 VOLUME XXII                             Maroh 15, 1946 - Grand Rapids, Michigan                                          NuMBEX, 12

                                                                 sent night is a revelation of the wrath of God. In sin
                                                                 bearing more sin, in corruption a&anc.ing  to  #deeper
                                                                 corruption, in <death 1giyin.g birth to eternal ,desolation?
                                                                 in debasement upon @basement, in slipp:e.ry places on
                                                                 ;whhch lnen h'asten  to destruction, Iwe behold and are
                                                                 crushed under the burden of God's holy and terri,ble
                                                                 anger against sin. For the wrath of ,God is revealed
               Herein is love, not th&.we lomd God, but from heaven against all ungddliness  and anaighteous-
            that he loved us,. and sent his Son to be the ness of men, who hold the truth in unr,ighteousness,
                                                                                                         I
            propitiation for  i&r sins.                          _Rom. 1: : 18..
                                               I J.ohx Q.-IO.        Anid in this ;darkness of wrath `and death and ,desola-
    Wondrous cross of the Son of God!                            tion there shines the one light ,of divine love, p2netrat-
                                                                 ing the universal  gloo,m, swallowing it up, reaching
    Gleaming Ibrightly Iwith the light ,bf the love of God, down into our very hearts : the cposs of -t_he Son ,of ,God !
`in the ,universal darkness of `our night of'sin and death !         0, to (be sure, it speaks, too, of His:own slave, of the
    For this Is-the tieaning of the cross : it is the rcvela- ,love of Jesus, my Saviour; `1                        -.
t.mn. of the love -of kod to sinners that are hop :lessly           He, the-Son ,of God in the flesh, loved His brethren ;
lost in death and condemnation, and that could never and He lovied them &en unto-the eEd, even to .the Ibitter
know that God lov,ed them were it not for .the l!ght of and shameful die&h of l&e accursed tree.
lorve. sh,ining .from-the face *of the crucified Christ.             Yet. H,is love is not the last word of %he-across.
    For :God so loved the worl:d,  that he gave his ,only            In and through the
                                                                                    -       ilove of the .dyifig Christ. shed-
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should                                                                      -
                                                                 iding His lifeblood as a propitiation' for our sins, (we
not perish, but have everlasting life, John 3 :16. But behold the love of God !                     _         xc
lGo,d  commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we
were yet sinners, Christ died for us, R,om. 5 :8. And in.            For the death of IChrist is the ,death of the Son of
this was manife&ed  the love of God toward us, tbecause IGod. Deny this, and the cross is made vain, lowered
that #God sent h!is only begotten Son into the (world,  that to the .level of any other ,cross.
we might live throirgli him, I John 4 :9. And thus, in               And the (death of the Son of God is the realization
the words above th,is meditation, herein is love, not that of a mission.
we loved God, abut tha% he Iloved us, and sent his Son               God sent 1His Son into +he w&d !
to  be a  ,pr,o:pitiatii@n  ioP  `our sins.                          And by this mission He commended .$His love to-
    Nowhere ,else, in this world of shine, can this iight of ward us!
,divi,ne love be `found.                                             (0;blessed cross of- Jesus!
    All about us, and within us, there is darkness; and
that, too,  *darkness of  wrath and  condemna$ion.  In
spite of all that phialosophy  may balb'ble albo,ut the Jove
,of #God that is too weak to execute righteousness and               ,Sovereilgn  love of Gold I
judgment upon the ,workers  of iniquity; in spite, too,              For pre'ciiely  *this it is that, according to the words
,of the philosophy ,of those who imag5n.e that' @ey ,dis- of I, Johq 4 :lO, .is revealed in the, cross csf Christ.
Icover glimmers of grace in the ltl&t>gs `of this .pnesent           It -speaks ,of a love that is solvereign,  that is free,
.time,  apart from *hat one revelation of the love `of God that is independent, that *has its source in itself. Herein-
in the cross of /His Son, the fact remains that our pre- is Jove, not that we loved God, but that he loved us !' . . .


                                              -.                                                         :
            266           -                         TH.E  STANDA:RD  B E A R E R   .'

                No, +he Word of God .$&e ,does not simply mean to finding of each &her,  B living into each other's life,. a
            impress upon us that there was, indeed, iove in the mis- giving wholIly ,of each to the other, a complete posses-
            sion of the Son of God to be 3 .proippbtiation for our sins. sion ,of the .other,  a se@king of each ,ot)her's  good, the
            It emphasizes a very particular truth. It rather in- twill to please each &he& a perfect `delight in-each other,
            tends to call our attention to the nature, t,he Iessence, - all in the ~fpher,e of ethical perfection.
            the. source and operatrion of all true .love : herein is loye.      Herein is love. . .  i
            Love, it #declares, true love, .wherever you find it, what-          Not .that we.loved God, but that He loved us !            .
            ever form it may assume, whether you know it as the                  Hvw impossillole it !would be to. make a statement
            love of <God to you,. or as your love. to God, or as..your        of this kind, thus to .de+ri'be and c.haracterize  t&e #bond
            love to  .the  br,ethren,  - love  always  lcoasists in this, of love between two human cbein.gs  ! Between them,
            not that *we ilove God, but that rHe loves us. And this love is; and must needs'lbe, bilateral, two-sid:ed,  m&al.
            ,is clearly and indubitably irevealed  in that one :great The love of the one is ijnca,pable of kindsling love in the
            act of the lo've of God, `chat He sent His Son to be a            other.  The bond of  l&e  can only be established be-
          _ propitiation for our  slins.  T'herein you  .taste and see, tween them when the l&e of each meets and zmingles
            not only that God ,lovc& .us, ,but that His love is sover- $th the l&e of the other; and it can be maintained
            eign and free, self-existent and 4indep.endent1 : . . .           only as Xong as, constantly, ea& cOntinues to meet the
                Love is a ,bond.                                              love of the -other with ,hFs own.                       I. ,
                It is the .&ion between persons. S&r&tly speaking,               Not so the ilove of Gad!
            love does not exist between in.animate cieatures,  nor               It ,is strictly unilat&ral, not only in origin, .btit also
            between /brute  creatures. One abus!es that noble word in its lcontinued_:operation.  It does not consist in this
            Zovd when he speaks of loting.his ,dog, or when she ex- that Iwe love God,. and &hat b&cause  of our manifest
            claims that she loves your  lnew  htit. Love is a bond love He now, loves us. Nor is the-nature of love such
            between person and person: It exists  onlly  lbet'ween that, simultaneously, we, God and'swe, brin.g our love
            ?at.ional,   m,oral  beings.                                      to leach other.    It *dare not even, $e said that love is
             Moreover, it is a  spiritual-Ibond.                              ~esttiblished   (between  God and us by Christ's  ,position
                There is, indeed, a kin'd of lov,e $hdt operates ,o.n #a betiween  Him and Us, so ;that Christ causes Gad to love
            lower level, ,and that is an image. of the higher love us, and kindles ithe-filame of the love of `God in-us. Love
            of which our text. speaks, .a $ond that is based on and is of  ,God! Before we loved `Him, He loves. Before
_          -  roo'ted in the  tiatucal  -aff,inXy of  oulr race. A young Christ was sent into the world to be a propitiation for
     _      man loves the maiden-of his-choice ; a mother loves her our sins, He loved .us. `0, to loe`sup, we love iHim, too;
            suckling child.      This  "natural  love" is `found even ,but even then, love is of God. His love `is the great;
            among  animals.  Even the robin  &oves  aild  cares for the eternal, ;the unquenchable fire that kin,dles  all our
            its young.                                                        love, and that lights ali1 .the candles of our love. Ejven
                Yet, a11 this !does no< compare Iwith, cannot reach as in the firmament, the `light is of the sun, an,d this
            up to the love -?n that highest sense which Scripture light of the sun is  r&fle&ed  a.  thousandfol,d  in the
            defines as  the  .bond of  perfisci+ess.  It is not a mere ,twinkling  stars, so love' is ,of God, and our love is never
            affinity that has ,its source in t,he blood, in phys&l Ilike- moxe  fhan the reflectiod of `His love. Herein  is love. . .
            ness and adaptation: i.t ,is spiritual. It is a bon'd be-            He is attracted to us and ,drews us. 3%& lo,ngs for us,
            tween soul  and soul,  between spirit and  spirit, be- and makes us long fur Him ; He is delighted in us, and
            tween  m'ind  aiflld mind, between will  ,and will.; it is causes us to haye our *delight in Him.
            a spiritual power  ,of  aattraction   tha.t knits being  to          He .seeks us, and we are souad, and seek H.im !
            .being  i_n thie bond of  p&feet knowledge.                          IHe does not  #rest- till He  p&sesses  us, and gives
                For, and this, too, must !b;e emphasized, love is the Himself that ;w,e may possess Hjim!
            bond  `of  pjerfectness.   `1.t is a spiritual bond that is          Love is the *living ,current_~that-has  i*ts source in the
            establisheti  and functions only in the spheric of moral triune God, touches us; and takes us up in its stream
                                                                                                                     :
            perfection. Not in  ,darkness,   but in the  ,184ght; not in of ,delight.
            the s@.ere of the lie, but in the truth ; nbt in iniquity,           Out of Him it runs ;through our hearts to return to
            [but in righteousness ; ,not in Icorruption,  ,but in holiness ; Him.        -
           .- in a word, solely in the sphere of ethical ,perf&tion              df Him, and through Him, &nd unto Him is love!
            .iioes the fire of love burti, .does the light of love shine,        Sovereign is the ,love ,of God !
            Ido,es the bond (of l&e knit b#eing to .being. The wicked
            ,do not love, yhatever  other bonld there may be between
            them. Love  is the  bond of perfection.
                It is the attraction of person. to person in the sphere          0, .bltessed cross !
            of th,e light.                                                       For therein know we that ~wondrous  love of Go;d,!
                It is the longing of spirit for spirit,, a seek& and             Therein behold wk the love as sovereign, free,. eter:
                                                                                                                                      _


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B - E A R E R                                             . 267

  nal, absolutely self-existent, an.d, thenefore, as a` love (Him, loaded with ,our iniquities to the place of judg-
 that is a fire w.hich the floods `of many waters .are un- ment, and into the shameful ldeath of the accursed tree.,
  able to quench.                              x           .-          He sent Him ,into the depth of hell to pay the price, to
      How otherwise, pray, could i.l!Ie have1 sent His only respond with His perfect Yes, instead of our wEcke,l
  begotten Son to be a propitiation for `our- sins?                    and  war&on No, to  t.he unchangeable justice  [of  ,OLZ'  -
      Does not this n&an that, on #our part, there was no God. . .~ .
  (love? Does it not reveal that; both in time and logic-                 To be a propitiation for our sins!
  ally, the love of-God was prior to any manifestation of                 What idoes it all mean?
  love as far as `we. were concerned? Nay more, does it                   `0,. to be sure, it declares unto L& the. love of God,
  <not imply that :we ,exerted ourselves, with all that is ,. amazing, unfathomabl,e,  adorable. . . . .
  within us, to quench the fire of divine love by the                     Yes, but this is the point that is all important: it is
  miry,.stinking flood-waters of ,our iniquities, and that the revelation  ,of  f&%, of sovereign,  ,of  in'dep;endent,
  now the `filame of His. unquenchable love penetrated and; therefore,  o,f unquenchable love !
  throufgh `-those miry watlers,  vict,oriously,  liteking them           For not the work of Christ evokes and kindles the
  up, .and consuming them completely?,                                 love-of God: herein is love, that before Christ ,died G-od
      Propitiation for ,our sins!                                      loved us!
      0, it  ~means that we were  .enemies   of  -God,  :dead             .His mission, H,is cross is the revelation of love
  through t!respasse&  standing in proud and wanton re-                    8, glorious cross of Jesus!
  bellion against the living God. It means that we were                                       . .
  guilty, worthy of damnation, ,objects  ,of the wrath of
. (God, anvd that, in [His justice, He ,coul,d ,only inflict the
  punishment of- eternal' desolation upon us. It `means                  Herein is love. . . .
  that there was absolutely no `way for the love of God to 2               Glorious trevelation of the God of our salvation !
  reach us but through the perfect satisfaction of -His.                  .For, by .faith, lookin,g at the wondrous cross of the
  justice, that is, through the very depth of .hell. It.,means         Son of God, we' may have confidence that -all our sins
that we could, nor w&d; ever travel thi.s- way of hell cannot  ,quench His  Ilove.  O,ur sins may  <be as scarlet,
  in perfect obedience of love, as we were required to do floo~ds of iniquity may rise up'against us, and our trans-
  in order to make this satisfaction, and ,become the ob-              gressions may ,be more than the hairs of .our head ; ,olur
  jects ,of God's ,love and favor. ~. . . c                            conscience may accuse us that we have sinned, and do
      As far as we were concerned the situation was hope.. sin daily, and t,hat we have kept none of His command-
  less !                                                               ments, yet, trusting in that free and sovereign love
      Propitiation for sins !                                     r    revealed in the icross.of our Lord Jesus Christ, we know
      It means that there is aycovering  for all our iniquf- ' that we may come to Him, and that, if `we confess our .
  ties ; not a covering in the sense that now our sins are             sins, He will burn them all away in that- mighty'fire
  hid from before tile face ,of God, thoulgh they still are of His lcove,  and cleanse us from all unrighteousness !
  there; but in the sense of complete coverage. The                        That is the meaning of the crossj-
 -damage ,done  by our sins is coml$etely  covered. It is                  It is the revelation of a love such as sinners need to.
  paid for. The justice  ,of God is satisfied. The way inspire them with confidence to come to the throne
  through hell1 has been travelled in perfect obedience of tif grace.
  .love, for us, in our stead, in our behalf. . . .                        Again, surveying that wondrous cross, and its
      But by whom?                                   :           _-    revelation of sovereign and independent, never ceasing
       God sent His Son!                                               love of God, we know that we may, that we do love
    0, mystery ,of mysteries : God sent His `Son to <be a Il3im, and that His love will be perfected in us. No,
  prop:itiation  for our sins!                                         the. truth that He-loved us sovereignly ,does not make
       He sent Him, His Son, God ,of God, Light of Light, ,us careless and profane. It does not induce LIS to say:
  the everlasting ,derling  of His .bosom,  in Whom is the _ let us sin that His love-may abound. On the contrary,                     .
  Father, and in Whom is the Spirit. . : . Himself!                    it is eiractly the mighty power of that love that draws
       He, the triune God sent Him: the Father, through us, the .unquenchable flame of that love that kindles its
  the Son, in the Spirit, sent the Son!                                own response in our -hearts,  and w.ill do so, until we
       He sent EIim'in eternity, for in His eternal ,good              shall forever dwell with Him in love!            -
  pleasure He ordainfed  Em to Ibe the head of the Church, P
  the firstborn among many bnetbren. He sent Him in 2                      l&d nothing ,can separate us fro:m that love, `be-
  the fulness of time, in our flesh and in ,our blood, in the cause love is all elf Gold!
  likeness of ginful flesh, that He might be like unto His                Herein is love : He loved us !
  -brethren in all things, sin excepted. .He sent Him all                  Blesee'd  revelation !
  the ;way -of His humiliation and suffering. -He sent                                                                 H. H.


                                                                                                                                                                                                  _'
  2 6 8                                                                                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   '

                                  -`The Standard Bearer
                      Semi-Monthly, except Monthly in July and August                                                                                                              EQIT~ORIAE
                                                                    Published by
                              The Reformed Free  PubKsliing  Association
                                                      1463 A&more St., S. E.                                                                                                       The ~Liberated Churches
                                                                                                                                                                                             :
                                               EDITOR - Rev.' H. Hoeksema                                                                                                              h  The  .&therPands  -
      Contributing'Editors:-Rev.  G.  M. Ophoff, Rev. G.  Vo;s, Rev.                                                                                                                              1
      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.                                                                                                         We w&h to Iconclude~ our discussion of this part of
      Vermeer,. Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev. J. A. Hbeys,                                                                                                  the ,decisions of the Synod of Utrecht, first, by reiterat-
ti Rev. W. Hofman.                                                                                                                                                    ?ng what wie stated at the beginnmg,  tdhat it is deplor-
          Commun&atims  relative to contents should be addressed                                                                                                      able that, before attempting to formulate official de-
    to REV. H. HOEKSEMA, 1139 Franklin St, S. E., Grand  -
     R a p i d s ,   M i c h i g a n .   G                                                                                                                            clarations concerning-the seed ,of the covenant, an,d the
                                                                                                                                                                      efficacy  `,of infant ,ba.ptism,  the Reformed Churches in
          C:ommunications  relative to subscription should be addressed
      to MR. GERRIT PIPE, 1463 Archnore  St., S. E., Grand Rapids,                                                                                                    the  .Netherlands  did  not squarely face the question
     Michigan. All Announcements, and Obituaries must be sent                                                                                                         concerninig  the idea ,of the covenant iitself;  and, second-
     io the above address and will not be placed unless the regular                                                                                                   ly,`by brieflly outlining our own `conception of the cove-
     fee of $1.00 accompanies the notice.                                                                                                                             nant of -,God.                   i
                                     (Subscription price $2.50 per year)                                                                                                  As to the first, it appears to me, that, if the Synod
     Entered as Second Class mail at Grand Rapids, Michigan.                                                                                                          -of Utrecht had attempted to  Lestablish  what it meant
                                                                                                                                                                      by the covenant, the schism might have been avoided,
                                                                                                                                                                      and-the swhole  matter might have ibeen left to further
                                                                                                                                                                      discussion Iby the s.poken word and the printed page.
                                                                 C O N T E N T S   '                                                                                      Certain it is t'hat, when the leaders of the Li,berated
                                                                                                                                                                      Churches insist that ali the baptized ,children of be-
   MEIPITATION   -                                                                                                                                                    lievers are yen& in the covenant, while the Synodicals
   SOVEREIGN LOVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I,........... 265               insist that only the elect are ren?& covenant children,
                                                                                                                                                                      they are not referring to the same concept.ion  of the
                    Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                                                                                                  covenant. The result is that the discussion is never
                                                                                                                                                                      idistinct and clear `cut. There is still considerable mis-
  EDITORIALS  -                                                                                                                                                       understanding between the two groups. And under
   THE LIBERATED GHURCHES IN THE NETHERLANDS..268                                                                                                                     such circumstances it is (deplorable that, the Synod so
  AN EXPOSITION OF THE HEIDELBERG  CATEC:HISM....270                                                                                                                  narrowed the denominat,ional  walls that within them
             Rev.  H Hoeksema                                                                                                                                         there is room only for those that subscribe to the view
                                                                                                                                                                      of certain theologians to: the exclusion of all others.
  THE ,CONCORDAT  OF WORMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . 2'74                                         For, let, it be emphasized ,on,ce again, to date there
  HANNAH'S PRAYER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1.27'7 is no clearly  defmed,   ~ofI?cially adopted conception of
                                                                                                                                                                      the .covena.nt  that ,can lay claim to the name Reformed.
            %ev. G.  M.' Ophoff                                                                                                                                           The editor ,of The Ba,nner does not hesitate to .write
                                                                                                                                                                      articles under the heaiding "The R,eformed  View Of The
   DE VERBONDS PSALM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ..a....  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279 Covenant," but what he presents is, most probably,
             Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                              simply the .view proposed .by Prof. L. Berkhof in his
                                                                                                                                                                      Dogmatics or Systematic Theology. What right the
   WHEN TO START INDOCTRINATIGN  . ..I...........................,.... 231                                                                                            editor .has to ,denominate  that vielw as "The Reformed
                                                                                                                                                                      View," if; at least, he means Iby "`Reformed': that which
             Rev. J. D. De Jong                                                                                                                                       is ofIjcially  adopted :by the Reformed Churches,' is diffi-
                                                                                                                                                                      cu@. ti. see.
FROM HOLY WRIT ,,,,, .,,.*,. ,..,. *a. .,,,                                                                                                                  234
                                                                                        . . . . . . . . . . . . ..I......................... . . . . . . . . .           I&where in our Reformed Sta,ndards is the idea of
             Rev. G. Lubbers                                                                                                                                        - . the, jovenant  (defined. :
                                                                                                                                        '                                 Nowhere in:those Standards is-the ;distinction  made
  PERISCOPE . . . . . . .I.....,.........................  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  286
                                                                                                                                                      ..o....         ibetween-  an internal and! external covenant.
      .: Rev. L. Vermeer                                                      .~                      `.                                                                  Nowhere ,do we, in those Standards, find the dis-
                                                                                                                                                                      tinction which Berkhaf makes (between the ,covenant as
                                                                                                                                                                          _-1,:                             .
                                                                                                                                                                          r            I


                                              YHE  s-nmDARD  BEARER                                                              269

      a relation of friendship and as judicial relation or obli-            5. Historically this covenant is realized in the line
      `gation.                                                           of the continue'd:  generations of believers. These_.lgener-
          Nowhere do our Standards speak or even' suggest ations receive the sign of the covenant, circumcision.in
      the very generally current notion of a  tcovenant  of the ,old, [baptism in the new dispensation, and, in gen-
      .works.                                                            eral, are addressed and tr?eated as the real covenant
          Now;h&e is there mention in our Confessions ,of the ;pedphe of (God;  yet,, God's. ,electionr  and reprobation cut
      Cov,enant of Redemption.                                           tight through these generations, and "God is merciful
          Fact is that all these conceptions were developed to whom He will" be merciful, and whom He will He
      considerably later than the time ;when  our ,Confessions           hardens."
      were composed.                                                        6. This `covenant af God is eternalI,  and will be real-
          W%hat right, then, li?@ th@ Editor ,of The Bcuzner ta ized in. its heavenly  periection in the new creation,
      coin a particular view as "The Reformed Vieti Of The when the tabernacle .of God iwill be with men..
      Covenant"? It is by such methods that certain indi-
      vi,dual `views Ibecome  "&rent views," and that, (grad-
      ua;lljf~  these "current .views" are considered to be official-
      ly Reformed, that all free discussion.  <of extra con-                W,i.&h  nespect to the rest of the (decisions of Ut,recht
      fessional prolblems is smothered,. and denominational 1942  cconoerning the  <Covenant af  .&ace, we may be
      w&s are  Ibuilt high  #and  narxolw.                               brief, considering *hat there is little or no controversy
          This, to my,mind,  is !exactly what ,happened in 1924 a b o u t   t h e m .
      when Me Christian Refar;med  Churches (Church, ac-                    Point 4 reads : "That the Ghuroh must conceive of
cording to  Kuiper)  ,ofEcially  adopted certain propo- and *deal with the- metibers that are admitted to the
      sitions an "common grace".                                         Lo~d's table, according to the same judgment of love."
          And, in my `opinion, the same tactics were follo;wed              We may accept this..as true without further discus- .
      by the Reformed Churches in The Netherlands, when, s&n. The matter was hardly in need of a synodical
      in 1936, `they took hol,d #of. certain "Icurrent opinions" declaration. What 9s expressed there was always. the
      and `(differences of  ,apinion"  (meenings-geschElen)  , opinion of the Churcih, and is uniformly brought into
      even without any ovepture  or request froth the ChL&h- practice.  Members that are admitted to the Lord's`
      es, and thus attempted to smother the free discussion: ta%le are those who, in th&r walk and confession, re- `,
      about th&e prob1em.s by `official, declarations.                   veal  *hemselves  as  Ibelievers.    The judgment of love
          The saddest thing of  all is that  in this  `way the accepts them as such. De kLimis non judiccxt ec'clesin,
      Church is split -because [certain theologians use tl>e i.e. the Church does not judge the hidden things of the
      -institute  of +he Church, and that, too, conceived bier: heart.  %Henlce, those whose  canfession  and waik give
      archically, to impose their :own notions upon all the no occasion~to  fear or judge the &DtYary  +ne accepted
      r e s t .                            / .            .              as true `believers. To ,do otherwise, and to judge one
          ,4nd the cause of the truth is. not served, but put another,- to ;weigh and `measure o%e an&her  according
      into a theologians' strait jacket.                                 to  differen!  standards; is a  danger,ous method to  fol-
                                                                         IOW.
                                                                            &int 5 reads : "Tihat it ,is in conflict wit,h the ver-
                                                                         acity of God t.o accept such .a tiuplicity in Scripture
          As to our own comc&ption  ,of the matter, the foliow- that, in regard to the. same matter, it says yes and no ;
      ing brief ,outltne may stiffice.                                   and -teaches, on the one hand, the prerseverance -of the
          1. The idea of the covenant is  n:either  that of a saints, and, ,on the oDher hand; the possirbility that the
      pact `or agreement, nor that of the promise, nor that regenerat.ed  fall away and ,be lost."-
      af a way ,of salvation ; but it is the ,ekernal  atid living
 .                                                                          Here, too, we may express agreement. One can
      fellowship of friendship between .God and His people               only be surprised that a Refarmed man could teach suloh
      in  Christ,  according to which-He is their  Sovereign-            a self-contradictory view as is condemned here. It a,p-
      frien'd,   and. they are Hi,s friend-servants.                     pears that thle statement ,is `directed against the solitary
          2. By sriendship zwe mean a botid of most intimate view of one minister, the R,ev. De Wolff of Enschede,
      fellowship, based ,011 -the-highest,  `poss?ble  likeness of now with the Liberated Churches, who, however, Jet
      liature tiy personal distinction.       p                          it be said in all faipness to the brother, had recanted
          3. The deepest ground of this -covenant relation is his view openly and publicly long before the Synod
      the life #of the triune God Himself, of which it is the adopted the above declaratian. In view `of all w~hich,
      highest revelation.           '                                    it may be considered som!ewlhat-  stgange that tge Synod,
          4. This covenant is established with Christ, as th& nevertheless, took pains to ,condemn this vi,ew by an
      Servant of Jehavah pnr excdlenc~,  and with the elect official statement.
      in and through /Him.                                                  In the meantime, the &atement  "that. it is in con-


       270                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   ~                                           -
      f&t with the veracity of Geld to accept such a duplicity or expressed such a view as is cen&mned in the above
       in $cripture that, in regard to the same matter, it says point  6.
       yes and no," is worthy of notice.                                     As .the Dutch have it : -the Synod was here fighting
              In some' circles they w&d bran.d  this as rational- ag&inst windmills.
       ism.                                                                  An,d herewith we may close our discussion of the'
              They rather make it a (principle that there are `"ap- doctrinal decisi,ons  that became the chief cause of the
       parent" contradictions in Scripture.  .And  ?hey con- schism in the* Netherlands,, `those concerning the cove-
                                                                                                                   .
       sider it a sign of true fait,h an.d true piety and reverence nant of grace:
       for the Word of God, simply to accept such cdntradic- ,                                      ,                      H. H.
       t i o n s .
              "Mysteries" they call &em.       '
              We are thankful that the Synod of  Utrecht  re-
       pudiated this stand, fatal to the  develo,pment   ef all  _             `.
       Refermeld  theology.
              It is announced-here as a general principle. It must,          THE TRIPLE KNOWLEDGE
       therefor,e,  be applied in-all cases, also with respect to
     the supposed Yes and No  aof  Go,d with regard to the
       salvation of the reprosbates,  the two wills in God, the            An Exposition I Of. The Heidelberg
     well-meaning offer  ,of grace to those whom  `God will                                    Catechism .                                    /
       not save, and similar canttradictions.
              Finally, the sixth point reads as fellows :-                                    P a r t   T w o .
              "That it is no less erroneous to mak,e a false con-                         . Of. Man's Redemption                   ,
     . trast between an eternal covenant and a covenant-dis-                                 LORD'S DAY XIX
     pensation in time; and wlhen Scripture calls the, mem-
       bers of the Church as a whole (believers, to understand                                      a 1.'
       this as meaning that all ,church-mlembers are- indeed                              ,Our Exalted Lord. (cont.).       -~~
       believers, yet only `believers in, time' and not neces-                       .
       sarily in the caunsel ef .God; which .is in `conflict w$h            If, therefore, the exaltation ,of our Lord took place
       Scripture which addresses the members `of the Church in, and affects only .His human nature, lit plainly fol-
       in common as .`elect according to the foreknobwledge  of lows that it do:es not denote a divine power, and that
        God the Father (I Pet.  `1:2; Cf. Col.  3:12;  E'ph.              we must carefully ldistinngnish  between His power as
       1:4, 5)  ."                                                        the Son of God in the d&vine nature, and t,he power He.
              Concerning this point we may remark the follow- Iexercises in and through His human nature.
                                                                              The two natures  df -Christ,  though inseparably
       ing :                     B                                        ,united  in the Person of the Son of  ,God, are never
              1.  As. the declaration stands there, it must, of fused or mixed, not even at IHis exaltation at the right
     -' course,  ,be  accept.ed  as correct. Fpr, first  ef all, it hand of  God..
       needs no synodical declaration to establish that it is                 The human nature Idid not Ibecome  divine, nor ;was
        erroneous. to make a  fake contrast. This is, always- it made to share ,in the; divine attributes..
     . -wrong. That one  cannet  ,distinguish  between God's                  T,he power and authority He .has according to His
        eternal ,cov!enant and its;dispensation  in time is a Idiffer-
-                                                                         divine nature is original, external, self-existent; the
        ent matter. If that should be the meaning of the power which He exercises in and through His .human
        above declaration, we w,ould not lbe ready te subscribe nature is ,bestowed ,on Him : constantly He receives this
      t o   ,it.                                                          power  from, Bim that sitteth on the t,hrone.            God djd
              2. We may also accept the statement that it is ,er- not. abdilcate  ;His authority, prerogative, and function
        ronleous  to make a  distiavction  `between  `?believers  in as the sole Governor of the. universe. It is not thus,
       ~time" and "~believlers in the `counsel of God." ,Onnie can- that, before the exaltation of Christ at the right hand,
        not help lbut .wonder how a Reformed man could pas-               God Himself, by His almighty and omnipresetit power,
        sibly entertain such strange notions.                             uph~eld and governed heaven -and earth, and all that is
              3;  T,his `declaration is directed against a certain in them.; whille now, after Ckist's exaltation, He re-
        A. Janse, a very well known figure in the R,eformed               si,gned `this power and function ,of ,providence  in favor
        Churches of the Netherlands,. formerly principal of a of Christ. IOn the contrary, God alone is the Creator
        C%istian School in Biggekerke, naw retired and living and Sustainer of the universe, Who upholds all things
        in Breda. However, wie .have it from'other sources as .Iby the Word of \His power. But He bestows on Christ,
        well as directly frocmn` himself: a. That he never had the Son in human nature, the wisdom and poswer and
        a`hearing at .Syno.d; and b. That he never entertained authority, in virtue of which He is able to occupy the


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                            271

  positioli ai the pinnacle of that created anId sustained           All -things are united under Him, -and in Hi& to
  and divinely governed univ,erse. As. the Ca&chism  ex- Goad. In and through Him, the kingdoti  of the world
  presses it : "by whom the Father governs all. things."          have ibecome the kingdom of ,otir God !
      Christ is Lord over all, lbut as the Servant of Je-
  hovah.
     `He' reigns; but as. the Eepresent&ive of God, the
  visi,ble representative of the invisible Sovereign of                                      2.
iheaven and earth.        -:                   -
                                                                         The Significance of Christ's Exaltation.
      He sways- a universal sceptre, but in the name df
  God, and according to His will.                                   ..T.he power which Christ, &s the exalted Lord,  exer-.
      His ,position is an ,office,  the highest office' in the cises, even to tihe time when; He shall come to judge
 wh0;l.e universe: He is king-priest for  ever after the the quiok a& the dead; is twofold: He rules over all
  order `of Melohisedsc. . .                                      the wd,j by &is might, and He ru-les over His IChurch
     ;Hlence, the poiwer He has as the Son of. Go,d in the by  the power of His  !grace.           Tlie Catechism points
  divine  natur!e  is  infinit,e. The pawer  He exercises in to this Idistinction  iilm question and answer fifty-one:
  and through the human nature, however, iS creaturely, "What prof.it  is this Iglory qf ChlTist, our -head, unto us?
  even though it is universal : the :human nature was not First, that by his Holy Spirit .he pours out heavedy
  rendered `omnipotent.. It is the highest tp&s&ble rea!liza-     graces  .upon us his members ; aqd then that by' his
  tion df that lordship, an image of w.hilch was seen in power he ade3emids and pres,eves us against all enemies."
  Adam's original  position in the state of yler&tude. For           It is very- important  tl-iat we bear this $stinctiori
, he, Xoo, was lord of all the earthly cne&ion, yet.un#der in mind.
  God. Dominion was giv,en .him over aP cYeatures,  yet            -' If we fail to give oarseives account of this distinc-
  SO, that it was his calling to function as ,God's  priest, tion. we iexpose  8ou+ves td the danger of entertaining
  to cons&rate all things to Him, and to reign over the the erroneous notion Chit &is world is now become the
  works of God's hands in His name and in strict dbedi- kingdom. of Christ, the kiligdom  of God ; that by the
 enoe ,of Ilove to the Most High. But the first man fell, pow& of the exalted Lord la11 the various departments
  and became rebellious. He  ppopoae,d  to subject all and `domains of human lif6, :the home and school, society
  his ,domain to-the will <of the devil, and to press them and the State, will become;  christiccnixed, Ior that, per-
  into *he semi:ce  `of unrighteousness. ,God,  ho,wever, haps, it *belongs to, our ca&ng thus to Christianize the
  wilil give His glory  to no  ,other.   ,Oinly the  servank of wor13d and to croswwin  Chris{ king ovelr all ; an'd that in
  Jehovah may .be king of the universe. PO? His Lord- this way the world will gradually be' transformed intd
  ship must ,be rev!eal&d,  even in the  lordslhip ,of man. the perfect kingdom of Go;d in.which all will a&now- .
  And &is ,good  pleasure of God was realized in ,Ch?ist,         ledge Christ as the universal King.
  Who in His ,death and descension into hell revealed                The result is a very serious deception.
  Himself as the perfect `Servant of the most high-<God,             For it is along this line 6f reasoning that we pEesent
  ready to do His will to the very last; and W.ho thkre-          our cuuse, the cause. of M&-I, the ,cause  of this zuo~ld,
 -`fore is exalted to the highest position in the universe, as if  .it were the cause  ok the Son of  Go.d. 1s not
  `and functions as Lord at  tlhe pinnacle of all  cr:eated       Christ Lord of all? Well, then, Bet as make Him king !
  things in heaven and ,on earth.                                 Let us Imown iHim lord of !a11 ! Let us make Him the
      And yet, .tithough it iS quite necessary so to dis- supremebead ,of our Igovernment, the real ruler of our
  `tinguish   .between the power of Christ in the divine land, the general of  our' armies, the head of our
  nature and the power that was bestowed upon Him in associations and unions. iLet- us fight our wars in
  :His human nature at the exaltation, thie two may n;ever His name,  atid make  H% the real president of our
  ibe separated, no more than the two .natures can evey be peace conferences and ;wo$d-councils. If wee do so, odr
  conceived as separated from each other.                         cause will surely prosper, we will surely gain the vic-
      Such supr,eme  power as was and is !bestotTred  upon tory in our  ba;ttles, and  :c+eate   tihe perfect society in
  the glorified Christ could be given only the incarnated which all will enj,oy the m&e abundant life, realize the
  .Son of God.                                                    four  ~freedoms,  and  at&in to the ideal of  <universal
      It is ihe same Son of Gdd, Who Greated  all things, peace. and the  per&et  worl'd !
; and  Who still  ,n.pholds  aed  governs  all things  ~by the       T,hus we ~$11 make of this w.o?ld the t,rue kingdom
  Word of His power, accor,ding  +o His `divine nature ; o f   ,God!
  who has power and aauth:ority,  [given Him of God, to rule         This social gospe1 was and is still being p!roelaimed
  `over all created things, as the_vi.si\bl&  reptresentative  of in varXious forms, and by &an, too, who ane far frum
   God's soverzign  lordship.                                     believing in Christ crucified and raised, in Whom is
      this'  ,divine Lordship flashes through his  <human 211 ,OLIT' salvatilon. And the sad think is that some such
. lordship.                                                       view is not infrequently presented Iby tho& *who claim

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

to Ibe Reformed, and that it is preached as the highest Son of God in the midsd (of, aJnd in antithetical relation-
ideal of a Calvinist,ic faith.                                   ship to a-world that Ii&h in darkness.
       This is a very serious and pern$ious .error.                 Hence, it is important that we cl,early distinguish
       For, first of all, it fails t,o, ackno@edge%  the reality between this twofold exerlcise 03 Christ's supreme lord-
of the ,universal lordship of Christ, and presents the ship, that ,of [His-power jand that of His graae:               1
matter as if the kingship ,of- our exalted Christ depends           ,O, to be sure, Christ is the Lord supreme !
somehow-on our efforts, on the efforts of men;`for .its            He is king  lof His  IChurch, and in and over  tihat
realization. We must  ,crown Him king!. But this is Chur,ch  He rules [by IHi$ grace, Iby His ISpirit and Word.
exactly a denial of IChrist's lordship. H,e is the Lord!            L&t no form of `errok  .deceive  you so as to deny this
He is  supreme.   ,over a.11  thinlgs, not in the sense blessed' and glorious truth. Nor must the Church of
merely that' He has the ~%g&t to, rei;gn over all th%ilIgs       Christ in the wo)rld  aillow any human power or author-
in heaven and  .jon earth, but in actual  r,eali'cy. He ity to interpose itself b&ween Him and herself.
is  Lo&l., not in virtue  *of  ,our  willlingn&ss to  acknow-       Ther'e  are many in our day that ,deny this kingship
leldge  Him as  .such, but solely By the sovereign act of  Chri$  `over His  Chnreh.  #Christ,  say they,  is~ the
of God  whereby   IHe raised  IHim. to His  right hand; King of Israel, the Jewish nation ; `lout He is the Bead
and that, too, whether we laoinlfess Him-as (our Lord, of His Church. '  Israel, is the kingdom Iof Ctiist, the
or stand in  rabelli,on  ,over against Him. And mark Church is His body.  Iwhen  IH.is kingdom-people re-
you well,  not.  oaly in the  conflelssion   ,of those that jected Him, and nailed their King to t,he accursed tree,
believe in Him,.  but also in the very  rdbellion of they #were ,dispersed  and sent into exile. However, He
those that harden their hearts against Him, it is exact- will yet return to them, in the end of timme, and ,gather
ly His  `tibsolutely  sovereign Lordship that becomes them as [His real kiagd&n-people. And iri the interim,
manifest  anid is  gl,orified.  For that you confess  aBd while Israel is in the  .dispersion all over the  woml,$,
willlingly .bow  ibefore  Him as LolEd is ,only due to the He gathers another people, the  Chur:ch; and this
fact that IHe sovereignly Eealized  His Lordship in you :        Church is His ibody.    :
for no o:iie :caF say that Jesus is Eord but'lby the Holy          They deny the kingdhlp of Christ over His Church.
Spirit, His o:wn Spirit. And when you rise in proud                 But this is an error, plainly contrary to Scripture.
-and foolish reibellion against H'im, it is again a aevela-      For God set His king upon His holy hill of Zion, Ps. 2 :6.
i;idn ,of His sovereign refusal-to translate you into the And in the new dispensation it is said to the Church:
blessed light of His -kingdom.                                   "Bsut ye ane come unto mom& -Fion, and unto the city of
  And, secondly, this view that  would  en&t  [Christ the living  #God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an
.for OZWT c!awe, and mc&%e  iHim king of t/bfs w;orM, s~lb- ;innu,merable   iciompany of angels ; To the  geLera as-
stitutes the wol+&d for the kingdom of God, an,d is a sembly and church of the firstborn, which are mitten
denial of the antithesis. For after all, bhe-scope  of the in he&en, and to God  +he  Judage of all, and to the
kingdom of God is strictly limibe,d to the operation of spirits of just men made  per%&" Heb.  12:22, 23.
Christ's own sovereign grace, and outside.of that scope That ."church  of the firstbor;d' is the same as mount
there is nothing lbut the kingdom of darkness. Only Zion, and upon that mo&t Zion God has set His Anoint-
-where,  and in as far as, it (pleases Christ` to pour out ed as *king for ever., In tihe last part of the first ohap-
His heavenly graces, where men-are regenerated,  ,called ter of the epistle to the `Ephesians, the apostle :writes
out of darkness into His ,mar.vellous  lilght, so that they about the glorious kingship of the Iexalted (Christ Whom
become poor in spirit and mourn, hunger and thirst God "set at(his own Iright hand in heavenly plaoes, Far
after righteousness, `become merciful; pure in heart, above. all princi.palit$,  and power, and might and do-
meek, peacemakers, the salt of the earth, the light of minion, an:d every name that is named, not only in this
the lw,orld, - o'nly in that sphere of grace ther.e is real- world, but also in that which is to  come: and hath
ized the kingdom  of `heav&. Beyond bhat sphere no put all  tihings  tiin,der  .his  feelt." And then the apostle
man is able to.rextend  that kingdom in this world. The denotes the relation and position o!i! that mightily ex-
scope of that kingdom,  the&fore, is in no wise con- alted Christ with respect to the :Chur;eh  in the Iwords:.
tingent upon man's efforts, (it is sovereignly !determined       f`and ,ggave him to be ththe head lover- all things in the
`by the absolute lordship of Christ Himself. He holds. church."
the key ,of David. He ope~l:s and no man shuts ; He                To be sure, He is alsk the head of the Church in the
shuts and ,no man opens. And that key He empltoys organic sense of the  wQrd.  The  ChuMi is His  (body.
strictly according to the will  ,of His  Fat.her,  that  is; He lives .in them, and they live through and out of Him.
according to the sovereign good pleasure of election As the ,bram.ches live in organic [connection wi+h the
and  yeprobation.  And if it pleases Him  t,o translate vine, an,d bear fruit in! that living connection, so the
yen out of the  powler  of. the  lw&ld  i&o His  blessed [believers are ingral%ed into. Christ, and they .have their
kingdom, it is your ,calling, not to make of this world life in IHim. Without Him they can do nothing.
a  #kingdom of God,  ,bnt to stand for the cause  `of the           But this idoes not a!ter the fact that Christ i,s also
                                                                     .-. -


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                                                                                                                                                      .
                                        TH'E  -STANDA.RD  B E A R E R                                                  :                             273

- the head of the Church in the juridial. sens,e : Be-is :between man and wife,' parents  anld children; in  all
  her king. And that this is tlhe meaning of the word our relationships in the world, in society, in shop and
       in Eph.  1:22 is evident, not only from the context office,  :as employer and employee; in  Church and
   which speaks of C&rist's exalted Lordship, `but also State; And we proclaim His Word, keep IBis command-
 - from  the fact that He is  calleld "the head over all ments, anid hold fast that which we. have, that no one
  things" (in relation to the Church. In the organic sense, take our crown. All this `we do in prin,ciple, to be sure.
       He is the head,of the church; and the latter is His body. For we are never perfected in this life. The motions
       In the j,uridi,cal  sense, He is the head ower all things of sin are always  #operating  in our members. But
       in the Church, and the latter is [His domain.                    even so, we have a sincere desire to &walk,  not only ac-
  -       And in this Idomain He rules !by the power (of -His oording to some, but according to aP His precepts.
'  `grace, and,  theref'ore,  through His  .Slpirit and Word.                   And we are placed fin an.antithetical,  position over
       It is there that He ldwells Iwith His brethren. There, as against the lworld of. [darkness.
  the- C:atechism expresses it, "by H;i,s Holy Spirit he pours                  Such is the revelation of Christ's imighty Lordshig
       out heavenly graces up-on us his memb.ers." For this in $he realm ,of-grace.
       mighty Lor,d,  when He was exalted at the right hand                     And within the scope.of,  that r,evelation  is the king-
       of God, received the promise of the Holy Ghost,, Acts ,dom  o f   Go.d. There Christ is gladly and willingly
       2:33. And in this Spirit He returned t,o His Church acknowledged as Lord  ,of all.  -                                     -
       to dwell in her, and to Imake her partaker of ,tHis won-                 However, His Lordship :is-not limited to this.
       ,drous   gr,ace. There it iS that He ,opens and no man                   rBe  .is Lord over  all things in the whole world.
       shuts.     There He diffuses His  marvellous gifts of All things in creation are at His disposal, to use them
       tgrace, of lif,e anld faith, of love and mercy, of rwisdom       for His own ,end. For ,by I&m "the Father. governs all
       and knowledge, of hope .and confidence, of hunger and things". He rubes over the brute creation, as well as
       thirst after- righteousness and satisfaction; with the over all the affairs of  m&-. He reigns over sun and
 bread and water of life,  a  ,of the forgiveness  .of sins moon and stars, over floods and droughts, over fruitful
 and  sanctification5 and of all the  fulness  ,of spiritual an'd barren years, over ram and sunshine. He governs
       blessings He has  <obtained for her by His obedience and ,directs all -matters #of iwar and peace, of business
       `even .unto death, His resurrection, and exaltation `at
                                                     0                  and industry, of so.cial and national and international
 the right  ?nand of God.                                  \            relationships. He rules over the secret intents of th!e
          And thus 1H.e makes us, the members #of His Cur& hearts of men, and ,controls all their plans and counsels
       His glad and ivillilng servants, citizens of the kingdom He holds the keys of death and of hell. The  ,course
       of God.                                                          ,of the four horsemen pictured in the book of Revela-
          For `by nature we are but slaves of sin, (enemies tion is continually determined and  controljled by Him.
  `of God, children  iof  ,our father the  <devil.' Sin is en- For it is He that `was ,deemed  -worthy  to open the book
       throned in our hearts, and has (dominion over us. Nor with its seven seals, that was on the hand .of Him that
       have lwe the -power--to  liberate- ourselves from this sitteth on `the throne. rHe `rules over the d-evil and all
       bondage.                                                         his- demons, over the wicked aql all their devices.
          But when  H'e,  ihe mighty Lord, enters into. our                     For Christ is. the Lor,d  !
       hearts, sovereignly, 6y His Spirit, and calls us through !  11
                                                                        ..&         `_      i                                               H. H.
       the Word of the gospel, the shackles *of sin are shat-                                                                                 .  -
       tered, the devil  ,dethroneid,  an,d His  ,own- throne is
       established in OLW hearts and minds.
          And thus we [become wilhmg to acknowledge Him,                                         ANN.1VERSAR.Y
  .and it Ibecomes  our only codfort in lifie and death that                                          1896  7 1946
       :we are not our own, but belong to our faithful Saviour
       Jesus Christ, Who -delivered us from all the po,wer of                   On Tuesday, April 2, 1946 our beloved parents,
       the devil, and makes us sincerely willing `henceforth to                                   MR. JOHN DE BOER                    `-
       serve Him.                                                                                          and
           T'hen  we Hear His Word, and'obey and keep it.                             MRS.  ELIZABE,TH  DE  IBOER   (Fennemea)
          And we represent the cause of the Son of God in will celebrate their 50th wedding anniver`sari,  the Lord willing.
       the midst of this ,present world. For we aorifess that We thank ,God that' He has spared fihem these many years fob
       Jesus is Lord over our whole life in all its implications each other and for us.
       and relationships. He is Lord over o,ur body and over                                         The glrateful  children:
       ,ouz' soul, ,our mind ,an,d  will a!n\d all( our desires, our                                           Mr. and Mrs. Simon De Boer
       means, and possessions,  #our wife. and children. As                                                Rev. and  Mrs.  Peter De  Boer
       ours Lord we are  ,determilned   t,o  acknowledige  Him in                                              Mr. and Mrs. Clartie De Boer
       our home and family-rife, in respect to the relation                                                       ana 12  ~grandchildren.                   *


 274                                TH;E  - S T A N D A R D   B.EARER  :,

                                                           prolgress. State and ~chuusch  ;wer,e  being rent in pieces-
           THiZOlJGH THE  &&S                              by this conflict, while: Hildebrand calmly looked *on
                                                           and `by :his equivocal declarations and acts kept. u4p the
                                                           condlict.  He  Iexpressed his grief at seeing so many
                                                           thousand Christians fall victims to temporal and eter-
           The .@oncordat~Of  Worms                        nal death through the i pride `of one man, but he did
                                                           not reveal whom he meant by that individual,' Henry
        So had Henry IV gone through the `motions of or Rudolf. Not until `the arms of Rudolf met with
 humlbling himself Ibeflore the pope, and so had the po,pe continuous success, did' the po'pe-  pass sentence of ex-
 gone through the motions of absolving Henry, i gone communication upon Henry. The partisa:ns of Rudolf,
 through the motions. This is ,statitil:g t,he matter !c;or- who, in makmg war upon (Henry, were fighting Hilde-
 rectly; for, as we shall now see, neither the pope had brand's battles - such ,&as their contention - fiersely
 trdy forgiven  :Henry,  nor had  H,enry actually sub- reproached tlae pope of prolonging the disastrous quar-
 mitted to the .pope in the matter of lay investiture. rel by his ambiguous leonduct;  and they serioasly  ques-
Hemy, by wrifnging an absolution from the pope, had tioned the purity ,of his; motives. It `was this slowness
 frustratedthEe attempt of the norbles of Germany. to of Hildebrand in  ,publicIy repudiating Henry that
 permanently' rid t.hemselves of him. But these nobles, tureed the pope's  ownI party against him.  iAnd the
 refusing to admit that they had been outwitted by the excessive severity of the treatment he had -afforded
 kinig, and determined to ri.d themselves of him at any the king in Canossa, lost for him the sympathy of the
cost, assembled at Forchheim, March 13, 1077, and multitude. There were not lacking plain indications
 ,offened the  cro;wn  ,of Germany to Rudolf, Duke  )of ,of. t,his. Henry again &as an excommunicated and a
 Swabia, after two legates of the pope, ,who were `pre- deposed monarch and a deposer of the great Hilde-
 sent, had prevailed `upon the assembly to <exact from brand. But this time j the number t.hat drew away
~Rudolf the- promise that he  Iwould submit, to Hilde- -from the king was small. Not now as formerly was he
 brand (the pope) in the matter of lay  inv'estiture.      forsaken by his subjects almost to a man. It shows
 On March 26 Rudolf `was crowned ; ibut the citizens o,f that this second ban of i-the pop.e produced little effect
 Mainz,  w,here the icrowning took place, raise.d   s&h a +n ,Germany.,  Thus the ,beath  ,of Radolf. the same even-
 storm, that Rudolf -had to flee to H:enry`s  Ienemies in ing of the day on which he was mortally wounded
 Saxony. Henry n,ow demande'd of Hil,debrand  that he on the bariks  `of the Elster, Oat. 15, 1880, in his last
 excommunicate the `usurper, but the pope refused. It [battle with Henry, was generally regarded as the judg-
 shows' that, though he .had` absolved the king,. he st,ill ment lof God against him for his infidelity to his lord,
 wanted him out of the way. Germany now had two king /Henry. With Rudolf in the grave, the war abrupt-
 kings, Henry  aed Rudolf. Each would  elimmate the ly ended. The Hildebranclian party *had lost their twill
 other and the result zwas civil `war. Though the pope to continue the conflict. Henry, kmwing that he could
 wanted Rudolf to prevail, he iwas careful not t,o openly count on the moral and physical support >of his suib-
 rep.udiate Henry while the  .outcome of the struggle j ects, and that lhis position `in ,Germany therefore was
 still pended. But when on January 27, 1080  :H.enry       strong, ,decided  to Ibring the pope to terms; Yet, in
 `was .?defeated by R,udolf in a decisive battle at Thur- taking action against the pope he ,paoceeded with great
 inga, the (pope, concluding that Henry's star had set caution. He first sent [Hildebrand  overtures `of peace
 and that theref,ore  he had nothing to' fear from h.im and declared himself *prepared  t.o enter. into negotia-
 anymore, invoked the aid of-Pet.e"r aed Paul, and again tions for that purpose with the pope. But the prorud
 excommunicated Henry, deposed him as king and de- pope  `was adament in his refusal to incline toward
 clared Rudolf to be Germany's lawful ruler. Hensy Henry.  :He would yield nothing, though his  friendti
 instantly replied by an i'dentical action. By a synod warned him that in Rome all would  go over to  The
 of thirty German and Italian .bisho#ps,  m'et at Brixen, side of Henry and that ,it <would be vain to expect any
 he deposed- Hildebrand and elected -an  anti-pople under help from his party. in, Germany. The pope replied
 the m.ame of IClement III. But this time the religious that he deemeld it .a small th(*ng to `be forsaken of men,
 sentiment of the age su,pported  Henry and not the pope. meamng  that he put his' trust in God. But as coming
 T-here were reasons for this. Firstly, as already <has from Hildebrand, this 7?r;2s  a testimony far too tour-
 Ibeen explained, the multitude looked u,pon Henry's act ageous. For, so heavily did he lean upon men that he
 ,of self-abasement in Canossa as an unheard <of and temporarily suspended his laws against priestly mar-
 wonderful humility and upon the pope's treatment of riages in .or,der to recapture in the #present crisis the
 the king on that occasion as tyranilcal cru,elty wholly good will of the clergy in Germany. It shows that an
 unbecoming to the spiritual father of the ch)urch. Fur- unmarriied `clergy was not a matter of vital principle
 ther, the terrible civil war in Germany between the with Hildebrand. If it was, he stands accused of
 party ,of Rudolf and the party of [Henry `was still in compromising iwith. his ,$onvictions  in order to regain
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                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               275

  the su.ppo& of men. As to Henry, he `was determined lust of power. This is the ynly justifiable appraisal of
  to compel the pope to incline to hi% his ear. In the <this  remarksble  man, considering what' he wanted
  sprinlg of 1081`he  crossed the Alps with an army an.d for himself - nothing less ,than the (earth and its ful-
  laid seige to R,ome. Shall we now say with a certain ness - consid'ering the plqae in; the universe that in
  historian that Hildebrand, surrounded  by danger, stood his imagination he had carved out for (himself - in his
firm as a rock, and refused emery compromise? It mind he sat Ion the top of `the world with every ruler
  is certain that hwe are neaTer the truth ia averririg bhat in, chuutch and &ate at his feet - and considering the
  IH~il.de&and, stu'bbo,rn  as a mule, ref)used  t,o budge; and' unsavory methods which he employed in his &riving
  that therefore his saying that "I ard not afraid of the to elevate himself to that  `dizzy height.  Th!e use he
  threats `of the wicked, and would rather sacrifice my made  ,of his key-power is a scandal.  IH.e  twas  aGare
life  than'oonsent to evil," is  .but another  >example of of this. And it troubled him in his last morhents.
  man's amazing capacity for self-deoe*ption.                      Just Ibefore he died he absplved,  accordii;g to one ac-
      ,Contrary to Henry's  !expectation,  the Romans re- count, all  ,his enemies with  the, exception of Henry
  fused to admit him to their ,city. Unprepared for a. and Clement III,' the anti-pope, and testified his re-
  long seige, he retreated for the summer to upper Italy. p!entance  at thle 8controveEsy,which.he  had excited. But
At Easter, 1083,  ,k;e  retiurned and in  JLme the  ,city.was it may Ibe question.ed whether this account `is true.
  taken.    But so  ,far was  Hildelbrand  from admitting             The death of Hildebrand could  .not of course termin-
  "defeat  t$hat,  intrench+ng  himself in the castle of St. ate bhe `par .over  lay investiture. T,he .issues  involved
  Angelo, he Penewed the ban upon Henry. and excom- remained, awaiting settlement.                         So the contest  ,was
  municated all his followers. Henry replied by enthron-           continued now between  Henry IV  and  `Hil'debrand's
  inlg his anti-pope, Clement III ; but he! also &stmcted          su,ccessorS  in  the  ljapal  t&one.    A f t e r   iHildebFa&`s
  the  .norbility of  R,ome  to effect a  peaaefull   settlement- ,decease,  the  antidpope   Cleinent  III  ,contimued  in the
  with  IHildebrand  a6d thereupon left  the  cit,y.       `The possession of Rome. The cardinals faithful to Hilde-
  following spring he returned.' Being tolId t,hat no force brand &os,e  Victor 1.11, ~60 soqi% died. lI%e was suc-
  had been' able to move Hildebrand to negotiate, Henry, ceeded Iby `Otto, cardinal-bishop Iof Ostia, a Frenchman,
  by a synod once more d'eposed  and excomnm~~icate~d  him ~wh,o  assumed  th'e name of Urban II.                 Hildebrand's
  and consecrated ,Clement III by .whom  he lsyas sufbse- felff,orts  tie destroy Henry IV was renewed !by Upba;n.
  quently  -;crowned  emperor.- Thereupon ihe left Rome Like Hildebrand, he .paid little regard to the character-
   with the newly consecrated anti-$o'pe~  never to return. of the means employed for the achievement of that
   In the meantime, Hildebrand had successfully solicited .purpose. Conrad Henry's:  IeXdest  son, wanted to be
   the  aijd of the  Normans. They came, ,did these half- king' in his father's stead, and Urbaa: encouraged t,he
   Christianized heathen, thirty six thous8n,d strong. Hav- rebeliion' #even t@ the gexhent  of crowning Conrad king
   ing liberated Hilde`b;rand,  they .gave free reign to their ,of Italy at  Monza;  whithi;  the usurper fled for pro-
   lust, of  plundser and  slaught,er,  untiil  ,h%lf the  ,city, in- tection. M,ore important for Urban's  rise to power
   cluding many  chunches, was  Deduced  to ruins  atid was the synod ,of Clermont: in France, 109.5. )H.ere he
 several thousand citizens ,were  slain. And as if this captured the hearts of men by  t,he. amazing power
   was not  ,enough, they sold  several  tchousand  more 8n;d  eloquence  with which he exhorted them  to. un-  _
  into  slavlery.  The survivors  ,cursed Hi&brand. To .sheat,h their swond against `the Seljuk Turks, who lhad
   escape their  I wrath, he  flteld to  .Salennio, as  caccom-    possessed Jerusalem in 1071 and who were harassing                  ,.
   panied  `by a few  car;dinals  an,d  Ron&n  nables. Here the pilgrims to the ho;ly cit$ and `desecrating the holy
   ,in  Salerno  the  `old pope, still  unlbroken  in  spi&, places. After the adjournment of the  sytiod,  U&an
   though broken in  Ibody, spent  hi.s last moments in set out for Rome surrounded Iby princes and prelates.
   hurling  (curses  at his  arich-enemy,   Hienry, king  `o'f Passing $hrough France and Italy, the ,company  grew
   Germany, the frustrater  `of his  intention  to  ;bind in+0 avast multitude, full-of ,en;thusiasm  flor their cause.
   the world to `his throne. His last written do:cument is Escorted by troops of cpusaders,  Urlban entered Rome,
   a letter to  th,e  faithsul  in Germany, in  ,which he  ex- expelled the anti-pope and took .possessi&  of the city.
   thorted them to .hast,en to the rescue of the ch.urch; that A few years thereafter  -he died, 1099, after he had
   is, to Hildebrand, if they ,wished to gb, to heavern. And pronounced `the tan son. all his enemies, including Henry
   his dying  awor,ds  Iwere, "I  Ihave loved righteousness IV. Urban `was succeeded by Pascal II, who also, after
   and hated iniquity; therefore I ,die in exile." But the the example of Hildebrand; sanctioned' any means to                         ~
   truth of the matter is, that h'e Idied in `exile - and -the brin.g about Henry's destruction. Hlej too, encouraged
   exile ,ccf -course was voluntapy, self-im.posed  - because the .rebellion .of Henry's sons agaFnst  their father. He
 he  stubbornly  refused to come to terms with  Benry exhorted Robert ,of Flandei-, \vho had returned `from
   regarding  ti2e' matter of  ?ay investiture. And that the first -military expedition against  $he Turks in
   stubbornness had little to do with love :of ri&teo&ness Paliestine,  to persecute IHeniy, that head of all heretics
  but it had .everything to `do Wibh the pope's pride-and and $is friends, to the death ; and assured him that he                            '

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 276 _                               TliE  STANbARD  B E - A R E R   j

' could not off,er to Go'd a m&e acceptalble sacrifice, than .HiEdebrand's   utibendinb  \will. Pascal and Henry now
that ,of carrying on .w,ar against him -`king P&i+-- reached a  rem&ble   ggreement. The  $ishops  should
 who had rebelled against God, and sought. to rob the '  tibdicaxe  .as temporal  gulers to  functioiil in their re-
church of its sovereignty. "By much battles," s&d he spective domains as spiritual rulers o'n,ly, and thus al-
to Robert, ."they  should oh-&in a place iti the heavenly low their vast {estates to' pass undkr the direct, temporal
 Jerusalem.!' The fickle  multitu,de hearkened  unto jurisdiction of the emp&or and the smaller lay rulers.
the voice of the p'ope, so that Henry, with his sons in The agreement was good.  It was the only solution
rebellion against him, was forsaken on all sides. But f,tir the abuse of simomy. But it was too revolutionary
he still had faithful adherenti  in the dioceses of Liege for general adoption. human nature being what it is,
and  `Cambray. Here the Christian  se&e of truth as- it asked far too much; It asked that the hierarchy,
.serted itself  ,in opposition to  the vile fanaticism of <definitely the papacy, allo*Zhe  emperor to take over,
the pope. The clergy of Liege had  ah"eady `accused possess, ,and exercise a' <direct temporal rulle over, the
Hildebrsnd of exchanging the spiritual for the secular p vast estates of the chu?ch and thus allo'w the bishops
sword; `They now lodged tlhe same objection against to. continue on there estates `only as spiritual shepherds.
Pascal.. They asked him to ,consider  whether be led hi,s To the sure, had tlhe hierarchy agreed to this, the em-
sheep ii? the ?ight .way in promising them a place Bin peror would have been quite willing to waive his right
heaven, if only they attacked and desolated the chunch to appoiliting  and instaXing the ishops. IAnd the office
of God.  Ref,erence  here is to the  Ilaymen and  clergjr- of bishop would h.ave ceased to be the ,coveted prize of*
men still devoted to their lord :Henry IV. Pascal  ha,d unprincipled men. But'the Roman hierarchy, from the
placed all such under the papal ban besides brdering pope ldolwn to the bishofis, .had its affections too firmly
them persecuted to  t.he death.  1 Why should these -set upon these properties to even think of parting with
,clergymen  be  excomnmnicated,  they asked. Is it be- them. Ha'd this agreement gone @to effect, the Roman
cause they are `faithful to their bishop, aud `the latter hierarchy ylrould have been deprived of its inldependent
to the party of his lord the.emperor? They denied the source of income and pope and .bisho,ps  would have1 been
right of po;p& to pronounce t,he (ban on .prin,ces. They Ibrought vnder the necesbity `of living by the fr&e gifts
maintained -4zhat the jurisdiction ,over them the King of t& people. For  with th<se vast  estafes  under th&-
of kings, Christ the Lord, who appointed them -His direct tempera1 rule ,o$ the emperor and his, vassals,
vice&rents on learth;.had  reserved in His .own hands. the yield of the lands of these estates wo.uld have gone
And they wene  entirely correct. B,ut Pascal no more to the temporal rulers, a;n,d thus not to the church.
than Hildebrand wodd allow himself t,o lbe instructed:         Now the pope and his bishops were greatly in a:eed
He continued to make relentless war against Henry. of those vast estates ag from them they derived the
Finally the king was comp$led to abdicate. The fol- means 60~ the maintentice of their. magnjif cant courts.
lowing year he `died, August 7, 1106, under the papal -Yet  *hat compact bettieen Henry V and Pascal was
b&n, in misery at Liege, and was succeeded ,by- the. s$ned provisionally- and the pope crowned Henry
eldest of his rebellious sons, Hen?y V. Such ,at this. emperor of  &e Romans. But no sooner had  IBenry
time was the spirit operati$e' in the capacy as it be- returned to ,Germ&y, than a synod in Rome rejected
,came flesh and bloo,d in Hildebrand and in these Hilde- the agreement, and P&al `was taken severely to task
brandian, popes. It  ,was the spirit  "from  the  &yss.. for the concession. In obedience to the command of
Yet ,glorious  things'have been said of this Hildebrand. the synod, he confessed that he had done`wrong and in
"His dying words," #writes  one Bistoriari,  "`reveal. the addition subscr&ed  anew t,o the degrees  of Hildebrand
fun,damental basis of his character, [which was great and Unban II against  lay-investituns.,          Pascal died,
ahd manly. To. this grand spirit, a ,character  almost January 21,1118. The p>apacy  and emperor were <weary
without (equal, belonlgs  .a place among the rul& of the _ of the  lon,g  w&r of  fifpy years.` A compromise was
earth, men who have moved the ;world by a-viol&t yet reached, known in histo?? as the Concor:dat of Worms.
salutary  infiluence." The religious element, .however, It was' signed Septe&&  23, 1122. According -to the
raises him to a far higher sphene than that to which articles. of this Icompact;  the bishops,> in their capacity
secular monarchs belong."                                  of temporal rulers, continued in the possession of  -
    Pascal  ieaped  the  rewar_d  of his own iniquity in -their estates but as vassals of th.e king and thus under
fomenting and encouraging the rebellion of Hlenry the his over-lordship. But `an exaeption `was made of the
Fifth against his own father. For eo sooner had he estates.,of  the papacy. Of these estates the pope sh&ld
come into power, than he revived the old issue regard- be the `only and sde lord As to the ,common-bishops,
ing lay investiture. tHe insisted that tlie right. to ap- in  Q&r  capakity of spiritual rulers, they  should be
point and  .instal  Ibishops   beionged to  him-ex.tclusively. subject solely to the  Roman pontiff. Their election
But Pascal thought ,otherwise. So %$enry -V marched shou!d be the  sole  tasli af  th,e clergy  and the  people-
upon Rome -in force and had the p!ope cast into prison. without the  interferenae   ,of the king, yet with the
P&scal now .was ready to negotiate..  ,For  hk  racked king, approving the  ,til-+oice  and with the pope  con-


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                                   ,   .THE  S T A N D A R D   .BEARER                                                277

firming it. `Thus the king .waived the right of appoint- gave a ld,oulble portion: for lhe loved.her, chap. 1:4, 5.
ing and ins$allilng bishops. But he was sallowed- the Just how Peninnah on those festive occasions, iwhen the
so-called touch of the scepter in token that the bishop hearts of. all true Israelites rejoiced in the Lord, be-
received from him his  teniporal possessions and author- haved- towaad IHannah is inot reveabed `illi <detail.         But
ity. This was  insdeed a  cbmpramise.  It  ,did not  I%- Hanfiah's song of salvation tells us something. This
mo,ve the abuse of simony but only temporarily arneslted statetient  ,occurs, "Talk no more so exceeding proudly;
it ; and it contiimed the secularization of the hierar;Ehy.    let not  arrogancy come dut of thine mouth: for the
It would not have. satisfied Hildbbrand, who had `de- Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are
manded nothing` less -than the complete in;dependence weighed. chap. 2: 3. Reference here  iti the first in-
of the estates of the churcli.-    .                           stance is to Peninnah, to the ,prond and boastinlg speech
                                             G. M. 0:          that came out of her mouth. Doubtless she boasted ,of 0
                                                               her fruikfulness which shd Interireted !as ai1 indication
                       -                                       of the Lord's Savor ,over'hey,  ,discoursed  on the dreadful
                                                               meaning and implication ,of maternal barrenness that
                                                               Hannah rni,ght hear anew that God was against her
      THE DAY OF SHADOWS                                       for reasons  keo'wn best to  Haniizh. This is certain,
                                                               "her adversary ~provoked'. her sore, for to make .her
                                                               fret." And this had been going on for several years.
                HANNAIH'S  PRAYE,R                             For  `we read, "And so he- did year by year ;" name-
                                                               .ly, year  iby year Elkanah made an  ~open show of
                                                               his  preference  for Hannah, "from  t.he time of her .
   As was said,  to tea,& Hannah to pray, the Lord !gOing up to the house of the' Lard, she. - Peninna.h
closed her wa@b and raised up unto her an adversary - pr,ovoked  her; there_fore  she wept and did not eat."
- l&is Peninnah, the other of Eikanah's -two wives - She. was.in bitterness of soul. She knew she n"as `not
to taunt Hannah in her childless condition. Peninnah, wicked ,ail;d that God &as ,for her ; yet she (bore on her
as.iwas explained, was  t,h'e  .unloved wife. To  ,compen- person t.he mark of Go&s disfavor, which exposed her
s&e: her for the want of her .husband's affection, the to the taunts. of the enerriies and persecutors of God,s
Lord. open&d her wotib, so that she bor'e  Elkanah sev- believing  people as reprksented  in this story by Lenin-
eral children, sons  and  daughteps.  Still  She  `was dis- nah. For so %his woman: must be regar:ded, in ,order
satisfied and fretful, as it `was only too `evident to her to have a right understanding of. the sacred narrative ,
that  Elkariah's heart was with his  Ibarren  wife. She in these first chapters of the ,book of Samuel. A mar-
winted, besides children, her husband's love; to which ried woman remaining chiFdless was a Deal calsamity in
she  `was also entitled. Had she  be& .a  God-ifearing Israel; the .reaso!n ibeing that, as has already been ex-
woman, she  woul,d  have  stren@hen'ed herself in the Dlained,  Canaan in the Old Testament dispinsation was
Lord and become n,econciled  to her lot and' suffered God's co8u&ry in a`very pleculiar sense. Ceaiaan  was
in silence. Besides, she herself, `was also to blame for heaven then for there dwelt the God and Father ,of
her unhappy tot. Elkanah  had *married Hannah first, Christ with His' peopl,e. Hence, the  done desire of
for her name is first mentioned in the text that tells         every Ibelieving Israelitess was to bear children, sons
us that` Elkanah had two' wives.        Doubtless, it was and daughters,' in order Fhat in her generations, she
Ha&h's barreneess  that had finally inclled Elkanah and her house might continue. to have a name and a
to take to himself another cwife. He wanted children place in God's country. When an Israelite .died without _
but not another woman to love and to cherish. Penin- an issue, his inheritance went to another and his place
n.ah knew that she was .marrying  a pblygamist. And knew him no more. That was equivalent to his being
she also must have known that she married a man banished from God's presence even in depth. Thus a
already debated to a wife. But Peninnah would take childless marriage caused bitterness of  Saul if those
no [blame. Neither coul~d she bedame reconciled to her so afflicted `were true chil'dren of God, as was Hannah;
lot, the reason being that- she was a wioked woman; tlie mobher  of Samuel. l$ng God-fearing, it amazed
This is the fundamental reason  laf her  torm$nti_ng           and perplexed them, as it' did,her. The childless state
Hannah on account of the latter's being childless. She of such people naturally brought them under a cloud
was a  Godl:ess woman and  ,Hannah  seared the .Lord.          of suspilcion ,and tiey we$e looked askance at by their
And it was especially, at Shiloh, ,when  they ate thleir br,ethr&, and despised a&l held in visible contempt by
frele-will  offering,  accordillg to law, that Hannah their enemies; Thus it was truly an infliction in Israel
was, made miserable Iby the cruel taunts of the unprin- to ,bie barren. It was an `affliction for the God-fearing
cipled Peninnah.     For in his  indtiscretion  Elkanah Hannah. And when, in her jealous rage, bhe mdicious.
would ~give to Peninnah and her sons a.nd daughters Peninnah  w,ould  speak  Groudly,  and mock with her
portiomjs such as were due to them but to Hannah he plight, placing upon it the lworst possible construction,


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 278                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R ,   :

her grief ~woul,d rbe full, and she could liliot eat <of the ,She wants a manchild, yet not for herself, not for her
offering, and spent the time wee.ping. That was ,what own carnal  ienjoyment  jand  sadvantage;  but that. he
Peninnah wanted. She grieved her, so the text reads, may Ibe wholly conseclrated unto the Lord not only from
-uttered in her hearing cruel words, `f,or the very pur- his thirtieth year \on but all the ,days of his lifie. She
pose of wounding her soul; and that in Shiloh, ,God's can thus vow (because what she needs and prays for is
h:ouse. Peninnah  ,was wicked,  le,xceedingly  so. Such not a manchil-d ,as such, ,/but the salvation ,of !her soul,
malide as she displayed, rises from a hatred of God's the removal ,of her reproach, the token .of God's favor
people. !Her fundamental grievat;lce-  against Hannah over her,  `in order  that' her mouth may be praising
was that she was God-fearing and thus not that she God for His salvation. ..lHer is a- woman who truly, in
was the favored wife. Though reviled, Hannah  sdid that (hour, sought God anti Him only. But if she would
not revile again. (She did not celven expose Peninnah ,hawe  ;God, she must' be saved. And therefore she
to Elkanah. As to Elkanah, seeing his (wife in tears, prayed, "Look vpon the affliction of Chine handmaid".
he was troubled. )Hle knew why she `was sad, but he And if she was to be saved, she must rbear. Therefore
either ,was unwilling ,o#r ui?;able to understand why, see- she prayed, "Give unto ;thiiTe handmaid a manchild."
inlg that he loved hler, she could not be happy, though `But it Iwas .God upon, whom all :her affections in that
#barren.  So he said to her, "Hannah, why  weepest moment were firmly set. So she went her way, and
thou? and zwhy is thy heart grieved? am not I better did eat, .and her countenance was no longer sad. It can
to thee than ten sons?" These were foolish words as only mean that she was bonfident  that the <Lord would
spoken t'o the 8disconsolate-  Hamlah. .They did .not in look upon her affliction: and save her lout [of all her
the least assuage her grief. Ellkanah `was a poor com- troublles. AnId that confidence was a saving faith in
forter. The Lard ,lraed  bronght her ,down  to the :grave IIis word of promise  `as made to  ,dwell in her heart
and the enemy rejoilced.  It was God that she needed, His by God's Spirit, this .word, `{Offer unto ,God thankagiv-
salvation, the token of His favor lover her. As her ing and pay thy vows unto the most  High: and call
husband, Elkanah should havle interceded for her in upon me in the day of trb;u.ble : I twill deliver t'hee,  and
thfe sanctuary before- God's face. This he had never thou shalt glorify  me'." ;Ps.  50:14, 15. In this vein
yet done, there .is reason to believe. Inst,ead,  turning -God spake to His peo@e through all the ages of the
bigamist, he had taken ;himsel!f another wife - this old dispensation and through all the ages of the new.
unp;rincipled  Peninnah - for he needed ~~hildren, and Hannah, the mother of Samuel; was in great trouble.
he got what he wanted but not in the v6ay of prayer Seizing the promise, she,called upon the l&d. Certain-
.but in the way of a forbi.dden  marriage ;, and all along ly He would now .deliver her, acoording  to His word,
he .imagined that the whole void in Hannah's life was (deliver her by :hearing her prayer for a man iohild, for
being fil~led `by himself, and it vexed him to learn that in no other way could she be saved, girded with strength
she *was still crying for children,. His pride <was .hurt, brought ,up, lifted up, than in the way of God's hearing
it seems, "Hannah, why !weepest thou'? . . . 1 Am I not her earnest petition `for a man-child, the reason ,being
better to thee than ten sons?" We do not read of that It was the ,dispensation  of shadows. I,n that day
Hannah replying. It would have been of no use. He earthly prosperit*y-includinrg the fruit #of the womjb `was
would not have  ,understood.       This-lis what she  #did. the reward of covenant f,idelity,  as (want  and pestilence
After they .had done eating and ,drinking  ,in Shiloth, she and war were the reward  of covenant infi'delity. De-
went to the sanctuary and there poured ,out her heart liverance `from all these troubles was the- reward of a
`before God, something that she had a;ever done ibefore,         return t:o the Lord. In Israel therefore a lbarren wife
it seems. Not that it must be assumed that previously was under a cloud, ho'wevler  godly she milght ibe. The
she had not ,been praying for a man child, but not here, God-fearing Hannah was luinder a cloud. And her grief
ia  IGod's  templie, right before  IHis face. And never Iwas greatly  ,augmented  liby the  taunts  of- Peninnah.
before, it must .be, had `she prayed so l.ong_and  Iearnestly    But in the ,way ,of her prayer God will save $er, ac-
and ,in such Mtterness of soul, and with sneh weeping. cording to His ,word. iBe will give her a  manchild.
And nev!er before had she prayed the prayer that she Judging from statements, occ;urring in iHannah's song,
now uttered. It reveals, does this prayer, that her P,eninnah will Ibe severely punished. She will wax pre-
,grief is .full and that the loweet depth of her Jolnging maturely old. Her children will  (die a premature death.
tliat the Lord look on her affliction has been reached. But Hannah will continue fruitful. "The barren bath
F'or she vows a vow, "0 Lord of hosts," she said, "if born seven ; and she that i.hath many children is waxe'd
thou lwilt indeed look on the:.affliction of thine haad- feeble."                                  ,I
maid, and remember me, and. not forget thine hand-                                                 ,
                                                                                         :         I       G. M. 0.
maid, ibut w%ilt give unto' thine handmaid a manchild,                                             I
                                                                                    .
then will I give him unto the Lord all the .days of his
life, and there shall no razor come  :upon his head."               Ontvang  elken  zegen; met dankzegging en  iedeFe
This is a prayer worthy of most carefulV consi,deration,         beproeving  met  stille  onderwerping.


                              ..,            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                279,

                                                                              Hij is :de heilige held ,die ter hul,pe snelde.
               SION'S  ZANGEN                                                 Hulpe?  Tegen wien  ,of tegen wat?
                                                                              Het  antwoord  kan  met moeilijk  zijn,  als we  het-
                                                                          verband aandachtig  lezen :en als Iwe het licht van het
                   De Verbon&-Psalm                                       geheele Woord van God doen sehijmea, lop dit vers en
                                                                          op `dit verband. Bet verband  spreekt van',den vijand,
                          (Psalm 89 ; Vierde Deel)                        den zbon der  ~ongerechtigheid,   `de  wederpartijlders  en
                                                                          diie hem hateal.  In ,a1 die benamingen zien we iden vijand
   Met het twintigste vers begint een .nieuw  gedeelte, Gods, den duivel en zijm, trawanten. Dieper  nog, zi'en
missohien het  belangrijkste gedeelte, van  dezen  ver- we in al die benamingen, ,de machten ,dler zonde en .der
bondspsalm, leen ged'eelte, hetwelk ons juist leert, dat ongerechtigheiid  ,die Israel  benauwen, schuldig  doen
lwij te doenhebbenlmet  een ,psalm di.e bet verbond Gods zijn en voorwerp doen worden  van den to;orn,  ,den reeht-
bezingt. Om dat te zien, moet Ig,e,.eerst weten, ldat er vaardigen   toorn  G o d s .   L
slechts  een  -grondgedachte  in dit  lgedeelte   o'ns  geqxn-               Daartegen  is hu,lpe van; noodfe.  En die hulpe vinden
baard werd. Van het twintigste vers tot vers 38 gaat we in ,dezen Held, .Jezus Christus, .den Zoon Gods.
het over David, door God uit het volk verkoren, ver-                         Dit ~alles is. sgetypeerd  i in den historischen David,
hoogd en verheerlijkt. In dien David zal Gods vterbond                    Koning van Israel. Er  warein  veel  vijanden  random
vast Iblijven en tot in allie .eeuwigheid*zal  Hij Zijn zaad eiz in Israel.  ,Ook  ,daar spreekt II Sam. 7 van. De
,op  ,den troon zien *en die troon zal zijn als (de ,dagen                Heere herinnert koning David aan bet feit, ldat God
hder hemelen' en zal voor God zijn als de zon.                            hem rust gegeven had van  alle zijn vijanden. Alle
         De naam David wordt meermalen genoemd hier, volken van rondom  waren:  v,ereederd  geworden.
zoodat we allereerst moeten denken  aan Koning David                         Doch dat is all& type van andere toestanden. Het
die ,door God verhoogd was vanuit bet volk Israels om Israel Gods van alle eeuw& twordt  benauwd van ,bin-
koning te zijn <over Zijn erfdeel..                                       nen en van buiten  (door  $atelijBe  vijanden.         Eerst
  _  Als dan  vers 20 spreekt van  `Golds  sprake  iin een is  ,daar Satan, ,de vijand `Gods en  sdaarom  de v<ijand
gezipht, :dan gaat dat `over de sprake Gods tegen Nathan v'an Gods volk. Tweedens; is dgaar ,de wereld die door
,den  profeet.  En tgen dien  profeet  sprak God-,  zeg- Satan gei'nspireerd wordt `om Gods volk te benauwen.
gende: Ik heb bulp Ibestel'd Ib,ij eenen held, Ik heb een Deadens,  is  ,daa,r  ,de  ma&t  tder zonde te  midden  vail
verkorene uit bet volk verhoogd ; Ik heb David Mijnen Israel,  w'elke  macht  haar,  venijn  lontvangt van  den-
knecht gevonden, met Mijne. heilige olie :heb Ik hem zelfden Satan.                           Er is  conn&ie  txssxhen ons hart
geza1f.d.                                                                 en .de hel. Later,. veel later, zou Jacobus daarvan zeg-
         Het  ZOLI  goed  z:ijn als  ge II Samuel 7  :l-17  laast,        gen, dat onze tong montstoker,  is van de hel.
vooraleer  ge  verder  gaat. Daar hebt  ge den  histo-                       Daartegen nu, heeft (God hulp lbesteld en dat deed
rischen stitergrond  van dit gedeelte. In :dat gedeelte Hij in ,dfe gave van Davisd. `En nu heb ik het oog op den
hoort ge de profetie van Nathan over, David. David beteren -David. Tech is het mooi en p.assead,  dat Jezus
Wilde `den Hleere een huis bouwen. Ik zal U ii1 dat huis zoo vaak Davild ,genoenid wordt. David beteekt letter-
doen rusten tot in eeuwigheid. D'och Uw z,aad zal Mij lijk: GELIEFDE.  lHij is de Geliefde Zoon van God
een Huis bouwen. En van ,dat zaad zegt Ide prof,eet:                      in Wien al Gods wel'behagen  is.
Ik zal Hem zij:n tot een Vader *en Hij zal Mij zijn tot                      En wat een Helper!
een Zoon, enz.              En de Heilige Geest verklaart  ldit              Hij `Igrijpt Satan aan en vermorzlelt  zijn kop.
laatste lwoord in (Hebr. 1:5. Daar w.o!rdt  .het verkleard                   Hij venoordeelt  `de  wereld en,  naardie:l  Hij  alle
te zijn een grofetie van Jezus Christus, ,onzen Heere.                    macht  lontving in hemel  en op aarde,  sdbet alle dingen
DLIS al `die schoone  beloften die in dezen  psalm ,direkt                meowerken  ten gunste van' Zijn Israel.
,&an David verbonden `worden,  bedoelen eilgenlijk  dit,                   Hij werkt krachtdadiglijk in  tde  harten van  Zijn
dat zij vervuld  zijn in Jezus ~Christus, `den Zone Gods.                 volk en lbrengt hen allen tot de volkomen  heerlijkheid.
         En idan loopt lalltes 10s. In Christus is het verbond En die heerlijkheild  is; `dat iij ,allr:n het abeeld des Zoons
Gods vast t,ot :in eeuwighid. l,I-Iij is de Koning Israels zontvangen,   .waardoor  zij,  als `t  `ware,  d.e Spiegel  zijn
.bij         uitnemenldheid.                                              waar.in `de  Drieeenige  God Zijn deugden weerkaatst
         SGaat nu terug naar het twintigste  ver.s en  .alles ziet.
wo.rdt lieflijker, schooner, heerlijker,  `dan wanneer men                   Hij, ,de ,Christus Gods, is `de eenige en [ware Belper
sleohts David,  ,den  historischen  David ziet.  -                        van Zijn volk. .
         Ik  heb,. hulp  lbesteld   ~bij  eenen   HelId,  Ilk  heb een       En Hij kan dat alles, vanwege  ,de zalving met heilige
Verkorene uit het volk verhoolgd; Ik beb David, Mijnen olie. Die zalving is de gave des Heiligen `Gee&es, waar-
knecht gev'onden, met Mijne heilige olie heb Ik Hem door  IH.ij alle  <dingen ldost:  naar het vrijmeohtig wel-
gezalfd.             ~                                                    behagen Gods. Daard>oor  wordt  vervuld hetgeen we
    Hier zien w,e dan Jezus van Nazareth.                                 lezen in het twee-en-twintigste  vers: "met welken
                                                                                  .                  .)


                        -     .
        280  -                                 THKSTANDARD  B E A R E R .

        Mijne hand vast blijven zal, ook zal Hem Mijn arm waar Jezus iijn ,Goddelijke  wondeaen deed en ,do&.
        veysterken."                                                      Hij zette  Zijn-hand   in  [de zee en  im, de rivieren en
            De vijsnd zal hem  ni.et  `drimken, en de  z6ori  lder        Europa  ,en  :Amerika   zagen' het  :heil des Heewen. De
        ongeu?echtigheid za' Bern ?+.et onderdrukken.                     aee .en ,de rivieren lbespoelen ,de stran,den ,der -wereld-
          Dit schijnt te  strij,den  tegen  `de  geaohiedenis  der .deelen.  En als Jezus Zijn  machtige  hand en  ly:echtq-
        Evangeli&   Qaar schijnt het alsof  $-&ij  telkrxs  weg- hand in die  rumoerige:   Ibaren zet, dan ziet men  Ide
        gedrnkt  en  v!eY;drong&  ~wondt. En  toch is het  niet wonderen  der  zaligheid  en',eeuwige  redding.   Redding
        smeer .dan schijn. Let, b. v., .ofi de akeligste en vreese- van zondaren. Verlossing ,van Zijn volk.
        lijkste  drukking   en  vepdringing  die  Hem  we&v&r.                Hlij zal Mij  noemen:   ,Gij zijt Mijn  Va,der,   Mij;;
        Ik he.b het :oog @I Judas. Welnu,  tils  Whet tot  ,de  laf- Go'd en ,de Rot'ssteen  Mijns heils.
        aard)ige daad toekomt.  van het ve.rraad is bet Jezus di,e            Daar hebt ge het iniieme  liefdel&en tusschen Vader
        hem toespreekt  en zegt : Wat `gij doet, doe het haaste- en Zoon. Doch wle moettin we1 voor de aandacht hou-
        lijk! Met  and&e   iwoorden, alle  zoogenaamde   velrdyin- den, dat. die Zoon ons hier geschildend ,wordt `als de
       lging en verdrukking  :vian Jezus is  ,de  I-aad Gods over Mess&s, de Mid,delaar. De Mensch Jezus noemt God
        Hem, waardoor het igansche plan der verlossing en des Zijn Vader, den  R,otsst;e,en  Zijns  ,heils. We zullen  bet
        Vader's  &erlijkheid tot  stanId  komt. De kruisiging uooit vergeten, dat het heil ,Godes is., Ook `Jezus,  als
        van Jezus, uit dit oogpunt, is sdle verhooging des Zoolns         Middelaar, is  d'e Gave  van  !den  DrieE'enigen God. En
        en de  ,openbaring van  [God's   heerlijkste   ,deugden. De Hij had Hem  lief.  - Die God en  ,die Vader  Igaf Hem
        vijanden  vbrliezen het  a&d. Tegen God en Jezus ten ,gebod ibij Zijn komst in de weaelld en dat gebod wa.s
        vechten is .de ,dwaasheid gekroond.          _  i                 Zijn eten#en  Zijn drinkeli. Leest Johannes 17.
            Luistert  slechts verder  : "Maar Ik zal Zijne weder-             Ook zal Ik Hem ten ierstgeboren zoon stellen, een
        pailrtij,ders  verpletteren  vocsr  `Zija  aangezilcht, en  `die `hoogste over de koningen .der aarde.
      ' Hem  haten zal ik plagen. Wilt ge nu  `#een  voobeeld                 Ook hier w'eer  : het :is de M+dde4aar  Gods en der
        zien' van die verplet$ering  en dat plagen, clan moet ge mensahen;  God  ,dle Vader kan Zijn eeuwigen  C+odde-
        luisteaen naar de belschrijving van Judas' zelfmoord.             sllijken Zoon niet aanstellen Dot een hoogste der kombn-
        Cod plaagit hem en hij verhangt &h; G6d verplettert gen. God de Zoon .is ,odk God: den Vader evengelijk
        hem en, zooals  bet IhanlgleCe ons meld&, -hij is opigeboqrs-     in kracht, majesteit en glorie. (Hij heeft ,alles #e&n kan
        ten.      _-                                   :                  rniets  kegeven  worden,   ,ook niet  `door God  eden  Vadler.
            En Mijne  getrfouwheid  en  Mijn'e  goedertierenheid          Maar aan Jezus wlondt gegeven om de ,eerste  te zijn in
        sullen met hem zijn, en zijn :hoorn zal in Mijlieti naam [de  economic  van een nieuwe  hemel  ien  ePn. mieuwe
        verhookd   woaden.                                                aarde, Aan dien Middelaar `w,ondt gegeven, vanwege
li          D,at  xdit zoo is,  too& ons de  oorkonde-tvjan  Jezus' Zijn  gr;oote  vernedering,  een  naam die  lbovien  allen
      ,omwandel,ing  :op  aarde.  Ergens heeft  iemand  geschre- iaam is, beide ,in .den hemel (en op de aarde. Het W&d
        ven van God, dat "Zijne' voetstappen   ldruipen van v&elt  ens, dat  aan  die? Zoon  ,gegeven wordt  `om "in
        vettigheid".     H&t  geheelle  leven van Jezus zijn een all,en de eerste te zijn". Coll.  1:18., En in  EEeae  1
        lcommentaar  op (die woorden. Bet is al getroutiheid  cm wogdt ons verhaalcd, `dat alle djiingen in d& hemel en op
        goeldertierenheid. Zal ik verhallen vaD Petrus <en Mari,a         de aarde in  iHem  vereenigd  zullen  (worden om  266
        Magdalena ; *van Zacheus en Lazarus ,met zijne zusters ? ,ilastgelegd te ~worden aan het ,hart Gods.
        Zal ik verhalen van <die hoer die a;ch-ter Hem stond al              Ik zal  hem Mijne  .gdedertierenheiid   in  eeuwigheid
        weenende en de arme bl,indlen ,die Hem schieiend na: `houden,` en Mijin verboed zal hem vast blijveti.
       riepen: 0  Zom,e  Dav?ds, ontferm U  ,onzer? Hij ging                 Dit is misschien het diepst; vers van den geheelen
        het land `door' goeddoende en bet resuiltaat is "en het psalm.-
        volk,  ldat  zi,ende,  gaf Gode lof  !"  Jetis  Christus,  ,de        God houdt Hem  Zijli  goederbierenhe?d  in  eeuwig-
        Goede  Herder. We woiden nooit moede of mat sorn de heitd. Dat wil zeggen, dat van eeuwigh'eid  tot in eeuwig-
        goedheid, de trout+  >en de li,eflijkheid van dien Jezus h&d alles in God,  D,rieEenig,   mdringt  en  ruischt en
        af te malen. En Zijn hoorti is verhoolgd  ,gsworden  doo.r -beweegt  `orn met Goddelijke energie Jezus Christus te
        des !Heeren hand. `Orn slechts  iets van dlien verhoogden         zegenen, l,ief te hebben,, te omvapgen  in `armen, van
        hooxm te zeggen: let cop Jezus van Nazareth als Hij !iefde,  van.lFe%de Gods. Want dit  laatste, de eeuwige
        Zijn stem  Tremheft. en te  qidden  van  #den  s&k  `der omaymimg in liesde,  is het Verbond. Adam ,viel en kon
        dooden roept  met almachtige kracht  : Laua,rus,&om  vit ! vallen. Die mooie Engel `Gods  Lucifer, die dater  Satan
        En dile ldood was stond op tiit .de. dooden ! lHet is de werd was val:baar geschapen. Maar dat  kan  ,Jezus
      verhoogde  hoorn van  Jezus. Hoorn is  zinnebeeld  voor niet.  H.ij  is.  ,God en mensch. En  !in  ,den  Persoon  zijn
        macht en kracht.                                                  ,die twlee naturen &n; Het lblijft vast, eeuwig vast.
 *          En 11~ zal zijne hand in `de zee zetten en zijme reeh-           0, als  iwe  sllechts in Jezus  zijlr,  `dan zijn we  veillg.
        terhand in ide rivieren.                                          Zijn we im Jezus, `dam zijn we in God. `want `ens leven
            Het is  ,de  aanduiding  van  ,het  univeyseele  terrein      is dan niet Christus verborgen in ,God.' Van dien Jezus
                                                       . .


                                                                                                 I


                                          TBE         STANDARD'BEARiiR                           I

  en van Zijn Ibroederen vermel,dt tons Mozes, ldat `(van
  onderen  (,zijn) eeuwige  armen".                                              INHISFE'Ak
       Dat,die in Jezus zijn 66k veilig zijn, wlordt sons ge-
  leerd  ii1 het  volgendle vers: En Ik zal  !&ijn-  zaad  ,in
 ,eeu,wigheid   a&ten, en Zijnen troon  ,als  d'e dagen der
  hemelen.                                                              When TQ Start Indoctrination '
       Het zaad van Jezus en Zijn troon ziet hetzelf,de volk.         .Jn a previous article we: said a few things abeut the
  Zijn zaad is al de vrucht van lden arbei'd Zijne,r liefde. `means,  the  `:how' of  ,imdqctrination.         In our present
  De  &fide  svian  Christus  dr.ingt ons, zegt  Paulus.  Ver- article we @an to say a little about the `when' of the
  staan in  een  ictwat  a&eren zin, dan  Paulus het  Ibe- incloctrination. When  m'ust  -bhe Church start with
  doelde, ,eventiel, tech Bij;belsch, dan ontvangen we hier this ; haw old should th9 child Ibe?
  de beschrijving van de werking d;er liefde van.Chris-            I fully  :realize  that  t*he  ,fiel.d I am treading upon is ,
  tus. Ja, die lief,de dringt ons. Zij `sdringt en zij werkt so large that I twill not `be able to finish this subject.
en zij  vtirvolgt U, totdat  `ge in  ,de  armen Gods  aan- It deals Iwith the whole system ,of our catechetical train-
  lamdt,  daanboven  bij  God. Met zaad van  Christus is ing. A  great. many  q!lestion&  enter in. It would in-
  Zijn  kerk die  H:ij  ewerft,  opzoekt en  ,vergadert  van deed Ibe a proper subject f'or a more Ilengthy discus'sion.
 .eeaw tot eeuw. -Zij allen zijn het zaad van Zijrlz strooi-       No justice can be ,doi:le in:' one sho'rt  articlle: It ,deals
  i'ng. Ep <die strooiPng  is het Mruis, het monument van with questi'ons like `obese: "When must the Church Lbe-
  een  liefde  en van  ,een  gehoorzaamhei'd  sder  lief#de, die Igill teaching `the man ,of God,, what should ,be taught,
  de hemelen zal doen ru>schen -van muziek en iang der what method should be follccwed, ho,w about our pre-
  gezaligden. En dat zaad is ,011~ bedoelld  in dien troon. sent method, when should we begin with teaching ,our
 (Al tdat voltk ,ontvangen Jezus als $un l$oning. Zij zijn children {doctrine'? etc. Related quest+ons  are : "What
 `Hem gehoolrzaam pp Zijn wenken. En hoewel 66k ,den should be tlh,e nor&al,  average age for `the man of God
  I&&g ons van Israel's God  giegeven zal vernederd in the churtih to make public profession of faith and'
worlden  ,om te  knielen  Poor den troon van den  Drie- partake of communion ; ,do (we, in ge:leral, perhaps, have
  Eenigen, Hij zal over het Koninkrijk blijven beers&en a ,wrong  conception ,of this?" et:. The field before us
  ondejr God tot in alle eeuwigheid. s                             is so large that *it wYuld be (well w&t& while for some-
       Daar zal `ens `t  .goede  van Gods woning .verzaden         one who' considers ,himself qualified, td .write  ,a series of
  reis op reis.  En `t  eeuwig deel, 0  Grobte   Koii3ing,         artilc%Es  on these various r&ated sulbjects. As we said
  uit  U       w      ged&ht  Baleis!                              a mo,ment ago, at present we can #merely  touch upon
       Wie  zou'ddeh Jezus dan  niet.  beminn.en?  Wle  zou them. Besides, the undersigned  ,d#oes not consider him-
  Zijn G'od dan niet eeren [over zulk IElen ,onui+sprekelijke      self an .expert in this field, althongh I. feel free to call
  Gave ?                                                           at least the attention to some Iof these thilngs ?njd to
       Indien wij zwegen, zouden de steenen  der straten make a few suggestions.
  1uitkee:s   Toepen.                                                 [Let us start out Iby mer$ioning  ,our prreseni method
       Doch  ,wij  zulleil  sprekan  en  sprekemlde  zullen  wij of  ,cate,chizing.    By' this time we have our own cate-
  zingen ,cn zingende zullen `wij jubelen, totdat ,de doripe- chism  Ibooks,   ,both on history and  doctr*ine.  The `books
  len lder deuren zich bewegen en het Huis vervuld wordt on histo:ry `were ,composed-by  Rev. P. De Boer, the ones
  mkt rook.                                                        on `doctrine by Rev. !H. Hdeksema, and ,oae ca;tecJhism
  .    En die rook .is symboliek van de heerlijkheid Gods. book Ion doctrine is composed by Rev. A. Cammenga.
       Zijn Naam zij geprezen $ot in alle eeuwi,ghei,d.            As a rul,e our itihildren, corn{ to, catechism jw.hen they are
       A m e n ,   ja,,amen!                                       about 7 `or 8 years old. Thk first bopk they go thryough
                                                ._ G. V.           is "Bible (History fojr Begitiners". Next ,folloWs "Bible
                                                                   History i%r Juniors." And, finally, "Bible History f,os
                                                                   Seniors." The first book gives simple Bible stories
                                                                   in  40,lessons.  The next  t&o books are more  .difficult         _
                                                                   and Icontain  each 30 lessons& Here is a little more  con-
                                                                   nection zbetween the lessoin.s. Texts ane. Igiven, written
                                                                   work, and here ,amd there dates ,are inserted. The one
              CONSISTORIAL UNION MEETING
                                                        ?zTy-- *, book is son the Olcd Testan&nt,  the other *on the New
                      I                                            Testament. According to :the author these `books for
       The Consistorial Union wit11 meet at Hudsonviilc 0; Juniors : "Intend to empha;iae the c:hr;onology and the
  April 4 at 8 :00 P. M. All present and  fopme?   con- geography  of-Bible  l&stor~." The  [books for  `Seniors
  sistory  memlbers are urged  to be present. Rev. W. are also  `on the Old and  wew  Testamen&  `eagh  oon-
  Hofman will be the speaker of the myvening.                      taining  30 lessons. $!Iemory work is mo,re difficult and
                                         The Commit&e.             there is much more writ&i?: wo,rk to `be done. Accord-


                                                   --                  _


  282                                    --THE           STANDAR'D               BEA.RER              ;      `
                                                                                                              . .

 ing to the' author, bhese  /books  :. "Intend. to emphasize short period of, at the most 45 minutes?" That is im-
  the significance  of history ,in the development of God's possible. All that can Pe accomplished is that you Ido
  oovenant."                                                      a little `picking' bere and there. The same is true of
         From the soregoing it is plain that our catechism `David'; ,one `lesson. T&o lessons on the Kingdom tif
  bo&s on history, slthougrh ,a11 `coverlnlg the same his- Judah. And thus  *we might continue. The books for
  tory, are not meant' to be mere  .rkpetition. A `definite Seniors are about ton the same ,order,  although here I
  line is followed, there is also gradual `development and can., see the element ,of `a Igeneral  review of -history,
  the iwork for the pupils biercomes  `more Idifficult, which .lemphasi-zing  `tihe significance of history in the develop-
  is  :but proper.                                               ment  lo8f.  Gold's  covlemant.' How.ever, the point I am
         At pr,esent  we are Inot discussing bhe merits `or de- making is, that: "If ye think that as churches it is our
  meGits ,of these books. Neith'er will we :enter  into, the calling Do give .our :children a thorough~.course  in Bible
  method ~&-ii& is $oillowed  in these books. We.,may state History (even if we should emphasize the .idea that `the
  that if the pupil memorizes the lessons faithfully and C,hmch should give the d'octrinal  aspect) we make a
  dotes the written  wlork  consciefitilously,  much  *can be poor j'ob of it. I am not finding fault with the books
  learned from these books. The question, might bse de- now, but I simply have Y'eferenice  to ,our method and the
  b,ated whether no improvement could be made, whether actual field iwe' oo,ver.
  we could not do (better  from a pe&gogi.cal  point of view.      However, notice ,that all these books emphasize His-
  Hiowever, these questions (would leqd us too f%r away thy. And chiMpen attending these catechism classes,
  from.  .our present  subject:  Fact is these- are all the that means till they are 13 ,or 14 years old, awe consider
  to801s we have at present, there is no seqonld ,choice,  and to belong to what is usually called `the pre-doctrine' age;
  we a& (glad that we have these books. We are at 2east -            Of late I have read  ,ti "The Banner" that  some
  no longer Idependent  upon books Iwrit&& by Christian C:hristian Reformed Churches have abolished some
 Re$o,rmed-  or Reformeid  authors, books, which #contain        catechism classes in this category of the pre-doctrine
objectionable material Zor us. &d these books ;by Rev.- age. Various reasons are given $or i&is, but one of the
 De Boer can be ,u.sed very nicely and with profit;'             main reasons seems to' #be: "An  .overJapping of the
         However, I like t,o say this : "If it is %e ~duty of the teaching  ,o;f  Dhe  `&ristian  Schools and the  ~Church;"
  ,Church to give the childyen a thorough c&rse in ?iible Personally -1 ~wo,ulcl  not favor suc;h a step. I  much
 History, then these <books  are wholly inadequate. Y,ou rather fav'or the metho$.we have been following thus
  .simply [camnot Jcover Bible History in detail in the cateL fay then abolish.iing  these classes altolg:ether. I  believe
  ,chisi room. And this is not the fault of the books, :but it is ,true that  thel?e  often .is  ,o,verlsp;ping,  although I
  this is $ue to the present method which we foillow. We don't consider this  `a  $erious  matter.  "But  besildes,
  teach catechism f,or about 45.minutes *per, week, and on abolishing these cate&ism classes means that mo;thing
  the average not more than 30 wleleks Ii< a yeay.. Come to takes their place. We `don't ,even give the ,oppc&unity
  think about it, that is precious little, and personally I to the pastor to work with the children, neither do we
  am very glad that .our Christian Schools devote ever train the chiildren  in the ,good  `halbit' ,of attending cate-
  so much more time to teaching Bilble Hist,ory  than we chism, nor do we make any wiork ,of it of molding them
  do as Churches. If our chil'dren had to depend tipon together a's one group belonging to $he same ,church
  the C,hurch  for a thorough knowledge of Bi'bBe History, t&t twill hame to -work togel$er tomorrow. Other rea-
  I'd pity  them,  for they simply do not get it. And I sons might bye mention&d ,why ,?ve should mot abolish
certainly  pity those  chil,dren  wh'o  ,ar;e <deprived  ,of a any catechism `classes, but for me the main reason is
  Christian  ,day schlool. !And parents who  senld their after- all that such tibolishing is tantamount to an ad-
  dh&!lren  to 6he ptiblie  school w*ith the ,excuse  that their mission on th.e part 3of the Church : "We ihave nothing
  children receive Bible iHi&ory in catechism, -cer+ainly to offer the child <n the 1ii.e of `catechism till he is about
  havIe a very poor and lame .excuse.        And -if ,vi;e think 1.3 ,or 14 years old." And that's a  #shame, and it is
  indeed that it is the duty  lof the  C,hurch  t,b  .teach a not true either.
  thorough %ibl& course to our chil,dren, we have to do. a           As I grow ol,der and have fiequenkly thought about
  lot better :befok;e  we should be satisfied. We .have o;,zr these things, and especi&ly  ,of late while I was writtig
  children in class but #once a week. We have no fioll;ow- these few articles, I cotie more and more to the con-
  up,  Iwe lack the necessary repetition, and often `we must ldusion that what ,our`cpil&en  need is movTe  do&r&e.
  cover way too mu,ch material iin ,one lesson. Per&t me It's very common to speak' of a @e-doctrine age, but
  t.o &&rate this point f&* just `a momelnt. I.have here holy told .must aa child lb? besore  you s$ouid teach ,hirn
  on my desk `(Okl Testament */History. fop Juniors." I doctrine? `1 xbeltieve  ,it to (be the primary calling `of thhe
  can pick tent a lesson at random to make the point iclear. Church  t,o  indoct&ate   kthe  n&n  ,of God'. Well, why
  Take, e.g. the Judges. All the judges, ,w;ith the excep- don't we do it mcrre than thus far? Is- ,it true that a
  tion of Samufel, are'treated in one l&son. I ask in all chi&d.ibelow the age of, say 13 years, can not be taught
  :franknless  : "Can  anyone  tr&at all the judges  ,in  one doctr.ine?  I  don't  b&lie+e it. Of  ioourse  I realize  th&
                                                                                           /
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                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEAR.ER  _:                                      `283
         .
 as `we teach `History' Idoctrine telnters in and is at times can see the advantage that thus the Church would get
 emphasized. Still, we teach TtistorrJ and not c6octtine.     a firmer hold on its ,own youth, and that on the other
 Are we ,doing the right thing? This is Iwell worth con- hand the youth, being so thoroughly trained in Prot.
 sidering.    I know very `well `a number ,of difficulties Ref. ,d!octrine, would not as easily leave the Church Ias
 enter in here. If we are to, teach more #doctrine this is-how ,often the Icase. They .would  knolw `our particular
 would~imply that we must reconsider an,d ,even wholly doctrine better; undersixld it ,clea_rer,  be :better  found-
 change our present metho'd `of `cate~chizing  the ,oovenant ,ed in the truth. Wihy not ,bend the twig whjlle it is still
 children. It would mlean an altogether different sys- young, why (not mold the chi1.d while it can still easily
 tem and method. We woulid need a whole set' of new be  miolded? And more  ind,octrinati,on  .in their child-
 `catechism Ibooks.  Besides, it may not be too difficult hood  #days certainly would `help  thiem immensely in
 to trach doc.trine to young peo.ple, but to teaoh it to the better understanding doctri,nal preaching.
 chldren is a different -matter. Y,ou *have to come Jown        Perhaps  w,e  #cam  {earn:  sqmeth'ing here from the
 to their llevel. We would mot- Ionly need a teachable R:oman Catholics and we might be able to borrow a leaf
`course oi study; but we might even need a special .Course from them. I have before me here  Ion my desk two
 in our Theological School, the purpose of which woulld Roman Catholic Catechism books. ' The title ,of the ,one
 be to teach ,our future ,ministers `how, to teach doctrine' %is : "H:ow to teach ,our little ones." (And these little
 to the children; In  ,other  words, give the  Weololgical    ones are little ones). Well', what do they teach them?
 stu,dents  some special preparation for this task. And No histowj but so&d.  doctrine. Here follows a partial
 there are a great many other ,difficulties to be consider- list. ,of the subj.ects.  treated: "God, the Unity and the.
 ,ed. T.o change the `system' also would imply abolishing T,rinity, God's presence, Why are we on earth, Heaven
 the priesent  method of teaching history. For to, ,do `both and Hell, Purgatory, Angels, The sign ,of the cross, Sin,
.woulid  Ibe quite impossible, neither` is it  ~sufhcient,  it Original sin, Our  Saviour, The true Church,  Grace,
 seems to me, to merely teach some doctrinal-  implications Baptism,  C,onfirmation,   T.he  #Holy Eucharist,.  1Bo1y
 of Bible -history, as is done M'OW at times.                 C.ommunion, Confession, Extreme Unction; The Sacra-
    However, Iwhy `not think into these matters once? ments in General, The T.ea Co;mmandments,  Command-
-It might prove well worth while fo,r us to study the ments of the Church." ,-' I gave most <of the titles.
 ,whole  question of catechism teaching and its proper From the f,oregoing it ,is crystal aclear' that the whole
 place in thie tife and educational program .of the Church. book is do&&e. - In the, Preface `of the second ,book
 I certainly  w,ould  appreciatehearing some reaction to is-stated: "This  Ibook has  bee;1 pr-epared for children
 the suggestions that I.made or the.probl;ems  I have pre- of the fourth and fifth grades in grammar school.
 sented in this artlicle. ShouId four Churches teach Irzlo;re Lengthy-questions and answers have been avoided, and
 `doctrine to the children? Would we favor an almost the phraseology made as simple as an adequate pre-
 revolutionary chan!ge in our present system of &teohiz- sentation of the' doctrine would permit." - The con-
- ing the ,children of the Church which we no,w consider tents (of this book, yen ask? Again soZ1:d doctkne, `The
 of pre-doctrine age? Come `on, fellow !b&hren, mm&s- artidels  of Faith, Works to perf,orm.  (Law), Itieans  to
 tars, consistories, interested parents, what do you think tbebome-Holy.'                  I
 about these things?               --                            Perhaps you say : "I wouldn't like that, we are no.
    Fact is of course that-there  IWOL&~ be several advan- R-Oman Catholics, ,we couldn't (do it that way, etc. etc."
 tages. More ,doctrine  wlould give us a better foundation This may be all true and w&l, but the.f,act  remains that
 to buitld upon &when  lolur children reaich the high school the Roman Catholic Church teaches dqctrine to its little
 age. T.here  would be no #danger ,of overlapping ~with children, And they succeed too. And when I read                      -
 the Christian high school, age; There .would be no dan- books like I mentitoned  1. &an6 readily uniderstand why
 ger of overlapping with the Christian school instrueton some young chil'dren in the Roman Catholic Church
 and the Church would have its own very unique pro- can be very strong "Catholics", leven- though they are
 gram and be `distinct. It also w,ould  folllow that in nor- still at an age when tour children know little about dock
 mal circumstances  :our children .would  and could make `rine and have no idea at all whst it means to be Prot.
 pu#bli,c profession  ,of faith at  can age several years Rcformed. And I can  `also  understan:d why Roman
 younger than is inlow usually the case. It also would `Gatholid children-can be so'. young when they are `Con-
 give the pastor the ,opportunity to continue catechizing firmed'. The R,oman Catholic Church consid:ers  it her
 the covenant youth after they have made confessi,on  of business t,o make Roman Catholics ,of her sead and loses
 faith and thus cover the field o2 `dogmatics. and the con- no time Fbut starts with them very young so as to ,get a
 t,ents  Iof our confessional standards much mane thor- firm `hold `on her members!                - .. '
,ough. This can be done now, too, at least theoretically         It is the  Ibusiness of our Churches to make-our
 speaking, -but usually it does mot Iwork ,out so .well. It children Protestant Reformed. Why not start young?
 al,so would imply that `our children .would   jbe taught In  ihe first lesson of the' second  Catholilc   catech;sm
Prot. Ref. doctrine while they are still very young. I book  T mentioned, you find the following question:


       "When ,sboald we begin -to study ,Christian doctrin~e?"                                   That these two elements shon1.d be present in this
       The answer is: "We should begin to stu,dy Christian term is not at a.11 strange. For these twfo elements
       doctrine in chil~dhood."                                                -.  -          were ever the <object  `of the investigatmn of t'he pro-
           My space is more than filled. I realize that the last phets, who `were led by `the Sp:irit lof Christ. All their
       word :has not been said in this subject. Neither do I                                  energies  iwere spent  in: this investigation.  E,ven the
       expect that every  ,one will  ,agree with some of the very angels of heaven were desisrous to look i.nto this
       sentiments I have expressed. Nor Ihave I solved  all the ,object  ,of the searching,  `of all t,he. prophets, who pro-
       problems involved.  H.awever,  if I have  su:cceeded in phesied until John the Baptist. Thus the apostle Peter
       pnesent.ing  some `food for thought', I isonsider this writ- jwrites  in his firrst Epistie. In I Peter 1 :lO-12 we read :
       ing not to have Ibeen in vain. And may the Lord,' the "Conoenning which salvation the prophets sought and
       King and Shepherd of His Church make us ever more searched diligently, who prophesied  of the grace, that
       faithful as &ur&es to ,indoctrinate `the man of God                                    should come unto you ; I searching what time .or what
       in the pure-blessed, R,eformed  truth *of Scripture.                                   manner of time, the Spirit `of Christ ;whiclh was #in ;them~
                           `
                             -           I                             J .   D .              `did point umto, Iwhen it testified ,beforehand  the suffer-
                                                                                              ings of Christ,  `and the glories  .that should follow
                                                                                              them. To #whom-it  was revealed, that not unto them-
                                                                                              selves, `but .unto you they did minister these thjings,
                                                                                              w&h now have,  .been  iannounced  unto you  thno,ugh
 .-                   FROM HOLY rnIT                                                    .     them that preached the `gospel unto you `by the Holy
                                                                                              Spirit sent forth from' heaven;  iwhich things angels
                                                                                              .desire  to look into."    j
                                                                                                 If so much satictified  energy Iboth by prophets and '
                   I`               undo  a  .dispensation.  of  tihe  ful.nees  of times,
                         . . . .                                                              angels (has been sp,ent,  that we might receive this revela-
                   to sum  up  tall  ~thia&  in  C~hrist . . . . even in Him".                tion.,of  God in Christ, ,w&l may ;w;e Ibeware  to give heed.
                                                                   -E&.           1:8-10.         Surely it sl%ould not j escape our attention, 1 that the
           Before Iwe further consider the implitiatilon  `of the apostle Paul in this~ bri,ef phrase under consideration
Scriptural presentation  ,of God's  w'ond'erful and al- rd,oes not direct ,our. .attention to a mere un;nsteworthy
       mighty act `of ,grace,  ,whereby  He <places all things .at ,detail, but, that, in this \brief  phrase, he gives a iword-
       the feet `of iHis fbeloved  Son, somewhat more in ,detail,                             picture `of all <of &story. It ~contains,  from !a certain
       it will be expedient and to to~w mutual advantage to aspeot,  a life- and Iwiorldkview all in a nut-shell:
 notice still another important [element in the text.                                           .Let us ,attempt to see what the Apostle would teauh
           The element to which we refer is the phrase "unto us `in this (brief phase <as to the time and the manner
       a ,drispensation  ,of' the frdness <of times".                                         of the time of the  woik  ,of  `God. There are three
           The text in full reads as follows. We quote : "iHav-                               terms that  oaU  .for  6ormnent and study.- They are:  -
       ing made .known to us the mystery :oif His will, aacord-                               1. Himes, (seasons, kair'ous). ; 2. Fulness,  (pleeroma) ;
       ing to His good pl,easure,  {which He purposed in Him 3; D.ispeneation  (.oikonomia) .
       ([Christ, G. I;.) v&o a dispensation of the fulness ,of                                   We  b.egin  w*ith  the.! first  men&ned term. The
       times, to sum up .a11 things in Christ, the ;thsings  in term "times" may fbest ibe rendered, as meaning "a$
       heaven and the things on ,earth, Ieven in Him."                                        propaiate  times", the p!oper  s&son for anything, for
           In a general way it cm be said, that the phrase in                                 a happening, an event. Ft & the fit season, the proper
       question tells us two matters `of imp.ortance  in regard occasion for something.1 Time, in  this sense  lof the
       to God's summing up  of, all things in  C,hrist.  `Ifhe term, is not mere extended existence. It  ,is s0methin.g
       phrase t,elllis us,.ftirst  `of all, that this summing up twill more, jand, ,therefore,  different than the mere aggre-
       be realized at- a certain ti.me, at a certain point in his-                            gate ,of minutes, hours, :days, months, and years: It is
       tory. It thus tells `us at                           ti*n%e it whill ,occur,  take then something that cannot  Ibe measured with the
                                                 zohat  
       place.  T.hat  is.the first  .p:oint. To this must  ,be  added                         numbers (on the clock, it is not expressed merely in the
       ,another important aspect  `of the  work of God,  hiere                                number `of days of the `calendar year.
       referred to. We are also told what Mucl of time it sihall                                 Tlime -in this' sense is! rather the !conteat,  the ehar-
       be, when this  &al,1  !o!cIcur,  in the phrase, "fulness of acter of time. And, again, not the character lof time,
       times". This latter aspect does not ,emphas,ize at what as this- `character is determined by human standards
       point of time i!n hist:ory the summing up ~occurs,  but and bccasions, mere huni?n ~effbrts sand endeavors, $but
       it  emp$asizes  that the  .point  ,of time has a  oontent,                             as this time, these seasons are solely Idetermined by
       a work a11 of its own ! Thus the peculiar nature, ,char- the Igreat acts ,of .alm.ighty  God in history.
       ,acter  `of the time is indilcated.                  This is the second  ,ele-            Permit us to. iliustrate this.
       ment, that the phrase under ~consideration conveys to,                                    ,That even among mere men, human ,endeavors azxd
       our mind. -                                                                            conventiions, we also- spekk  of time .in t& sense ,of the
                                                                                                                              I


                                                                       .

                                     T H E   STANbARD  B E A R E R   .'                                                      285'

  proper `occasion, is clear to all. It is not proper to:go method, ,we twill have no (difficulty in showing  just`what
  Ivisiting at th&e home ,of a neighbor `0'1 friend at mid- these epochs, seasons .are w&+.h  the Apostle has in mind.
  night. 1:n itself it is not sin-M, lbut uncle? normal stir-         Noiw let us look at the blackboard before me. The
  !cumsta~n'ces this l&s not the time `to visit, but it is the first upr.ight mark `on this .line, that I have drawn, I
  `time for sleep and y;epose. IOne does not easily go and have made slightly .to the right from the extreme left.
  visit the minister ,on Saturday &eninJg,  f,o? that is the This f?r,st line in&c&es the end of khe first epoch. This
  proper time  fior  refl,ection  for the  coming Sunday. "mark" indicates the "Deluge", the fl'ood in the days
  Thus ,one could go on. But this is sufficient to show #of Noah.. This period is often called the prediluvian
  how even in  Buman  lconventi80n   $here  axe  certain ac- epoch. `It was first in ,omder of time. It `has Iits own
  cepted m?tters  that are ,o;nly pro,p:er  in their season.       significance in history. It `was the proper time for that
      So too God has given ,d'efinite  seasons t'o, all things. to take place which is recdrded  to .LLS in Gsn:esis l-6.
  There are the -&ne for seed-time an,d `harvest. What This is "season" No. 1.                   /
  time is cannot Ibe Idetelrmined by merely looking at ;the           Now let's see., . . . Oh, .yes, the next upright mark
  calendar of the year. For IIS in. the north temperlate `on the horizontal line on bhe blackb'oand, where shall
  zone this time <of.-solw,ing  .i*s from March to Jun~e. But Iwe place it?  Tihis can very conveniently be placed,
  in Argentina this  Iqrder is  r.eversed.   F'or them  seEId- at a point in history, ten, generations la&r. T,his brings
  time is :in tour fiarvest-time. What is the proper seas& us 60 the days of Abraham, `Isaac and Jaco;b,  the .Patri-
  fpr  rieaping the-  haTvest  theDe   in  Dhe south,  is our archs. T#his is ;the per.iod `of which Geaesis 12-23 speaks.
  time f,or !sow,ilng.       .                                    At this point -another  definite season, an epoch in the
      From this w,e can readily see, that "time" is more work of God is finished. During it natiions Iwere !Zorm-
- thtan minutes. It always is qualified. It ,has a .content,      ed by `God, the w~o~lcl  is again peoplled,  and the stage
  a proper  character all its awn. Thus it is *with us in is set 5or Abraham's place and significan!ae among the
  the ever recurring cydies of `our existenoe.                    -nati'ons, i,n the Seed; that .is to `come. And with IsFael's
      In our t,ext the Sense of "time", proper season also goi!ng dolwn into Egypt the `curt&n falls on the second
is qualified. The Apostle gives us, potirays to us all `of ,great epoch. Hence,  heae Iwe wlill plsce mark No. 2.
  time, from Genesis 1: 1 to ,tie last day. Let us. aU%mpt            We will nbw have to put the thiad mark I&. the line
  to see just w:hat *he apostle has in mind when he,speaks con the blackboard. The  iine.runs through. It is not
  of "times". Dir.ectly  `before me in my "study" I have `a broken line.' T'he line is continuous., Tlhe :epochs  are
  a  large  blackboard. On it I hivet drawn a horizolntal not s'harply marke,d  ,off one from the other in the sense
, line from left to Y;ight. At the lextreme-  ieft, the start- that it is a question of a ,day. Sometimes ,i$ is very
 ing point of th,is line, I made a line ,indicating that this &brugt, however. Alwaysapd again: God appears. The
 ,designated the "beginning" (of which bob11 lGen.esis 1 :l next epoch is from the law-giving at Sinai, Lfter Israel's
  and Johln 1 :l speak. At tihhe`:extreme  nilght, `,at the end great  del&rance.  from Egypt; till  thl: time of the                 "
 ,of the lipe, I have another upright mayk, dnldicating th,e Judges. which ends with Samuel. This covers ti period
  "einld" ,of this present woElid. Shall we keep this Tblack-     of moire than four IhundFed  years. 'IIILIS Paul. speaks                  ,
  board in mind?                                                  in Acts 13 :19, 20. "And #when He .had destroyed szveri
      This, line that ;w;e have thus ,dra&. represents all nations in the -land `of Cbjnaan, He gave them their land
 of time, all of  *our present mode  `of  ie.xistence from for  a,n  hheritance,   for  a.bout four hundred  And fifty
  Beginnin.g' t,o End. It is the entire measure, the ful- years, and iafter th:ese  things He gave them judges until
  ness of time, :a.s determ*ined  #by-the. C~ou~nsel and good- .Samufe$ the Prophet." Again an epoch in which Israel
 pleasure of ,God. But khis time is not `on$e monotonous is under the law, $ut is most lawless, and all Dhiqgs
  aggregate  `of minutes, ho,ur&  [days annid years. It is proclaim loudly, `cihat the Thr0n.e  of D,avid,  to rule in
 ,d.i.vided  into great;epoohs,  seasons which the Father has righteousness should be esttiblished. This is ,where Iwe
  put atifd keeps in iHis mown authority ! OThe  one great place the third "mark" on `the, horizontal line Ion ,our
  epoch leads to th.e `okher,  and they all lead to the' -end,    blackboard. And this has broulght  us up to the time
  Gfod's  end;                                                    {of David's  kings,hi,p. &gain a  gyleat epoch  iX the ihis-
      !t'hus pr&en,ting &he "times" we areanot  misrepre- tory of God's covenant dealings.
 senting the intention ,of &he apostle Paul. To ;the very             We now have three epochs marked o$f on the line
 c'ontrary,  we ar;e mejrely following in his footsteps in: besore us, haven't we? Let's proceed. From David
 this mattelr. For elsewhere then apostle himself (draws theiine runs through to the Babylonian Captivity. Our
 a line ton the "~blackboard",  a line that must <represent       next liinie reppresents therefore the Babylonian captivity.
 >a11 of time, and. $his line he sllso divic@ into ,epochs,       As far `as the flesh  and the  typilcal kingship is  COX-
. times, sseas,ons.  .W#e have in mind th& `great recorded cerned,  David's kingdom goes sunder.               I n d e e d   I s r a e l
 sepmon; at least in its highlights, `as this is sound in goes into bondage, but a remnant shall return, Shear-
 Acts 13 : 16-41.                                                 Jashqb! And in this return lies the promise of gr&er
     With this sermon )of Paul as a guide, .as to general things to come. This is makk No. 4.


i86`                                         THE"  ST'AN'DkRD'  BEARE&'

   , <And now we come to the next season, as far as the
Old Testament  Scrij&ures  :are  coiticmn'ed. In the end                       _.             PER:I~~~~@PE
#of t;his ,opoch  ill the dormer ,ones are taken up. H&e all
the lines meet and converge. `rt is the birth pf J;esus
Christ, His death and resurrection. IOnce more com-
paFe Acts 13 :23-38. ~T.his 6s %he `tend of the Old Tes+a- .FOUR HEADS TOGE+HER  :
r&at.                                                                    Recently six editors of  varilous magazines and
    This is the "fulness  .of the ;time" up td this point. papers from the Netherlands w&e touring tha United
T,o this we believe Ga.1. 4 :4 refers.                               States $`or the purpose(of stedyinig  trends of thoughts
    We still have room ion the -line that we ,have ,drawn            in this (country. One `was a Roman Catholic, one ,a
from left t,o right ,on th'e bla&b:oa~d.  There still is time, So'cial  D,emocrat,  on(e' a liberal,  #one an editor of a
a season left be&ore  .a11 times are come $0 pass and the goTtier  "undergrounrd" newspaper;  `one  :a  Co>mmunist,
measure is full. There. is still the petiod ,of time from aiud <one was -a "Calvinist". They had luncheon also
Pentecost till the R&turn of ,`C.hrist upoal th,e cllouds of in Grand Rapids, sponsored  $y The  <Grand. Rapids
h e a v e n .                                                        Press and the Rev. H. J. Kuiper, Edit,or of hhe Banner
    Here we cannot supply various ep~ochs  from Scrip- `of the Christian IXefo&ed  Churches, states hec had the
tune las wle Iwere  ,able to ti'the Old Tlestament Dispensa- pkivilege `( ?, L.V.) to `be present at thtat 5mcheon. Var-
                                *
t i o n .                                                            i'ous subjects `were discussed such as the underground
                                                                     movement in Hollanjd,  $he East Indies situation, the
         Hlowever, even hqre Iwe <can s&e-great epochs  in h,ii- :havw  tirought by the  ,Gepmans  in Holland and the
tory. No one will ,dotibt, that such' turning points in present political trend :in the sold country. And nocw
history as that `of the great movement of. ;the -tiati,ons           I will simply quote R&v. Kuiper from- The Banriey :
iifi the times `of thee IGoths anId of `the Huns,_  the birth` "The d:ay following the luncheon, Dr. H. Beets, Dr.
(of the modern G.ermanilc nati,ons  tie. not epoch :makin@.          Cla&ce Boumba ,and the undersigned (H. J. Kuipm)
And, algain, ~$0 doubts, tih.& the R'eformatijon  was not, h:ad a personal conference with Prof. H. J.  Hellema
an epoch %n history? And we can be sure, that when                    (.one  lof  .the six  touring'&d:itors  and who is connected
the Man ,of Sin shall come, agaifi it will be epoch m- w&h the Fr,ee Univ&si% of Amsterdam). This prom-
sing.                                  I
                                                                     inent Calvinist is a member of otn!e `of our Reformeld
    But, however this may be, ithe entire period ,of time Chunches and since  19.40 par&time  professm.  ba;t  khe
from  Peintcc?st   till,  Ch&st,s   neturn is the season in Free University of Amsterdam. /He is connected with
which the en&e history ,of . the wdrld  5 ibnoughi to its the juridical  ,department  and  beaches tax-law.  0Zf.e is
Consummation in Jesus  ChYist. At the  ,end  of  `this also `a mmber `of a we&l known law-firm and in th$s
,plerio,d we will  icome  to that  $a& event  .iln which the caiacity.  has  representied  a number  xof Reformed
Mystery  lof God  will1  Abe fulfilled. Rev. 10  :7. `From churches in law-suits, involving their property rights,
here the line of .history  Idoes not run `04. We cannot which  wer#e  jeo&Fdiz<d  ;by  Tahoe  Schilder  d~efection.
idraw out the line in our blackboard. The measure is Prof. H'ellema gave us some illuminatinlg  ifif,ormation
full. A definite number of "times"' constikute  this ful- ab0ti.t the schism and a$swered  a number of questi'ons
ness. In i&ese  tities God is summing up all thinlgs in that were put to hXim.  j He was .also eager to, kndw
Christ, acoo,rding  to His Ieternal good pleasure. That, about the reaction of our people to that movement,
is *he Mystery ,of His ~$11, that- iH,e xhas made known Though we are-not quaking h~im, we can say hhat his
unto us.                                                             evalu&i,on  of the situatipn #did not all conflict lwith `ihe
    Just how these "times'! fit into Ithe conception "ful- -slant  his.  iritervietiers had  `on  &hat situation. After
ness ,of times" we hope to Teflect $n the--next time:                listenhig   to. him we pehnrally were mor,e convinced
         Therel!oxe,  `:do not erase" this from the blackboard. than eviw that. the peFsonality `of the centrti figure in
                                                .      G. CL.        $he ,schismlati!c  group lw&s a very important factor in
                                                                a    the tragic-separation th$t has come in the Church with
                                                                     which our  `own  ,denominati'cm   has closer  ,cofinectiqns
                                                                     than any ot.her  ecclesiastical body." Thus far we quote
                                                                     Rev. Kuiper ,in The Bantier of February 22.
                          CLASSIS EAST                    _,             A sew Iwords !tif .c;omment con the above information.
                                                        .  -         Rleading about this'conference,  wle thought about the
will meet in regular session Wednesday; April 3, at ,c&ference in tF-4 Pantlitid Hotel in 1939 to which also
9 o'clock A. M. All matters for Synod must be brought Rev.. H. J. Kuiper t&&s i&ted; B'ut Rev. H. J. Kuiper '
to.this meet.ing of Classis.                                         RE,FUSED to attend t&t oonfeEence. That 1939 ,con-
                     .                                               %rencre  lwa& ,oalled toget@er at the i&stigatioli  of Dr. K.
                                            D. Jon&r,  S. C.         Sc&ilder, who w& at t?t time. touring this country,
                                                                         .-


~..                       -                     _`
                                                           .

                                       T H E   STANbARD  BE+RER                                    .                      28'7
~ and speaking and lecturing. That 1939 conference prop,er church manners, We quote!: "This is the time .
  [was f,or the purpose d discussing the issues,that separ- df the year w-hen much c0ugFn.g  is a idisturbing  factol'
   ated our Prot. Ref. Churches and the Chr. Ref. C,hureh- im publii& worship.' How strange that 50 few `of us use
  .es, width a hvi:ew to a possible rapproachmelnt  of tihe two our.ha.nker&iefs  to muffle our .barks. We ,do not see!n
   groups. Dr. Sehil,de$ expressed th:; desire fey a .pos: #to realize that every time  Iwe emit a  l'oud  explosioij
   si,ble unity of the two :churc.h `groups. T~hat 1939 con- th&e.whd  sit near us ljose theI sound `of the words spoken
   ference would cerf+inly ,disprove  any idea that Schilder Iat that moment. They may be the key words in the
  loves separation #or scliism,  but rather -unity Ibf al! that sentence. In  smost cases  th&  bough is not necessary;
  belongs together.                                       . .      we cough because others *do. Tzhe other day we told our
      But there is allother:  remark that 1. aim coastrained `physician, ,who hap,pens to bg our neighbor and stepped
  to make. N'otilce  Kuiper's-statement  : "Though `we are #into our home, $hat we ha,d :b@en coug(hing for several
   not quoting whim; we can say that h$s ,evaluat.ion  of the - .weeks and Pothing we had tried for relief would stop it.
  situation did not at all [conflict  wi#th,the. sltant hiti imbelr- He said: "What do you -raise?" W.e answered: "Notih-
   view'ers .had on that situati,on. After listiening to him lillg". He replied, "Then stop' coughing. That mem-
   we persoaally  wer,e m!ore convinced than ,ever that the abrane is isritated'anld `every, time you cough you make
   personality of the central figure ilnl the schismatic g:oup it worse." We stopped then and there,  with an uc-
  was  `a very  im'portant  factor  inn  the tragic  sepa?ation :asioiml lapse, and the.&lination TV couigh was prac-
   that has come in the church with which `our ,own &urch tically gone in a ,day. This may not be applicable to all
   denomination has closer connection than any `other (ec- who cough in church !but we'-ayc persuaded that it does
   clesiastical hbo'dy". No,! Kuiper dloes not wa;nt to liter- apply $0 many". -Any unne+ssary  noise in church and
  ally quote the man they had !a secret Iconference  with, durinlg services  &ould be  ;avoi'ded.  Ptitting.  on,. our
  but he does cwant to 4.et his nea,ders kilow that all the wraps ,daring any part of t!e services or ,while singing
   conferees :had the same slant on the situation. Kuiper, the ,doxollogY sh&ld Ibe taboo:. If one is late for services-
  Beets and  Bmouma~   :a11 agreed  wihh  L.AWYfiR  :AND           such a <one ,shoul,d not ilsoo$ around. f,or -a seat while
  TAX-LAW TEACHER  `OF. AMSTERDAM  that the the minister is reading Scripture. Wait quietly until
  movement of Schilder, a.#o. i,s SCHISMATIC, that i,s, the- reading is fitiished. If you don't, you ,dist-u?b  others
 SINFUL, because a. schismatic is always the cause of who  lane  follow,ing  thee reading  of- the Word  `of God.
  the break in the ,&hL@ches. This is revealing. BEFORE If there is a ,disturbance  such as the crying of a baby
   Schilder `was a so-called schismatic, when still-in good in church, don't  l,ook  marouricj  to  SIE~ whose  bnby it is
  standing in &he Reformed Churches #of the Netherlands, anjd who Ior what is the cause of the. distil14bance. First
  Rev. H. .J: Kuiper cond`emned him eve-n then.. He ,warn- you esbarrass the mother of such a-baby, secondly you
  ed the church%against  even.inviting  "Schilder to speak. are m$issing part of the service yourself and thirdly you
 He refused a  confereizce  with him and  ,other   br.ethren <disturb  the minister !who likes to have the people look-
  of ,our churches and his o,wn. He turned the cold &houl- ing at him and not lookjng in all directions of the audi-
  mder to Schilder, even befiore the latter was "put out)' torium. And abode all don't sleep during the service,
  of th.e churches in the Nethenlauds. And naw he ,wants for then- you &ight -as well' stay home and Igo to. bed,
  his readers to believe that he evaluates the situation in seeing you get nothing out of the services and you are a
  tHollanc1 -the same as all the `conferees,  including the constant sourcG  ,of .ir~itati?~~ to others.
one from Amsterdam.             My  evaluatioln;  +s that Rev.
  Kuiljer hates Dr.  Sehilder as  lue'  #hates  ."the  central.
  figure" also in ,oLTr `group. I do not belhwe that R&v. !I'HE  NONPROFESSItiNAL   MIS$IONi&Y   I  1  -
  Kuiper can give a .proper  evaluation of the situation -
  xin the Netherlands, with his biased and narrow-binded               In & article written by R. C. Van Kampen of C&i-
  attitude. It is such #a sinful attitade that causes sohi,sm cage, Ill.,  <on the  "Non-professi'onal" Missionary, we
  i& the churches. Rather than at least Igiving a man .a came `across so,mle ideas that are worthy to pass ,along
  hezring, Kuiper wilil condemn him, .wi$hout,a  hearing. to  ,our ,own aread.inig public, especially in-  vi&w of the
  But he  makes  it appear as  thouih he first  colnsults. fact that the Mission Committee of our chunches has
  author,ities ( ?) and then evalinates  the situation. Yronr also asked us to write #on Mission wiork for the purpose
  evaluation Rlev. Kuiper, is not wotih the paper it. is ,of ,awakening  interest iiT this cause among our people.
  written  on. Besides it is very UNch'ristian.                    "A n!on+Fo9essional  missionary is a layman, a business
                         *  8  $S                                  `man;  :a doctor, a farmer,  Bousewife,  `or a mechanic,
                                                                   .w4ho  tises every ,opportunity to witness" `and testify to
                                                                   the truth.- The Christian layman has a responsibility
  CHURCH ETIQUETTE :                                .-             as great as that'of any preacher. In" f&t ,a laymap's
      We reed the f.ollowing item that should be of interest testimony ,often c&es a greater weight with his neigh-
   also in our chur,ches whi& often suffer from a lack of bors because they realize the layman speaks from con-


                                  I

                                       ---~-qJ

        288                                  T - H E   S T A N D A R D   l3.EARE.R  I

       vi,ction  &&her  than by  reason   ,of  position.    Further in Alaska, but, "that ' none ,of the churches are very
       states Mr. Van Kampen: "We send missiontiries to the x.vell attended and most  <of the people seem  Ine'ithw
       four conlers of ;t;he worl,d  to-preach the gospIel  and set church !&nscious imr : God-Cons&us". Of course ,one
       up mission  stations, IanId we send mis&marilEe  to' the- nlged not go to. Alask& to find people "neither c.hurch
       slums of our great  ci.ties to deal  with  &he  ,outcasts  of consei~ous  nor  `God.  consci,ous".  `No people is  tihat  Ly
       society - aen and women who have squardered  their nature. All the  ,molre  neason however  fo? bringing
     _ entire lives in sin. .  ~  `. but the average man, your th.e gospel al,so there. I "T.he %ield is the world", said
       neighbor and my neighbor,  bone w,hti leads s norm@ l,if&         our  Lor,d. And, we ne&l not go .a11 the way to China,
       who is ali ass& $0 society, who raisebs  :a fine family, either.
       minds his own `business, and possibly has a respoinsilble               A statement issued' by the provisional Ioommittee  of:
       position, ,we shun like a leper wiheinr i$ comes t,o Igiving the World- Council ,of Clhu$rches, at, +he oonclusion of a
       .him +he ,gosp&" We quote further a few `of the ,qual,i- week's rconference Monday, said : "the time is short, ,and
       f&&ions in $ocder  to jbe  .can effective  non+plrofessi!onal     ,unless man's .wrhol12 `outi!look  is changed, our civiliuatioiil
       mis&ona<y,  -" (1) Live a Christian $est$np-ny. In oth,er         ,will <perish." This committee rerpnesents 8'7 Prot&ant
       words, `others should see Christ in you and realize you Church bodies. Comment  : *hen ,civiZzation will perish,
       have a peace and joy t.hey Ido not under&and ox have. for we can assure all those Protestant Church bodies,
        (2) Emphasize. the  posi+ive:in your Christian life. that man's ,o,utliook  will n,ot change. Besides `we are not
       Ohhers  are inkerested iti what you :get ,out Iof $ein*g a i&,erested  in ~civilization,  [but in the I&gdom ,of God,
       ,Christian, not in what you tdo without. (3) Use every `and that Klingdom  is not of this world. And unless a
       ,opportunlity of witnessing when the. opportunity pre- .r+an is box% ,again, he dannot see the Kingdom lof Go'd."
       sent; itself. (4) Study God's Word prayerfully ; know Also, there is n,ot mu+ to boast about in %he %ivtiiza-
       the reason for the hope that lies within you."                    tilon"  khat will perish. When  `it does  p,er:sh,   no+hing
           We need not quote monel. Certainly these f,ew poiinnt-        is lost Go  the  christian!,  ,except a  ,worlfd  `of  $in and
       ers may be read anld reread and made part and parcel darknetss.  A.nd THAT  worl,d  MUST  @erish.
       `of `us all, if we would be consumed :by the zeal of Gpd's                                                                                    L.  V.~
       house IaId witness !of the truth -of that -house ,of .God.
       "Ye are my Iwitnesses" said the Load before His Idepart-                                                                                           a_
                                                                                                   -.
       ed t,o heaven's glory at the Fathlec's ril&t hand. And                       c
       as the church must certai.nly `desire to go out into:the                                     I N   ME&fORIAM
      whole wonld an,d preach the gospel, so `must ,each indi-
       vidual member ,of the church, I& ,a true. odfice-bearer  in             De  Hollandsehe   Mannen   Ver'eeniging  van de  Eerste   Pro-
       that C~hurch, and carry the message of truth to whom- t&tantsche   IGerefotieerde Kerk werd met droefheid getroffen
       ever we come in ~contact  w&h. _ T:hus we are LIVING ,door   ,dat het  ,den Heere behaagde op 11 Februari een  `barer
       members (of the church `of Jesus C,hrist iin, the world.          trouwe ,leden,
                                                       ,                                     MR.  TI!IOMAS  RHODA                             :
                                                                          c
               _'              *  *  8  *                                zoo  plo&ding  door den  ddod uit  lmn  midden  weg te  nemen.
                                                                         Maar wij treuren r&t als de ,geenen  die lgeen  hoop kebben.                      Want
                                                                         zalig zijn de  dcsoden  die id den  Heeye   &xven;                        Moge dit ook
       INTERESTING NEWS ITEMS: .                               1.'      ' de troolst- zijnr  der weduwe en  kinderen.
           "The Ameican Bible Society is busily engaged since                                                                   Mr. G.  Kost&,  Pres.
                                                                                                              /
       the war with Japan  came to  `,a  IconclusicHn',  to print                                                               Mr. B.  Veld@ip, Beer.
I  Christian  .lit;er&tune  IanId  BBlFes for Japan. One million                                                                        *-
       copiek ,of ihe New Testament will be printed in Japan-                                                                                 -.'
       ese Iby this Bible Society, as .a result `of a recent rkquest           Ai%er a short period  :of suffering, it pleased the Lord to
       by Japan's `Christian leader8 for religious literaiure.           take unto Himself *our  belojed  Mother, G2%$mo~her  and Great-
       There  .have  d&ady been sent 60,000 of these  Ne~rn  grandmother
       Tfestaments." We wonder  why they print and.send but                                     MRS.  J'OHN  DATEIMA   -
       half  lof  the Bible and not the whole  Biible, including  on  Decen&er  30,  1945.
       boh Old and New mestamen+,.                                             Our hearts  we;re  saddened, but we  nejoice  that  ,she  now
         * Aaother item (of interest is that the Southern Bap- rejoices in the Lord Whom:  lshe confessed and d&red  to serve
       tists ,of <our country, have pur&?sed a si;te in Anchar- in pedfectiiom.,
.      age, Alaska, fog the purpose of erecting a Bapt&t ~Col-                                                     ;    IEr.-and  ,Mrs. M. Vander Ploeg
       lege  .&here.  T:he Rev. Bill Petty of Little Rock, Ark.                                                         I.%.  and Mrs.  0. Datema
       who is a  pi'oneier  ,in the  Ba@ist  mjssio,n work  in the                                       I              (Mr. and Mrs. P.  Datema .
       great northern country `df Alla&a, has- reportted  hh&                                                            -7      grandchildren,
       .there  are about 15 denominations and sects repr&ented                                                            1 great-grandchild,


