                                 .           -
`
 j&km  X X I I I .              .      ..              Aprj! 1, 1947 : Grand R.apids, Michigan                   `-           NUMBER 13
           _::  -
  _-                                                                            tot in' ie diepte van-het van, God verlaten zijn, worstelt
                                                                                met en tegen de maehten der zonde en des doods. wors-
            --HEB)ITATI.ON  -                                                   ielt in-de bange duisternis van Gods oordeel, om door
                                                                                het voorhangsel Zijns vleesches. hcen te `breken tot in
              `t G&he&k Voorhangiel                                             he$~ binnenste heiligdom  van Gods Verbond $er .vriend-
                                                                                sehap, aan d,e spitse van, %en behoeve  van, .en m& de
                . . : . . en het.voorhvngsel de.3 tempels .x&3uqk.. Zijnen, die Hem de Vader gegeven  heeft,.---oak'  diiBr
 _ . midden door.                                 -                             sbheurde het voorhangsel !               I
                                                       .`I
                     .     :
     __                                                       Luk. 23 :45b..       En het voorhangzei  des temiels scheurde. . . . . . .
     `t  Voorhangsel scheurde ! -:                                                 `t  Wil zeggen : God heeft het oordeel voltrokken, be-
 .-  D&r in  J&tizalem, in  d&l tempel, waar  `God nu                           ginnende  van Zijn huis, zijn-oude huis. `t Wil ook zeg-
reeds'&&  eeuwen onder Zijxi volk, maar dan in sch.a- `geti:  :God heeft  Zijn !Huis gebouwd, Zijn nieuw, Zijn
duwl`en; ?-la+ giwoond.                                                         eeuwig Huis !
     ---Maa& ,&k, d&&r, op de hoofdschedelplaats; wa& ;God                         `t Is de `verv&ig van het Wo&d : "Zietj uw huis -
in ,li.&$e+xh, .clie vo& drie en-dertig-  jaren achter'-bet worde -u- woest gelaten !"- `t Is ook de vervulling `der
voorhangsel van de "ielij-kheid des zondigen vleesches" belofte-: ."Zie, hier ben Ik, Uw God, Die U Zijne zdnen
  ._.  :
on&p pns bad getabernakeld,:ni+ in schaduw, ma& in en `dochteren  wil noemen, en bij ti wonen, en onder u
di .wer%e!ijkheid  van het vleeschgeworden  Wtiord, uit wandelen wil : de tabernakel Gods bij' de mensehe& !" .S
diepten van ellenden  roept toi? IHem! Die heil `kan zen- a `t  Beteek&t :  exit  `God, want` Gods  hand heeft
d@ %ijn God, &jn God, waarom hebt Gij Mij ver- vanujt bet Heilige der heiligen, waar Hij eeuwen lieeft
l&n?!`-  ,-  1                                                                  gewoond,  maar .dan in de schaduwen, het vobrhangsel
           D&r in J~~~~&~,' dat in'..&enst moest;  staan vhn                    gescheurd,' om het voor altijd  onbewoond   t&  laten.
d&x&I%&er  Iqaels,, Die  Jeruzagmfs  ,kindyen  wilde -Maar `t  deteekent  ook:  a&it  .God, want  ~Gdd  -in het
vergaderen,  g&jk e&n hen.. hare kiekens.:  onder hare Glee&h heeft-  daar op'G.olgotha  heel d&n bitteren  weg ;i
vleugeleb  r;o$& nia& die die? die+ niet l&d gewil? ; van nit het voorhof en bet brandofferaltaar, naar het ,;
d&&r--jin dat Jeruzalem, Bat `de @of&en altljd had ge-                          heiligg en het gouden reuk$feraltaa&,  afgelegd,. en gaat
d&d>. en gesteefiigd  had.degeneri,,  die van--Godsyege:-tot                    n u   door  he6  gescheurde   ,kporhangsel  Zijns  pleesches
h&r gezonden-waren  ; waarin de nagalm nog ken, wor-                            in het binnen&,e Heii'igdom iti, oni daar Zijn eigen bloed
den gehoord van, he!- over zichzelven uitgeroepen` oor-                         op het verzoendeksei  te sprefigen voor Gods aangezicht,
                                                                                en eeuwig bij Hem t6 woken.
de&-.  "Zij.n bloed  kqne  over-  0~s~  en over onze  l$nde-
ren !" en dat de- mate der ongerechtigheid had vol ge-                             Luide rqep& h& teeken  pan `t ges&+iyde  vbdrhang-
maal&  doorden  Zoon  de$ A&hoogsten, den Christus                              sel.:. "bet dude iq voqrbijgegaan.. 1" ,, Maar` ook ver$qn-
Gods,  aan het  .kruis--  te  nagelen.,--d86r   seheurie  bet                   digt h& de b1ij.d.e hoodschap~:  "Ziet,-bet  is alies, nieuw
coorhan&el   d e s   tempels.                                                   geworclen  !"  i
           Maar.oqk. d&r+ op..Golg@ha,  waar de .HerdqIsraeli;                   .&aro&  .yerbin&  h e t   Yf&a&elie   .naar  Lukas  [bet
de-&e+-Herder,;  3i-j-n. l&&n aflegt Foor,-de; .s.cha-peg,.                     itiheuren. van het yoorhangsel  :onmiddelijk.  met de in-
o&dat  iSij,. de E(ne,ch$ &s Heqen,  .w.e! ,gey$ig is ic--de?$                  gevallen-. dui$eriis : "En de .zo$.&.erd. verduisteid, en `I#.
&en& van` Gods liei& Verboqd tf: stain;. gcw.il!ig tot het voorhangsel des, tempels scheurde middendoor."                                     ,:
h& einde,,he$  bitter6 eixide toe, en otidat Hij e8n gebbd _                       Y!$aar in d& Evaegelie:beschrijvingen  van Matthetis
v&d& Vader heeft ontvangen  : &%r,.waar  de Zoan; in. en T&a&k&, wordt dit teeken na.d& dood van. Jezus ge-
dien dienst van ,Gdcls'Vcrbo$,  Zicbzelven  qntledigt, en,. plaatst : "En Jezus,  wederom  met eene  grdote, stem
      .-                                                          _-
                                                                                                            _


                                                                                                                 .
                              *
       2 9 0                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D -   B E A R E R

     roepende,   gaf den  gee& En; ziet, het yoorhangsel  d&         de deugden  zijns  ,Go$s te  verkondigen.   @o was de
       t.&mpePs scheurde in twke&i, vati boven tot be&den."          tempel beeld van Gods Verbond. Hij wo;inde daar m+t
        ' Och,. de  vraag.:  n&r  bet'  juiste moment van het Zijn volk onder-&5n  dak in de intieqe gcnieenschap der
      scheuren *`van het voorhangsel is. slechts  een &uws-          vriendichap.  "  D$ar was  #Gods-tabernakel  bij de  m,&
     gierigheidsvraag, van geen wezenlijke  betkekenis.   7.1s       sehen.                                                    _- :. ._
       niet- &iwaarschijnlijk, dat het gebeurde op het oogen-            `t, Was $lles schter rioi schaduw:: .= :     .'                ..
       blik, d& de. Heiland was ingedaal$  in de diepte van             .Eens-had Gods Verbond in: werkelijkheid, `iij her,
I      Zijn. verlaten zijn van God..                                 dan ook in aardsehe werkelijkheid  -best$an.-  ,D?t. was
        +_ lS$aar. van wezenlijke. beteekenis-is  Gods tijdsorde,    in het eerste Paradijs. Want ook dat qar$dij$ w&s .een'
       het verband der @-&en in Gods eebwige  gedachten.             tempel-Gods,  inet zijti voc&hof in bet `land van Eden;
               En `dan stond de zaak zoo, dat het scheuren van het zijti heiligdom in den hof, enzijn bitinenste heiligdoni
     voorhangsel in onmiddelijk  verbatid stond met de duis-         in `bet midden. van den hof. Daar echter hing geen
       ternis: het oordeel van den grooten dag des Heeren is         voorhangsel. Adam was  beelddrager   #Gods.  Hij stond
       vo&rokken over Zijn huis !                                    in ware kennis, gere&tigheid, en, heiligheid  voor het
        1 Maar n&t xtiinder  staat het scheuren van ,het voor-       aangezicht-des Heeren. Hij was ,Gods Verbonds-vyiend-
       hangsel in verband  met des Heilands dood : dat was het knecht. Hij leefde in Gods gemeensehap, en had .vrije
       weze&jke  scheuren, en doqr Zijn dood is bet scheiding- toegang  tot bet binn,en$e van den hof, waar de boom
       rqakende  voorhangsel we& genomen, en den weg g6-             des levens stond.                                       . .  `
                                                                                                                                        -.
       opend tot in het binnenste IHeiligdom.                            Dien tempel hebben wij echtek verwoest.
               En het voor'hangsel des tempels scheurde` midd.en-        Want we- zijn afgevallen van..den l&enden God,
       door,        "                              ,'                hebben Zijn`-Woord- Vera&t,  en een verbond gemaakt
        '        Geweldig          teeken!                           tegen Hem met den vorst .der. duisternis.: Daardoor
                                     -                               heb6en wij, voor zoover het aan ons lag, Gods Verbond
               IHet voorhangsel des tempels!                         der vriendschap verbroken. Verbanneti werden wee uit
        -cdOrn-.de centrale beteekenis van het scheuren van dit      Zijne zalige gemeenschap, verdreven uit. &t paradijs,
       voorhahgsel te verstaan, moeten  we allereerst vragen :       ver van den boom des leyens, en den weg-naa?  den boom
       wit was de,eigenlijke beteekenis  vaE dit zware gordijn,      des levens werd ons vpor altijd.  versperd  do& de.cheru-
       dat scheiding maakte tusschen het heilige en h$ heilige       bi& en het vlammende zwaard van. dy&iligen  toorn
       der heiligen in den Oud Testamentitichei  tempel?             Gods tegen ons.                                  .~
               En daarbij moeten'we ook een antwoord  zoeken  op         God `echter had wat beters ov& .ons <doGziq.
       de- tweede vraag :' en wat was de beteekenis van den              Zijn doe1 tech was het, niet om Zijn.Verbond door
       tempel voor het 16ven van Israel, en voor de oude be-         ons te laten verbreken,  maar pm het vodr eeuwig  vast.
       deeling van Gods Verbond?                                     te leggen in Zijnen eeniggebor,en  Zoon, en om het op te
              Om eindelijk de vraag te stellen: wat was het bij-     voertin tot de hoogere, hemelsche heerlijkheid van Zij-
       iond,ere,  het eigenaardig karakter van de bedeeling  van Fen .Geeuwigen  tqbernakbl, die in de nieuwe :schepping
       Gods Verbond met Israel, het volk des Heeren van den bij de menschen zijn zou. Door dien Zoon, van eeuwig-
       ouden dag?                                                    heid verordineerd  als de Christus, in  Wien  als  -bet
               In het algemeen mag  worden  opgemerkt,  dat de vleeschgeworhen  Vlioord Gods  V&bond   centraal `zou
       tempel te Jeruzalem een beeld toonde van Gods Verbond worden  verwezenlijkt,  en die door den diepen weg Zijns
     . der vriendschap met Zijn yolk. Daar, in het binnenste         lijdens  de  hooge&  heerlijkheid  van  bet-  opstandingsi
       heiligdom,  achter het voorhangsel,  woo&e   `God  tus-       Ieven zou begrven, 15fi erfgenaam aller dingen zou wor-
       schen de cherubim. Daar stond de ark des Veibonds             den, zou tHij de ,xp?chi;"cier  .zotide en des doods verbre-,
       met  Let  verzoendeksel.  Zoo was het althans  r&ar de        ken, vijandschap  Zettqn   tusschen Zijn volk en den
       qoyspPonkelijke idee van dat heiligdom. En, naar die          Satan, en het V&b&d Zijner vriendschap in .eeuwig,
       oorspronkelijke, die Goddelijke gedachte van het heilige heid  .bevestigen.   -.T..  :`  -           -
       der heiligen, moeten we' zeker het voorhangsel ver-               Dat Verbon& &ht .I-Iij~ op, reeds aanstonds na den
       klaren, ook al is het, dat, in de werkelijkheid, tia de       val. -           -'  ..`.  ...                               ,.
                                                                                                 -_                                ^
       ballingschap, de ark des Verbon&  nimmer terug ge-                                         fi'  -
                                                                         Dat Yerbond bevestlgt  Hij van kind tot kind, in' 2,
       vonden werd, en meri bewe,ert, dat het binnenste heilig-      lijn  v&i Seth,  Enoch,  Noach,  $em, Abraham' en  zijri:
       dom ledig stond. Achter het voorhangs61  was de wo-           zaad.
       ning God. En, in het heilige, aan deze zijde van het              Van dat Verbond  spreekt Hij in  de  &lofte  -des
       voorhangsel, was Gods volk vertegenwoordigd  ; in de          Evangeli,es.,                               _            I  _  .,I
     toonbrooden, -als uit de hand van Zijn God levend, in               En het is dat Verbond,-dat Hij op&ht r&$-Israel;
       het gouden altaar, als het volk, dat Gode gewijd was,         en dat Hij in sehaduwbeeld .re.aliz&t  door :I- de in--
     : en in de lichtende kandelaar, als het volk, dat geroepen      stellingen e'n ceremonii3n der wet,` &qr'prof&t-en pr&-'
       was o.m.zijn  light te laten schijnen in de duisternis, en ter en koi'iing, door tempel en alt`aar .&;$@and&.  $@:


                                            .Tjqj$.  $`TAT\i,p,ARD  "  sF&A'k,ti'&                                                     i$i
                           "  ..,                                                    . . .    .                              1
   h&a%d  der belofte, $eruzalem, en Sion, door sabbden;                . God had het ,huB der schaduwen .afgebroken,  ver-
 feestdagen, en  eersteling?n,  en  centraal door. het  tee-, woest, ledig `gelaten ! lHet heiligdom stand wijd open !
   ken der besnijdenis.                                                Men kon tot in het binnenste heiligdom zijn blik wer-
          Alles sprak tot Israel Tiari God's eetiw& Verb&id  der pen. En het was ledig. God wo&d,e  er niet meer. IHij
   vriendschap,  -en toeh getuigde tev+s ook alles, dat de had Zijn wonitig onder Israel verlaten. Maar zonder
   werkelijkheid nog nhet gekomen was,- en dat .dd weg tot dat binnenste heiligdom, zonder dat wonen Gods achter
   i&. bet. binnenste heiligdom nog niet geopenbaard  was !
  :                                                                    het voorhangsel, .had niets, dat in bijzonderen zin Is-
   - ,' in die schadub;ibedeeling"&fi `GQds.Verbond  nam .de rsels gee1 viras, en behoor'de  tot de sehaduwachtige be-                               -
   t&pel.een centrale p&a&  in. Van &en tempel was het &eling van Gods Verbond, beteekenis meer. Het ge-
   hefiige der heiligen het wezen, w&t daar woonde God.. scheurde voorhangsel was Gods Woord tdt Isr"ael,. ~dat
  .-l?,&ef he'l oog op dat binnenste heiligdom; die woonplaats         Zijn oordeel oper Israel was voltrokken. De mate der
  `God, bracht het &lk.:zijn .off,eranden en eerstelingen,             ongerechtigheid was vol geworden. In de kruisiging
  `vierde  bet- zijn  sabbaten en  feestd.agen.   Al!e& door van den Zoon Gods hadden ze zich ten volle geopen-
 dat binnenstk  heiligdom verkregen priester ,eti altaar,              baard als tempelverwoesters.*  De bijl, die reeds in de
  +andel<ar en taf el der toonbrooden, bun beteekenis.                 dagen van Johannes den Dooper aan den wortel  d&
   Met dat`binnenst,e  heiligdom. was heel ,het bestaan van booms lag, had thans den boompmgehouwen.
   Israel als Gods V&bondsvolk,.  en he61 hun leven in dat                 Breek dezen tempel af! . . . . .
   Verbond Gods, onafscheidelijk verbonden.                                Dat hadden ze gedaan, d%r op Golgotha.
  -- Eiz  :  iqor  ciat binnenste heiligdom hing  -bet  ioor-              Maar daarmede  hadden ze ook den tempel der  j
   hangsel !                                                           schaduwen in Jeruzalem afgebroken.
           Zonder da! voorhangsel .koti God in het keilige der             Hun huis was hun woest gelaten: God- had Zijn
   heiligen' niet woneil !            --                               -waning  onde;  .hen  verlatq.
           Wallt de werkelijkheid was nog niet ! : .                       Door `t gescheurde voorhangsel !
           Dat  voorhangs&   verkohdigde   eenerzijd~;"d% het                                      -         -    -
`vleesch,. de zonde, de  stihuld nog  ' altijd scheiding                                                                -
   ma&e tusschen God'efi  Zijn +olk;  en geen bloed van                    Uitgang, maar ook ingang!
        stierefi en bokken ..kon den' weg tot in het binnenste             Oordeel, maar ook vervulling der belofte!
   heiligdom van Gdds gemeenschap openen ; maar andrcr-                    Verwoesting, maar ook opbouwing van den tempel!
   zijds, juist doordat bet sleehts een gordijn was, dat het               Want dat gescheurd,e  voorhangsel is ook evangelie,
   heilige van het binnenste heiligdom `scheidde, alsmede bet evangelie, dat de weg tot in het binnenste heilig-
   ook doordat bet, den hoogepriester vergund was, een-                dom thans open is.  -
   maal des jaars in dat binnenste heiligdom in de. gaan,                  Immers, dat voorhangsel, dat scheiding mzakte, is
   was het ook beeld van de belofte, dat God Zelf .Zijn                Zijn vleesch, ons vleesch, onze zonde en schuld, onze
   Verbond zou volmaken.                                               dood en verdorvenheid, maar dan zooals Hij, de Zoon
           Zonder het voorhangsel geen binnenste  heilicdorn  in       des levenden `Gods,  God Zelf, het op Zieh genomen, het
   de b,ed.eeling der schaduwen, geen teinpel,  geen altaar            aangenotien had.
        en offerande, geen. priester-of konitig, geen Jeruzalem            Hij, de- Zoon, die in den schoot  des Vaders is, die
        en gee> volk bin God !                                         eeuwiglijk met deli Vader aan gene zijde van het voor-
   .       Ma& straks <Gods VeTbond,  Zijn eeuwige woning hangsel, in het binnenste heiligdom .woont,  was in ,$e
   bij ons, zonder voorhangsel!                                        volheid des tijds in ons vleesch gekomen, en daarmede
          "Zoo sprak .Gode Woord door het yodrhangsel!                 was Hij ook bij ons, in het heilige, aan deze zijde van
           :                         -A                                het voorhangsel, komen wonen, en dat we1 met de op-
                                                              P        dracht om dat voorhangsel te scheuren, en den yeg tot
          `Het Soorhaigs$  .scheu@le  !                                in het binnenste heiligdom  v& Gods  vriendschaps-
           Niet &aar bij geval, of' doordat  het van ouderdom          Verbond te openbaren. En daartoe worstelde` Hij op
   uiteen  viel,                                                       Golgotha, ten bloede toe. DBBr op Golgotha droeg Hij
           `001~  niet.  slech`ts. in  _  d&n weg der gewqne  Gods-    d'6n last onzer zonden en van den toorn Gods, en door
  -regeering,,  waardoor alle  din'gen ons  "81s  van:Zijne            Zijne volkomene voldoening had Hij het voorhangsel
   hatid"$qekomen,  en geschieden. .                                   geseheurd.
          `Hier was het (te (God van Israel, .de God, Die Zijn             Last ons dan met vrijmqedigheid toegaan, op den
        Huis bouw$, Zijn Verbond bevestigt *en Zijn volk redt met Zijn bloed besprengden weg, door het voorhangsel,
        en ppvoert  naar de eeuwige'heerlijkheid, de God der           dat is Fijn vleesch!             i
   zali,gbeid, Wiens hand het voorhangsel vaneen had ge-                   `t Gescheurde voorhangsel is evangelie !
   reten.  .' `C&en "natuurlijke" dorzaken kondeti ter ver-                Het heiligdom is op&n!
   klarigg dienen van dit vreemd verschijnsel. Want im-                    Kom tot Mij !
   mers, het was gescheurd vati boven tot beneden!                                                                      H         .           ti.


               2 9 2                                                                                                          TGE                                             STANDARD                                                           `BEAR-Ea.                    :

                                            The  Standad Bearer                                                                                                                                    r                  rs
                   Semi-Monthly,  acept  Monthly in July and `August                                                                                                                                                                 EDJT                            R I - A I L S
                                                              P a b l i s h e d   B y
                                      The Reformed Free Publishing Association
                                                            1463  A&more St., S. E. .                                                                                                 .                                                               hst  F0-r  Oitce
                                        c.. EDITOR:
          ,                                                                 - Rev.' h. Hohsema.                                                                                                            _.                         .
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      I received  the.followinz communication on Ladies
      Contribuking  Editors *-. .--.Rev. G. MI.-Ophoff,  Rev. G. Vos, Rev.                                                                                                                                      Aid Sales. I place it, not in order to introduce another
      R. Veldman,  Rev. H.  Veldman,  Rev. H. De Wolf, Rev. B.  Kok,
     Rev. J.  b., De Jong, Rev. A.  P&e?,  Rev:  C. Hanko,  Rev:  L.                                                                                                                                            dis&ssion on the question in our paper,~  but because I
          Vermeer, Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev. J. A. Heys,                                                                                                                                         was foolish enough to put my nose into it.- In the issue
          R e v .   .W.  Hofman.                                                                                                                                                                               of Feb. 15 I wrote in connection with.a.remark  made
                Communications relative to contents should be addressed. to                                                                                                                                by Mr. G. Ten El&of in Concordin: "This remark has
          REV. H. HOEKSEMA,  1139 Franklin St., S. E., Grand Rapids,                                                                                                                                           nothing to do,. of course, with. the .debate about the .~
          Michigan.                                                               i_
                Communications relative to subscription should be addressed                                                                                                                                    sales conducted by our Ladies Aid Societies. It is not
          to MR. GE,RRIT  PIPE, 1463 `Ardmore St., S. E., ,Grand Rapids,,                                                                                                                                  my purpose .to become a l-arty in this debate. ,Nor is
          Michigan.                    All  Announoements,  and Obituaries must be sent this necessary.                                                                                                                                               The arguments raised against such
 to the above `address- and will not be placed unless the regular                                                                                                                                          sales in the debate will not prevent our ladies to con-
/ fee of $1.00  accompanies  the  aotice.                                                                                     -                                                                            tinue, with a free conscience, to devotetheir time and
                                          (Subscription Price $2.50 per year)                                                                                                                                  efforts to the support. of various causes such as the
          Entered  as  Second Class  Mail   ,at Grand Rapids, Michigan. . Standard Bearer, Christian Schools, our, own schools,
                                                                                                                                                                                                           and the like. #Only, instead of being compared to money
                                                                                                                                                                                                           changers in the temple, our ladies deserve a word of
                                                                                                                                                                                                          commendation and encouragement."
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      It was not my purpose at all to start a discussion
                                                                                                                                                                                                           on the question that was thrashed .out in Concord@.
                                                                            - CONTENTS -                                                                                                                   What I wanted is an explanation of the remark by
                                                                                                                                                                                                          .Mr. Ten Elshof. (And I still want this. Mr. Ten
          MEDITATION;:-                                                                                                                                                                                    Elshof never replied to my request). But I should
                                                                                                                                                                                                         never have written one word about those sales; if I
       % GEBCHEURDE VOORHANGSEL . . . . . ..*.......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .289 -wanted to avoid a discussion about them!
          R e v .   H .   Hloeksema.   _
          .,                    _.                                                                                                                                                                                    However: let me emphasize that `the article by Mr.
                                                                                                                                                                                                          `Van Putten is the only article that will be published.
 EDITORIALS  z--
      $OST                      fidR.toNCE                             I                                                                                                                                   What follows here is not the beginning but.the  end of
                                                           . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  :...;: . . . . . :: . . . ..I . . . . . . . . . . . 292 -.a. discussion on the  :subject  of  2sales,  las far. as the
      A CLOSE.D,`SH~GP  WITH A'LOOPHOLE : ..*..... I..., . . . . . . . . . L.L.294                                                                                                                         Standard Bearer is concerned.                                   :'  .--`.  I                   .
      EXPOSITION OF THE HEIDELBEBG  CATECHISM . . . . .._..... 295                                                                                                                                                                                                    _
                 `Rev.   Ha  H,oeksel;;a;   :  ,'                                                                    :.                                        .I             `:                                       Dear Editor of the Standard Bearer*                                -.         '
                                                                                                                                                                                                          .:           `, . .                    _                           .:
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                .                  .-     i
:I                         -                                                                                                                                         1  ".  ..;
_                                                                                                                                                  I.                                                                         In- the Standard Bearer of Feb. .15,. the-editor makes
                                                                                                                                                                                                         .            ._-                  I)
CHURCH~  POLITY  :..:.X.;...:.;...:...:...:...::   :
                                                                                                                     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :..:..::.:..298                                    several statements  that cannot go unchallenged but
      THE.VICTORY OVER  NAHASH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302                                                                                           need  cl.arification.  In regard to the remarks concern-
                  Rev. G. M. Ophoff.                                                                                                                                                                                        ing Ladies Aids, I would like to state the following:
                           _
     .                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. That we all  ,have a place for the Ladies Aids  and
      EEN NIEUW LIED DEN'HEERE'. ..: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*....... - . . . . . . . . i . . . . 303                                                                                                   = that they can serve a blessed purpose in. #God's King-
               Rev. G. Vos.                                                                                                                                                                                                 dom. ,2. That -the -zeal of the Ladies is worthy of our
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            highest praise. 3. However, that does not mean that

IN HIS  FEAR% . ..`.....i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
                                                                                                                                                                                            306                 I .. . . the m'anner  in which some~ of .their ,activities  is carried
 _               -&v..M.~Gi+f$ers."                                                     -  ._ . .  !.;..i  ,~`,                                                                       :.                          I , `
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            OIL necessarily deserves -commendation and can carry
.,              .__--           .'       "__          1                     _ .  i %                                   -,-..                 _                       ye        .'             :
                                                                                                                                                               .-                                                           -away God's.b&s@ng.  . . If this~is  true we certainly can-. :
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         .-.
 -FROM   HOr;y  WR~~...:.::.,.:.._II:..-`-.   ~~  -.,  -.  :  -t-i-  .' .  "'
                                                                                   ( . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  :. . .
                                                                                                                                                                                            368                 .'          not..commend  them in-this andqhold  these activities.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 :                                                             .
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         _                                      .
- ,:):; ;/ , -,;::,.* L, -:-`~
                 Rev...G,.Lubb~rs."  ..!J  ,~  !.s'.:-  .Y'.Ti.J   1..  .,                                                                         1  3 .`iq  -::-  $1                                   ;. I.. I ,-;: Ii the &ti+ @ierred lt:o. t$#klit,or~ m.akes  ,,a short
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     4. .
      I ; * i -., :-I;.          .tl ; L.-z -:Gf `ye. --;: ,E;, :..  --:  ",;,.*                                                                                                                                , ,: .:.! s,titteyp~ & ydkh;he  &pshy,  :+ic+ ~eyy$@ng,.  @ES& +.
                                                                                                                                                                                                         :..
PEg&$~   f  `.*                                              1 :            /           .,I           l.:,"                 -_         :                 "             :     ..,            `.                              has -thus far-been written on the. subject of Ladies Aid
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                ;-
                                         . . . . . . . . . . . . I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-.11.11  . . . . . . . ~~..~;r..l~..~~~~...~:r~r_l"                                                         ""
                                                             --                                                 I                                                                           310                             Sales. Personally, I felt that this statement was a bit
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               .I
                 Rev.  W. Hofman.                                                                                                                                                                                     premature since the Editor had not read the last article
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            that appeared on this subject. The .Editor  may ohan.ge


             -                                                                       /


                                                   T H E   STANDARD B E A R E R                                                                     293
                                                                            .-
-his mind sand correct his st,atemen.t,  which is his privi-                       gregate  t.h.:@&&ip God. I'object to be classified with
lege and which II expect he will-also do.                                          busineis:  afsairs of this nature, as 1gn.g `as t&is. is con-
   However this may be, I Xeel  that these statements,                             ducted under  t:he name of  Chur,ch.  and in our  qhurch
althbugh very brief, need clarification and  poss$bl$                              parlor. Let the Ladies buy and sell but  disassgc,&te
 retraction. With a view to that I would like to' raise
                                              5                                    themselves with the name Church in these ~activi~tie~.
the following consaerations  :                                                     Let them  b,uy their sales license  ,and carry  .oti  out-/
   1:. The  Editor  st.ates: "The arguments raised against                         simde of the Church,  ,qnd I  heartily   bid them prosper.
 su& sales in the debate will not prevent our  ladies                              Let tihem  sew and give to the poor and needy as Aids,
to continue, with a free conscience. . .  ." Here with                             as Dorcas of old, `and I rejoi'ce  with them.
 one sweep of his pen he brushes aside all that has been                                  7. Finally,- I wish to remark that if bhe Editor will
 naised in objection to  $hese  activities. The Rev. Hoek-                         carefully take note of our State l&ws then bhe "green
 sema states that he does not wislh to become a party to                           light" will turn "red". I have checked  the law since I
 the debate but how can he evade that when he makes                                read  M?. Kortering's last article. and  find that if we
such a sweping statement?              Does he maintain Mat                        wish to be law abiding all #hese  sales are done. The
 all that which has been written entirely misses the                               general Sales Tax Law foEbids  .a11 these sales &ho&
 point, and are ndt- grounded objections ? Is all that is                          a license to conduct them. I refer to article No. 167,
`being done and the manner in w&ich  it is being done                              Public Acts of 1933 as amended to  March 1, 1940,
 to be l,auded  `and encou.raged  ?      .                                        ruIe No. 15  whi&  `deals  with Ladies Aids  `or Societies
   2. Isn't it, rather, pathetic that we must have ,sales                  .  ' or Churches. This law is carefully defined and rules
 and suppers in order to raise tmon&y  for God's Cause                             out all these activities. So  ,much  so that I feel  `our
 and Kingdom ?             D.oes  the Editor- commend such                         consistories will have  to rule them out in  ,order to obey
 tactics ?                                                                         God's law of Rom.  13:1-S,  nnless  we `as Churches  desire
   .3. In bis statement the Editor implies tihat  no wrong                         to come under the la\v as taxable corporations.
 is  done;:tiothing   wonthy  of note has been said against                               In closing I wish to state that I have always been
 the  practise.  But is this true ? Does the Editor en-                            a promoter of  Ltidies kid  acti?ities  under the Scrip-
 courage this  -method  of business by our Church So-                              tuna1 idea of aid to  the poor and needy;  dn tie other
 cieties' ? If so, what is to refrain us from making                               hand  I.liave always opposed these sales no matter how
 business or recreation centers of our Churches under                        `.. small  they may be. As we crave  God!s blessing upon
 the ,atispices  of the Societies ? A& long as all is done                         dur Churches let  uls guide our  afgairs in  the way  ~of
 decently and in good order why not do it on a large                               blessing.
 soale  ?         1.n this way we might possibly be able to                                                   Your brotiher  in Christ,
 raise all  .our Church and School expenses. It is evi-                                                                H. A. Van  Putten.'
 dent, however, that this would supplant our offerings                            A few brief remarks in reply:
 and the Church would no longer function. But-if the
.large scale  business  is not right is it, c'orrect  to permi.t.                 1. To begin with the last argument. If the Sales                              .'
 it  on  a sniall  sdale,?               -                           t    _ Tax Law would apply to Ladies'- Aid Sales, it wouId-
   `4. The Editor. gives the Ladies the "green light"                     not follow th_at they had to be outlawed. aOur Ladies"
 when  the writes "continue, with  c free conscience".                    Aid Societies, I suppose, could obtain a  Iicense  and
 Here, it seems to me, it would have been much bet-                        collect sales tax.
.ter if he had entered the ,debate  rather than to write                          On the face of it, however, this argument is false.
 as. he did. Here  bhe  Editor  judges the conscientious                   If it were true, the law would certainly prosecute.
 objections that have been raised rather than to state                     Ladies' Aid Sales are conducted quite generally and
his own position <arid let the' readers judge. Possibly,                   openly. There is nothing secret about it. Yet the
`I   m i s u n d e r s t o o d   phim.                   -.               a.uthorities  never reqGir,e that they be licensed.
   5.  F,ar be it from  .any of us to compare our ladies'                         If brother Vati Putten had- inquired of those that
to the money-changers in the Teinple or liken them to                     are in a position and have authority to interpret the
 robbers  ,and thieves. However, when through their                       law, instead of trying to retid.it  himself, h$e would have
 activitiei  the true worship of offering is being sup-                   discovered that the Sales Tax Law does not at all apply
 planted by -other forms, the principle is  contr.ary  to                 to such matters as Ladies' Aid Sales. Lest our- ladies,
 the law of God. We may never believe that we need                        perhaps, shoqld be troubled in conscience by'this bogey,
the aids to help the Church. I f,oresee  a danger here.                   I made such inquiry. The result is that I found out
   ,6. I for one do not  `&ez$ate   to object to thk fact                 that, according to authorities on this matter, `the Sdes                         ~
 that  I~:c-~nndt  find it proper  &o  Zarry  On  ,a business              Tax Law does not at all apply-to such affairs as Ladies'
under the  riame'  G1hurc.h.       I  am  ,a  member of that              Aid Sal&, but only to those to which the term"`regular-
 Chur& and'it makes a great deal of, ,difference  to `me                  ly engaged" can be al?p]ied. According to a ruling,by
 what our `societies do in the buibdings where we &n-                     the attorney general, such things as Ladies' Aid SaIes


2       9          4                          T H E   STA-NDARD   B E A R E R

absolutely do not come under th,e Tax Law.                                       objectors  $0 union membership without such member-
     2. Ladies' Aid Sales are a work. of Christian love                          ship. But all others will  xh&ve  to `join the union or
pure and simple. They  d6 not, fall under the term                               face discharge. There will be those w&o will criticize'.
"bu&ness".              The ladies donate  ,everything for such                  the C.L.A. for this, that's why we  w&t to give a
a sale : their time, th,eir effort ,and the material for the                  thorough explanation.
goodk  sold.  And'the   motley received they donate to                            ' l?he  C.L.A. has iilways  taken the position that those
`some cause of God's kingdom. Why it is wrong to                                 who share in the benefits of .organization  should also
donate one's..time  and effort to the kingdom of God is                          contribute to  tihe cost. That is fair.  However, we
impossible for me to see.'                                                       have also maintained that no-one should be compelled
 3. As far as I know, Ladies' Aid  Sales in our                                  to  j,oin a union  agiinst which he  ihas conscientious
churches are, not  necessitated  by the fact that  .our                          objections. That is why we  wgnt men to be free to                      1
people are unwilling to offer freely for God's King-                             join the union of their  choice, thus contributing to
dom, or to meet the Church-budget. But- if ever such                             the cause of organized labor as (a whole. And in &he
conditions should develop anywhere, don't blame the                              case of men or women  who,  believe  tihat  it is wrong
L:adies' Aid Sal& (they still do a good work), but the                           to join any union we have taken the position that
people. that have no love for the cause of God's King-                           such people should not be bothered at all, if they :give
dom.                                                                             proof of acting ih good faith in the matter.
     4. Our Ladies' !Aids are not  ttie Church in any                              All that has been maintained in the new contract,
sense, nor do they represent the Church, nor do they                             It  wa.s necessary to  Ihave   such  ,X union-shop- setup.
conduct their sales in the name of the Church. They                              In spite of the fact that the unions had done much for
are  free  .societies.  That  they use the name of the                           the employees a considerable number refused to join,          '
Church to which their members belong is merely to                                giving no reason  Gh&soever  for their refusal. There
distinguish them from other Ladies' Aids. In no                                  was only one explanation for it, which is that those
sense, therefore, can it be said that the Church con-                            employees just couldn't part  wibh that dollar once
ducts sales when the ladies Sell their goods.                                    a month. That in spite of the fact  tl& since  .the
     5. If the work of Dorcas, which would appear to                             unions began bargaining w.ages  were increased on an
pertain especially to the. deaconate, is justifiable (and                        average of at least 25%, so. that .even the workers in
I have nb obj,ections) ,' that cif our Ladies' Aids, which                       the lower wage brackets are  receivin'g  about ten doll&s
has nothinx to do with the work of the Church insti-                             more weekly. To take 25 cents out of that for  tihe
tute, certainly cannot be condemned.                                             union  &as too much.
     6. If there is anything objectiofiable  in the way the                        The management could also see the ,unfairness  of it
sales  are conducted, remove  the objectionable element :                        and therefore agreed to  Ijhe .unidn's proposal  &o make -
don't throw the baby overboard with the bath.                                    it a uhion.  shop with provision made for conscientious
     Punctum.                                               IH. &.               objectors. So, after March 15, thosd employees who
                                                                                 are not-members.. of one ,of the two unions will have to
                                                                               * jbin within 15 days or be disclharged, unless they have
                                                                             _  -valid conscientious objections to. anion membership                .
-A C~osed'Shsp With A Lbophole                                                   and give the company and the Union a written state-
                                                                                 ment setting fbr& their objections.
     The  followifig is a clipping from the Christian                              We exp,ect some criticism. But, let no &e say that-
Labor Herald:                                                                   `the C.L.A. has gone in for the closed shop. It has
                                                                                 not:  TGhe  employer can hire whom he pleases to hire.
             The contract with the Hekman Biscuit -Company                       But new employees must afteF a trial period join .one.
        will be renewed on March 15, 1947.  Negoti.ations                      of the unions or submit a written statement setting
        began already in January when an additional wage              , \       forth their conscientious objections to such a,member-.
        increase was sought by  .$he unions involved, United                     ship. And if an employee has objections to member-
        Truckers and, Warehousemen, C.L.A.,  -,and United                       ship in the C.L.A. but will keep up  membe'rship  in
        Bjakery Workers,  F.L.A.' A wage increase retroactive                    another union tihen the C.L.A. is not~going  to bother
        to January 15, 1947, was .agreed  upon, which brings                     him at all. That is the kind  ,of modified union shop
        wages in the Hekman plant to a level  ,as high as                       we have always believed in.
        that of any bakery workers in e3her.A.F.L. or C.I.O.
        bakeries in  ,the  nati'on.                                            The above speaks for itself.'
             Seveeal  other changes in the contract were. also                 I can only say that I `am sorry that.. the C.L.A.
        agreed upon. Foremost among them is the union-s.hop             more and more obliterates the distinction between it-- -
        employment clause. We must add at  bnce that the                self and any worldly union., It `can only blame itself
        clause  leaves. room for the employment of cotiscientious       when, -before long, men draw the conclusion that they
                                                                                                   -
              .


                                       `*

                                             T H E   ST'A,NDARD  .tiEARER                                                                                      295

 cati better join the C.I.O. or the A.F.L; than the C.L.A.                              unto life is mea& For it is the same Church, the same .
 If it is a question of obtaining higher wages and better                               believer, that professed his faith in God Almighty, the
 working conditions by developing power and'employing                                   Creator, and in Jesus Christ, His only begbtten Son,
 force, the men can use t$e means of membership in a                                    our Lord, Who assumed our flesh from the Virgin,
 worldly union to better advantage than that in the                                     Who died and- was ,raised again from the dead, and                                  -
 C.L.A.                                                                $!,`y& 1 Who is exalted at the right hand of. God, upon Whose
    First, the article acknowledging the sobetieig&$`z .coming -again the believer fixes his hope ; who; .more-
 God had to be eliminated from the Constitution, in                                     over, confesses his faith of having a place in the :holy
 order- to obtain the status of a bone  union.-                                         catholic Church and in the communion of saints;an'd
                                                  fide 
    Then the strike clause had to be maintained, `and of rejoicing in the forgiveness of sins,-that same -be- :
 the-right to picket.                                                                   .liever now looks forward to the fin@ and eternal. per-
 Now the "union shop."                                                                  fection of all he has in Christ, and therefore, speaks
    `The writer states: `"Let no one say that the C.L.`A.                               of the resurrection of the body, and, in the last article,
 has gone in for the closed shop."                                                      of the life everlasting.        --                           .. . .
    I think it has.' But let us put `it this way : the                                      There is, indeed, also a resurrection of the dead
 C.L.A. has taken a stand for' the closed shoh iyith a                                  unto death, for `"the hour `is coming, in which all that
 loophole.                                                                              are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come
    For me that loophole does not even exist. I d&y                                     forth ; they that have done go'od,  unto the resurrection
 that the C.L.A. has any authority to put itself up as                                  of life ; and they that have done evil, unto the resurre'c-
 a judge over my or anybody's conscienttous objections                                  $ion of damnation." John 5  :28, 29. Of this general
 to the C.L.A.                                                                          resurrection our N.etherland  Confession also s-peaks
    Besides; the principle and purpqse of this "union                                   iti its thirty seventh article : "And then. all. men. will
 shop" is the ssnie as those of -the closed shop : to gain                              personally appear before this great judge, both meh
 membership and influence by force.                                                     and wonien and children, that have been from the,,
    Moreover, the loophole is very small. What self- beginning o$ the world to the end'thereof, being sum-
 respecting laborer would want a job by the grace of ,mon,ed  by the voice of the archangel, and by the sound
the C.L.A., presently to be lookef at askance and with                                  of the trumpet of God. For all the dead_shall  be raised
 suspicion as* a "conscientiouS  ObJector" .by his fellow-                              out of the earth, and their souls joined and united with
 workers  ?                                                _           `.
                                                                 I;          1          their proper bodies, in which they formerly lived."
                                                                                   i
    I pr,edict that this loophole will soon, virtually !f                                   However, the resurrection of. the wicked is not
 not in principle, be closed.                                                           referred to in the Apostolic Confession. It lies with-
    And.that  is, of course, the purpose of this act on the                             out the scope of its conception. Only of the resurr&-                         ,.
 part of the C.L.A.                                                                     tion' as it is embraced by the- Christian faith, asztin
                                                           H. H.                        object of the Christian hope, does it speak.            .
                                                                                            Of this resur&ction the Catechism also treats, wheh.
                                                                                        it answers the question : "What comfort cloth the resur-
                                                                                        rection of the body afford thee'?" And it describes
T H E   Tlk'LE  MNOWkEDGfi this gloyious resurrectionin the w#ords : "that this my
                                                                                        body, being i-aified by the power of Christ, shall be re-
                                                                                        united with my soul, and made like Unto the. glorious
  An Exposition Qf The Heidel                                                           body of Christ."
                                                                                            The faith that God quickens the dead must not'be
                         C&echisnr                                                      confused with a general philosophy about immortality,
                          Part Two.                                                     nor with the universalist's notion concerning a general
                                                                                        npokatastasis or restqration,  but is very. detiitely  .,apd
                   Of Man's Redemption                                                  peculiarly Christian. The Christian believe& the g&jr-
                       Lord's Day XXII.                                                 `ious  resu%rection,.-and  looks forward ,to it as  the::ob-
                                 2           .                                          ject of a sure liope,  only because he believes in Christ,
                                                                                        crucified and raised. The two are inseparable. Only
               The Resurrection Of The Body.                                            through the `resurrection of Christ  do'es he know, by
    The next to the last article of the Apostolicurn reads :                            faith, that there is a resurrection of the dead ; and only
 " (I believe) the resurrection of the body," or, literally,                            because he`;ls, by faith, united with Christ, is he assured
, according to the original, "the resurrection of the .that he, perionally, shall have a part in the ?esurrect?on  **
 `flesh."                                                                               unto eternal life. Apart froti Chr.ist, it is inipossible
     From `t&z! place of this -article in- the whole of the ,to know anything about -this' mysteliy.  Without -Him
 C?nfessioiz, it I is quite evident -that the resurr`e&ion there' iS no hope of glory:                                                   :.n


                               _
   296                                    T H E   STANDAliD   B E A R E R

          This is so true that the apostle in First .Co&thians,    also be expressed in as follows : that God quickens the
  the. fifteenth chapter, can maintajn that to deriy the           dead (Rom. 4 : 17) is a truth that can be appr,ehended
  resurrection implies the denial of the resurrection of           only by the Christian faith. No human philosophy can
  Christ : "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from            ever discover or embrace  ,this truth.  The reason is
   the dead, how say some among `you that there is no              that the truth that God quickens the de&d is evident
   resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrec-          only from the resuirection of Christ. 0, that. God is
   tion of the dead, then is Christ not risen : And If Christ      able to raise the dead- is quite self-evident. "Why
   be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith        should it be thought a thing incredible with you," the
   is `also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses            apostle asks king Agrippa, "`that God should raise the
 . of God ; because we have testified of God that he raised        dead?" Acts 26 :S. But, that He is not merely able,
   up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the             but also willing to raise the dead, that this resurrection
  .-dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then Christ is actually. belongs to !His eternal purpose, illat He actually
   not raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is          does quicken the dead, has been revealed, and can
   vain, ye are yet in your sins." 12-17. Notice that the          be known only through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
  .apostle  here argues from the position of some in the           from the dead.
  .church of ,Corint&  that there is no resurrection of the          Now, what does the Bible reveal to us. concerning the
   dead, and exposes the dire consequences of such a               mystery of the resurrection of the dead?
   position. For- they that deny the resurrection of the              Let us begin by establishing the fact that it is
" dead deny, by implication, the resurrection of ,Christ;          the dead that rise, and that this resurrection concerns
   This is not to be understood as an argumentation from           their very person, and their whole nature, body and
   the general (the resurrection of the dead) to the               soul. It is true, the Apostolicurn  makes mention of the
  particular (the res&%ection  of Christ), as if the apostle       resurrection of the body, and, literally, as has been
  merely meant to say: 1. You say that the dead rise               said, it speaks of the resurrection of the flesh. ,And it
not. 2. Christ was dead. 3. Christ did not rise. For               is, no doubt, expedient to maintain this terminology to
  it is evident that the Corinthians had not drawn the             guard against the error of a purely spiritlyal resurrec-
   conclusion that Christ had not risbn: From'the propo-           tion. That, in the resurrection, the body shall be quick-
  : sition: the dead rise not, they excluded Christ. But           ened, is the plain teaching of Scripture. It is evident
  the apost;le  wants to make them see the impossibility           from the empty tomb, and the place where Jesus had
   of this position. For this reason, he argues from the           lain in the sepulchre of Joseph, that thg body of our
   effect (the resurrection of the dead) to its `cause (&be        Lord had been quickened. The apostle writes in Rom.
  resurrection of Christ). The underlying idea is that             8 :.ll: "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus
  the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of the           from' the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Jesus
   dead are inseparably connected as cause and effect.             Christ from the dead shall also qujcken ybur mortal
  The  cause must needs produce the effect. It follows             bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth In you." In I Cor.
  .then that, if the alleged effect (the `resurrejion of the       15:35ff. $he apostle asks and answers the question:
  dead) be not true,. the cause also (the resurrection of          "iHow  ar.e the dead raised up, and with what body
   Christ) must be dknied. If Christ be raised, His will they come?" Alld Phil. 3 :21 teaches us that ,the
  resurrection must.purely  have the fruit of the resur-           Saviour "shall change our vile body, that it-may be
  rection of the dead. Hence, if the dead rise not, Ch'rist        fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the
  is not raised.                                                   working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto
    , His resurrection is the resurrection of the dead in          hjmself ." However, the Word of ,God always speaks
  principle for all that are-His own. And it is the sole           of the .resurrection  of- the dead. In that -resurrection
  resurrection. Outside of His resurrection, there is no           the body shall be quickened, to be sure, but it aeverthe-
  resurrection at all. For He i$ the. head of the body,            l&s concerns our whole existence, according to body
  the  Chu'rch, both in the forensic and in the organic            and soul. Just as it was Christ that was raised, so it is
  s&se. When  iHe was raised from the dead, `all the               also the  believers  that shall be raised with  -Him in
 I members of His body were raised.- By His resurrec-              glory. Just as jn death, ii is the believer that dies, so
- tion and exaltation, He received the cower to impart             that his body is laid in the grave, while his soul is ,
  His.resu?rection-life to all those whom the Father gave          unclothed, and in its bodiless state enters into the
  Him.       In. this  resukrection-life  of their Lord they house from God in heaven ; so in the resurrection, it
  receive a share when He draws them unto Himself, by              is the same believer that is raised from this state of
  faith, and unites them with Him. And this'resurrec-              death: his body is quickened, and his soul is clqthed
  tion shall be cerfected when He shall.caIl them forth            upon with. the resurrection-body. The final resurrec-
  frbm the  gravti,  and make their mortal bodies' like tion is  .a glorification of the whole nature, such' a
  -unto His most glorious body.                                    glorification `as will enable the saints to inherit the
      `The same truth, from a different viewpoint, may kingdom of God in the new heavens and the new


             -
     I  -
                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D         B E A R E R                                     297

        earth. For "flesh and blood cannot inherit the king- eth the .dead. He is God, and becomes known `as God
        dom of God," neither can the unclothed soul, apart exactly in performing wondrous things.  Always  His.  *
        from the body, enter into the final and perfect inherit-      way is in the s&a, and the things that are impossible
        ante of that kingdom. This must wait until the ,resur-        with  r$an are possible with Him. He  that.raised up
       rection `of the dead, when death shall be swallowed in         Christ from the dead shall  also quicken  oui mortal
       `i=victory.                                                    bodies by His Spirit that d&&lleth  in us!
             The Catechism, too; refers to this truth when it            The question may be asked: what belongs t6 the
       . describes the resurrection as- a quickening of the body,     essence of our body? For that the resurrecti&body
       _ but also as a reuniting of that glorified body with the      will only be essentinllzj the same, but for the rest will
        soul.                                                         be wholly different from our present body, is-also very
             But : "How shall the dkad be raised up? and with plain from Holy Writ.
        what ,body do `they come?" _                                     Three elements; it seems, may be mentioned here.
             In answer to this question, the Scriptures teach us         First of all, it belongs to the essence of `a body that
        clearly, first of all, that the same body that was buried     it .is material. A, spiritual substance is not a body.,
        shall be raised from the d,ead. The resurrection is not The resurrection-body also will be material. When
        a n.ew creation. Essentially, we shall receive our own the apostle,  ifi I Cor. 15  :44 speaks of a "spiritual"
        bodies in the resurrection. That this is true is evident body, he does not use the word in the `sense of "im-
        from the resurrection bo.dy of our Lord. That, in His material", as we hope to explain in a different con-
        case, no new body was created, is evident from the  nection.            There the term is not employed in contrast
        empty grave, as well as from the fact that He could           with `and opposition to "material", but in distinction
        show to His disciples the marks of His suffvering in from "natural" or, according to the literal meaning of
        hands and feet, and in His side: Although His body. the original, "psychical". When, however, we  insist
        was completely changed and glorified, it was never-           that also the body of the resurrection is material, we
        theless  the very same $ody in which ;He had walked           must no_t be understood as saying that it will be. of the
        am&g us in the days `of tHis flesh, and in which He           same kind of matter as the "flesh and blood" of our
        had been "crucified, dead, and buried." This is also present bodies. We must remember, what the apostle
        the teaching of Scripture in I .,Cor. 15 :42-44 : "So also teaches us in I Cor. -15 :39-41: "All flesh is not the
        is the resurrection `of the dead. It is sown in corrup-       same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men; an-'
        tion it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in,  dis-       other `of beasts,. another of fishes, and another of birds.
        honour ; it is raised ,in glory : It is sown in weakness ;    *There are also -celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial,
        it is raised in power : It is sown a natural body : it' is but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of
        raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the
        there is a spiritual body." The identity of the bocly sun, and another glory of the moon, and another..glory,
        that is buried and the body that is raised is plainly of the stars: for orie star differeth from another star
        taught in this passage. `The subject remains the same :       in glory." Essentially the same matter may assume              c
        it is sown,  1:t is raised,. Besides, the figure of the       different forms. _ Ice .may be, melted into water, yet
        sowing is based on the same notion: when one sows the ice and &he water are the sa& matter: And when
        wheat, he expects to harvest wheat, not oats or rye.          the water evaporates, the invisible and intangible.vapor
        This. is a profound mystery.. It lies beyond, exactly         is still th? same.matter  ai the ice. When. you sow the
        beyond, the scope af our comprehension. It belongs            seed of a tulip, and you finally develop the bulb, the
        to those things "which eyes hath not seen, neither ear -bulb and the seed you originally sowed are essentially
        heard, nor have ever arisen -in the heart of man." the same. Thus the human body will, no do>lbt, assume
        Wh,en  we consider what becomes of our bodies in              a different form, through the wonder of the resurrec-
        physical death, how ccmpletely  they are disintegrated,       tion. It will not be of "flesh and blood," for.that can-
        dissolved into their very elements, .how literally they       not  inh.erit the  .kingdom  of. God. Yet it `will be a
        return unto the dust whence they are taken, even so material body, and essentially the s&me as then body
        that their substances become part of other bodies ; that was interred at death.
        if we `contemplate  how majny bodies' of the believers           Secondly, it tiill be a human  body. Through the            _
        were never even buried, were drowned into the depth `Resurrection,  man will not tie changed into a different
        of the s&a, cut to pieces, or burnt at the stake and their    being. Through all the -changes. to which he is sub-
        ashes blown to the four corners of heaben,-the  resur-        ject, sin,, death, regeneration, the intermediate state
        rection becomes utterly inconceivable to u's. 8 would in heaven, and the final-resurrection, he remains man.
        seem easier, perhaps, to think of it as a new creation.       And this means that he is a rational creature. His
        Yet, God will bring al! those bodies, and unite them          PatGre is such that it is adapted to bear the image of
        with their proper souls. He is the One that calls the         God. Through the body of an animal, the human soul
        things that -are _not as i.f they were, and that quicken-     could not possibly function. Hence,`also the body of
I


                                                                                                                          _



        298         `_                        T H E ' S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

        Z;he resurrkction,  that will be reunited with the sdul,
        will be an essentially humap body, a body that is cap-
        able of serving as an instrument to express and reflect                                           POLITY
        the image of God in the new creation. God predestin-
        ated His people to be conformed according to the image             As was stated, also Dr. Ridderbos of the Synodicals,
        of His Son, that \He might be-the  firstborn among many takes the stand that, according to the Church (Order,
        brethren.  Rom.  8:29. The body of the resurrection             Classis (Synod) -rightfully deposes officebearers. But
       &must serve the reflection of this likeness.                     the doctor is certainly mistaken. The Church Order
           Thirdly, we may no doubt assert that, through does not vest the  Classis  (<Synod) with the right to
        death and the resurrection, the body shall preserve its         depose officebearers. It confers this right only up&
        individuality, that which distinguish& it from all other the Consistory. This is the- discovery of every one,
        human bodies. It ,is the glory of ,God that He is able who, as interpreter o$ the Church {Order, is willing to
        to create millions upon millions of variations of the           allow himself to be bound by the God-created laws of
        same nature. All men have the same human nature                 exposition. The doctor's  exegesis   of the articles of
        in common, and wher.ever  you meet mari you experie6ce          the ,Church Order, of the ones that bear directly on
       ilo difficulty to recognize him in distinction from other the point .at issue, is mal-exegesis. The task to which
       creatures. Yet, among the millions of men, there are             I address myself in this article is to make good this`
       no two alike. Each has his own individuality. And s t a t e m e n t .
       those individual characteristics that distinguish men               The doctor wrote a `brochure, which he entitled
       from one another, belong to the body.as well as to the           "Kerkscheuring". In this booklet, from which I quote,
       squl. r `There can be no doubt that to each individual           he defends the action according  to which  Classis
       so:ul- belongs its proper body, even so that the soul of         (Synod) deposes officebearers. He does so in opposi-
       the  one could -not- possibly function in the body of tion to the Schilder group. For the latter pronounce
       another. And as the personal identity and individual- the action. to be in conflict with Art. 84 of Dort's
      ity of ihe soul will be preserved through death and in            Church Order. The article reads:
       the glory of our heavenly house, so in the resurrection                 "No Church shall in any way lord it over oth'er
       of -the dead, the body will appear with its own .indi-               Churches, no Minister over other Ministers,  -no
       vidual characteristics. Each soul will be reunited with              Elder or Deacon over other Elders or Deacons".
       its proper body.       ~.
        For the rest, many questions may be asked about                 Dr..Ridderbos's reply reads as follows:
       the form of the resurrection-body that cannot possibly                "De  liuchtere  leie& zal  we1 eenigzins  verwon-
       be answered, and that, besides, are more or less ir-                 dered vragen : `Maar waarvoor wordt dit aange:
       relevafit.-  All we have thus far established is that the            haald (the above-cited article, he means. G.M.O.) ?
       body of the resurrection will be no new &nd separate                 &ar hebben we tech nooit van gehoord, dat onder
     creation. The body that. is "sown" will be raised from                 ons de ,eene kerk over de andere, of de eene ambts-
       the dead.                                                            drag& over de anderen,  heerschappi j zou voeren.
           Ho&ever,`more must be said, and, on the basis of                 Dat hebben tech ook de bezwaarden niet beweerd ;
      -Holy Writ, can be said `about the resurrection-body.                 ,zij sprekeh enkei over het zgn. aangemaatigd ge-        -
           For, although it will be essentially `the same as                zag van de Synode, .en dat is tech iets anders dan
       our present body, it will nevertheless be radically dif-             wat hier siaat'.         .
       ferent in form. And,.in general, this difference may,                  Dit is juist, maar men moet de redeneering van
       be  eirpressed  by'saying that, while now w>e bear the              de bezwaarden kennen. Die is aldus: wanneer de
j      image of the earthy, after the resurrection we will bear             eene kerk over de andere niets te zeggen heefi,
       the image of the heavenly. Through the wonder of the                 dan  hebb& ook  achthonderd  kerken, in Synode
       resurrection, our "vile" or humiliated bo'cli.es  will  be-          vergaderd, over 66n kerk niets te zeggen. Want
       made like unto the glorious body of our Lord Jesus                   achthonderd maal nul blijft nul."
       Christ,                                                           Translation :
                                                       `IT  /H.               Somewhat surprised the alert reader without
                                    .    -                         r        fail will ask; `But to what purpose is this (Art. 84)
                                                                            quoted?  We have riever heard of it, that among
                           CLASSIS EAST                                     us the one church lorded  it over other chtirches,
      of the Protestant  Reforged  Churches will meet in                    or the one officebearer over others. That cer-
       regular session, D. V., Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock,              tainly has not been the allegation of the aggrieved ;
       April 9, 1947, at Fuller Ave. All matters for  ethe                they speak only of the errogated power of the
       ,Synod must be brought to this meeting.                              Synod, and that is something different than what
                                    )I. JONKER, Stated. Clerk:              we read here (in art, 84 of the Church Order) `.


                                              THE STANDARD                BEARER             - . . .              _          299

                This is  coFrect  (namely, the allegation of the              Naturally the aggrieved will not expressly deny
              alert reader that Art. 84 of the Church Order has             the authority of which Art. 36 makes mention, but
               absolutely nothing to do with the arrogation of              from the fact that they do not quote this Art. but
               power by .Synod) . But we must know the reason-              do quote Art. 85, an article that does not deal with
               ing-of the aggrieved (Schilder group). It is this :          the authority of the Synods,. it appears that they
               when the one church has nothing to say over the              tire more inclined to undermine that authority
               other, then also eight-hundr,ed  churches; assembled         with subtle reasonings than to acknowledge it."
        in Synod, have nothing to  say over one church.                   The. doctor supplied his booklet' with & brief fore-
               For eight-hundred times zero remains  iero." Kerk-      word, the first paragraph -of which reads, "The general
               scheuring, p. 23.                                       synod asked me to write a simple brochure f'or the
         In the above-cited e&e& Dr. Ridderbos' means to `enlightenment of the members of the church regarding
  express his"amazement at the aggrieved for finding in the crisis in our churches,"~
  Art. 84 of the Church Order the teaching that eight-                    The doctor's reasoning bn Artt. 36 and 84 of tLe
  hqridired churches, assembled in Synod, have nothing                 Church `Order in connection with the $qnstruction that
  to say over the one church. He prpnounces  this r,eason-             the aggrieved place upon.`these  articles is simple in-
1  ing.wrong and refutes it with the Church Order. He                  deed, much too  -simple in fact, and therefore misleading
  writes :                                                             in its simplicity. Attend to the working of the doctor's
         1       "Deze redeneering wordt het best weerlegt door mind, as reflected in the above-cited excerpts. It is
               een eenvoudig beroep op Art. 36 der K. `0. `t Zelfde this, "The only teaching of Art. `84 of the Church Order
               ieggen heeft de Classe over den Kerkefaad,  `t welk is that the one church -does  not have "zeggensch~p",
               de particuliere Synode  heeft over de Classe, en        authority over. the other. To say that khe article by
               d_e Generale Synod over de Particuliere'.               implication also declares that eight-hundred churches
         .       Hier wordt dus zeer duidelijk uitgesproken, dat       assembled in, synod have no authority over the one
               de meerder vergadering over de mindere 6zeggen',        church; is wrong; No such teaching can be gotten from
               d.i. zeggenschap, gezag heeft. Als de eene~ kerk this article. -pact is, that Art. 36 of the Church Order
               zich zulk een zeggenschap over de andere wil toe-       declares that they do. <And that settles the matter."
               eigenen, dan is dat `heerschappij voeren' ; maar So reasons the doctor.
               als'. de kerken in meerdere vergadering samen-             The reasoning is that simple thtit it should have
         komen,  komt haar dat gezag wettig toe..  Zoo staat           caused the doctor to  r,econsider  his argument,  -and
               het in de kerkeordening, en daarmede is heel die        challenge its truthfulness. The argument is ,not truth-
               redeneering van `achthonderd  maal nul blijft nul       ful ; it is spurious. And it is fatal to the whole Church
               weerlegt.                                               Order. For it throws the Church Order in  cpnflict
         :.      Natuurlijk zullen de bezwaarden. dat in Art. 36 with itself and thereby $estroys  it. The doctor's argu-
               uitgesproken gezag niet uitdrukkelijk ontkennen;        ment is actually that .bad that it makes of Art. 36 a sin-
               maar uit het feit, dat zij dit -Art. niet aanhalen +l rule, thus a rule that as obeyed would involve the
   .           en we1 AM; 85 (84 in the revised, Church Order),        churches in sin. That these accusing statements of
               dat niet over het gezag der Synodeshandelt,  blijkt ,mine are true, I shall npw show.
               wel,' dat zij meer  geneigd   zijn, dat  gezag  met        The performance of this task requires of us that
              -,sp?tsvbndige   redeneeringen  te ondermijnen dan we ascertain first, of all the meaning of Art. 84, "No
               bet te erkennen." Kerkscheuringpp.   2 2 ,   2 3 .      Church shall in any way lord it over @her churches,
        Translation :                                                  no Minister over other Ministers, no Elder or Deacon
                 This reasoning (of the aggrieved) is best re-         over other Elders or Deacons." This article very
               futed by a siniple appeal to Art. 36 of the Church actually declares: 1) That no church shall lord it over
               Order'. `The  Classis has the same jurisdiction other churches; 2) that .also 800 churches assemb@d
               over the Gonsistory as the Particular Synod has         in Synod shall refrain ,from `lording it over the one
               over the C1assi.s and the General  Synod over the       church. The latter (arid this is what the doctor de-
               Particular. Here it is plainly  stated  that the        nies) is truly implied in the former.
                                                                                             0                         ,_
               major assemblies have jurisdiction, authority,             Proof.:
               over the minor. If the one church appropriates             a> `The way the article reads : No cizurch shall lord
               such authority over the other, then that is `lord-      it over other churches, whicl; `logically is equivalent to
               ing it over'; but if the churches assemble in major saying that all the .churches shall refrain from this
               assemblies, this power becomes legally theirs.  _ So action. (The mandate : "No inan shall kill," is eauiva-
               it is stated in the Church `Order, and herewith is lent certainly to the mandate : "All men shall not kili".)
               refuted -that iYholk argument of `eight-hundred Further, if  the article read, "All the churches  serpar-   '
               times zero remairis  .zero.                             ately, e&h by itself, shall refrgin from lording it over

                                                                                     -

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

one or more churches," the  imilied mandate indeed heerschappij voeren" does not alter matters in the
 would.  pe, "In association with one another, as as- least.
 sembled in Classis (Synod), the Churches shall lord it           The doctor then denies that Art. 84 also requires
 over one or  more'churches." Hence, without the  ex-         that synod, too, refrain from lording it over the one
 &essibn "separately, e&h by itself", the implied man-        church.    And the doctor of course makes. matters
 date is, must be, "All the churches in association with worse for himself by denying this on the ground of Art.
 one- another, that is, as ,assembied in Classis (Synod),     36. This is bad indeed. For to deny on the ground of
 shall refrain.from lording it over one or more church- Art; 36 that Art. 84 acttially implies such a'mandate
 es". I'write, "`in`association with one gnother, that is,    one must rid Art. 36 of the verb "jurisdiction", `!zeg-
 as  assetibled  in  Classis (Synod)  ".  $0  ,everyone  will genschap",  and thus make th.e article read, "?ihe Classjs -
 write, who; as interpreter'of  the Church Order, allows ,has the  game lordship-mark you, lordship-over the
 himself to be bound by the God-created laws of expo-         Consistory as the Particular Synod has over the  Classis .
 sition, exegesis. For the only.association  or organiza- and the `General Synod over the particular." To deal
 tion. of churches the Church- Order knows is that of         with this article in this fashion is to corrupt it beyond
 Classis     &mod).                                           recognition. What is more, as so corrupted, the article
   bj The very action  that  the article forbids is con- lays upon the major assemblies a necessity under which
 elusive proof.       No church  shall  10% it over  other    they  may.not  be. In quoting Art. 36, the doctor  re-
 ihL&h&.  Wherein -this action consists is a question tained the term  "zeggenschap'?,  "jurisdiction". He
 that  cad wait. What is important for our  argumen$          could do this because to inake it possible for himself
 just now is the action as such, its kiild or catkgory,       to quote Art. 36 against Art. 84, he made Art. 84 read
 iykiich is always sinful. Eating and drinking is a good      in hii. exposition, "Geen kerk` zal over and,ere  Kerkeh
 or bad work depending on the motive. But  so it is           eeggetiskhap hebben" (no church shall have any juris-
 not with lord&g it over the church. Here we have to          diction over other churches) instead of  .reproducing
 do with a work that like stealing and murder is always       the article as it actually reads, "Geen kerk ,zal o+er
 sinful. No_ofie  can lord it over the church under the andere kerken (eenige heerschappij voeren." (No church
 impvise  of love and to the glory of God. Lording it         shall in any way lord it ozler. other churches). Sp the
 o;er the flock of God can be a work of darkness only.        doctor deals with this article in his exposition of it,
 The apostle ther,efore  exhorts the elders to feed the       definitely in the following paragraph (already quoted
 flock of God . . . ."neither as being lords over God's and translated), "Dit is juist, maar men moet de rede-
 heritage. . .  ."                                            neerihg  van de bezwaarden keninen. Die is aldus : wan-
                                                              neer de eene kerk over de  andere  niets. te zeggen
 ,. What of necessity follows from this? That Art.            heeft, dati hebben oak` achthonderd kerken, in Synode
 84 must contain by implication the mandate to the            vergaderd, over  &n kerk niets te zeggen. . . .  geze
 effect that the churches assembled jn Synod also re-         redensering  wordt het best  weerlegd  door. een  een-
 frain from lo+ing it over the one church. This cer-          voudig beroep of Art. 36 der K. 0.: ` `t Zelfde zeggen
 tainly. must follow. For lording it over the churches heeft de Classe over' den Kerkeraad. . . ."
 can- only be an evil work. Synod should have to refrain
 from this a'ction, therefore, were it formed of the pro-'       In this paragraph-the doctor reproduces the argu-
 phets and apostles returned from the grave. For the ment of the aggrieved. He at least makes it appear
 action can be sinful only. `To aver therefore that one       that he speaks their language. Whether they express
 church may not lord it over other churches but that themselves in just these words is a question. It makes
 n.evertheless  an organization of churches may- engage very little differerice. The doctor knew what the ag-
 in this action is as foolish and wrong as to say that grieved mean when they use that language. Wha.t  they
 though individuals may not steal,. in ,that stealing is mean is of course "`heer&happij  voeren". How would.
 sin, an organization of individuals. may commit this the argultient of the doctor have looked in print and
 crime. I repeat, it is a grave mistake to deny that the have impressed the "gemeenteleden, had he written as
 implied mandate of Art. 84 is that churches assembled        he should have iri order to do justice to the aggrieved
 in synod also refrain from  larding  it over the one         and truly enlighten "gemeenteleden.``-"Dit is  ju.ist,
 church or over churches. Yet this precisely is what maar men moet de redeneering van de bezwaarden  ken- _
 Dr. Ridderbos denies. iHe says, does he not, that "Art. nen.  Die. is aldus : Wanneer de eene kerk -over de
 84 does not deal with the authority of synods and fur-       andere kerk gtien heerschappij mag voeren, dan mogen.
 ther th& "herewith is refuted that whole.argument ,of ook aehthonderd kerken,  in- Synode vergaderd, over
 ,eightihundred times zero remaining zero". That in his &%I kerk geen .h&erschappij  voer,en. Want achthbnderd
 simple. exposition of Art. 84 for the enlightenment of       maal nul blijft nul.
 the  ."gemeenteleden" he forsakes the terminology of            Deze redeneering wordt het .best weerlegd door een
 this article by speaking of  "zeggenschap" instead of        eenvoudig beroep op Art. 36 der K. 0.: ` `t Zelfde zeg-


                                    T-HE           STA.NDARD                    `B.EkRER                                301;

  gen h&eft de Classe over de Kerkeraad. . . ." Had the argument that 800 X as orgunixecl  remains 0, that is
  doctor employed this language, many of the "gemee?=te-       that 800 churches as  organixecl  into  szjnod  may  not
  leden"  across the sea, might still be wondering h?w         depose office bearers.       But has  the doctor at this
  Art.. 36 can be quoted in, refutation of that argument       juncture of his argument actually succeeded in prov-
  of the aggrieved. For this Art. 36 speaks of kegyen-         ing this? H-e has not. He really got no further than
  &zap, while the grievance of the aggrieved `concen- to quote. Art. 36 to.disprove that the, implied mandate
  trates on  "Heerschappij  voer,en".  Now certainly  tile     of Art. 84 is that Synod refr&in from lording it over
  xeggensclzup  of Art. 36 is one and the heerschappij of the churches. And this means, of course, that thus fttr
Art., 84. another, And therefore Art. 36 cannot, be he has gotten noghere. For certainly it cannot be that
  quoted to disprove the implied mandate of Art. 84.           Art. 36 should militate against sd-~. an action.. `!`r'u!y,
  And that is pr,ecisely  what the doctor does. He identi-     the doctor thus far has achieved nothing, except to
 .fies the weggenschap of Art. 36 and the Izee~seh~~~~~j       make Art. 36 of the Church Order declare that Classis
  z)oe%en of art. 84, in order to make it possible for him-    (Synod) has the lordship over the local churches and.
  self to disprove the implied mandate of Art. 84 with         to make Art. 76 require  sf a church with an  -elder
  wrt. 36.. But of course he disproves nothing with.Art.       that must be deposed to allow itself to be lorded  over
  36. But this is what he does actually, nal,nely,  pit Art. by the `neighboring church.
  ~6 against Art. 84. /He thus, as was said, throws the            The real questions the doctor  has not touched.
  Church  Order in conflict with itself and thereby he         The& questions are: 1) Just what does Art. 84 mean
  destrbys  i t .                                              by that forbidden action : lording it over the churches?
     Attend now to this statement of the doctor (quoted        2) Just what is the character of that "jurisdiction",
  and translated above), "Als de eene kerk zich zulk een       that, according to Art. 36 the Classis (Synod) has over
  zeggenschap over de andere wil toegigenen,  dan is dat the Consistory? It should be  ackno-wledged  certainly
  `heerschappij vokren' ;.maar  als de kerken in meerdere that the terms "heerschappij  voer,en" and  "zeggen-
  vergadering samenkomen,  komt ha&r dat gezag, wettig         schap" as used by the Church `Order refer to two dif-
  toe." Is this true what the doctor here writes? It is ferent actions, the one good and the other bad. These
  8s untrue as it can be. Also this  reasonirig is thor- two- terms must bk kept apart and studied first by
  oughly spurious. For, mark you, the "zeggenschap" thetiselves  and then in-their context. And the context .                        =
  of .which the doctor here sp.eaks is the "zeggenschap" is first- of all the articles in which these two terms
  of Art. 36, and ,therefore  advisory as to its character     appear; and  s'econdly, the  .whole Church  OTder.  And
  -advisory and not mandatory. ,Hence, it is the xeggen-       in this study. the doctor, too, must allow.himself to be
  dap that all the churches have o&r one another and bound by the God-created iaws of exposition, exegesis,
  thus the one church over the other. The proof of this        and not by a determination to prove the thing straight
  is Art. 79, which states that the eld,ers and deacons,       whether it be crooked or straight. `Then the effort will
  who have committed a gross sin, shall immediately            bear-good fruit; `and that fruit certainly will be the
  by preceding sentence of the consistory thereof and of       discovery that "heerschappij voeren" over the churches
  the `nearest church, be. suspended or expelled from by Synod is an evil work that consists in the deposition
  offioe, mark you, by preceding sentence of the nearest       of officebearers by the major assemblies; and that the
  church. When this is done the nearest church exer-           tern5  "zeggenschap" as a `sentence-element of Art. 36 -
  cises the "zeggenschap" of Art. 36 with respect to the       of the Church ,Ord~er is the signification of a power that.
  advice-seeking church, whose elder must be deposed.          as to its character is advisory and' not certainly man-
  According to *the reasoning of the doctor, that action       datory. By such `a study and the fruit thereof the
  of the nearest churdz with respect to the advice-seeking . `Lgeljneenteleden"  would be truly enlightened. It has
  church is "heerschappij voeren";  Bnt, of course, it been and is simply being taken for granted'that  the                     -
  isn't. Here again the ddctor makes the Church (Order         "zegg@!nschap" of Art. 36 (of  the  Chbrch  ,Order)  is
teach, now in Art. 79, that the one church, if there is        mandatory as to its character. Dr. Ridd&rbos  simply
  need, shall _lord it over another. Yet he closes that        takes this for'granted; as appears from the passages
  paragraph with the  remark, "Zoo staat het in de             that I quoted from his "Kerkscheuring". This is a
  Kerkenordening. . . ." Of course, nothing is further mistake. The Churbh ,Order, too, must `be interpreted-
  from the truth. No teaching of that characte?  is' found     in the light of the $hurch Order in strict obedience
  in the whole Church Order. And ther.efore,  it is also       to the laws` of expos'ition.' Then only will .ofie's i&e&'
  as untrue as can..be that ,"daarmede  is heel' die rede-     ppetation of the Chur`cIz ~Oid&r  be worthy of `the n&n&
                                                                                                       _. .
 neering  van `Achthonderd inaal nul blijff nul "weer-         iizte'rpretati&n.          .. .
 leg?`. If X.is 0, how cari anyone disprove ihat 800 X             In a `following $&cle we Will exainitie. what rem&is
 remains O? If X ,is 0, this is as real and true as that       of`the  doctor'seff&t.to   prove  with the Cliurch Order
 the' earth exists. What the doctor meant  to. say, I          that  Classis (Synod)  riglitfulljr  deposes dfficebear&s.
                                                                 ," . . .
 suppose, is this: And herewith is refuted that whole                                _                     G.  M. 0.


              302                                 T         H           E                    STANDARD  BEAR-ER

                                                                             "All that the Lord saith, we will do," is not revealed.
              . .  TJIEDAYOFSIKADOWS.                                        It is likely that they kept silence ; for they were still
                                                                             impenitent. Yet Samuel wrote his words  in a book,
                                                                             which he laid up before the Lord: This doing of the
                                                                             prophet had terrible significanc& it indicated that the
                          TheVi&oryOverNaha&
                                      .                                      Lord  wou!d  mark the transgression of  IHis law by
                                                                             people and king, and.avenge Himself upon Hi.s adver-
                 Saul having been publicly chosen by the lot, Samuel,        saries.
              so the sacred writer continues, "told the people the                   Then "Samuel sent all the people away, every man
        .man,ner  of tlze kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and               to his- house." Saul also went home to Gibeah; and
              laid it up before the Lord",. (I Sam: 10  :?4). What there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God
              Samuel told the people is not revealed. The notice had touched. ' But the children of Belial said, How shall
<             therefore raises a question in connection with the this man save us? And they despised him, and brought
        : divine. command to Samuel (chap. 8 :9) to the effect him no presents." The behaviour  of these children of
              that he witness against the people on account of their         Belial easily can be explained. What they wanted is
      _ r"equest that a king be set over them-witness against                a human king to substitute for Jehovah, a man whom
        them by showing "the manner of the king that shall they could make their expectation in the room of God.
      _~ ,,reign over them", manner of the king., that is, as was            In a word, what they wanted is an idol. Saul would
        ' explained, what would be his customary way qf acting,              not do, so they concluded, for the man lacked, cdurage,
              normal- behaviour,  what he would do as king in the            as his hiding himself among the baggage had indicated.
        : throne: `This  ki6g according  to the witness  qf the              How could such a one. deliver them out of the hand.
              seer, would usurp the Lord's place in the Israelitish of their oppressors ? He had not-in him the makings
              commonwealth and  enslave  God's people.            Is this    of a king. He was a coward, that's what he was.
        "manner of the king" of Samuel's witness the "manner                 `<Hdw shall this man save us?" they mockingly asked.
              of the'kingdqm" that the prophet wrote in a book and            For they worshipped not the Lord but Oman, courage
              laid up before the Lord on the occasion of Saul's public       in man,  as forgetful that courage is of the Lord.
. . election? Doubtless the- two are mutually exclusive.                     And therefore they could have no patience- with human
        What favors this view is the difference between the weakness. For they wanted to trust in the arm of
              form of the words of the two expressiqns "manner of            flesh, and therefore they wanted so mu&to trust in
              the king," and manner of the  Zcingdom." Then, too, 33aul. But he had made this impossible for them. He,
              why shbuld Samuel once more have addressed to, the             had hid himself ambng the stuff. And they'were sorely,
              people a word calculated to dissuade them from want-           disappointed and gave him no ~gifts. Away with ~the
              ing to be ruled by a- human king, seeing that they had         man.
              gotten their way `so that the king how stood before                    But there were others who -were differently di&
              them. It is a safe conjecture, therefore, that-the "man- posed, men whose heart tlie Lord had touched, repre-
        ner of the kingdom" was the norm of the royal govern-                 sentative, it is certin, of the true Israel, and thus men
              ment accordirig  to which l;he king, as the vicar of the       who put their trust in. the Lord, and who ther.efore
        _ Lord,  had to order his life, would he enjoy the favor were confident that the Lord would bring deliverance
              of Heaven and not come to grief. Approximately fotz-            through Saul, whom. they regarded as God's gift to
              hundred years ago such a norm had been communicated iHis people. And so they went with him to his home, as
              in writing to the. nation. It is contained `in the book        believing that through him the Lord  w`ould deliver
              of Deuteronomy (chap. 17 j . If  the  above  conj+cture         His people.
s                                                                            .'
              is correct, and doubtless it is, then it was this norm-         Saul heard  th_e mockery of the children of Beliel.
              that formed the basis of the prophet's address to the           But he was as though he had been deaf, SO the text
              people on the occasion  pf Saul's public election.  rf          reads in the original. Such were Saul's reactions to
              this conjecture is correct then the substance of what           the `taunts of those wicked men not becanse he was
              Samuel told the peop1.e is that the law of Jehovah mL;st        endowed with that wisdom of which the fear of the
              be with the king, and that therein he must read all             Lord is the beginning but rather because he had not
              the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord        the will to reply.' For he was afraid and  cdnfused.
              his God, to keep all the words of His law to do them. IHad he nqt hid himself among the stuff? So he was
              Deut. 17 :i9. Fearing God, the king would prolong his           glad that he could return to his home. For-he wanted
         : days in his kingdom, he and!~his children in the midst to be away from-the crowd.
              of Israel. But ,God would' smite lboth king and pecple               :  1 It was` about this time  .that   Nah&h, king of the
       with the rod of lHis anger, should they llot  -f,ear  Him Ammonites, marched against Israel, and lay seige to,
         `to keep His law. fn this vein Samuel must have ad- JabeshlGilead, situated in Northern Gilead,  and be-
              dressed the people. Whether they responded With, longing to the half-tribe of Manasseh east of the
`                    ;                                      .-
        .j                                             0


                                    THE  S T A N D A R D -   B E A R E R                                                     303

 Jordan'. Accordin& to' the text at 12 :l&, it was this       prepare for the battle that was pending. On the mor-
 incursion of the Ammo.nites  that had caused the people row Saul with the three companies into which he had
 of Israel to demand that a king be set over them.            put his people, suddenly fell upon *the unsuspecting
 They now had `their-king ; but he had returned to his        and disorganized Ammonitish host. The enemy was
 home after'his public election and was taking no action. slain. They were scattered that badly that two of them
 For he had not the courage, as the.,Lord  Bs yet had not were not left together.
 raised him up.                                                  The people of Israel were elated. Saul, to their
     The inhabitants .of J&be& tried to come to terms         mind had proved his mettle, and they hailed him no+
 with Nahash. They said to him, ",Make a -covenant as a mighty man of @lour. They ended with their vic-
 with us and we will serve thee." Nahash was willing tory in their king and thus failed to give God the glory.
 on the condition that they alloti him to thrust out all That they were men thus disposed is evident from their
 .&heir right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all        reactions. They said to Samuel, "Who is he that said,
 Israel. Let us fathom the wickedness of this proposal        Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we gay
 Nahash felt certain that the people were afraid to come put them to death.`.' They were that excited, now that
to the relief of their brethren in Gilead and that there-     it appeared that Saul was just the- kind of man that
 fore the whole nation was at his mercy. Because he           they all along had desired. What they were willingly
 wanted this admitted. and .proved,  he would .make  -a ignorant of is that the Lord had raised up Saul. Had
 covenant with the Jabeshites on -condition that they he not hid himself among the stuff? How then were
 allow him to thrust out their right eye. That would          they to account for this sudden surge of courage in the
 be to the world the tangible evidence that the whole         man, being, as they were unmindful of the Yact that
 nation was in his hand, body and soul. This explains         the Spirit of the Lord had come upon him. Saul had
 his allowing the Jabeihites  seven days respite, that the practical wisdom to resist those wicked men. He
 they might send messengers unto  the coasts of all           said. to them, "There shall not a man be put to death
 Israel, appealing for help to their. brethren.. If the       this day: for today the Lord hath wrought salvation
 nation failed to respond, there would be nothing left        in Israel." `That was a beautiful confession. And it
 for Xhe Jabeshites to do but' to allow Nahash to lay was made by an unbeliever, for that is what Saul was
 upon them. that mark of ignominy. `.                         despite his declaring that the victory had been the
     When the men of Gibeah-Saul received the tidings,        Lord's.
 they were sore distressed for their brethren's sake.                                                            G. M. 0.
 For there was a, special attachment between t&em and                     ,      -
 the Jabeshites. The latter had not taken part in the
 war of the ten tribes against Benjamin-a war that
 had resulted in the near-extermination of the brother                                                      -
 tribe. Coming in from the field, Saul inquired after
 the cause of the people's weeping, and was told. the
 tidings of the me nof Jabesli. And his anger kindled                    SI[ON'-s  ZANGEN
 greatly, for the Spirit of the Lord  cam&  .upon him.
 Taking a yoke of oxen, he cut them in Ijieces, and dis-
 tributed the` parts among the tribes by the hands of            Een Niet&v Lied Den Heere! - ,'
 messengers, who explained the action as meaning that
  "whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and Satiuel,                                 .(F%ahn 96 ; Slot)
 so shall it ;be done `to his oxen." The measure that            D,e laatste maal dat we stilstonden  bij dezen psalm,
  Saul adopted on`this octiasion  to arouse the nation to     zagen we hoe de zanger ons opwekte OF den Heere te
, action was indicative of the rashness that characterized aanbidclen. En we moeten zulks doen in de heerlijk-
 the `man throughotit  his reiin. `That the threat took       heid des heiligdoms. Qok hebben we gezien hoe die
  effect was dlrr? to one thing: the fear of the Lord fell    heerlijkheid  eigenlijk het aangezicht Gods' is in den
 upon the people (11:7). And the result wasrthat they 1 Heere Jezus Christus.
  canYe out with one consent. The king numbered them ;
  and the children' of  Is&&l  3OOjOO0, and the  tieh of         Nu hooren we hoe we opgewekt worden om de bood-
  Judah 30,000. The men of Jabesh were told that help         schap die `we van God gehoord en geleerd  -hebben,
 would be forthcoming:Theycould now reply to Nahash, moeten uitdragen onder de heidenen.
 which they did in these words,  "Toniorrow  we will             Het hart `van die bood&.ap is, dat de Heere re-
                                                              geert        !-
  come out unto you, and ye shall do with us. all that
  seemeth  good unto you." The language employed was -           0 ja, ik weet het, hde mijn dwaalziek hart deze
  calculated to-deceive the @fig; to throw him off guard. boodschap  haast niet gelooven k&n. H&t lijkt ioo-ge-
 And so- it did. And the resdlt,  was that he failed' to heel anders in onze wereld: De arme wordt verguisd ;


 304                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEA-RER

      de weduwe klaagt, en de wees wascht zich .in zijn. tra-        with it ! Dat wil zeggen in `t Hollandsch : die man doet
nen. De hoogmoed zit op het gestoelte en de ongerech-                kwaad, en het gelukt hem ! ,Hij ontkomt zonder straf.
tigheid verheft zich op de straten. De tong der godde-               Nu moet ge we1 verstaan, geliefde lezer, dat dit niet
      loozen tast zelfs den hemel aan. Daar komt bij, dat we waar is. Elk kwaad, dat een mensch doet brengt de
      sl.echts een zeer klein gedeelte van des wereld's daden        straf gedeeltelijk nu al met zich. Niemand `kan kwaad
zien en beoordeelen  kunnen..   ,Verreweg  het grootste              doen en vrede hebben. God laat zich niet onbetuigd.
      gedeelte van het- leven der menschheid is verborgen `Als we zingen: Wat vree heeft elk die Uwe Iwet  be-
      voor ons. En oordeelende naar hetgene we zien en mint ; zij zullen aan geen hinderpaal -zich stooten ! dan
      weten,  dan is er  een groot gedoe van onrecht in de           zingt ge eigenlijl<  ook dit : wat onvrede heeft elk die op
: wereld.                                 -                          het pad. der boozen wandelt en ,Gods wet verbreekt.
        Hoe moet ik dan verstaan, dat de ;Heere  no&tans             0 ja, God regekt! ook nu en alle dagen.
 regeert ?                                                           Bedenk daar ook dit bij, dat vanwege Gods al-  I
 1       &Iet antwoord kan niet moeilijk zijn, als ge  ,God          machtigc, `alomtegenwoordige kracht Hij geduriglijk
 kent .die waarlijk God is. Als ge Hem kent, zooals Hij              alle dingen doet gebeuren zooals ze gebeuren, en ik
Zich in`Zijn Woord openbaarde, dan hebt ge geleerd,                  denk, dat ge mij toestemt, dat het heel duidelijk is voor
      dat alles wat geschiedt niets anders is dan de ontrolling      een iegelijk mensch die God kent, dat God altijd re-
 van Zijn eeuwigen Raad. Er is nooit  Ben druppel                    geerde en nog regeert en eeuwiglijk regeeren zal.
 bloe$ vergoten,  niet  e&i traan gestort, niet  een slag             We1 zegt dat onder de heidenen!
 gegeven tot kromming der ruggen,-  of het was vanwege                  De zanger roept de kerk van alle eeuwen op om
 bet vreeselijke feit, dat-God regeerd. Let slechts op               zulks te zingen en aldus zingende door de wereld heen
 twee teksten:  ~eerst,  de tekst waar David zegt van                te wandelen. Een schoon getuigenis Gods. Eigenlijk
 SimeY's  vloeken : "Ja, laat hij vloeken,;  want de Heere' is ons gansche leven dit, om Gode getuigenis te geven.
 tech heeft tot hem gezegd : Vloek-David  ; wie, zoude dan           God zal gerechtvaardigd worden.  Dat doende sluiten
 zeggen :       Waarom hebt .gij alzoo gedaan  ?" II Sam.            we ons bij den regeerenden God aan, die alle dagen
      16 :lO. ,Ge verstaat natuurlijk<  dat de Heere niet letter-    spreekt;  ook in-de harten der boosdoeners.
 lijk; hoorbaar, of zelfs, onhoorbaar, tot Sime'i zeide:                Ook zal de wereld bevestigd  worden,  zij'. zal niet
 Vloek David!  &Iaar David ziet in dit vloeken van                   bewogen  worden; Hij zal de volken  richten  in  alle
      Simei" de richtende hand des Heeren. David wist,               rechtmatigheid !
 dat God er achter zat. En dat, hoewel Simei: aansprake-                Nn `moet' ge- we1 verstaan, dat het hier nog over
 lijk en verantwoordelijk is voor zijn zonde, God die                dezelfde gedachte gaat als we boven verklaarden. Het
 zonde van Sime'i gebruikt om David te tuchtigen.. -Dus              gaat hier niet `over de  .physische   `vastheid  en  onbe-
het vloeken van Simei', zooals alle dingen, is de open-              wogenheid der aarde. .Dat; leeren sommigen-`die  zich
baring van de regeerende hand Gods. Tweedens, en- opmaakten om dezen tekst te verklaren. Eerst deden
 dan raken we het hart van alle historie en van alle ze zooals wij, en verklaarden, dat God  tech altijd
 wereldgebeuren, hebben we de grootste zonde die er                  werkelijk regeerde, ook dan als het anders scheen. En
 ooit geschiedde: het kruisigen van Jezus! Daarvan                   dan beginnen ze. te spreken' over Gods hand die de
 zegt de Heilige Geest in Hand. 4 :2'7 en 28. Die verzen werelden  in balans houdt.
 moest ieder Christen van buiten leeren.              Er  staat:        Bewijs, dat het-hier ook over den richtenden ,God
 "Want  ,in waarheid zijn vergaderd tegen Uw  heilig. gaat, vindt .ge in Psalm 82 :5. Daar hebt ge dezelfde
 Kind Jezus, welken Gij gezalfd hebt, beide Herodes  en beeldspraak. Daar gaat het over den wandel der god-
Pontius Pilatus, met de heidenen en de volken Israels,               deloozen in duisternis. En dan klaagt de zanger, dat
 om te doen al wat Uwe hand en Uw raad te voren be-                  door' dien wandel duisternissen "alle fundamenten der
 paald had dat geschieden zoude!" En ik weet, dat ge aarde wankelen".' Eigenaardig~is, -dat in den geheelen
 het mij toestemt als ik zeg, dat we hier te doen hebben             psalm `bezongen wordt hoe de menschelijke  richters
 met het .hoogste  richten wat ge U maar denken kunt.                der aarde,  hoewel geroepen om  recht te  doen,  tech
      God was daar Zijn Zoon  aan `t  richten. D.w.z., Zijn          "onrecht oordeelen" en "het aangezicht der goddeloozen
 Zoon, beladen met alle schuld van Gods uitverkcrren                 aannemen". Welnu, dat doet God `niet. En -daarom,
 volk. En het was de hand Gods en de raad Gods die                   omdat  God.  we1 degelijk regeert en rechtvaardiglijk
 geregeerd  hebben daar bij die heuvel Golgotha, even                richt, daarom wordt de.wereld  bevestigd en zal zij niet
                                                                                                                       ^ .
 buiten Jeruzalem.                                                   bewogenworden.
         Ja, waarlijk, de Heere.regeert  !                            En zoo`kunnen  we zingen op het schavot en jubelen
         Daar. komt nog .eBn ding bij. En da&is dit : de re- als we vertrapt worden. God is nog nooit van -Zijn
 geering Gods over alle dingen komt ook hierin uit, dat vreeselijken witten  troon afgestapt: Hij oordeelt alle
 alle kwaad dat geschiedt, orimiddelijk bezdcht wordt.               dagen.        -  -                                    I  i,r
      Nog we1 niet ten finale, maar tech in beginsel; Er is           -' Slechts dit :moet ge altijd -onthouden  : ge moet nog
een'spreekword  in % Engelsch, dat zegt : IEIe gets away             wat  wachte`n  en  .dan  zult  ge-  &en,.-dat God  altijd in


                                       T H E   S T A - N D A R D   BEA,;RER                                                         :3i)5

   rechtmatigheid geoordeeld heeft. Het was -Zijn oor-               kende vroolijkheid en .blijdschap te zijn in de dingen
   d.eel en Zijn  richten over de goddeloozen, dat zij U             die ons omringen. Ik hoorde  het zelfs in het loeien van
   moesten verslinden en 266 de maat volmaken die hen                de stormen en die stem van vele wateren  toen we in
   straks zal weg doen zinken in het eeuwige verderf.                een Atlantischen storm op en neer geworpen werden.
   Wacht dan, verlaat U op denHeer !                                     Ik de&, dat God zich vreugde en blijdschap bereidt
   - Nu zullen we het ook eenigzins verstaan hoe de                  uit wat wij de stomme en bruteschepping noemen, op
   zanger ons opwekt om blijde te zijn.                              .welke  wijze dan ook..  >.-_
      .Eigenlijk staat dat er niet.                                     Er is een lied der schepping!
      Er staat dit : "Dat de hemelen zich verblijden en de             En het houdt zelfs verband  met Jezus van Nazareth !
   aarde zich `verheuge, dat de zee bruise met hare vol-                 Want elders worden  de dingen opgewekt te zingen,
   heid !"                                                  `L_      "omdat. Zijn goedertierenheid tot in der eeuwigheid
      We hebben hier  te  doen met een zeer diepe  ge- is !"
   dachte, en ik denk niet, dat we hier aan deze zijde van               En dezelfde gedachte wordt verder in dezen'psalm .
   dood en graf de volle beteekenis ervan zullen vatten.             verzwaard, waar we lezen : "Dat het veld huppele van
   Of -kunt ge het mij vertellen,.  hose -de hemelen en de           vreugde met al wat er in is, dat dan alle de boomen
   aarde en de zee zich zullen verblijden, verheugen en              des wouds juichen voor het aangezicht des Heeren,
   bruisen van vroolijkheid?           . .                           want !Hij komt. . . ."                       ..:  _-
      Misschien bedoelt de Heilige Geest met. hemel, de                  Met al wat er in het veld is; dat zijn de boomen
   engelenen  de volmaakt rechtvaardigen; met de aarde,              en planten en het groene gras, .de dieren en alles wat ~
 1 Zijn volk, dat nog in den strijd is, terwijl de zee de-           er wriemelt. Dat ze  allen opspringen van vreugde
   zelfde gedachte geeft als de aarde, dat ze, namelijk,             in God. 0, het is het vooruitgrijpen naar de nieuwen
   staat voor de, bewuste schepselen die op hare baren               hemel en de nieuwe aarde, waarin pure gerechtigheid
   varen.     Ik zeg, misschien. De meeste commentaren wonen zal.
_ gaan die kant uit. Ook denk ik, dat die gedachte na-                   En dat zal alles geschieden voor Zijn aangezicht.                   .
   tuurlijk niet buitengesloten is. En tech voelt het mij                Gods aangezicht is ten finale Jezus Christus, de
   aan, dat er hier meer inzit. Let er op, dat vers 12 van           Heere. Want bet aangezicht is de openbaring Gods.
   de boomen spreekt die juichen.                                    En de Heere heeft Zich nooit schooner' en heerlijker
      Ik denk dat, omdat ik zooveel malen dezelfde idee in           geopenbaard, dan in Zijn Zoon Jezus Christus, onzen
 _ Gods Woord ontmoet. En onder de plaatsen, waar                    Heere en Verlosser.                                               .-
                                                                                                             *
   Gods Woord de anorganische dingen toespreekt, alsof                   Want Hij komt. . . .
   ze bewustheid hebben, denk ik vooral aan Prediker                     0 ja, Hij komt. Alle  dingen beginnen  meer  `.+y.
   1:5-8. Daar wordt zelfs gezegd door den Heiligen                  meer daar van te getuigen. Hij is gekomen in, den
   Geest, dat die dingen (de zon, de wind, de beken en de            beginne, en door alle eeuwen heen is dat komen duide-
  .zee) "~66 moede worden,  dat niemand het zoude kunnen' lijker  ' geworden. Hij kwam eindelijk in Jezus van
   uitspreken", vers 8.                                              Nazareth. En even later op den Pinksterdag in den
      In die plaats hebt ge juist het tegenovergestelde              Geest van den verheerlijkten Christus. -- -
_ van wat ge hier hebt in Psalm 96.            ,,.:A . .
                                              Daar zljn de dingen        Maar hier gaat het over:  Zijn komst aan het einde
   der ijdelheid onderworpen, en daarom worden  ze zeer              der eeuwen.
   moede. Ze komen maar niet uit die eentoonige rond-                    En dan zal Hij openbaren, dat  iHij  allen tijd  ge-
   gang ! Doch hier worden  de dingen opgewekt om blijde regeerd heeft .in recht en gerechtigheid. Dan zullen
   te zijn, want <God regeert !                                      alle volken der aarde weenen en rouw bedrijven. Ze
      Denkt nu ook eens aan die wonderen  tekst in Ro- zullen Hem zien Wien ze doorstoken hebben.
   meinen 8 :19. Daar zien we het stomme schepsel,  met                  En Zijn volk zal met de geheele nieuwe aarde.en
   opgestoken hoofde, verwachtende de openbaring der nieuwen hemel huppelen van zielsverrukking. "Daar
   kinderen  Gods !                                                  zij hun wensch verkrijgen !"
      En herinnert U hoe vaak God niet de. aarde en de                  Want  !Hij zal openbaren Zijn gericht in waarheid.
  `hemelen opriep om- getuigen te zijnbij dep twist met              Met Zijne waarheid ial Hij. de-volken richten.
   Zijn volk.                                                           Ziet ;ge, dat. geschiedde onder de menschen bijna
      Ik kan er niet veel vanzeggen: Dit slechts : als ik` nooit. Als het al geschiedde, was het door Zijn volk
   de aarde  -zie in  schoonen  tooi van groen en  pracht-           in wiens midden Hij woonde door het Woord Zijner
   kleuren, als ik de hemelen zie in. diepen nacht met al            waarheid en door den  XGeest, de `getrouwe  G,etuige.
   dat geflonker van duizenden en duizenden sterren, dan Doch slechts in beginsel.                                           `4 `p:
   is het alsof ik ze allen hoor juichen vanwege God, de                -Maar dan zal Hij alles en. allen richten  met Zijne
   Heere, dat groote en vreeselijke-Wezen,  die de eeuwig-           w a a r h e i d .                                       .?,
   heid bewoont en Zijn stoel op starren sticht. JHet mag               Het zal'een heerlijke dag zijn. Een dag waar alle
   onwillekeurig  en onbewust zijn, er schijnt een onge-             eeuwen om r&penren  geroepen hebben. Het bleed van


 3 0 6                               :THE  S-TAND'ARD  ~BEARER

den rechtvaardigen Abel ligt daar nag, en daarna heb-        27 million members. The theme of the Conference
ben de stroomen van onschuldig bloed gevloeid. Het. was : "The Church and Economic Life".
alles wacht op dien dag.                                          Flattering themselves with the honor so generously
   .Dan zal ook het dierbaar bloed van Jezus gewroken        bestowed upon them, and they themselves also eager
worden.                                                      to find a way out of the present  :confusion, the
   En zal de oogst van dat beter bloed binnengehaald         Churches have begun as never before to develop some
worden  in een volk dat zal woonen in een nieuw-land kind of Sociology which will meet the demands of the
en nieuwe stad, om tot in alle eeuwigheid een nieuw hour. Misquoting the passage-in Esther, many clergy-
lied den Heere te zingen.                                    men are eager to come to the kingdom "for such a time
  Het zijn de-hallels der verlosten tot eeuwigen prijs       as this'! and prepare some scheme for bringing order
`van Hem die op den troon zit en het Lam!                    out of chaos.
                                               G. V.              If. one read the Saturday night paper, at least, in
                                                             our larger cities, and one turns to the church page, one
                                                             sees how energetically many churches accept the chal-
                                                             lenge and offer a "Christian sociology". The adver-
                                          _                  tisements' remind one of Maxwell St.
                              .           .                       There is a clamor today for a type of preaching
             IN  HI$  FEAR.                                  which fixes its attention primarily upon man, upon a
                                                             new world-order, and, if possible, to bring peace and
                                                             prosperity to this world.- Some try it along one way,
           The Gqyl in Social Life                           others try it along another way, ,but all agree on this
                                                             thing, that. the cause of man is the important thing.

   In His fear.                                                                   Time To Speak.
    That excludes no part of life.' We know that God              We have been challenged : -If there is a Christian
is (ONE and we have ONE Lord, therefore the` life of         message it had better be proclaimed now.
the saint must also be ONE in. fearing and serving            It is time to speak.
God, not only here and there, now and then, but every-            The Christian message has been proclaimed as long
where, always.                       ;                       as there has been a true church in this world. The"
    That includes also what we call social life, our life    Bible carries the message and has carried it for all
in the married state, labor,. industry, business, eco- these hundreds and thousands of years, and the church
nomics, politics, etc.                                       which has been in His service has proclaimed this
    We intend to apply this `idea of the fear of God message all along.
to this aspect of life, and thus attempt to bring to the          It is not because there has been no message, that
surface somewhat the Sociology of Scripture.                 men challenge us-today to give a message if we have
                                                             one. . . .no, but the clamor is for some other message,
                `- Social Gospel?                            some, other sociology than that  whiph `Scripture pro-
    Is that what we want?                                    duces.                            "
    By all means, no.                                             But it is time to speak, indeed. Not to speak some
 `There is a clamor today for such a social gospel.          new message, but the old, old message.
    "Foundering civilization" has tried most every-               Today's social gospel?
thing, from the brilliant orations of eloquent states-            It is no longer a gospel.
men and the detonation of the A-bomb; it seems now                It has ceased- to be the Gospel of God, of Christ,
to have turned its eyes to the church, and saying to         of glory, of the Promise.. It has been cheapened into
her, If there is any -Christian message for a foundering a philosophy-about a god, whose world has fallen into
civilization, itrhad better be proclaimed now".              confusion and. ,eagerly  desires, the help of man to re-
    We find the present. situation challenging the clergy store it to normaicy.
with such words, "`Should a clergyman stick to the                We  .reject today's  .social gospel- as a figment of
 Psalms and keep his nose out of such mundane things man's imagination, calculated only to deceive the Chris-
 as wages and hours. . . .  ?" And- as proof that the tians and to wean them away from Christ and {His
 clergy is revolting against "this theory which limits kingdom to something else.
the ministry to  a. narrow Sunday morning orbit",            I
 a National Conference was recently staged in Pitts-                            We Have ci Message.
 burgh, sponsored.by the Federal Council of Churches,             Although we reject the idea of a social gospel, we
`representing some 25 Protestant Churches and -some by no means' infer that the Gospel has nothing to say


                                     .THE  S T A N D A R D '   B E - A R E R                                                307

about social spheres, as e.g.  wedlack, labor, industry,             content, but they that will be rich fall into tempta-
politics, economics, etc.. It surely has. As child of                `tion, for the love of money is a root of all evil.
God you are part of a social unit, you cannot but be                 Eph. 4:28 . . . .working with his hands the thing
in contact with your unit, and we may not exclude                    which is good, that he may have to give to him
any phase of life from the calling to walk in the fear               that needeth.
of God.                                                              I Tim.  5:8 But if any provide not for his own,
      We. know of no antithesis between nature and grace,           . and specially for those of his own house, he hath
between grace and things mundane. We are in the                      denied the faith and is worse than an infidel.
world and `must live in the world. There is an antithe-
sis between sin and grace, indeed, wherefore our con- CAPITAL AND  LABOR.:.
duct in things mundane must be regulated, not by sin                 Thou shait love thy neighbor as thyself.
and lie,. but by grace and truth. And in order that the              Phil. 2 :4 Look not every man on ,his own things,
lives of the saints might be- regulated by grace and                 but every man also on the things of others.
truth, God has given them in-His Holy revelation an                  Rom. 12 :9 Dearly beloved, avenge not yo&seIves,
expression of His will in re things mundane and our                  but rather give place to wrath, for it is written,
conduct in the midst of them. Therefore. there is a                  vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.
message, a gospel message concerning the things that                 Matt. 5:39 Resist not evil, but whosoever shall
are under the sun.                                                   smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the
      Scripture does not `treat wedlock, economics, poli-            other also.
tics, labor etc., as-various branches under some sort of             James 5 :7 Be patient therefore brethren,b unto' the
social science, but the Scripture does declare and ex-               coming of the Lord.
hort the manner of life which becomes them who are
regenerated.                                                     POLITICS :
      Then it touches..on  all these matters.                        Rom. i2:l Let every soul be subject to the higher
      Let me illustrate this :                                       powers, for there is no power but of AGod.        '
                                                                     Rom. 14 :6, ,`7 For, for this cause pay ye tribute
MARRIAGE :                                                           also, for they are God's ministers, . . . . render
       Rom. 7 :2 For the woman which hath an husband                 therefore to all their dues.
       is bound by the law.to her husband as long as he              Rom. 13 :8 Owe no man anything than to love one-
       liveth.                                                       another.
        Matt. 19:6 What God hath therefore joined to-
        gether let not man put asunder.                                                Observations.
 I      Eph. 5 ;22, 25 Wives submit yourselves unto your            First of all we notice that these exhortations are
        own husbands, as unto the Lord; Husbands, love           addressed, not to the Town ,Council of Colosse, nor-to
        your wives.         .                                    the Mayor' of  Ep$ks~~s,  or the Clerk of the City of
                                                                 Rome, but to the Church, to the beloved in the Lord,
LABOR AND INDUSTRY:                                              the called saints.  -If various present ministers had
        II Thess. 3:iO, 11 For even'when we were with            lived at that time they would very likely have written
        you, this we commanded you, that .if any would to the City Aldermen of Ephesus, to the Board of Eco-
        not work, neither`should he eat.                         nomics at Thessalonica or the.Rotary  Club of Athens
        Eph. 4 :28 Let him that stole, steal no `more but        instead of to the called saints congregated sometimes
        rather let him labour.                                   in houses.
      Coll. 3  :22 and  4  :I Servants, obey in all things          From which, in the second place, it is evident that
        your masters according to the flesh. . . . . masters,    the purpose-of the Gospel is not merely social, nor
        give unto your servants that which is just and           general, nor national, but, spiritual. Scripture is not
        equal, knowing that ye also have a Master in             interested in a mere social science but Scripture ex-
        heaven.                                                  h.orts the redeemed to reveal themselves in this world
                                                                 as the Peculiar .people which they are, to rise up in
        I Pet. 2 :I8 Servants be subject to your masters in this world as the Party of the living God and show
        all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also      themselves as Servants of God, upholding, defending,
        to the froward.                                          `and representing the Cause of the Son of God in the
                                                                 midst of a world which lies in darkness and enmity.
ECONOMICS :                                                         The issue of social and economic .well-being is not
        I Tim. 6':6-i0 Godliness with contentment is great       important, what IS important is that the saints shall
        gain, having food and raiment let us therewith be        live out of regeneration and walk in sanctification, and

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

thus be in the midst of this world representatives of this subject in distinction from the others. We believe,
the Cause of the Son of God.                                   that, first of all, this department should have a sub-
   There IS a social Gospel, but it is so highly spiritual     ject .not treated by the others. This may be a-Bible-
that it isfoolishness to ail but the saints, and so "other- book, or some aspect of the Word of God. ,Secondly,
worldly" that when the saints begin to live according this column should be of an exegetical, an expository
toythe sociology of- Scripture they `appear to the world nature. And lastly; but not least, it should be as much
as fools.                                                      as possible of a popular nature. We repeat: as much
                   (To-.be continued).                                                    .
                                                               as possible. -This latter is no little task. We are con-
                                                M. G.          scious of our limitations on this score.           z
                                                                  The material that we wish to offer the-reader dur-
                     --.                                       ing the next six months is that which falls under the
                                          i                    heading `$0. T. Quotations In The N. T."
                                                                : Just a word of explanation ab.out  these quotations..
                                                                Biblical scholars, who have made the count, inform
       _ FROM  H[OLY WRIT  .-'  '                              us, that there are not less than 300 direct quotations
                                                               in the New Testament writings from the IOld Testament
                                                               Scriptures.  :
          0. T. Quotations ii the N. T,.                         That these quotations' are so numerous. should not
                                                    . . .      surprise us. -Upon  a little reflection on the relationship
                                                               of. the Old Dispensation to the New Dispensation, we
   The Lord willing, the undersigned will be the con-          discover that we would exactly expect this situation.
tributor to this rubric .for the next six months. May          For is not Christ the' end of the law? And does this
the little that is here contributed be of blessing to both not mean that the Old Testamenthascome'to  its ter-
writer and readers. The rich treasure of God's Gospel          mination in His appearance in the fulness of times,
is contained in an earthen vessel `and not the ieast in        in His death, resurrection and glorification at the
this column. `Of. this truth the writer is painfully
ati&.&                                                         right `hand of the Father? He it is Who has sent His
           Still, it is exactly in this acknowledgement        Spirit into the Church, -Who leads her through this
that there is  a1so.a great measure of comfort. Now selfsame Spirit into all truth. And because of His
the exceeding greatness of the power may be and is             being the fulfilment of the Promise of God He died
not of us but of God. And no labor spent is vain in            according to the Scriptures- and rose again on the third
the Lord.                                                      day according to the Scriptures. In Him the Old and
   A few remarks as. to'.the nature of this rubric, as         the New Testaments are one. And, therefore, it is
understood by the undersigned, as well as to the ma-           nothing strange, but wholly natural that the number of
terial that we hope to offer in these columns, may not         quotations should be legion.
be counted out of place. This rubric is captioned:                And thus our first observation is that the possibility
"From Holy Writ". `This offers the writer a-broad              and necessity of quotations in the New Testament
field. In a sense possibly too wide a` field. However,         Scriptures from the Old Testament writings must be
we hope to limit ourselves. -It certainly is not the in-       sought in the v.bnity of the two in the person of Christ.
tention. that this department write meditations,' al- It is of paramount importance that this be remem-
though that would be from Holy Writ. That would                bered.               --
be infringing on the territory of the Editor. Nor must            Another element in these quotations, that strikes
these articles be on the Psalms. That also would be            our .attention,  is the fact that the writers of the New
from Holy Writ. *Of this the writer of "Sion's Zangen" Testament Scriptures all proceed from the fundamental
offers excellent contributions.     Neither must these         principle, that the Old T.estament Scriptures are the
articles treat of what falls under the caption "The Day Word of God. They are authoritative.  They,:are the
Of Shadows", for this is the rightful domain of that last Word in any dispute. concerning faith and life
department. And, again, even though one may not                of God's people in this world. And, being authorita-
write on (Holy Writ in the abstract, as though all Scrip- tive, they are the clinching argument in-the New Testa-
ture were not also "for correction", yet this depart-          ment. Thus it .was with Jesus. *`Often  He says: It is
ment must not intrude on the field of the contributor          written. Or again: Have ye never read in the Scrip-
to "In His Fear,,. And finally, these articles should          tures.    `Over. against unbelief 1He says : Ye -ere not
not be doctrine in the limited sense of the term, .for that    knowing the  Scrpitures,  neither the power of God.
is offered us by and large in "The Triple Knowledge," Thus the  S.criptures  are for Christ  Himsel;`. And
 .Since .a11 these departments also. fall under "From          as they are for Him so they are also for the Apostles
Holy Writ" in a general sense, it would seem that there and-:  prgphets, Evangelists, Shepherds and Teachers.
should be a sense in which this  .department  treats           Legion-are the points: on which reference is- made in


                                                                                                               -





                                                                                      `
                                                                                      .

                                                                                                                              2


                                                                                                                                        1

                                              THE         Sri_NDARD   BEARER                                                                                         309

 th@ New Tkstament to the Old `Testament: And -the                           Old Testamentsetting is superceded  in the.New Testa-
 c&cu&s$ances in which this, becomes nec&sary is nearly m e n t   sf+tting?
  time without number. Small wonder that there are                                  If  so, -then there should be various texts in the
  as m&y ,as 300 direct quotationsi not counting indirect                    New  Testam&&,  which, as quotations from the  cold
  allusions  -to Scripture passages, in the  T;Tew  Teata-.                  Testament, may seem to have  acquired a different
 ment                                                                        meaning.
  a      ,Finally,` it may not. p&s unnoticed, th& &&.e is                     : Of courtie;  these -passages canndt have acquirsd  an
  still the element of what tiay be called the pr@r~sl:ve-                   altogether different meaning.  Tlhe-sense-of  the-Author
  lzess of the New Testament over the Old Test&ent.                          in the Old Testament is no different Prom that of the
  . . And what may this progressiyeness  be?                                 Author in the New, Testament. What seems- to be a
       .. To us the implication of progressiveness in this different meaning is but the same,.truth  of the Word
  connection must mean that the New `Testament gives                         of God in the :Old Testament now within th6 light -of
  us a more clear and a richer revelat.ion of the salva- its fulfilment in the death, resurrection .and glorifica-
 tion of. God in Jesus Christ than does the ,tO,ld Testa-                    tion of Christ.
 m*nt.          `.          .-                                                      The iniplication of .this just enunciated. principle is
        The truth of what we--have just. stated is s? evident $hat, ha6 we only the `Old iTestament,  had Christ n@
  to the student of Holy Writ  .as to  hardly  Seed.  any ' come `as. yet, the sense of a given passage in +he Old
  proof.                                                                    : Testament as intended by the.tHoly Spirit; th@ Primary
         We have but to r:fer our attention to the fact that                 Author, would very really be that given in the New
  in the ftiltiess  of time the Son of God came. into the context in the New Testament writings. But' `the
  flesh ; that His glory was seen as the glory df the Onljr- `sint is, that  sue would not be able `to grasp this
  Begotten df the Father, full of grace and truth a.nd at                    enriched meaning. Fact is,-were it told us, we would
  once we also see that this implies a richer revelation.                    not be able to understand,.it.
  The Old Testament reyelation has very little glory when                           But enough of this. ,This introduction has become
  compared with the glory of the New Testament.                             a bit'. longer than  ,we  anticipated.                           However, .I am
        . It iS very ,evident, that Jesus had this in`mind when              certain,, the reader  will understand that an explicit
  He told <he people that the least in the kingdom of statement of the principles  that will  j govern  .us in
- heaven is  gretiter   ihan John the Baptist. Now John these studies >s;necessary  for. both the writer .of these
  was, indeed, the greatest of all the prophets. All the lines and for those who follow them.                                                          _
  prophets prophesied until John.. But John exceeds                                 Finally, just a word about the material  that we
  them all. He stanc$ on the shotilders  of' all the pro-                    hope to offer in this rubric.                         -         -
  phets. Is,his not the privilege to pdint out the Christ
  to the people and to .say : "Behold? the Lamb of  ,God                            eince there.are  300 quotatipns of the .Old Testament
  that ttiketh away the sin of the world !" .,Ancl, again,                   in the New Testament, we will have to choose a.group
 does not Jesus tell. His, disciples upon occasion of the                    of. quotations. which have a common characteristic.
  speaking of parables to the multitude, that their &yes                     Choosing,such  a group will enable us to study the quota--
  are ~blessed  indeed, as are also their ears. Had not tions from a single viewpoint. Thus there should ,be
. many prophets desired to see the `things `chat they see, unity in the discussion and also continuity.
  but it'had not been-granted  them in thk Old'T&tament                             Tenttitiveiy our plan  iS to discuss the-following
  revelation? -And did .not th'e very dimness df the bid                     passages in the New Testament which are quotations
 -Testament -revelation forbid prophets to hear the from the Old.?`estam&nt.' Roti. 10:5-8.; 10:X3;  II Cor.
  things $.hat the ears of the disciples might hear? .And                    3:16; Eph. 4:8; HebrewB  1:7 and 2~618.
  were not these very prophets conscious of the fact that                           What is peculiar about all of  the&.,quotafions  is
 .in their intense searching out of wh&t  time, and the that there seems to be a different sense given to these
  maiiner of the time of the suffering that should come                      passages in the New Testament than iri the Old Testa-
  upon Jesus and the glory that would follow, that they ment.
  were `not going to enter into the fruit qf these labors                    Another matter worthy of consideration here is
  themselves, but that they.were  performi6g  these.labors                   that iiz these passages a great deal of. light is shed `on
  for `us,`the childrein:  of .the' Neti ,Covenaht?                          the practical application of the. threefold- principles
        -`Too&sk  these question's :i$tti aiisw&?them."`"                   ,,earlitir  delineated upon in -this. .es+ay, .`to wit-; 1; ..ahe
        :Bdt, .what doe's this' l&tef itipl$+!-%hen  viewed  in unity of - the two dispensations ; 2. The. autjhoritative
  relation  -tij: ,~~e probl~hi' ' oip' ~~e.`..~~~t~tibrill~~.~  various     n$ture of the Old Testament Scriptures in 3. The pro-,
  Old Testament passages in the New Te'stament?                             gressive character. of the New Testament, Scriptures.
       ~- Or; to state the question Somewhat differentlyi is                                                                                                /'
                                                                              .' D. Vj we will begin our distiussion in the next issue.
  it evident. in -some of these direct quotations from.the                                              `.               .
  0.  .T: in the 8. -T. that the  sense they had- ig: their                    .                 `.                 ;                             ._  .--   :G.-L.   -,.;;:


     816                                                    TeE              .S?f'ANjjszjjij_'                    jCj'eARE&         :
                                                                                                             .                                               --
                                                                                                iti regard to social'and economic problems, . . . . ." ' It
                               PERI~CCiPE                                          -./ ,is not too.striking that over against the Word of God
                                                                                                the Revere& has no answer. It is sad, however, th&t
                                                                                                he should elevate the teaching of mere men, notable and
     Commendtition.  .   .   .   .-                                  .  -  .:  :                gifted though they .may-be,. above the clear expression
                                                                                                o f   S c r i p t u r e .   ,;                         ._
                 "We wish to begin.our`column:in a slightly-&fferent                                      (1
                                                                                                   .,Our second quotation, is from the same department
manner' this time.. Under the caption above iYe. will                                           of. the .Ba&,ner of March 7. A -Mr. John Bite, asks
     quote several cdmments  and add a .`few personal re- ihe.que&n-:  "Are we Hiding the Truth More or Less?`,
.mark% at the close. The statements, quoted are` cer-                                           Among other things he writes-: "I .arn afraid there are
tainly worthy of repetition as they contain -valuable                                           many -right in our own. Christian -Reformed Church .
     lessons for us all, as `well as an encouraging. and v&o- believe exactly what Arminians believe.`, Abit.
heartening note of truth.                                                                       later : izY,ho$a we not;,o!d and `young, know that' God
                  The first is written by a Mr. Henr$ :Sikkema; in                              has .here upon earth 8 Church chosen from before the
.the department, "Voices in the- Church". of the Banner foundatiops.  of the world? `Or are we hiding the truth
     of Feb. 28. Most of our readers are aware of the `fact                                                                         .'
                                                                                                somewhat? On the' other hand, it looks to me that we,
that Mr. Sikkema took issue with the Rev. E. J. Tanis                                           old-or young; never or seldom read's book on' Christian
concerning the latter's favorable attitude towards .the                                         do&:ine.", And again : "Tell  tl-@ young people  that
A.F.L. Mr. Sikkema was not satisfied with the answer Jesus,-  does not. stand at the door dnd say, `Please,
     and explanation of the Reverend and so replies  `to. him.. sinner,  80  pIease, open to me.' Not at all. Jesus is
     We quote but a small part of Mr. Sikkema's splendid                                        never taken by surprise. God does .not depend on our
`expose of the A.F.L. and refutation of the Rev. :Tahis.                                        will. `Christ does. not stand in a- corner to wait and see
                      "Rev.. E. J.  Tanis  seems to imply  &at  1 am being                      ,if there are some sinners who are ready to accept hi&,,
                   prestimptuous  in thinking I have solved the intricate                       -And he' closes with' this fhie observation : (the italics
                   problem of the closed shop by denouncing it as anti-                         are his own, W.H). No, a man bb nature has no fwe
                   `Christian,  ukA.m&ican,  and vicious. I am convinced                        Will to do good, on&i a free will to do evii. Surely, -we
,                 `-that the  cldsed  shop is  anti-C,hristian.  . . . .-                       must accept Christ, but let us re&ember,.the  words :
`.                    The editor of "The World Today" reminds me that                           "We.-love  him because he first loved us.' We love the
            "c o n s i s t e n c y " might  ,demand  that we do something                       `song: -`It was not I that found, 0 Saviour  true ; no I
                   more  th& assume a negative  ,attitude, I  igree.  I                         was found of Thee'."
                   !belie;e  we should .&.eed .the &monition, Vome  ye Out                ~.        Again, truly. commendabl6      But our joy is temper-
                   from among .&em and be ye separaie, saith the Lord,`&                        .ed b$ the,f.act,`that  in the -same issue appears a most
                   that .is posi+e..I  am of the conviction that ,our failure                   -atrodious  "Meditation" under the title : "The Betrayal".
                  to sound and  to:heed that admonition has created  not.                       In it the writer expresses gross error and untruth- (we
      ._           an intricate, but a very seridus  .problem, and that the.                    ,were gping. to w$te Armipianism and heresy) especial-
,;  :.: co&i&d evasion. of the issues involv&l  will only in-                                   ly wh&`he  declares of Jesus' (The Son of God! .W.H.)
                   &ea.se  its seriousness;                                                     in r@atioq'to  Judas.: "Jesus knew it all the time, from
            :
:                   ..:F?ankly,  I see nothing in this situation to be habpjr`                  the very beginning, but in love continued to warn him,
r. . : : about, and Iwould repeat -that .our leadership would                                   .and sought to save' his soul !" And again in the- same
     .I) ,         inanifesk   $&a$er  wisdom if  &hey  would. warn the                         article : t`Jesus -wishes  $0 issue one more kind and .grac-
                   people against the organizations guilty  of such anti-            _          `ious  varning, but.  &his,  tiiYie  a plain one, lest Judas
                   IChristian  practices, than they do when they call them .`                   .mighte' carry. out .his plot to th,e `bitter end." This
I  :               to `be glad because of their propaganda."                 ._                 defies all- explanation ; so `glaring that it needs no re-
" When we `first r&ad this it so gladdened- our heart butal.. : if this be the bread what are .the cr'umbs. like?
that we were inclined to write the brother personally.                                          As  cqmmendable as was  the laymen's expression  So
,We take this means, however, to publicly congratulate                                          lament@le, and more so, is this from the clergyman  !
     him and encourage him to "holcl fast that which thou                                           Our next ,two-  quotations are from IAe'Banner- of
hast, that no one take thy crown".                                                              March 14.. They bdth contain sound instruction and
                 In  re$pect   to it all the  Rev.  Tanis  has-  h&thing  tb                    valuable ,advice..for  all who love the Reformed fiith
:say. He writes rather lamely: "I intended  `to  fab&                                           and .would-seek.  to perpetuate, it.. The first is by the
     this corr$spondent  with a lengthy reply but-came to the                                   editor, the Rev. H: J. Kuiper, and appears iti an editor-
     conclusion that this is hopeless." And again : "I owe' a ial regarding catechism. /He writes under the caption :
     great deal to the w&ks of Dr. Abraham Kuyper and ."More Parental -Cooperation" :,
     Dr. Hendrik Colyn of the Netherlands, genuine Calvin-                                            "First  Th&gs First, means, for example, that  .our
     ists, and.have no .intention  of abandoning their position :  -' spkttiai- needs are  -to be considered more  -pressing                                       '


                                                                    .'
                                                                           ."

                                                                                                                                                                                        .



                                                                                                                .-            .

                                                           THE-  S,TAN,DARD   BEARER                                                                                                3 1 1
                                                                                       --  _-
         `than  o,ur physical needs, that  catech&ti  must take                                                          "We have to have niore.interesting  services, .they  are
         -precedence  over  baseball  -games, basketball  practi&,                               '                     " *
                                                                                                                       too dry",  w'e  are not "friendly-enough to strangers".          . .
          fami_ly  errands, music lessons, paper routes, `an-after-                                            &r messages must be `made' so soft that we hardly
          schcol,  job, and whatever else may clamor for the  j                                       `- \ ever hear about- election and reprobation any more; I
                                                                                                                                                                               I
         .,interest  ,of our boys and girls at that particular. hour. .
            ,_                                                                                                         realize that some may say, What does tiis lhave to do . . .
                                                                                                                                                             .
          Dp yod agree,  ,boys  and girls, fathers  and  ,mot&s  ?`                                   .`j                          _    -
                                                                                                                  with catechism ? Just  ,&his, our children after  ,having
          You. are bound to assent if you really believe in the                                                studied   our- Heidelberg  Catechism in ,.their  early years
         ~pri&iple:   "Seek  ye  fi$t  ihe  K.in&om   ,of  6od". (Matt.                          .'
                                                                     ,.                                       ,1 will  :be'able  to  distin&i&the  truths  ,of  our,Reformed
          6.~33).                         `.     :                                                                fathers:. The sovereignty `of God, ,election, reprobatiqn,
        .I_-.                                                                     "
                                                                                       I
             Parents who  profess   `Christ  `as their  .Lo:xd.-have                                              -etc., are the fundamentaltruths  we all were taught in
          solemnly ,assumed the bbligation to teach, U$+r child-                                                       catechism and if we are to remain truly Reformed and
       -  :  &n-.+his  fundamental. principle  .of  thy kingdom  &xt                                                   ,Jifferent  from  most,  `if not all, American  church+,
          first things  must have first. place in th.+r life, and to                                              `IV+ should insist on $,e old way,in start+g  our child-
          insist that, it .&a!1 be the rule of ,their:  life as I& as                                           . ren ,in this Jraining  as soon as they start school." Z
                                                           -  ..                                                - .  _                                                        I
 they are  unde.r.Jlie  parental roof:  .;  ._                                         -                       Both of these q&fatio& .&clare much needed les-
        `. Alas; how  - often Christian  F'atliecs and  moth&s                                    sons in our day. Commendable !
                                                                                                               We promised the additioil qf some personal `corn- `.
  \       permit  .tihe violation of this principle!                 They -made
         -&&eptiofis. wh& the children ~we~e~still"sm~ll.'  Mary's                                ment.  ,Here  it  is:  .s_                                         . .._
        . .  t&ars and  .Johnny's  tantrums  we+  more  cdmpelling                                             1. In  -the  ,first  &ace, what  `we wrote  above .by no
          .&hai   t,hy majesty of. their Lord's edict: "`First  ..the                             means attempts. to+e an ap@gy or expiation for.any-
                                                                                 -7
         `Kingdom of God!"' -When that p%inciple  has 6nck  `been                                 thing we may have written iti the past pr shall write -
ri . . . . :, &xipromised; either because the ,&ildren were- more                                 in the future.. The truth needs no apology! Nor is it
;  1.  : determined  $han  the. parents or because, the  p&ents                                   ou1" intent&  primarily to congratulate the individuals
         w&e inore  deeply interested in material than in sljirit-                                who .wrote. Our felicit&ons  mean nothing to them
          ual things, the foundation-has been laid for the habit                                  and, perhaps, they would as soon .we had not published
          of m&&g  the things, of. .$he. Kingdom secondary and                                    their names and quoted them in the Standard Barer.
       the things of  self,  b%  the  l&ody, of the  earth;  primary.                             Our purpose is rather, to rejoice that the Spirit pf God
                                     . .
             Par&al  ,cooperatiog;  ;t&n, in regard to cateehetical                               still operates- and that truth crushed to earth `must
          instr.uctioli  consists fi&`bf  all in this that our fathers                            invariably rise-and that  on the same spot  .where it'
                                     -.._,.
          and mothers .send their &ildrFn  to c&eehism  regularly.                                was crushed.  '
          1rregula.i  attendance &variably  means  poor  reciix-                                               2: In the second place, -we as `Churches, +l i&i-,
                                                                                                  viduals, have often been denounced as purely negative,.
          tions, these in turn bree& ,disint&est,' if not antagon-
          ism. Irregular  attendan&  is almost as fruitless  as.                                  schismatic,`defamatqry,  derogative, .etc., etc. The above
          non&tendance.~'                                                                         is written, therefore, to once again .giye .the :lle! -to such-
                                     .                                                            aspersion and point out that we recog&ze::the  Qru&.
       The edit& goes on to point out that attendance is                                          "godd and beautiful" and are happy to comeend it.
but tkie first requisite of parental cooperation. It also                                                     3. Finally, we, too, heed the injunctiop 6f Scripture
is demanded that they supervise the preparation of the to bind ,and build and unite ."till we all attain L&O the
lesson and assure themselves that their children ar.e                                             unity of the faith". But this can never be accomplish-
prepared. ' He quotes Deut. 6 :6-7 : "And these words,                                            ed on basis of error `or in the way of compromise ;
which I command  -thee this day, shall be upon thy                                                "but speaking the truth in love, may grow. up-. in all
heart ; and thou (,father, mother) shalt teach them dili-                                         thin& into him, who is the head, even Christ." And
gently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them Ghen                                             upon that basis we com.tiend  and call to, these  "voices"
thou sittest in thy .h&se,  arid when thou walkest by to remove the lie. 6f seperation- they have wedged and
the way, and -when` thou liest down, and when thou                                                seek that which they expelled..                                                              F.
risest up." IHe addd in c&elusion : "We have frequent-                                            TIME:  The Present!!  PLACE: Close  To Home!!
ly heard the comfilaint that many of our young people,                                                        A most startling revelation bf Catholic h&tility to
in spite of c&echi& .. Sunday School, and Christian
                         -".  ,,'                                                                 Protestantism  was revealed in an article in the Moody
School., seem to know .btit little about the Word of -God. Monthly of March. .The information is reprinted from
One of the re$son%-  is that too many Christian parents                                           The Mexican Indian and is written by. John T. Dale.
look to these agencies. as substitutes instead of aids for Its title : "Rebirth of the Dark Ages. in an Age of Light"
the inculcation of divine truth and wisdom`in the hearts                                         aptly describes its content. It is an eye-witness ac-
of their `children."  _  _                            :                                          count of what took place at.ihe 1946'Annual. Conven-
       In. the same issue <under` "Voices" &e find a letter                                      tion of Evangelical Churches in Mexico. This conven-
simply signed "s": <This wiiter alsd presents the case                                           tion was held in the city of Toluca, which is but a. short
for catechism `and writes as follows :
                              L           -_                                                     distance from Mexico City.


                                                                                                              _  ,
        3        1       2                                 T H E   ST.ANDARD   B E A R E R

                Agitation on the part of the- Catholics, against                                              came'and  -with  water tried to drive the mob away, but _
        holding the convention -began many months before it *                                                 they only broke up into smaller groups in` order  to.~...
        was held'. They had petitioned the' mayor to prohibit                                            make  repeated,drives  upon-the firemen and policemen-.
      ~ the meeting but were disappointed when `it was made.                                   ' who had taken their stand with their backs  to.. the
        clear-that -the `Protestants had"a' legal right to *meet. :                                           door: As the situation became more  .eriticai;-federal-
      . lhis did not stop the Catholics, for as the.writer  states :                                          troops- were finally called. Pistols were fired and
                  1 !`Balked here, .they made plans to hold a series of                                       I was told that the chief of police, ;among' others,: was
              . - meetings (holy thours, as they call them)  e&i da9 .of                                      wounded. From `the- towers. of the  Cathohc   churkh,_.
                    .the convention i,n the Catholic Church `directly across                                  fanatics armed with pistols-shot down upon the police- .
                 --the,  street from the Presbyterian Church whi-ch was to                          `.. men; `firemen and troops?                                                               .
                 : be the host to the convention.                                              The`affair was finally ended as follows :
                      Thus it was that each day,  -at-the same time that the                                   .!`Abotit eleven oclock  order was rest,ored, preventing -
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            - - .-c_
                 conventi.on   wa.s in session, Catholic  priests.&&  loud-                    the  possikble  massacre of over one thousand Protest-
                    speakers Ia&&d~  a tirade against' the `-Prntestants.                                     ants. .With  troops stationed on either side of the
              ' -`Obscene statements were made regarding the Protest-                                         street, the delegates  of  tlie&nvention  in small-groups
                    ants which cannot be repeated.-:It was stated-,as  ,afact                                 were;allowed  to leave the -church. It was indeed good. I
                that every Protestant church and home was a center of                                         to  get. .out  into the, open air `-and again find quietness.
                    prostitution. After each holy, hour, with.hhtirch  ;bells                                 However,, `underneath that stillness-of the late night
                                                                                                                                                                                                             <Z..
                    ringing incessantly, the Catholic-mobs paraded up  ,and                                   there. was still the undanny- ~feeling  of unrest:.. _ W.e--
 .             down the street shouting insults  anid threats, to' the                         made  our-way to the hotel.. with  :hanksg!aing-in   our_  I
        . . . - Protestants and, with the same- breath,  oheers  to the                        hearts to God-for this deliverance."                                                                                                             I
                Fe holy Virgin and the Pope. Each .day espezially  printed .                   Truly, shades of the "Dark--Ages" and "Inquisition?.!
                    leaflets were distributed over the city notifying the                   The leopard ,has not changed its spots nor Catholicism
                 faithful of the threats and curse of the Protestant in-                    its                clb&!`-                           .,              ,;        '                                                w. E. 2
                  vasion of their .city. Catholics were asked not to come                                                                     . .           -                       -                                                                .._
                                                                                                                                                                 -
                    near'the convention nor receive any tracts, which~they  _                            .                                                                                                             -
                                                                                                               _.                 -,  -_:
               consider Protestant propaganda.                                                                                                AN&;IYERSARY                                 I
               This; however, was neither the end nor the worst.                                    On the 19th day of April, 1947, our beloved-parents,
        Though warned by the police to cease disturbing the                                                     . . MR. and MRS. GILBERT VAN  BAREN   ._
        Protestant meetings the agitation continued and in-                                 celebrated their 25th  wei3ding  anniversary.  `,
                                                                                                                                                        _. ~..
        creased until, `as a precautionary measure,: police pro-                                    We. are. thankful that the Lord has spared them in the
        tection was .provided  the Protestants. `Even this did                              past' and ho&:ihaf.-He, will -sparethem for each other and,-for
                                                                                                                . . ._.
        not dampen the ardor of the Catholics and on Sunday,                                us and bless them in the  fu,ture.
                                                                                                    .
        the dosing day. `of the' Convention, they attempted
                                                                      .,                                                                                                  Mr. and -Mrs. Arthur-Z@ndstra
        actual violence:                                                                                                     .,                                           Bertha
                  "During t-he course  of the-day rumors spread through-                       -  :*t-                                                                    ~Willametta                                       `ei                         r)
        ~         -out the city *hat the Protest.ants  would *bring  ,abou.t  at               I                                                                          Ag-nes  ,
                                                                                                                                       .
 __-                that time `the .&sing .of the Catholic churches in the                                                                                                Gertrude  t  '
                                                                                               -  LA_.  i  -
  -: -            tity. The -previous -night, we learned later, the priest                                                                                                                                                                                    ,
                                                                             .                                                    .                                       Joan                                    1
                                                                                                    :>           :           :
        . had endeavored to-arouse the spirits -of his  p&$le  into,                                                              -                                     .Gisebert                          -of
                 storming `the convention ball.. However, the  `$&ple                                                                                                     S y l v i a
        `_               .                                                                                                             _
                  #had not responded  wholehearte&and  so the plan was                                                                                                    Gilbert Jr.  ,.
                                                                                                    . .                _I
                  apparently postponed. ,  '                  i-L     .-          =                                                                                     Frank                        i                         _/
                       Sunday afternoon messengers' went through  ,Lhe                                                                                                    A n n a   M a e
                  neighboring Indian villages asking them for help, as                        S o u t h   H o l l a n d ,   I l l .                                             and 1, grandchild.. `-y                                         .
                 `their Catholic duty, to  ,drive  the Protestants  ,out  .of the                                                 -,:i
                    city,falsely declaring that they had dared to burn th'e;                                                                                -.
                  image' of the holy Virgin. Naturally, by nightfall the                                                                         - ATTENTION  1                                                                      _- ..
                  ,Catholic  ,church  directly across from the convention              ~                                                    Ministers of Classis. East.                                                             `I-                       -.
                  was pa&ed  with: people. About  `,i$e. middle  of~`&lm   -.                       The M:inisters?  Conference will-meet on `Tuesday,
fj"://  I'i:,,,.                                                                            April 3j4at 9 :30 A,M., in Fu@er~`Aye, `Church.;. ' _  ,:,  _  .`:
,:,,.2,,,*          b'.:. `.
                      denikig:   s&X&  of  t& convention, approximately two  I!
      */            thousand  enraged  Catholics armed  wjth  sticks,.lrnives,              &&&&i                                           I                     -                      `,l ,I                                                      ,"
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     :
                    stones  *and pistols stormed the one entrance of the                            IFaith and Reason'! - G. Lubbers.
                    church. Fortunately the large door was closed just                         "The Presence of Christ. and theSacramental `Action
                    in time as the mob surged against it. The few police-                           in the Lord's Supper'!-+- G. M. SOphoff.
                 . men tried to- disperse the crowd, but in vain..  F&&en                                                                                                          W.--Hofman,  Sec'y..:


