
                                                             stand that the *kingdoms  of the earth were not his,for.
                                                             the, mere taking; So  th"e pope  Icrowned him. Thus
The Papacy. and Charles 
                 .                        the Great the papacy; now- in the person of Leo- III, -again de-
                                                             clared, -not ,of course ,by the spoken or written word,
   As we sa.w, Leo I and, his-successors~  down to Pop& ,but  `.by -that act of- crowning; that it lay within its
Zacharias (741-752)  had limited.th+r  ambition to the. po';v'er. to give and `wit.hhold kingdoms and- to appoint'
extensionof key power .over the whole ChrisJian church. and depose its -kin.gs 2nd that, such bei-ng. its- powerj
But in the person of Fope Zacharias, t.he papscy made.- it now took away from the--Eastern emperor, who, ,sat'
a begin&-$ of applropriating thte magisterial  polwer as in Constantinople;. the crown  and.  ;b;estowed  it  on:
well. We saw how- it,lg& its start in this. The- Lom-        Charles. But what the popie, when hecrowned.Charles,
bards were- threatening. R,ome. By sanctioning his.. actually. did was to fdecla-re his independence against
contemplated . ..usurpa$fpn  and- by .fa&astie .prQmisesi. the-Ea&ern  emperor-to-whom heywas sutbject,  sanction-
the- pope-induo&  Pepin of France~to cpme- t,o his aid.      Charles' conquests, anid pass, with the papal dominions,
Pepin marched intG-Italy,  def,eated the -Lombards,  and     under  his.  jurisdi,ction  and -protection. So Charles
.gave all ,the conquered- territory to -the- pope who by     interpreted the act.. Actualy the pope. now was a sub,-
th#is gift was now also -a temporal ru)er .of a- large part ject and the vassal of the ,mighty Charles ; but in -his
,of Italy. Besides; ihe.pope,  as we saw, anoinited-Pepin    own mind he stood. out as Charles temporal Lord,: &
king, and, thereby exercised magisterial piow.er-sceptre the- magisterial- head over all- things ti Charlets `empire
an~d sword power-in th@,world at large, as -the sover-       and thus not only as the .legal. superior of the king-in
&gn lord of' e&y Oworldly kingdom, vest& Mi,ith.  the the capacity of his. pastor. Rightly  consideredj  even-
right to. appoint and depose its .kings. The anointing t.he latter was not true. F,or, though Charles beloiaged                    .
`0.f Pepin, by the .pope- took.  place in 752 and again in to- the Christian Church, he .was not a meniber oP the             -
754.                                                         local- congregation in Rome.. What: is more, in his own
   Zaoharias  had set a  preoedent;  His act served, as mind.. :Charles &ood  out as the temporal Lord of the-
an- example to authorize and justify subseq.&Yilt  acts, pope-this indeed,he  was-and besides as the spiritual
of the same kind as ,done by his successors. The:Lom- head over all things b the church, :Thus bdth Charles-
lb&s, though twice- defeat.id  `by Pepin, were again iln and the pope laid claim to supreme headship over, the-
r@bel.lion. Pop& Hadrian., (772-795)) following the- ex-. churoh and over the state. Each- claimed for himsel-f
`ample-of his predecessors  in, the papal throne- (Zach-- the- key and the magisterial. power. What oonstantly . .
arias and Stephen. III), appealed for aid to the- man+ must be borne i.n mind is, that, church aild state were
arch of France, Char`les,  surnamed `The.,Great, the son conceived of as forming- two sides to a Christian corn-
and.successor,`of   Pepin; ,Charles,  too, allowed  ,him&elf' Imcmwealth-the.   commonwealth  of Christ. on  lea&h;
to; be. entreated. ,Cros&iln&  the  Alps,~ he  subdued the The pope laid-,claim to key and magist$rial power in this
whole-.of Italy, both Northern an& Southern. Northern, commonwealth or kingdom and Charles  (did likewise.
Italy-the  iImmediate  territory of  the.  Lombards-he' But at- this time it was not the pope but the empeu'or
annexed to his crown,  while the-papal  domini,ons in who managed to make good his claims ; for Charles was'
Southern Italy, already .donlated  by Pepinj he -restored- a mighty man and a groat benefactor of the pope. The
to. the pope.- Seven years later, 781, Charles- was in. pope :knew  btitter than to interfere with Charles' .d.oings
Rsome  ,with his- son  Pepin,  (On that visit, the  pbpe and-to- challenge .his cairns. As unresisted by the pop.e;
anoinitied  the latter  "Enlg of Italy" u,nder Charles.      Charlei made  h-imself master of the church-. He
Nineteen. years thereaftieq  Charles again. was in Rome,, summoned~  the. synods of his -empire without  `co,n:


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suiting the pope, and appomted.  .bishops-  and abbots. Saxons,  reentlessly.  With their fair fields  Idevastated
He  to.ok  action against thGse  w&o attempted to, de- by fire -and sword, and their independence -crushed ;
pose. the, pope, acting as sole judge in their case with-five thousand of their number beheaded in cold
and  .condemning  them to  dfeath for treason. He pre- .blood  in ,one day; the-pr.oud savages surrendered,`&y
sided in the Council  oi Frankfort (794) and in his to see 10,000 of their `families removed from their
name all its canons  ailid statutes  were- issuel. He homes on the  E.lbe to  dil-kerent sections of Germany  -.
ass&led  to missionaries their fields of labor. among and France to prevent a future revolt.                Moreover,
the. conquered .barbarian races,. using, Christianity they could choose betwee.n  being baptized and being
merely as a means f,or subjecting them to the Fran'k- put  to. death.  So  were the Saxons converted by the
.ish- yoke. Be restored free church election  - elec- force of arms.
tion of the bishops by. the communities anA the clergy          But .Charles  was one of the world's great. Many
instead of` by the lay princes  _ but reserved for glorious thinigs have been said of him ; for the ,world
himself the right of  &nfirmation. By a  council.  of knows how to- boast i:a its heroes. He has been eulo-.
Nayence in 813 he was called in an ,official Id80cument, gized as "the lin,k between thie old and the new,?' who
"the pious ruler of the holy &urch";` Only twice did        "revived the empire of the West, with a `degree of
the ,pope  cross him. ICharles was an opp.oaent of `image glory that it had only enjoyed in its prime," and with
wurship. He presented his refutation of its expone&s        whom "the modern history of every continental nation .
to. the pope, who. let him know that he- :did not agree was made to begin." He is praised "as one of Germany's
with'him on the subject. Had he wanted, the spiritual m,ost illustrious sons ;" as the "noblest king of France ;
`father of the church could have been most severe with Italy's ohosen  emperor; and the most prodigal, b,ene-
this sheep. For there Lwas. much to Friticize  in Charles. factor and worthy saint .of the church." .Set before us
For one thing, he lived in total >disregard  of the sanc- is he as the one to whose hand "all the institutions of
tity of the marriage vow. Like a Mohammedan Caliph, the Middle Ages-political,, literary, scientific, and  ;
he married wives-several of them-and divorced them ecclesiastical - delighted to trace their traditionary
as convenience Idictated.  He put away his first wife, origin, -and who. was considered th source of the peer-
an obscure person, and marriled a daughter of the kinlg age, the inspirer #of chivalry, the lfounder  of universi-
of the Lombards. Polpe Stephen- III; it is true, raise,d    tiles,  a&l the  endower  of  churces; and the genius of
his yoice in violent protest, not against the divorce but romance, kindling its  fantastic'tor~hes at the flame
from .opposition  to a marriage with the ,daughter of a     of his deeds, lighted up a new and- marvelous' <world
race; of men-the.  L.om,bards17whom  the  pope;  in his about him, filled with wonderful adventures and heroic
great carnal wrath, had consi,gned, to :the everlasting forms." Let it.  so  be.          But, though Charles was
fires of hell. The Lombards, as was,said,  were per- canonized a saint, and ,despite  his. relilgiosity,  `he was .'
petually threatening the "Estates of thechurcih".  That far from being a saint. But he was religious; very.
second marriage,  too, was of short duration.         The He worshipped in the church with unbroken regularity,
union for'some  unknowln  reason was disannulled at the "going mornjintg and -evening, even after nightfall, be-
end of a year, and Charles married Hildegard of sides attending mass." But he was not a firm believer
Swabian origin, who bore him  .thre.e  sons and five in Christianity, .if by this statement, is meant that he
,daughters. His third wife died by him as did .also his `was. a tr.ue Christian. The ki.nd of private life that he
fourth wife,  Fast.rade,   a. woman of German origin. led, the impulses u.nder  which he acted, the ambition;
After the, death of the latter, he had three concubines.. that. stirred in his bosom, and the indifference to the
one. of whom bore him two daughters. He forbade ,means  which his ambition prescribied,  .are inconsistent
his daughters, -who were. very handsome women, to with .grace. AnId no evidence can be produced to show
marry any men, for he wanted no son-&laws to parti- that he ever repented. If the tree is known by its
tion among them his empire after his decease. Rather fruit, and it is, then Charles belongs in the &&gory of '
than have his Idaughters  contract honor&ble  marriages,    the great but violent men of the earth and of history,
he Iencouraged,  them in imnmral habits. So ,determined     such as, Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus of ancient days,
was he that'his vast empire should go.to his own sons. and, coming closer to our..  Christian era, of Alexander
The Eastern .Empress- Irene, aspiriulg to the throne as the Great.. But Charles was no pagan, as were they.
occupied by her. son, Constantine .yI, put out` his eyes;, The. setting of -his life was Christian. He iyas born
inflicting wounds so severe that he died.; but .this did and reared in the church, and al.1 his words a.nd deeds
n50t,,deter  Charles from  promposing  to unite  the- two were colored  by its teaching and took on a Christian
empires-Eastern and Western-by marrying her. As ,dress. He did not truly love the church, as, he [did not
a warrior, he was as fierce and ~co,nscienceless as .he truly love Christ. To him the Roman hierarchy `with
was able. Hle had a. consuming passion for conquest its extensive missionary program and sympathy for
and sacrificed thousands of human .bei,ngs to that am- intellectual  qxcelence was a great christiamizin~g .and
bi@m.    FQ~  \thirty  years he waged.  war against  .the, .ci61izinSg  jnstibution,   that he thought  Fe could use to
                                                                                           -'


                                     -TdE~S'rANDAkD                        k-Eat&&              '_                             i2i
 advance his aims and attain his purposes. Like most tary force, Charles compelled the half converted hea-
any,worl,dly  and unprincipled man, he hated barbarians then to accept  the pope as their spiritual prince.
* and thle uncouthness and `ignorance that charatiterizes         Charles lavished upon the pope great and costly gifts
"s&age races of men,  lG;ed  learildn~g  and  Culture,   cul- and. filled- the treasury. of his church-the churich  ,of
tured society,.  zgood breeding  a&d courtly manners. St. Peter in Rome-with gold `and silver and pretiious
 .Hence, his zeal for education ; his gathering around him ~ stones. And so the pope loved Charles too. He was
 divines, scholars, poets, and historians ; his founding wise not to censure. Charles-wise with a wisdom that,
 schools and. his visiting  them*.in person ; his'attempt to      in the words of James, "descendeth not `from, above,
 learn the-art of ,writing even -at' ant advanced age. But but is earthly, natural, devilish. That was a precious
 his heart was in God's hands as are the hearts of all `friiendship between Charles and the pope ; but it par-
 kings. He was a servant of the Lord in the  .sen.se took of the character of the friendship;between Pilate
 that Cyrus and Al;exanld,er  were servants of' the Lord, and' Herod.          It was the friendship of the world and
and in all his doing he was  inbluded in God's  coarisel. therefore at bottom-enmity. against the Christ of God.                      _,
This cannot be emphasized too often. Him, too, God                                                    .-         _ G. M. 0.
 gavle a charge to subdue and tame by. fire and sword                                                                    -
 those savage Teutonic races on `the continant `and to "
   `
    .
 unite them under his temporal~sceptre  in close unioa                    S I O N 'S   ZAN%E,-N  ..
~  with" the tihurqh:    For God had' much people am,ong
those savage .men in their generations, who must be
 saved thr.ough the Igospelel; 1However,  `Charles meant it                                                      `
                                                                                                                  _
 not so, that is, in sublduing those races, he was not r,o:il-       `,'  .   D e   -Verbmds.psaBm
                                                                                                                 `. ;
 strained by the love of  God  .to do his `will-judging
 now the tree by the .fruit-but it was in his heart to                                  ( P s a l m .   8 9 )
 build by fire and sword a .mighty empire. as a niomu-               Hier hebben `we een T.-tan de lievelingspsalmeal  van
 ment to his genius that he might be feared. and praised,         Gods volk. Wie zal `zeggen hoeveie stervenden van !d,at
 to found a great kingdom of peace and earthy pros- vol#k hem  gezongen hebben, ook  wanneer hun oogen
 perity, formed of men. living together.:in  peaqand  law. braken en  bun  bet  doods$weet   nitbrak?.,:   Velen,-   zeer
 abiding in fear of his.. sword and `of th:e thunderings velen,  $ieb:ben  bij het stervsr gevraagd, met .bevendbe
 of the pope, but preferably as rendered submissive and lippen, Och, zing mij den negen-en-tachtiger !
 harmless by the influences of the- religion of Christ.              Wie de dichter is kan niet met zqkerhei.d  gekonsta-
 But Charles was against Christ. He belongs to that. teerd. Hij is Ethan den Ezrahiet. Doch welke Ethan?
 power-that  anti-Christian   power-altiays operative Er zijn er meer .dan een. Als de smart die bezonlgen
 in the world and that, at the end elf time, ,will become .wordt in de verzen 39-46 ld,e smart.is geweest vati den
 flesh and  blo-od  ~.in that "man of  &"-the   anti-             inval van Sisak, Koning van E,gypte, ,dan is- het een
  Christ.        '                                                vian  .die  .bijzonder wijze  mannen  gewe&st waarvan I
         As to the pope,.  though aware certainly of Charles' Kon. 4 :31 meldi;nlg maakt.                   -
 publi,c, and private gross  S&X, he kept silence as a               Evenwel, wie hem dichtte'is niet `van het grootste
 matter of papal policy. This can be explained. Charles ibelantg.  -Noch  oak bij welke gelegenheid. Vele van
 loved the pope. When the -pope died, Charles shed ,die bijzonderheden heeft de Heere voor ons verborgen.
 copious tears, for he felt that he had lost his greatest We  `weten zelfs  ni,et wie.  sommige  Bijbelboeken ge-
 `and best friend. And so he had, seeing that the pope schreven  heeft.
 -had obhgingly crowned him august-us anrd t.hereby im-           .1 Van  grooter  belang is de inhoud van den psalm. ,
 measureably'increased  his influence and prestige. The. IHet is een boodschap  aan$ de Kerk  aller eeuwen. In
 suibjects in his vast domaiq  as a result .of that act of den psalm wordt bezongen de groote bo::ltdstrouw  van
 crow5ning,  stood in awe of him, thinking him to be the J e h o v a h .   .
 Lord's anointed, like .Davildj king .of Israel and thus             `k Zal leeuwig zingen van Gods goedertierenheen !
 StG0.d   in awe also of his achievements on the battle-             Wat een verheven inzet!
 field in:his wars with the heathen. Men said, that he               En ook het einde is grootsch, verheven, wonder-
 had fought a holy warfare and they praised Charles' baarlijk. Want  ho,@wel  uit. den psalm blijkt, dat  -hij
 zeal. As to the pope, he prized Charles' love of him.            gedicht is ~ten tijde van een groote ramp, zoo is het
 He concluded that he must not,. by oensuring  Charles' einde   en  bet begin van den psalm de lof des Heeren.
 wickedness, dampen the ardour.  of Ithat !ove.         That Vanuit een aeker oogpunt  bezien,  staat Gods  volk in
 might prove costly. For Charles' love  of  th.e pope `de-te.euwigheid te zingen, a's is bet. d.an oak, dat zij in
 payed  large  divildends.. Charles had restored  $0  the $$roote~benauwdhe~id  zijn. Vanuit dat zekere oogpunt
 pope the `(states of the church". ,Charles  was a shield is het waar wat de Heilige. Geest ons' op de'lippen legt : '
of defense to the pope-against the Lombards. .By mili- In de grootste smarten blijven onze  harten  irnl den


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  `136          '                           -I'H~E  ST7AN.DAR.D   BE&RER

  Heer gerust!  Onverklaarbaar  voor het vleesch, de wc$t. Daarom zijn er vormen van dit woord,  dewelke
 : aarde,  d!en  mensch  der zonde. De, wereld zal nooit nich&xt en pilaur betsekenen.
  begrijpen hoe Paulus in1 een' danker  kerkerhol  psalmen             Zoo zal het d.uideiijk  ,zijn, dat de dichter nog.steeds
kan  zingen. Ook niet, hoe een  stervqd  meilsch met denkt  aan Gods groote goedertierenheid. Hij ziet de
breekende  stem   zingen  &an: `k Zal eeuwig  rqipgen van deugd Gods, waarin Hij Zijn vok van eeuwigheii3  tot
  Gods goedertierenheen !                                           in eeuwigheid in Zijn armen draagt. "Veilig in Jeius'
           . . Deze eerst,e  galm van het lied beiteekent, ni&, dat armen"  -zi.ngea.  we; en terecht. Dat versje moogt  age
  ,wij  Idit  liled  sullen  be>ginneil. in de  eetiwigheid.  Neen, `late; steunen op deze clausule. Dat is dan oak de reden,
 ,maar we beginnen dat .lied der eeuwen  ,eeuwigheid  hier dat de Engelsche vertalers bier: het tioord "getrouw-
  op aarde. 0 ja, we stemmen  het toe, onze stem breekt heid"  schreven. Dat is dan ook eeh betel-e  vertaling
  vaa.k-onder  `t zingen, maar we zingen tech. We stem- dan in onze  .Hollandsche   Bijbel. Ik denk,  d&f; ge het
  men U ook toe, dat er veel  hapert  aan  die  maat, de zult zien, als ge luistert naar het volgende  vers. "Want,
  rhytmus, de klanken en accoorden. Er komt we1 eens ik heb gezegd:  Uwe  go,edei-tierenheid  zal  ,eeuwiglijk
  eea  valsche Blank doorheen.  D&h  we beginnen het geb0,uw.d  worden   ; in de hemelen  zlelve hebt Gij Uwe
  nieu.we  lied hier. Als we straks  boveln; zijn, zullen we waarheid bevestigd  !" Ziet ge niet, dat de idee die in
  het.lelkan.der  zeggen, neen, toezinlgen : Alle deze klanken het woo+ ligt, zooals .boven aangegeven, bier verder
  en melod-i& klinken -mij bekend in de- ooreD1.           Geen uitgewerkt w'ordt? Gods waarheid is hirer,  Zijn eeuwige
  wonder]:wa&  ge hebt ze alle-.op  aarde gezdngen.                 trotiw ten ,overstaan  `van Zijn Gezalfdbe  en in He@, Zijn
   `-, W& ' e-q .grootscli,  overwelidigend  thema  ! Zingen volk.  Mooi hebt  ge dat in den  berijmden psalm: Ik
  gaan we en doen we tiu al; van de goedertilerenheden              weet, hde `t vast gebouw  van Uwe gunstbewijzeq  naar
  des .H:eeren.                                                     Uw gemaakt bestek,  in. eeuwigheid zal rijzen! Zoo
      De goedertierenheid des  Heeulen  is, die goedheid min de hemel ooit uit zijnen stand zal wij,ken, zoo min
  Golds, waardpor alles in Hem dringt, stuwt, en zucll$ zal Uwe trouw ooit wankelen &f b,ezwijken! ,De hoofd-
om Zijn volk te zegenen,  om  heill het  tilleen  rgoede  te idee is de trouw Gods.
  geven.       Een `flauw  beel,d  ervan  v&dt, ge  ,op  aard'e.       En wat zullen WE daar van zeggen?
  A&  Ige iemand heel veel  liefhebt,  wilt ge alles  aan              Doch het behoeft niet. God zal Zelf spreken.
  hem. :of haar kwijt. Dan heerscht er `een1artstocht tien             Luistert maar : "Ik heb een. vevbond gemaakt met
  .goede Poor het vo,orwey;P Uwer liefde in Uw hart. Hle% Mijlnen Uitverkorene, Ik heb Mijnen Knecht  ~~cavid
  oorspronkelijke vati di;? `trek is in God, zooals `in alle geziworen :  I,k  .zal Uw  zaad tot  $s  eeuwighteid  beves-
  deugd.       God's hart is  "~01 van hartstocht teh goede tigen, en Uw!en +roon opbouwen van gesla~cht.  tot Fe-
  Soor.  Zijn  volk:  Dat-heeft  Hij beweien. Hij heeft s l a c h t .   S e l a . "
  z&Ifs Z-ij, eeniggeboren Zoon ninliiet  gespaard,. do& heeft         In deze woorden Gods  he& ge Zijn  goedertieren-
  H:em voor ons allen overgegeven. Wilt ge een kom&en- heid, en eeutige trouw.
  t,aar op ,dezen eersten  klank, dan moet- ge .vla8 voor het          Let eerst op het enkelvoud. Hlet gaat allere'erst  om
  ,kruis gaan staan. Daar hebt ge Ide openbarinlg  van de Gods uitv&Fkorene.  Dat is enkelvoud. .I Het gaat om
  Igoedertienenheid  Gods. `k Zal eeuwig zingen, zegt ge.           "David", Gods knecht. En tweedens, o-m. Zijri zaad.
  Het is wel. Doch dat eeuwilg  gezang wordt aan Uwen En dat zijt .;gij, lever.
  keel  ,ontlokt,   o.mdat ge daar  irnl het  midden  van. den         Wie is echter die uitverkorenle,   [die David?
  troon een klein lam ziet sta&, staande als. geslacht.                Historisch in den psalm is het ko&ng David die
 `.Als dat geslachte Lad getoond  wordt,  dan werpen die eenige  jaren geregeerd als koning over Israel. Daarto!e
  ouderlingen hunne kron& voor Gold neer. Ze hebben was hij uitverkoren,. oo,k uit bet -volk verhoogd. En
  gezilq  2dat in dat Lam God Zijn  Eigen hart gaf. Zei zijn naam is -David! da* is, Geliefde!
ik zooevep  niet, dat de  goedertieren,heid-  de  ,deugd  is,.         Die David heeft Gods  gbedertierenlheid  en  troroew
  `waardoor ge alles aan het voollwerp wilt schenken?               rijkelijks ervaren. Hij was die man naar Gods hart.
      Als Gods volk daaraan denkt, aan die goedertieren-            God hield zeer veel van hem. Hij  oniderkerp al  zijn
  hei&, dan hooren .we ,&en zachtkens zingen : 0 God ! vijandelz  onder  Fijne voeten  en voor veertig  jaren
  Stel Uw vriendelijk hart eeuwig voor ons open !                   mocht hij over Gods bondsvolk  regeeren.  Zijn troon
      Ik  zal Uwen  waarheld met  mijnen mond  ,bekend              werd  .bestendigd  en zijn  kouinkrijk  ..werd  bevestiga.
  maken van geslacht  kot  Igeslecht.   -Dat is de tweede Zijn zaad zou tot in eeuwigheid op den trbon zitten,
s t a n z a .                                                       dloor  ,God  besteridigd  zijnde.
     De waarheid is eigenli jkhetzelfde  bier als die goeder-          En hier komen we in  -moeilijkheid.  Dat  zal later
 .tierenheid.   iHet is de  goeidertierenheid  Gods uit  -een ,ook in da! psalm blijken, d.w.z., van v&s 39-46.
  zeker   `oogpunt.     Het woord, dat bier vertaald wordt             Het bloote, historische feit is, dat Davids zaad niet
  door wcumheid beteekent in zijn `wortel : ondersttit$ed,          op den  t,roon  bevestigd is  geworden.      Waar is het
  ,ondersteun.en, zoo&Is,  ,b.V,, een me&h zijn -kind in de *$oodsche  volk  TLU-? En  zelfs  vlak na  .den  dood van
armen  ,draagt,  of ook;  .zooals een gebouw onderstut David (en David's zoon Salomo, zien w,e een scheuring


                                    I    =  .,  TH.E  S T A N D A R D   BEARER                                   -,'                                137.
                                                                                                                                                       ;.
      in het rijk. Later zien w.6 zijti zpnen naar Babel.gaan..                geborene uit, de dooden. Van uit dim kuil hebben we
      En eenige honderden jaren later zijn er nolg een arme Hem,  haoren  schreetiwen,   brullen,  klagen.  En, God
      timmerman   en  -een  qne  maagd. En  IHerodus,  dat hooade. En God  @ok Hem  op:                                            _.
 beest, zit op den troon, terwijl Romeine:lu  spotten en                           En, o eeuwig wonder! Achier Hem  aan komen
      razen in h&t land van I&ael.                                             allen die v'an Jezus Christus zijn. 3k zag welhaast' een
          Om de moeilijkheid 6p te lossen,  ..moeten  we weer groote schaar. Ze verdringen.  zi.ch om' `t offer altaar.
      terug  naap den naam. David is de  ,Geliefde,  de  uit- En ze  begomxen  vroolijk te zijn.  .-                                           -.
      verkorenle.  Welnu, dat is Jezus. Dat i.s de Zoon.Gods.                      Ga nu naar den psalm terug.' `.                       -
. Dat is de uitvevkorene Gods. Hij is de Eerstgeborene                            "Ik  zal Uw zaad tot' in  eeuwigheid  bevestigen,  en
      aller kreaturen. Hij is. degene die onder en temiddeill Uwen troon ,opbouwen  van geslacht tot geslacht!" Zet
      van  alle  s&ipselen de  voqrrang heeft. Hoe  meer ik er gerust Sela alchter. "HiFr wordt de rust geschon-
      Gods Woord bestudeer, hoe meer ik zie,, dat het alles ken!"                              -
      om Jezus -Christus`~gtit. qok iii het vexbond.                              Wie zou niet juichen bij bet hooren van zulk een
         Ziet ge, Gold. wil .Zich tot. in alle eeuwigheid ver- heil ?
      heerlijken.    Ook in  schepping  en herschepping,  --4n                    Wel, dk hemelen  doen het.
      mefischen en engellen, $11 aarde en hem& in het gan,sche                     "De  hemel  looft; o Heer, Uw  won8erea dag en
      heelal. Hij wil,  dat  tot  rn  alla  eeljwigheid   sn'groote            nacht  !"  _                                 .Y                .:
      massa  v,olk  ~voor Zijn  .troon  zal  staan om het Hem                      Ik den,k, dat de hemel hier de Engelen Gods b&luidt.
      eebwig  toe t6 zingen, dat Hij goed etilieflijk, heerlijk Ja, die Enigelen jtiichen om h&t heil, dat geopenbaard
      en trouy is; God weet, dat Hij dat dles is, doch H,ij                    is -in David, Gods teeder Ibemindien Zoon. In&%- de -
 -wil, dat wij dat weten.- En om te weten te komen,  dat mor,gensterren  juichten bij -bet zien vac,~Gods  wo,ndere
      Hij zoo (goed,  zoo lieflijk is, heeft Hij-lbij Zichzelven werken in den vroegen mongen van de' gesciiedenis der
      vooygenomen,  pm die schar.e  uit de cxpderite  km1 op te aarde, hoe  :zulllen ze dan  @ichen bij  bet  iiem  van%&
 halen, vanuit `den eeuwlgen dood tot in het eeuwige vdllere,  heerlijker  openbaring  van Zijn  goedertieren-
 *even. Da!n zullen ze straks Hem lofzingen en z:eggen heid Jezus !
      met Paulus, do& dai-zingend@:  Die ons `uit zoo graotien                   `We zijYn bet niet.vergeten, dat de Engelenmafgegeeid
      dood  .verlost  heeft !  s                       .           ;.          werdeh  &p die? .korst  van vreeselijke verstijving des
 ,:. -: :Va~u,it-,een.wa~h~~igej:vaniuit"-een totyjve&vijfel-ing -eeuwigen   doods;   Er.  waren  be&den  van  Enlgelen  qp .                                -
. .brengende  ellende des eeutiigen  doolds komt Gods David. dB qrke des Perbomds. En-zij-staarden- op het Bleed,
 ~,en dat is Zijn  volk,  ,.tot in een  l;eerlijl&eid'die  geen` het Bloed! . O,ok herinneren wij ons hoe vanaf onze
 ,oog  gezien heeft. Ze  zullen het nooit  vergeten om prilste, jeugd ;wij gehoord hebben vaq het hemelsche
 IHem hun helper te heeten.                                 _ .                gezang  der Engelen  Gqds in Efratha's velden.  _ De .
 .        En nu meet het goed blijlken, Idat God dat alles doet. hemel   looft,  0 Heer. . . . ,O ja, de hemel  loofde ,&en
      Vervloekt zij den pelagiaaml. . .                                        Jezus geborea  werd. En de van'lof  zingende hemel is
          Daarom heeft Hij  _ dat  ongekuide heil  beschoren                   naar de aarde gekomen  om bet. den menschen te toone
      bij leen Held Gods. En die held is Jezus. David v'indt te dOen beiluisteren. En er `waren heflders in het ,veld,
      dan 6ok zijn vervulling in Jezus.                                        de-wacht houdende bij de schapen. En er  omscheen
         .Als straks ,dat door ,God geschapen volk in Adam hen  eeii  hemelseh   licht en zij  zijn zeer bevreesd  ge-
 van Hem afvalt en den rduivel toevalt en waardig wordt word&. En toenl .zalgen zij in het midden van .,a1 dat
 om tot in alle  eeu!witgheid  verworpcn  te  tiorden,   d:an hemelsch ai&t een gestalte, een schoone  gestalte van
 komt Gods waarheid, otnlde&tittende  :en ondersteunende een hemelsche Engel Gods. En zij hebben, geluisterd,
 trouw tot openbaring. Dan ggan we .in den.tijd zien, o, zij  h4bben  geldisterd.  Ze  hebbed  dien, tongval des
,dat  God  zoo lieflijk is, zoo  wonderlijk  goedertieren,                     hemeli  beluisterrd: En  toen hebben zij  -vele  Hnlgelen
 ldat Hij alle. me zondle en stihuld en vloek en verdoeme-                     Gods gezien in de lucht rondom hen. De hemel looft,
 nis en dood op. dezen David lasidt.,                                          o  IHeer,  Uw  wond'eren   dag en  nacht! Wel, het was,  -
         Ziet ge het nu?                   `_     -                            navcht  in  .en  random Bethlehem. En de  hemel  loofde`
         David, ,dat is, Jezus van Nazareth, de Uitverkorene het centraie Wonder op aarde. En de herders hebben
      Gods,,.als bet Lam Gods met de zonde van Zijn w.er;el,d het gehoord.  En wij hebben er van vernomen. Ik mag
      bcladien, ligt in den ondersten kuil, iti agroote  vervaar-              zelfs zeggen, dat een klein beetje van dien hemelschen
 nissen. Een korst van ijskoulde `en ver&ollende  vorst lof in  onze.  harten woont.
 heeft  zich gesloten boven Zijri  arme: hoofd. En wij                         '  Daar Uw  geheili(gd  volk van- Uwe trouw mag  zin-
 me$ Hem. ,Weet gij niet, dat zoo+el,erl.  ,gij in Christus igen !
Tgedoopt  zijt, gij in Zijn dpod gedoopt zijt?                                    De gemeente der heiligen is  vu1 van de- getrouwheid
         both wij zingen psalm 89.                                             Gods.                _
         God is lgoedertieren  en waar en wonderlijk-g+ouw.                       Daarom is het begin, bet &idden-en  b.& e&de  de lof
         ,Gud roept en vmuit den kuil komt  Jezus, de Eerst-
                                                                         _-    de+s  heer&,  Tartend  roepen wij  het den duivel, de


                              .'

138                                 ,      T H E   .S;TANDARD  B E A R E R

w,ereld  en het vleesch toe : Wie is, wie mag in hen hemel            of God, the  elect body of  .Christ. Aware of the  dis-
tegen den Heere geschat  worden?                   -                  tincti,on which exists beit;ween  a building and its Eounda-
       De echo's herhaien het tot- in al'le eeuwigheid.               tion, they opinie that the building refers to the church
 En  ,d,e  duivelen  h e b b e n   ageen  antwbond..                  of God as glorified in heaven and that the f,oundation
       Satan is verwrongen in eeuwige smarten, want in this text refers to the chLirch of God upon earth.
hij -zette zich tegen David, den Geliefde Gods.                       This conception, it is alleged, is supported by the con-
       Eln de -wer:eld hee.f% ,geen echo. Die wereld zal stom text. Hymenaeus and Phi-etus, .we read, ove&hrow the
zijn tot in eeuwigheid.                                               faih of some. Nevertheless, according tp the.apostle,
       En mijn zonde heeft g&en an&oord meer. O-mijn                  faith is overthrown,  departed  fromcus because  ihey.,
God, ge  hekbt alle die zonden weggeworpen, ze  zijln never were of us ; God's church stands. forever. This
achter  igebleven, daar onder  idien vreeselijken korst presentaitionc, however, is-  erroneo.us.  Firsty,  we are
en verstolling des eeuwigeti  dood,s van Jezus! De roode not aware of `any passage in Holy Writ w:here the word
zonde werd wit als wol. . De karmozij!nl  als sneeuw.                 "%oundation" ever refers to believers-see Matt. 7 :24- I
       Geen an'cwoord?~  Geen echo's?                                 27, Eph. 2 :20-2.2, 1 Cor. 3 :11,12. S-ecoadly,  this con-
       Ja, de vie'? dieren en de vier-en-twintig ouderliinlgen        ception is also, in error as far as its refereilce  to the
jubelleli  bun amen, amen, na !                                       building is  ,concerned.  The church on earth and the
    Hoe  goed,  hoe lieflijk zijt Ge, alom! o Heere!                  church in heaven are not two but one. And bhlis entire
                                                        .` G. V.      church of  ,God is built upon the  l&d Jesds Christ.
                                                                      Besides, a foundation and its building are never iden-
                                                                      tical-they are rendered identical in this presenta-
              FRQM'. HQEY WRIT                                        t i o n .
                                                                           Th,e building implied by- the apostle in this text
                                                                      d:oes  refer to the church of  Go& First of all, the
             2 Tim.  2:19:-"NevertIieh3ss the  foundatiloa  of God    g,en'eral  teaching of Holy Writ demands this  explan-
              standeth   sure, having this seal, The Lord  knoweth    ation. `l&e church is often  compared  to  a building--
              them that are His. And, Let e+eFy  O&e that nameth      see .I- Car. 6 :19, Eph. 2 :20-22, 1 Peter 2 :5-9. Mo.re-
             the name of- Christ depart  frofi iriiquity."            over, aso the text that follows, verse 20, speaks of a
                                                                      great house.- One  can therefore not  esca!pe the con-
 The  fut,ure `appeared dark  for the  *church of God cl.usion that the implied building in verse 19  must-
at the tinie of the writing of this last epistle of the` refer to the church of God. Hotiever,  it is also evident
apostle, Paul. Paul is nearing the tind of his lifwsee                from the context i-hat this ,buildin,g (cannot  re%er  to the
2 Tim. 2 112, 4:6, 7. He is in prison at Rome. As a believe&  and their seed. Fact is,  the great house of
veteran soldier who knows the reality of life he is. oon- verse 20 contains  +arious vessels. And it is evident
cerned  about' Timothy, the first and youthful minist.er from verse 21 -Dhat these vessels must not be confuskd
of the ,cfitirch  at Ephesus. Clouds ob persecution, the with the house. T.hey are the members of th.e church
lie, apostasy aY;e gathering ,overhead. And Paul warns and'live in that house. Consequently, the building  pre-
Tlimothy against these evils-see 2 Tim. 3. However, supposed in'this text cannot re&er  to the body of &u%t,
`%he foundation of God st?ndeth sure."                                but must refer to the house, the sphere wherein and
   The same thought also  oocurs in the immediate th.r,ouigh which the body of  Chri.st reveals itself-the
context  `of our text which we chose for this article. We church-of God from the viewpoint -of iks visible Eorm.
read of apostasy,- of increase unto more ungodliness. Paul .refers  to the sphere through which, the church
Hymenaeui  and Philetus are mention&$ `Tbey taught reveals itself, is built up and identified, strengthened,
heresiXes. Their yard, we read, will eat as ldbth .a' can- separates itself. from the world, dwells alone in the
ker, and they overthrow the faith 02 some. However,' midst of the world. The church of God reveals itself
Timothy  must continue to speak, an,d preach the truth.               as institute and-organism in the mid,& of the wo,rld.
Whatever  they may teach and  whabever  may. be the                   The organism of the church refers to our confession
result of their  teachling, one thing is  certatni:  the elf faith,  oiir life  of- love an-d  faikh and hope, our
f,oundati'on  ,of God standeth sure. The work of man struggle in the-  worlld,  our suffering for the  sake of
must collapse. God's work shall stand. Upon this Christ, etc. `The institute of the chunch Defers  to the
foundation `we must build. Unto ,that  enld the apostle, church as she reveals h-erself through  her offices. This '
in ,ordel-that we may recognize it; also calls oltir athen-           institute  inoludes  the preaching of the Word,  cate-
tion in this text to its seal.                                        cheticaI  instruction,` administration of the sacraments,
   A foundation presupposes  a building., It is  icm- exercise of  Christ&  discipline. The house  implied-
portant, unto a correct understanding ,of the text, that in the text refers, therefore, to the visible manifest-
,`we  utidtirstand the  -bnild~ing  im@?d here.  Accord~ing ation  of the church of  God' as she reveals herself
to some,. the building presupposed refers to .the ,church through her organism and institute.                     -

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

     One need not d'oubt  the meaning tif the soundation stand forever. The lie shall be forever revealed as the
 in this text. It does not refer to God's counsel of elec- lie and w,oe unto him who has built upon it.
 tiole. Election is  `one of the  seal; mentioned  in, this       God's  lfonndation  standeth sure. We read of the
 verse.     But Paul mentions  .also another seal. And .foundati#on  of  Gocl because God is the Author, the
 these seals must not ,be identified with the fdundation.      Builder of it.    ,God. is the  B:uilder  already in His
 This foundation mentioned  here and often in Holy etelrnal counsel. He is the heavenly Architect. Etern-
 Writ,. is the foundation' *of the apostles and the pro- ally the. Lord  ,,willed the  :foundat,ion whereof Jesus
 `phets,  whereof' Jesus Christ is thse chief i:orn&stone.     Christ is @he chief cornerstone. Eternally He willed to
     It is interesting to understand the idea of a founda- save His own, in the way of sim and ,death, through
 tion. A foundation must not ,only support the build- faith in, Christ, unto the eternal praise of His adorable.
 ing. It also  debermines  the building. One  wonld;not Name. And the Lord is also the exclusive Builder of
 erect a square building upon a `round  founldation.           this f,otindation  in time. He 1ai.d it, centrally, in Jesus
 The lines of a building, its form, and its beauty were        Christ. For Christ is, fi,rst of all, God &.mself in the
 considered when the foundation was laid, so that, the, likeness of sinful flesh.            Besides, it was God Who
 building itself is determined\ by *he fonndation. This nailed Christ to the accursed tree, sustained Him in
 is certainly `spiritually true. The organism  and insti- all Dhe fearful depths of l$Iis amazing agony. It was
 tute ,of a church are surely determined by the founda- Gad Who raised Christ from the dead and (glorified
 tion uporn which iit `rests. The preaching, catechetical Him at His own right hand of  Dikine power. And
 instruction', ,confession,  sacraments, discipline, growth, God alsb laid this foundation because He inspired holy
 strenlgth,  conscious power to fight are all determined men and moved them to write His own word. Etern-
by the foundation upon  ,which any church  bf God ally the Lord willed the Scriptures as a glorious whole,
 stands, An arminian fo,uadation ,willl  have fo.r `its re- willed the writers  of, the Scriptures, prepared them for
 sult an arminian "house". A &urch that stands `upcir! their task, and finally `inspired them so that they wrote.
 the foundat,ion- of the lie will be characterized  by that the perfect and complete will of God lnith respect to
 lie .in all her walk and confeision.              -           our salvation.
   This  Sound&ion is the foundation of the apostles              This foundation, because it is of God, standeth. sure.
 and the prophets. The apostles are the foundation,            It stands  firin throughout the ages. Many heretics
 not physically but apostoli8cally.      They pvere inspired have  atbempted   to.  ,destroy the truth  ,of God. They
 by God to lay the- foundati'on of the church, namely, have only  d&royed  themselves. The truth of  L God
 `the truth.  ,Of this truth,  ,Holy Writ,' Jesus  Chest has withstood every attack. And eternity shall reveal
 is th2 chief cornerstone, the .pivot, around w!hich all       the  firmmess  of  `ohis foundation. The  tu:uth of  the.
 things revolve. All the lines  af Holy Writ  rum into         Word of God shall forever be revealed as the truth
 anld out of the Christ.                                       and shall stamd forever.
     God's foundation standeth sure. Humtin work must              It i's of the utmost importance ihat wfe ask, our-
 perish.    Paul speaks of God's frolund8ation.  - Then oppo- selves the question : in which house do w_e dwell? It
  site of a foundation of  cod is a. fsoundat,ion of man. is not trie that all visible inanifestaticjns  which $ear
 A Soundati80n  of man is that laid by man. It is man's the name `of Church are built upon this one aad only
 sork. It arises within the brain of  man. We must ftoundation. This question is a serious question. We
 bear in mind th& there are but ho .kinds of founda- need the one, only true bread. God's Word alone can
 tion,  <of  G'od or  ,of man. All heresy,  every  distotiion satisfy me.  H.uman philosophy or a mixture of the
 of'the truth -is the~product of man and revolves about Divine. and the human must weaken and ultimately,
 man. Modernism, arminianism; pelagianism, "Three as far as the-organic4 development of the church is
 Points" are all human inventions, humsa in `origin and concerned, destroy all spiritual life. My spiritual life
 human in purpotie znd-scope. And, as we have already is indeed dependent upon the food I eat. I must there-
 stated, a church's Ifoundation  determines its confession fore live iri that "house" which is built upon .the one
 and walk.                                    E                and orily foundatioa,    And I am able td recognize .the
     Such hutian foundations must perish. Mati's-work          "ho&e" that is built upon the one and only foundation.
 can liever endure. `This is generally true of an$thilng. And I am able to recognize  the "house" that is built
 ~~v~hich- man  does. The perishable  character  of the upon that foundation; F.or the text tells us that this
 work of`man reveals itself everywhere. Everything foundation has a two-fold seal. This two-fold seal
 is subject-to change and decay: This is also. true with of the fotindati'on  will reveal i&elf in the building. If
 respect to every distortijon  `of the truth. Already ifi 1 the foundation determines the building I can, recognize
 this life thB Church of' God; throughout the ages, has the fo,undation  ifrom the -building. Hence, I must dwell
 condemned arminianism-, pela.gianism, `etc. And etern- in  t#hat "house" where this `word is preached: "The
 ity will forever silence every devia,tion. fr6m: the Word Lord ,kno%veth- them that are His ; let every ofie that
 of God. God is God ,alcmle and .His Word will surely nameth the name of Christ depart from'iniquity".


    146                                     T'HE  S T A N D A R D   .B.EBR?E;R.                                                 _

       "The Lord  knoiveth His own." This is  "electioa;             and training. All three are used frequently, and quite
   sovereign election. God does liot know as we do. We interchangeabl;ri, in connection with the bringing UP of'
    know the things only after  they exist.  B,ut God's the coming generation, both irll the &orlfd and in the
   knowledge is creative;"precedes  the exisbence  of things. &hurch,           The important and  ialterestikg  distinctions
   Tlhe  L,ord   %h&efore   knorweth  His own  tiith an  eiverl between them are not always. stressed. This is true
   lasting `knowledge of love. He knew- us not because part5cularly of the first two : education and i,n,&%ction.
    we were His, but we are  !His because He knew us.                Yet, `each one of these terms has i'ts own peculiar con-
    This sover&gn  election of the Lord is one of- the seals.        notation and lbetween them is a' distinction that is in-
    God Igrant :-that this seal may ever characterize -OUF deed ,worthy of note atid most enlight.ening. All three
   ` churches. From it we must never depart.                         may be said to be included in th)e most general concept
       "Let every one that- nameth the name of Christ bf all :. to- bring up.
    depart from. ihiquity." This is the second seal.  To                T.o educate, in its most literal sense, means: to lead
   name the name of Christ means that we name Him, `out, to lead forth, to bring out. Commonly this verb
    that our soul names  IXni  iri all His grace and sal- is given a very broad meaning .anlzl. application. The
   vation. To name His Name implies that we perso,naIlly dlefinitions  offered of this concept are  anumerous.  ,It
    c&fess Him. Every one that names this Name must is under&ood  to r8er to the whole training of man, the
   Idepart froni iniquity. We must notice that-the apostle ent.ire ,development  of his physical, mental and moral
   hlere @oes not speak of two seals, a Divine and a human powers, throughout life, whether by a complete system
   seal. We  `rea_d: "Nevertheless the foundation of God of studyand discipline or by the actual experiences of
    stipndeth   stire, having (not `these  seals)  t,his  ~seal".    life  itslelf.  ._ It  his defined as being synonymous  .with
    Paul  speaks here of one seal. But this .one seal has. such concepts as : instruction, breeding,  tgaining, cul-
   two sides. And these two aspects orf the one seal are ture, and sultivation. It is. declared to .include all that
   inseparably  cotinected.  When  tihe Lord knoweth  -Hjs serves  as means "to prepare man for complete living."
   own <with an everlasting love, from before the foantda- According to Webster "education,' .comprehends all we
   .tion of- the world, He calls them out of darkness into           assimilate from the beginning to the &nd of our lives
   His  .Farvellous light. The two are inseparable. And, in the -development of the powers and faculties be-
   the Implication' of the- apostle is indeeld that we must stowed upon us at birfh, and includes not only system-
   conduct ourselves as the party of the -living God alnd            atic schooling,. :but- alsd that ,enlightenment  and sense
   that `*we, as that party of the living God, are -anchoied which an individual -obtai,ns thyoujgh experience.,, B
   in that eternal God  aimself. This is  the'seal of the iB to prepare or fit for  anly  `calling or business by
   true foundation of God. Upon this  6th we must systematic instruction.' ."Basic to all definitions", says
   stand anId build. -If upon this foundation we stan*d we one authority, "iti the lconception  that Ieducation denotes
   shall never be ashamed.                           H. V.           an  atbempt on the part of the adult  metibers.  of a
                                                                     human society to shape the develdpment  of the coming
                                                                     generation in accordance with its own ideals of life."
                 -ITi  HIS FE-AR  .*                                 ,Sucli eductition;  say the ,worlld's learned, is g;ood only
                                                                     when it meets a three-fold requirement: 1. It must
                                                                     ailm at tlie right kind of product. We agree, of course,
     fiducation  - Instrucfion  - Training only we will differ on the inte&retatio~n~ of the phrase
                                                                     "right kind af product". For the world this Will de-
                                                                     note a man who is able in ever?respec$  to successfully
       Training the child "In  ,His Fear" implie; three take his place in the world. For us "the right kind df
' things: that the fear of the Lord ,is the purpose, object product" is the man of God, he who stand~s and walks
   ,of. all the instruction of our covenant se'ed; further- in the fear of the Lord. 2. The  me'ans  ahd methods
   -more, that this fear .of t'h6 LoYrd is the actual content adopted must be well adapted to. secure th!e itiended
   #of all their education, directly or indirectly ; fintilly,       result. That -may stand as it is. A good teducatioti  cer-
   i&at the fear of the Lord is the sphere; the atmosphere tainly has to do with the means employed for the con+
   wherein our <covenant offs.pring  ayie reared.                    `stratition, as it were, *of this `(right kind .of product."
       In this final article before my successor ta.kes over 3. These means must be applied  inbelligently,  consist-'
   I should like `to ,discuss-  with you the v&b or- verbs           ently and persistently.
 presupposed  .iby  t,he  hkadinsg that appears above this              All this, however, Idsoes not mean that we should
   rlubri&. "In His fear" is only an isolated phrase-and f,orget  the basic  Illieaning of the concept, which `is:
   leaves the thought quite incomplete. What must be- to lead out. It is derived from the Latin educeme,-
 in the  sear of Jehovah?-                                           e'( out9 -plus `ducere ( to :lead) . In distinction, therefore,
       Especially three %ords ccotie  to. our, minds as most from z-elated and smonymous con&pts  it. means: to
_ prominent-in this  connectim:   edu'cation, instruction. lead or bring out .-what is in. From this same Latin


                                    .



                                 :TI3.jE.      STAND.A.R.6              BBARER                               :       ,141

 vei:b we also derive the Englisch verb "educe", meanifig : en& and teacher knows that he, too, is limited to the
 to Abring intd manifestation (a $o.rm,- quality, law 0~ material at hand, that he cannot give the life, tha2; he
 anything that is conceived as present. in a- .latenit ol cam@ make a child of God where there is none, -th&t
 undeveloped fopm),  t,o elicit, evolve. Thus it has been he is, to "the spiritual pbtiers and fzz!ulties bestowed
 said, "Education means to educe anld cultivate what is upon the child at his ye-birbh."
.best and noblest in man." All of which makes obvious             Understanding all'this it sho,uld  be o,bvious,,  surther-
 what is the basi? silgnificanloe of this concept "ed.uca- .more,  that the& can be no real educati$ in the world ;
 tion." It is to bring :out, l,ead out, develop, cultivate; that the:unregenerated  sinner, strictly .speakinIg, can&
 expand, discipiine, strentgthen  what is pri.ncipally  and not be Ieducated. What is not there cannot .be broughi
' potentially alr?e&dy there. It' embraces all that aims out.. IThat does not meati that there is in the world not
 at and is idapted t-o reglize the physical, mental and `a highly techn&l adid finely developed system-of school-
 spiritual developnlei:rt  o:f that which the su:bject is and ing, whereby the physical and mental' powers and
_ possesses inthe w_ay qf God-ldetermined  and God-given Ifactilties  of man are cultiv&ed  to at'J amazing de&e
 end,owments;                                                  and whereby -man is fitted~ accordinlg  .to the standards
    Education, it follows, can never accomplish, any- of  then world  for his place in  this `life. But, that is
.thing beyond the limits ,set by the. capacity  of the 0% not the educat.ion  of which S2ripttire  speaks.. Before
 w.ho receives. the educ&tionl,  nor doe% it aim to accom- God, all this cultur,e  and .learning  stiY leaves man a,
 plish more. It is bound for its positive attainments, blind, ignorant fool. For the beginnin,g  and prinlziple
 for  i+, actual fruit, to the powers and  fa4ti!es, the of both knowledge and wia.:bm-is the fear of the Lord.
 gifts and talents, the physical zntd. men$al and spiritual It is that fear of God, reverence, love, c&&cration~~hat
 capacity of its subject.. Educat.ion  may seek to bring must be broltight  out (educere) , and far this that fear
 out,-in last analysis it can never bring into. it may of the..Lor-d must be `present to begin with. In that
 puEpo?e to -develop, ,cultivate, expand, and. strength- s&e few, with a view to it, permeated `by-it, all that is
 en, but it  C&D  riever bestow  that  which is  to be.  d,e- in man, physically and mentally, must be brought .out,
 veloped. That this point, so basic to bur general wb-         in ,order that thae product ,may be a ..man of God, eonse-
jed, is seen  anid  acknowled,ged   in the  world as well crated with all his heart and soul and mind and sfien&th
Obe,comes  evident ~&ZJ its e.ducators -explain. Ithat: "edu- to the living God. ,That, a?col?Sit::g to Scripture, his the
 caiion comprehends all wle assimilate fTdm..the begin- aim and task of ail education. That is edecatidn. .. This
.ning to the end ,of our lives in the development. of the fear of the Lord is not in the world, and consequently
powers .a@ faculties b&towed upon us at birth."                annot be br,ought out. God is not in all their thd?&hts.
    The powers and faculties themselves, therefore, the On the contrary; there is only spiritual darkness, `re-
gifts ainld talents-as such, our personal $olclivi$ie,4  and bellion against God, enmity and corruption: In all the
 capacities, are  v%ot developed, but  beshowed.  This is education of the world it is these that ape brought out,
true physically.  : Much may be done in  thle way of cultivated. This ethical da&n!ess  (however they may
physical education  .and. strict  Idiscipline to  d!evelop,    work with their-remnants of natu&l limght)  ,gives dir-
cultivate what man possesses physically, to bring out ection to their enti?e lives, permeates and corrupts t,he
the possibilities.    Nevertheless, every physical edu- whole  idevelopment  of ally their powers and facultie's',
 cato'r,  coach or trainer, #knows only too well that he `physical and mental. If you have this in mind+ if you
is limited to the material at hand, that he cannot give mean that- in the world  or@ the  prniciple   6f  .sin  is
the strength  and agility which is not there potentially, brought out, developed,  cultivated, and that in connec-
that he cannot  expanld a physique  anld  strengi&n            tion with all the ianstruction  given, `you may certainly
,muscles  beyond the limits set by the Creator Himself. speak of education in the wor.ld. Thus all that scan be
Thus ii is mentally. In the ,way oif systematic educa- ~produced,  without grace, is  a man of  the world,  wh0
tion a (great deal is done to bring out and develop what stands in opposition td the livin,g God, and who & ~6%
the sbudent possesses alaretidy at birth. Rowever, .every secrated with heart and s&u1 and rn+::d atid strength %6
educator  knows that also here. he is limited to the the service ,of sin and Satan. And such a man, vo,id of
material at hand ,andthat  he cannot insi a brilliance the.fear  of th.e Lord and hen-,e  of all true knowledge,
wrhich -simply is not.  theri. And  spi.ritually  it is no wha,tever be his intellectual capacity and attkinmenits,
,different.    Education in the home and school and is not an educated man, but a perfect fool. True edu-
church is God's own way to bring. to manif!e&ation  that cation is possible only in t.h.e realm of the covenant, in
which He Himself-has given in the way of spiritual the Christian home and. church and School, *here `Gdd
life a$ the fear of the Lord. It means everything f,or has instilled Hiti fear into the hearts of His own. That
the cultivation, expansion, growth of. the. new-born f,ear is then brought out, cu!ti~ated,_i~n  cormetition i?Ti%h               :
child of God. -Even as we cannot grow physically with- ill things natural `amd ,spiritual;  and so you come to tih&
out food, even so spfritual development is imiosstble e&cated               man.                                  _'
                                                                                                                         `
                                                                                                                             .
without education.  Never.theless,  every Christian  par-         About the related concepts "instruction" and "train7


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 i ing" much need not be said. In its common .usage "in-- mtit be that tihe proper thisi bdc.omes  part and par.cel
  .struction" covers the same <ground as, does "&duc.ation." of tlie subject's nature. Thus our chi&en, too, must
  .The viewpoint, however, is differ&.  To  inst~wct,  in be-."trained', in the fear of the Lord in the way ,of un- _
  its most-  literal sensle, means: $0 build into. It is. de- ce,asing .application  and tiiscipline.
  rived from the Latin  instruere,--in  (in, on) plus                    "And whell he shall become old" says the wisest of
  stcruere (to build). In  distinction from the term  edu- them all, "he will not depart from it."                       R. V.
  *cation it co-only stresses the imparting of .the facts,
  t& givi.ng of the ipffor&ati,on. ACtually, however, the
  difference  ,between  elducation   %nld instruction is this,                      PE-RIS:OPE                           -.'          -
  F&.t whereas the former mleans to bring out that w&h
  .is inside, the latter means  td bring, build into,. from
  .w%thqut. iHence, to inst,r.uct  is to b&d up., to c?nstru&.
  <.Of course, this does not deny all that has. already been                     A Sign Of The Times .,
  -affirmed with respect  to actually bestowing that which
  is not there. Also "i~&ruction" prestipposes  a founda-                "It is b,ecomitng clear that pusblic o.pinion is moving
  tion  oh which, a principle into which  `we build. In closer toward the next step in international relations,
  the c+se of the natural man this foundation is the old, usual,ly `described as "world government".
  corrupt, spiritually dead nature, th.e man 0-i sin. There              The atomic bomb is responsible for  thlis  shift of
\ is nothing else to build tin and- into. The result is, that opinion. The shift is discernible in expressions by
  the `wodd through its education also constr.ucts,  indeed; politilcal leaders who :w:ere pioneers for a United Natons
  .but it  conlstructs  a man of the world, a man of sin, Organization, by scientists who helped create the bomb,
  .whose agod is his belly and who see& only the things by  ,organizations  which were set up to promote the
  ,,below. Forking with &chan(ged  sinners to begin with United  Nabions Organization.
  and buglding -into the only principle that is there, all               Public opinion is moving with the times, WHICH
  .that the education of the w,ord  can accomplish is: that ARE MOVING AWFULLY FAST.
  the sinner becomes an ever greater sinner in the sight                 Wodd government means, in essence, a single gov-
  of  C*d. Nothing does more to accomplish this than                  ernmlent  of all the nations of the  worlld, just as the
  educati,on. Thus the latter is pr;e&ely the `means for United States is one #governme& of 48 States. Each
  the realization of the anti-&ristian worlld power, t.he nation would have to yield up sovereignty, just as our'
  Anti-ch.rist.  Build up a sinner and all you get is a, states did when the constitution was dragted.
  .buil&-u.p sinner. Therefore, too, there is n.o -grace in             Anyone who suggested this when the 54 nations
  all  t,he education of the world,  anId the instruction gathered. at San Francisco last April was scornfully
  of the world, from Scripture's point of view, & no in-              derided as a starry-eyed idealist `by the pra&ical  diplo-
  &r&ion at all. Also herein the curse of the  Loyd                   mats and  polciticians   th.ere,  wlho were still `practical
  .is in the house of the wicked and in the end all his thoug$ most of them came from natiiicr2s laid waste by
  education will prove to b!e to his ~etel;nal  condemna- the war.
  t          i    o    n    .                                           But that was before `the  atom%c bomb dropped to
            ITrue instruction is possible only in the .sphere  ,of    eild lots of illusions about statecraft and international
  .the kingdom of God. There we build upon and into politics.                                                     x
  $he principle of the fear of the Lord, the new life from               This changed atmosphere is perhaps the most im-
  God, with the .result  that by grace the n@ of Go'd is, p&tant  sin,gle thing that has  ha.ppen& in political
  ,c'onstructed,.   sumishted unto every good work whose thitiking, since Woodrow Wilson came f,orwar-&bol:dly,
  God is Jehovah-and who seeks the thi.ngs tlbdve,  and 25 years ago, after the First World War,  tiith his
  who is prepared according to the ,will of God to take!              Le.ague of, Nations proposal.
  his God-appointed place, no,w in thi.s present world,                  It is the most important single fact in the world
  and eternally in 6he perfected kingdom of the Fat&her.              today, and the politicians and diplomats are beginning
            The ,concept "tra+nbng" stresses the idea of constant to take noti&.?'
  applicationI,  idrill, repetition. When an intelligent~  dog           This quotation is from the news interpreter Thomas
  his trained for anything it- is compelldd,  disciplined to L.  Stokes.  in the Nov. 21 issue of the Des Moines
  d'o the rilght thing so often, so consistently, fihat the Tribune. Although #the article from which I quoted
  $hing d&tied of it is sinally performed auto~matically.             the above was  pu.blisbed in. many newspapers and
  `when the soldier is trained for combat, he is made to              articles I believe it of  sui%cient  importanlce,  to b&g
  perform his particula,r  task so often,  it is drilled into also to the,attention  of our Protestant Reformed read-
  him so. c?refully, that he finNally  does that very thing ing public. The a-rtic!e refered to certainly is clearcut
  f?om mere force of habit, because he is .literally in- and to"the point and it will be apparent to our readers
  capable ,of doing anything else. The fruit of training why we  toork  it  over in  o,ur  maigazbn`e, with the  cap-
                                 .
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                                     T H E   S T A - N D A R D   ,B-EARER                                              $43

 tion above it:  "A sign  bf the times". That  it, is  b& is for a `fworld Soviet Static'".
 cdming  clear that public opinion is moving closer               Upon this awhole concept of "world government"-we                            .
 toward the next step in iaternational relations, usually tiish to comment `in, this article. In the first place we
 ,described  as, "worldly government", is more and more see nothing new, or surprising, in this wholle idea or
 being attested to by the leading writers and thinkers trend to unite all the  na&;s  o? the world into one
 of our day. Well known commen;tators  of the news of government, for it _ is Very plainly tlie fulfillment of                                 -
 today  ,such as Walter Lippman,, Dorothy Thompson, prophecy. This "United Nations" has notbeen clreabejd
 and many others, are all dwelling on the idea of such a by man, `nor has it been invented by human being2.
 "world  government". Also the leading  eclitorials of God Himself gives to us in Slcripture  this concept ~of                  j
 our newspapers and magazines are making the peoples sworld  gover.nme& and  prcedicts  that it will be the  ~
 of the world conscious of such a "world government?`, stpiving of the Anti-Christian, and therefore godless,
 No, it is not yet become a reality. `But just within the ,world, especially near the-end of -time. So. that, we may
 .last few months, since the most destructive weapon of see in Ohis striving at "world govternment': a sign that
 modem,  warfare has made its appearance, the people -we are cer.tainly nearing the end of time.
 of the ivorld have become frightened by the atomic               In Revelation 13, Gqd reveals to us that two beasts
 bomb, and this fright seems to be hastening the desire shall arise, one out of the sea and t,he other out of the
 for a `governiment that will rule not but one nation, but earth.       Together' they `represent the ,, Anti-Christian
 literally ALL THE NATIONS OF TIH~E WORLD. And world of the last days. -But the beast that arises out
 .if Ohere ,wodd be any nation who would not wish .to          of the sea is the one we are `interested  in at the present .
 join such a ,world Igovernment, that nation .would  auto-     time. For that beast, coming out oil" the sea, represents
 -matically  be stigmatized as an aggressor nation, and the  anti-Christian   work!, from  .the viewpoint of its
 pne that  .must become the automatic enemy of all other political world-power. We read of that beast' t,hat it
= nations.                                                     has the general appearance of a leopard, though having
     In a speech before the F,oreign  .Relatiotns Forum a the Feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. It has seven
 well-known writer said : "`Even without the atomic heads and te:n horns, and on its horl::s are ten crowns.
 bomb, the logic of total war leads to elimination= of Also we read that it receives its .pawer  and aubhority
 (individual) nations.. Th% war reduced the world to from the devil himsldf, and the who16   wodd adin+&
 only a few power unities. Serious tensions ,c$n arise. the beast. In -harmony tith the rich symbolism of the
 Only between these, and all issues between these, be- book of Revelation, there is deep tieaning in-the fad
 come issues of life or death. Thus  -with the atomic that the beast comes up  ,ont of the sea. For is not
 bonib, $he struggle for power `becomes inevi$abJy . a the sea in Scripture always the symbol of the masses of
 str;uggle for world mastery. The  exist&e of a few -peoples as tliose  peoples. become restless and seeth and
gre@,*powers,  each sovereign, can only pretiipitate  fur- foam as the windswept seas? "The waters which thou
 ther tests-and eliminations. Or11y one authority, with        sawest, -where the whore sitteth, are peoples,  aa.3 mul-
 world control, ultimately :can have the atomi,c  bomb,        titudes and  anatiolns and  tdngues".  See Rev. 17  :15.
 BECAUSE ONLY A WORLD OF ONE AUTHOBITY And in Daniel 7.2 the sea of people are again mention&l
 CBN A?AN,DQN  .ITS USE. If this is not recognized as they -are stormswept a-nd rough,-undoubtedly  re-,
' we shall :have an atom@ war-this time a `war genuinely ferring to the masses ob the peoples as bhey are `also
 to end war, by-the establi&ment  of the wonlmd masteri. stormswept by the tides of human emotion and ,by wa&
 of  the victor. -The  questlonl  is of  course,  ho-w much    azd affllictions and pestilences,  includin,g all the horrors
 would be left of t;he one world created as the outcome        fol~lo~wing   il;l the  wa,ke of wars. Also it is plain that
 of tir&,her war. Must we fight that war to establish -the  belast in Script&e is representative of political
 world &n$ty by domination of the vi,&?,? Or shall we world-power. This too is amply made plain to us when
 now establfsh  world unity by a `cooperation -and pooling you read further in Daniel `7 that the beasts represent '                 .
,and delegation-of power to one-sinsgle  world authority". kings, ,with the ~dolmain over which they r,ule. SO that
 And then this  authol-  .finishes by saying: "WORLD the SCriptureis  cl.early  picture to US that the final and
 PEACE DEMANDS ONE WORLD". Nearly all mod- last'manifestation  of the anti+hrist will be as a great                                       _
 -em .wriDers  and thinkers are t,oda$  speaking the same world governmerit, with power to enforce its commands
 Jan.gua.ge atil,d &inking in therms & one "world goverp-      even to the ends of the world. A colnifederation of all
 -me&`!, even though they n&y ,diffelr as to varifous d'e: the nations, wherein a voluntary agreement is reached
 tails of its adiinistration, and even though underneath. to ulnlite under the devil himself. Certainly it shall be
 it all is a teriible suspici<n'ihha;t  Russia isnot and never a voluntary -agreement,  .er&rcd i-nto ,by all t!he king-
 ~was a true ally of the .allies during the-war just ended.    d,oms of the.tworld,.  for we read that th,e kings "have
GBu$  `&world government" is the aim and goal of the one mind and shall giv'e their power and .stre@th unto
 nations of the  world today,  ev&n  inchiding Soviet the beast". And that this "world -government" will
 Russia;-thoklgh  with $his nation of course, the demand rep?esent, ALL nations is plain G*orn -the fact %hat -the


 144 --                                T&E         STAN,DARQ                 B.EAR&`R                   I                  :
 ten horn`s of which we r&ald; are tm kings. And tci;n is S&id &de? the bz&er of Communism;  is, @tern&ted
 the-figure of fuiness, even as the ten comm?ndmen&s            by the very people who denounce  it.  `-,America. and .
 represent the full expxession .of, the Divine will. So Bjcitain, who copdemntid  the un@y of Europe an,d the
 that the. ten kings ..refer  to. the kings of all the earth, IWO&~' under  -Nazisni,  n+v attempt the  upity-  cf the
 both %hose of so-called %nd nominF1 Christendom as wjell Iworld tinder demo;cracy,  even to the e%tetit  of forcing
 as those of. the pag&i and he&hen nations. Surely-out `demo_cracjr ( ?) down -the throats of- the conquered .na-
 of, the turb,ul.ent  sea, from out -oft the  peoples  of the tions. This .democratic unity of all the.nations  of t$e
 earth, swept by the aw5ul .wrath and j;udgments  02 God, world was helped along tremenidonsly  by the invention
 t%.e beast arises. The political  ant&Christian  wosld- ,:;of the atomic bomb. That bomb frightened all~pepples,
 power w$ unite for, a short $ige, in&o QNE govern- &en its own inventors, to seek union ,of `all pepples  an.d :
ment of all the nations of the earth. Even .the nations *nations, into the so-called "worlld government".
on  the four corners of the  ea?th,  iuch as Japan and          _  AC.CORDING-TQ  SCRIPTURE, THIS  ATTEM,PT  '
 China an! Russia and India %nd A$rica, till tempor-            WILL SUCCEED FOR A SHORT TIME. .But i&e@
.%arily give their power to the beast, together with the of seeing good in it and instead of praying for its suc-
a&ions within the center..df  earth's history such as the cess, we will1 certainly have to condemn it, also on the
 Europeanlcountries  and Great Britain as well as Amer- basis of  Scriptilre.  That "world  governme& is the
 ica. .. But: we Fust rtimember  that they' all- have .their    manifestation of the Beast, which in turn is the revela-
`power and strenrgth  and authority from the DRAGON, tion oif the Anti-Christ. For  Ohat "world government"
 i;e., the Devil. 0, let us not be idec&v&d  By the deceiv- -has upon its heads the *name df blasphemy. Yes, let
 ing ljrotiises .of peace and prosperity. and love unto all .us hear God's evaluation of that- world governmenit.
 tiei, in that "w&Id governmen?`. Do. not be deceived "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking,great
 when the church prays for such organizations and its things and blasphemies ; and power was given unto him.
 success. Do inll.ot be deceived wheti the church world to continue 42 months. And he opened his mouth ifi I
@llo~s after` that .beast  and extols the "United Nations" blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name;  an'd
.and admires it and iexhorts you and I to seek' for its His tabernacle, antd them that dwell in heaven. And it
 su&ess, in order to prevent a future destruction of all        was given unto him to make war with the sa,ints and'to-
;civiliiation,-  4s  {t is  sf&t&..   .As though  -such a  "w&d `over&&` them ; and power  was given him  over all
jgoverpment" is the way out 6f the world's troubles. kitidreds  and tongue and nati&.  And  alI1 that dwell
<It is not.                                                     upon i&e earth shall worship him., whose names are not
   We should remember that attempts have been made written in the book-of life of the Lamb slain from the '
.before this, to unite a11 the p,eoples  tinder .onti govern- foundation of Dhe `world."                            _..
ment. It was tried_already isn Ah&. valley of Shinar n&             And therefore, people of God, let us not be deceived
song after the flood orf waters swept over thte la&l as wi+h the vain boasts 6f those whose kingdoms and de-
 God's judgments againsi the wicked world of that day, sjres are but of this world. God is fullfilling prophecy
Also then the-people strove fo'r tinitj, under the mighty and unfolding unto us $hIe +hin,gs that must shortly
 dictator Nimrod. Also then it was not pio.us to be.one         come to pass. And let us be patienit, with the faith of
people and one language. God condemned it and scat- the saints, looking for the kingdom qf the glorious Son
tered the peoples far- and ,-tide in order to prevenk at of God, -Whose kingdom is  not  of this world. And
that time a  con&nation of the.  anti-Christian   .worl,d- though in the anti-Christian world kingdom you shall
power. .He gave with the conZusion.of tongues, a deadly have tribulation, and blasphemy will be heaped upon
wound u&o the Beast. But `we read in Rev. 13'that tge you for the sake ,of, yonr Christ, nevertheless be of good
,deadly wound was to be healed.? :The- division pf the courage, for also THAT "world government" is .over-
peoples: of that day wou1.d in the entd,of  time be healed      come by onr Lard Jesus Christ. Ahd ours is the vic-
and the, peoples would be- al&o,wed  to un`ite into a -uni- tory, through Him.              .                                   L. v.
versa1 "world government".  XGod  wiil then permit,
what He allowed not to happen 4000 years ago. And
since that first f&lure, many attempts have been made.                                 I N   MEMORIAM
                                                                                                                                         f
if t&e but carefully reads history, it is plain that the            The  '  cionsIstory   of the  Protestant  Reformed  Church   oi
Assyrian and Babylonian and PIersian and Grecian and Bellflower, #California hereby wishes to express sympathy to
-Roman kingdoms sought after wor;ldwid,e  domination. -ohr brother-deacon, Mr. Peter  Pander   .Meulen  in the loss of  -
In our own days we have seen the attempt repeated by his wife,                                    *-
 Hitler and und'o,tibt<dly we today see it attempted by                       MR?S.  PETER  VANDER MEULEN
that sphinx of ,Moscow, Joseph Stalin of Russia. The                May the Lord comfort the brother with the assurance
 peculiar thing about it $1 is that such striving after         that all  things-`work  together for  gpod. to them that love God.
worldwide unity and authority, as ,practiced by Hitler                   Th6  Co&story,          L.  .Doezema,  Pres.
nnder` the banner of Nazism and practiced now  ,by
                                                        .                                        J. Bekendam, Clerk.
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