VOLUME XXIII                          *.$'&&&tiy   15,  1947  -  Gra.nd  Rapids,  Mich.                            NUMBER 10

                                                                   and because that one source of love is in God, not in
                                                        0

                                                                   LB  : therefore, it could be written : "There they crucified
                                                             1;  Hi;n,,,
                                                                   . .
                                                                          The Triune loved us !.
                                                                         ". And one the Holy Three w&e in that love ! That
                   All Enduring Love                               is the possibility .of the cross !.
                                                                          The Father loved us: and He sent His $dn to be the
                   But Goi commmadeth his `love'.towarcl us, propitiation for our sins. The Son loved us, and He
             in, that,  while we were yet  sinners~~ Christ came to do `l&e .Father's `will, -even unto death, yea, the
             died for us.                  Remans  5:8.            d$eath of the cross. The Holy Ghost loved us, and iHe
    Herein -is 1ove . . . .                                        proceeded'from th.e Father and from the Son, to sancti-
    Not that we loved God, lout ,that  He loved us . . . .         fy the Son of man that -He might offer Himself, without
    And sent His Soti to be a :propitiation  for our sins ! spot, ;a sacrifice for sin, acceljtable to God !,
    That is the story of the wondrous  cross, its inean-                  Of the Father, through the Son, ,in the Holy Ghost,
ing, its eternal source, its ,glorious revelation.                 is also that accursed tree: the .triune God is in Christ
    ~God  loved us ! `That. is the source of the amazing reconciling US unto I%mself .!
spectacle  ,on Calvary. God, the Creator .of the heavens           . God loved us!
and of the earth, the Triune, Father, Son, and Holy                       And because love is of God, and of Him alone, it is
.Ghost;  the rjghteous  and -holy Sovereign of all, Who sovereign, eternal, pnchangeable,  enduring, victorious !
is too pur(e of eyes to behold sin, loved us, sinnek"s  in                Many floods cannot .quench the fire -of this.love  !
ouiselves,  corrupt  ,and  damnible. That i's why that             ' -And to reveal t>e glory, the power, the all-endur.ing
simple, yet astonishingly significant sentence. could be strength of that love, it pleased God to combine in one
written in tibel:gospel  narrative : "There they crucified historic moment the darkest, :evillest, wantonest mani-
him!". . . . a.                                                    festation of `enmity on our part with `the most amaz-
    God loved us ! That incompreh'ensible, unfathom- ing revelation of `His love.
able, truth alone explains the cross of the`Man of sor- ~                 Herein- is love. . . . .
rows, the Servant of the Lord, the Fan of ,God, Jesus:                    And thtit "herein is ,love"' and in nothing else, is re-
Jehovah-salvation !        Not : God, -was ,6ur enemy, -but vealed wheu-God commendeth His love toward us, while
Christ loved us and turned God's enmity into love, we were yet -sinners !
can interpret that cross. He loved us before Calvary.                     0, blessed ,paradox of the cross!
iEIe loved us.with"an ,eternal love,`before the world was ;                       Alas ! and did my Savidur bleed,
and the cross is but a re\:el&ion,  the deepest, the high-                      ' And did my  Sov&reign  die?'
est, the most amazing'revelation of that abiding love.                            Would He devqt.e that sacred head
    Gocj loved us ! As anYintie?pretatibn of the accursed                         For  such,a worm'as I?,
tree, that statement must :stand alone. Beware' lest
you add to: ti"! YS-ay not : Heloved us and we loved Him.                         Was it for crimes that I have done, .
For that would rend%er Calvary iti$ossible. Not herein                          He.groaned upon the  tiee?'
is love, that we loved God, and that therefore H.e loved            .             :Amazing .pity, grace. -upknown,
us ; no? her&in that your love -niet ,!His ;,- but `herein, al-                   And-  lov'e beyond .degree!
ways in this must be found the nature, the'essence,  the                 . .  ;  -             -      -    -
constant operation of love, thit God loved us. O f   G.od                 While.!' . . .' .
is love. And.because loverhas  but one source, not two ;'           `While we werti yet sinners'! . . . . . Y


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                                                       _-  .-  -
        218                                  THE.              STANDARD                          BEARER                             j.
                                                                                                                __  :
                                                                                                                 -,  :  `.C
               God commend6d His !oie toward us, in that Christ and we 2fused $6 acknowledge it.  ' W&iyed in His
        d i e d   f o r   u s !   _.-;                                own cre'&ion, we ate His bread,' and drailk-His:  water,
               Mistake not the inebning of that &rd while. For and breathed His air, and received His lain and s&-
        it does izot denote the- state and capacity in,which G.@ shine ; ia fa,ct,  in Him we' lisped,  and mov.ed,  andiliad
        loved us : He: did n6t Jove us as sinners: 'That wo&l _ our beillg ; and we refused to be thankful : we SC&~&
        be  quite  impos';siblk.I Besides, had that b#&en pos$bl$: b-Him to His faoe, and changed IHis glory into &hk ski&me
        th$e death of, the"Son  of God has been quite unneces&l-y.' of corruptible' creatures, and exalted oursel& `to the
        Exactly ,pecau@ He could not love us la? sinner;, bk- height of divinity in our mad and cc%lceite;&@nag&-
        cause  Be could' .not- b&tow  IHis love  -tibon us  .in our. tion.
        state of  da%nableness and  corr`epti&; the mighty
-.,.                                                                      Suciz `sinners tie -were.       '                                '
        stream .of His love dug its own wajr tli$Ough the deel;           And while we were yet sinners, `He commended-.His
        atid awful canyon of His l;ighteou&&ss  and holy w:&h `love towards us, though He m&t needs be a'ni$`&th
        to reach us: Nor does that littie,  but profoundly sigliifi- us and reveal His wrath.                                             :`.
        cant conjunction while merely indicate when He loved              Bdt never did we express this ,enmity against the
        us, although it ib certainly true  that H,e loved us when     living God m&e furiously,~  than at the very" moment
        we were yet sinners. *But the point is that He conz- when He commended His love  to us, the moment
        nzencled, set forth, showed and indubitably proved His when He poured the vials of IH'is wrath, that must,needs
        love-toward us, while w,e w&e yet sinners.                    have corisumed  us forever, over the head of His -only
         ._ `The while points td,thk moment of the cross!     '       begotten Son! For God commended His love toward
               Sinners we were  then; and o, more terribly we us in that, while we were yet .sinners, Christ died for
        were sinners then, at that very moment, than at any us ! And this Christ was His Son ! He came because
        other moment i                                                `H.e loved us, to d$eliver us >roiri our sin and death, and
               Sinners are those th&t deliberately miss the mark, to bring us back home, to thb Father . . . .
        that is, the' ,glory of God, in their. whole lif'e, in all        And how we hated /Him !
        their secret thoughts and desires, and in all their mani-         As never before we revealed our pride and corrup-'
        fest deeds and speech, and that, for this' Yeasol;,  are tion. .For we opposed Him,  contradjcted   Hi&  l$as-
        guilty and worthy of damnation. They are those that, phemed Him, mocked,  .reprbached,  spit upon Him  ;
        ins&&d of being motivated by thelove of God, stand in accused IHim, buffeted and scourged Him, put Him to
   enmity against Him, hate Him, rise in proud rebellion sliame, condemned and crucified Him . . . .
        against Him ; and instead of having their d'elight in             0, say not that we knew not that He was God's
        doing Hlis will, and in ascribing all glory to His holy Own Son. %or the fact remains that He was the high-
        name, wantonly curBe Him in His face.                         est revelation of th,e Father, and the deepest reason
               Such singers we %ere.                                  why  w'e hated Him so was our  enmity against the
               And. our wanton rebellion and' presumptuous-pride living God !
        `we manifested in all our walk and conversation.                  And t&en, at that very moment, .God- commended~
               We began to reveal it in paradise. There we stood IHis love toward us!
        endowed with ,many excell.ent gifts, natural and spirit-       All our hatred did not change His  Jove !
        ual, for  H'e had formed us after His own image, and              He took all our abuse of Him and bore it in love !
        we were gifted with the glory of clear and beautiful              Amazing paradox of the cross!
        light, the light of. knowledge, of righteousness, of the'         All enduring love !
        love of God in our hearts.  Th'ere we dwelled; sur-
        rounded by the tokens of the blessed favor of the`Most           '    Were  $he whole realm of nature mine,
        High, which, with lavish hand,~ he displayed all about                That were a  pyesent far too small ;
        us, and showered down upon us. And we deliberately                    Love so amazing, so divine,
        turned  `hour neck  tipon Him, wantonly despised His                  Demands,my soul, my `life, my all.
        Word, gave heed to the lie of the devil; and became
        enemies of the living God !
               And ever since, we manifested our enmity. ,            . God commended  His  love!
               For we could not  escape Him. We must needs                In that Christ died for us!
        meet Him, Whom we meant, to reiudiate, and Whose                  For, mark you well, that death of Christ was an
        name we intended to obliterate from our' very con- &et of the  .triune  God!
        sciousness, everywhere. The invisible things of Him               He died, yes; and we killed Him. Btit never could
        are ever clearly seen, being upderstood by the things we have killed  IHi'im, had He not laid down His life
        that arti made, even IHis eterpal power and divinity. voluntariJy. Never  could we have laid our wicked
        God did not leave Himself `without witness. I!#&  the. hands  oti Him, had He not  allowed-IHimself to  be-.led
        truth we held in unrighteousness. W,e saw His glory, as a lamb to .the slaughter. Do you not remeniber


                                     T H E .      STANDARD B E A R E R                                                        2i9

how he testified that, as the Good' Shepherd, He would the wanton No of our r,ebellion:
,lay down  Hi.i life for His sheep; that no man could                  `For us .He died.
take,His 1ifeTfrom  Hiti, but that, in obe?ience  from a               1~ our stead, He suffered the agonies of hell, that
commandme$  of the Father, He would lay it dpwn of w,e might have the forgiveness bf sins, and be clothed
Himself ?  I.                                                       with everlasting righteousness, arid thus become the
   He died, yes ; and we killed&im . `. . .                         objects of God's favor.
   But this :fnonstrouS deed would have be& impos-                     In our behalf He shed His lifeblooc& that we might
sible, if the tiiune God'had  not ordained Him to be the be delivered from the corruption of sin, a@ from the
Head of His body, the Church, and.de&eed  that, in tlie             dominion of death, and be led into the everlasting
dark hour of:`wrath  and judgment, He would take the tabernacle `of Him' Who loved us !
place of thos$ whom the Father had given Him. For,                     God commended His love . . : .
indeed, we  gave  takeli Him, and, by wicked hands,                    In that Christ died . . . .
have crucified and slain Him, but this tias possible only              Died for us . .  ; .
because He .&as del&red by the determinate counsel                     And all this while we were yet sinners !
and forekno&ledge  of the triune ,God. Acts 2 :23.             '
             ..:.
   He died, $es ; and `we killed Him . . . .                               F&bid it Lord, that I should boast;
   But  nevqr could' We have stretched. IH!is already                      Save in the death of Christ, my God !  ,, ,  _
b!eebilrg for+ upon- the tl*ee of shame, never could our                  `All t&-vain things that charm `me most,
wicked handg: have hammered the cruel spikes through                       I sacrifice them through. His blood.
His hands a@d feet, never could we'have raised IH'im,
as a spectacl$ on the Hill of the Skull, between those
two malefackprs,  had not God so loved the world, that                 While we were yet sinners!
He gave His$nly  begogten  Son; that whosoever believ-                 0, blessed past.tense,  blessed Word pf Gdd, which              %
eth in Him s?ould tii>t perish, but have everlastiiig  love. now the believing Church may joyfully, triumphantly,.
   ,God  .commended   I&s love, while we revealed our take upon her lips !
hatred !     :i                                                        We zucre sinners, but we are .siriners no ?nbre !       '
   Through%he~ darkest horror of our enmity, God                       No longer gre we loaded wjtb the burden of the
caused'the g$rious light of His love to shine brilliantly, `guilt of sin, and aae we oppressed by the heavy hand
amazingly . ? . .                                                   of God's holy wrath ! We are  r,edeemed ! We are
   The               triuge God! .                                  acquitted ! There is no condemnation ! We have the
   The Fatl-&r  sent Him to ,Calv&y !                               forgiveness of sins! . And we are justified, clothed in
   The Son,$ human flesh, set His face tow&d Jeru- garments of righteousness in which we may e&r and
Salem....71  - -                                                    forever dwell in heavenly tabernacles of fellowship !
   The  Spi$ of  ,God, proceeding from the Father                      Can `you doubt it?
and from th$ Son,, led Him thither, all the way !                      10, about us and w-ithin us, the darkn,ess still lingers. ,~
   O$ the F$her, through the Son, in the Spirit, IChrist A thousand v@ces from within loudly clamor that we
died ! God.  !fomm,eqded   IHis love toward us in that are corrupt, that we cannot stand in judgment, that we
Christ died f,?$ Us!'                                               sin aGd increase our guilt daily, that we. `must be con-
    For IHe died ! j;All`that is in death He tasted. To demned. And all about us is darkness,. the darkness
the bitter dr@s He drank the cup the Father gave Him, of death, still nevealing the wrath of God from heaven.
and He tast&,ev,ery  drop. Death He tasted in &ich a- But God commended H-is l&e toward `us. In the inky
way as we c&ld'never finish tasting it in ages unend- darkness that envelopes us there shines a` light that
ing. All tl-& is in- death of fiain and agony, ,yes ; of will never be <extinguished, we know. It is the light of
trouble and &naz&ment, to be sure; of .fear and utter the all enduring love of God, shining from the face of
desolation,  Tithout doubt; but  thep, as all  this  pain the Man  bf  Sorrows on Calvary . . . .
and fear andi.trouble  and astpnishment are the oppress-               .Sinners  we werej but sinners we are no mone!
ing hana of :$he `&changeably, righteous God, meeting                  For, that love of God has been shed abroad in. our
the.sinner i< His -wrath in t&e hour of j.u@ judgment, hearts. And. through the power of that love, we have
-al! this, add.50 He tasted it!                                     been set free, in principle, even from .the-dominion  of
   Hediedforus!  ..                                                 sin . . . .
   For His'Geath,  as He tasted it in.all its bitterness bf            We love Him, because He loved us!
just wrath, ;.yas an act of obedience. Every drop',of                  And we know that  Isis love,  comniende'd  in the
blood that w&s pressed out of IHiim, He sprinklkd upon death of Christ, ,will never rest, until we have been
God's altar, in perfect obedience of love to 
                                      _,          the Father. perf,ectly deliver'ed.
And  t&us  lH@ act  of. dying was  &he perfect  sacrifice              Td be the dbjects  of ZIis love forever !
fbr`sin, the perfect  Xes of the  Soi of God, blotting  out  "  .'          i      '     '    '                      H. H.


     220`                                                                                                  .,  T H E   S T A N D A R D   :BEAREIZ                                                                                                    ,-

                                           The Sfcridard' Bearer
                     Semi-Monthly, except Monthly in July and' August                                                                                                                       ,, j .I E I3 I I' 0 R 1.4 L S
                                                              P u b l i s h e d   B y
                                The Refonmed Free Publishing Association
                                                 1463 Ardmore  St., S.  E.'                                                                              j                                       r 0;  Shades  Of'l905!
                                               EDITOR:  - Rev. H. Hoeksema.                                                                                                               Recently, the Rev. N. J.  Monsmat. editor of the
  C;ontrib&g  Editors:  - Rev.  &. M. Ophoff, Rev. G. Vos, Rev.                                                                                                                       rubric `iThe Reader Asks", `in The l3!ann.-er :received the
   X Veldman, Rev. H. Veldman, Rev. H. De Wolf, Rev.  B,  Kok;                                                                                                                        following question : "Can one serve as elder in a Chris-
    Rev.  J. D.  .De  Jo,ng,  Rev. A.  &tter; Rev. C. Hanko, Rev, L.                                                                                                                  tian Reformed `Church, who openly claims not to be-
. Vermeer, Rev. G. Lubbers,' Rev.  M. Gritters, Rev. J. A. Heys,
   Rev.  &.  Bofman.                                                                                                                                                                  lieve in `presupposed* regeneration' of covenant child-
         Communications relative to contents, shou1.d  be  address'ed' to                                                                                                             ren, because, as he asserts, it is against the Bible?"
   REV. H. HOEKSEMA,  1139  Franklih  St., S. E., Grand Rapids,                                                                                                                           And. the answer given: by the above named editor
   M i c h i g a n .                                                                                                                                                                  was as follows: "No, such a one cannot serve as elder
          Communications relative to subscri&ion  should. be addressed                                                                                                                in the Christian Reformed Church, for the simple
   to  MR.  GEBRIT  PIPE, 1463  Ardmore  St., S. E.,  Glratid  Rapids,
   Michigan.                        All Announcements, and Obituaries must be sent                                                                                                    neason that he disqualifies and excludes himself." The
   to the above address and will not be placed- unless  the regular                                                                                                                   Rev. Monsma then. pro.&eds  to explain. this answer.
   fee of $1.00 &companies the notice..                                                                                                                                               He. prefers' &e-  term  `,"presurnpti~e  regeneration,`?
                                          (Subscription Price $2.50 per yea?,)                                                                                                        states, that this does not imply the doctrine that pre-
   Entered as Second Class Mail  .at Grand Rapids, Michigan.                                                                                                                          sumptive regeneration. is the ground of baptism, ap-
                                                                                                                                                                                      peals, as a groulnd, for his. answer, to the "Conehlsions
                                                                                                                                             -.  `
                                                                                                                                                 ,.
                                                                                                                                                                                      of Utrecht," and to the "nee tran.$ation" (sic-!). given
                                                                                                                                                                                      of these Conclusions by the Sync& of Utrecht,  1.942,
                                                                                                                                                                                       (.does not the Reverend know that ther;e is a still newer
                                                                                                                                                                                      "translation," that of  1946?), which  states  that the
                                                                                                                                                                                      "seed of the covenant" must b,e "held. to be regener-
                                                                        - CONTENTS -                                                                                                  ated," while, at the same time, it states that it cannot
                                                                                                                                                                                      be held "that every elect child is ori that account al-
   M E D I T A T I O N : -
                         :                                                                                                                                                            ready in fact regenerated even before baptism . . . .
   ALL EN6tiRINlG LOirE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ::..; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ;217
                                                                                                      '                                                                               seeing that God.fulfills His promise sover&gnly in His
               RI&.  H.  Boeksema.                                                                                             1                                                      own time,, whether'before,  during, or after baptism ;"
                                                                                                                                                                                      and, finally, appeals to Art. 34 of th$e Netherland  Con-
   EDITORIALS :-                                                                                                                                                                      fession, ostensibly to suggest  that baptism seals "in-
   0, SHADES'6F 1905! . . . . . . . . ..I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 ternal grace."
   YES, SOMETHIN'G MORE ,CONCRETE, PLEASE  !' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222                                                                                                             When I read this answer, I could not but wonder
   CORRESPONDENTIE MET NEDERLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :.:.222                                                                                                whether the inqui-rer was satisfied, and- whether, on
   EXPOSITI0.N OF THE H.iIDELBERG CATECHISM . . . . . . . . . . . . 223                                                                                                               the basis of this answer, he forthwikh  instituted pro-
          Rev. H.  Hioeksema.                                                                                                                                                         ceedings. to prevent the brother `elder that did not be-
                                                                                                                                                                                      .~lieve in "presumptive- regeneration" from serving  an-
-1  `T-HE. HEALING OF THE PAPAL  SCHISM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227                                                                                   @her day in- his office.
   Q'tiESTIONS ON CHUWC,H POLITY ..~.............. . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ . . . . . . . . e28.                                                                                         And I wondered, too, whether this bxdther elder,
   SAUL   ,COMMAND.tiD . . . ..*..................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :..,y . . . .231
                                                                                                                                              i',.,                                   upon read-ing this. `answer, found, perhaps, sufficient
               Rev., G. M., Ophoff.                                                                                                           .  :*
                                                                                                                                                ._ ?                                  ground .in th,e answer  to combat h-is. attempted deposi-
                                                                                                                                                                                      t i o n .                   :
   DEN HXERE VROOLI&K ZINGEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232                                                                    He might, you know.  '
               Rev.  b. Vos.I                                                                                                                                          ;I
                                                                                                                                                                  . . . j..              .For, according to- the above answ'er, "presumptive
                                                                                                                                                                                      re&enleration" means that we presume,that  the seed of
   IN HIS FEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  :: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  i-...2.: . . . . . . :; . . . .
                                                                                                                                                                               235    the covenant is regenerated;. and _. : . . . that, at the
               Rev. J. A.  `Heys.                                              .:rt;                                                        ,+ 2                           ;Qs        same time, we presume that they are not regenerated!
  `HOLY  WXl:T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  :`..)..
                                                                                                                                                                ;: . . . . . 237 O-r, rather, for the lash stateme& is not quite correct,
               Rev. H. Veldman.                                                                                                                   ..          i,,:;                   thqt we-do. not presume that they are.regenerated!
                                                                                                                                                                                          0, yes, most assuredly : we presume it, and we do.
   PERISC.OPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1.. . . . . . :: . . . . . . . . . ,:..,:.,:?  . . . . . . 239
                                                                                                                                                                               :      not presume it I
               Rev: W. Hofman.  _
                                                      : `:           ,:  z-                                                                                                              . When it is. said th&t we must believe in- ,"pae&mp- .
                                                                                                                                                                                      tive aegeeeration," the m,eaning is; of cours&,. that we


                                        THE.STANDARD  B E A R E R                                                 221

 must consider the seed of the covenant to be regener-          They must show that the "Liberated" have no
 `ated  from their birth. If this is not true, the theory ground for. their `Lact of lib.eration." Now, these "liber-
 has no sense whateyer.                                      ated',' constantly and incessantly accuse the `tsynod-
     But  when it is .' said that this same seed of the icals" that they adopted the theory of  `Ypresumptive
 covenant may also be regenerated after baptism (and regeneration," and that they  left no room in their
 that -leaves lots of room, even tkree-score  and ten, or Churches for anyone that cannot. subscribe to this
 four-score: years!) we definitely state that we do not doctrine. Hence, they, the "s;ynodicals" dehy the truth
 presume that they ar.e regenepated from birth.              of this allegation. Nothing was changed,. say they.
    Now, what must the poor elder, thdt is in daliger There is just as much room in their Churches for those
 of being deposed as elder, do? He must, of course, that must have nothing of "presumptive regeneration"
 cling with all his might to the tail end of the fourth of as ever. And in this connection, the Rev.  Popma
 the Conclusions of Utrecht, and of the declaration of writes :
 1942, and of that .of 1946.            ~                       De leer der onderstelde  wedergeboorte is no@h in
    And what, theh, must the equally poor. inquirer do, 1905 noch in 1942 te.vinden."                -
 that is zealously watching over ihe purity of doctrine         That is : "The doctrine of presumptive regeneration
 iti the Christian Reformed Church (es), and impatient is to be found neither in 1905 nor in 1942."
 to remove that poor elder from his official seat? He           And the Rev. C.  !Hloutman,  *ho quotes the Rev.
 must, of course, cling  ;i;;th might and  main'.to the Popma- in the "`Rijnlandsche  Kirkbode," has this to
 head-end of this same fourth' Conc!usion, and of these add :
 same  dleclarations.  .                                        Daarom, de  conclusie kan na de verklaring van
    And what, further, must the poor Consistory do, 1946 dubbel onderstreept worden: De leer der order-                              .
 and, perhaps, the .Classis, and the Synod, when' they stielcle  wedergbeboorte is op geen enkele  maker tot
 are called to judge in this case., They must, of course, kerkleer  verheven en  niemancl is  daaraan gebonclen.
 say : "Brethren, you ar'e-both right ; let us have peace!" Voor de tweegrlei  opvattingen, die elkaar in 1905 ge-
    0, shades of 1905!                                       vonden'hebben; is nog alle plaats."
                       v - 7 - - -                              That is: "Therefore, after the declaration of 1946,
                                                             them conclusion : m8y be doubly underscored : The clot-
    I had almost forgotten to reflect upon this reply trini3 of presunzptiv,e regeneration is in no wise elevated
 of the Reyerend  Monsma, when I was reminded of it to a church-dogma, and no one is boiwcl by it. For the
 by an article in the "Rijniandsche Kerkbode." In this two views that found each other in 1905 there still is
 article the writer quotes from another paper, in which plenty of room."
 an article occurred written by  ds.  Popma  on this            Now; what is wrong?
 question of "presumptive regeneration." Now, the               Basing his reply to a question on the Conclusions
 Rev. Popma  most emphatically .deni&  that the Con- of Utrecht, 1905, and bn the declaration of Utrecht
 clusions of Utrecht, or the declaration of Utrecht 1942,    1942, the &ev.\ Monsma declares: "No one that denies
 or that of Zwolle 1946, is an official adoption of the the doctrine of presumptive regeneration can serge as.
 doctrine of "presumptive regeneration."                     elder in the Christian Reformed Chureh(es) ."
    Now, this I find a bit ironical.                            Taking their stand on, the same ecclesiastical de-
    Ever since the Synod. of Utrecht 1942 spoke, the clarations, the brethren "synbdicals" in the old country-
 leaders of the Christian Reformed Fhurches here exert- insist : "The doctrine of presumptive regeneration was
' ed themselves to make plain that they fully agreed never elevated to a church-dogma ; it is binding upon
 with, the "synodicals," and must have' nothing of the no one."
 position of. the "libertited." The editor of The Banne?        It is evid,ent,  then, that there is still considerable
 emphasized that the Christian Reformed Church (es)          confusion  .about  the real meaning of Conclusion IV,
 took their position firmly on the ground of "presump- Utrecht, 1905, about the declarations of Utrecht 1942                    .
tive regeneration." Former Prof., Heyns had to suffer and 1946, and -about the meaning `of the t&m "tire-
 a post mortem repudiation. His skeleton was safely sumptive regeneration."
locked in the clothes closet of oblivion (though one can        And.1 would suggest that, before the Rev. Monsma
hear the bones still rattling). And noti the Rev: Mon- issues his bulls of deposition and of exco&nunication
 sma, recently returned from a trip to the Netherlands,      (for- one that,  dn account  .of false doctrine, cannot
and a few day'of very harmonious fellowship with the serve as  ,elder, can neither be, member), and thus
"synodicals", boldly d&lar,es that all elders in the Chris- causes more schism in the ,Church than was already
tian Reformed #Church (es). :that r,efuse to belieGe in caused,  he defiine  his t&is clearly,- so that every one
 "presumptive regenelation:.  be `deposed from' office !,    (himself  ititilud'ed) may understand just what he is
    But  .the brethren "synodid@ls" in the old  c&try t a l k i n g   a b o u t .
have a different'problem 012 tlieir hands,                      That would be salut&ry to. the Church,         H. H.       _


2         2       2                     T H E   ST.ANDARD  B E A R E R

                                                                 Is not the company itself doing this, quite according to
      Yes, `Something More Concrete,                             the incorporation laws of this company to which also
                         Please!                                 brother Ten Elshof subscribes, that is, the Church
                                                                 Order ?
                                                                    Indeed, we must have something more concrete to
      At the close of an article in Corieorclia Nov. 28,1?46,    discuss !
defending Ladies Aid Sales, Mr. G. Ten Elshof dropped                                                            H. H.
a r,emark that should not pass unchallenged. I quote:                                       .
"Perhaps if the brother would make an exhaustive
study of the reasons why. our various church expenses
are. dontinually rising and who-&e  doing this and why,
and that at `company expense', we shall have some-
thing more concrete to discuss."
     This remark has nothing to do, of course, with the            Correspondenttie  Met Nederland
debate about the sales conducted by our. Ladies Aid
Societies. It. is not my purpose to become a party in            Dr. Schilder. heeft ons  artikeltje  over "Smoke
that debate.  Nor..is  this necessary. The arguments Screens" in "De' Reformatie"  opgenomen.  En hij
raised against such sales in the debate will not prevent teekent daarbij * bet volgende aan : ,
our ladies to continue, with ti free conscience, to devote                  W& hopen ds. Doekes  over dezen brief het
their time and efforts to the support of various causes               antwoord te geven. Wegens iooeven genoem-
such as the Standard Bearer, Christian Schools, our                   d'en hinder heeft ds. Doekes nog niets gelezen
own School, and the like. Only, instead of. being com-                Gan Rev.  Hoeksema's   briefje, Voor ons zelf
pared to the money changers in the temple, our ladies                 volstaan we thans met volgende korte opmer-
deserve a word of commendation and encouragement.                     kingen :
      But the remark at the close of the `art& by Mr.                       1. Dat Rev. Hoeksema met ons wars is van
Ten Elshof .must not pass unnoticed. Perhaps, it-will                 bet  leggen van rookgordijnen, is, ik weet
be challenged in. Concordia,  but up to the present I                 zeker bij ds.  Doekes,  en  oak bij mij,  buiten
have not noticed any reflection on this remark.                       discussie.
      In the brief paragraph we quoted above, the brother                   2. Dat we ook in Amerika worden  aange-
makes some very ,evil suggestions and insinuations, and,              zien voor remonstrantsch (een insinuatie, die
by implication, is flinging serious accusatiotis against              voor rekening ligt ,van een verlegen en nu in
some parties in our churches, and against our- churches              laster zich vergetende synodalistische clan)
in general as a denomination, Concerning these in;                    is een feit ; ook uit den naasten kring van Rtev.
sinuations as such, I would say:                                      Hoeksema is me'dat door een besten vriend
      1. If there is any truth in them at dll, the brother            zoowe van hem als van mijze!f zwart op wit
should have brought his objections  atid indictments                  geschreven, als oak zijn meening.
to the proper ecclesiastical. gathering rather than shout                     3. Rev. Hoeksema zou op de vragen der
,them from the hous'etops  in Conkordia.                              synode van 1944, `tian mij gesteld, kvenzeer  als
      2. If `the brother, rievertheless,  considered it more          ik  NEE'N  geant*oord hebben. Want a) hij
proper to publish his indictments to the  world,  he                  verfoeit haar  ,,kerkrecht";  b) hij bestrijdt
should  have clearly stated  the?, rather  than move                  in zijn "De Geloovigen en hun zaad" de for-
about in th'e foul air of dark insinuations.                          mule van 1905-1942; en de vraag der synode             .,
      3. If they are not true, and the broth& cannot sub-             was, of ik beldofde NIETS te l'eeren  dat .NIET
stantiate them, he should openly retract them, `and                   TEN VOLLE in overeenstemming was met'
confess his wrong.                                                    die formule.  Zoo dwaas en dom of-gemeen om
      Let him, therefore, an,+er  his own questions :                 op DIE vraag ,,ja" te seggen, zou Rev. Hoek-
                                                                     ' sema evenmin als ik geweest zijri.
     1. Are our church expenses continually rising at a                4. DAT is in geding. Niets anders. Wij
rate disproportionate to the rise in the general c_ost of             hebben als kerk,en  geen eigen verbondstheorie,
living, and of wages, and to the need of our churc$es?                geen eigen s&ramenstheorie,  geen eigen kerk-
      2. Who are doing this except the proper parties?                theorie. Alleen de 3 formulieren. Ieder kan
      3. Why are they doing this, if n'ot for the well-being          bij ons Heyns of Bouma of Hoeksema of
of our church,es, and for &e cause of God's kingdom?                  Greijdanus of Schilder  ?f bepaalde  punten
      4. Ar,e they doing this "at company's expense," i.e.,           bijvallen en op andere' afvallen.                    .
without proper authorization from the company itself?                       5. Natuurlijk zul2en we graag onzen vriend


                                              0


                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                             223

        . Hoeksema het woord  g&en  enI beantwoorden.               4.  11~ begrijp  goed, dat  er bij de "vrijgemaakten"
          We zien in &jn blad. een Christelijk protest           gee+ officieel aangenomen verbondsbeschouwing is.
          tegen de andere amerikaansche  organen, die            Maar men kan het  `ens niet kwalijk  tiemen, dat wij .
          zich zonder verstand hebben verkocht aan de            bier  tech  spreken van de verbondsbeschouwing der
          V. U.-clan. `Tot later dus.                            "vrijgemaakten", daar immers alles, wat in dit opzicht
                                                   K. S.         door hun leiders, in blad en brochure, geschreven werd
         Waarbij ik weer het volgende opmerk:.                   en nog wordt, in dezelfde ,richting wijst :- de richting
                                                                 van Heyns.
         1: `k Geloof gaarne, dat Dr. .Schilder  mij met hem-       5. Ik zal voorts met het "woord te nem,en" wachten
  zelf wars van rookgordijnen `houdt. Buiten discussie tot ds..Doekes mijn artikeltj,e  h.eeft beantwoord.
  is dit `echter niet heelemaal, daar immers ds. Doekes                                                          H.H:
  mij juist "smoke  scr,eens" liet  werpen  over Gods  be-
  loften.   Ik zie uit naar zijn antwoord.                          F.S. Our readers that- cannot  .read Dutch will,
         2. Dat men hier in Amerika, in de Christelijke please, excuse me; if this tim,e I have no room to trans-
  Gbreformeerde  Kerken, de "vrijgemaakten" voor Re- late all the above in English. In the future I hope
  mofistrantsch  aanziet, geloof ik nog niet. `Doen  ze .het to do. better.
  wel, dan meet dat. niet al te `ertistig opgevat worden.                                                        H. H.
  Het is we1 waar, dat men Heyns hier nu officieel heeft
  veroordeeld, post mortem,, en zonder dat er. ook maar                 _      !
  iemand een lans brak voor den professor ialige?, die
  zich niet meer verdedigen kan ; en dat men zoomaar de
  "onderstelde  tied'ergeboorte"  als d,e officieele kerkleer
  in de kerkelijke bladen heeft geproclameerd. Maar,
  ach, amice &hilder, wat beteekent dat nu anders dan              THE TRIPLE, KNOWLEDGE
  dat men  zich haast om  aan zekere zusterlijke obligaties
  te voldoen? Trek U daarvan dus niet al te peel aan.
         Wat ons betreft, ik bedoel, de Protestantsche Gere-      An Exposition Of The Heidelberg
  formeerden, ofschoon ook wij er geen officieel aange-                               Catechism
  nomen verbondsbeschouwing op na houden, dat dit
  ons als "gangbare meening" geldt, dat de beschouwing                                   Part Two.
  van IHeyns o&s in de Armini.&anschi?  richting voert, is                          Of Man's Redemption
  ieder bekend..  Dat is niet thans onze meening gewor-
  den, maar dat is ze al jaren geweest. Dat de "vrijge-                               Lord's Day XXI
  m$akten" die richting niet op willen, geloof pie gaarne.                                _  6.
  Dat U, Dr.  `Schilder, die kant op zou  willen, is mij                      The Forgiveness Of Sins (cont.)
  eigenlijk ondenkbaar. iHetzelfde  geldt van Dr. Grey-
  danus. Maar dat wij bier in Amerika groote behoefte               In God, this act of mercy, whereby He okdained iY&is
  hebben aan meer licht (en ik schrijf dit nadat ik schier       Son to be the bead of the Church, Bo that iHe repre-
  alles gelezen heb, wat in Nederland  over deze kwestie iented  them in the hour of judgment, and might bear
  is gepublioeerd in den laatsten tijd),  da! is  oak  een their sins and iniquities, is, eternal. 0 /
  f,eit:  Misschien zal  mijne discussie met ds.  Doekes            For in God's eternal counsel, Christ is the' firstborn
  deze vrucht afwerpen?                                          of every creature, and that, too, as the head of His
         3. Zeker, lik spreek het onomwonden uit,' ik zou be-
   .                                                             Church, and as the firstborn from the dead. And,
  shst geweigerd hebben, om op d,e vragen der Synode therefore, there, is, there eternally is, forgiven'ess  with
  toestemmend te hebben geantwoord. In een keurslijf God, and there is no condemnation, there never was,
  of dwangbuis van synodale uitspraken kan geen Gere-            with God, condemnation for them that are in Christ
  formeerd mensch, laat staan predikant,  die elken Zon- Jesus, Rom. 8:l. And in Christ, we have redemption
. dag moet preeken, leven. Ik b.etreur het diep, d&t de through His blood, even `the forgiveness of sins, Col.
  Synode van Amsterdam 1936 de z.g.n.  meeningsge-               1: 14. That eternal mercy, that soyereign  good pleasure
  schillen niet aan de `vrije disctissie  heeft overgelaten. of God, is the ultimate fountain of all the  s.piritual
  Men had destijds Dr. Hepp een flinke tik op de vinger's blessings we have in Christ. For the God and Father of
  mdeten geven, inplaats van officieel ._op de' dingen in te our Lord Jesus C&r@ "hath blessed us with all spirit-
 . gaan, zonder dlen kerkelijken weg te bewandelen. En ual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According
  dat de `Synode van  Sneek-Utrecht  zoo het  Gerefor-           as he hnth chosen us in l?im before the founddtion of
  meerde kerkrecht met voeten kon treden, als ze gedaan
                                                       -         the worZd,  that we should be` holy and without blame
  heeft, grieft mij nog veel meer.                               before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the

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

      adoption of childpen  by Jesus Christ to himself, ac-                  The truth of this is strongly emphasized in the
      cording to the good pleasure of his will,. to the praise           Bible.
      of the glory ,of his grace, wheaein he hath made us                    For "this is the message which we have heard of
      accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption him, and declare &to you, that God is light, and in him
      through his bl'ood,  the forgiveness of sins, ,according           is no darkn,ess  at .ali. If we say that we have fellow-
      to the -riches pf his grace." Eph. 1:3-7.                          ship with him, .and walk in darkness, w.e lie, and do
             Without eternal, soveregn election, there is rieither       not the truth: But if we walk in the light,  ai he is
      atonement nor forgiveness.                                         in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and
             Except for this `eternal forgiven'ess  in God, there is     the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all
      no remission of sins in time.                                      sin." John' 1:5-7. This implies, evidently, that outside
             In time, this act of mercy, whkreby our sins  are           of the sphere of that light, and of that fellowship with
,     blotted out, is realized through the death aiid resurrec- one another, the blood `of `Christ does not function
      tion of our Lord J&us Christ.                                      in its  cleasing efficacy, and that, apart from that
                                    ,_:                                  communion, we canndt have the forgiveness of sins.
             The death of Chrst is' vicarious satisfaction. It is
      the.actual bloiting out of our sins, because `it is the                The Lord teaches u8 to pray : "Forgive us our debts,
      perf,ect  satisfaction of God's justice. It is the ground as we forgive our debtors.";  The. two parts of this
      of a perfect a.nd everlasting righteous&ss, b.ecause  it petition ar,e inseparably connected. You cannot pray
     ' is the infinitely precious death of the Son of God in the for the one, without being able to state the other before
      f l e s h .                                                        the face of God.
                   \                                            .,  '        In answer to a question by Pieter, inquiring, as to
             His resurrection is God's own seal upon this atoning the limit of the obligation to forgive the brother, that
      work of Christ, His declaration that, by His death, sin sins against us, and suggesting that s&en times might
      is blotted put, arid-perfect righteousness is obtained be considered sufficient, the Lord spoke the well-known
      for ,a11 that are in ,Him.                                         parable of the untierciful  servant, to impress on His
             And`-this righ&ousness' God imputes to us.                  disciples the fact that,.as  soon as they ceased forgive-
             In Him, therefore, we are not guilty sinners, bit irtg one another, they,must needs forfeit the blessing
      Y'edeemed and righteous'.                                          of forgiveness for themselvles.
             And upon thiti eternal mercy of God, according to               The unmerciful serpant in that parable dare not be
      which there is and always was.,forgiveness  with God,              interpreted as representing the ungodly, who never
      we lay hold by faith,  wroight in our hearts by  the seek and receive forgiven.ess  of sins, for his debt was
      [Holy Spirit, and through the Word of the gospel. Thus, once canoelled:  his lord forgive him all. Besides, the
     finally, the Church comes.  td write with indubitable Saviou; is not addressing the ungodly, but Peter, the
      certainly in her confession, `and, in her fellowship, the disciples, the people of God. Rather, therefore, must
      individual believer takes that confession, upon his lips : we explain this unmerciful servant'as a picture of the
      "I believe the forgiveness of sins".                               unforgiving child of God. Now, notioe that this serv-
                                                                         arit broke the tie of fellowship with his brother, his
       ~ In the fellowship of the Church, and, therefore, in fellowservant, severed himself from the communion
      the communion of saints, the believer lays hold upon of saints. For his fell&w servant humbly implores his
      this blessing, and. makes this confession. This is the mercy, and he refuses, and remains adamant. The
      connection between the article concerning the Church result is that he forfeits the blessing of forgivetiess.
      *and that concerning the forgiveness of sins.                      The meaning cannot be th&, objectively, the child of.
         Outside of the holy catholic church, the communion God loses the .righteousness  which he has in Christ,
      of saints, there are, no spiritual benefits, the forgive- and which God once imputed to him, for tliere is no
      ness of Bins cannot be appropriated. If, for some rea- falling away from grace. But the parable  cert,ainly
      son, the believer severs himself, as far as his conscious teaches that, for his bwn consciousness, the .child of
     life is concerned, from that communion, the first effect God that refuses to forgive the  b&her, and who,  _
      of this- error is always that `he lacks the joy of for- therefore, lives outside of the sphere of the communion
      giveness. Perhaps, for a time, he lives in hatred over of. Baints, is shut up ?n the prison of his own condem-
      against some of the brethren ; oY: he evinces an unfor- nation as long as he lives in that unforgiving state of
      giving spirit ; or ha seeks the friendship of the world ; milld. And it is to His disciples, and to the people ,of
      or he lives in whatever other sin may sever his fellow- God in general, that the Lord addr,esses the closing
      ship with the saints, and disturb .the exercise of the words of this parable: "So likewise shall my heavenly
      communion of saints: in that state'of  separation from Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts for-
      the body of believers, he forfeits  tie forgiveness  df giye not every one his brother their trespasses." Matt.
      sins.                                                   . ' -,     18  :21-35.  *


                                                  T H E .   STAND.ARD.   B E A R E R `                                                            225

    "I  beljeve  an holy catholic church ;. I believe the                                 heard, neither hath it entered intd the heart of man
 communion: of' saints:" In the line of that. faith, the                                  t? conceive, jto praise God *herein  f.orever,
 believer can. continue his confession, and, say : `I .be-
 Keve the forgiveness of sins."'                                                                               1.                                   .
    Nor. is it difficult to. umderstand  why this relation                                       Our {House In Heaven. :
 between our living in the communion- of saints and in
 the  j-oy of. forgiveness exists, and is so inseparable that                      But for the one exception that, in the answer to
 the one cam& be enjoyed without the other.                         '           question fifty eight, "possess" is a more literal transla-
                                                                                tion of the original (besitxen) than "inherit", the Eizg-
    It is never in our own power to lay'hold on the for- lish version is quite cprrect  here.                                   .
 givene+ of sins. That we are sorry for sin,! repent,
 seek forgiveness, and obtain it, is the work of Chrst                             In this Lord's Day the Catechism explaifis the last
 Himself. By His Spirit and gpace He works the true two articles of the A-postolic #Confession. Bu.t it adds a
 sobrow after God in. our hearts. By. that. Spirit; He- third subject, of which the Confession does not speak,
brings u's to repentance, l.eads us to'the cross, and as- that of the intermediate glory  whick;, immediately after
 sures us of redemption, even the forgiveness of sins death, and. before the final @esursection,  the believer
 in Hi's blood. But that Spirit, tin Whose constant in- hopes to `enjoy with Christ. .Of' this, thkrefore,  we must
 dwelling and operation our appropriation of the for- treat first.
 giveness of sins continuously depends, is the Spirit                              It may be admitted from the outset that the Word
 of Christ, and, therefore, the Spiriti of the body, that is, of God reveals  compar,atively little about the state
 the Church. For there is one Lord, and one Spirit, and of the soul immediately after physical or temporal
 tl?at one Spirit dwells in the one body. \HJe does not death, Far m@re it speaks  of the parousia, of the final
 dwell in you or in me, individually, apart from `the advent of our Lord, and of the glory that shall be re-
 body, but in the body as a whole, and, in the individual vealed in the day of Christ. Rather  than direct our
 beiievers, only, in fellowship with the body. Hence, expectation to tihe glory of t&e soul befoke the resur-
 outside 6f that body, the.Spirit does not operate `to Be-. rection, it fixes our hope upon the perfected kingdom
 stow the blessings of salvation upon men. If,  there- of heaven, and the final resurrection throtigh which we
 f.bl:e, through some sin, the believer separates himself shall enter into it. And this need  ,not surprise us.
 from the body, and does not live in the communion of For the fulfillment of the promise, of God must-wait
 saints, he immediately forfeits  tlie forgiveness of until the day' of  `,Christ.                                   In comparison with that
 sins.                                                                          final salvation that shall be revealed in the parousia,
    And aa.he loses the forgiveness of sins, Fe neoes- the glory the believer hopes to enter "when the earthly
 sarily forfeits- all the blessings and joy of salvation, h&se of this tabernacle  shaI1 be dissolved, is very
 for the remission of sin,. as. we have seen: is basic for partial arid imperfect. Incomplete this glory must be,
 all other benefits in Christ;                                                  first of all, because when; as the Catechism expresses .
                                                                                it, "my soul after this life shall jmmediately  be taken
     The article concerning the forgiveness  @f sins, up to Christ its head," niy body is still in `fhades" and
 therefore,. ossu.pies a. most proper place in the Apbsto- deliver'ed,  over to corruption. Yet, ,that body is an es-
 licum.                     ,,                                                  sential part of man's nature  ab he was originally
     By its very gosition,  we are exhorbed tom keep the created, and until it, too, is glorified, my salvation
 unity of the Spirit.  in the bond of peace,!                                   and glory  :is  not  complete. Moreover, to' the  perf,ect
                                                                                saIVati& of the saints, the fulness of  .fhe body of
                                                                                Christ .is paramount. Not until the last of the elect
                                                                                shall  have been saved can `the blessedness of individual
   4 .                            Lord's -IDay XXII.                            believers be full and complete. And, finally, to the
                     Q. 57. What  comfo;rt  {oth the  resurrection   ,of the    perfect salvation of the saints b,elongs, too, -that the
     ?          body  caffqd  theer                                             f?shion of this present world passes away, and that
                     A.. That not pnly niy soul after this life shall im-       the promised new heaven and the new earth, in which
                mediately be taken up to Christ its head; but also              righteousness shall dwell, be created.               B u t   a l l   t h i s
                                                                                must wait until the coming of  the Lord.  ' It is but
                that this. my body,, shall be. reunited with my soul,           natural, then, that the Bible directs the longing eyes
                <and made like unto the :glorious  body of Christ. '            of those that are saved in liope to that final day, and
                     Q. 58. What ,comfort  takest   thou from the #article      to the' eternal &ate of glory that will be ushered in by
                of' life evekbasting  ?                                         the coming of our Lord, rather than to the intermediate
                     A.. That since I now feel  in my heart the begin- ,sttite  of the soul-before the resurrection.
                ning of eternal joy, after  this. life, I shall  in'h&it
          ..-  -,                                                                   It is, perhaps, not superfluous to call attention to
                perfect salvation, which eye bath  not seen, nor ear            this  fact.


 226~                                    THE          STANDARD                 $EAREB

         For we often do the very opposite.                    itself. That this is true anyone that is at all acquaint-
         Even' if, in a vague'and  indefinite manner, we do ed.vtrith  the contents of, the Old Te'stament,  well knows.
 not speak of the "immortality of the soul," rather than Think of the dreadful distinction that is made between.;,
  of the resurrection of the dead, at the graves of our the godly and the ungodly in the .nation as it is led otit
  dear ones our thoughts are often concentrated upon of Egypt, in the majority of whom God had no pleasure,
 the "soul of the diparted" rather than upon the com- and who  wer!e struck  down in the  tiiiderness.  Think
  ing of the Lord, and final salvation.                        of the sharp antithesis that is drawn in the book of.
    - Alid this is,, in the light of Scripture, the wrong the Psalms, and in the Proverbs, not to speak of all
 attitude to assume. . .                                       the pr?phets,  between them that f,ear  Go,d and them
         For-the Bible, almost u~ifordy, directs our hope that fear Him not. It is true; God separated the nation
 to the` final and perfect fulfillment of all the promises of Israel from all other nations `to be His peculiar
  of God, the day for which all the saints that have gone people, but throughout its history He makes it very
  before earnestly longed iti all their tribulation, and plain that "all is not Israel that is of Israel." In fact,
  for the glory of whidh they w!ere willing to be strangers it  was  espe`c;aily  after the captivity  th,at the Jews
  and sojourners in the world:                                 began to boast of their national pref.erence and privi-
         However, this does not alter the fact that Scripture l,eges, and that the spiritual-ethical distinction between
  is suffici.ently clear In its teaching concerning the inter- the godly and the ungodly was relegated to the back-
  mediate, state of the soul to supljort the statement of ground. 2. It is a- fact that exactly at the time of
 the Catechism that the soul. of the believer shall, im- Jesus' public ministry, after the captivity, `the expecta-
  mediately after death, be taken up to Christ its head.       tion of the Jews was fixed upon an earthly kingdom,
  ` As might be expected, this revelation is clearer and upon earthly glory, rather than upon the h.eavenly
  in the New Testament than iii the (Old. In fact, `there
                          1                                    city. 3. Throughout the old  :dispensation,  there was
can be no doubt that the hope of ihe old dispensational in the hearts of the saints an expectation of heavenly
  saints, with a view to Sheol or Hades, the state of the things. This is -&specially plain if the Old Testament
  dkad,  was less bright than that `of the believers. of the is .read in the light of the New. The people of" God
new dispensation.                                              in the old dispensation do npt have their part in this
         The ekplanation of this fact must not be found in life, are &Tangers  in th$ earth, are often oppressed and
 the alleged fact that the Old Testament itself. fastens persecuted by the ungodly, but seek'tbe heavenly city,
 the hope of the saints upon earthly, rather than upon and hope for the recompence  of the reward in Christ,
 heavenly things, upon a long life on the earth rather considering His rehroacli  greater riches than all the
 than upon th.e future glory; as Dr. H. Bavinck would treasures of the world. Cf. Heb. 11. And Enoch was
 teach Us.  (Gereformeerde Dogmatiek,  ,IV, 660 ff.)           translated that he should ,not see. death. Gen. 5 :24;
  Writes he (I translate) : "Wholly in harmony  with IHleb.  11:5. Tt is true th&t in Shebl; which represents
 the dispensation of the covenant of grace of that time, the cessation of all ,eartihljr'iife  and light, no one praises
 and with the election of Israel to be the people of God, the Lord: Ps. 6 :6; 30 :lO; 88 :il ; but the psalmi&  re-
 the Old Testament presents the connection bettieen  the joices,  neveeheless, that the  LoPd will not leave his
 Zear of God and life in such a way, that' the former soul in hell, nor suffer His holy one to see corrulXion ;
 receives its reward in a lo& life on the earth. For this but will show him the pathway of life, and lead him
 reason, the expectation of pious Israel was directed into His `own' presence, where there is' fulnesss of joy,
 almost exclusively toward the earthly future of the and where there are' pleasures for ever&ore.  P& 16:9,
 nation, and the realization of the kingdom of God.             10. In Ps. 17, the author speaks of the men of this
 Not untii, after `the capti.vity, Israel becomes a religious world, that have their portion in this life ; but his own
 congregation, and religion  becpmes a niatter of the portion is quite diffferent,  for he lives in the hope that
 individu&l, the question concerning the future lot of he will see God's face in,righteousness,  and he shall be
 `each individual is pressed. The spiritual antithesis, satisfied, when he awakes, with God's likeness. vss.
 woven into the natural by revelation, worked through ; 14, 15. And the same note is struck ins the seventy
 the distinction betw,een the righteous and the unright- third psalm. The prosperity of the wicked is but means
  eous more and more replaced that of Israel' and the in God's hand, whereby IHe sets them on slippery places,
 natibns, and was extended to yonder side of the so that they hasten' headlong into destruction. But
 grave."                                                       the-poet's portion is in God, Who shall guide hini with
     To this explanation we present the following objec- his counsel, and afterward receive him in glory. vss.
 tions: 1. `The distinction which the Old Testament 1 7 - 2 8 .
 throughout draws is certainly not limited to that b,e-            Not on earthly  glory,  dr a long earthly life, but
 tween Israel and the nations, but is, on the contrary, on the heavenly city, the expectation of .the old di&
 very,  sharply  applied, as a distinction between the pensational saints was fixed,               -       :
 rightedus and the unrighteous,  to the natioti. of Israel                                                :. H. H.


                                                T .H E    S T A N D A R D   .BEARER                                   I227

                                                                    prepare the way for the abandonment of the papacy
          THROUGH  T H E   A G E S                                  in the sixteenth oentury.
                                                                       In 1410, Sigisinund, king of Hungary and Bohemia
                                                                    and the son of Charles IV, king of `France and the last
                   .`
                    .          `
                               :                                    of th,e direct Capetian line,, was elected emperor' of
   The Hea&g.;df The Papal Schism
                          :         _.                              Germany (Holy Roman Empire). He was proud and
                                                                    arrogant. In the electorial  assembly he voted for him-
    As we stated,  though th'e papal schism was a scandal, self, with  thes'e words, "There is no  pkince  lin the
  churkhmeti  were at a loss how to end it. For *the.view           empire whom I know better than myself. No one
  had embedded itself in men's souls that there was no surljass&  me in power, or in the art of governing,
  power on earth to which the papacy was responsible. lyheiher  in prosperity or adversity. I,  therefo?*e,  as
  But there were individuals who openly declared that elector of Brgndenburg,  give Sigismund, king of Hun-
  under Christ the su.preme judicial power in the church gary; my vote, and herewith elect myself emperor."
  is- not the pop6 but the .b&lievers as assembled in a Besides, he tias immoral and deceitful, and he had
  genekal  council and who therefore urged that a general little sense-.of  justioe  and honor. Y*et he was zealous
  council' be called for the healing of the schism. The for the-chur&h and state and on him men fastened their
  idea of a gene'ral council made. speedy and many con- hopes for healing the schism. What was wanted is ~a
  verts ; and finally, in 1408; the. cardinals of both popes new Council called by the emperor with the consent of
  -Gregory XII, the last  pope  of the Roman line,  ,and 6ne or more of the popes. The emperor called  the                     _
  Benedect  XIII-were prevailed upon to issue a call for coMei to meet in Constance on November 1, 1944.` To
  such an assembly in Pisa. There it met, as we have the call pope John XXIII, who had been driven from
  seen, in 1409. It tried the popes in their absence and Rome and thrown into the empero?`s  hands, affixed
  the sentence pronounced was to the efgect that both his seal.
  wlere "nc$oriouS' schisinatics, promoters of schism, and             The council lasted four  years.  1.t was the  most
  notorious  h3eretics,  errant from the faith, and guilty august, brilliant and largest assembly of the middle
  of the notorious and enormous 6rime.s of purgery and ages. It included all the tempera1 and spiritual pow,eFti
  violated oaths." .The  cardLinals, as instructed by the
                                          ,.                        of Europe. They were present either in person or by
  council, now elected. Peter Philarges, archbishop of their representatives. The temporal powers present
  Nilan, who assumed the name of Alexander V: But, in person were the emperor, almost all the electors,
 `4~ we saw, Gregory and Benedict refused to yield their the great vassals of the empire, the members of the'
  authority, so that there were' now three popes each nobility, the ambassadors of all the Catholic  sovtir-
  with a following among the nations of Europ& Rome, eigns, even those of Greece and Russia. The spirit&
  Naples and, many sections of Germany adhered to dignlitaries  consisted of three patriarchs, thirty three
  Gregory XII; who sat in Rome ; Spain, Portugal and c&din& forty seven archbishops, one hundred and
  Scotland supported Benedict. XIII ; Ale$ander V was forty five bishops,. one hundred and forty five'abbots
  acknowledged by England and France.                               (heads of monasteries) ,eighteen hundred priests, seven
     A year after his election in 1409, Alexander V died, hundr'ed and fifty doctors, and a crowd of nionks. The
  and the cardin&iti chose Bathaza? Cossa, Who assumed p6pes ,Gregor$ and B,enedict `sent their. legates. John
  the name John XXIII.. So there-  wer.e  ag$in three XXIII appeared in person. The council was formed
  popes. Jdhn XXIII was of liable birth. xaving begun of the fpllowing. nations : the Spaniards ; the Germans,
  his career as a pirate;he studied at Bologna, where he +luding the Danes; Swedes, Norwegians, Poles, hun-
  was graduated in law. -Boniface IX made him. a garians ; the Italians, Fr,ench and, Enghsb.
  cardinal. If he' was the  youn`gest "and most  able of               Constance was a city. of 5500 people. Its location,
  the three pope&,  he was also the most detestable, being its fields and vineyards were  beautiful "even as the
  sunk `in guilt Kd lowest debauchery. But the deeply garden of the Lord, like the l&d of Egypt." Its climate'
  depraved  cl'eriy felt no  repugriance at his election. was healthful' and its municipal  laivs: were just  `f6i
  Cardinal, Peter d' Ailly, `said openly that the church the &rangers, th,e reports of whose number vary frdin
  had become so coriupt that a good, pope would be out 50,000 to 100,000, including, besides the temporal,atid
  of his element, and that she, could only be ruled by spiritual rulers already mentioned, bakers, beidles, -to
  tinbelievers.                                                     walk befo;e dignitaries, .grooms,  scribes, goldsmiths,
     Under the tjhyee  ppbes  the scandal over the schism merchantmen of every kind, and 171 dpctors of medi-
  g&e+ more and more' unbearable. The best m6n pio- c&e; 1509 knights,. 142 writers Of bulls, 1700 bugler,?
  lently firotested `against the denunciation of one pope and fiddlers and players on other musical instruments.,
  against another and the diyision  pf the Romati pat- The number also. ir@uded' 7.00 ,harlots. And they prac-
  &archaie  bet&ekn',riv&'  `claiments. It, is unquestion- ticed their ill&it  trade  openly or in  rented  *houses.
. "gbly true that ndthing .did So niuch as the schism to H&s wrote, "The council is a scene of foulness, for it


    2%                                     THE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

   is a :common  sayink among.the  Swiss that a generation flom sin, he `being a mere man. As fop th:e council, the
   ~311 not suffice to cleanse Constanee from the sins which pope must submit Bo it.
    the council :has committed in this city." ,There were              Having affirmed-&s jurisdiction over the pope, the
    fairs, dances ,and shows in the streets. Yet no one council tried John XXIII. He was charged with many
   was allowed to be out after curfew.. iThe city council crinies such as unchastity, lying, disobedience to par-
   ,pnt a ceiling on prices of all victuals.                     ents in his yo,uth,  sim,ony, ad$tery, sodomy, and other
           Sigismund and John XXIII were  -the principals of crimes. He was accused of often shaving denied the
   the notables present. The `emperor was praised with- resurrection of ;the deqd. On May $9 the coumil de-
   out measure. .He was likened to David and Daniel' of posed him'. Iii 1419.  h&was appoitited cardinal bishop
  . the Scriptures. \Bti "was pleasur&mad,  was much in by Martin V, -but died six months thereafter. aOn July
   the company of women, and  was always short on 4, 1415; -Gregory XII resigned. One pope remained,
   money, but he was a sworn enemy -of heretics. 1His Benedict XIII. On December 13 of the same year he
   queen Barbara, the daughter. of aicount, was there, too,, was declared deposed by his own cardinals. Neverthe-
   a tall and fair  woman with a  questionabl,e  r,eputa- less he continued to assert himself till death as the only
   tion.                                                         legitimate Ijope. But he was deserted by Scotland and
           The l&y rulers, representing the pedple,  demanded Spain, who had. supported him, and on July 26, 1417,
   reform of the internal abuses of the church. But the he was formally deposed by -the council. `IOn November
   clergy, the spiritual lords,`who  ruled the council, wer.e    of the same year, the cardinals elected Otto Colonna,
   solely bent on putbing an end to the scandal of the who took  the name of Martin V. `The church was
   papal schism, and upon.restoring the external dignity again united under one pope.                         G. M.  0.
   of the church.  Th,e two main subjects of discussion
   were  the healing' of the schism and church reform.
   The deliberations were unhurried, for in that age men
   had leisure. In  F,ebruary the first notable  d&sion
   was made to the effect @at the voting be by "nations",                Questions on Church Polity
   by Spanish, English, German,  -French, and Italian,
   and that each nation have one vote. The-purpose was                 The brother in Sioux Center, Iowa, is addicted tb
   to neutralize the vote of the eighty Italian bishops and the view ithat the task of deposing a minister of the
   doctors, who were supporting John XXIII. Each nation          Gospel who has Committed a gross sin is that of the
   met in separate places. On the sessions of the council,       Cldssis and not of the Consistory ; and "he says that he
   what was decided by the vote of the majority of na- has Dr. Bouwman and  Zoh. Jansen-two  N.etherland
   tions was binding. It became evident to John XXIII, authorities  `on  R,eformed Church Polity-on his side.
   who .hoped  to secure the endorsement of the council, Before we determine just what is the teaching of these
   that the scheme was the removal of all three `popes. two Netherlanders on the matter in question; it is
   He therefore tried to bring  ;the council to a sudden close well that we be very &lear on the point at issue.
   by flight. Dressed as a groom,.he  left the city at noon
   on a "little horse? during the progress of festivities                   The @sue. is not whether the ,Clas&s  may ad-          *
   of a `tournament, purposely instituted by Frederick,           vise the  cons&tory  to depose that minister. It
   duke of Austria, whom, John had vested with the office               `may. For lit has this right.
   of commander of the papal troops on a yearly salary                     :The issue is not tihether,  in the event the Con- .
   of 6000 gulden. `. The pope was overtaken and brought'               sistory refuses to adopt and execute the Classical
   to Luis III, of the  Palatinite, for safe-keeping. The'              advice, ihe Classis may sever the denominational
   cou-ncil ruled to excommunicate any of the .delegates                tie b?tween  it and that .Consistory and its flock.
   who left Constance before th'e end of the proceedings.               It may.  That is its right.
   On April 6,1415, it made a momentous statement. The                      The issue nis not whether a Consistory may de-
   council declared that as "representing the Catholic                  pose its  mini&er without the advice of  Classis.
   Church militant, it has its authority .immediately  from             It may not, The Chu&Order forbids this. The
   Christ, and that to it the pop& and everyone own&d                   issue is not whether the 4Consistory is obliged to
 obedience in things pertaining to faith and the re-                    adopt and execute the advice of  Classis that it
   formation of th,e church of God." Essentially id,en.tical           _ depose [its minister if the advice cannot be proved
   ideas were expressed by Nieham  in a tract that bore                 to conflict with the  Word of God and with the
   the kitle, "The Union of the Church and its Reforma-                 articles of the Church Order of  Dart.        If this
tion$`.        The church as `headed by Christ is infallible,           cannot be proved, the advice must -be adopted and
   but the pope and the hierarchy may err, An unworthy            :     executed.
 pbpe may  be* deposed. It is folly to say that he has                    What then is the issue? It is this : In the event
   power in heaven and on earth to bind and to loose                    the Consistory `refuses to  take action, may the


                                        THfi         STAND'AtRRD                      BEA.RER,                                   229 '

     Classis' %hen pass sentence of deposition on &hat                          len van tuchtoefening .aan de meerdere vergade-
    mini&er,and  thereby ,diivest him of his ,off ice ? yi 61 :i                ringen medezeggenschap. Geen lid mag  worden
    The brother wrote me that in my previous ah&vers                            afgesneden zonder .advies van de classis. Geen`
to his questions I failed to see the point and that there-          :          ouderling of diaken mag word,en geschorst of af-
fore to quote him "begint u er `maar wat om heen te                             gezet zonder het oordeel der classis, en het advies
draaien. Neen U moet hier eens klare wijn schenkkn,"                            van- de deputaten der particnliere synode, doch
he wrote me. I did so. .I .`&I sd -now in this article.                         ook deze macht oefenen de Imeerdere  vergaderin-
I have clearly stated just what .is and is not the issue.                     gen niet uit  krachtens   ,een  bevoegdheid,  die haar
Let  ,us  now turn to the teachings of Dr. Bouwman.                             eigen is, maar omdat deze haar .is opgedragen."
r quote him,                                                                  `.  Geref, Kerk., d. II, bladz. 23.
            "De meerdere vergaderi&en h.ebb& `d~us niet             ' As  translated.this  reads,
     een zelfstandige, eigen k&rkrech'ielijke  ma&t. `ille                          `Zhri,st bestowed upon the local .congregsvtion
     kerkrechtelijke  ma&t, dooT,Ehrist&  aan zijn kerk                         full ecciesi&tical poweti, namely, the ministration
     gegeven, schuilt in de $a&sehjkVe  kerk. .De, sleute-                      of the W&d arid, the SacGaments, government, and
     len des hemelrijks, door Christus aan'de  apostelen                        the  .exercise  of church discipline. The  fiirst of
     gegeven, en in hen aan de geme.ente,  w.&le.n, toen                        these, the ministratiori of the Word and'ithe Sacra-
     de apostelen terugtrhden,  uitgeoefend  door'a$bts-                        ments, cannot be traniferreh.  to Classis and Synod
     dragers,  die onder  hunne leiding in de plaatselijke                      . .  .' . The same is true of the exercise of rlis& ,
     gemeente ,werden  .gekozen. Deze kerkelijk macht                          `piine. In  defiuite cases  .of discipline, our Church
     bestaat in dri.e dingen: de macht bti het woord en                         [Order  does give to the major assemblies co-jtiris-
     de sacramenten te bedienen, de ma&t om kerke-                             diction. No member may be cut off without  kh&
     lijke ambtsdragers te kiezen en de macht om de                             advice  .of the  Classis.  No Elder or Deacon may
     kerkelijke  tu@ht uit te oefenen. Een- and& macht                          b'e suspended or &ebosed without the jud-gment  of
     is er in het kerke1ij.k  leveti niet. .En d'eze kerke-                     the neighboring church. No Minister of the Gos-
     lijk,e' macht komt niet toe' &n de meerdere ver-                           pel may be deposed without the judgment of the
     gaderingen; maar aan de &nbtsdrag&$ der plaat-                             Classis and the advice of `rthe deputies of the par-
     seli j ke kerk." `Gtiref.  Kerk., d. II, bladz. 21.                        ticular Synod. But also @is power the major as-
   1'11 translate this: .                                                       semblies exercise not by virtue of a comp&ency
                                                                                that. is their own but that is bestowed upon them
            `%`he major assemblies have no independent                   ~       (by the churches, he means) ."
     power of their own. All eecl.esi&st+al pdwer  given
     by Christ to His ,Ch@rch  resjde&  En the local church.                   The essence of ihe doctrine contained in the above-
     With the decease of the apbstles,  the keys of the cited sentences is this:  All key-power is concentrated
     kingdom of heaven given by Chu;ist  to tihe apostles in  the- Consistory. Hence, the  Classis cannot right-
     and in them to the congregation were  exercised fully depose office bearers. The only  right that the                                ,
     by the officebearers chosefi iifi.the  local congrega- churches can allow the, Class& to have and /to exercise
     tion under the apostle's -guidance. This ecclesias- is ithe `right to give advice regarding d.efinite cases of
     tical power-consists of three thiings: the power to discipline submitted to its judgment by the churches.
     administer the word and the sacraments, the And, of course, Dr. Bbuwman would have added, should
     power to elect  -officebearers,  and the  power to he have rounded out this doctrine, which he..does  in an
     exercise church `discipline. Another pokier there other part of his work, the Consistory is in duty bound
     is not in the life of the church. And this three- to adopt and execute the' advice of  &he  Classis, if it
     fold power belongs not to the, major assetiblies               cannot be pro&d to conflict with the Word of God and
     but to the officebearers of the local church."                 with the articles+of Dort's Church Order.                                  I
   And now `this also from the pen of the. same                               Now this is sound, unadulter&ed  doctrine. ,A& it
author :                                                            is  cthe only  do&rin;!  that can be gotten out of Dort's
                                                                    Church Order and our Confessions. I prov.ed this in
            ."Christus  schonk aan de plaatselijke kerk de my articles on the Five Fundamental Principles of
     volledige kerkelijke macht; namelijk de bediening R,eformed Church Polity--articles that also the brother
     des woords ,en der sacramenten, de regeersmacht, in' Sioux `Denier has read.
     en de oefening der kerkelijk' tucht. Het  eerste
     stuk, de bediening des woords en  der sacramenten                        Now back to the Geref. Kerkrecht of Dr. Bouwmari.
     kan  nliet  worden   opgedragen  op `de Classes  ,en 0~ page 663 of the second vol.ume of this work one
     Synoden. . .  `.                                               may read,
            Hetzelfde geld  vooyi de  oefefiing der tucht.           !  .,          "De. afzetting vafi bedienaren des woords m&g
     Wel- &eeft  onze kerkenordening in bepaalde !geval-                        .alleen geschieden' door de  Classis. In de  Nederr
                                                                                                                       b


  " 230                                     THE  ~CANDAIXD  B.EARER.

           landsche Hervormde Kerk kan alleen bet provin- reasoning see& to compel the conclusion that what
            ciaal kerkbestuur, dat  Jemand beroepbaar  ver- he had reference to is actual deposition  of.office bearers:
           klaart,  iein&d uit den dienst zetten. De Gerefor- by the IClassis and not an action whereby Classis ad-
    '      meerde kerkregeering kent geen hoogere  besturen, vises  d,epositioti by the local congregation  khrough
           maar meerdere vergaderingen.           En nu  ,is het its Consistory. For his reasoning in the `above-cited
           naar behooren, dat dezelfde vergadering, die oor- `excerpts is this: In the Netherlands  "HeEvormde"
           deelt, of iemand  in den dienst des woords,  kan church the provincial board of directory deposes the
           gesteld worden,  ook beoordeelt, of iemand van den Minister of the Gospel (and the point is that ii actually
           dienst moet .word,en afgezet. . . .                      does, G.M.O.) ; our Cl,assis does likewise not however
                "De  ,Classis  do& dit niet, omdat zij is een because of its being .a higher board of directory but
           hooger bestuur, maar volgens  h&  klrkyerband. by virtue of "het Kerkverband". This is indeed  the
           Niet zonder den kerkeraad, maar in verband  met r,easoning  of the author ; and it makes it difficult to be-
           den kerkeraad geeft zij de &dbeslissing, en zet; lieve that he did not have in mind actual deposition
           indien zij het nooGig  oordeeli,  een predikant af." of the Minister by the  Classis.
         As translated this reads,                                     The difficulty is increased by the appearance of
                                                                    this view,. be it in a less -radical form, elsewhere in Dr.
                "The deposition of Ministers  df the Gospel may Bouwman's "Geref. Kerkrecht". I quote,
           take place by the Class'is  only. In the Netherland
           "Hervormde' Church the provincial board. of dir-                    "En zooals wij vroeger  reed; hebben aange-
           ectory alone, as it also declares a person eligible           toond, is bet naar de orde, dat de synode we1 een
           -for. a call, can d&pose someone from the office.           besli&ing kan nemen  OF  demand  te  excommuni-
           .But Reformed ,Ch&ch polity knows qf no higher                ceere;, maar zij draagt  in den regel de uitvoering
           directories but of broader assemblies. Aid now                van het besluit op aan de plaatselijke kerk, die
           it is proper that the satie `assembly that judges             dan naar den regel door de kerkenordening  gesteld
           whether someone can be inducted in ithe ministry              handelt. Alleen in zeer bijzondere gevallen, wan-
           of the Word, also judges whether someone must                 neer de kerkeraad der betrokkene kerk  zich verzet
           be deposed from ihe ministry. . . .                           en weigert het besluit der synode uit te voeren,  _
           *    "The  Classis does  this not because it is a             kan de synode zelve tot de uiltvoering  harer be-
           higher .directory,  but aecordiny to "bet kerkver-            sluiten overgaan. Dit is  ?ok het  gevoelen  van  '
           band (church  conne&ion,'  .den.oniinational tie)  ".         Voetius. Op de vraag : -`of aan een syfiode of een
           Not without the Consistory, but in  connectiQn               IClassis de  yacht van  excommunicatie  toekomt?'
           with the Consjstory does it give final decision,              geeft hij dit antwoord: `Ja, in geval een plaatse-
           deposes, if it deems ,this necessary,  the minister         lijke kerk *en haar kerkeraad slecht bestuurd
           `of the Gospel."                                              wordt, en in.geval  van.hooger  beroep op de synode,
                                                                         of in geval die zaak op de classis of op de synode
         We must attend first of all to the statement that              wordt  overgebracht'."~
  heads this\ citation, " The deposition of a Minister of                                            And now Dr. Bouwman
                                                                         again, "Wanneer dus een kerkeraad of' een groot
  `the Gospel may take place by the Classis only." 8 Does                deel des kerkeraads  weigert de b-eslissing van een
  this statement niean .exactly  Ghat it says-divesting of               synode te erkennen en ziCh daartegeti'verzet,  dan
  .the office by Classis-or does it have reference to an                heeft de synode het-recht aan d,en kerkeraad, in-
  action whereby. Classis merely advises .deposition  ; and              dien hij  ifi  bet. kerkverband blijft, de  uitoefe-
  did then the author nevertheless speak of deposition                  ning  van' het ambt te  ontnemen.
  because the advice of Classis in all Such cases is final                                                          Alle kerken,
                                                                        en ook de betrokk.en  kerk, hebben haar tuchrtmacht
, and must be adopted and executed b$ the ,Consistory,                  in ceefi bepaald geval gebracht in handen van de
unless it be proved to conflict with  t$e Word of God                   synode,. en daarom kan de synode in het bepaalde
  and with the articles of Dordt's Church Order? What                   geval niet alleen uitspraak doen;  maar ook zorgen
  favors the latter interpretation of .the statement in                 dat het besluit wordt  tiitgevoerd.  Dit volgt  nit
  question is that i,t is difficult to conceive of the author           het karakter -der meerdere vergaderingen. . . . .
  declaring in on& part ,of his work that the churches                Dat de  &mode het  re&ht van  afzettitig  bezit,
  cannot possibly transfer the right of  debosition  of                 ipreekt ook Petrus van Mastricht,  hooglebraar  te
  office bearers to the Classis and in another part of his              Utrecht,  .uit. . . ."
  work and just as ,emphatically  that ithe actual deposition                                     Bouwman,' Geref.  Kerkrecht,
                                                                        D. 11, Bladz. 7, 23, 25, 73.
  of office bearers, divesting them of their office by an                                                      :
                                                                         :.
  official declaration to. that effect, can take place. by           Now the translation,                 . .
  the  Classis only. On the other hand, if the author                          "As we have previously shown? it is according
  did not want the statemefit  in question to m@an what                to order  that  .Syfiod make a  d'ecision   rto  excom-
  it says, why` did he use it? What is more, his .entire                inunicate someone, but as a rule it charges the,
                  4


                                    T H E   - S T A N D A R D .   B E A R E R                        e                  231

     Consistory to execute the decision, and the Con- Dr. Bouwman three diverse teachings. and thus three
     sistory does so according to the rules laid down Bouwmans.
     by the Church `Order. Only in exceptional cases,             1. Bouwman  a) teaching: neyer and` under no
     when the Co&story of the church involved rebels                                  circumstances can Classis depose
     and refuses to, execute the decision of Synod, can                               a Minister of the Gospel (office
     Synod itself proceed to, execute its decision. This                              bearers).
   ~ is also; the opinion of  V'etitius.  In reply to the         2. Bouwman b) teaching:  Classis can depose' a
     question, `whether a Synod or a Classis is entitled                              Minister of the Gospel (`office
     to the right of excommunication,' he gave this                                   bearers) sometimes.
     .answer,  `Yes, in the event a local church and its          3.  Bouwman.. c) teaching:  Classis always deposes
     Consistory are being misruled, .and in the event of                              a Minister of the Gospel' and the
     higher appeal to Synod, and in the event the case                              Consistory never.
     is  bro>lght to Classs or Synod'." And  now  Dr;
     Bouwman again, "When therefore a Consistory or               The brother in Sioux Center, Iowa, can quote in
     a. large part of the Consistory r,efuses to acknow-       support of his view according to which  Classis  on&
     ledge the decision and-opposes it, then, if the Con- may rightfully depose a minister of the Gospel not Dr.
     sistory continues its connections with the churches Bouwman a), not strictly speaking Dr. Bouwman b),
     rthe Synod has  ,the right to take from the  #Con- but only Dr."Bouwman  c) . In a following article we will
     sistory the execution of the office.          All the examine the grounds on which Dr. B,ouwman bases the
     churches, and also the church involved, have trans- view according to which Classis deposes office bearers
     ferred in a definite instance their key-power in and in particular th,e Minister of the Gospel. :                  :
     the hands of the  S'ynod and therefore in the                                                        G. ti;; 0.
   particular instance the Synod can decide not only                                 L-
     btit see to ii that the decision i,?executed  as well.
     This follows  from the character of the major
     assemblies."
   The fact of' the matter then is this :                            THE DAY OF SHADOWS
   1.) In one part of his work Dr. Bouwman teaches
that all key-power is. concentrated in the Cbnsistory,                       Saul  Chmkanded
that this pow'er  cannot be transferred from the Con-
sistory to  Classis and that accordingly `all that the            As we have seen, ,Eaul received conclusive ,evidence
church can allow ,Classis (,Synod) to do is to give ad-. of Samuel's prophetic. calling. Samuel told Saul that
vice Tegarding definite cases of discipline submitted the asses had been found and when. He proved that
to its judgment  by the  .C!assis.,  This certainly0 is he knew of  $a;l'i coming.  1 He told all that was  in
equivalent to saying that  n$Ter' under no circumstances Saul's heart. He predicted what would befall Saul on
can  Classis (Synod)  depos'e   of$iFe bearers.    (This by his way home and in his place of residence. .As the
the way is the propositon  ,la@  do.vn  and vigorously source of all this knowledge could be none otheF than
defended. by the late Dr. Vai? Lonkyuyzen  in a bro- the Lord, the.possession of it by Samuel was of greatest
chure-a proposition *hat Bo&vman  just as vigorously significance for Saul. It proved to him Samuel's pro-
opposes and  eeeks to  .disprove not with  the,"Church phetic calling. It told him that in Samuel, .in his con-
Order and the Confessibn-this  wetie impossible-but mands and instructions, he had to do with n&n@ other
with opinions of writers on: Church Polity. IHe men- than  J.ehovah, Israel's invisible King. Saul, as was
tions Van Lo$huyzen by name).                                  stated, had to know this in order that in his rebellions
   2.) In an&her part of his work,the doctor (Bou%- and self-will as king he might be without excuse.
man) teaches that key-power-can  be'transf,erred  from            As was also explained, Samuel's three predictions,
Consistory to  IClassis, (Synod)  and. that therefore ati fulfilled, were so many signs,  the unmistakable
Classis  .can depose office  bc?a?ers  in some instances speech of which was that Saul had been  dalled of
when they refuse to acknowledge;and  execute classical ,Samuel and therefore of God Himself to the office of
                                     .-
and synodical  decisions.                                      theocratic king,  and thab for the duties of this office
                                                               he had also been qualified by the Spirit of the Lord that
   3.) In still  anoth.er part. of his  _ work the, doctor had come upon him. Therefore Samuel .could say to                   _
teaches just as ,emphtitically  that the right to depose Saul, "And it will come to' pass, when these signs are
office bearers can nevdr. be that of the,Consistory but come unto thee, do for thee what thy hand will find,
that of the Classis (Synod) Q@@.           ,                   for the Lord is with thee." The reference is to the im-
   Fact is then that we find in that G&ef. Kerkrecht of, possible task of delivering God's people from the op-


                                          J
        232                        . '         T H E      STAN.D.ARD   ,BEARER

       pressions of their enemies. `ThYs task was now Saul's he, as joined to the prosession of prophets, had prophe-
       he being king. me`must not shrink from the perform: sied, must &.ye besn negr the place where he dwelt.
       qnce qf itj for t&Lord wa`s with him for the sake of for the thing next related is the uncle's asking what
       the true Israel but not fd? the sake of Saul as such;          Samuel. had said to him. As the relative must have
           Saul now received the command that occasioned his known that the lost property had been recovered;, his
       ii@ rebellion, ".And thou shalt go down before me to question v&Id. seem to ind.icate that for some reason
       Gilgal ; and behold I will come `dotin to thee? to offer h,e. w&ted to know Samuel`s exact words. Saulrs dis-
       burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices, of peace -pos$ng  of his reIative with the short answer, "!H:e said
       offeringi: seven- days shalt thou tarry, till I come to that they'were found,`? must be referred to the fact Cl
       thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do." The ques- that San&J had plainlp indicated that, for the time
       tion is whether, in addressing this word to Saul, the being, he wranted  the matter of the kingdom kept a
       prophet was comm&ding `him or simply telling him secret. The reason of this secrecy has already !een
       what he would. do. Whether we deal her,e with com- noticed.' Saul's natural modesty ancl his apprehension
       mands or predictions can be known not from the forms of his uncle's incredulity and envy may also have had
       of the Hebrew verbs-the verbs are not imperatives or something to do with his reticence. The writer states
       jussives but perfects-but solely from the-  oFvio& that "all those signs -$.&me to pass that day.", and then
       meaning of the text'and from the context. The same hastens on fo narrate the fulfillment of the thfrd sign
       is. true of the shtcc.11 sentences of the prededing  verses. only as the most important.
       In saying to Saul, "When thou art depai-ted  from me                     Coming back to verse eight, the context seems tom
       this day, then thou  shalt  find two men by Rachel's i.ndicate that the first part, "And thou sh& go down
       sepulchre. . . .      Then thou' shalt go forward  from before me to Gilgal," is not a command But rather a
       thence, .and thou shalt come to the plain df Tabor,  and pure prediction. Bgt the secbnd part, "And, behold, I
       there shall meet thee men. . . . And they will salute will cpFe down upto `thee to offer burnt offerings. . ."
       thee, and give thee two loaves of bread ; which thou has for Saul th.e force `of a command. For it declares
       sh.aZt receive of their hands. And thou shalt come to what Samuel will.  .do::%&Q what Saul must refrain
                                                                                                           . . _. .i-
       the hill of God. . . . and thou shalt meet a cbmpany of from doing, to wit, offer burnt offerings and sacrifice
      . prophets. . . .
                           and thou shalt prophecy wit@ them." sacrifices of peace offerings. The third  pa& "seven
       In directing this word to Saul, the prophet was obvious- days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee
       ly not commanding but predicting what  G.&e  td"be what thou shalt do,,' is obviotisly a command; as also
       Saul's doings and Iexperiences  on his way home and in the context plainly indicates.
      ' his place of residence. Especially the statement "And                                                                             G. M. ,O:.
       thou -shalt find tw@ men by Rachel's sepulchre;`l and
       the statement, "And thou shalt prophecy,", are obvious-                                                           .     .
       ly  no& commands but pure predictions.  Tha,t in,  the                                                *,,
                                                                        j  ,  1  .,  .?               ,
       translation the auxiliary shall appears instead of zviZ1                 n.
       is to be #explained by the fact that the Hebrew. verbs?;
       setting forth, as they do, infallible prophecies, are,
       withoui *eiception,  in the p&f ect tense. (In English,
       will is used with the first Person, and s&all with the
       second Person in expressing strong emphasis oi deter-                    .I Den. Heerb Vroolijk Zingen
       mination, on the, part of the speaker). 4s predic$...ns,.          .      .
       these                                                                                      (Psalm 95 ; Tweede Deel)
               shall clauses have no little significance. In their                         ,:,
       fulfillment they formed that much more `evide&& to                       Eenmaal eerder schreven we over dezen psalm; en
       Saui of Samuel's prophetic calling. Besides, as ful- zijn  ;toegekomen  tot.  aan het  zevende- vers..  Ih  bet
       filled prophecies, they would demonstrate to the iIns feerste  gedeeltb  vonden we een lieflijkk sprake. Het
       believing Saul that in all his doings and experiences ging daar over het vroolijke zingen tot God ; over het
       he$,cam&  forth from the womb of a  sovereign  provi- juichen tot den Rotssteen van Israel's heil.. We, zagen
       d e n c e .                                                    daar  schoone visioenen:                                      _-
        Saul was told  that.on  his way  hOme he would  com$                    It dit laatste gedeelte zullen we .eerst zien de reden
       to the hill df God. It is not revealed why he went ul~ voor het jubelen den Heere; om dan'eindelijk ons oar
.-     thither. The explanation `may be simply that the route te geven aan een ernstige waarschuwing :. we zullen ons
       hqm:ward led over this hill. But others suggest that hart niet verharden, gelijk geschiedde te Ma&a en te
       he $&$ up thither to pray and to "sacrifice in the ho!y Meriba ! Een vreeselijke geschiedenis.
       place $&after  his great experiences of divine favor and,       Eerst dan die  reden voor de opwekking om den
      goodpe~s".      But Saul was reprobated  $&I  therefor IIEeere vroolijk te zingen. We vinden hair in het eerste
       experi&nced  no divine favor. [This hill` of God,, wher.e
                                               . .                    .gedeelte  van vers zeven: "Want Hij %s onze GQ&~ en


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                         233

 wij zijn het volk Zijner  weidle en de schapen Zijner omsluit de invloeden die op u inwerken, vanuit den
  h a n d ! "                                                  hemel en van& d,e hel. Pa,ulus  heeft deze leer uitge-
      Hij is onze God!                                         drukt in.de  troostrijke woorden, dat "alle dingen wer-
      Wat zit daar ontzaglijk veel in !                        ken mede ten goede dengenen die God liefhebben!"
      Eerst, er zit bezitting`in. God  eigenit U. Gij zijt Soms staat er op wandteksten : God zorg6voor U ! En
  &en Goddelijke gedachte van eeuwigheid af  aq. Of dat is absoluut en correct. Hij vaart dp de wolken ter
  gij Hem vreest, dan we1 of ge Hem haat: Hij is Uw Uwer hulpe en van onderen zijn  altoo! `de eeuwige
  God! Hij eigent alle duivelen, alle menscben, engelen,       armen.
 beesten,  vogels en visschen. Alles,, letterlijk alles, is        En wij zijn  d,e.schapen  Zijner hand!  -'
 van God. De diepe plaatsen, de hoogten der bergen                 Daar hebt ge dezelfde leer iri andere woorden. Ik
 `zijn Zijne! Daar kunt ge nu eenmaal  g6en  verande-          vraag U: wat blijft er over  van.den  pqlegiaan? Wie
  ring aan toebrengen, al zijt ge nog zoo goddeloos.       Ge vond het levq in zijn eigen hand? L,et er op dat woord
  moogt denken  in `t diepst;te  hart : er is .geen God ! Hij h.arid! Alles wat `verband `houdt met het schaap-xijn
  is er tech. Ja, ge denkt die gedachie  door middel van van Jezus' kudde -is product van Gods hand. Hij greep
 Zijn alomtegenwoordige. kracht. Juist omdat er een U beet in het diepst van Uw wezen en transformeerde
  God is die Uw God is kunt ge denken.  Was er geen U daar naar bet Beeld van Zijn eeuwigen Zoon. .Gij
 `God dan zoudt tie er eenvoudig niet zijn.                    moest het Beeld van dien Zoon gelijkvormig  worden.
      Evenwel, de gedachte van bezitting staat hier niet Welnu, Hij wederbaarde  U en leidde U voorts op het
  op den  iborgrond.  Dal; blijkt  we1 uit de volgende pad der heiligmaking. Hij gaf geloof in den  nacht;
  clausulen. Daar gaat het over de schaapjes onder IHij riep en brgelde in Uw ooren van `t eeuwig welbe-
  Jezus' hoede ; met de kruisvlag hoog in top !                hagen. Gij geloofde en .zag ; gij weende en Hij veegde
      Daaaom, tweedens, geat  hit hier over de liefde Gods Uw tranen af. Hij begeleidde U op Uw weg van den
waarmede Hij  -ens  li.efheeft  en eeuwiglijk liefhebben morgen tot den avond; IHij waakte bij Uw bed in de
 z&l. IHtet bezittelijke voornaamwoord onxe ziet op de nachttiaken.  Zjn hand nam U  op.en Hij  droeg U en
  omarming Godes in Zijn verbondsliefde. Hij is onze draagt U van moment tot mgment. En die hand zal TJ
  Gdd. God en de spreker, zinger`van dit lied, tezamen straks leiden. door het doodsdal. 0, schapen van de
 tiet allen die eensgeestes met hem zijn, zijn onlosmake- hand Gods, hoe onuit&prekeiijk zalig zijt ge!
 lijk aan elkander `verbonden. Qat is de hoofdgedachte             Verbaasf ge U  &r over, dat David  bier gedachte
 `van het woordje once in den tekst. Dat zal nader be- heeft  aan het. type `San die leiding van des Heeren
 wezen  worden.  Luistert maar !                               hand? In "t geheel niet, want die typen waren er n6g.
      ". . . . `en wij zijn het volk Zijner  tieide  `en de Maar die typen spraken het luidste toen God Zijn volk
 schapexi Zijnei-.  hand !"          '                         bij de hand nam en hen veiljg leidde vamiit het dien&
   Is  bet dan ook  niet vreeselijk om  zich tegen dien huis `der zonde tot' het .Kanaan der ruste. Daar heeft
  God te verharden? W&nt die laatste gedachte wordt David aan .gedacht. Het blijkt duidelijk uit het Vol-
 verder uitgewerkt in het slot van dezen psalm.                g e n d e .
      De weide Gods en de hand ,Gods, waarin we veilig             "Heden,  zob gij Zijn stem hoort, verhardt Uw hart
 zijn, eten  `en drinken;` en waardoor wij het  aanzijn niet !". Vreeselijke diqgen z&en we nu hooren.
  ontvingen is vervuld in den Heere Jezus  Christus:               We spreken we1 ,eens van ondankbaarheid onder de
 Deze teksten hebben een Nieuw-Testamentische smaqk.           menschen. loch arme, wat is er van ondankbaarheid
 Zou het daarom zijn, dat Paulus' die woorden aanhaalt onder ons, dat, vergeleken kan worden bij het monster
 in IIEebre& 3 :7-11; en later, weer in hooidstuk 4 :7?        der zonde waarvan hier sprake is?
     Wat een Godelverheerlijkende  leer wordt bier. ge-         , Laat ons eens zien: God nam Zijn volk bij de hand
 leerd. Wij zijn het volk Zijner  weid?.   Het woordje en al troostrijk sprekende tot hen, leidde Hij hen veilig
 weicle is rijk. Later zullen wse hooren; dat Jezus Zijn nit. Hij zag van ver met gramschap aan den trotschen
. schaapkens zal weiden gelijk een herder. Jesaja zal waan van geheel Egypte ! Hij plaagde  h,en en  ver-
 daarvan jubelen. En nog later zal Jezus het zelf zeg-, woestte hen. 1Hij vertrapte dat volk om Israel's wille.
 gen,: Ik ben de goede Herder.                                 Hij doodde al hun eerstgeborenen. Hij kliefde de,
     Het woordje weide houdt alles in wat tot vergenoe- baren van de roode zee. Hij' zette bun aangezicht naar
 ging, verzadiging en veiligheid van`d*e  schapeq dienen Kanaan henen, `hit land der ruste. !Hij zou hun qpij-
' moet. All+ v(rat een herder doet voor de kudde schapen zigen met hemelsch brood  `en zelfs de  rotseti  zullen
 wordt uitgedrukt in dit' woord weide.                         water geven. Want Zijn volk moest  drinken naar
     Toegepast op het volk, wil het zeker aeggen, dat h a r t e l u s t .
 Uw alles in God gevonden wordt. Ook moogt ge dit                  Tden is er iets vrebselijkst  gebe'urd. Op het bevel
 alles  abs?luut nemen: het omsluit alle  dingen, alle des Heeren  war& zij toegekomen tot Rafidim. Daar
 wederwaardigheden die U overkomen en in welks mid- nu was geen wat`er voor het volk. En tocb wat zou dat ?
 den gij wandelt. Uw weide is Uw gansche leven; Het;           Zij waren immers te Rafidim op het bevel des Heeren?


2     3     4                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

Hij zal tech we1 voor Zijn Eigen zaak kunnen zorgen? ook ons is het Evangebe verkondigd, gelijk als hun ;
Doch het volk verzocht God en zeide: Is de 1Heere in maar  bet Woord der prediking deed hun geen nut,
het midden van ons of niet? Daar verzochten zij God dew'ijl het met het geloof niet gemengcl was in degenen
en verbitterden  zich tegen Hem. Daarom  noemde clie het gehoorcl hgbben!" Hebr. 4:2. Het gaat daar in
Mozes die' plaatsen Massa en Meriba. Er was in het Hebreen over dezelfde historie, dus het is een goed be-
geheel geen reden om zoo tegenover God te hand,elen. wijs. De  godd,eloozen  die het Evangelie hooren  ver-
Het was eenvoudig een verharden van het hart. In dat harden hun hart en kunnen niet ingaan in de rust Gods,
hart wisten ze heel goed, dat God in den hemel voor doch het ware volk Gods bekeeren  zich, omdat zij geloof
hen gezorgd had en dat IIIij de Almachtige was die hebben. En `dat het eene volk dat geloof heeft en het
slechts te spreken heeft en het is er; te gebieden en het andere niet, dat !&omt van God, die het eene volk geloof
staat er. En tegen zulk een God zeiden.ze: Zijt Gij geeft en het andere niet ! Op die harde waarheid heb-
of  met? Let wel, ze  hadden het  w,erk  Gods gezien ! ben,de  goddeloozen hunne tanden stomp gebeten, maar
Dat was duidelijk genoeg. -`Daarom is zulk spreken en voor Gods volk is het ,een ware troost. Als dat volk zijn
zulk handelen niet van de vrucht van .de verharding des hardigheid des  harten ziet en ervaart, bidden zij :
harten.                                                      Heere, bekeer mij en ik zal bekeerd zijn. God hoort, en
     Dit nu wordt ons voorgehouden tot waarschuwing. zij worden  bekeerd. Want Hij werkt het geloof in hun
     `Ge zult mij vragen: is er dan ook kans dat Gods hart. Zoo krijgt God de eer. Al de eer. Het is niet'
ware volk zich verharden zou? Kunnen de ui-tverkore-         desgenen die loopt, doch des ontfermenden Gods.
nen  zich verharden tegen God? Zouden de schapen van -          En die anderen?
Jezus' kudde ooit er aan denken  om den Heere te ver-           Luistert naar God: "Veertig jaren heb Ik verdriet
zoeken en zich tegen Hem te verbitteren? Er staat to& gehad' aan dit geslacht, en heb gezegd : zij zijn een volk
immers van dit volk in de woestijn, dat zij in Zijn rust     dwalende van hart, en zij kennen Mijn,e wegen niet!"
niet aijn ingegaan? En zegt God niet :, Daarom heb En dan  volgt er: "Daarom heb Ik in -Mijn toorn ge-:
Ik gezwor'en  in Mijntoorn : Zoo zij in Mijne rust .zullen zworen : Zoo zij in Mijne rust zullen ingaan !" En die
ingaan !                                                    laatste uitdrukking beteekent natuurbjk : Zij zullen in
     Hier tegen over zou ik'willen zeggen, dat de bolster Mijn rust niet ingaan!
die Israel altijd omringt, steeds zich tegen God ver-           Kan God verdriet hebben?
hard-t. Dat is al wat die bolster doen kan. Het vleesch         Ja, geliefde lezer.  Het staat er. Eerder stond er:
is vijandschap tegen God. Het  -onderwerpt   zich der En het smartte God  aan Zijn hart. Dat was in die
wilBe Gods niet, want het kan ook niet. En die bolster geschiedenis van Noach. God zag al de goddeloosbeid
,bestaat  uit  drieerlei.    Eerst, de kinderen  Israels die in de wereld v66r den zondvloed en toen berouwde het
door God verworpen zijn. Het- arme volk, dat nimmer Hem, dat  IHij menschen gemaakt had. En bet' smartte
zich bekeert, en ook niet bekeeren kan. Zij zijn puur Hem in Zijn hart.
vleesch en zij kunnen Gode nimm,er behagen. Twee-               Maar hoe kan dat? God is tech de Volzalige? Hoe
dens, de uitverkorenen die nog niet wedergeboren en kan een volzalig Wezen.  smart hebben en verdriet heb-
bekeerd zijn. Die zijn er ook altijd.onder Israel. Die ben? Strijdt dat niet met de leer van de  volmaakt-
verharden zich ook, en behagen alleen zichzelf. En, heid Gods?
`derdens,  het vleesch van Gods Eigen volk. Dat behoort         Wel, geliefde  lezer,  als gij die woorden eigenlijk
ook tot dien bolster die ten verderve gaat. Naar het zoudt opvatten, dan wel. Doch dat kunnen we niet
vleesch kunnen wij ,Gode ook niet behagen. Daarom doen. Ge hebt hier, eerst, een menschvormige  op!en-
kan een waar kind van God zingen : Wij vergaan- door baring van God. Dat doet God meer. Zoo vindt ge ook
Uwe toorn en door Uwe grimmigheid worden  wij ver- veel teksten die spreken van de voeten, de armen, de
schrikt. <God  toornt tegen Zijn Eigen volk ook,  ais handen, de oogen en de ooren Gods. T,erwijl we weten,
zij naar het vleesch wandelen. Nu dart, omdat Gods dat God die lichaamsdeelen  tech niet heeft. Tw,eedens;
volk altijd door dien bolster omgeven wordt, worden hebt ge hier een van die teksten die ons duidelijk leer,en, ~
wij door God gewaarschuwd  om ons hart met te ver- dat God ook dingen en gebeurtenissen van eeuwigheid
harden. De puur goddeloozen zien Gods werk, hooren besloten heeft te scheppen, die Hij haat. Uit de tekst
Zijn stem, ontvangen zelfs zekere openbaringen (Rom. in onzen psalm leeren we hoe :God tegenover d,e godde-
1:19), doch kunnen in amwoord niet anders doen dan loosheid en de goddeloozen staat. Hij Wilde het in Zijn
zicli tegen God verharden en verloren gaan; Do& het raad dat al deze gebeurtenissen er zouden zijn, doch
ware volk Gods bekeert zich. Als zij zich voor tijd en wanneer ze voor Zijn heilig aangezicht staan, dan re-
wijle verharden en daarvoor vermaand wordsen,  zooals ageert   bet Heilige en Heerlijke  Wezen tegen al die
in dezen psalm, dan bekeeren zij zich en keer,en  weder gruwelen. En,' derdens, wordt straks al dat verdriet
tot den Heere met geween en berouw.                          en al die smart door God straks vertolkt  in de he1 en in
     En wat is daar nu de reden voor ? `Hoe zit dat ?        alle helesmart. Vraagt ge mij wat de smart en het
Dat zit zoo, en Paulus zal U het antwoord geven. "Want verdriet Gods uiteindelijk zijn, dan wijs ik U bevende


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R :                                   2 3 5

en sidderende op de poel die brandt  van vuur en sulferi fessing church member the. Bible is left alone all the
Dat kunt ge zelf zien in de geschiedenis  van de eerste rest of the week exqept  for a little hasty reading at the
wereld, de wereld van Noach. Eerst lezen we'van de table in the evening. In the morning there is not time.
smart aan Gods hart. En straks lezen we van de ver- We overslept! and the time to `be at work is almost here.
schrikkel.ijke  stroomen van verdervend water die de A.t noon in the shop or place of work.it is dispensed
gansche toenmalige wereld verzwolg, uit. genomen zij with entirely, and at the evening meal a little time is
met z'n achten in `de ark.                                   left and the Bibl,e.is opened and read. But then there
    Veertig jaar  .verdriet   aan God!                       is no searching of the Scriptures. It is at best, as's
    Het einde van .dat verdriet is het versmelten der rule and there surely are exceptions, superficially'read
elementen in den dag' van Jezus.                             and set aside, as another chore that is finished. Indeed
    Het besluit van den toorn, waarvan deze psalm 66k we do. not live like `the world of Paul's day. We have
spreekt is de poel waar arme menschen en duivelen our fast-moving iife. W,e are far more the victims of
zich wen'telen in ongekende ,en vlijmende pijnen smart. time than were the saints in the first century after
    Wacht U! Er is een waarschuwing in voor Gods -Christ's'birth. In those days there were no clocks to
ware volk. Verhardt U niet ! Luistert naar Gods lief- punch. Men had more time to themselves and did not
lijke stemme. Zegt niet : Is God in ons midden of piet ! need to search the Scriptures after putting in eight
Ge weet,  dat II-Iij in ons midden is. Hij, laat Zich niet hours of work in the shop. Even as in the days .of
onbetuigd.  Beoefen- het U van God gegeven geloof. Abraham and David there was abundant time for
Dat geloof, gemengd met het zielsverrukkende Woord quiet meditation in the field while performing their
d.es Evangelies, doet ons zingen, zingen !                   daily work, so to' a far greater degree than today the
                                                G. V.        saints in Paul'stime could devote hours to such search-
                                                             ing of the Scriptures without laying off their job to
                                          ri                 do so.
                                                                However, today it is not simply a case of not.hav-
                                                             ing the time and of being swept from this noble activity
                E[N  HHS  F E A R                            by time. There is today' also that undercurrent of
                                                             indifference to or at least lessening of interest in the
                                                             things that are spiritual. `The abundant life we live
          Searchink T e  S,crip$ures  -                      and which the d,evil uses to that end brings the things
                                                             of the world so close to us and so easy .to grasp that
     A statement is made in the word of God of those we become filled with them :and are loath to let them
                                                             go in orderto search the Scriptures. Our life becomes
in the city of Berea where Paul preached on his second       so full of banquets and programs and what not which
missionary.journey  which ought also to be said of us. we meagerly attend no matter how weary of flesh we
It is stated that they searched the Scriptures daily to may be that every moment `that. could otherwise be.
see if what Paul claimed the Old Testam.ent Scriptures devoted to spiritual things is taken up by things which
declared of Christ was really recorded there. When keep us from personal searching of the Scriptures.
-we say that this ought also to be said of us, we do not Not that banquets. and programs themselves are of
mean %that we must critically listen to the Word of God t.he devil and that the child of God may not enjoy
upon thee Sabbath and then daily search to see whether these. He certainly may. -`The point we wish to make
we have not been deceived or whether an attempt. has here is that we are so ready for these things which
been  mad,e to deceive  us  by a false presentation of to. a great degree satisfy the flesh rather than the
the Word of God. We must'comne  to church to be edi- spirit and so ready to find excuse when it comes to
 fied, instructed, comforted and admonished and not to searching the Scriptures and being busy with spiritual
 look for heresies and false teachings. Rather do we things. ,And besides there are- so many things which
mean when we say that it ought also to be said of LIS we can find to do instead. What with automobiles and
 that we search the Scriptures daily that we too have other means of transportation, our radios for enter-
 that zeal and interest in the truth that having heard it, tainment, to mention only two groups of things which 1
 we look and turn to the Word of God for a richer and are there to attract us away from quiet moments of
 d e e p e r   i n s i g h t .                               meditation and searching of the Scriptures, w,e easily
                                                             drift along and time for spiritual things is not even
Little is seen of this today.                                sought. Rather do we seek ways and means to avoid
     Sad to say, yet undeniably true, there is not the i t .
 interest in the things spiritual that there ought to be.       To verify the statement that there is a growing
To begin with there is th.e clamor for shorter and still indifference and lessening of interest in the searching
shorter sermons on the' Sabbath.' And for many a con- of the Scriptures we" ne.ed simply take a look at the


                                                            .
 2 3 6                              THE.  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

 membership and attendance of the societies in our the like.  `The  valee of these things are way beyond
 churches which were organized for such `searching of the price man places upon them. Their value lies in
 the Scriptures. The membership' lists are growing their ability to serve us by healing and restoring to
 smaller and smaller; attendance is becoming poorer health. Similarly the price of a pound of butter today
 and poorer. Some congregations and denominations is far greater than it was before the war, but the
 which formerly had flourishing societies now cannot nutritional value of that butter is the same. It has
 even, boast of a society at all. Large. congregations the same nourishment and food value at forty cents a
 very often have no more members than medium sized pound as it has at ninety cents a pound.
 and even small congregations. There are exceptions              When now we ask ourselves what the value is of
 here likewise and local conditions such as a scattered our societies wher.ein God's Word is studied, then our
 congregation in a region where the weather makes answer must be that they serve us in -a special way.
 attendance impossible also have to be taken into con- That special, service they render to us is that they
 sideration. But here again the zeal wherewith we seek serve the increase of our spiritual knowledge. Their
 excuses and grounds for maintaining that we cannot value does not he in the fact that they give' us some-
 attend is not to be praised. Or let us make it even thing to do that night, or in the case of the Young
 morel'to   .the point. When we are snowbound or pre- Feople's  Societies that they keep them off the streets,
 vented by the things God has brought our way (and the dance floor and the movies. Their value lies in
 not by the impossibilities we managed to prepare by the fact that through them we increase in the know-
 our own seeking of the `world) what do we. do when       ledge of the truth.
 we cannot attend services for divine worship? Do we             That knowledge in turn serves the strengthening
 sleep the time away or do we then-searchthe Scrip- of our faith and the increase of our hope for the
 tures? For what do we have enthusiasm or lack of realization of all God's promises to us. And in this
 enthusiasm in such an instance? Or to approach the way it also helps us to grow in `the fear of the Lord.
 matter from a different angle, how much of God's As we search the Word of God and behold the marvel-
 Word would we study if we were not (or ar,e not) a ous works that He has performed for us in Christ, our
 member of Men's' Society, Ladies Society or Young faith and confidence in Him as the God of our sal-
 People's Society? It may perhaps be said in all safety vation grows. As we search the Scriptures and behold
 and without fear of contradiction that for most of us the unwavering faithfulness of God to His covenant
the only searching of the Scriptures that we perform and ali His `promises- to us, by His grace and the work
 is performed in our society or' else in the course of of His Spirit as !IIe blesses that search to our hearts,
 preparing for  Soc'iety.               `1-:P.,           we grow in the confidence of a complete realization of
                                                          all these promises in the Day of Christ.' And we begin
 Our Societies a Valuable Means to This En&               also to look, to long and .hope for that day when all
     One of the nicest and most profitable ways to shall be realized. The more we search the Scriptures
 search the Scriptures is just exactly in these Societies. .and come in contact with these promises in Christ
 !Bere again as was the Case with the Sunday School, and we delve. a little more d,eeply  `into the meaning
 as we have seen, the argument is raised that this is and significance of these things which are promised,
 not official instruction in the truth and for that reason the new man who is heir of all things begins to long
 it has little value or at least to  .remain outside its and yearn more intensely for the full realization of
membership and activity. is -not a serious thing simply all that has been promised him.
 because it is unofficial. Yet we -would have you con-           This all, of course, is not simply due to our search-
 sider with us that our societies are of great value `ing of the ,S,criptures. .Unless God blesses the search
 and are not to be taken lightly or despised.             to our hearts we remain spiritually cold to the truth
     When you ask, "What is the value of these societies and we harden ourselves against it. But God does
 which are organized for the study of God's Word?" bless such efforts on our part. He blesses it to us as '
 it must be borne in mind that things have ,value ac- well as the preaching of the Word on the Sabbath.
 cording to their ability to serve us. The vame `of a Find a text in Scripture if you can that teaches that
 thing is not to be determined by the price a man only the preaching of the Word is blessed to the hearts
 places upon it. Not infrequently do we say that we of God's people. You cannot. Does Jude not exhort
 do not want to purchase a thing at a certain price be- the church members to build themselves up in the most
  cause it is not worth that much to us. (On `the other holy faith? And what of your reading of God's Word
 hand, when we need .a thing desperately or desire it at the table, is it not blessed when properly done? In-
 intensely, we will pay almost any price if we only have deed it is `God' who blesses it unto our hearts and, not
 the money for it. When your  child? is in need of a simply our work of searching-the Scriptures that is
 blood transfusion, you do not ask the cost, nor if he the reason why through it we are strengthened in our
  needs a costly and rare' drug.  &ch as  pennecilin  or faith.  Bat  the fact also remains that God uses  H-is


                                          T H E -   S T A N D A R D   B-EARE`R                                         237-

 Word thus only when it is read and studied. He who text is plain. The implication is not merely that I
 attends his society faithfully, studying his lesson care- am in the midst of temptations (verse  2)) but also
 fully does receive  a' blessing beyond that which he that I experience within me, the actual desire to suc-
 receives ,in the Ministry of the Word on the .Sabbath            cumb to the forces of sin and evil. James literally
 and beyond that of those who only attend divine ser- declares here that a man is tempted when he is drawn
 vices of worship and are not active in such society away of his own lust and enticed. The translation
 life. .                                                          reads: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn
        In the times wherein we' are living there- is an away of his own lust and enticed. But the original
 abundant room, as far as the need is concerned, for reads : But every man. is tempted, by his own lust
 searchring.  the Scriptures together in a society organ- being drawn away and enticed. It is evident, there-
 ized for this activity. The need is not less great fore, that the words "of) his own lust", because of
 today than it was in Paul's or David's time. The their position in the text, received emphasis. And
, need is greater, for today there is more distortion and w#e. must remember that' James speaks of one's own
 false presentation of the truth of God's' Word than lust. This lust is  ,rnan's, his own, in sharp contrast
 ever before. It is well for us, even as the church of with what James had stated `in verse 13.
 Berea, that we search diligently the `Scriptures that               A man is tempted when he is drawn away and
 we may not be found embracing the lie or even be enticed.                   The meaning of, the difference between
 inclined to leave the truth as w,e have it for  th,e lie "drawn away" and "enticed" is clear. The two are
 which we have-heard and -which appeals to the flesh. inseparable. The `first' word refl,ects  upon the opera-
        Societies are a wonderful means to this end and tion of sin as it draws one away from the path of God's
 serve this end in a very unique and profitable way.              covenant. This, we understand; does not necessarily
 This we hope to discuss in a following issue.  .,One             mean that we, to reject God's covenant, must first
 misses something important when' he ignores tempor- have been a partaker of it. Sin' always rejects the
 arily or permanently this means of searching the things  of- God. The second word refers to sin as it
 Scriptur,es.                                                     embraces the things which are below. A person that
                                                    J..A: H.      is tempted is always drawn away from God's covenant
                                                                  and attracted, to the things of sin. The- two- are in-
                                                                  separable; ,We must love the one and hate the- other,
                                                                  cleave to the, one and despise the other.
   8                                                                  We must notice that "every man is tempted when
                 FltOM-BQLY  W R I T . he is drawn away and enticed of his own Ia&."" These-
                                                                  .words  imply, in the.first place, that James views temp-
                                                                  tation here in its beginning, as a matter of the lust.
              James 1:14-16.: - "Bit every man is tempted when    The word "lust', is a strong word,. is derived from a
              he is drawn away of his own lust, ,and entked."     word which means"`to  breathe violently." ,The word,
                                                                  therefore, refers to our desire' craving, signifies that
        Then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth we, set our heart upon something, long and pant for it.
 sin: and- sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth               It is' therefore by our' own lust that we are drawn
 death.  `. .                                                     away and enticed. To fall into temptation is brought
   "Do not err, by bel-oved brethren"`.                           about by an inner craving for the same. Secondly,
  The holiness of God, `Who `tempteth no man be- this word of James implies that sin is indeed the fruit
 cause He Himself cannot be, tempted -with evil,' re-             of man's own lust. Thus we are tempted. God does-
 eeiveth  .a11 the emphasis- in verse 13.  .This same not tempt him. The Lord does not tempt because to
 tru.th  is also. the underlying thought in verses 14-16; tempt means, to-incite unto sin as having a craving for
 On the one hand, James declares that every man is it. Man is tempted, not of God; but of his own lust;
 tempted, when he is drawn a-way and enticed of his the craving for- sin is-from our own inner passion ;' and-
 own  lust. And, on the other hand, we are told  ,in although, the Lord sovereignly works all things, also
 scripture that sin, when it is finished,. bringeth forth the phenomenon of light and darkness, yet this sover-
 death. Sin, because of the holiness of the Lord, in- eign `operation of God is always such that He- sover-
 variably produces death. How' urgent, therefore, comes eignly willed a creature- who would experience the
 ~to  us the admonition: Do. not err, my beloved- breth- passion for sin, to do iniquity for iniquity's sake. Such
 ren.  IThis also  explains'the contrast between verses evil is s.urely far from Jehovah Who is too pure `of eyes
 14-16 and verse 13, expressed by the word "but" to behold iniquity. And so James emphasizes the
 which introduces these verses. :I:                               thought that iniquity r,emains the obj,ect `of man's own
        Every man is tempted, w,e. read; when he- is drawn evil mind and w-ill-he sins,because  he craves it; Thus
 away and- enticed. The- meaning&f "tempted" in this. it happens that "lust hathe conceived". These words,


 238                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   .BEARER  -

 appear in verse 15,. Literally we read : Then, lust`hav- one may simply give himself over unreservedly unto
 ing conceived. Hence, these words evidently refer to iniquity and crime. Another, who also loves sin, de-
 verse 14. The word, translated "conceived" means sires to remain within the confines.of the #external law,
 literally: to seize, take hold. We would interpret this in order that he may continue uninterruptedly his pur-
 word here in the literal sense of the word. This lust suit of the things of the world. But, whatever form a
 for sin has taken hold of man's inner, personal life. man's sin may assume, all men by nature walk in paths
Lust has conceived, the lust, we read, i.e., the definite of sin, hating God and refusing to. serve- IHim, and
 lust to evil, so that instead of his controlling it and seeking the things of the world and of darkness.
 overpowering it by almighty grace, it has overpowered        #And we must bear in mind that sin is the fruit of
 him, taken hold of him, become the pr0mptin.g  force one's own lust. Of course, the Lord is sovereign over
 in his spiritual life. Some would limit this evil lust all. Sin does not develop apart from. Him. This is  '
 merely to the will. However, it is surely impossible evident from Romans 1. In fact, the development of
to separate the mind. and the will. The mind is that man in corruption is the result of the wrath of ,God
 faculty of the soul which advises man what to do, .the revealed down from heaven, whereby the sinner com-
 mind evaluates, places man before the things which he mits things unheard of even in the animal world in
 must choose and advises him to do either or. .`The will order that the utter foolishness of sin may be fully
 is that faculty of the soul which decides to follow a revealed and that he who forsakes the living God heaps
 certain course of action. This lust here now tak,es  hold up misery for himself in this world and in the worid
 of the mind and of the will and of ali our desires. The to come. But this development of sin under the wrath
 lust having conceived, the way of sin appeals to us, of God always occurs through man's own lust. His
 and we are aware of an inner desire to walk therein. corrupt heart becomes ever larger. The more he sins
 And, the lust having' taken hold, we also will to seek the more he craves sin. The more he lives in the world,
 the things of darkness, and .have therefore also decided seeks the things of time, feeds his desire for *evil, the
 to walk accordingly. Temptation captivates both, the more he will walk in paths of evil, the. stronger be-
 mi,nd and the will. And imquity is the object of man's comes his. lust, and the greater his desire and craving
 evil lust. God is  untemptabl,e.  It is of our own lust for the things of shame and of darkness. And it is
 that we are drawn away and enticed.-           '           our own lust which brings forth sin. This desire is
    This lust, we read, brings forth sin: !The word for not in God. Man lusts after evil.
 "sin" in this text means literally "to miss the mark or
 purpose". This does not imply that we actually aim            "And sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death:"
 at the glory of God but miss that mark. Some would The meaning of "death" is this text is evident. Verse
 thus interpret the activity of the heathens. We read, 12 had spoken of the crown of life, eternal life. Death
 however, that our lust bringeth forth sin. It is evident, is eternal death, the death of hell. Besides, do w,e not
 therefore, that-we sin, "miss the `mark", wilfully, inas- read of sin here as.. "being finished"? .Death is prin-
 much as we do so as the object of our lust and desire.     cipally the separation from God, not in the local sense,
 Man's -purpose is to glorify God ; the essence of evil is but in His covenant-fellowship.. Hell will be the ulti-
 the wilful refusal of man to serve this purpose. Man mat,e and exclusive manifestation of `this horrible real-
 wilfully refuses to acknowledge the living God, misses ity. The implication is not that God, in this lifme, loves
 the mark, not as it were` by the eyelash' but with all the sinner somewhat but that in hell .He. will hate him
 that is in him.                                            completely. But hell will be the exclusive manifesta-
    When we read that "lust bringeth forth sin" we tion of the eternal and unchangeable wrath of God.
 must not divorce the one from the oth.er, as if lust in       !`And sin when it is finished." IThe word "finished"
 itself were not sin, but merely brings it forth. Roman means originally "to be brought quite to an end." The
 Catholicism does not regard lust as sin, teaches that expression does not mean, on the one ,hand, that sin
 we are not held responsible for our inner desires but will finally reign completely within the sinner. Sin
 only when we acquiesce and permit our desires to de- does reign completely within him. I am by nature
 velop into sinful activity. This is clearly not the mean- dead in sins and trespasses. Neither does this ex-
 ing of James. Th$e relation between lust and sin is not pression imply, on the other hand, that I will have
 temporal as if the one follows upon the other temporal- performed all sin and evil. The complete manifestation
 ly, but causal. The lust to sin is surely itself sin. But of evil is impossible by one individual. The writer of
 the'holy writer would emphasize `the thought that sin these words, "And sin when it is finished", refers to-.
 is at all times the object of man's own desire-we sin the sinner who, ,ever developing in sin, walks uninter-
 becaus,e  we lust after it.                                ruptedly in the way'"of  iniquity. Grace does not take
        We understand that sin reveals itself in various hold upon him. Dead in sin, as I am by nature, I walk
 forms. `The manifestation of evil among the heathens upon the way of iniquity unto the very `end, according
 diff,ers from that among the so-call,ed "civilized". The to my name and place in the midst of the world. Re-


                                            T H E   S'tANDAkb.BJZARER .                                                  239

     deeming grace alone checks sin., and not only checks it              lations was that the person who should purchase
     but also conquers it.                                                the portrait of this much loved son would have all
         This sin, being finished, brings-forth death. God `is            the property.
     good, loves and seeks and maintains Himself. Conse-                    "Now this is a ~oocl illustration of what God has
     quently, sin must bring forth death. It is true, of                  said to us in the gospel. If we accept, honor, and
     course, that God's people oftentimes sin. But it is the              love ITis Son, Re will make us heirs of all~things."
     reprobate sinner, who, having sought life and peace                  .( Italics mine, W.H.)
     without God in his ,life, shall indeed harvest what he
     has sown. God delighteth not in iniquity. To the                   Whenever we read statements of this nature in The
                                                                     Banner, and this is not an isolated instance, it causes
     cont,rary,  !H[e is terribly angr.y with the workers of sin.
     Hence, the wages of sin is heath, for sin is the d,enial        mixed emotions to rise in our soul. The first feeling
                                                                     is that of sadness, for it is. a sad plight when these
     of God and God's justice requires the maintenance of Arminian stones al-e fed as Reformed bread to attempt
     Himself.                                                        nourishment in the way of Meditation.. Our sadness,
         "Do not err, by beloved brethren." We understand how,ever, does not primarily concern itself with the
     that James here does not refer exclusively, to erring in
     the logical sense. We- are not merely warned here to leaders who produce sue11 stones, but rather goes out
                                                                     for the thousands of simple sheep given to their care ;
     make no mistake, although, of course,-this thought is
     not wholly excluded. But the primary meaning is that who unwittingly and unthinkingly are the recipients of
     we  .must not err spiritually. We must not wander such fare. They are being deceived and poisoned by
spiritually, go astray, walk in darkness, walk  un; th.eir own trusted shepherds ; that's a cause of deep
     interruptedly  ,in sin. To the contrary, we must put off sorrow.
     the old man and put on the new. And the basis for                  Our second emotion is that of surprise. Surprise
     the admonition is expressed in the words, "beloved that though time and again such "food" is served in
     brethren." We are brethren, among one another, and The B'anne?* to its constituency, there is seldom, very
     the people of the living God. Hence, let us walk as seldom, a voice of protest and rebellion. How is it
     such.                                                           possible that all the 23,000 readers  of The Banner, both
                                                         H. V.       of clergy and lay-men, can stomach this fare. Is there
                                                                     no man, in whose soul, such utterances cause the pangs
                                                                     and pains of indigestion to arise? Is it possible that
                                                                     in the historically sound and  Christian  Rieformecl
                                                                     Churches there has been accomplished an almost com-
                                                                     plete lethargy and lack of discernment?
                      P E R I S C O - P E   .                           ,Our third reaction is that of amazement ! Isn't it
                                                                     amazing that in a denomination which professes and
                                                                     @ides itself in being ,a Reformed stronghold, a truly
     Refowned!! ?? . . . .            _             i                Reformed note is no more sounded in a leading d,epart-
                                                                     ment of its oflicial organ ? Certainly there must be a
        In The Banner of January 17, 1947, official organ man somewhere amongst the .vast resources of the
     of the .Christian Reformed Churches, the Rev. J. M.             Christian Reformed clergy who could write a Reformed
     Ghysels, in his "Meditation" department, writes as meditation. We cannot believe that this is the best
     follows :                                                       they have to offer. Or is it, perhaps, indicative of a
                "Once I read of a rich man whose wife died, and trend and purposeful writing; a definite and deliberate
          not long afterwards their only child, a little boy, movement from the professed [Truth and adopted stan-
          followed the mother to the grave. The father dards to popular untruth and Arminianism? If it is,
              never recovered from the shock of the double it is even' more amazing !
          bereavement. After his death search was made                  Finally, it fills one with righteous anger. T h e   Ean-
          for a will, but none could be found. At the sale lzer and the Churches for which it speaks, claim to be
        :. of the household furniture, a maid, who had work- the spokesmen and defenders of the historic Truth of
              ed for the family, was present for the purpose the Calvinistic Reformation. Yet, in such instances,
              of .buying a portrait -of the littl,e  boy, which had they reveal that they have lost, or cast out, the very
          been hanging all the time on the wall. She had fundamentals and heart of that Truth. When a group
              dearly loved the child when alive, and now `desired of Churches loudly flaunt themselves to be the last
          to have his picture. It was sold to her where it stronghold of the Reformed Truth, yet deny it in their
-         hung, and when a little later it was taken down, th,e very official expression, it arouses the indignation of
          will was found fastened to the back of it, and when anyone with a sense of propriety and understanding of
        read it was discovered that, one of its main stipu- that Truth.


                         7                ~...__
  ,249                         s     -     o    T H E   ST.ANDARD  B E A R E R

  The Catholic Eour . . . .                                       to meet in the same .pew-would  to God we.did-but  we
          According to a report in Time magazme  -of .Feb. 3, can meet on our  &ees."                              :
  1947, Msgr. Fulton J. Sheen of the Roman Catholic                   There is much of truth and discernment in what
  Church, has begun his 37th series of Radio talks. His this spokesman of Romanism had to say, but there is
  first address ,of this new series sounded a note of warn- also much that is misleading, not only, `but erroneous
  ing as they contained a'prophecy to be read in' the signs and not in harmony with the Word of God. What he
  of the times. Msgr. Sheen declared that "the signs of predicts' of. an "end of a man-made measure" of all
  our times point to two inescapable truths". The first things he denies when he declares, correctly, that the
  of th,ese  is "that we have come to the ,end ,of the. . . . coming conflict will-be with "the man who makes him-
  chapter of history which made man the measure of all self God". .And this man, the antiChrist,  Scripture
  things.' . .                                                    teaches,  ,will not only be a-moral but positively immoral
                  the death of historical liberalism." It  has.  as,  well
 .died because it attempted to build on the basis of                          . The present course of history and all the 7
  .&oral man, according to the Msgr.                         I    Word of God emphasizes that the trend of things will
                                                                  `be, just exactly, to. elevate and glorify man and to ' de-
  .       "The second .great truth to which the signs of the part more'and more from the Absolute God. Further,
  times portend is .that we are definitely at the ,end of a that relative human standards shall be the measur.e
  non-religious era of civilization, -which regarded re- and basis of development out of which the antiChrist
  ligion as an addendum to life, a pious .extra, a morale- sllall  -rise  ,Cf  2  Tlless  j2
  builder for the individual, but of -no social relevance."                    *     *      .  '
                                                                      It is hardly necessary to refute and deny the- state-
          The speaker went ,on to prophecy that  `we-ar,e  enter- ment that "he (anti-Christ)  .will deceive `even the
  ing a new era which `"might be called the religious elect,,. , This is certainly without Scriptural basis.
  phase of human history." He `hastens to add to this On the other hand all of Scripture teaches most clearly
 that he does not mean "that men will turn to God, but the preservation of the saints, by the grace of God,
  that indifference. . .  .will be succeeded for a .passion .through  the end of time.
  for an absolute. . . . Men' will divide themselves into             Finally, `his conclusion and remedy leads us in just '
  two religions. The conflict of the future is -between the wrong direction. His plea for a "unity of religious
  the absolute which is the God-man'and the absolute peoples".,' which he -conceives as -a possibility without
' which is the man-God ; the God Who became man and unity of truth, must necessariiy  promote the cause of
  the man who makes himself God ; between brothers in anti-Christ., Msgr. Sheen and; perhaps, too much of
  Christ and comrades in anti-Christ."                            nominal Christendom, lose sightof an important Scrip-
          Following `this he goes on to ridicule and deny the tural truth. The Word of God teaches that anti&&r&
  popular and mythical picture of the devil. He declared : `-does not arise out .of the known heathen world nor
  "Nowhere in Sacred Scripture do we find warrant for from an evident. godless community, but rather shall
  the popular myth of the devil as a buffoon who is dress- - arise from a united "Church" which has forsaken the
                                                                                                                              _.
  ed like the first `red'. Rather is he described as an principles of scriptural truth and is federated on the
  angel fallen from heaven, and as `the Prince of this r basis of compromise and. utility. I The .onlg Church that
  world' whose business it is to tell us that there is no shall maintain itself and be preserved unto the end is
  other world. IHis logic is simple : if there is no heaven, that which is "joined and united with heart and will,
  there is `novhell ; if there is no hell, then there is no sin ; by the power of faith,/& one axcl the same .syGW, i.e.,
  if there is no sin, then there is no judge ; and ifthere is upon the basis of the basis of the Truth of God's Word,
  no judgment, then evil is good and good is evil.                without compromise or equivocation. When `the time
          "But above all these descriptions, our Lord tells us    comes that Church shall be united `not only in its
  that he will be so much like IKHimself, `that he would `I -prayers, but in faith and practise  as wel.l-and  be
  deceive even the el,ect".         Here Msgr.. iSheen does not small, very `small !
  mean that he will attempt or purpose to .deceive  the                                                            W. H.
  elect but that his desire,will succeed, for as he states
  a bit later: "Because his religion will be brotherhood
  without the fatherhood of God, he will deceive even the
  ,elect."                                              >
          His conclusion is as follows: "Jews, Protestants,                               CLASSIS- WEST
  and Catholics should unite against a common .foe. It is will meet, the Lord willing, .on the first Wednesday of
  not a unity of religion we plead for that is impossible March, ,March 5, 1947, in the -Rock Valley Protestant
  when purchased at the cost of the unity of truth, but a Reformed Church. " Delegates desiring lodging can
       uiiity  .of religious peoples. . .  ._ In a word, if' anti- contact Rev.  9. Vis. All delegates are urged to have
       Christ has his fellow-travellers, then why should not with them the Acts of Synod 1945.
  God and IHis Divine Son? . . , , We may not be able                                               :Rev. C. Hanko, S. C..


