                                                                                                                                  .
           VOLUME  X X I I   _.                            M,A$ 15, 1946 - Grand Rapids, Michigan~                    _        NUMBER 16
                                                                                     t.hings-  in the first paradise.- Even though that first
                 M'%  D.1  T-A  T  ]11  ()  .N-                                      kingdom- was an image of the kingdom -of God that
                                                                                     was to @ome,  and the first man Adam was an image
                                                                                      of the last .Adam, `the final state of glory dannot be
                                  .~l[mmortality                                      conceived as a further, or even as the highest possible
                                                                                      development. of that original state.
                                                  _  ..
      -                                                                                 Between the 
                          :. .  .a&  this mortal *must  -put on im-                                      alpha  and the  omtiga,  between  the-
                                                                                      first man Adam, who was made a living soul, and the
                          m o r t a l i t y .
                                                       I  -I  .cor,  15:53.           last Adam, Who was made a quickening Spirit, lies
                                                                                      the wonder' of grace, the revelation of God in Christ,
            ,A.  ne@ssary transformation  !.,                   _                    the incarnation, the cross, the resurrection. `And'
            - For we must all be changed!                                            between our present `state and our present world; and
             This mortal  must  put on immortality ! .                               the kingdom of God lies the parousia, the wonder
              The reason for this necessity is  to-be  fomld,  on of His parousia, -when the present things shall pass
           the one hand, in the purpose of God that His own -are away, all things shall be changed, and we must be
           to- inherit the kingdom of God  ; and, on the other changed with them.
hand, in the fact that we, are, in our present state,                                    That first kingdom, over which the first Adam had
`. flesh and blood, and that, too, .corrupt,flesh and blood, dominion as a living soul, was "natural," the- kingdom
           in the midst of d,eath.                                   ~_.
 -                                                                                    of God that  -is to come, over which the Son of God
              `And flesh and blood . cannot inherit the kingdom as a quickening Spirit shall reign forever, is "spirit-
           of God.: .                                                                 ual". The former was earthy, the latter is heavenly.
            Neither is it `possible  .that  tiorru@ion  inherits  `in- In the former, even the knowledge of God was medi-
           corruption.                                                                ated through an earthly revelation ; in the latter, we
              That kingdom of God is the kingdom of heaven,                           shall see face to face. The former had its center in
           the glorious economy of all things that is to be reveal- the heart of a living soul, the latter is centered in the
           ed at the  .coming of the Lord in all His-power and .heart of * the `risen Lord, ,the glorified Son of God in
           glory the Eather has given Him. It is, the inheritance human nature, .Immannel,. God with LX. The former
           incorruptible and undefiled; that fadeth never away. was lapsible, perishable, corruptible  ; the latter is
           It is the new creation, united in Christ as the head everlasting, incorruptible': it shall stand forever. The
           over all things, in which the tabernacle of God shall former was only the beginning of the blessed covenant
           be with men. In that kingdom God `shall be with us, with God, its revelation on an earthly plane; the latter
           and we shall be His people, and God shall forever be is the highest possible revelation of God's fellowship
           our God. He shall wipe away all tears from their eyes,                     of friendship with men, embracing all things, on the
           for the glory of that kingdom shall be so great that the                  h e a v e n l y   p l a n e .
           sufferings of this present ti.me are.not  worthy to be                        That kingdom the children of God must inherit.
           compared with it; and there' shall be no more death,                          For. it is their Father's good pleasure to give them
           neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any the kingdom.
           more pain : for the former things shall have completely                       In that kingdom they must be able-to exist and to
           p a s s e d   a w a y .                                                   live. They must be in a condition to Possess it, to see
              That kingdom is different from any `state of things and to hear, to taste and to touch the spiritual,
           that ever .was or -is in this present world.                     .'     - heavenly things of that kingdom. They must be cap-
              It is not. an extension of the original economy. of able of seeing God, His face, in the face of Jesus
                             -                   -_

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

 Christ, the risen Lprd f not as, in those wonderful f&y its identity, nor its essence, nor .even. its life; it only
 days, before `;His -ascension into heayen, the disciples -puts off its form.. After the seed has died in the earth,
 saw Him, occasionally, and as . He appeared to the           you cannot find it again in its original form. But
 earthly senses; but they must see .ZIirn as He is, in the while it shed its form, there was, in it, a living germ,
 fulness of His resurrection-glory, and that, too, not and that living, germ, through death, puts on a new
 occasionally, but constantly, always and everywhere. form, a new body. It is transformed.
 They must be able to inherit- all. things, in earth and        The same is true of the resurrection of our Lord
 in heaven, and, in fellowship even with the holy angels,     J.esus  Christ from the dead.
`to function as serv&ts of the living God, and to serve          He has assumed flesh- aiid bloqcl fr6m the virgin
 Him day-and night in His holy temple.                        Mary, He, the eternal Son of God, the only begotten,
        Hence, we must be changed.         s                  our Lord. Hence, that incarnated Son of God, Who
        For flesh and blood cannot inherit that kingdom.
                                                   ,          became like unto !His brethren in all things, sin ex-
        And we arc `"flesh and blood."                        cepted, is the life and the resurrection. He is the Life,
        And let us not make the  mistake to think that for He is God of God, Who alone has immortality.
 &ue became flesh and blood through our willful dis- And He is the r:esurrecti&,  because,- as the Life, EIe
 obedience in the first paradise, so that "flesh and can  plurige Himself into the midst, of death, pass
 blood" is applicable only to  our siliful nature, weak through its very depth, without being swallotied  up
 and in dish&or, corrupt and lying in the  midst of           of, death, even in His human nature. He is the. Seed
 the d'eath. On the contrary, flesh, and blood WI? wer,e      that is cast into the earth, passes through death in
t created. The term characterizes our earthly nature.         His human nature, ili order to appear again in the
        For the f&t man is of the'earth earthy,               glory of His resurrection.
    And the image of that first man we b&r.                      His "flesh and blood"' .was not destroyed.
        Through our body  of flesh and blood we stand            His resurrection did not mean that ;Eis "flesh and
 related +o, and are, at the same time ,strictly limited blood" was left to corrupt in the sepulchre of Joseph,
 to earthly things. In our present flesh tind blood we and that now a new body was created for- Him, the
 inherit earthly things, we see, and hear, and taste, and     "spiritual" body of the' resuraection. On the contrary,
 touch, and smell the things of our present, %a?thly          the same Jesus that .died on the accursed bei! arose
world only.  Wle  .cannot perceive the' things of the 6n the third day. He, the risen Lord,. is the same'
 kingdom of God. We are bound to the earth with a             P&son.  [His human nature is the same in essence
thousand ties. On the earth we are dependent. for our as before His death. The grave was vacant: "come,
subsistence. In- earthy things wee rejoice. The know- see the place where the Lord lay." The imprints of
ledge of the things of .the kingdom of God can cotie to       His suffering are still in His hands and feet: the
those, that are-children of the kingdoti in principl~e,       unmistakable identification marks of the Lamb -that
only by the wonder of revelation in Christ, and even          was      s&in.
then we can conceive -of  !hem only  iri a figure, in           The same is true of the resurrection of all-that are
 earthly forms, and through the means  .of earthly in Him.  _
realities.                                                       We must be changed. This corruption must put on
    And in our present flesh and blood we are mortal.         ilicorjrtiption.  This mortal must put on- immortality.
    The kingdom. of God is "spiritual," but `we are              Through all the process "of death and resurrection,
"natural", psjrchical,  living souls.                         spiritual and physical, the identity` bf our p&son, the
    The kingdom of God is- everlasting, glorious, .trans-     essefice  of our being, and the individuality of dur
cendent  over death; but we are mortal. -               I-    ngtule retiain: the form only is changed.
    The kingdom of God is heavenly ; but we are earthy.          It is I that die, afid this mortal 1, thpough death
    As we are, we cannot inherit the kjngdoin.                and the  r&surrectioh,  puts on immortality. just  .as,
    We must be changed!                                       in this present `life, I put* ofi many different forms,
                                                              since the  d&y I was born:  ~the  form of babyhood, of
    This mortal must put on immortality !                     boyhood, of adolescence, of manhood, yet qy person
    Such is the tr&nsformation  that is called "resurrec- retained its identity, ahd I am clearly conscious of the
tion from the dead" !                                         fact that th,e boy that,. years ago; received his first
    It is a change of form, but it remains the same           spelling-lesson in school, is the same as he that now
essence, the same nature, the same person.                    sits tit the typewriter to compose tliiis meditation; so
    Resurrection is not a new  cl;eatibn. It is not  a it will be the a;a+e I tha;t. pjcesently passes through the
calling of the things that are not as if they were, but process~ of temporal death, and that will forever close
a quickening of the d,ead.                                    his  `eyes upon all earthly %cenes,  that will &pelience
    The seed that is planted in the earth di'es, but it is    the glory of the resurrection ahd `open his eyes upon
not destroyed. In dying in the earth, it does not 10,s.e t-:ie eternal realities of heaven.


                                                  THE                 STANDARD              &XAR-E-R              '                        363
                                             1





           I l&e now in the midst of death, I will presently                 7.t ktiows  nothing of eternal life, nothing of the. glorious
       pass through death, I will' put on immortality in the resurrection, nothing of the real meaning of immortal-
       final resurrection.                                                   ity; yet, of immortality it speaks, meaning thereby
           And so, even as through au. the forms my earthly some vague? "beyond", or `~here~fi%r~`.
being assumed and may yet assume, during the brief                               and, alas, the Church was tempted to adopt the
  .span  of this  .present  mortal exist&e, my being  ret term immortality from philosophy, and speak of it, as
       mained the same:; so' it is the same human being thaC                 if it riferred merely to continued existence after death.
       passes through death into .the glory of the -resurrection.                Is it not -in this sense that many speak of man's
       The human nature, body and soul, as it was origifially                "immort-al  soul", in distinction from this mortal body?
adapted to bear the image of God, will not be destroyed                          And, to be sure,  nian, both  the righteous and the
       in death,.  neit,her- will it be replaced  in &he r,esurrec.tion      wicked, shall continue to exist after death.
       by something essentially different: it will  .be pre-                     But this is not what scripture means.by  immortal-
       served, and ljut o.n &nmortali.ty.                  /                 ity.
           And just as, through all the earthly. transfor.ma-                   We-are, by nature, mortal, die-able, earthly, corrupt-
       tions, which my nature underwent,  a@ may still ible. And this mortality concerns, not only the body,
       undergo, in the process of time, the individual form but also the soul. We have a mortal nature, a moi%al
       of my nature, by which I am  dist,inguished   froni `all body, and .a mortal SOUL And what is more, thrbugh
       other forms in the same human nature, remained,. sin, we also lie in the midst of death, with our entire
       and will remain, so,. in -death, that individuality will nature, body and soul. For we have died the spiritual
       not, be destroyed ; nor will it he- obliterated through cleath, and our bodies are under the power and in the
the resurrection: it will be transformed, glorified.                         clutches of death. And this mortal nature, soul and
           For we must all be changed, yet it is zue that are body, pasties through temporal death: the body is cor-
       changed.                                                        `C    r-upted  so that it r,eturns to the dust, the soul is un-
        Flesh and blood is only a present, mortal, corTu.pt-                 clothed, and forever separated from ail earthly contact
 - ible form of th,e human nature.                                           and r@!ations. And, apart from Christ, and from the
           It cannot inherit the kingclom `of God!                           resurrection, this mortal nature will forever pass into-
          This corruptible must put on incorruption !                        eternal death, both as to body and spirit.
        And this mortal immortality !                                            That is the mortality of our present existence!
                                                                                 But  immortaiity,  according to the  ,Scriptures,  is
                                                                             the glory of life eternal, both as to body and soul.           It,
          Immortality !                                                      3s. resurrection-lizl!e  ! It is the life of the glorified Son
  .       ~0, blessed, glorious. hope!                                       of God in our nature, Who died ancl was raised from
          This  mortal  must put on  immortality!               ..           the dead, and over Whom deat,h hath no more dominion.
          And  $eware,   .l&, you adopt the term immortality It ~&-not merely an endless extension of our present                                  f
  from philosophy rather than from Scripture, and thus existence, nor is it an everlasting extension of the Me
       deprive it of all the blessed -glory for the denotation Adam had in the first paradise; it. is life eten?al,  and
       of which it is used exclusively in I-Ioly Writ.                       this is life eternal, that we may know God, and Jesus _
          Alas! this has been, and still is, done but. too f-re-             Christ Whom He has sent; that we may dwell in His
  quently.                                                                   tabernacle, body and soul, ,enjoy  :His blessed friendship,
          Immor.tality  is a mystery, that is, it refers to an taste His goodness, see Him face to face, and serve
       eternal, a spiritual,' a heavenly state, of which man Him day and night in His holy temple ! . . . .
  knows nothing of himself. It belongs to the things                             This mdrtal must put on immortality !
  which eye hath riot seen, nor ear heard, neither have                          The beginning of this glorious transformation is
  ever arisen in the heart of man. We can speak of it, th'e moment of our regeneration. It is resurrection
  obtain a glimpse.of its blessedness, see'it &far off, only from the dead.
  by revelation throtigh the Spirit of Christ!                                  And when this regenerated believer  .dies the tem-
          Yet, philosophy, mere man, earthly, carnal, sold                   poral death, his death is like the seed that falls into
  under sin, walking in darkness, and lying in the midst the earth : the new principle of liSe in Christ that `is in
  of death, also dreams  pf immortality. ii- stands before him can never die ; all that is of "this mortal" passes
  the fearful reality of death, which  encompas.ses our away !                                                              -_           _ .'
  present existence on all sides, and from which there is                       And `the perfection of it all will come in Fhe "last
  no way out. And, not knowing the Spirit of  rqhrist, moment".
  and despising the light of revelation, it confronts the                       Then, wl!ether tie belong  to the quick.+r tg the ,dead,
  que&io&  nonetheless, -wh&her  there `be a "beyond", we shall be changed !
  an.existence after death, an "hereafter?. -And some-                          Death shall be swallowed. in vi&&!'
 times. it has answered that question in the affirmative.                       Blessed hope of, immortality !             ,.:          H.FL
                                                                                                                                   -


                                                                                                                                                                                           1


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                                                                                                                                                                                                       -

           3                6               4                                                                                         T H E                                                      STANDARD  BEARElZ  *


                                             ,The Sfcrndard  Bearer                                                                                                                                                               E D I T O R I A L S
                                 Semi-Monthly, except Monthly in July and August
                                                                                       Publish&-   b                                                        y                                     '
                                       The Reformed Free Publishing Association                                                                                                                        -                         The Liberated Churches                    -
                                                                     1463 Ardmwe St., S. E.
                                                        EDITOR  - Rev.  H; Hoeksema                                                                                                                                                In The Netherlands
                 Contributing Editors:-Rev. G.  M.  gpboff, Rev. G.  Vos, Rev.                                                                                                                                       TIHE CHURCH POLITICAL ASPECT:                    .
                  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.                                                                                                                                          The following.synod met on the heels of her prede-
                 Vermeer, Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev. J. A. Beys,                                                                                                                                        cessor.
                 R.ev. W. Hofman.                                                                                                                                                                                       It was, of course, dverdue. Ordina&ly  its sessions
                    Communicatio,rs  relative to contents should be addressed
                 to REV. II.  IIOEKSEMA,  i139 Franklin St., S.  E.; Grand                                                                                                                                           should have` commenced in  Junle  1942. Due to the
                 Rapids, Mi,chigan.                                                                                                                                                                                  fact that its predecessor stretched its sessions over
                    C(ommunications  relative to  stibscription  should be addressed                                                                                                                                 al! of i942 and met` till May 1943,  atid to the fact
                 to MR. GERRIT PIPE, 1463 Ar%ore  St., S. E., Grand  Rapids;                                                                                                                                         that the churches in the way of consistories; classes,
                 Michigan. All  Antiouncements,  and Obituaries must be sent                                                                                                                                         `and particular synods, raise.d  no protest against this
                 to the above address and-will aot be placed unless th,e regular                                                                                                                                     unprecedented assumption bf hierarchical power on
                 fee of $1.00 accompanies the notice.                                                                                                                                                                the part of the General ,Synod, it was impossible`for
                                              (Subscription price $2.50 per year)                                                                                                        r                           its successor to meet at the proper time.
                 Entered as Second Class mail at  Grand Rapids, Michigan. .                                                                                                                                             However, as has been said, it was-convoked on the
                                  .                                                                                                                                                                                  he&s of the final adjournment of its predecessor, on
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     June 22, 1943.         e
           _                                                                                                                                                                                                            And, `as might be expected, it walked in the way
                                                                                  CONTENTS                                                                                                                           of that former synod, and followed its hierarchical
E     .
           MEDITATION  -  :                                                                                                                                                                                          example.
           IMMORTALITY                                                                                                                                                                                                  It, too, refused to adjourn definitely when its work
                                                      . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I.....: . . . . . . . . . . . . 361    was finished. It-adjourned provisionally several times,
           I          Rev. H. Hoeksema _                                                                                                                                                                             and prolonged its'sessions till August 14, 1945.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       The Reformed ,Churches of the Netherlands, there-
           EDITORIALS  - ,  -                                                                                                                                                                                        fore, w&e witnesses of .th& strange. spectacle of an
           THE LIBERATED CHURCtiES  IN THE NETHERLANDS..364                                                                                                                                                          almost continuous session of the General. Synod for
           EXPO:SITION  OF THE  HEI'DELBE,RG   ,CATECHISM............366                                                                                                                                             over six years!
                      Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                                                                                                                                                  The first synod met from 1939 to 1943. .~
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The second, following upon the first with only a
           ELI'S SENTENCE IRREVOCABLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370                                                                                          few- weeks intermission, assembled from June 22, 1943
           INNOCENT'S TRANSACTION WITH THE KING JOHN                                                                                                                                                                 to August 14, 1945.
           OF ENGLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..!.............. . . . . . . . 374                                             And the latter was almost entirely occupied with
                      Rev. ,G. M. Ophoff                                                                                                                                                                             the doctrinal decisions of 1942 concerning the cove-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     nant of grace, and with problems and difficulties that
           UIT  DEN TREURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...) . . . .376                                             had arisen, and continued to arise in thk churches in
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     connection  with those decisions.
                      Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                                                                       Fortunately, we are in a .position to obtain a clear
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     and r&her complete understanding of the .work and
           TO  THEN   UTMdST OF  YOUR  POWER . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*...............**... 378 -methods of this synod, thanks to the thorough work of
                      Rev. J. A. Heys                                                                                                                                                                                Mr. W. C. F. Scheps, a layman journalist of Tl+ Hague,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     `~110 `attended all the-open sessions of this synod, and
           PERISCOPE  -. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ;..- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381 prepared as complete a report as possible, not only
                 r  kev.  M .   Gritter,s                                                                                                                                                                            of the official acts and decisions taken, but also of the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     discussions that took' place on the floor of the syond.
           CONTRIBUTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  :; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4383 This report is in the form of a book of almost three
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     hundred pages. I found it very interesting- and. il-
                     Rev. H.  Veldman                                                                                                                              1,                                                luminating, and would recommend the reading of ii
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     to all  that  are Interested in the matter  concern&g
                i. `. _._" _.-_ --. .-- ._  _  ._-  .-- ----                                                   ..-..


                                  - THE STAN-'D ARD BEAR&R -                                                        - 365
the &efb&ed  "Churches of the Netherlands, and are acts and decisions. .Had  -this not  b&en the motive,                       _
a b l e   t o   read.  Dutch.                                     the. synod would simply have decided on the matters
    It is, pf course, impossible to give a detailed ac- that appeared on its .agendum, treated .the protests
count  of. the various decisions reached by  th% synod, that were brought before her in regard to the decisions
and of -the discussions that led up. to such debisions.           of the synod of Sneek-Utrecht, and. adjoumed~definite-
We can only touch upon. the highlights, and give our .ly.
own impressiotis and. judgment..                                     .Let us clearly understand that this would, indeed,
    We stated  already  that it  was almost ,exclusively          have been  %he only proper way for the synod to fol-
kept busy. with the cotitroversial  matters concerning l o w .
the decisions of 1942, particularly  those about the              D `. Had the synod followed this prbper  way, those, that
covenant of grace.                                                were  aggrSe%d, and objected to her  decisioizs  could
    The first important point that deserves mention. is have followed. the orderly ecclesiastical way; fiied their
that this synod, in answer to protests against the hier-          objections with their consistories, and sent them
archical actions and illegal s`essions &its predecessor, through their consistories to the respective classes,
completely justified the former, and declared:                    and particular synods; and thus to the general synod
    1. That she, i.e. the synod th&t.convened  in 1943, that was scheduled to meet in.1946.
was competent to answer the objections offered against               As it was,. however, tile synod continued its ses-
the  all,eged illegal  actions of the former  .synod, even ~Gons, closed them provisionally, and at each session
though the same professors that were present & ad- was flooded with  hundreds of  docume&s that had
visory members at the former syl:od were present in never been brought to the attention of .the proper minor
the  ;amE capacity at  tl-@  synod; and though the assemblies !                                       _       --
general constituency of the synod was largely the same               These letters and documents, literally hundreds of
as that of the -former.                                           them, included:  _
    2. That the legality of the  action.  of the former            1.  Piotests against the doctrinal decisions of the
synod in postponing the convocation of the following synod of Sneek-Utrecht concerning the covenant of
synod  .for one year, and the  appol:ntment' of a  pro- grace, and requests to retract or- to. change those de-
f,essor for the theological school of Kampen (which c i s i o n s .
was ndt on the age%~dum of synod) could not be dis-                  -2. Protests against  the  oficial enforcement of
puted.                                                            those decisions and requests to declare that they were
    3. That the synod of SneeX-Utrecht did not serious- not binding upon the churches.
ly interfere With the right of appeal- by continuing                 3. Protests against the suspension of Dr. Schilder,
its sessions.                                                     .both as professor at the Th!eolsgical  &ho01 of Kampen,
    4. That the synod of Sneek-Utrecht was justified and $s emeritus-minister of the church of Delftshaven.
in demallcling  the acknowledgement of the legality of We will come back to this suspension later, D. V-., The
her decisions, as loiig ati no proof to the contrary was          r,eader  must understand that Dr. Schilder had not
o f f e r e d .                                                   bleen suspended by the  s?od of Sneek-Utrecht, but
    5. That the synod of Sneek-Utrecht did not make that the synods we are now discussing, in its session
itself guilty of moving in the direction of hierarchical of March 23, 1944, suspended him from, office for' the
dominion over churches or persons.'                               t,im& of three months; Against this  action the same
    Interesting this particular. point  is, because it synod received many protests, with requests to lift
shows how well-nigh impossible it is to obtain a re- .the suspension.
vision, if not a condetination,  of the acts of one synod            4. Protests against seyeral other decisions of the
by  anot+er, and  to return to the way of sound  Re;              synod that Gas in session.
fdrmed Church polity when once the way of hier-                      5.  Qeestions' concerning the proper interpretation
archical power. has been chosen and followed.                     and meaning of the doctrinal decisions of 1942 con-
    &6th,er -point of general interest is that also this cerning the `covenant of grace ; and concerning the
synod; following the example of her predecessor, was matter of  - dealing with aggrieved and recalcitrant
very loath td adjourn definitely, and instead chose the -office-bearers.
way of repeatedly adjourhing  "provisionally",  i.e.                 We must  understand that all these documents,
with the provision each time that, if necessary; the letters, r&quests, qtiestions,  and protests, were pre-
same synod could be convoked again without any sented to synod by individual persons, ministers,
action of the tihurches. .Interesting this is, -because it - eldjers, and laymen, as well as. by consistories, classes, .
plainly shows how tenaciously the synod clung to the and an occasion'al  particular synod.
hierarchical power it had assumed. In  this, it  ,was, , And with very few exceptions, the synod received                      _
of course, motivated by the desire to sit as judge and' treated them all !-
in- its own case, and to down all  opbosition  to its                Every ti&e. the synod- adjourned provi&oqally and


                                                             ,


     366                                       T H E   ,STANDARD   B E A R E R

     assembled again, there was a flood of new documents. way open for appeal, along the proper channels, to
            And' eacli time the synod Deceived  them,' referred the. next synod.
them to committees, and decided on them.                               As it was, the way of appeal according to article 31
            Consider what this means.                               of the C&urch Order was virtually made impossible.
        Ordinarily, that is, according to  the proper way                                                          H. H.
     as stipulated in the Church ,Order,  all such documents
     should have reached synod- in the form o! overtures
     from the proper minor  `assekllblies, through  consis-
     tories, classes, and particular synods. For  arti&
     30 of the Church Order states: "In these assemblies
     ecclesiastic&l matters only shall be transacted and  t,h&,        THE `TRIPLE KNOWLEDGE
     in an ecclesiastical manner. In -major assemblies only
     such matters shall be dealt with as could not be finish-
     ed in minor assemblies, or such as  per&in to the               An Ezposition Of The Heidelberg
     Churches of the major assembly in common.`?                                        C a t e c h i s m
            In other wor,ds,  the decisions of synod should have
been taken' up at the meetings of the minor assemblies                                     Part Two.
     first, and whstever objections there were against them                          Of Man's Redemption  _
     should have been brought, through th'e proper than-
     nels, to the att&tion,                                                            LORD'S DAY XIX
                                not of the same synod th,at made
     the  $eci+ons, but to the meeting of the  next synod                                    .4.
            But the continuous sessions of the synod became
     the `occasion that the protests and other dc+%miWs                           The Final Judgment. (cc&.)
we?e presented to the synod it&f !                                     In the course.of  the history of dogma, various no-
            The minor assemblies were completely eliminated ! tions were developed and Propounded with respect to
            The result was, first of all, that the synod for two the idea of the final judgment.                                   ,
     years and two months so>Tereiglily swayed its sceptre              That the course of this world would be finally closed
     directly Qver the churches, and even over individual .by a judgment of God was taught in the Church from
     members. They decided upon protests, they answered the very beginning of the new dispensation. But dif-
     questions, they determined what should be done in f&en% conceptions we?e formed .of this revelation of
     matters concerning discipline over individual members, the righteous judgment of God. Already in the middle
     they rebuked arid admollished both members and con- ages one meets with the notion ,that the judgment will
     sistories, and they even exercised discipline directly. take place only in the consciotisness of those that shall
     They suspended and deposed professors and ministers, be judged, that is, all the-moral creatures. It will, be
     and decided that a candidate should nijt be permitted
                                                          "         Wholly subjective. Others,  howle%, offered a rather
     to enter the ministry.                                         objedive  description of the scene of this final j.udg--
        Secondly, the re'sult  was that the synod sat as judge ment and expressed, moreover, the idea that ,God's
     in its own ease!                                               people would participate in the judgment actively,
            Perhaps, the result would not have been materially especially the monks! Still others insisted that there
-different if the synod had adjourned, and left snother would  b!e no universal `and public  judgment at the
     synod to treat tlie protests against its acts  2nd de- zlose of the world's history: the only judgment that
     cisions !.                                                     will ever take place is the one to which every man
      It  `seems  that frequently the same delegates are -shall be subjected immediately after death: it is
     chosen to the general synods. Besides, then pyofessors         appointed for man once to die, and -after that the
     of` the Theological School and of the Free "University judgment.
     that are present as advisory  members take an  .im-                As -is evident also from our confessions, -at -the time
     portant  part in the discus&&s, and  exercise  a pro- ,of- the Reformation, the idea  ,of the  final judgment
     found influence upon the syn$l, as is, evident fpom the .-was developed -rather clearly. The  jud.gment  was
     report by Mr. Scheps.             1~:~                         inseparably -connected w-ith the second coming of the
            Under such `conditions it ?ss- not: very prbbabl,e `that -Lord, Christ will be the j-udge,  all men, the righteous
     a'later synod will revise or  tin&o :i%e  acts of its pre-     and the wicked will appear before His judgment seat,
     decessor.                                  --                  they will :be judged according to their works, and the
            Yet, it  woalcl have  looked   l&s -hierarchical, had books  ithat will -be opened are the  cbnsciences  +f
     the synod, instead of continuing %%~s&ions,  and-.a&- men.
     ing as judge over protests against its ?*wn decisions,             In modern times, especially under -the influence of .
     wpuld  have adjourned definitely,  and thus  J&t the Germwn  theoldgy,   .the  iclea of a -distinct,  ~final  $u.dg-

.


                                       - T - H E   STANDA-RD          B E A R E R                                     367

  mbent, that will terminate this age .and the history of token of .God's gracious disposition and attitude toward
  the world, has been rather generally denied.  T&e them. The wicked hate God, and blaspheme His name ;
  will be no final judgment .as a .distinct and separate they commit iniquity, and oppress the righteous, yet
  event in the end of time. Nor is such a judgment              God blesses them in that He bestows upon them all the
  necessary.    The world is always in judgment, and bounties of this present life: He sends rain upon the
  God executes His judgment constantly. History itself          evil and upon. the good, and causes IHis sun to shine
  is judggent, and every man always receives according upon the righteous and the ufiright,eous. In the end,
  to his work. -And God inscribes His judgment iri the it is true, God will execute a righteous judgment upon
  consciences of men.                                           them, and thefr shall be damned forever in the pool
      There `is, .in this modern conception of the judg- that burneth with fir'e and sulpher ; but, for the ~pre-
  ment of God, though it errs in denying the truth of a sent, He is gracious to them as well as to the righteous.
  final judgmerit at the close of ,history, an element of       Thus the present is separated from the future, the
  truth that dare not be denied or overlooked  with temporal  frbm the eternal, and the final judgment of
  imp-unity.                                                    God is an isolated act by which the Most High will
      It is to be feared that many believlers look upon the really change His attitude toward the righteous and
  last judgment as an isolated event, a momentary act the w&.&ed  !
  -of Go&by  which He will, for the first time and forever,        This view  :of `the last judgment, in its  -relation
  judge the affairs of `men, ,and -set straight whatever to .the gnesent government of God, must be rejected.
  was permitted. `to -be crooked in the = history of the           It is false; first of all, because it implies an erron-
  world. The only judgment is that which is to -come -eous conception  -of -God as the Judge of heaven and
  at the end. In the course of the present history of the earth.
  world God does. not appear .as ;the -Judge of heaven
  and earth. iHe judges, to be sure, all the moral -acts          `God always judges, and He always executes a right-
  of -men and of .nations, in the sense that He evaluates -eous judgment. He'is righteous and just.  ,+nd  `He is
  them as to `their ethical worth, and writes them -all in the  untihangeable  One.  MoDeover, always He is the
  His book. And,  occasional!y,  He  .reminds `the world        Governor pf the whole universe. It is not thus, that
df IHis .wrath and .just -judgment, ,by sending special `during the presknt  history .of the world, !He permits
  catastrophies,  such as world-wars, `earthquakes, fam- the affairs of men to run their own course, carefully
  ilies, and pestilences eon ,the -earth. But ~for the rest, noting them- in His bo6k, in order, at the end of the
He does not,  ,in  +he  presetit,  dispensation execute a world, to. ascend .His throne of judgment. Always `He
 righteous, jtidgmefit. Every man is not rewarded `ac- sits on the throne; From  mbment to moment `He
  cording to-his work in this  ,world. Many things  ar-e `rules. -Never do the reins of, government slip from His
 ..left -crooked. ,For God is tolerant, forbearing, long- hands. Constantly.He  judges, and all His moral crea-
 -suffering. In  dact, in the affairs of the  ,world, it tures stand before Him in judgment.  ,Nor does He
  -appears.  tis if :-force rather than justice prevails and    simply reniember their acts, in .order to express His
  has the  victory. The wicked  :pprgsper, especially if, verdict and execu&  His judgment in the end of time.
  ss thley .generally have, they have the power ; and the IOn the contrary, all the works of God are perfect, and
  righteous suffer and ay?e oppr,essed. And it seems as till iHis judgments are just. Even though the final and
 -if there is no Judge in-he&en, and no-knowledge in everlasting reward of the righteous in glory, and retri-
 -`the Most -High. Butt God remembers. -He -writes +113 `bution  of the wicked in hell, cannot be realized in this
  .these  things in `His, book. -And, although, for the-pre- present time, with both God deals according  tp strictest
 -sent, He permits inji%stice';to -prevail .a& to. triumph, justice;
 -He .has -appointed ,Christ -to judge the world, ,and -in        -It is true-that -we cannot discern this righteous
 `His -day;- Gad -&ill open thte books, -and:execute -a: right- jud&nent of God in detail. To us God's dealings with
  eous judgment. Although, in this  *worId, iniquity is the righteous:  and the -wicked often appear to be con-
 -%ft6n victorious, and the -wicked .are in-power, -in the trary-to.-just-ice.  .-It is often the complaint of the people
 x-day 6f ,Christ the righteous shall be justi-fied;and  the    of God that He seems to favor the wicked, and .to turn
  Wzked shall- be- coridemned forever.                          His face. againstthe righteous. Asaph speaks of this
      The last judgment is the only and final -act. of God in- the seventy-third.psalm. .He saw- the wicked pros-
 -whereby'iHe will- beetify and- set straight -whatever was -per, and the righteous suffer.' Their (eyes were stand-
-tinjust in tlie --ppesent-Igovernment  ~of the- world.    _    ing out with fat-ness, -while his own punishment was
     Such'is the conception oflmany.                            awaiting him every morning. In vain it seemed that
    :In fact, it: is: because-,of  -some :such zoneeption  of -he -could, wash-his hands in innocency.      The book of
  3od `as the `Judge;in respect to the ,af$airs of the pre- Job deals with the sa-me problem. The philosophy of
 :sefit  world; that many find -room-for the notion. -that the three friends, who insisted that- the temporal suf-
 `the  -prosperity..of the wicked must be- considered a feripg-,of--man  zwas%dicative of some special sin, did
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     368  '                               T H E   S T A N D A R D -   BEARER

--n$ fit the case of Job, and their speech`was -$ainful-          And not only does God deal with His moral crea-
 t o   h i m . .                                    . .       tures righteously in this world, and does He execute.
        But this apbearance:  of -things is due only -to. our judgment constantly, both upon the righteous and
     limited under.standing,  and to the fact `that'we ofteti upon the wicked; but He also inscribes His righteous
 fail to discern the meaning of the present for man's judgment in the  -consdence  of every man.                 Man's
     eternal state. God's ways are higher than our ways.      conscience is his awareness of God's just judgment of
 /His ways are deep and mysterious. We consider only his every -bYact. `It is' because of this judging act of
 that which we see at the moment.- The relation be- God that men have the.work  of the law inscribed in
 tween all things we cafin.ot  discern. `If, hoyever,  it `-`their hearts, and that'their  conscience witnesses with
                                                                              i  -
 were possible for us to comprehend the work of God,` the testimony .of God's law, so `that they accuse or
to understand His government of His moral creatures excuse themselves and one another.
 iti detail; we would, no doubt, also clearly discern that        In this sense, `-man's conscien'ce  is indeed a book,
     Goti always judges r.ighteously,  and that' He executes fi!led with the handwriting. of .God, -expressing His.
 a righteous judgment upon men. Never  would we just judgment 03 every act he ever accomplished, and
 complain anymore, in that case, that He favors the of  every thought and desire-  .that ever. arose in his
 wicked,  atid that His face is against the  .righieous.      heart.  '  '
 Always God rewards the.good with-good; Never does'               Besides, it is also plain from Scripture that there
 the  iinner  -advance one step on the  way  o$ iniquity is. an individual, preliminary judgment immediately,
 that is not visited With evil on'the spot.         -        - after death, that will be eBecuted in the clatination of
        In the light of Scripture,  we-,can, even now; see the wicked, and in.the intermediate.glory  -of the saints
 a little of this just government of God in- the present with Christ.
 world.                                                          Yet, in distinction from God's present just govern-
        Thus,  acco_rding  td Scripture, it is  tke righteous ment of the world, and from that preliminary. judg-
 judgment of  God that the prosperity of the wicked ment that will be passed ,upon every soul that departs
 is to them a slippery path on the `which he hastens to       from this present life,  th.e  Church, on  .the basis of
 destruction.  .- Thus `Asaph saw God's dealings. with Holy Wkit, confesses that she looks for a' final judg-
 tlie workers of iniquity, when he  -&tered  into the ment, when Christ shall' come again "to -judge the,
 sanctuai-y  of God, and took `cognizance of the end of quick and the dead."
 the ungodly. Thus-we are tau*ght in-the ninety-second            The main -idea of. this final judgment is that of the
 psalm, where the author is inspired  to extol t,he mar- theodicy, the justificatio<l of God in the consciousness
`v&lous  works` and the deep thoughts of God, with re- of all .His moral creatures. It will be "the revelation _
 gard to the workers of iniquity. They flourish, and of the right,eo;s  judgment of God." As has been said,
 g?bw as the grass, in order that they tiay be destroyed in this world, too, God's government is characterized
 forever. Thus it is plain& revealed in  th& dreadful by strictest justice. But the justice of God's  judg-
 first chapter of .the epistle tq the Remans. The wrath ments is not clearly revealed. For, first -of all, many
 of God is revealed from heaven over all the &godliness things are hid. We -judge only according to that
 and unrighteousness bf men, who hold the truth in _ .mrhich is apparent. The hidden ihings of the heart,
 unrighteousness. They know God, and they are aware the reasons and motives that lie behind the .outward
 that  He  `is to be  thinked and glorified.  -rebut  they deed, we cannot judge. Moreover, there `are- many
 refuse to acknowledge Him. And God executes a right- 4 things done iri secret, words that are spoken in secret,
 eous  judgmen% upon them.  IHe makes them foolish. secret couiisels  that are never revealed, secret abomina-
 He causes them' to grope in the darkness of iddqlatry, tions that are comniitted  in darkness. Besides, we do
 so that they, foolishly, bow before four-footed beasts not  -clearly disc&n the dealings  df God with  .men iri  `,
 and creeping things. He punishes sin with sin. He rel&on to their goral deeds. Bwt ili that day, all will
 &sts them into the mire of sin, so that they become be revealed.. And then it will be revealed, not only that
 more corrupt all the time, and thus hasten t;j their G+l will  finally reward every  mafi  according to His
 o       w     n         de5%&,ion.  -                        d,eeds,  but .also that He always did execute .a righteous
        It is evident, then, that  Also in this world  jthe judgment in His government of the world. It` will be
 Judge of heaven and earth executes a righteous judg- the fevelation of the righteous judgment also in this
 ment.                                                        respect, that IHe'will be clearly revealed as the Judge,
        All things are mad,e to work together for good to     so that the moral cretiturie  can no longer deny Him.
 them that love God.                                          H'ere the fool saith irr*.his-heart that there `is no God.
        And it is equally true that all things work together The ungodly ascribe  the. Y;ighteous  jtidghents  of God,
 for' evil to Them that hate `Him.             '              especially  wheti they become  m&if&t  `in great up-
        `God is the- Lord.                                    heavals and special calamities, to the inevitable "laws
        He canTlot be-mocked, not e@n for a moment, '         of nature", or to f&e, or &' man'i own folly and we&-
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                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R .                                       /'                   369

 ness. He sets himself  against God, and VOWS that he Exactly because this last judgment must be the revela-
 will overcome Him in judgment. He will st.ill make a tion of the righteous judgment of God, and because  '
`good world out of it all, and establiih  peace and pros- God in-pimself is the invisible One, and because Chriit
                                                                            v  m  -.
 perity without .God and His ,Christ. But in that day, is the image of the invisible  God, His. highest`revela-
 God will so reveal Himself, ;that all must acknowledge tion, Christ will appear as the repnesentative of, God
 that :HNe is the Lord of the universe, and that He is the as Judge in the visible world. And every knee shall
 right,eous Judge of heaven and earth.                          bow. before. Him,. and every tongue shall. confess that
     The last judgment will be revelation of God as ths Christ  is.-  the Lord-Judge, to the  glory- of God the
 righteous Judge. --                                            Father. Atid all things Will be naked and open before
     Its idea is the theodicy.                                  Him Whose eyes are like a flame of fire, Whose feet
     -aistory,_as a human record, and the expression of are like burnished brass, and out  of  Whose   mquth
 a human judgment upon the affairs of men and human- proceedeth a sharp two-edged sword. '
 ity, of iildividuals and nations, will be rewritten. in           Besides, it is but proper that the judgment of the
 the light of God's perfect judgment.         -                 whole world be delivered to Christ, first of  ..all,  be-
     This implies that it will be a public judgment, in can& He is appointed the High Priest and Head over
 the sense that the righteousness of `God's judgment the whole house of God. Of that house He is the
 will be dearly revealed to  all the moral  cneatures.          builder.      That house was manifested, in its mixed
 It will not be individualistic, so that each one will be and imperfect state, in this world. From that house
 convinced of the justice of his own sentence, but it- judgment must begin,. and the !Head and Builder of
 will be given unto all, in that day, to behold the whole that house of God's everlasting covenant is also its                                      ,
 of the  wokks  of  ,God, of His  righ.teous government, proper Judge. He shall cast out from it all  that.do
 and IHis just judgment with regard to all His moral and love iniquity, all the ungodly and hypocrites, and
 cr:eatures.      Christ and His cause shall be` publicly gather  IHis own into- the everlasting tabernacle of
justified, and His saints  shall share  ill, this public. God withy men. And not only this, but by H'im was
 justification, so that even the wicked that here con- ticcomplished the judgment of the world, when He was
 demned and persecuted them, will have to acknow- sojourning among  us in the likeness of sinful  flesh.
 ledge that they are the rightful heirs of all things. He was the perfect Servant of the Lord, Whose meat
 And, on the other hand, they shall behold the retri- it is to do the will of the Father. And the world
 bution of the wicked, and acknowledge that the Lord judged  IHim,  rejicted Him, killed, Him.                                    Yet, He-
 of all is just in  cons!gnin"g  them to  ,eternal   desola;    committed His  cause to God even to the end, and
 tion. .                                                        announced td al! the world that their judgment of Him
     And, lastly, the idea of this' judgment, in distinc-       was the condemnatioli of the  powlers of darkness. 1How
 ti& from the current judgment of God in the history proper,  then, that in l+e day of the revelatioi  of the                                  .
of the world, as also from the preliminary judgment righteous judgment of God, this Servant of Jehovah
 of ,each individual after death; is that it .is jinal. The will appear as the Judge of all, representing the Father
 history of this world will be terminated by it. The in the glory of that day, even as He was 33s faithful
 ethical fruit of the moral creature will b;e ripe. This        witness in the days of His deep humiliatidn!
 final judgment .will be the .everlasting  separation .of                                                                   H. iH.
 the chaff from the wheat, of the  siricked from the
.righteous, of the reprobate from  3he elect: And all
 will receive their final, their everlasting reward.
     Quite in harmony with this idea of the last judg-
 ment is the truth that Christ shall appear as Judge.
 That this is  th,e teaching of Holy Writ  w,e have  al-                                          IN  MEM'ORIAM
 r@ady shown. We must all appear before the  judg-
 mlent seat of Christ. He will come quickly, and His             The  jConsistory  of the  ,Grand  Haven  Protestant  Reforined
 reward is with-Him, to give to every man according Church expresses its sympathy with our former  Pastor, Rev.
 as His work shall be. The Father delivered all judg- A. Pettevr  in the recent loss of his
 ment unto iXim. And He gave Him power to execute                                                    SISTER
 j u d g m e n t   a l s o .
     This `means %h& the Son of God will appear in His Mrs. Margaret Bierema, of `Grand Rapids, Mi.+igan.
 glorified human `nature as 9 the visibl'e representative           May God's grace sustain the bereaved and  ca,use'them  to
.of the invisible :God, an< that, too, in such a way that rely fully  on His righteousness.'
 all the modal  world will recognize iHim as the revela-                                                   N. J. Jonker,  Vice-Pres.
 tion of the Lord of all, and receive His judgment as
the  rev&lation' of the righteous  judgment  of God.                                                       A. Peterson, Clerk.


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             370.  -                             TH-i  S T A N D A R D   BEAR.ER  -

                                                                        It indicates,  as was  obse&ed, that  `-Samuel  was not
                                                                        an ordinary prophet. Prophets such as he were raised
                   `THE DAY dF SHADOWS                                  up only.at the g&at turning-points in Israel's history,.
                                                                        when t$e. Lord was a-bout to do some new and terrible
                                                                        thing.  IHaving called Samuel, the Lord communicates
                                                                        to him His word.
                        Eli's Sentence Irrevocable                                          The prophecy is found on and sup-
                                                                        poses the message of the "man of God". Eli's sons,
                                                                        !Hophni and  Phinebas, being wicked, imagined that
                As has already been remarked, if it bk cqnsider,ed      they  could sin with impunity.  ~Instead  .of forsaking
             ,that the age of the judges numbered some 375 oi POS-      their abomination and turning to the Lord in true
             sibly 400 years, and that this whole period  knew          contrition of heart, they had doubtless mocked when
             but four prophets, three of whdm were obscure men told  of the doom that awaited them. For so the wicked
             whose words were -exceedingly sew, we feel the force are wont to react to the prophecies of God. The idea
             of the.. statement that  tile "word of the  L&d was that both of them would die in one day must have
             pyecious in those .days, there *being no vision break- impressed them as being too ridiculous for words, as
             ing through and spread abroad." As has already also the cdnsideration  that God had said ii, and that
             been fully explained, this notice can only mean that the message had come straight from the Throne.
             iti those days-the age of the judges-no new revela- Others ~might believe that, but they did not. It was
             tions were added to those already given in preced- a dreadful message, to be sure; and in their inmost
             ing ceituries, that, otherwise said, there was no word hearts they were afraid. But the man who had said
             of.aGod  that came to Israel directly frqm the Lord.  by those things, who could he be? A wild-conjecturing,
             prophetic announcement. ,The Lord had spoken in eyil-imagining fanatic, a religious crank, ,that's what
             the past, but spake no more. Hence, there was no he was. Why allow themselves to be troublled by the
             man-proph&,  of God-who confronted Israel with words of such a one? They saw little gense in that.
             a "Thus sait& the Lord". Revelation-itit`ercourse   6f So- they must have reasoned by themselves ; for they
             God with the people of Israel-had ceased. This was .wey!e  unbelieving, and had gone far into sin. Their
             judgment  inflitited  by the Lord on -account of' the father had rebuked them, be it mildly, but they had
             cbntinued  apostacy  of the people of Israel in that not hearkened unto his voice. The "man of ,God" had
             age., A similar judgment came  tipon Saul. "And` threatened them; but they took it not to heart, "be-
             when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered cause the Lord would slaythem". As to Eli, doubtless
             him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by the the prophetic announcement of the "man of God" Chad
             prqphets (38 :9), for God was departed from him, and left `its impress  up&n his mind, and gripped his
     `,      answe$ed  him no more, neither by prophets  nbr by soul.  .Indeed, it troubled him' not a little. Still even
             dreams (vi. 15). With such a cessation of, nevelatory now he did not arouse himself to restrain his sons..
             dreams and -visions  the nation was threatened by the For by temperament (not by grace) he was %a peace-
             prophet Amos, "Behold the days come, saith the loving man (but not truly so). He hated trouble.
             Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not Besides, those wicked priests were his own  flesh
             a' famine of bread, nor a thirst for water,  btit of       and blood ; and he was, an indulgent father. So, though
             hearing the word of the Lord: and they shall wander his house  ha,d been threatened with near destruc-
             from sea to sea, and from th_e north even to the !east,    tion on  accounk of. his, Eli's, sinsj he persisted' in
           .- they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, allowing his sons to desecrate the offering. It was
             and shall. not find it" :  (Am& 8 :ll, 12). The days but natural that in this state of progressive and sin-
           of the  jydges were  .evil. The night was dark.  Law- ful inaction, he tried hard to pursuade himself that
             1,essness  and idolatry abounded. The nation was being the  pr,ediction  of the "man  of God" bore on its face
             oppressed by the Philistines. And the Lord was silent. all ithe marks of being the vain. imaginings of a self-
             And it must be assumed that the hearts of the faith- appointed prophet and therefore wouid take no effect.
             ful in Israel were troubled  ; that they uttered the Doubtless,  in. his attempt to reassure himself he was
           familiar cry, -"We see not our signs : there is no more      successful in ,a measure. #Ofice more he was at tease
             any prophet  ; neither is there any among us that know- in Shiloh, the f:ear that lurked in his bosom having.
           eth how long.  .O  Gbd,  hoti long shall the adversary been put to sleep by his false optimism. He-again had
             reproach?" (Ps.  `74:9) and that in response  t6 this. hope  fey the future of his house;  but his hope was
             cry  -the Lord broke his long  silmence,  when He sent groundless, as he was now about to learn-anew.
             to Eli the "man of God" `to speak `against Eli's house,       Tl-iat we judge the man aright, that such was the
             and when He called Samuel to be His prbphet to the         state of mind  and heart of Eli at  t,his juncture, is
             people of Israel. To Samuel, as  wtis said,  the Lord. evident from the divine c6mmunication  to Samuel in
w            appeared. Samuel's prophecies cam8ewto him by vision. which the Lord repeats with emphasis what he had


                          ._
                                                                                                                   I

                                           T.HE  S T A N D A R D       BEARER                                      371

       told Eli and even swears by himself in confirmation theless  wanted to hear it? This cannot be. For Eli
       of the prophecy, "And the Lord said unto Samuel, was carnal. How then is the fierce interest of the
     Behold; I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the -man in Samuel's vision to be explained,.7 IHe. still must
       ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle. In that have been clinging to the dying hope either that it
       day I will perform against Eli all things which I would appear that Samuel's vision `had no reference
       have spoken concerning his house : when .I. begin, I t,o him and his house, so that he could continue to hold
       will also make an end. For I have told him that -1 the first prophecy baseless or that the vision would
       will judge his house forever for the iniquity which prove that prophecy false or at least meliorate some-
_      he know&h ; because his sons made themselves vile, what its severity. Thus his interest_ in the vision was
       and he restrained them not. And therefore I have at bottom sheer concern about his own well-being and
       sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's the  wlell-being  of his house. And that concern was
      house shall not be purged with sacrifices nor offerings carnal. It sprang from a desire that the Lord spare
      forever."                                                him in his sins instead of in the way of his forsaking
              Samuel understood that he was under the necessity his abominations.    For he did not repent. "And
       of imparting the divine communication to Eli. But Samuel told him every wit, and hid nothing from him."
      the dreadfulness of the message, Eli's age and position, Having been- placed under an oath by Eli, Samuel
      his being as a father to Samuel, the latter's youth, dared to -do nothing else but tell him ,every wit. Eli
      his reverential and filial regard for Eli, his reluctance heard God's "word. God would perform against him
,to cause him pain,-all combined  ;-to make Samuel all that He had spoken concerning his house.  ; . .
       afraid to tell Eli his vision. "And Samuel feared to "All that he had spoken. . .  .", By whose mouth?
       show Eli the  *vision" (3  :15). So he lay until the By that of  "the man of God". Thus to his unutter-
     morning, sleep having fled from him doubtless ; and able dismay, Eli now learned that the Lord owned the
      when it was morning, he went about. his usual duties prophetic announcement of that "man" whoever he
      opening the doors of the sanctuary but not going to might'+ have been. God had indeed sent the man.
      Eli.                                                     His message had~originat,ed  in the mind of the Lord.
              As to Eli, when he perceived that it was the And it.  shall  come to pass ; the Lord hath sworn.
     Lord calling Samuel, all his old fears  r,evived. What Samuel had spoken and was silent. Eli- now spake,
      could the Lord be wanting to say to the lad? Was he "It is the Lord, let him `do what seemeth him good."
      to speak against Eli's  .house, reiterating the judg- Were  these words as coming from Eli the expression
      ments of the "man of  ,God"? The question burned of faith in the incomparable ,God, in His infinite good-
      in his soul. And its answer would lie with Samuel ness and wisdom, and in the righteousness `of His
      and not with Eli, as the Lord was `passing him by. judgments, or were they words of despair? Was Eli
      He would learn the truth when morning had come. giving himself and his house in the hands, of God
      After what seemed an endless waiting, he heard the in contrition of heart or was he merely bowing before
      familiar sounds indicative -of Samuel's being up and the inevitable? God only knows. Eli's reply contains            _
      doing. But why did the `youth not come to him as, no expressions indicating a deep sense of guilt. On
      on other mornings? Did he dread b:eing interviewed the other hand, he had not onle excuse. Not a word of
      about the vision because it spelled ,evil for Eli's house? complaint comes over his lips. Neither does he justify
      The  suspence was insufferable. Eli must learn the self and condemn God.             Doubtless the man was a
      whole truth without delay. So he called Samuel and believer' despite, his sinful inaction regarding his
      said, Samuel,`my son (he calls Samuel his son). And wicked sons.
      he answered, here. am I. And he said, What is the            So had. Eli and his sons now come-into the posses- -
      thing'that the Lord hath said unto thee?" Plerceiving sion of the, clearest evidence that God had said it and
      that Samuel was hesitant, Eli implores, "I pray thee, that the doom of Eli's house was certain and irre-
      hide it not from me." iHe even invoked God to, visit vocable.       For this time the first recipient of the
      Samuel with appropriate punishment, should he not' revelation was- not some unknown man-a stranger,
      tell him all, "God do so to thee, and more also, if thou . to them-who, as they doubtless liked to suppose, had
      hide anything, from me of all the things that he strayed into the precincts of the sanctuary, but Samuel,
      said Lmto thee." But be must have f'elt certain that one of their own household. It could not well be main-
      the vision spelled evil for. his house: Was he t,hen so tained that there had been no voice of ,God and that
      eager to hear himself sentenced anew?          Did the Samuel's sensation of hearing, in that hour had been
      atrocities of his sons fill his soul with such revulsion without external cause, having risen in a mind dis-
      that a recital of the new tidings of their doom would    ordlered  by a crave of visions. *They knew that Samuel
      be as music to his.ears? Was the word of ,God so dear< was a sober and right-minded youth. And they knew,
      to him that,,. however dreadful .it might be from the t,oo, that he was not expecting the vision. Had he not
      point of view of the well-being of his house, .he never; run thrice to Eli because he thought -that it was the


   372                            .--THE  '  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

   aged priest who had called? Nor could they succeed unsettled question.. The text at chap. 3 :21, "And the
   in convincing themselves that. Samuel, whom. they Lord appeared again in Shiloh," could also be trans-
  knew to be a God-fearing, truth-loving, youth, was lated, "And the Lord co$inuecl to appear in Shiloh. . -."
  falsifying, that the story of his nocturnal experience The verb appearing in the Hebrew textlyasaph-has
  was one of his own fabrication. They felt in their both these meanings. If we translate "continued to
  hearts that the vision was genuine, th,at the Lord had appear" the statement "And the word of Samuel came
  revealed Himself to the youth.. Yet they sought not to all Israel" concludes and sums up the description
  after God even now, for the Lord would slay them.        of the origin and commencement of  Samulel's  `pro-
      As to Samuel, he "grew and the Lord with with him, phetic work and if so, the notice, "Now Israel went
  and did let none of his words-fall to the ground. And out against the Philistines to battle," begins the new
  all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Sam- chapter, and introduces us to a new scene of the his-
  uel was established to be a prophet of the Lord". The tory-a scene on which Samuel `henceforth appears
  verse "And`did let none of his words fall to the ground" as the Lord's instrument.
  must have reference to the prophetic announcement           Isreel then went out -against the Philistines  t,o
  of the "man of God" concerning the punishment of Eli. battle. If we  r.eject the interpretation according to
  As Samuel's vision was founded upon this -announce- which the Lord commanded this war, the people of
  ment, the Lord by his bringing to pass all that had Israel took up arms `against the Philistines on their
  been announced established Samuel a prophet in Israel. own initiative. This was never done when the nation
  However, the prophecies of the "man of God'.' must kept covenant fidelity. But this war occurred in the
  have become matters -of common knowledge long be- age of the judges,  when  ":every  man did that which
  fore they were j?roclaimed  bye Samuel, and therefore was right in his own eyes." The nation was lawless,
 it is rather difficult to -understand how that Samuel and served the idols, there being no king in Israel.
  was established a prophet in Israel through the ful- And  their marching against the Philistines without
  fillment-of these prophecies. It may be that the l`man first inquiring of the  Lord- is, in all likelihood but
  of #God" was sent only to Eli and that his prophecies another example of such lawlessness. Again they did
  came to all Israel by Samuel, and .it may also be that what was right in their awn eyes without consiciering
  Samuel received additional revelations not recorded that the thing might not be right in the sight of God.
  in the sacred narrative.                                 So the people of Israel were want t,o. behave in that
     And now the sacred writer continues, "And the age. For their hearts were far from God. Yet the
  Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord reveal,ed    men of Israel, in marching to battle against the Philis-
  himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the.word of the Lord." tines, felt confident that the Lord was with them in
  This statement closes the third chapter. The narra- that venture, would bless their arms, and give victory.
  tive continues at chap. 4 : 1 as follows, "And the word This is evident from the sequel. "When they joined
  of Samuel came to all Israel. . . .." These two state- battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and
  ments stand in active relation to each other: They they slew of the army in the field about four thousand
  belong together. The word .of Samuel that came to men." The' defeat gendered surprise. "When the
  all Israel of chap. 4 :1 `is the revelation .of the Lord people w,ere come into the camp, the elders of .Israel
  of chap. 3 :21. IHere the narrative flows along. in un- said, Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us today before
  broken continuity so that we should read, "And the the Philistines ?" That was a calamity they had not
  Lord appearled  again in Shiloh : for the Lord revealed anticipated. But what may `have been the grounds of
  himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. the confidence of these faithless men? They had no
  And the word of Samuel came to all Israel." Then grounds. As was said, whether the Lord had com-
  we read, "Now Israel went out against the,Philistines    manded the war, cannot be determined; but it is cer-
  to battle. . .  ." Perhaps the notice, "And the word tain that !He had not promised victory. For he never
  of the Lord came to all Israel" is the summons to this fails to do as he promised. Nor  had~ the people cf
  .war ; that is, the word of Samuel was a command to Israel humbled themselves before the Lord and in true
  the effect that Israel march to battle against the contrition. of heart petitioned Him for success of arms.
  Philistines. But opposed to this interpretation is the Non statement occurs in the narrative to show that the
  indefiniteness of .the text. If Samuel commanded this appropriate sacrifices-burnt and  peace-offerings-
  war as the spokesman of the,Lord,  it could be expected had been brought,. Thus if the Lord had nevertheless
  that this be plainly stated. Such a statement is lack- commanded the war, His purpose was to chastise the
  ing. The text reads, "`And the word of Samuel came nation through the infliction of defeat. His command-
  to all Israel, and Israel went out against the Philis- ing the war, did not free them of the obligation to
t i n e s . ". Whether the comparative vagueness  <of the petition Him for His favor and power to war His
  text at this place should be allowed to invalidate the `warfare: The promise of victory was not implicit in,
  above'interpretation, must remain,. it seems to us, an the' command. Rightly considered, it .was not needful


                                       T H E .   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R '                                             373

  that the Lord command Israel to take up arms against a strange and irrational thing. They acted upon the
  the Philistines, as if that obligation was .not' already advice. of the elders that they take to them the ark
  theirs.     The `Philistines were imposters,  desecrators of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh and remove it
  of the Lord's heritage. Besides, -they were under the among them, that "it may save LW out of the hand of
  ban of God as were all the Canaanites. They should our enemies. ."This being an irrational doing, it is
  have been dispossessed and driven from the soil -of difficult to understand the working of the minds of
 Canaan long ago. It is likely therefore that Samuel these men. This is certain,. the ark was to them an
had  admonishe.d the people ;of-Israel to forsake their object of worship and in this lifeless material vessel
  abomination and return to the Lord tind to fight by they put their trust, believing that it wou1.d save them.
  his favor and in His power the warfare of their God For they say, "When it cometh among us, it,-that is,
  by taking up arms against the Philistines by. whom the ark-will, save  LIS." It is hardly believable that
  Israel was again being oppressed.                           rational men would say to' a 1if:eless  thing of wood and
      And if there was such a word of Samuel at this metal "Thou art my  ,God", and expect help from it.
  time it was a word that also assured the people of Yet it is a fact. Like any  .worshipper  of graven
  Israel that, as having repented of their sins and turned images, the men of Israel leaned on and trusted in
  to the Lord, they could march to battle against the the ark in the `expectation that. it was the god that
  adversary in the confidence that God would fight for would stand by them in that war. That such is the
  them according to His promise. For that promise had foolishness of -th'e image worshipper, that such was
  been given as well as the command that Israel fight also the foolishness of the Israelites, the Bible plainly
  the good fight of faith and in the way of this fight teaches. "They that make them (idols) are like them :
  possess his inheritance. But the promise of victory so is every one that  trusteth  in them" (,Ps.  115:8)1  -
  would take effect only when Israel served God. So it "And of the residue thereof he maketh a god,  `even
  was written in their law. "For if ye shall diligently `his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and wor-
  keep all these commandments which I command you, shippeth it, and prayeth unto .it, and says, Deliver me : -
  to do them, to love the Lord your `God, to walk in all for  thou art  my  Gocl" (Isa. 44  :1'7). To this foolish-
  His ways, and to cleave unto him ; then will the Lord       ness God gives up men in punishment of the sin of
  drive out all these' nations before you, and ye shall changing His glory into an image made like unto the                           '
  possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves. corruptible creature. Why the men of Israel imagined
  There shall- no man be able to stand before you: for that the ark-a thing without life-would bring sal-
 ' the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the vation, if removed from its resting place in Shiloh
  dread of you- upon all the land that ye shall tread and stationed among them on the battlefield, is hard
  upon, as he hath  said- unto you" (Dem.  11:22-25).         to explain.
  But on the other hand, it shall come-to pass, if thou           Their doing cannot be ascribed to a lack of culture.
  wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God For there is no essential. difference `between trust
  . . . .the Lord .shall cause-thee to be smitten before in, a lifeless thing such as was the ark, and the strange
  thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against superstitions of this modern age. The feeling of secur-
  them, and flee seven ways blefore them. . . ." (Dem.        ity that men have ~who go about with a rabbit's foot
  28 :25).    Now of this the elders of Israel who-said, concealed on their person, is just as foolish, sinful and
  "Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us today before irrational as the doing of  ,those Israelites. So they
  the Philistines," were willingly ignorant. Israel was thought-that the ark would save them. There was
  serving the idols. But it is not instruction that these magic in the ark, they believed. It was Jehovah's
  elders desired but an audience to agree with them that throne.
the Lord had done Israel an injustice that day and                                                               G. M. 0.
  had proved iHimself  unfaithful. He should have given                                                                             `-7
victory- according to His promise.  ,what they wanted
  is that .the Lord `bless them in their sins, be for them
  in their iniquity, and give them the victory without                                IN MEMORIAM
  demanding that they burn their idols .and serve the             The Consistory of the Grand Haven  Prdimtant  Reformed
  living God. But the Lord caused them to be smitten          Church  exp:reasces' its sympathy with our fellow officebearer,
  before their  .enemies.  One way they had gone out Mr. Andrew Peterson, <in the recent lms of his
  against them only to flee seven ways before them.                                        ,%YYJZER
  And four thousand of their number were slain.               JXrs.  Ntellie  Dewitt, of Holland, Michigan.
     But the people of Israel refused to be instructed.           M%y `the Lord graciously sanctify this sorrow unto the
  They refused to discern that the cause of their defeat3
 lay in God's holiness and justice revealing itself, against bereaved, to the glory of His Name.
 their sins. In their spiritual blindness they now did                                            N. J. Jonker, Vice-Pres.  _


 374                               :  T-HE  STANDARD  B E A R E R   --.
                         _.                                                                       _
                                                            mendation, John Grey, bishop of  Norwick. He was
  _ THROUGH- THE -AGI$3                                   `- .immed&tely  put into possession of the temporalities
                                                             of- the see of Canteibury by the king. Both parties
                                                             made an appeal to Rome;       Innocent declared both
                                                             ,elections null and ordered the monks of Canterbury
  Innocent's Transacti6n With The                            present in Rome to choose a'new candidate. Innocent
            King John Of Engkd'                      .       imposed upon them one Stephen Langton  tind Stephen
                                                             was chosen and consecrated by the pope. He was a  _
                                                             man of great learning and moral worth and a native
   Innocent'III, as did all the popes of the middle ages, of England. When informed of what had taken place
laid claim, as we have seen, to j,urisdiction over the in Rome, the king was angry b,eyond measure. H,e
entire `world-kings,  goGerlrments  and republics-as drove all the monks from Canterbury, confiscated all
the lord of the world, and over -the whole church as their lands, and forbade Stephen to set. foot in Eng-
its' lord too. knd he  succeeded,a  better than any of land . -Innocent admonished the king, warning him
his  prede?essors  in realizing these  prgposterous  and that if he did not restore to the monks their lands and
antiscriptural illaims, firstly because circumstances fav- receive the archbishop, he would lay his whole king-
ol*jed him. Secondly, -because- he was great in his dOF under an  interflict.  Bvt the king continued  ob-
shrewdness as a worldly politician. For that is what stinate. In a fit of anger, he drove the pope's prelates
he was, as we began to make plain, a shrewd and ,from his presence with vilest language and dreadful
unscrupulous politician. He went far in making good threats not only against them but against the whole '
the papal  claims to world-dominion thirdly, because body of the clergy. The interdict was published, and
there were few able rulers in all his patriarchate to _ was strictly observed by a!1 the ecclesiastice  through-
oppose him. As we have seen, his first act was to out  the kingdom. All religious functions ceased. All
subject the city of Rome to his authority. Thereupon churches were closed. The doors of monastaries re-
he addressled himself to the task of pushing his claims mained unopened. The dead were buried in fields
b-eyond  the walls of Rome. By the removal of Otto,  _ instead of in consecrated ground and without prayers
the day was saved for him in Germany. Next  `he and the presence of the clergy. A deep gloom  en-
extended his temporal authority over the kingdom of circled the whole nation. But John the king appeared
the two Sicilies, where he established himself as the unperturbed. He even retaliated by driving the higher  (
all-contkolling power. The Italian cities  sVore  .alley clergy from their churches and confiscating their
gianoe to the apostolic see, and  large parts of Italy  lands. IBe possessed the convetits  and ejected their
were  passed under its dominim.                              inmates.
   Innocent's greatest victory was in the case of               The interdict had been laid upon the nation in 1208.
England.     His contest with king John, 1167-1216, The following year Innocent placed  John  under  the
makes a remarkable  story. As was said, in beating sentence of excommunication. But the king continued
down the. enemies of tb.e papacy, the pope had at his defiant. But Innocent had one more weapon. The fol-
disposal two powers : the key-powcr-~xcommunica- lowing yeir, 1212, he declared John deposed, freed all
tion and the interdict, which he exercised directly as. his subjects from the obligation of allegiance to him,
the spiritual ruler of all mzn, including thz kings of and exhorted  211  .the Christian lay  rulers of Europe
the earth-and  $econdly,  the sword-power, which he to-,Grive John from his throne and eject him from his
exercised through the friendly &y-rulers.  In humbling kinzdom. King Philip of France heard the summons
king _ John, Innocent knew' how to make excellent use and was quick to take action. IHe gathered a powerful
of thes6 two powers, as we shall now see. .John was army with a view to invading England. Innoc,ent,  ex-
+L wicked man. #One contemporary  annalist says, "John horted by letters all the Christian prin'ces  of .Europe
statids biefore us polluted with meatiness, cruelty, per-. and all good Christians to take the cross and aid `the
jury, murder, and unbridled licentidusness." Atid an- king of France in  -the holy war against the king of
other, "foul as hell is, hell itself  is defiled  wit& the England,-the cruel persecutor of the English church,
foul  presence of John." And still another, "He was and a disturber of the church universal. Hearing
mean, false, vindicative, abominally cruel, and scandal- of Phillip's vast preparations, John was not idle but
busly immoral."                                              ~`collected a large army and assembled a huge fleet
    The commencement .of the struggle between John to do battle with the F%ich. The invasion, .as a result,
and Innocent was the election of a new. archbishop of was postponed. While John was watching at Dover
#Canterbury. Archbishop Hubert had died. The monks the movements of the French, a messenger' arrived
of Canterbury privately chose Reginald, their superior, with a letter from Innocent .to the king, telling him
foi; his successor. To avoid incurring the  indigna-         that if he did not submit to the `tetms prescribed, he,
tion of the king, they afterward chose,' upon his recom-     pope Innocent, would deliver the church of England,
                                                                              .              ,
                                                                         0


                                     T         H     E           %T+~NDABD  BEARER                                             375

 ~8s God did that of Israel, with a strong halzd. Inno- The following is one of its most significant articles,
 cent's messenger exaggerated the strength of Philip's "No free `man shall be taken or imprisoned or dis-
 army and fleet, and told the king that his own sub- possessed, or -outlawGd, or banished, or in any way
 jects and many of his barons would rise up against destroyed, nor will we go upon him, no: send upon
 him as soon as Philip landed in England. And  pne him, except by the legal judgment of his. peers `or by
 Peter the Hermit was on hand t.o prop&sy that the the law of the `land." >(We let rest'the matter of the
 king would certjinly lose his kingdom before the ap- right or wrong of the action of the nobles. Much
 proaching feast of the Ascension. The king was space  wo&d be  %aken up with a  discutision  of the
 afraid. Perceiving that he was in as great a danger principles involired)  .              The king was furious. It is
from his own subjects as from the French, he chose reported that he gnawed sticks and straw like a mad-
to submit to the hard  ter?s of the  pope rather than man. He besought Innocent to come to his aid, aver-
 run the risk of losing his kingdom. On the following ring that he had afflxed his seal under restraint. The
 Monday; the l%h of May, the king promised in writ- pope went over to his side. He nullified the king's
 ing to receive the archbishop  Laugton,  allow him. to oath on the ground that Satan had "by his crafty
 take  possessio'll  of his see, recall all the banished arts, excited the nobles against him". He maintainel
 eccBesiastics-bishops, monks and  laymen-reitqre to that the "wicked audacity of the nobles tended tq the
 them -iI1 their confiscated lands, deliver up to Innocent      contemljt of the Apostolic see, the detriment of the .
 England and Ireland to receive them back again as a kingly pr&ogatives, the disgrace of the English nation,
 papal gift, that is, fief, and pay yearly seven hundred and the, endangering of the cross." Hle lauded John
 marks for. the former and three hundred fpr the latter, for submitting to the jurisdiction of the supreme head
 besides `the Peter pence' for both kiligdoms: Finally,         of Christendom, and for his promise of yearly tribute.
 he also agreed to reimburse the banished bishops to (He reprobated the Magna Carta, branding it `!a low
 the amount of 40,000 marks. Having thus surrendered and base instrument, yea, truly wicked and deserving
 to the pope his two kingdoms, he took from off his to. be reprobated by all, e-specially because the king's
 l-+ad the crown, gave it to the pqpe's representative assent was secured .by force,"' and pronounced it null
 there present, who returned it five`days after the king and void for all time;" Finally, he  plaoed  the in-
 in writing declared himself to be a,vass&l of the pope.        surgent nobles, one and all, under sentence of excom-
And not until all the exiles had returned and were munication. H?re the great off,ence of Innocent is not
 re-Stated  in their offices and possessions, was the king that he condemned the Magna Carta, and the action-of _
 absolved from the excommunication.            The interdict. the nobles, but that he had not one word of censur,e
 had been in force for more than six years. Innocent            for the wickedness, tyranny and despotism of John.
 had gained a, compl:ete  victory but only to the detre- When this monster of iniquity was opposing  him in
 ment of the papal institution. England did not forget his effort to realize his claims to world-dqminion,  he
 the transaction.    Nowhere in after years was the exiled the king to the place of everlasting desolation.
 pope's' rule  more   st,eadfastly  resisted than in Eng- But now, seeing that the king had kissed his toe, he                        '
 land.                                                          took him to his bosom as one of the dear sons of t,he
     Let us have regard to Innocent's behaviour re- church, though he was still the wicked kihg of yor`e.
 garding what has always been  consid'eped   .the  tiost                             (to be continued)
impoPrtant concession ever wrung from a  tyran-hical
  sovereign such as this John, king of England was.                                                                G. M. 0.
 What tie have reference to is the Magna Carta (the                                                  :
  Gr'eat  ClJarter)  held dear by every Englishman as -j;he
 safeguard of English liberties.          Accprding to  con-
 tempblary annalists, John surpassed the worst of his                                 IN  MEi%ORIAM
 predecessors in wickedness and tyranny. IHe was un- " The C&story of the Protestant  R.&formed   ,Chu%ch of
  speakably cru.el as in the case of a.Jew of Bristol from      Orange City, Iowa, kishes  hereby to expnelss its sympathy w&h
 whom he had demanded 10,000 marks. The Jew `re- its bnother elder, August Katje, in the loss of his father-in-law,
 fused, an< the king .ordered  ten teeth extracted, one
  each day. The  ,executioner  began with the molars.                                 PETER  KRACHT
  The sufferer  .&ndured  the pain of seven extractions.            May the Lord give to the bereaved relatives and to us ,a11
  Then he yielded. John was also immoral. Though the wkdom to see the riches of His grace shown to the departed
 married, no well-born woman was safe in his presence.. brother and through him to us all .among whom he lived and
  The king's atrocities  r,esulted  in an uprising of his dikd in abundant hope and peace.
 nobles., To appease their wrath, John met them near
 Winds& and affixed his seal. to an instrument-the                                             Rev. A. Petter, President
 Madjna  Carta-that   had  b e e n   previously   tirepared.                                   M. De Jager,  Vice-Pres.
                                                                                                              .


                                          _i

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

                                                                  Die vergelijking met Gods. ervaren van den  tijd'
    SION'S                     ZANGi3N                          is nog schokkender dan de eerste. Een dag, al is het
                                                                d.an ook de dag van gister, geeft tech .een indruk van
                                                                korten  cluur..   Doch- hoe  geheel   anders is het met de
                   Uit Den Treure                               middelste nachtwake ! Want, let wel, hier wordt ge-
                                                                sproken van de nachtwake, zooals wij hem wegslapen,
                                                                en niet zooals die ervaren wordt door den soldaat die
                   (Psalm 90 ; Tweede Deel)                     op wacht staat.
        Het is  niet gemakkelijk om het rede-bedoeld  `te          Nu moeten we U voor een ding waarschuwen. De
volgen  van vers `drie op vers vier., In het derde vers Xeilige Geest schrijft dit gedeelte niet neer, om ens,
had `God gezegd : Keert weder, gij menschen-kinderen ! een idee te geven, dat de eeuwigheid zoo veel langer
,En het volgende vers zegt: Want duizend jaren zijn duurt dan een periode van tijd. 0 neen. De Heilige
 in Uwe oogen als de dag van gisteren. . . ., ,enz. Wat Schrift zegt ons dit, om ens te vertellen, dat de eeu-
 is het verband hier ? Het voegwoord "want" moet een wigheid en de tijd eigenlijk niet met elkaar vergeleken
 reden `inleiden voor `hetgeen in het vorige vers gezegd kunnen  worden.  Dat zal ons duidelijk  worden,' als
 werd. Wlelnu, hoe is het feit, dat bij den Heere duizend . we  bed,enken,  dat Petrus ook het tegenovergestelde
 jaren gelijk staan met een dag,  ,een  reden voor de zegt: Bij den Heere is duidend jaren als een dag! Het
 verbrijzeling `der menschenkinderen?                           is er .mee als met alles wat Goddelijk is: Hij is de ge-
                                                               heel Andere! Daarom zegt Hij in Jesaja 40; Bij wien
        Het is mijn overtuiging, dat `men het .vierde  vets c1a.n zult gijlieden Mij vergelijken die Ik gelijk zij ?
 verbinden moet  aan het tweede vers. In bet tweede                Dat groote en "vreeselijke' feit .heeft Mazes gezien
vers duizelde Mozes  vanw,ege de eeuwigheid Gods. als hij stond op de bergtoppen des geloofs.
 Daartegenover stelde hij de kortheid en  brooshieid               "Gij overstroomt ze, zij zijn gelijk een slaap; in
van den mensch in vers drie; en in vers 4 keert hij den morgenstond zijs ze gelijk het gras dat verandert ;
wekr terug naar de geweldigheid van God's eeuwig-               in den morgenstond bloeit het en het verandert, des
heid: Want duizend  jaren zijn in Uwe oogen als de avonds wordt het afgesneden- en het verdort !"
 dag van gisteren, als hij voorbijgegaan is, en als een            In deze twee verzen hebt ge dezelfde waarheid als
nachtwake. En dan  loopt   alles  10s. Bij  .den Eeuwige die we beluisterd~en  in vers 4. De groote, vreeselijke,
is tijd als niets.       Hij leeft in een onveranderlijk eeuwige God komt over duizend  jaren van  "vader-
Heden. Er is geen serie van ,elkaar  opvolgende ,oogen- landsche geschiedenis"
 blikken  21s  bij ons.` Wij kunnen  er niet  inkomen:                                    en het resultaat is het zelfde,
                                                                als wanneer de zon over het gras ging, dat -`s morgens
we duizelen  bij de gedachte van het ceuwig onvcrander-         zoo  schoon stond te prijken,  doch `s avonds terneer
lijlie!                                           ~.            lag, verdordj verschrompeld, vergaan !
 n Duizend  jarenals gister!                                       Daarom volgt hierop :       Want  wij vergaan door
        Gister als het voorbijgegaan is, is zeer kort. Pro- Uwen  toorn en door Uwe grimmigheid  wordsen  wij
 becrt eens om terug te roepen, -al wat ge gedaan en verschrikt !
 geOproken  Ien gedacht hebt. Het zal U verbazen om te             Hier is -eindelijk het vers, dat ons de woorden ver-
merken, hoe spoedig of ge klaar zijt. Er zijn menschen klaart die we eerder lazen in het derde vers: ,Keert
 die er een dagboek op na  houden. En dan schrijven weder, gij menschenkinderen? En die  w$ederkeering
 ze des avonds op, wat ze dien dag doorleefden. Maar, is de verbrijzeling des doods. Dat wordt hier  vier-
 och  .arme,  bij  verreweg de  meesten  zijn het  sleclits     klaard. In  &en woord:  bet- is de toorn des Heeren.
 eenige regels. En dan is de dag nog niet eens voort- Hoe zullen we daar genoeg van zeggen?
geschreden tot den staat van gister,  want het is nog              De woorden vergaan en verschrikken  hooren bij el-
pas avond geworden.                                             kaar en de woorden toorn en grimmigkeid.
 Daarom staat er bij, dat  ze--bij  God- zijn als  een'            En daar hebt ge het leven van den natuurlijken
nachtwake. Duizend jaren zijn bij God als een nacht- mensch op aarde. Zijn heele leven is vergaan en ver-
wake. De Joden verdeelden den nacht in drie nacht-              schrikking . Dat begint al vroeg in zijn zqogenaamde
waken, elk van vier uren, zooals bet blijkt uit leven. 10, als  wle slechts  ,eventjes  konden zien, hoe
Richteren 7 :19, waar gesproken wordt van de middel-            Adam en Eva leefden in den staat der oorspronkelijke
-ste nachtwake. En als er hier gesproken wordt van gerechtigheid.                  IOf zooals de hemelingen nu  leven !
 "eene nachtwake", ook lettende op het verband, dan Gods  toorn en  grimmigheid is  Zijn  onlust,  Zijn  haat
is het onze overtuiging, dat er hier spralise is van die tegen den zondaar. Allen die Zijn wet  overtred'en  is
middelste  nacht,wake, die  begon  twee  uur  v&jr het Hij een  Worst,ela.ar.            En God zorgt  er voor, dat zij
midder,nachtuur  en  jeindigde  twee  uren daarna.              zich niet vermaken op aarde. Zoo spoedig madam en
    Welnu, duizend  jar&en zijn in  ,Gods  oog gelijk die Eva zondigden, zoo spoedig gevoelden zij  zichzelven
nachtwaak,                                                1     ellendig. En al  bun xaad is gedoopt in  groote  sm.art


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                         377

  en wqrdt voortgezweept door den dood die een ceder vleesch ook gevoelen, dat !Hij het haat. En als de uit-
  nilet alleen op .de hielen zit, do& die hen op den rug, verkoren persoon  van het kind Gods zich verbindt en
  neen;_$ot  in het cliepe-hart  vervolgt.    s.                 leeft uit het vleesch, `dan zondigt hij en dan ervaart
      En; let we1 God doet  dat.                                 hij de onlust des Almachtigen.
      God  overstroon?   ens. als met een vloed. Zijn               En als ge nu mij vragen zoudt : maar waarom do,et
  eeuwigheid, Z:ijn eeuwige deugden vervolgen' ons en God Zijn uitverkoren volk tot wording en tot ontiik-
 -maken ons ellendig. Wij .zijn 266 kwaad, dat de deugd keling komen zoo nanw verbonden aan het vleesch,
  van Ggds- wonder.? gerechtigheid -ens brandt len .weg.- dat Hij to'ch haat, dan is ens- antwoord: Omdat Hij
_ brandt tot in der  e?uyven   eeubigheid.                       al de eer  wil  hebben. God wil op `t hoogst ge-eerd
. . Zoo staan de z&ken met  Bet menschdom.  Lee& worden tot in alle eeuwigheid. En daarom heeft- Hij
  slechts  de volgende  iyee verzen : Gij stelt onze  on- in Zijn ,eeuwige wijsheid besloten om Israel, Zijn uit-
  gerechtigheden v66r I$ onze heimelijke<zonden  in het v,erkorenen,- door den diepen weg van zonde en genade
licht Uws  a'anschijns. Want alle onze dagen gaan heen tot Zijn hart te  trekken. Tot in  alle eeuwigheid zal
-door Uwe verbolg6nheic$.&ij  brengen onze  jaren door Mazes en wij  allen Hem toeroepen: Halleluja! Gij
  als. een gedachte.                                             hebt'.ons  uit 266 grooten dood verlost !
      Vreeselijk:e  `verzen. G6$ neemt-bnze  zonden, onze           Ep .als ge. dan zotidt blijven volhouden en zeggen :
  heimelijke zonden, en zet ze vlak voor Zijn gezicht, Maar wat moeten wij dan denken van al die duizende
 .in het  voile licht. 0,  wij verbergen  otize  xondeiz.  Dat teksten dile in. liefelijke klanken zingen van, de liefde
 is erg natuurlijk.       Dat  doen'  d:e  besten- onder ons. Gods en van het nederliggen in grazige tieiden of het
  Eigenlijk doen we dat altijd. Dat is de hypocriei in geleid worden langs 2 zeer stille wateren, da& zouden
  ons. IHet ergste is het, als we zulke heimelijke zonden we  willen .opmerken,  dat dit een beschrijving is vq,n
  door laten gaan  vbor gerechtigheid: Walgelijk schouw- bet innerlijke, diepste  leven van Uw diepste hart.
  spel. Maar alle dingen zijn naakt en geopend voor het Het kind ,Gods ervaart, door Gods genade, dat Hij hem
  oog van Hem met wi& we te doe&' hebben. iHij ziet liefheeft, dat. zijn binnenste, hart onzondig, rein is en
  die zonden en Hij neemt die zonden'; en zet ze & bet, dat hij wat zijn nieuwe leven aangaat niet. kan zondi-
  licht van Zijn aanschijn. En Hij  zorgt. er voor, dat gen. In zijn diepste hart wordt hij niet ontroierd, want
  wij  dat  weten. 1% heb' eens'  iemand.  hooren zeggen hij gelooft in God door Jezus Christus den Heere.
  De Heere last ons in ons binnenste hbrt voeleti, Tjvat
  J&j van ons  de&t.                                                Doch Mozes  bezag Sidn vanuit het.  qogpunt der
                         Daccr heeft  Moxes  `bet over  bier!
_ God zorgt  ef.  voor`, dat wij  onze,.  jaren'. doxbrengen historie, des tijds, des zondigen levens hier `qp aarde.
  onder den toorn Gods. Mozes zegt het immers: Want En clan staat het er @rig bij: Dan 2hgen we wel,
  alle onze dageti gaan henen doqrcUwe  veibolgenheid!           doch dan zingen we."uit den treure".
  Niet sommige der `dagen, doch alle dageq.                         Het leven is kort van duur, en gedurende dat korte
      Maar hoe kan dat ? Mozes is tech de man Gods? leven  zijn  onze beste dagen moeite en verdriet. En
  Eti God  heeft  tech Zijn  jolk lief? Ik  dacht; dat Hij dan  wordt-het afgesneden en vliegen we daarheen.
 ons  leidde   aan zeer stille  wateren? Doet Hij ons  ,dan         Kort, zeer kort. Zijt ge sterk,  tan moogt ge 70
  niet nederliggen.in grazige weiden? En als er nu nog jar& leven. Zijt ge z;eer sterk, dan is Uw leeftijd 80
  stond, dat sommige van onze dagcn heengaan onder jaren. Maar wat geeft het, de heerlijkste dagen zijn
  Zijn. verbol,genheid; dan moest ik nag de wenkbrauwen tech slechts moeite.-en  verdriet.  Ik weet er  alles van.
  fronsen aen zeggen, dat. het moeite in mijn oogen is om Soms denkep we,.dat  we.het  hemelleven zelve gevonden
_ het te mogen verstaan ; doch-Mozes  zegt, dat alle onze hebben. Doch bet einde is, nog  dieper ellende, nog
  dagen vergaan onder Zijn verbolgenheid. iHoe zit dat? schrijnender  verdrie5                                    "
     -Moz& staat hier aan het einde van zijn leven.  vlak           Nu is het mogelijk, dat een zeer oppervlakkig
  ioor het historische, organische volk  Israel.. En hij mensch dit  sttikje  .leest-  eti zegt : Staat het er  ~66
  weet zich 6Bn niet dat volk. En dat volk bestaat uit ellendig bij? Ik kan het niet gelooven. Dan zou ik
  licrn en bolster.  De  kern is de  Zone  Gods, de latere willen antwoorden:  Mensch, wie ge  bok zijt,  den% er
  Jezus Christus,' onze Heere. (Eigenlijk mag ik ook om, dat Xerwijl ge dit Beest, zijt ge aan `t zondigen.
  niet' zeggen: de Zatere Jezus Christus, want hij is er Terwijl ge als een. wicht in de wieg ligt zondigt ge.
  altijd geweest. Eer Abraham was, ben Ik, zei Jezus             Ge zondigt des daags en des nachts, als ge vloekt en
  later.)  Eti de bolster bestaat uit  vl.eesch,  goddeloos als ge bidt. Ge zondigt met Uw vrome  gezicht in de
  vlee'sch. Als  da& zijn: 1. de  v&vorpen  Israelieten, kerk en tiet Uw van woede verwrongen gelaatstrekken
  die nooit tdt het nieuwe l&en zouden koinefi  ; 2.. de v&r- in het  vechten..   `Ge zondigt altijd!  En nu is God
  koren Israelieten die nog iiiet tot `wederg;lebodrte  ge- lieflijk, recht, heilig ! Doet die twee dingen bij elkaar ;
  .komen  w$r&`; en 3. het vleesch van Gods eigen volk,          en wat hebt  ge?  Een treurig mensch die psalm 90
  het vleesch van Mazes ingesloteri.                             zingt ! Paul% die zegt : Ik ellendig mensch !
     Eti de Heere  haat het vleesch, En  `Hij doet dat              Ik-sprtik daar  y-an een oppervlakkig mensch die


                              -_
        $78                                               -TH.E      S'TAi\TDAR,b              BE'A&E-R          _

      l&5reh  ii%&  `te  -iUCht&!n. ~A&,  last  hem  lx&  volgende   `_  -  -
      -vers `lezen -en ii5er &ii16 w&zeil.                            . .
          Wie  k&t  de.  ,&e&e  Uiiis  toorns,  en  Uw`e  vcr-                                 iN  H-M  F E A R                          .i
`-bolgenheid  -naardat-  G i j   `te  d&zeh  zij't'?                  -       -                                                                _
          Wie die toorn kent ? -En die v@rbolgenheid? Vraagt
      bet-a:an  Kain en Ezau en Judas in de -benedeqste  deelen                          To T%g3 Utmost Of Your Power
       der  liel: zij  -zullen  -bet  W vertellen.  Vraagt  ,&et  de
      dtiive&n   tin zij zullen U  -sidder@nde  v&ti?llen, dat %ij                                               IV.
      -de komende -nitirtelingen  schuwen-.                                           Am I Using All  d&y,  Pqzoer  -In  Comformity
          In  e&  aparfe  .p%ragraaf,   zoodat  ik  @eni bevende .with  ~~  vow?
      e5n .aija&e plaBts  -gevei7.  inag `iti dit -s%uk$e .en -niet `Kai-n
      en den  duivel op  66n  -1ijn  pl%atsefi,   -zoh  ik U  willen                     ~L@tow often are not parents .guiity df teaching ih&r
      vrtigen : vraagt %et 2ah Jezus &i -Hi-j zal bet TJ ver- children  unspi&&l things when a wonder;ful oppot-
      tiellen  lioe $terk is de toorn God%. 1Hij weet .het, want tunity for instructing them in the fear of the Lord
      Hij  heeft den ddod verzwoltgen  tot  ov&win'ning.  Zijn arose-! There are many little  thin&s -that occur all
      blik  is verdiept door  bet  bleed van Gethsemane en about us which speak of God's `praises, and tie ought
      de  Tfoltering   van  Gclgotha. Hij kent de sterkte van to call the ,atter&on  of our childTen to them. -usually
      Gods rechtvaqdige foorn. .J&  Hij vreestZijn  GoA in we let them go by without i r.emark. b!&n tie are SO
      ongekende   licfd;e.                                                            unspiritual ourselves and so weak in-our own fear of
          Z&5,.,  $n  ni&  anders,  &bet ge  `Uw dagen  tellen,                       the Lo&l that we ourselves & -not see these -things
      0 rqensch !                                                     L               & hear `them speaking `God's prais_es.      "The -heaQens
          Ge moet  elken dag vragen: `0  -God! ik zoek U,                             cl&+re  IHis glory and the firmament  showeth forth
      odk al is het, dat -Uw :aanwezi&eid  tiij smart geeft His handiwork,`, the Psalmist declares in Psalm %.
      in bewustzijn vanzonde eti schuld. ,Ik zoek `U, omdat -  -
                                                                                      How -often -do -we `hear them *speak Go'd's -praises?
      bij U  alle& de  levensbron  is.  `Ik ben  dooa -in  mij-                       Still" worse, there -are times when we 20 tail %he &-
      zlelven,, vanwege bngerechtightiden die  -Gij iq. `t  licht tention of our children  to things `that we see and ihat
      van U aanschijn zei. . . Ik -zoek .U bij % .krieken Tin                         occur round about us in such a way that we do any-
      den dageraad. Ik zoek  `U om  vergeving van zohde thilng but teach them the fear  of  the Lord.  &t us
      `te  mo&n  `hebb& in `t  bloea van  Heti die  de eetiwig- beware   Of  such  things*
      heih ian &%f ti6est d&wad&, @@? Hij t6&+~eefsch                                    One such instance is -so -commonly practiced in
      Zocht en klaagde leti b&tild& tot U.                                            Christian circles when'there is a chi1.d born in a family
          Ik wil wijs zijn ,en -wijzer worden. D&r& zull& that `is already blessed  ..with other children.                                          The
      we  266  OliZYe  `da&en  tellen.  We zullen  onie  ionden,                      older child looks in wonderment and pride at the "new
      dtize  griibte  iondefilast,   -bij God  bren`gen.             Neen, -bij `arrival" -and says,. `!Mommy,  where d-id our baby- come
      J&ovB,  den getrouwen   V:erbondsGod,  en  datir zullen from?" Parents are often  caught off their  ,guard,
      we'vergeving van ,onger&htigheden  ontvan"gen.                                -sd to speak, and if they themselves are not living any
          En voorts `zingen we.                                                       too firmly in the fear of the Lord, they will reply, `(Oh,
          maar "uit -den treure".                                                  the doctor brought it".            still worse is the worldly
          Was het Job die snikte : Mijn oog  traant tot                               practice o$- saying that the stork brought it.
      G@d ?                                                                              He who fears the Lord and is living  from- that
          Dat bloed, die  t.ranen en  .gu!k lijden zijn Gode prindiple is .wise, for the fear df `the Lord is the be-
      dierbaar !                                                     G. V.            ginning of wisdom -(Psalm 111 :lO). Such a parent
                         -                                                           -will himself be consciOus of the fa6t that this child is
                                     -               -                              absolutely God's gift. He  &ill realize  .that he is  ab-
                                                                                     ~solutely  -dependent upon God for all things and that
                                    I N   MEnjrORIAM                                  this child; -no-matter how he may look at it, is their be-
           The  Men% Society of the  Fo&h Protestant  Reformed                        cause of whit God `has done. He will realize that' in
      `Chdrch of  G?and  RipZds,   Michig&  ,h&eby   tiishss  to express the c&iception  and birth of that tihild absolutely none
      its sympathy to `one -of bur felliow  menib&-  Mr. H. `Mulder,  in              of the credit shbuld be bestotied  upon the parerits. -It
      t h e   l o s s   bf  l&                                                        siin$y is a case of God w&king through them, arid
                                          ,SISTEE                                     without Him nothing would have be& accomplished.
           May  the-heavenly   `Father   comfort-tile   bererivkd   one's.by  His -- Pargnts who kriow  .and believe this and live' from the
      Spirit, ;s-tr&gth@&ng  the? hope in `His Et'ertial  House bf mafiy              principle of that-knowl&dclge have the fear of the Lord.
      mansions.                                                                       Such  pareIts will tell their child that' this "new ar-
 .                                              -Rev.  .R. Veldman, Pres.             1;ival" is given to them by God.
                                                P.-Koster,`Sec'y.                      That  -is the only wise  thiqg to say since it is the


                                    ' T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEA$ER                                                         379

 only way to teach them the fear of the Lord: F+mem-       is 0~11~ a fictitious personage, and indeed we do teach
 ber that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wis- our children that . Yet by t.aking them down to go apd
 dom. To answer the child's question any  ather way s.ee a Santa  ,C!au.s. we  peverthe1es.s   teach them  that
 is folly, To do anything wisely one must do it in-t.he    Christmas is. the time of Santa Cla~ls Sather than the
 fear of the Lord.  T!ell your child "that tie doctor  or time of c.elebrating  the birth of Chr&t and the msni-
 the stork brought the babe and you ascribe $0 these festation of  Go-d's  marvelous   love.  you  must do  that
 what ought to be attributed to the Lord. Make use to teach your child  the  fear of the Lprd at Christ-
 of this opportunity to impress upon the-mind of the mastide.                                                  _1
 Child the wisdom and power of God that he may mar-            The doctrine contained in the Old  Tlestament
 vel after Him and reverence His name. Call his at- teaches us plainly that Israel, *God's people in that
 tention to the tiny little hands that are so perfectly dispensation, was. to accept 
 shaped and to the fact that each one has five little                                          nothing `of the heathenish
                                                           practices round about them. They were td extermin-
 fingers just  lil$ his own. Give him to understand ate all the heathen out of the land of Canaan lest therle
 that~ God does wonderful things. Exalt God in his should be these heathenish practices to be seen and
 mind and. help him `$0 think in terms of God's praise followed by their children. They might not m%rry any
 and to be God-center.ed  in his thinking.7                heathens. They tiere to.teach  their children the unique
     Not only is this the only wise thing to tell your and wonderful history of their deliverance wher:ein
 child because it is teaching him the fear of the Lord, the glory of the Lord was displayed. So should we,
 but it is the only wise thing to -tell him also because the church of  this dispensation, teach our children
 it is the only answer upon whch you can build later spiritual tliings and warm them of ALL ,the beatheti-
 when the child is able to understand more fully how ish practices of the tingodly who live rodnd about us.
 God brings th+ child in this world and how He, gives
 it unto the  garents.    The "doctor" story' and the         Another thing that must 
                                                                                        .~.  ._ be s&l in (his connection
 "stork" story  cAnnot be built upon  .wben the child is  the fact  that  *he Santa Claus  theory is  indjeed a
 will no longer believe such nonsense.         '           heathenish superstition, a doctrine of unbelief an4 a
    Another evil practice which teaches the child doc- practice solely without  the fear of  the Lord.  The
 trines not contained in the  IOld and the New Testament world  has need of a Santa Claus myth  because  it
 presents itself around Christmastide. No, no, we do camlbt teach  its children the fear of the  l&d.  The
 not teach our childgen that thene is a Santa Claus, but world must  teach  its  children  @t  S$nta `Claus will
 we do take them down  tow-n to see a Santa Claus.         lTcT:@r.d   good   boys and girls  at; Christmas
                                                                                                         _           ._   apd  giye
 Yea, still wokse,  some parents. will even keep their thein what they  w&h  if  they  will.  only  do  as  $&ir
 -children out .of their catechism cl&s on Saturday morn- fathers and mothers tell -them to 40, How ~nspir~ty~l
 ing to take them downtown to see the Santa Claus that is!  l@ow  contrary  to  the  do&ipe  con_tained  in
 parade. Those things have b&en done also in our cir: the Old and New Testament!  `How  .cog$rary  to  .the
 cles, and do not forget i$ ! That surely is not doing very idea of  ChristEas! -Does  pot  Chr&stmas   sp@
 the utmost in 6ur power to $elp or cause them to be $0 us of God's great loye .according $9 which lJe gave
 instructed in the doctrine of .God's Word.                .LIS  I-I-3 Son  although  we  ogrselves   .did  .got  de,s.erve  .a
     It is contrary .to the baptism vow whether you keep thing? Does not the birth pf the Saviour imply &a$
 yo.uy' child out' of his. catechism class or not. If we we were de8.d in sin and $r.egpasses  &d that in 4000
 keep -them out of -their catechism cI&ss, it surely is -years men could not l@ng forth a Sayiour ? Did  the
 true that we a-k^e not helping them'to be instructed in angel not say to Mary in .rlegard to -His birth that He-
 the doctrine contained in the :Old and New Testaments. shou-Id  be called  Jesus -because -He would save I$s peo-
 The Santa Claus will :not teach them tliat.. Your child gle from their, sins 7 Then Gp_cl gave .a ,gif$ at XChrist-
 o,ught to be in catechism  where  he can and will  b,e mas not for deserving people but -for $hQse  who were
 taught the fear of the Lord. But granted that he -sinning against Him with all $Keir .b&g. At Christ-
 riced not miss a catechism class for his visit to Santa .mastide  you -have -a -wopderful opport,unity.  to teach
 Claus, this visit will teach him- doctrines contrary to your child- the .fear of the Lprd, for ypu can explain to
 the doctrine c&%ined in the Old and N,ew Testament. him the greatness, &be -wisdom  and the grace of (God.
 It will do so first of all in that it will turn his mind .Bwt -this Santa -Claus bLl.s&ss leaves GQ~ out of the
 away from the true significance of Christmas. It -picture entirely,  and it ignores  His  -Christ  IentiFzly.
 -will .give a s_ignificance-  to this time and dajr- of the It seeks to be a sub@itute  for `Christ, and.take%hrist
year which is not to be found anywhere in the Old and ,,out of  Chris&as  and  you have nothipg left. -Yea,
 `New Testament. In his mind Santa Claus and Christ- what yen will have -left j-s an Antichristmas.  -Do not
 mas will belong to each oxher while in his thoughts take~your  child to gq and see this forerunner and rep-
- Christmas and the birth of Christ ought to belong to- resentative of the Antichr$$  X&O will present -hi.mself
 gether. The child should be taught that Santa Claus -3s -the Chr&t,


  380             I     ' .             T H E .   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

         Besid:es  this, are we-to teach our children to be good teach. Yet we taught them how- to p,low and to drive
  buys and girls- in order to receive a nice present at a -car and so many other things. And in such things
  Christmas? That likewise is not the fear of the.Lord.        as the birth of a khild and Santa Clatis we show that
  The fear of the Lord consists in this, as we said before, we-are able io teach them wrong't"hings. Let us not
  that one serves the Lord and obeys Him in love. He try- to talk ourselves into thinking that we cannot
  who f.ears the Lord obeys Him because He recognizes teach our chijdren  as we I-;alk by the way, when we
  Him to be the Lord of heaven and earth Whom all sit in our houses, `when we lie down and arise in the
  creatures mustxerve. The yorld has need of .a Santa morning. We all have far m&e ability than we want
  Claus to teach its children conzpZiance  to laws and re- to admit. Let us use it.
  gulations.  Only thus  cati the world get its children          In o'ilr n&t- and last installment of `this brief con-
  to do as they' are told, for they know .liot God and sideration of the vow we as parents .have made, we
  have not His fear. God's people have no need of these hope D. V., to present a few more ways- in which we
  kind of tl&gs. They can come to their children with as parents can speak of these  things to our- children
  the ddctrine contained in the ,Old and New Tiestame&,        and teach them the fear of the Lord to- the utmost of
  namely, that they must serve God because-.He is the our own power in the home and its family life.
  Lord of all things, Who has a perfect right to demand                 .                                                 J. A. H.
  perfect obedience from every  creatur'e, for every crea-
  ture is the work of His hands and has been made for
  His  glorji. The world and  its practices will never                                                           a  _-
                                                                                         s  ..
  teach your child that.  ,Only the  doctrine  contained
  in the -Old and New Testaments has bleen given by God.                       WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
  u'nto us for the purpose,-of teaching that truth and the                                           ; ,
  true obedience which it demdnds.                                 On kpril 19, 1946, our beloved parents
     .Before  mentioning any more instances  tiher.ein                             ,CORNELI+   D O E Z E M A
  we can and ought to ,teach. our children the fear of                                            a n d
  the Lord when the world uses things to `teach them                         JlESSIE  DOEZEMA nee Van D&l; West
  its philosophy, we would by iyay of introduction make                                                          .-
  a few remarks. First of all we wpuld have you- turn celebrated their 50th Wedding  Kniversaxy.
  your thoughts to what Gbd says ifi Deuteropomy, 6 :6,         We  their  children and  grandcl&reti  extend to  them our
  7. There  ,God says:-*`"And. these words which I `com- bowing  and sincere  ,congratulations.
  mand thee this day, shall be in thine heart : `And              - We think our God for- sparing them for each  other and for
  thou shalt teach them diligently to they children, and us. We  .pray that  the, Lord may continue to be with them in
  shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, His  graoe  alid to prepare for them  an abundant entrance into
  and when thou walkest by the way; and when thou His heavenly kingdom.
  liest down, and when tho& risest LIP." How much of                                    Their grateful  children:
  that is done  -today?  We think that this man-made                                              Mrs.  Philip Persenaire
  vow that we instruct our children to the utmost of                                              Mr. and Mrs. Mart Doezema
  our power is a .severe  demand which is asked of us                                             Mrs. Charles Doezema
  whlen we present our children to be baptized. What                                              Rev. and Mrs. A&I,&  Persenaire
  then `would we say of these words of God? But there                                        Dr. and Mrs.  Benry Stevens
 `-it is black on white in His word.  .That is what He                                            Mr. and Mrs.  Ja.cob  De Vries
-  ,demands.  Wherever. we go, wherever we  are,' no                                              Miss Helen Doezema
  matter what occurs we must use it to teach our chil-                                              36 grandchildren.
 dren the f!ear of the Lord.' We will teach them how to Grand Rapids, Michigan
  drive an autotiobile,  how to rim a tractor and plow a
  field;- but hbw much effort do we- put `forth to t!xch
  theti the fear of the Lord? How manjr dpportuni'iies
  do we not allow to. slip by without our taking advan-
  tage of th@n when we walk by the way. When we-sit                              TEACHER -  W A N T E D
  iti our houses'with them, when we lie- dotin with them
  .atid;,rise   up  with'.them in the  miming  to  g&et the       The Hope Protestaht R,eformed School Society is
  new day? Hbw much of t-he.f&ar  of the'j;ord and its
instruction is revealed in OL!& prayers'which  we utter in urgent need of a school-teacher for this coming year.
  before them when we lie down with theti at night or                  Please   con&$  : Mr. John  Lanniing
arise with  thtem in the morning?                                                                  R. R. 5                            .  I
         We so easily complain that we have no ability to                                          Grand Rapids, Michigan.


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B-EARE'R                                         381

                                                              teacher? If  they had a teacher I  understand they
           _. .  PERKXOPE                                     would be ready to start their school; come Fall.
                                                                     But you didn't take up teaching.
                                                                     You could still start. Our_ Christian schools need
                                                              you otherwise there would not be these three score
 WILL YOU BE ONE OF THEM?
                  *                                           want ads. As we acquire schools bf our own, we will
                                                              soon need teachers. . . . need you.
     A  psmchlet by the European  ChjL-istian` Mission               Underpaid, you say !
 asks me that qulestion.                                             I know, the junk dealer and the garbage hauler get
     It tells me that 400,000,000  `people in, Europe are higher wages as a general rule, than do ministers and
 still unevangelized. Two. hundred million who profess teachers, the fact however remains that thGre must be
 no religion whatever, found chiefly in such countries young men and young women who are ready to forfeit
 as Russia, France and Spain; In -Portugal only one .the higher wages in other  octiupations  and devote
 `in a thousand is what one could call protestant.            themselves to this spiritual work.
     It goes on to state that this Mission wants to send        .
 one hundred workers from this country and England,                                    8  :p  :i:          Q
* assuring me tliat' even these hundrIed  could make but a                                           .-
 very small beginning.                                        BAR LEVEL.
     Then it -comes straight at me and says, "will you be
 one of them?"                                                       That's where the American family life is at present.
     Apart from the fact that' if- one'shall be a mission-    "American family life has descended to barroom stand-
 `ary one has to be-sent of God arid consequently called ards and honie drinking is five times what it was in
 by the `churches, and, apart froin the designation of 1934", says a certain. Mrs. D. Leigh Colvin, president
 Europe as the field for such labor, apart from  that_ of -the W.C.T.U. 52,000,OOO  barrels -of drink carried
 all wte are reminded of what awful conditions  obtain home this year. Better, you say, that they drink it
 at this late hour on God's clock.                            at home than in filthy saloons and roadhouses.. `But
     But' I would like to pass on this question to some that is just the iharge which this `woman makes, she
 of you young men.. YOU. .  ., . will YOU be one of says ihat our .homes have been converted into veritable
 them? One of you takes up farming, allother becomes          saloons and  roadho&ses.  Every house has become a
a mechanic, another a draftsman. But is there any rca&ouse and every home a saloon.
 one among our young men that would desire, would                    Tllis  iS not  true of every. home. Certainly our
 dare to dedicate his life to missionarjr work?               homes, the homes of us as Protestant ReformlEd, the
    IOur churches are reminding ybu that we are be- hoties of all Christians show a contrast in opposites to
`coming' ready for missionary work on a broader scale. such beer-and:ale  homes. At leas& they should.
 There is a challenge going out to YOU for this type of         LI Scriptune does not forbid the use of wine, we are
 work. Will we see you in our School some time, pre- well  awake of that. And beer is, one of God's good.
 paring for this type of work? Will you perhaps some- creatures, I know.
 time be one of them?                            :                   A young lad of  mjr acquaintance  one tinie pur-
                         :k-.*   .*  *                        chased a junior chemistry set. He mixed several of
                                                              `God's good creatu?es in a test tube and the resultant
                                                         .    mixture exploded in his -face, destroying one_ of his
 T H R E E - S C O R E   W A N T - A D D S .                  eyes. Barbiturates (s1eepin.g  pills) ,are also cdmpound-
                                                              ed and chemically assay&d- from God's good creatures,
     That. is  the amount of Teacher-wanted ads  iYe but they  take- many lives.  -God's  crleatures, such as
 counted in a recent issue of The Banner.                     barley, rye, corn, grapes, etc. ai-e certainly good, but
  Where  are our teachers going? Where'have they when a .depraved nature, in a person whose belly is
 gone ?                                                       his god, mixes these good creatures and ferments tliem,
     Young man, young lady, with the Summer before and then spikes them, you have a resultant concoction
 .you, planning what- life's work you will take up-how that counts its victims by the millions.
 about becoming a teacher in one of  ou? Christian                   But to get back whePe'our  Periscope was periscop-
 Schools? There is not only a great need for teachers, ing-we have here another lament  ~concerning  what
 but. above all for thoroughly Christian, well prepared family life in this country is. It is sin that does these
 apd God-centered teachers.  .-                               things. Yes. But sin is nothing apart from God. It
     Did-you know, moreover, that in one of our churches is the judgment of God against a. sinful and gddless
 the pafen@ rlecently banded together apd decided to generation that does these  things. God punishes sin
 build a school of their own, but they cannot. find a with  sin,  You  &sp&  the  .Spirit?  You  wo@d  not  be


39           -     ;                             THE  S T A N D A R D   BEARER

full of the  Spi$it ? Then you shall  lee full of wine. for. . . , well just bid high because it's for a good
You will not seek your only comfort, in troubles, with cause.
God? Seek it then i.n the mock-comfort .of the bottle,                 That article that  .sold for five dollars was worth
and drown in you; own lust.                                     ibout forty cents, but competition set in, one would
   If we `are full of the. Spirit, and, ar,e filling your not be outdone by the other, so they. did what they
household with that Spirit, I have no fear that you would never do otherwise, they paid ten  -times  too
will fill them with drink. If you are full of the Spirit, much for the article. Of course the -poorer members
your moderation will be known to all glen, and the acould not :get along at this high cost of buying. But
Spirit will be saying to yo.u, "wine is a mocker, strong the sale brought up a lot of money and that is the im-
drink is raging, whoever is  deceiv&.thereby   is not portant'thing. . . . that's why a Ladies Aid exists,
wise".                                                          isn't it? Or doesn't it?
                                                                       ,One riotices, by and large, that the success of the
                         :I:    :i:  :i:  :i:                   Society is measu&d by how much their sale brought
                                                                UP.      The purpose of their existence has almost en-
EDUCATION B+ MOVIES.                                            tirely become the raising of moneys. Apart from the
                                                                fact that Scripture does not assign to ladies the task
   "Education by the  m;ethod  of movies and sight of raising money for the church, apart from the fact
.seeing  will not add to an individual's capacity $0 think, that such public auctions, with competitive bidding,
a fraction as much as working out'one single difficult induce careless handling of money,  apart from the
problem in  ar@hmetic".             Thus comments a School fact that the sale and @verything that stands in con-
Magazine.                                                       nection with it becomes its primary concern ; apart
   Sid:e shows, he' comments further.                           from all that stands the fact that the original purpose
   Whether we like it-or not, we will all be forced to of the Ladies' Aid was to sew for `the needy or for the
take a stand in re then increasingly popular practice in busy  l;nothers.   c The garments  wer;e sometimes dis-
spme of our Christian schools to show pictures on the tributed through the  deaconate to local or distant
school  scre.en.  They are mostly  naturk pictures  (is needy. The raising of huge, or less huge, sums of
Krazy Kat a nature' picture, too?) they are shown money is a factor which was .add,ed  to it during the
rather regularly so that they become part, of ihle cur- course of history. I fear the addition has something
riculum and are in great demafid  (except with those carnal in- it, don't you?,
who already attend the theatres regularly and would'                                                                             M. G    .
like other kinds of `nature').                     I
   The writer above quoted tells us that these movies                                                         -.
contribute nothing to the individuals capacity to think.                                _'
   E n t e r t a i n m e n t   thefiefore.
   That is just one of the dangers to which we comniit
ourselves when we bring movies into the school: Ehu-                                WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
cation becomes entertainment. No? it is possible, I
imagine, if he be a .real good teacher, to combine. these        ; On Thqrsday, May 16, 1946, our beloved  parents
two so th& the k^tesult is wholesome and the mental and                                 PETER KOOISTRA
spiritual ,development  proper, but it is follotiing the                                          and
path of least resistance to want to be entertained                               GRACE  KOOISTRA  aee  Wiensma
rather than to be instructed or edified.. Witness t.he
difference in the size of the audienoe when a play is will celebrate their  56th  Wfedding Anniversary, the Lord will-
glen or-when some lecturer comes to speak on chris- ing.
tian instruction.       Entertainment is the paramount                 It is the earnest hope and prayer bf us, their children, that
thing-the capacity to think-why, that's  sdinetl2ng the Lord may grant them His peace in thdr remaining' years.
e l s e .
                                                                                              Their grateful children:-
                         *  * *  :i:                                                             Mr.  and.Mrs. P.  Bosscher
                                                                                              -  -Mr.  and Mrs.  &I. P. Kooistra
GOING, GOINGF$oZd FOY Five Dollars!                                                              Dr. and Mrs. H. P. Kooistra
                                                                                                 Mr. and Mrs. C.  Kboistra
   Ho, everyone !                                                                                Gertiude  Kooistra,
  A sale going oh:                                                                               Hilda  Kooistra,
   The So and So Society of the So and So Church is                                                  -six grandchildren.
having a sale in the church basement. Proceeds are Grand Rapids, Michigan


                                  THE_  STANDAR'D  B E A R E R                                                         383

                                                                on. Fourthly, it is true that the local consistory has
                                                                promised to be silent as' far as their iersonal' attitude
                                                                toward the Three Points is concerned? And how can
                                                                the Reverend H. Danhof harmonize this with state-
                                                                ments of his of the past? What was his stand which
                                                                he took at the time of Chassis West of Grand Rapids
                                                                which was hteld late in 1924 and during the early part
                                                                of, 1925? Finally, if it be true that the reunion had
                                                                occured  on the  pre-1924 basis,  why, is it that the
     Of this we were reminded when we  yead in the Reverend H. Danhof did not receive the r'ight'to preach
 .  Banner of March 22, page 381, the following news and administer the sacraments in all the Christian
  item in connection with the classical meeting pf Classis      Reformed Churches?                              . -
  `Kalamazoo, Feb. 20; 1946 : "The Reconciliation, Com-            Permit me to review briefly the history  `of this
  mittee reported that it had effected the union, with reunion. We will limit- ourselves to this history as it
  the cooperation of the Classical Committee, between occurled  last year. We will confine ourselves to 1945,
  the congregation  no% known as the. Grace Christian firstly, because we are somewhat acquainted with that
  Refbrmed Church and the Christian Reformed de- part of the history, and, secondly because it constitutes
  nomination, on November 1, 1945. Classis is deeply the official part of this ecclesiastical transaction. It
  grateful to the King of the Church that he has blessed was during the etirly moizths of 1945 that a basis was
  the efforts that have been put forth so that this union drawn up for  -  reconciliation  and presented to the .
  could be effected."                                           cl%ssis of  Kalamazob. -This basis for reunion pro-
     First of all,..fi-om the viewpoint of the local congre-    ceeded from  .and was suggested by the consistory-
  gation involved, this reunion i&plies that her struggle of the congregation of Rev. iH. Danhof. It was their
  of 1924 wa9.a sad mistake, and that the words of the          basis for  reaffil&tion.    This basis set forth the re-
  Reverend H. Danhof at that time, to the effect`-that union as to take place upon the folroping  points of
  they might. represent the cause of Christ, were an agreement .:                                                             `?
  illusion. It may be granted that' there are probably
  some who are ihclined to dispute this statement. One                    1. ,The'Word  of God.
  hears the claim, e.g., that the reunion has occured  on
  a pre-1924 basis. Also, that they are in utter dis-                    -2. ;The DiK.0. - the Church Order as adopted
  agreement with the Three Points. Even consistory                           at t'he Synod of Dordrecht.
  members; who therefore had arranged this reunion,                       3. The Three Forms of Unity.
  allege these things. Did i?ot the -reunion occur only
  on the basis of the Word of -God, the D:K.O., and the                   4. The emeritus status of the Rev. (H. Danhof
  .Three Forms of Unity? Is it ni>t a fact, so they claim,                   would cease as soon as the reuniorr had been
  that the Thre-e Points were not even mentioned? Yea,                       effected. (We  must  blear in mind that  a3
                                                                    e
  is it not true, -that the pastor of said congregation, as                  emeritus minister in the Christian Reformed _
  late is during the summer of 1945; was openly con-                         Church retains his official status-H.V.) .
  tradicting the Three Points from his pulpit?
     We must, however, attend to the following. In                 This basis was accepted by the Classis. Kalamazoo
  the first place, the mldersigned  received the assurance at':her meeting which was held during the early month
  from a very reliable source, while the negotiations of  1945. However, it was in turn rejected by the con-
  were in progress, that to be reunited on the basis of         sistory of  the then Protesting First Christian Re-
  the Three Forms of Unit+ implied thdse -Three Forms formed Church. _ It must be borne in mind that this
  of Unity as  interpreted  bz~ the  Cliristian Reformed hasis stipulated that, as soon as the reunion would be
  Church.  We received this  assur&ce  from one of the          accomplished, the Rev. H.  Da&of would no longer
  members of the Classis of Kalamazoo. Secjndly, the be in office.
  congregation involved should bear in mind the decision           The attempt to seek  reinion continued however.
  of the Sjrnod of the Christian ReformlEd Church held Finally, another basis was drawn up, accepted by the
  at Englewood, Chicago, in 1926. That synod officially classis of Kalamazdo, and finally also approved  by
  endorsed the Three POints and rejeCted  the protests the consistory of said  congr$gation.  The  congregXtion
  against these famous declarations of 1924. In 1924 had already decided at a pr.evious meeting to return
  the  Three -Points saw the light of day. In 1926 the to the Christian Reformed ,Church. According to this
  right to protest' against them  was  ofIicially  denied. basis the  classis  gave the local congregation the right
Thirdly, all the teaching in the Grace. Christian Re- to acknowledge their pastor as their pastor, which im:
  formed Church will be Christian Reformed from now plies, of course, that the Red. H. Danhof has the right


                :  :
  384                _                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                                                                            -  _
                                                   -.
- to function as  minister  in  .his  .local congregation. He                                                IN MEMORIAM
  may not be a minister  or function as minister `in the                       H&t  behaagde   den  Heere  aan  den  17den April van ons  te
  Christian Reform'ed  Churches, -but he may perform nemen, onzk geliefde echtgenootiz,  moeder en zuster,
 -the duties of a minister -in dn.e of the Christian Re-
  formed Churches, his own congrkgation.                   -.                                       GRIETJE BIEREMA-Pastoor
      What does this mean? The report of the meeting in den ouderdom van 74 jaren.                                                                          \
  of  Classis Kalamazoo of Feb. 20 declares that the                            Zwaar  valt Ions dit verlies, doch  wij hebben de oliuitsprebe
  classis is deeply grateful to the King of  `the Church lijke  tcoost te mogen gelooven dat zij de rnst is ingegaan die
  that he has blessed the efforts that have been put forth er overblijft &or het v:lk van God.
  so tliat this union could be effected. The undersigned                  -
  wonders whether the delegate'from one of `the churches             '                 -                    Die  bedroefde   e:htgenoot,
  `of this classis (I believe it was the minister from the ..                                                                   A. Bierema, en kinderen
  c'ongregation  of Battle Creek  who did not favour the                                                                                 Mrs.. M. Jager.
  actions. of the classis in this matter) also heartily en- 1147  B'emis  St., S. E.
  dorses-  this' part of the  r.eport as it appears. in  the Grand  Rapids,  Michigan:
  Banner  of March 22. If this action is to  be  .ascribed
  to the King of His Church one .may well ask himself
  the questioll whether that, King of His Church ilso is                  *                                               .I
  guilty of deception and ecclesiastical politics. No
  confession has occurred. No sin h&.b.een  confessed.
  The Reverend H. Danhof may not serve in the Chris-
  tian"Refortied  Churches but he may officiate in one of                                                    I
                                                                     _                                               N                   MEMORIAM
  Xhose churches, his own: And as late as the summer                            De Hollandsche  Vrouwen   Vereeniging  "Wees een  Zlegen",
  of 1945, while the negotiations were in progress there-           der,  Eerste  Protestantsche  .lGereformeerde  Gemeente te Grand
  fore to effect reconciliation,  he openly from his pulpit Rapids werd op den 17de April bednoefd doordat de Heere uit
  contradicted the Thiee' Points. In fact, the  under-              ons  midden   we&am  een onzer  leden
  signed does not hesitate to say that there is not a
  single members of the  classis of Kalamazoo who is                                                        MRS. A. BIEREMA
  not fully aware of the fact that  the Rev. H. Danhof  in  den-  ouderdom  avn  74  Mr.                                        I .  '       .,
  believes today as he always has believ"ed. He may not                                                                                            -.
                                                                                Wij  i&&n  haar   missen,  daar  zij' gaarne en getrouw de
  break the Bread of  lifie  .elsewhepe in the  Christian vereeniging bijwoonde. Maar wij mogen <ok gelooven dat ens
  Reformed Church, -had been  heposed  in 1925 surely  verlies  haar  groat  getin.                                   Z i j   mochi   m e t   vrijvoedigheid
  because of his opposition to the Three Points ; yet,- the- belijde dat zij zichzelve  keride,  als een  geloochte   deS Heeren,
  <Christ&n   Reformed -Church  seeins little  coricerned           w&ende  in Wien z,ij geloofde.
  about his breaking of the Bread of Life in his own
  church and they do not seem alarmed at all about .tfie                       Trooste de Heere, cxnze  VerbondsGod,  de bedroefde familie.
  spiritual food which some 1000 (?) souls may re&eive                                                 N&ens  d e   V e r e e n i g i n g ,   -.
  from his hand.. If. the. consist,ory  erred in 1924 they                                                             Mrs. D. Jonker, Pres.
  erred grievously, and would surely desire to make a                                                                  Miss W.  Woudenberg,   Seer.
  confession, and the church `should demand this confes-                                    -.
  sion. Then this local consistory was guilty of-creating
  schism, of disrupting the Church. And we know that
  the wrath of the King of :!lZs Church rests upon all                                            -
  those who raise discord not only in the- state but also
  `in the  ch%rch. If, on the  other hand, the  Chri'stian                        .                    -
  Reformed `Church erred in 1924, then it is an inexcus-                                                     IN MEMORIAM
  able action on the p&t of this local church td srtbjtict                      De Hollandsche  Mannen   Vereenigiing`  van de  Eerstie  Pno-
  and expose themselves and their children to the dan- testantslche  ,Gereformeerde  Kerk betuigt  hiermede hun innig
  gers of the Three Points. The undersigned is  con- leedwezen  aan Mr. A.  Bierem&  vise-pres. onzer  vereeniging,
  vinced, however,  -that the King of  IHis Church will bij het verlies`zijner echtgenoote  a .
  bless- only that kind of reunion and reaffiliation, .
  which  occurs on  the  bases of the truth and not on                                                 ,GRIETJE  BIEREMA
  that of the Thrlee .Points,  and which re-union occurs                        Moge de Heeae hem nabij zijn met Zijn troost en genade.
  also with  confessiqn  of sin by those who have been
  .gnilty of schism within the Church of God.                                                                                      G. I(oster,  Pres.
                ~                                        H.. 7".                                                                   B.  Veldkamp,  Seer.


