                                                                                                 staan, opgevaren in de hoogte, heeft de gevangenis
                                                                                                 gkvankelijk weggevoerd, is verhoogd  aan de  rechter-
                                                                                                 hand des  Vadeq en heeft voor Zijne gemeente de fon-
                                                                                                 teinen des levenden waters geopend, opdat wij  uit  !Hem
                                                                                                 zouden ontvangen ook genade voor genade ! Het Lam
   .:_                               V&Tu&wg                                        `I:          Gods is geslacht, en heeft de  zonde, de  wereid  weg-
                                          -             -,              .-                      -gedragen.  %r  is voldoening en verzoening met  God,
  ._ -.
   _-,.. .                 En.  als  de  dug. van  h&f  pinksterfeast  ver- vergeving  der zonden, rechtvaardigmaking,  -kindschap
  :                :?  - vulcl  werd,-'  waren  xii  allen  eekdrtichtelijk
   `_ .                                                                                          Gods, e&wig leven.  %r is een fontein van heil, van             me
  . . _ .            ._ hijeen,-                               .. .
        :,- ;                                                                                    Goddelijke liefde; genade,  barnihartigheid,  kemiis  eli
    )._.                   En nij werden a&n verv-uld met den He&i;
        ._:                                                                                      wijsheid, gemeenschap  der  vrieadpchap;  geloof, hoop,
   _.                  " gen @est.- . . , .                       -           ..                 blijdschap en zaligheid,  vrede en  ,eerrwige heerlijkheid.
                                                                        Hand  2:1, 4. .
                                     ?..  ;._...  ..           _  _-  :                          %n  Iret is`alles in den  CGod onzer volkomene  ialigheid,
                                                                                                 geopenbaard in  jezus  Christus;   .den.  Eeniggebqene,
                 Vervullillg!  `:,I.  ~  r-                                                      God uit  #God  in- ons vleesch, Die  overgeleverd werd  oti
                 D&t is,  in  &n  y&&d; de beteekenis van pinksteren.                            onze zonden, en opgewekt om onze  rechtvaaydigmakirig,
                 Al; de. dag van  .het. pinksterfeest vervuld  werd; of Die ten  hem&l opvoer vol eer, in `t binnenste heiligdom
  &rvuld was, vervult God Zijne belofte.                                                         inging, en alle  macht heeft ontvangen in  hemel en op
          0,  ieker, ook kerstfeest is vervulling.  Het is het                                   aarde. . . .
  begin, en'het  beginsel, van de  ver<ulling van de belofte                                      Christus   d e   H e e r   !
   des  l&ls. De vleeschwoording des Woords is het  won-                                             .In  Hem is al ons heil!
  `d&  d& wonderen, het  centrale  .heilsfeit,   ionder  het-                                     Maar dat  die  Pontein des heils  geop'end wordt, en.
  welk  al1.e andere heilsfeiten eenvoudig  ondenkbaar  zijn.- haar onuitsprekelijk  rijke  e_n  heeirlijke weldaden, als
  Als de  Zoon Gods ons vleeseh  eti bloed heeft  aange- -  stroomen  des levenden waters, in de  gemeente nitstort,
  nometi,   iS  d e   bel'ofte  `ifi  b e g i n s e l   vervtild.  Daarom` -dat is de beteekenis van  pinkiteren.
  zing%  -dan ook op kerstfeest  .de  gemeefite :                                                      Het is de .vervuXiing der ve&ullirig  !
                      God  I;ad  Fun, tot  htin troost, gemeld,                                      Op  den  pinksterdag   rnag  ,Gqds  kerk-, in de  wereld
                    .Hoe  Zijn  gkna ons redden zou                                        _    `--met recht zingen :
                      Van onzer  haat'ren wreed geweld  ;                                                  Dit is de  .dag, de roem der dagen,
                  :  Nu-  blijkt--Zijn-onverwrik'bre  t r o u w ;                                          Dien  Israels God geheiligd heeft;.
                      Nu toont Hij  Zijtl  barmh&rti&beid,                                                Laat ons verheugd, van zorg  ontslagen,
                      Van ouds den  vaad'reti  &qeg&eid  ;                                                Hem  roemen, die ons  blijdschap  geeft.  ..m
                      En- dat Hij wil  gedenken.,  !z  `;-
                  . Aan  `t heilverbond,  aan  die!i  gestaafden eed,                                ;En ze  mag, in de hope van zekere  vkrhboring, het
                      Dien  Hii  weleer  aah'  Abrain  deed,                                     gebed opzenden tot den  tro& der  genade!
                      &an.Zijn verbond,  da't  van  gdq  wank'len.weet.                                   Ocli  Heerj geef tlians  gw zegeningen ;    I
                                                                                                         l&h Heer, geef heil op dezen dag  ;
   .' Maar pinksteren is de vervulling van de servulling.                                                ,Och, dat men op .deez' eerstelingen              -
  Het heil is  verwerkelijkt. De Zoon heeft onder- ons                                                    Eri rijken oogst van voorspoed  zag.
 &tabernakeld, heeft ons  den;-y$der  geopenbaard, heeft                                                   .
-  dnze-  zonden gedragen  op.  bet`, hout, is waarlijk  opge-                                      Pinksteren :  fee&`  van den  vol.len oogst !
                                                        .


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3              8          6                          THE               ,STANDARb                         B~AR:ER                    -`f.`-.`-           -_               -1          I'-;'

           Dag der  k&stelingen  des  Geestes!                               _  -.  _  ,- iin&:-  van den  giaanoogst,  vpor-,het  tiangezicht  .'  &i
           Vervulling!                .~       .-                      `.                 Heeren  bewogen werd. En  w& het ook  thani  ni&`zulic
                                                                  _                       eene..vdlheid des  :tiids? Tien  dag&.waren.  verlob;peti
-                                                                                         s&d&t  de  He'iland  .van hen werd  opg&omen  ii  i  tf&
                                                             -                            hemel, en tien  i;S  i&tiers  eene  @heid des  tij&;%a$
     Z e            wareq  eeridrachtelijk  bijeeri'i                                     de mate  &or  "Gqd Zelf  bepa@l..  Zeyen  maal  z&&k
           Van  .dezeb dag der  eeritelingen, ofschoon niet met dagen  waren'  vobrbij gegaan;  sedert  .-de:  &&la&  "i;ir&
aanwijzing  <;an  datmn en  ur& had de Heiland tot hen opgewekt als de eersteling  dergeli'en,. die  on&lapeti~&j&
g e s p r o k e n .                                                              ._  -    En  is  .zeven  niet-  `synibqql vgn Gods  tie&&d,  `van Zi  j- -
           ,Hij had  er van gewaagd, dat Hij  we1  bee!; zou  gaail                       ingaan  i% de  &ste,  .van.  de  vervilling.  be~*"beldfte3  :,
tot den Vader,  maar dat  Xij hen geen  weezen laten                                             L&fde er  misschien  iets  v&n:  dit  alles `in dti:.ha?t&
zou. Den  Trooster zou  Hij: hun  zenden,  Die-hen  .&x. dergene;, die .daar -op. den &&tcrdag,  ..of i&de- .v&r+
alle  tiaarheid zou leiden, in Wien Hijzelf  weder tot                                    vulling van dien  da&,  eendraeht&lijk bijeen  waren? .
hen zou  komen,  en Die bij hen zou blijven in  der                                               En, o;  bovendien_ was het immers  qoh  pinksteP_
eeuwigheid.                                                                               feest, dat vervuld  &as. En` e&als  paaschfeest  was
           Tevens had Hij hen geboden, "dat zij van  Jeruza-                              ook  -dit' feest een  fee&t  der-  eergtelingen. Israel was
lem niet seheiden  zotiden,  maar verwachten de belofte                                   Gods  irerbondsvolk,  en was geroepen met alles  voob  het
des  Paders," die ze van  IHem gehoord  hadden. En                                        aangezicht van zijn verbonds-God te  l&en en  te  wande-
nogmaals had Hij hun verzekerd, dat ze gedoopt  zou- len. Het woonde in een  verbond@nd, en de  opbiengs-
den  worden met  dell Heiligen Geest, "niet lang na deze ten van het land  ontving.  het  ,als  verbondsweldaden  uit
dagen." De  kracht hes  Heiligeti Geestes  .zouden  ze-, de hand des  Heereh  Zijns Gods. In de erkenning  claar-
ontvangen, en in die kraeht zouden ze  Zijne  getuigen van moest het zijn eerstelingen van  d&i  qogst den  Heey$e
zijn, !`zoo te Jeruzalem, als in  geheei  Judea -en  Sa- brengen. Zoo  op paschen; het begin van den  .graan-
maria, en tot  aan het uiterste der aarde."                                               oogst. 0,  zekes-, dan gedacht, in de  -offersnde en  het-
           Daarna was Hij van hen  opgenomen  iri  den.  hemel, eten des lams, het volk ook  aan de wonderlijke  verlos-
en ze  hadden Hem  niet meer gezien.                                                      sing, die God  teweeg  gebracht  had,  toen  13ij hen uit
     :,       En ze  hadden gewacht, tien dagen nu, in  Jeru- het  diensthuis  had uitgeleid. Maar op datzelfde feest
zalem,.  naar h-et woord  vati den Heiland, gewacht en                                    ontving. het ook de eerstelingen  van den graanoogst
verwacht, "eendrachtelijk volhardende in  hit bidden uit de hand van zijnen God, en  bra& het;  inet  dank-
en. smeeken."                                                                             erkentenis, eer het nog den.  sikkel in- het goudvolgende
En nu was het pinksterfeest vervuld !                                                     graan sloeg, de .rijpe  schoof  voor- het aangezicht des
           Was, in den weg  v&n hun  gebed, hunne verwachting Heeren. Maa?.  260  tias ook  pinksteren een  feeBt der                                                                         _
van de vervulling der belofte,~ thans misschien  gespan-                                  eerstelingen.  D&.  graanoogst  was  binnen.   gehatild,  en'
nen? Leefde er in hunne  harten  misscliiel~  de. stellige                                de  brooden der eerstelingen werden in Gods huis  gcY
hope, dat  bet Gode zou  behagen  .om  juist op  .dit feest                               bracht op dien dag..  -
der eerstelingen  when  deelgenooten te  maken van de                                            Was de  opgestane Heiland niet de vervulling van
eerstelfngen  des Geestes?  .`t  Z& niet  onmogelijk zijn. bet type. in de eersteling van de  paaxh&hodf                                                                        '
God de-Heere, zij wisten  bet, doet immers alles op  tijd.                                       En moest  nu-  dqk  bet feest der eerstelingen  .van den
Er  is,`daarvan  waren  z&  wel'verzekerd, orde in al Gods                                vollen oogst  nice type  blijken te zijn  .vai de  eerste-
werk. Lang na des  IHeilands opvaart kon  hit  &timers                                    l i n g e n   d e s   lGeest&  ?
niet zijn, dat zij de belofte des  Geestes  ontvatigen  zou-                                     Neen,  ,zij, die daar in  Jeruzalei, op  d@  vervull&g
den. Ze zouden immers, eerst nadat- ze de kracht des                                      der belofte wachtten,  waren  zich  zeker van dit alles
Geestes ontvangen  hadden, getuigen  kurinen  worden? niet bewust. Ze  h&ben het niet  ku&eti  beredeneereli.
En had de Heiland  ni,et Zelf hun de  verqekering   ge-                                           Maar was toeh, ook al gaven ze  zich  .vbn dit  a&s
geven, dat ze  tiiet  lang,zouden hebben te wachten op de geen  nauwkeurige  rekensehab, hun  verwachting  th&s
vervulling  dsy belofte ?                                                                 niet bijzonder  gespannen?  x                           `.
           En dk d'ag tiaq  h& pinkster&est was vervuld !                                        Hoe  `<it zij, feit is, dat het  fee&  der.w&ken,  type
           Was  I& niet voor al Gods werk een tijd, eene  ure? was van het  blijvehde pinksterfeest der  k&k.'
In de volheid  odes tijds had God Zijn  .Zobn gezonden;                                   .      Als.dti dag van het pinksterfeest vervuld was, moest
er was een'e bepaalde "ure" geweest  voix het lijden bet  werkelijke  pink&eren aanvangen.                                                                     '
en sterven  .van. hun Heiland,  en djkwijls had  IHij van                                      Zekerj ook reeds  omd&  juist  011 dien dag  Joden en
die  ur'e gesproken. `t Was geweest de  "ure". van het Jodengenooten  uit` alle oorclen  naar~ Jeruzalem  stroom-
paaschfeest,   `d_aags  .nadat  bet  lath  gesiacht  en  gegeten                          den: de Geest werd  immers.uitge$tort op  alie  vlee&h?
werd. Eene.ure  pras er  geweeBt voor Zijne opstanding :                                          Maar  oak omdat op dien  `clag  cl&  werlrelijke.  e&&e-
altijd had de Heiland gesproken van Zijne opstanding lingen, de  -eerste!iligen  d&  Geesten,   werclen  uitgestort
ten derden  dage, daags  nadat de  rijpe  schoof, de  eerste-                             in de gcmeente.                     <'


                                                                         T H E '   ST-ANDARD.  BEARER-.                                                                              387

               `t Oude pinksterfeest  had  eep  -&de.                                                              lijk  siortteti ze hunne  harten  uit- in, gebed en smeeking
               `t Nieuwe ying `aan ! -'                                                                            om de-vervulling der belofte, de komst des Geestes.
               Vervulli`iig  !-  -  _-  ._  _`  .-                                                                 Eendrachtelijk  waren ze bijeen,  temeer, omdat ze
                                                                                                           ~.      als de  .kern der  .Kerk,  als discipelen van den verachten
                                            -            -                    -         .-       -                 en gehaten Jezus van Nazareth,  zich  we1 bewust  moe-
                  `_  _.  _ ___      _.          _ .          _         .               _             _            ten zijn  gewe&t van de scheiding tusschen hen en  bun  '
               Eendrachtelijk  waren ze bijeen.                                                                    broederen naar het vleesch.
               Hoevelen  claar  0~ dien doorluchtigen- dag `vergadercl                                                In  hen werd de lijn der  Keik doorgetrokken,  vodri--
     -  waren; wordt ons niet vermeld.                                                                      . .    gezet.
           -* Het  -e@rsqe hoofdstuk van  flitzelfde  boeX der  fiafide-                                            Eendyachtelijk  waren ze bijeen.
       lingefl,.  verhaalt' van de  apostel&,  met de  +rouw,en, en                                                   E&l  i n .   J e z u s !         ~
       Mar&,  .de moeder van Jezus, en met Zijne  .broederen.
      IKun'aantal. schijnt  zich te hebben vermeerderd, want
       toen  Petrus in hun  midden, opstond om te pleiten  voOr
       hit verkiezen  .van een apostel  ixi  .de  piaats van Judas,                                                   Vervulling !                                                     +.
       was  er eene  schare bijeen van omtrent honderd en  twin-                                                      Want als de  dag  van het  pinksterfeest  vervuli  was,
       tig  p'ersonen. Dezelfde-  groep zal ook op den  pinkster-                                                  werden zij  allen vervuld met den Heiligen  Geest!
           dag  `-samen  .zijn geweest,  &sschien  nog met  enkelen                                                    Hij kwam, de Geest van Christus,  iti de teekenen
           vermeerderd:                                                                                            van een  geluid als van een  geweldig gedrevenen wind,
                                                                                                                   en van verdeelde  tongen als van vuur; maar Hij kwam
           `t   A&al  is  n i e t   v a n   beteekenis`:   s&ks  w a s t   de in  l&nne  harten, `en vervulde  h@n, geheel en al, tot den
       schare`&tin tot duizenden.. . --                            -                                               laatste toe  .dergenen, die  bijeen~ gekomen  waren.
            .?a>1  rnee? gewicht  .is,  dat.  bet de,  Kerk was,, die,                                                Zij  yaren  zich van  %jne komst  bewust, niet  slechts
       oxider  leiding van de apostelen,  d&aivergaderd  was.                                                      door de uitwendig waarneembare teekenen, die van die
              `&h,  $emand in de  groote  "kerk" van  Israel  dacht                                                komst getuigden, maar bovenal ook door hunne  in-
       nog  aan die kleine,  afgescheiden groep van  mannen en wendige ervaring, door de plotselinge verandering, die
      ..  vronwen,  discipelen  van Jezus  van Nazareth, die  .daar                                                bet  inkomen van dien  Gee& in hun leven tot stand
           in.  .alle  ,stilte in. de  opperzail  te Jeruzalem hun  vergade-                                       bracht, door de volheid des heils,  die  .door dezen Geest
           ring?p hielden. Ze  gevoelden,  zich zeker  we1 erg  ver- hun  werd'medegedeeld.
           acht en  hopeloos  verloren,.  zal  mei  hebben gemeend, nu                                                 Want de  ,tempel. des  levenden Gods  .was in hen
      . ze  verlaten  waren van  bun  leider, die bovendien  oak                                                   gerealizeerd !                                    .p
           nag ddor de  "kerg' was gevonnist en  afgestraft!  .Toch                                                    Hij  tech is de  ,Geest  yan God, de derde  Persoon`d.er
           was daar nu de.  ,Kerk! Niet meer door  K$jafas of                                                      Goddelijke Drievuldigheid, God uit  .God, den Zoon  en
           Annas  en het  :Sanhedrin,  ,niet  ineer  doo,r priesterschaar                                          den Vader evengelijk. Hij is de  IGee& des Zoons, Die
           en tempel,  d6or altaar en offerande, maar door die                                                     van den Vader  tot den  Zpon uitgaat, om van den Zoon
           kleine, en verachte,  afgesqheiden groep discipelen, die                                                tot  Eden Vader  .weder te keeren. Hij is de Geest  vtin
           in de opperzaal te  Jeruzalem vergaderd  waren, en--die                                                 Christus,  aan Hem  beloofd als  Hoo$d der gemeente,
           misschien  OP dezen  dsig der dagen  zichlin de ure van Hem geschonken bij Zijne verhooging, door Hem  uit-
           het morgengebed gezamenlijk  na& den  tempel  hadden                                                    gesto?t  iti Zijne Kerk, opdat  !Hij Zelf in haar  z6u
           begeven, en daar in een  der zalen  ,vqgaderd  waren,- wonen, en met haar het Verbond der  vriendschab Gods
           dodr hen werd de Kerk  vertegenvrioordigd.                                         Zij  ware11          zou bevestigen `en volmaken, haar yervullende met alle
           de kern  .Israels !                                                                                     geestelijke zegening; de Geest der  wi.jsheid en der
            Vrees  ni&,  klein  -kudd&ke !                                                                         kennis, de Trooster, de Advocaat, de  Geest~ des  levens
               In die  Kerk,  en  niet alleen in de  apostelen,  n:emt  op                                         der heiligmaking, der  aanncming tot kinderen. . . .
           dezen  dag de Geest Zijn  `intrek !                                     x                                  iHi j vervulde  allen !                                         ,'
            E e n d a c h t e l i j k   waren`  z e   bij.een.                                                         Intrek nemende in hunne  harten,  .beh.eerscht  Hij
                                                                                                                                                                     -
               E6n van hart, en  66n van zin !                                                                     geheel hun leven!
               Ze  waren saamgesnoerd door de  be!ofte! E6n volk                                                      fen Hij  isg`ekomen om  eeuwiglijk bij hen te  )?lijven,
           was het, want ze  hadden  BBn  Meester, Die  we1 gedood en in hen te  wonen!
           &s in  hit  vleesch,   ma& Die  .ook  opgetiekt was;  &i die                                             i  `Op dien  doorlubhtigen dag van het feest der  eerste:                .
           als hun levknde Heere  voor  htirine  oogen was  opg&arexi lingen nam Hij  jntrek in de Kerk, en sedert dien heeft
1          in  den hkmel.  E6n  verwachtin`g haddkn ze, de hope  6p                                                Hij haar nooit meer verlaten!
           de wederkonist  van den Heere  Zelf, want Hij  h&d hun                                                      Hij is het, die  alles in  allen  vervult.
           beloofd, dat  IHij weder tot  hen zou  komen;  Naar de                                                      De  `Geest  van  den  B;uidegom in de  .Bruid!
           v&ulling  dier belofte  iag2n ze  uit; de  verwaehting                                                   -&  Rqcpend om de eindelijke vervulling. . . .
      `er van  vervulde  aller&ar&en  en  binnen,   &  e&draclit& : Kom,  Heers Jezus!  -                                                                            `Il.     IH.
      .                                                                                                                                     _     -


c&Qj                                                                                              ~Tlrt-Ii!!                  STANDARD                                         BEAR-@a                                                                          -:--

                                     The Standard  Bearer                                                                          '                 `.~
                   Semi-Monthly,  except  Monthly   in  July   and  Auguit                                                                                                              E.DITORIALS
                                                  Published   By
                         The  Reformed   Free  Publishing  Association
                                               1463  Ardmore   St.,  S.  E.                                                                                               Labor Latis.and' The Unions
                                      EDITOR: -  Rev.   I%  Hoeksema.                                                                                               At  the time of this writing, labor bills have been
Contribnting  Editors : - Rev. G. M. Qphoff,  Rev. G. Vos, Rev..                                                                                               passed by both the  hounz of representatives arid the
R.  Veldman,  Rev. H. Veldman, Rey. H. De Wolf, Rev. B.  Kok,
Rev. J. D. De Jong, Rev. A.  Pletter,  Rev:` C.  Ha&o,  Rev. L.                                                                                                senate in Washington,  the bill that was `passed by the
Vermeer, Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev. J. A. Heys,                                                                                                   senate being the more lenient of the two. The  actifrities
Rev. W.  Bofman.   `+                                                                                                                                          and practices of the labor unions  and their leaders,
     Communications relative to contents should be addressed to                                                                                                in recent years, that were  condqned  by the New  Deal,
REV.  I-1.  HOEKSEMA,  1139  Franklin  St.; S. E., Grand  Rapids,                                                                                              and enjoyed the protection of the Wagner Act,  fin$lly
Michigan.                                                                                                                                                      resulted in a  reductio  nd  absurclum,  especially in the.
     Comm`unications  relative to subscription should be _ addressed
to MR. GERRIT PIPE, 1463 Ardmore St., S. E., %aand  Rapids,                                                                                                    att-empt of Mr. Lewis to defy the very government of
Michigan.                   All Announcements, and Obituaries must be sent                                                                                     our country; and opened the eyes of the, public to  !Me
to the above address and Will not be placed unless the regular                                                                                                 fact that no single social group can possibly  have.tbe
fee of $1.00  aocompanies  the  aotice.                                                                                                                        right so exclusively to seek its own advantage  ihat it
                                     (&&cription  Price $2.50 per year)                                                                                        becomes a menace to society in general. The result is
Entered as  Second  Class  Mail.   #at Grand Rapids, Michigan.                                                                                                 that. several states  Kave already passed laws that in-
                                                                                                                                                               hibit this ambition of the  unfons, and aim to keep  rtheir
                                                                                                                                                               activities within proper limits. And our congress in
                                                                                        -                                                                      Washington has been considering this same  ma,tter for
                                                                                                                                                               some time.  ,The result is that both  houses  fiow  have
                                                                                                                                                               p a s s e d   r e s t r i c t i v e   l a b o r   l a w s .
                                                                -  CONTENTS   -                                                                                   The bill passed by the senate, which is the weaker
                                                                                                                                                               of the two,  would render illegal jurisdictional strikes
MEDITATION:-                                                                                                                                                   and  s&ondary boycotts, outlaw the closed  ihop, re-
VERtTULLING e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...' . . ..!.............r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385 strain the unions from coercing  workers,.require finan-
          Rev. H.  Eoeksema.                                                                                                                                   cial reports of the unions and  makk them subject to
                                                                                   .                                                                           lawsuits, and deny the right of collective bargaining to
EDITORIALS:-                                               %                                                                                                   those unions whose  -officers are Communists or com-
                                                                                                                                                               m u n i s t   s y m p a t h i z e r s .   '
LABOR LAWS AND  g!HE UNIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*...................... 388                                                                           Our people  especialiy, who cannot in conscience
EXPOSITION OF THE HEIDELBERG CATECHISM . . . . . . . ...390                                                                                                    before.  ,God ally themselves  "with  the so-called neutral
          Rev. H.  Boeksema.                                                                                                                                   unions, and become  p&%y to their practices of  fores
                                                                                                                                                               and violence, are-deeply interested  ili the final outcome
DR.  RIDDERBO:S  AND ART.  31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . ../........ 39Q                                      of this attempt of congress to rectify matters in the
          Rev. G. M. Ophoff.                                                                                                                                   field of  industpy arid labor.
                                                                                                                                                                    Some time `ago, therefore, when the above mention-
EEN PSALM . . ..I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I...: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ../............................. . . . . . . 397 ed legislation was pending, the Consistory of the First
          Rev. G. Vos.                                                                                                                                         Protestant Reformed  C.hurch of  Gpand  R.apids s&t
             .~                                                                                                                                                the following `missive  to representative  Bar&%   Jonk-
IN HIS FEAR . . . . . . . :.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..<...................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400    man and senator Arthur  .Vanderi Berg : '
          Rev. M. Gritters.
                                .                                                                                                                                   The Hon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
FROM HOLY WRIT . . . . ...' . . . ..I............... (................,.,..  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
          Rev.. G. Lubbers.                                                                                                                                         D e a r   Sir;---
                                                                                                                                                                                 1* ,                    :
                                                                                                                                                                    The. Consistory of the First Protestant Reformed
PERISCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ~ . . . . . . ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  40;Church of Grand  R&pids, `Michigan,  begs to bring to
           Reb.  W. Hofman.                                                                                                                                    your attention the following matter, and kindly  re-'
                                                                                                                                                               q!lest that you  give..it your serious  conside$ation.
CONFERENCE DATA . . . . . . . . ...? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  407 The matter about which  we. address  `you in this
            Conference Committee.                                                       '                                                                      communication is' that  `of the closed shop and its
                                                                                                                                                               attendant evils. Twice  befo?e,  in 1941 and 1946,  o.tir
                                                                       _ "-


                                                                    --

                                       - T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEARER                                                  389     -

Churches, through their Synod, have brought, this mat-            coertiion, which is contrary, not only to the spirit and
ter to the attention of our President and of the Con-             principles of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,  but.
gress.    However, with a view to  the more  gene+ also violates  &very sound principle of democratic_ gov-
interest and  atteiztion this matter has  gajned, especial-       ernment. According to the latter; it certainly  cannot-
ly in recent months, and  wit11 a view to pending labor be permitted any  .particular  group or society, large
legislatibn, the above named Consistory, considered  it or small, majority or minority, to lord it over another
an opportune time to bring their views and requests               group; but it belongs to the calling .of representative
to you on&again.                                                  government to seek the wellbeing and protect the  liber-
    We  ai a Consistory, and our Protestant Reformed ties.qf  a l l   i t s   c i t i z e n s .
people in general, believe  th& before God and  mider                    These being our sacred convictions, it will  not"be
the Constitution of our land, the Congress is in duty             difficult to understand that-we refuse to join the exist-
b&n& to pass such  legi&?t.tion as will make it possible ing unions. It should also be' evident that, under  the
for all  the citizens of  c&r Country to pursue  their call-      Constitution, -we have a perfect right  -to- these' convic-
ing, secure a job, and make an honest living, without tions, and that no group of citizens or drganization
being hampered in this pursuit by any  individual,                can have. the right to interfere with our liberty to act
group  of individuals, or organization of individual  citi-       and live in  acc&dance~  with these convictions.         Nor
zens,, and without being in any way under compulsion is  there any need of demonstrating that the closedshop
to become members of such organizations or groups                 and its accompanying  evils.are calculated to render the
against their will. This implies that, according to our proper exercise of this -freedom impossible.
convicti&, it is the  .duty of the  Cqngress  to outlaw the              It  is, dear Sir, therefore, with an appeal to the
closed shop and all attempts at force and violence that           Word of  ,God, and to the Constitution of our  Ian@, that
are calculated to compel our citizens to join the exist- we approach you with the urgent request, in the pend-
ing unions..                                                      ing legislation, to use your  ,God-.given position and all
    It is a, matter of  commoll. knowledge that we are your. influence to stamp out this  evil, which not only
fast  ~noving in the direction of  .complete  unionization threatens `to deprive millions  of. citizens of their free-
of all  labol-, Nor need we  inform.you that one of the           dom, but  alsd strikes at the very foundations of true.
means,-&deed,  -the most effective  one,-whe?eby the democratic  government.
unions have sought and still do seek to attain this  de: /  We',are,  dear'sir, With due respect,
sired end, is  the  closed shop. The result  is that,  fez-
those who  ,cannot   agre$ with the principles and methods        I'.-        `-           Yours sincerely,
of the existing unions, and who; for conscience' sake                           The C.onsistory of
must refuse to. join them, it has become, and is  b$com-                            First Protestant Reformed Church
ing more and more difficult to find a job or position                               of Grand `Rapids,  Mich.
in  order to provide for  th?mselVes  and  -for their fami-
lies. More. and more the situation develops that one               --                         H.  IHoeksenia, president
con$?onts -the alternative of permitting himself to be                                       S. De Young, Clerk.
coerced into membership of the union against the
dictates of his  @lscience,  or to be expelled from his
proper place in the field of labor.
.._ The Protestant Reformed  Church& are opposed to                      What the outcome will be cannot be determined at
membership in the  existing.unions upon  the.following the present time.                 It  is but natural, and something
grounds  i -1.  They  ire based on the  &nciple of the            that could be expected,- that  the unions  and  .their lead-
class-struggle, dividing society into two opposing                ers are vehemently opposed to any legislation that
camps, those -of capital and labor, each seeking- its own limits what they consider their rights. They threaten
interests  in opposition to the other, and causing con-           that, by their  united vote of some twenty million,
stant strife  a6i turmoil. We believe that this principle they will oust those congressmen that set themselves
is  contrary to  $h@ Word of -God, and to the Gospel  of          "against labor". With  .a view to "anti-labor  iegis-
our Lord  Jesus.Christ. 2. They are  a&at-ed,  evident-           l&ion", the American Federation of Labor is planning
.ly, by  p,urely-  Jnaterialist&  motives and purposes,  con-     to` fight its constitutionality. William Green  claims
trar-y .::tothe injunction of the Gospel that we shall  see!< that such legislation violates th.e thirteenth amend-
the kingdom of God and his righteousness first, &rust- ment of the Constitution, prohibiting involuntary  serv-
ing  ,tl~a$:j?)l,~t+l#lgs  shall be added unto, us.  i 3. They    itude.  Before,a convention  o$ the AFL's Brotherhood
freqse+y   &fy- authority,  and- take the law- in their           of Railway and Steamship Clerks in Cincinnati, he
cwn  hand+  i-11. conflict with  th6 Word of God which            made the statement : `.fA person's labor is that person's
bids us  honor  &hose. that are in authority over us.             property.     He can. do with  ,his labor  what he wishes.;
4. They  seek their own end by means of force and                 he can render it or he can  %vithhold it."
                                 `-


 390                                     T H E '   S T A N D A R D   BEA.RER

        It will  pe evident that Mr. Green  -missed  the* point      Persons subsist  iri  the one divine Being, and they stand
 entirely. The question is not whether a person's labor              in  re!ation of perfect harmony to one another. The
-is'  _ his  `proberty which  -he can  tiithhold or sell, but        Father generates the Son, the Son is generated  by the
-whether a `powerful* combination of workers can have                Father, the Spirit is breathed forth  and proceeds from
 the right  tg prevent others by main force from render- the Father and the Son. They are  one. in being- and
 ing their  ljbor, and whether they can be allowed so to             nature,  get personally distinct.      The Father knows
withhold  tlaeir labor that they endanger the well-being             and loves the Son, in infinite perfection, in the Spirit;
 of the entire country.                                              the Son knows and loves the Father, in the Spirit; the
   ~Mr. Green also threatened that, in the 1948  eiec-               Spirit knows and loves the Father, through  th,e Son,
 tions, "twenty million union members and their fami-                in Himself, and He "searches the depths of God."
 lies will march to the polls and vote against their                 Thus the three `persons of the  lH,oly Trinity live in
 enemies. and for their friends."                                    eternal harmony and  perf'eet' fellowship with one an-
        Will our lawmakers in Washington let themselves              other: There is no  sefiaration  or disunity, no dishar-
 be intimidated by  such threats?                -                   mony or conflict, in God.  IHe is a covenant God, and
   We hope not.                                                      lives the life of- perfect  friefidship.
        Both the bills, that passed by the house and the                It has pleased God to  revea! this life, in the-highest
 on& by  the senate, had the  suppdrt  of more than  two-            degree in man.
 thirds majority. They  noti-go to conference. After                     For man, life is not the same as for- the lower
 that, it is up to President  ,Trtiman, and if he should             creature, the plant and the animal.
 veto the final bill,  the.question  is whether congress can            To be sure, as a living soul, he also lives a physical,
 override  the veto.                                                 and a psychical life. He reacts upon the world about
        Whatever the  out&me,  howetier, we know that  the           him. He sees and hears, He tastes, and touches, and
 hearts of presidents and congressmen are in the  Lord's             smells. ~ He perceives,  - and interprets the world. in
 hand like the rivers of water: He turns them  whither-              which he lives, and constantly he adjusts, himself to
 soever He will. And although we certainly hope that,                his ,environment. And he lives in relation to his  fellow-
 through the final legislation our position in the  indus-           men. Yet, this is  not all. He also lives in a conscious
 trial world  majr be eased, and we may have freedom to              &lation to  God: Thus he was originally created. God
 work without interference by the unions, we are  confi-             formed him out of the dust of the ground, breathed
 dent that God's way is' thebest  way, and that He will              into his nostrils-the breath of life, made him  an intel-
 preserve His people in the midst of the world, even                 lectual and volitional creature, a-being that was adapt-
 unto the end.                                                       ed to bear and to reflect the very image of God. And
                                                      H. H.          with this image of  ,God he  was endowed.         ;He  was
                                                                     created with  -perfect knowledge, in order. that his
                                                                     mind might react in love  vpon the revelation of the
                                                                     mind of God; with uprightness of will, in order tliat,
    THE  TRIBLj3  KN(lWLEDGE                                         in all his volitional life, he might be in  harmony%ith
                                                                     the will of God, and have his delight in the keeping of
                                                                     !H,is commandments  ; and with spotless holiness, so that
  An Exposition Of The Heidelberg all his desires and  in&&ions  w&e consecrated to the
                         catechism                                   living  Godl Thus he &ted and lived, in the midst of
                                                                     the earthly creation, and  with  alJ things, in  harmon)
                            Part Two.                                with  th,e triune God. He was made a covenant crea-
                      Of Man's  Redemptio?]                          ture, and lived- a covenant  !ife. `To know and  love
                                                                     his God with all his heart, and mind, and soul, and
                        Lord's Day XXII.                             strength, and to serve Him  as His friend  ;  and. thus tc
                                 4.                                  taste that the Lord is good,-that was  the.life of man
                       Etern%l Life (cont.)                    ,-        But if life- for man, who was created. after' the
                                                                     image'of God, is the fellowship of friendship with  the
        Also from this  aspect, life in the creature is but          Most High, it is evident- that eternal life cannot  bc
 the  reflection`%f  lif'e in God, Who is its" Creator and           coriceived as an endless extension of our present exist.
 Source. For He is the `Triune. He is one in being and ence;
 nature, in mind and will, in holiness and righteousness,                Our present earthly life is not  real life; but death.
 in. knowledge and wisdom, `and in  all. His  infinite  per-             For by  nature we are alienated from the  living
 f e&ions.      Nor is He a mere power: He is a personal             God, objects of His  &ath and conclemnation,  enemie:
God. And  the Scriptures reveal Him to, us as three                  of the  ever blessed  `One.     <Our   miml is darkened  s(
 in persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. These  divine that we are devoid of the true knowledge of God, an!


                                       THti  STANDLRD'  .BEARER                                                              391. \
 we love the lie. Our  will, is. perverse, our heart is cor- that they also may be one in us: that the world may
 rupt, our whole nature is  $.olluted. If life, to speak in' believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which
 terms of the philosopher we quoted above, is the con- thou  gave& me I have given them  ; that they may be
 stant  adaptatidn of  man's  inner nature to Him Who is           one, even as we are one: I in them,  and thou in me,
 the only  good;`and the overflowing fountain of all               that they may be. perfect in one ; and that the world
 good, the sinner  whp stands in opposition and rebellion          may `know that `thou hast loved  them, as thou  .hast
 against God, certainly lies in the  midst'of  death.  `Otir       lovkd me."  john 17  :21-24.
 presbnt  existence  acZ  +n$initz~nz  is not eternal life, but     Adam `was of the earth, earthy.  (God's  revelation to
 perpetual death.                                                  him, through the things that are made, was never more
     But `neither may. eternal  ,life,  II in the Scriptural       than a reflection of His face. In Christ, the Son of
 sense of  the word,-be presented or conceived  as a per-          God in human nature, Who is the image of the-invisible
 petuation of Adam's life in the  state of righteousness.          God, we shall see Him face  fo.. face, and know even
 Adam did, indeed, have  t?ue life. And  if  he had not            as we are known.  1 Cor.  13:12. He that. hath seen
 sinned he would have continued in the state of life he            Him, hath seen the  Father.  John 14  :9.
 enjoyed in paradise.  But his -life was not  the.same                Moreover,  eternal'life is resurrection life: it  lies on
 as that higher state `of  bljss which the Bible calls             the other side of death. It is victory over death.  .It
 eternal life. Nor would  it have been possible for him may safely be said that, except through the deep and
 to attain to this most glorious state,. even though he            dark way of `sin and death, this  highe? goal of bliss
 had never sinned.                       -                         that is called eternal life could never be attained. We
     Eternal life isqualitatively different from all other         do not morbidly beatify  arid extol the  fall of  SAdam, as,
 life, also from the life of Adam in the state  ,of  recti- iri fact, it has been done,' as if it  were.a good in itself.
 iude.                                                             On our, part, there is nothing but  sin  and shame in that
     It is,. first of all, life that has  its source in, and       fall of our first father in paradise, a  cause for deep
 reaches us from the incarnated Son of God. That  in-              humiliation and repentance. For we wantonly de-
 carnation is the central realization of the. heavenly             spised the riches of  the knowledge of God, and tram-
 tabernacle, of God's eternal covenant. For it  `is the            pled  iHis covenant under foot, choosing rather to  be
 most intimate union between God and man.                  "  In allied with  ,the devil, and to follow his lie,  than to walk
 Christ, the Son  ?f God, the second Person of the Holy            in the light of God's blessed favor. But on God's part,
 Trinity, God of  ZGod,  the Word, the express image of            there  is only the revelation of His marvellous wisdom
 His substance, is revealed in human nature, lives in  us- and power in this fall of the first man Adam. For he
 and with us. This is a profound mystery. But so  m&h              chose  this way, because  IHe had  prov;ided some  bet&r
 is clear from  Scripttire that eternal life is  conditionecl      thing for  us. Even  though the guilt  ancl responsibility
 by and has its source in Christ,  the. Son of God in              of the fall remains wholly man's, it cannot be doubted
 human nature. IHe is the life and the resurrection,               for a moment that also the fall of Adam was quite ac-
 John  11:25; the way,  arid the truth, and the life, John         cording to the counsel of the Most High. His purpose
 14  :6  ; in  IHim the life was manifested, and He is the         must be realized, and sin and death are subservient to
 revelation of that eternal life, which was with the               that purpose.    That purpose  was the- realization of  ._
 Father, I John  1:2  ; He is the  &ue-God and life eternal,       His everlasting covenant of friendship with His people
 I John 5  :20. Eternal life, therefore,  is the knowledge in Christ.'
 of God, and of Jesus Christ, Whom God has sent, that                 In Romans  _1! : 11,  the apostle asks the  queStion   witll
is, it is the knowledge of God which we have  in' and              respect to  the Jews that apostatized: "Have they                   1
 through Jesus Christ.  john  17:3.  When the Word                 stutibled that they should fall?"` In the light of the
 was made flesh, the first witnesses beheld  His glory; context,  it is very evident that the meaning of this
 the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full             question is  :"Was their fall the positive and ultimate
of grace and truth. John  1:14.  And He  declared, as              purpose of God?" And the apostle replies:  `(God for-
 the only begotten Son, Who is in.  the. bosom of the bid : but rather through their fall salvation is come
 Father, the invisible  ,God, Whom no one hath seen at -unto the  ,Gentiles, for' to provoke them to jealousy."  ~
 any time. John  1:18.       This higher knowledge, this           The same question might be asked with a view to God's
 greatest revelation of the living  IGod,  the. first  nian        purpose with the fall  ,of the first man Adam: "Did
 Adam did not have, nor could he ever attain to it. .he fall merely in order that he should sink away into
 Eternal life is that knowledge of and fellowship with sin  ancl death?" And the answer is also similar to
 God that is rooted in the incarnation, and is bestowed that in the eleventh chapter of the  P.omans: "God for-
 upon us through the' Spirit of the Son of God. It is bid ; He had a positive purpose that  gust  be realized :
 the real and  mos't intimate fellowship of which the $hat eternal  life in the heavenly tabernacle of God
 Lord speaks in His sacerdotal prayer: "That they might come unto the elect."
 -may  ,a11 be one;  ai thou, Father art in me, and I in thee,        God's way is always in the sea!  ;,                     -


                                                       .

   392                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEAkER                                          -

          He makes impossible situations, in order that He' of God. When  Gods chose the deep way of `sin and
  may reveal Himself in all the glory of His power: the death, He made it at once impossible for man, of him-
  things that are impossible with man are  possib& with            self, so to walk in that way that he would reach life
  God. He creates the darkness, in  order that  33e  may           e t e r n a l . God Himself must walk in that way. Only
 cause the light to shine in the darkness, and may be              His  !Soq could. become  tkLa first begotten of the dead.
  known as the  One~in Whom-there is no darkness  at+ll. iHence, He came  ,to us, in our guilt  anct damnation, in
  According to His counsel, and certainly by His  all-             our misery and death, when `He sent His Son in the
  controlling  power and government, the first man                 likeness of- sinful flesh,  .&~l for sin.  In, that  So:, the
Adam falls, in order that  ChY;ist,  the image .of the             God of our salyation; the Head of the Church, walked  -
  invisible God,  an&the  firstbornsf  every creature may all the way of' righteousness and- justice, of wrath and
  come. In the way of sin and death, and  df all the               death and hell, in  order to atohe for-sin, and obtain for
  suffering of this  ppesent time, He chooses  H<s Way,  in        us- everlating righteousness. H e   w a l k e d   t h e   w a y   o f   '
  order that, through that way, He may become known                death, and `through death,  into the resurrection,  -and
  in all His glorious power, and' wisdom, and  kndw- becomes  the revelation  62 the God of our salvation in
  ledge; in His unchangeable righteousness and justice,            a,11  the abundance of His-power and might, of His  wis--
  in His boundless love, abundant mercy, everlasting               dom and knowledge, of  Ris' righteousness and holiness,
  grace and lovingkindness, and His power to save.                 of the riches of His grace and mercy, and everlasting,
     The knowledge of  God, as the God of `our salvation,          unchangeable love.
  unto Whom we cry from the depths of sin and death,                 And when  that-God of  our salvation, our Lord Jesus
  and the fellowship with Him, is eternal life.                    -Christ, makes His dwelling with  us,  calls us out of
     That highest knowledge, that most intimate  fellow-: darknessV-into the light of life, instructs Us by  His
  ship, that fullest experience of the glory and goodness          Spirit and Word in the  trie knowledge of God as re-
  of  .the Lord, was not possible in the first  payadise,          vealed in  Him&hen we have eternal life.
  on this side of  -death : it could be attained  orily through        It is the life that is based on the `everlasting right-
_  the dark  way of sin and death. Eternal life is life            eousness of God in Christ  ; that, therefore, is found only
  throu& death. It is resurrection-life.                           in the way of death and  resurrect&n of the Son of
     Adam, knew the love of  .jGod as it was -revealed in          God ; that is wrought-in  ,081 -hearts by  %he indwelling
  all the gqodness of creation: he did not know the love           Spirit of Christ; and that consists in  $he knowledge -of
  of God in that  deptli' of blessedness and in that  uil- atid fellowship with God as He is revealed in all the
  changeable  saithfulness that is  .revealed  in the death        glory  qf His blessed virtues in the face of Jesus
                                                                                                                               -
  of the Son of  ,God. In the state of rectitude, man              Christ.  `-
  tasted the grace of God positively, as His  favo?: he                That-life is  everlasting,  it can never- be lost, exactly
  did not know the depth of that grace as it is  re-               because-it  :has its root in the incarnation of the Spn
  .vealed in redemption, even the forgiveness of sins.             o f   G75d.
  iH,e knew  -and tasted that God is merciful, for he                  Just as the union of the human and the  divilie
  was encompassed with divine blessings, but the abun-             natures in the Person of the Son of God can  never be
  dant mercy revealed in the wonder of deliverance,                broken or  stibverted,  s6.ihe fellowship of God with  us
  whe?eby God  saves- us from the power of sin, the                in  !Him  is- everlasting.
  curse, and  dkath,   to. raise  us  to the  higk;est pos-          me beginning of this  ,everlasting  life  beli+vers   in
  sible blessedness of heavenly glory.  in His  taber-             Christ have and enjoy evkn now, in this life.
  nacl,e,-this he could not possibly know: `He cer-                   The Catechism  r:efers to this in the words:  %ince
  tainly knew  ,Gbd  iri  IHis great. power,  knowle?lge,          I  nbw feel in my heart the beginning of eternal joy."
  alid wisddm, for the things that are made loudly de-             This "feeling" must not be understood in a vague,
  clared them unto him: but he could not possibly know mystical, pietistic  sense  of. the word, as if it merely
  the mighty  power of  ,God revealed in the  resurredtion         consisted in some "sweet fellowship" or  "good times
  of Jesus Christ from the dead,  and in His exaltation            with the Lord.," To be sure,  .the believer, even in this              -
  in heavenly places, far above all `principality and              life, enjoys such moments of special  nearne&  to. the
 *power, and might, and dominion,  afid every name that            LoEd in Christ, when' on the- wings of prayer  and
  is named, not only in this world, but  also in that which        meditation, his soul is  -drawn upward, above things
  is to come  ; nor could he be cognizant of that  unsearch- mundane, into  -the blessed sphere of the sanctuary of
  able. wisdom and knowledge of God, by  %hich He                  God. Yet, even apart from `such  mdments, whence he
  makes the very  po.wers of darkness, of sin  .and death,         must needs return to things earthy,  and to the corn-
  subservient to His purpose of salvation and `glory in            mon level of his  life and struggle  as a believer  iri
  Christ.                                                          this world, he  certainly experiences' the joy of eternal
     Eternal life is  resurr&tion-life:  it could only  bi life, the beginning. of it,  `iti his heart. Fbr he possesses
  attained  tl1roug.h the death and resurrection of the Son the principle of that life : he that  believeth on  the  Soli


                                '                                                 .-


                                              frm3       STANDARD                        BEARER                                                      393

       hat11   eierlasti??g life. He is reborn through the Spirit tion after death; when the earthly house of this taber-
       of Christ. He is raised from the dead. In Christ, he             nacle shall be dissolved, and we shall inherit the house
                                                                                                 _...
       is set in heavenly places. And of this new life he is            of God, eternal in  tk;e  Kea;e&.                        -
       conscious by faith. He "feels in his heart  th& begin-                       But it will not reach its final perfection  0-f glory,
       ning of eternal joy," -when he lays hold on the mercy            until all the saints in Christ, all the elect of God, shall
       and grace of God in the forgiveness of sin ;  wh`en he is %ave been -gathered,  dur bodies shall have  put`off cor-
       assured that, though all things, within and without,             ruption `and mortality, and shall have put on  incorrup-
       testify against` him, he is righteous before God  ; when tion  .and immortality, the new heavens and the  n&v
       the Spirit of adoption assures him of his  sonship, and          earth shall have been- created, and the tabernacle of
       he  cries/Abba,  -Father  ; when he hates sin, has his de-       God shall be with men forever.
     - light in  the precepts  c&his God, and longs for the final                   .And, to be sure, that new creation itself will be
       delitierance from the body of  this death  ; and when he beautiful and  .glorious, for all thin&s therein will  bc
       looks forward in hope, rooted in the love of God that is         united  in, Christ as their head.
     shed abroad in his heart, to the final adoption and justi-                     But the  essence of  al&-the   blessedne`s;; and glory  of
       fication, the redemption of his body.                            that new world will, nevertheless, be the perfected  _
          True, all this is only a beginning.                           fellowship of friendship with the living God in Christ.
          Even the experience and  consciotisness  of  this "be- `Everywhere in that new world we shall see Christ,
       ginning of eternal joy" is not always equally clear and          and, in Him, the Father.. We shall see Him face to
       vivid.    In fact, -there are -times in the life of the be- face. All our knowledge will then be theology, in the
      _ liever when- this' "feeling" is  not or hardly present.. highest sense of the word. .This is life eternal, to know .
       Yet, its reality cannot  be doubted.  `;Scripttire  every-       Thee, and Jesus Christ Whom Thou  hast sent  in
       where  .teaches us that the believer in Christ does, in-                     Of that glory we  can only form a faint  ,co+zeption
       deed, have, and also experience, this beginning of eter-         as long as we are  ,in this  life.
       nal life and its joy. And the believer will enjoy the                        For, as the Catechism reminds us, that  perfect
       blessedness-z& peace of it, according as he earnestly
       walks in the  %%y of sanctification, fights against sin,         salvation belongs- to the things "which eye hath not
                                                                        seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the
       and  has. his  gelight in keeping the.' precepts of his
       God.                                                             heart of man to conceive."
          Yet,  more  t&n a beginning, and,  in fact, relatively                    But when it shall be revealed, all of that  eternal
       speaking, only a small beginning, this  "feelir'ig  of. eter-    life will be concentrated  ,upon the everlasting praise,                                    _
       nal joy" never becomes in this life. It is a struggle,  .a       of God,  df Whom, and through Whom; and unto Whom
       fighting, a "groaning" joy. It is opposed and  op- a r e   a l l   t h i n g s .                                     3
     pressed by the  motioris  of sin in our members, by the                         To Him be the glory forever!  c
                                                                                                                                      H    .              H    .
       world in which we live, and  eveiz by things earthy.                                                -
       For "o&selves also, which have the firstfruits of the
       Spirit, even we ourselves, groan within ourselves,
       waiting  fok thk adoption, to wit the redemption of our
       body." Rom.  8,  :23. Atid "we that are in this tabernacle                                        ANNIVERSARY
       do groan:  `not for that. we would  be unclothed, but ,  I-
       clothed upon,.  th@  ,`mortality  might be. swallowed  Lip                   On June 15, 1947, our ,dear parents,
'      of life." II Cor. 5  :.{. We do have life, but in the  tiidst
       of death ; we.  lay  hbld on perfect righteousness, but in                             Mr. and Mrs. HARM WUSTMAN
       the, midst of unrighteousness  ; we have been raised hope to celebrate their $`5th wedding anniversary.
       from-the dead, yet  we live this resurrection-life in our
       mortal body; we are set in  heavenTy:places  with Christ,                    We are indeed thankful to our heavenly Father  who `spared
       yet we are encumbered with the  cqestant experience of them for us these many years, and Who tihrough  them provided
       things earthy.                                                   uswit~  our Christian home. Our pray& is that the Lord may
          We enjoy the  begimiing of-eternal life in  a tension,        bless them graciously in the coming years.
       the' tension -of hope.                                                                             The&  grateful children:              '
          But  this hope  malreth not ashamed,  becaiise the love                                               Mr. and Mrs.  Ru:seIl Smallegan ,
       of God  .has-been shed abroad  in  OUT' hearts.                                                          john
                                                                        -.-
           The beginning of eternal life  tie  now enjoy will be                                                J u n e
       t?arislat&d`iirto  -the fulness of joy in the  tabernacle.of            ~                                Vivian
       Go&        ._     ._     '                                                                               Theron
         _-  ;It will  ,advalice into the state of spiritual  pdrfec- Byron  Cetiter,  Mich.                                               :
           _


     394                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEARER

                                                                                   - artikel  ,h$ door de meerderheid goedgevondene
                       fXIIJRCI3 POLITY                                              we1 voor vast en  bsndig  gehoud.en  mo&  worden,
                                                                                     maar dat hieraan is toegevoegd: Tenzij dat het
                                                                                     bewezen worde te strijden tegen het Woord Gods,
               Dr. $idderbos and Article 31                                          of tegen de  Kerkenordening.
                                                                                        "De vraag is nu :  aan  wien moet  men  dit~  be-
                                        \                                            wijzen?         1.
            This.  article (of the Church Order) `reads:                                "Wij  zeggen,:  .natuurlijk:-aan  de kerkelijke per-
                 "If  aqyone complain  that, he has' been wronged                    gaderi.ng,.   .die hierover te  oordeelen heeft. Wie
             by `the decision of a minor assembly, he shall `have                    bezwaren heeft tegcn een  genomen besluit,  mo&
             the  riglIt to appear to a major ecclesiastical  $s-                    den kerkelijken weg bewandelen,  d.w.z. iijn  be-
               sembly,  and whatever may  be agreed  u.pon by a                      z w a r e n   inbreng&   b i j   de  bevoegde  kerkeiijke
             majority of vote shall be considered settled and                        vergadering. Deze is verplicht  .he& aantehooren;
            binding, unless it  be proved to conflict -with the                      en  hem-gelegenheid te geven,  zijxi bewijz  $e  level
.           *Word of God or with the articles of the Church                        ren,  d&  zijn, besluit` in strijd is met  Schrift of
               Order, as  .long  ,as  th,ey are  not changed by  a                   Keikenorciening;  eq indien zij dit bewijs niet kan
       g e n e r a l   s y n o d . "                                               weerleggen, dan moet zij het. besluit  herroepeti  qf
        ,-Let us first of all concentrate on this article and'                     n i e t i g   veyklaren. Yaa?  zoolang" dit niet is  ge-
     determine exactly what it  .@ys and  w&at it does  not                          schied, moet men  zich,-zoo  men  in  de  kerk of het
     say. `First in -order is  a definition of the terms of the
                               -a            .         .?                           - kerkverband wil  .blijven,  naar het  g&omen  be-
     article.                                                                        sluit        .voegen.         --
         Minor Assembly. If  th'e broadest ecclesiastical as-                           "Daarintegen zeggen de.  bezwa&d& (the  .S&hil-
     sembly in a communion of churches is synod, the minor                           der group) :  Neen, het is  voldoetide,  als ik het
     assemblies are consistory and  classis.  If the broader                         voor  VV&&  bewezen heb.  .Dtis  -elk, die voor
     major assembly were an ecumenical synod, formed of                              iichzelf  oyertuigd is, dat  eep'kerkeliik besluit' in
     delegates'of all the Reformed denomination of churches                  ,I      -strijd is  met Gods Woord  of.  de`Kerkenorden&g,
     the world over, the minor assemblies would be  con-                             zou dit besluit ter  zijde kunnen leggen,  en. rustig
     sistory,  classis,  synod.  Thus if  the minor assembly                         in de  kerk kunnen `blijven, in het  Golle bezit van
     by  which, anyone complains that he has been  &onged                            de rechten, die hij  31s kerklid of  als  ambtsdr&ger
     be consistory, the major assembly to which he may                               bezit. .
     appeal his case is  classis;  If  classis offend,  the cask.                       ".Het  is duidelijk  dat dit  ie bedoeling  van het
     goes to synod  andoto the ecumenical synod, if the of-                          artikel niet kan zijn.  Bet binclend  karakter  -der
     fender be synod. A case originating in the consistory              __ kerkelijke besluiten zou  volkomen  denkbeeldig
     could be `appealed from one major assembly to  anofiher                         worden  ; elk, die  .z_eide : ik kan bewijzen, dat  Bet-
     until it  finally reached the ecumenical synod or council.                      in strijd  Tis met  Gods Woord  pf met the K. `O.,
            The one complaining. that he has been wronged.                           zou vrij  uitgaan;  en  er zijn  x'nenschen, die met zulk
     This one may be any of  the following: a common mem-                          zeggen  xeey spoedig klaar staan, zoodra een  be-
     ber in the church; an officebearer, minister of the                             shiit niet met hun  inzicht of  `wenschen  strookt."
     gospel, elder, or deacon, a consistory, a number of                           Tran@ation.
     consistories  and this number  .might be large.. There            .,               "As far as art. 31 is concerned,  .we know that
     are, of course, still other posibilities.                                       the aggrieved (Schilder group) appeal  to the
            Respecting the classical and synodical  decisi&,                         fact that whatever  may `be  `agreed  Q@.' by a
     the article stipulates the following and the following                          majority of vote shall  bk'considered  settled aqd
     only :                                                                         binding, but that  to. this is added : unless it' be
            1. Classical and synodical  decisioils, that cannot be                   pro,?ed to  -conflict  wit& the Word of God  and
     proved to be in  cqnflibt with the Word of God  shall                           with the articles of the Church Order.
     be considered, settled and binding.                                                "The question is now : To whom  ,must  this;.be
            2. Classical and synodical  decisions that  c&n be'                      proved?
     proved to conflict with  the Word of God  shall be con-                            "We (Dr. Ridderbos-and the Pest,  G.M.0.)  say:
     sidered null and void. Such decisions shall be re-                              naturally to the ecclesiastical assemblies (classis,
     j e c t e d .                                                                   synod,  ec'umenical  &od.  G.M.O.)  whose task it is
            Let us  noti have regard to the issue  that the article                  to judge  such+hings. Anyone objecting to a de-
      (31) raises, attending first of all to the doctor's  stat%                     cision that had. been made' (by those  .a@emblies)
     ment of it. He~writes (Kerkscheuring,  p; 21) :  '                              must submit his grievances  to.th@ qualified  .ecclesi-
                 "Wat article. 13 betreft, we  weten dat de  be-                     astical assemblies) and the latter are in duty
             -zwaarden  zich er op beroepen, dat vdlgens dit                         bound  to.. give him (the appellant.) a hearing


                                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R .                                     3 9 5 '

               and also the opportunity to  -furnish proof that              Just what is the issue in the dispute?
             the  d.ecision militates against the Scriptures and             To be clear on the issue, we must know w hat is not
              the Church Order. `And if the assembly is not t h e   i s s u e .
               able to refute. that  proof,..i.t  is in duty bound        The issue  is. not whether a classical or synodical
               to retract or rescind the decision, But as long           decision may be rejected on the alleged ground of its
               as this has not been done, they (common mem-              being in conflict with the Word of  IGod without the
               bers and officebearers in the churches) will aggrieved one being compelled to  retake an  attempt  to
              have to comply  w.ith the decision, if they wish prove the decision unscriptural also to the satisfaction
             to remain in the church or the denomination.                of the churches on their major assemblies. This is a
                 "The'aggrieved, on the contrary, say: nay, it is        solemn duty certainly. For refusing to be  bounds by a
               sufllcient.if I for,myself consider it proved. Thus,      decision of a major assembly is not a small matter, as
               anyone who -for himself is persuaded that the             it implies that the aggrieved  ,is persuaded that the
               ecciesiastical /decision conflicts with the Word of       decision militates against the Scriptures. Hence, if
               God or the Church  ,Order, could repudiate the            the aggrieved one will take no action, if he does not
               decision, and remain in the church without being          protest and at the same time-persists in  refmsing to be _
              disturbed and in full possession of his rights that        bound by the decision, his consistory, if he be a. com-
              he as  .common member or officebearer possesses.           mon member or officebearer, may have to take action
                 "It is plain that this cannot be the purpose of         against him. If a consistory should so behave, the
              the article. The binding character of  ,.ecclesiasti-      classis might have to refuse for the time being to re-
              cal  -decisions  would become wholly  illusiona! ; any-    ceive its delegates on the classical assembly.      (Classis
              one who said : I can prove, that it is in conflict         would have no right to depose that consistory) .
              with the Word'of God or with the Church Order,                The issue, `once more, is not whether the churches
              would be free. And there are people who stand              must allow, let us say, a consistory to persist indefinite-
              ready with such talk, the moment a decision does           ly in pronouncing a classical or synodical decision un-
              not tally with their insight or desires."                  scriptural and on this. ground to refuse to be bound
                                                                         by it, after they, the churches, even once and again
        .L First of all a  ~remark in general. It would be real have treated that consistory's protest on their major
-     difficult for anyone not knowing what it  `isall  ahou.t,          assemblies without being convinced of the error of
      to learn from `the' above excerpt from the doctor's pen            their decision. The churches may expect of such a
      just what is'the  issue"@ the dispute that art. 31 of the          consistory that it now be still and comply, and they
     Church Order has  qccasioned. The  do&or's sentences                may expel it from their fellowship (but not depose it)
      are even misleading.' -Take this one statement, "Thus              if it refuse to comply.
      anyone who for himself is persuaded that the ecclesi-                  What  .then is. the issue? It can best -be stated in
      astical decision conflicts with the Word of God or the             connection with an imaginary concrete case. An
      Church Order, could repudiate the decision and remain              officebearer studies the decisions of his last  classis,
      in the church without being disturbed and in full  pos- and it becomes his settled conviction that one of the
      session of his rights that he as' a common member or               decisions conflicts with the Word of `God. IHis task is
      of.ficebearer possesses." Could remain in the church now to put forth an effort to prove the decision  dn-
      how long? Permanently? and this though the churches                scriptural also to the  classis on its next meeting. Now
      on their major assemblies maintained the contested                 the issue is-this : May that officebearer (according to
     decision  after,having  given the appellant all the oppor- the Church Order) in the meantime, while awaiting
      tunity he asked to' prove the decision unscriptural.?              the opportunity to present his proof on  the. floor of
      This is  not'th,e stand of those who differ with the doc-          the next  classis,  refuse to be bound by that  unscrip-
      tor as to the correct interpretation of the article in.            tural decision (unscriptural according to his own pers-
      question.      The doctor does not say that it is and yet          uasions), that is, reject it for himself without being
      he does first by his failure to set limits to. the clause,         deposed from office by the  classis for doing  so;- and
      "could remain in the church without being disturbed,,' secondly, may this officebearer, or let us say,  con-
      and secondly by the statement that the binding char-               sistory, even after the  classis examining its proof was
      acter of ecclesiastical decisions would be wholly  -iI- not convinced, continue to reject that decision without
      lusional. `This latter would be true only if the com- being deposed by the` classis.  This, precisely, is the
      mon members, officebearers,  or'  .entire consistories             issue.                            I
      were permitted  pennnnently. to refuse to be bound by                 Now to this the doctor and Rev.  ,G. Hoeksema and
      ecclesiastical and synodical decisions deemed unscrip- the rest of the reply: That officebearer, while awaiting
      tural, though. unable to prove them to be of such a the opportunity to present his proof on the floor of
     - character to the satisfaction of the churches on their the next  classis,  may  ,not reject  ~that unscriptural  de-
     major assemblies.                       -                           cision-;nscriptuial-.:according  t o   h i s   convictions-
        .


396         i                           T    H    E         ,STANL>ARD   BfiARER
                                              - .
without being deposed from office.  IHe  m&t  be de-              the consistory for  .npt complying. !And here again we
posed if; while `awaiting  the oppdrtunity  tb  present touch upon the heart of  `the matter. The  exponents of
his proof on the floor of the next  classis,  he refuses to be the  .hierarchy insist that if the  con&tory refuses  to
bound by  Ohat decision. For  the.decisions  of the major         c,oniply, the  classis  rightftilly deposes it. So the  dcc-
assemblies must always be obeyed, always.  " No  meni- tbr in those lines from his pen that I quoted. "Thus
ber in the church, be he common member or office-                 anyone," so, reads one of those lines,  "who for himself
bearer may reject a classical or  synoc&%l decision ever          is persuaded that  the ecclesiastical decision conflicts
without first having gained the permission of  sov'er- with the Word of -God or the Church Order, could re-
eign  classis (synod) . If he  dares,to do so,  classis must      pudiate the decision, and remain in the church without
depoge him from office. Hence, the sole right of  tha,t           being disturbed and in full. possession of his rights
officebearer (or common members) is to  piotest   the that he as common member or officebearer- possesses."
decision, that is, put forth an effort  to prove it un-           This, he means to say,  is impossible. A, consistory,
scriptural to the  classis (synod) on its  next meeting.          that rejects a classical  d&ision,,must be deposed. This
If the  classis is  copvinced, it  cleclares.the decision null    is wholly in line with his theory that the local churches
and void,  -and then, and not befpre does it cease to bind        are subject to the  classis (synod) . .
that  officebearer, consistory or common  member. And,               Let us now show that if article 31 had to be inter-
of course, that dfficebearer must certainly comply  ob            preted as the doctor (and all the rest of them) inter-
be deposed after  classis' (synod). having examined the .  pret the article, it would be self-destructive, and that
proof, was not convinced.                                         such a thing as a reformed federation of churches as-
    Now this is  actually the teaching of the doctor on           sembling  -at regular intervals in  classis and synod
art. 31 of the Church  O,rder. Why didn't the doctor              would be quite impossible. But let us first notice  th&
7%~.  ~3Enin  Zanyuage lay his teachings before the  "ge- the exponents of the hierarchy, in order to make the
meente  leden", bringing out the real issue?                      article (31) say  ivhat they wanted it to say, had to
    It is plain  hoti the doctor and the others' lIead art.       change the article as to the form of its words. In  its
31 (of the Church Order), namely, as follows: And                 last section the article reads, "and whatsoever may be
whatever may -be agreed upon by a majority of vote,               agreed upon by a majority of vote shall be considered
that is, whatever the major assembly (classis, synod, ?$tled and  bir;ding,  unless  mark  you; unless  ,( so the
.or even the  ,ecumenical  council) decides by- a majority        a&iCle reads) it be proved to conflict with the Word
of vote, shall be considered settled and binding, that is,        of God. . .  ." But the exponents of the hierarchy  have
must be obeyed, until  (ma.rk you until, the article  hii         removed that word unless and  platiecl in the room
unless) it be' proved to  ,the major assembly (classis,           thereof the word  u&i&-it be proved (to the major
synod) to conflict with the Word of God." It  is  plaiu           assembly) to conflict with the Word of God. They  dicl
that this interpretation or reading of the  &rticle 31            so, not, of  cour'se, black on white,  btit in their minds.
and that other teaching that  classis (synod) is that             And when  they.go to explaining the article they reason
supreme judicial power  .in the churches deposing office-         as if the  articl-e read  u&i1 instead of unless. Not only
bearers are so closely integrated that the two stand              this, but the exponents of the hierarchy, interpreting
and  fall together: For- it stands to reason that if com- ~ the article (31) as they do', would reduce it to  ti col-
mon members and officebearers may reject  cla&ical lection of  nonsensical phrases before their own con-
and synodical decisions without these decisions first             sciousness,  shoulcl they. not in their minds remove the
being declared null and void by the major  assemblies-            word  unless  atid place in the room therof the word
if  in other words, common members and officebearers u$iZ. For then. they would be reading, "And  whatev.er
have the right to reject classical  an< synodical de-             may  be agreed- upon by a majority of vote, that is,
cisions without first  gtiining permission of the major           whatever the  ,major assembly  (cltissis, synod)  decicles
ass&mblies  to  reject the&-it is sheer folly to say that by a majority of vote, `shall be cdnsiclered settled and
the local congregations are subject to  cla&s (synod)             binding  (also. immediately, of course) unless it be
and -that  i;herefore  classis (synod)  iightfully deposes        proved to the major assembly  (classis,  sy$od)  oti its
consistories.                                                     next meeting (which  li?ay be  next month, of course,
   But, some will say, let it be true that a consistory           or even  nex% year) to conflict with the Word' of God.
need not first gain the permission of  classis (synod)            Now that this does not niake sense can be  macle plain
to reject a  $&ssical (synodical) decision, the  fact re-         by. an illustration. A mother says to  -he+ son of eight
mains that the consistory is in duty bound to-attempt             years, "I insist  th+  yo11 obey  nie in  the` matter of
to prove  the. decision  ullscriptural to  classis (synod)        going to  toivn  .with me now  and. hereafter. unless  .y6u
and that. if  classis  is not convinced, the consistory  mu.st    can make it plain to your.  fathe+~_~heli he returns next
comply. This latter "if  classis is not convinced, the            month (the  goody man is on a journey) that what.  I
codsistory must comply" is  tiot true if what is meant            demand of you (she wants the  lacl to go to town with
thereby is- that  classis (synod) can  Rightfully  dep6se .hey that  ,very moment) is unjust;"  PTow this  cloes~~`t


                                             T H E   `STAti'DARD   B E A R E R                                                               397
                                                            _
make sense, does it?  *It's not necessary that I pause                               ."If any one  compldin that he has been wronged
to make this plain, is it? So the  fact- that we  redqce                           by a minor  &&embly-let us say, consistory-he
the article- 31 to nonsense, if we read into it what the                           shall have the right to appeal to a major  assevbly
expolients of the hierarchy read into it, without our                              -this would have to be  classis. And whatever
changing the article  as to the form of its words  (remov-                         may be agreed upon by a majority of vote shall  ba
ing the word  unbss and placing in the room thereof                                considered settled and binding-shall be  obey&l
t.he word until) alone is conclusive proof that the way                         by the appellant also. But if  .the appellant is not
they (the doctor  ,and the others) interpret the article                          satisfied with  fhe decision of  classis,' if it is his
is as wrong as anything can be  wrong.                                             persuasion that it militates against the Word. of
   And to this proof still another proof can be  a.dded                            God so'that he wants to appeal the case to synod,
and much of it.                                                                    he must for God's sake reject the decision  and~en-
    I said that if the article `(31) would  leave to be  in-                       dure being deposed from office and break with
terpreted as the doctor and all the rest of them  a.re                             the fellowship of the church."
interpreting the article, it  woulcj   tie self-destructive.                     It is plain that, so construed, the article'says two
-4s we  .saw, according to the exponents of the  hiel:-                    contrary things and thereby destroys itself. The article
archy, though it has become the settled conviction of                      as so construed, says,
                                                                      .
that officebearer that the classical (or  synbdical) de-                         1. The appellant shall have the right to appeal his
cision is in conflict with the Word of  -God, he must                      case from  classis to synod.
nevertheless allow himself to be  bound by it, until the                         2. The appellant; whereas he may not under any
major assembly on its next meeting  s&s him free. But                      circumstances subject himself to a classical decision
that  officebearerOmay  ,a@ wait with rejecting the de-                    of which he is persuaded that it militates against. the
cision. He is in duty bbund before God to reject`&                         Word of God, must endure being deposed  and break  '
decision immediately, seeing that it has become his                        with the fellowship  df the church. Now how can the
conviction that the decision militatks against the Scrip- appeilant have the right to appeal his case from  classis
tures.         For God must be obeyed rather than  `m&n.                   to synod, if he  must  reject the classic&l decision  foi
That aggrieved officebearer does that very thing.                          God's sake and  endu?e being deposed and  bi*eak with
It being impossible for him to obey man-the  sovereiiq                     the fellowship of the church. This, of course, is im-
classis (synod)-he  `r-ejects the article,' openly re-                     possible.
pudiates it. The wrath of the  classis (synod)  no!v                             Finally, the article 31, construed  ai the "exponents
kindies, and it deposes the man.  Acc0rdin.g  to  .Dr; of the  hieracchy construe it, makes impossible such a
Ridderbos, the man did well. Says the Doctor :                             thing as a  reformecl confederation of churches as-
               "Natuurlijk   is  waar, dat  men. (hetzij als  per-         sembling  at- regular  iitervals in  classis and synod.  .I
     soon, .hetzij als kerkeraad)  zich niet mag  onder- -will make this plain in a following article, and also
   werpen  aan een besluit, waarvan men de `stellige                       give the correct and only possible  inte:pretation of
     overtuiging  heeft; dat het met God's  Wookd in                       article 31.
    strijd is. Maar dat is een andere zaak. Dan                                                                           G .   M .   0 .
     spreekt  &en over hetgeen zulk een  persoon  of
     kerkeraad in laatste  instantie  aan God  verse@&
     digd is ;-en  c&t  kan  met  zich  brengen,  dat  hl:i  zijn
     ambt moet neesrleggen.of ;relfs  de gemeenscha-p cler
     ?+e&  verbreken."  (Italics mine.  GiM.0.)                            _            SION'S                      ZANGEN'                              -
  Translation  :_
          "Naturally it is true that they-members in the
     church-  (b;e it a's person or as consistory mem-                                                E&.Bsalm                                      -
     ber) may. not subject themselves to decisions of                                     -
     which they are persuaded that they militate                                                           (Psalm 98 j
     `against the Word of God. But this is a different                           Dit is de eenigste psalm in den bunclel  clie zulk een
     matter (why it is  ,a different matter is a' conun-                   sober opschrift heeft :  ten psalm,  meer niet.  Wsarom
     drum.. G.M.O.) Then. we speak of things. that                         weten we  iiiet.
    such, a  peTson  .or  consi,story  member in the final                       Een psalm  is- de  uitdrukking van lof -en prijs den
     instance *owes God ;.-,and that may requ@e that he                    Heere.  ,Ons geheele  leven behoorde een psalm  -te  zijn,
     lay clown his office SW  .even break  zvith the  fel-                 Gode                iewijd.          ' .
     loavship. of th,e church."           -  -                   c               Psalm 98 is een  de?  psalmen dien gaarne  cloor  .Gods
  Article  33. of the Church  <Order, with all  this'philo-                volk gezongen worclt. Vooral het laatste  vers is zeer
sophy read  jnto' it, actually tells us, this:  _                          gewilcl. En geen wonder: daarin  word! cle komst van
          _


39s                                       THE  STANDARB  B~~ARER

den Heere bezongen, aooals Hij komen  z&l ten  obrdeel               als Adam en Eva gedaan  hadden  v66r den zondeval.
6~  tot bevrijding van  he,t arme volk.  -                           Hij  Wilde den Heere clienen  maar zonder Bloed! En
 Zingt:  deil Heere een nieuw lied!                                  dat  was gruwelijk.
    Door. den  geheelen psalm  heen wordt den  heerlijks-               Neen, de Heere heeft gezorgd voor een nieuw. lied.
ten naam van God  gedruikt: Heere! En de eenigste                       DB  IHeere die  voo?tijds en  op velerlei wijze tot onze
Beer; dat `de  naam God.  genoemd. wordt, ziet ge Zijn eerste  -Vader en  moeder sprak door de woorden der
heil  er  aan .verbonden: "het heil onzes Gods."                     geschapene  clingen, heeft na den val tot Adam en Eva
v..  -Die  na&m Heere, in  oni&  Bijbel met  hoofdietters,           gesproken door  BLOED  ! God slachtte een lam en  be-
is  Zijn.verbolidsilaam. `Die naam vertelt ons, dat  Hij             dekte hen met `de vellen. En God was de eerste
de  .Onveranderlijke is. Bij  Hem is geen  Geranclering              Offeraar van het onschuldige Offer. En God heeft dat
no&  schadyv.van  oinkeering. Heeft  Xij U lief, dan                 eerste offer verklaard. `Hij  sprak van het ZAAD der
zijt  ge.zekerlijk  gelukkig. Dan gedenkt Hij altoos  aan vrouw. De kop van den leugenaar zou vermorzeld !
TJ in gena, om Zijn  @ed.heid eer te  geqen; De HEERE,                  Toen is  Adalil gaan  zingen, en Eva heeft bevencl
de Ik  zai  zijn die Ik zijn zal! de eeuwig  Zijilde,.  die in het refrein  Ivan  .3at gezang overgenomen. Voorts
het  .onveranderlrjke, Goddelijke  Heden woont. 0,  als hebben ze gezongen uit den treure. Maar het  was een
I&j U  bemint, dan zijt ge zalig, al is het dan ook, dat             geheel nieuw lied. Eerst zongen'ze van berg-en  dal>en
ge voor  iijd, en'wijle in lompen gehuld, vol met zweeren, -van het  g'roene kruid.                Eerst getuigden ze van de
aan den poort des rijken ligt.                                       groote liefde Gods,  w'ant, zoo zongen  ze, Hij zorgt  voor
   ~Wel)u, zingt dien Heere  eeli-nieuw' lied !                      ens, ons gevende  spijS en  vroolijkheid in den hof van
 : Wqt. dat  aieuwe.  lied mag zijn ? Is het niet  genqeg            Eden,  do& nu smelt Adam weg in aanbidding  terwijl
om  deri.  .Heere eenvoudig weg te  zingen?                Waarom    hij zingt van een liefde  clie eigenlijk niet te vergelijken
meet  -&et  een  nietiw gezang zijn? Is  eenig' gezang,              is met de liefde die hij eerst  stiaakt;   en bezong in de
mat dan  ook,.niet genoeg?                                           rustige dagen in Eden.  N,u zingt hij van  een  liefde
 ~  :O neen.                                                         die  266  lieflijk  is,`dat  we tot in der eeuwen eeuwigheicl
Het._moet   ken  n i e u w   g e z a n g   z i j n .   H e t   6ude  l i e d haFe schoonheid en  `aaqtrekkelijkheid  niet zullen  kunl
heeft  voor  `&euwig nit.  '  -                       -              nen benaderen.  Tracht het! Kunt gij mij de hoogte,
   Wat het oude lied dan is?  ik  .zal het U  zeggen:                de breeclte,  de diepte  en.cle  lengte van de liefde  Gods`in
Ret  oude lied is het lied hetwelk in het  Paradijs  -Gods           Christus   vertellen? Kunt  ge  `er bij,' dat' God zelf  `naa^r
door  IAdam  .en  :Etia den  lH@ere  God-  toegezongen . is.         qmneer  k6mt  oin de  zoncle  eri de  schuld vdor  ori$ te
Dat oude lied  ~8s  06k  mdoi. Adam  ,en.  Eva,'  als` de betalen? Tegen Hem  hebbeti we  gezotidigd en de  brijs
priester  eq  priesteres Gods, stonden in het  oude  Pa%             der  zond6  kumien  `we%& in eeuwigheid niet  bktaien:
dijs  `met  htin  Taatigezicht naar  G&d gekeerd `en  kwinke-        h.et is  bet  dragen en het' is het  verteerd  worden van
leerden, van` .di@p  gelitk. Zij-  kenden  Heiri  die`hen  se-       den toorn Gods.' Welhu,  .Hij- komt  neer in  J'ezus en
Bchap$n   h&d:en  iYisteix  Hem een God te zijn  vaii  won-          Hij zal het voor U  doen'! Als ge  claar van gaat  zingen,
dere deugden. Zij  haclden- gehoord van die' cledgden                dan- vraag ik U : kunt  .ie  bet vergelijken met een  ge-
~ianui~-Z-iil?:`%iBen  mond, en voorts vingen zij de  wel-           zang  voor de.gave  vaxi de  vruchten der  boomen in het
luidende klariken van het koor  clier woorden Gods op                Eden? Als  .ie. een  wijle gestaan hebt bij  .het  vreese-
.uit de duizende  stemmen.van de  aarde en hare volheicl.            lijke kruis en in den donker geluisterd hebt naar dien
Alles zong in die eerste dagen van geluk en blijdschap               schreeuw van Messias, `en als ge  .dan naar  Gocl  hoori,
ii1  ,God..  - Het  was een  schoon  lied. Vorm en  kleur,  ge- -die  clat Kruis en dien Zoon voor U verklaart; zoo vraag
luid en alle  beyveging was  kommentaar op de  zelfopen-             ik U : zult ge ooit  klaar.komen met Uw lieflijken zang?
baring Gdds.  Alles  getuigde van.Zijn  groote goedheid              Neen, natuurlijk niet. Ik  hoor Uw  jube! al: Ik zal
en  schoonheid. Adam  wist. het heel  Gel.                           eez&g  ziqgen  v a n   Gods  goedertierenheen!  J a ,   m i j n
E n   tech,  dat  l i e d   is  o u d   e n   i n   d e   verdwijniqg. broeder, dat gaat ietwat  clieper  dan het gezang  van-
Eigenlijk  .moogt ge- dat lied  :niet meer  zingen.  Daf wege de blauwe  luc`ht en  he! bruisen der zee.  '                     ,.
oude lied  heeft uit.                     '                           En als ge  dan. nog  .blijft  vl"agen om  bewijs, clan
   De oude, de eerste Adam is gevallen. En zijn lied                 moet  $e  vex&r lezen  .in  dell psalm : Zingt den  Deere
is  ve&omd. Zijn priesterschap heeft hij verspeeld.                  een  nieiw  -li.ed,  Want  Hij  heift woncleren geclaan!
Door. een vreeselijk spel der zonde.  : Hij kan het niet             W&m, ik  helq U immers  V@I  he+  wonc@r van  Gocls
meer,  ,maar hij  `mag het  GOB niet meer. Dat was  jtiist           genade  veyhaald ? get  central&  wonder  i s   dit  :   G d d ,
Kain's'  ionde. Hij  Wilde het  ou`de lied zing-en. Hij              die  n+ar  qijn  gerechti&ejd  en heiligheid  .eti  w&@heicl
wilde  ni&ts  weten van de  radicale verandering  clie er            qns moest wegwerpen met een  eeeyige  wegweyping,
gekomen `was door de zonde. Hij  "Wilde  juist zooals                die  ,God breekt door de vlammen  cler  he1  heen  en gaat
Vader  ..&n  ,mbedep  weleer, de  a&de den He&e wijden.              voor ons staan in het lieflijke Aangezicht van  ZiJa
0. ik weet  h&t wel, dat er  tian dat wijden van de aarde            goon,  J~ZUS Christus.        M o z e s   z i n g t   zachtkelis  vail
661~ niets kwam, maar  formeel  Wilde hij hetzelfcle' doen           de eeuwige  armeti die onder ons zijn. Welnu,  clie


 eeuwige  armen zijn Zijn  .wonder,  die  axmen  zijn Zijn         bliksemen. Dan. behoeft ge niet  bang  te:.zijn om te
 Zoon, Jezus  Cl&stus,  die als de  ARMEN GODS, naar -sterven, want  dab stuurt  IHij Zijn engelen om U af  tc
 d.9  hel,gaat om ons op te  halen.  ,,En ons  gevcqlderi  heb-    halen van deze gevloekte aarde, Dan,  Taangekomen in
 bepde,  neemt  Hij ons op Zijn schouder en draagt ons             den  `hemel, zult ge het  gljmlachen van God  zien ten
 naar Huis ! `0,  ik kan  er in  `kpqen, dat `men zingt:           uwent.    En- de glimlach van  Gocl is weer Jezus.  .;IHij
 Veilig in Jezus  armen., Het is een  couple& van het              is Zijn vriendelijk  aangezicht,  dat-vroolijk%eid.en  licht
 n i e u w e   l i e d !                                           geeft voor alle  oprechte  harten.                                  .-  :  :
     Luistert nu, en we  zullen zien waarvan deze psalm                Tweedens, als ge heil ontvangt om Jezus' wil;  dail
 yerder zingt : "Zijne  rechterhand en ae arm Zijner. gaat Uw zonde ook weg,  dat wil zeggen, op den-  duur.
 heiligheid heeft  IHem heil gegeven !  !"                         Eerst gaat `het  w_el langzaam,  d&h  straks bij liet  ont-
     Wat hier staat is  Fen verdere  .verklaring van die           slapen, dan verliest ge het zondige  lichaam  d& doods,
 wonderen.                                                         en dat is veel  nicer net maar  .Uw vleeschelijk lichaam.
     Ik heb vroeger nooit  kunnen.  begrijpen,  d& Jesaja          Dat  houdt in den  geheelen ouden mensch.  `-.  '
 zeggen kan: Sion  zal door recht verlost  worden!  iHet               Derdens, het heil onzes  .Gods in  J'czus haudt ook in
 was moeite in mijn oogen voor vele  jaren. Ik had dat ge verandering van  klitiaat krijgt. Ge gaat dan
 oude grootvaders in mijn prilste jeugd gehoord, en die            naar `den  hemel,  en' dan  worden de  .hemelingen  U$
 zeiden altijd: Als de- Heere naar recht zou  handelen             v$enden en metgezellen. Ge hebt  hbn'al  -vo'or  jareb
 met ons, dan  waren we  voor  eeuwig verloren ! En nu             bemind,  doch dan zult ge zien. Als  d&.5? zijn :  Adawi;
 las ik later,  toen ik leerde lezen: Sion zal door recht          David, Johannes, Petrus, en de  andere, millioenen.
 verlost  worden ! Hoe kan dat ? Rijmt dat ?                                                              .._ . .
                                                                   En met hen de Engelen  Gods:. ZIJ  .zlJn alle Uwe.
     Ja, dat rijmt; dat rijmt  eeuwiglijk.               -             Vierdens, en dat is de  hoofdzaak: `ge  zult,,dan'God
   De zelfde zaak hebt ge hier in de nadere verklaring             aanschouwen  in gerechtigheid. .In h'et -Aangkzieht%n,
 van de  wonderen: De  richterhand Gods staat  voor.&et            Jezus  Christus  den Heere.        En-.  als. ge `dan `voor den
 recht  eri de  macht, en de  zonger haalt er ook de  heilig-      troon staat en dat Aangezicht zult zien, dan zal Uw
 heid bij. We  worden verlost vanuit cle  he1 der  ver- blijdschap  onbepaald, door `t  liefdelicht dat van Zijn
 doemden  vanwege het recht en de heiligheid  G.ods.               aan'zicht straalt, ten-  hoogste  toppunt stijgen !                    Heft
     Hoe  zit dat ?                                           c    Gode blijde  psalmen  aan!  i . . .
     0, indien er niets meer gebeurd ware dan de zonde                 I&,  l& wel,  -hei vodr  u, vandaag `is,  I&&`&   `ti&ogt
 van Adam  en Eva,  dan zouden dat recht en die  heilig-           lijden en  strijden om  Zijns'  Naams wil. . . Vergeet dat                         `.
 heid Gods ons eenvoudig weg verdelgd hebben. Want                 niet! De  discipelen war&  `blijdei-dat  &j  waardig  ge-
 God kan  Zichzelf niet verloochenen; Hij kan  ni&  &n             acht werden om voor Zijn  ia&m*smaadheid- en  smart
 zonde door de vingers zien.  Al' is de zonde nog  ido             te lijden. Da! is `de bedeeling.  des.heils hier op  aartie
 klein (  !) , die zoogenaamde  kleine zonde eischt de  he1        in het  midden`  vqi  wilde-,beesten.   2 ,  .- .  - :
 Goor  eeuwig..                                  _'                    En dat heil heeft God bekendgemaakt. God heeft
     Maar er is meer gebeurd.                                      Zijn gerechtigheid geopenbaard voor  de oogen  der  hei-
     De Heere' God heeft ons zoo liefgehad, dat Hij Zelf           denen !  pat is de  volgende-strophe: in.. dit lied.
 naar de  he1 gegaan is voor ons.        En daar in de  he1            Dat zal waar zijn!  -D&t zal  eeuwig  waarzijh!`  :"'
' heeft God  iijn Eigen recht  en heiligheid en waarheid
 genoeg gedaan. Ik weet  .wel, dat Hij dat deed in de                \ Als dat niet waar was, dan zat  ik hier niet  te  s$rij-
 menschelijke natuur, omdat  d.ie  menschelijke natuur             ven met een  popelend  hayt;. Dat komt van de  bekind:
 gezondigd had, maar vergeet maar nooit, dat gij in elk            making  Gods.                                     . . .
 geval niet behoefde verdoemd te  worden. Je'zus droeg               Hij maakte het bekend in  bet  P?Tadijs.
 Uw verdoemenis `weg. En Hij deed dat in den weg                       Hij heeft het  gepredikt door de  @?ofeten..  :T                       -
 van God's  Eigkn recht en gerechtigheid. Ja,  -nu  zie                Hij liet het zien in dat hoopje  steenen-  en zand van
 ik het : Wij  `worden door recht verlost.             Maar dat    Abel's altaar. Dat  hoopje zand en  .steenen is  wizen-
 vreeselijke,  en  tech zoo lienielsch  schoone  recht,  werd      lijk hetzelfde als  .de tempel van Salomo. Beide  zijn.zij
-thuisgezocht  in Jezus?                                           de verhooging  ban  de aarde. De  aarde verhoogd  to&$
     bat `recht  e6 die heiligheid die hun werk. deden             den  hemel toe. Dat is het  heil Gods.
 ia, Jezus, heeft God  heil gegeven, zegt de tekst.                    Hij heeft het  getoond in den strbom  vin het  0;;
     Wat dat heil  din is?  Wit wil  bet  ?eggen, dat ik           schuldig bloed  de? offeranden.                            )_        " d"iew:
 heil  ontvsng?                                                        Luide werd het  verkondigcl door  laid en volk,  stud
     Het is dit.                                                   en tempel, door  koning,  profeet en priester, en  &llg
     Als ge heil  van%od  ontvangt, dan zijn Uw schulden           schaduwen en typen van het  ,Oude Verbond.
 weg. Dan kunt ge vqorts naar den  hemel blikken  en-                  En eindelijk heeft God  bet  getoond-door Zijn Zoon
 niet  -bevreesd  te zijn, dat  Hij U zal slaan met  Zijri         t.e,zenclen.in  de  volheid des  tijds.  :        .               c .  .:,:  `,


400                                      -THE  S T A N D A R D   BEAI:ER  -

       En die Zoon  sprak. En Zijn  woorden. maakte  be-               Somewhat like a bull-dozer in the valley, leveling off
kend het heil onzes Gods.                                              the mounds and carrying away the dirt, but  the valley
       Hij heeft dat  gedaan onder de heidenen.                   .    floor drops lower with each' leveling-off process. A
   .Springt nu maar op van  vreugde, want hier hoort                   war is such a leveling-off  pyocess.             Each peripd of
ge van vreugdevolle  dingen'.  Icier hoort ge van Gods                 prosperity and each  period of succeeding  ~depression
werk in Wiliebrod en Bonifacius. Van de  uitgezonde-                   is such a  prqcess.
nen naar den heiden. Uw voorouders en mijn  voor-                         All this does not however  meati that we sit in our
ouders bdgen  zich in de wouden van Noord-Europa                       chair in a  tower; smugly to watch it. By no means.
vobr het stome beeld. Doch de Heere verkondigde Zijn                   For in the first `place we as Christians must beware
heil.  ~  Toefi heeft Uw  Vader geloofd en Uw rrioeder heeft           that we do not ourselves contribute  tA'these-ills.  The
zich  &or God die waarlijk God is gebogen.                             world writhes in convulsions, but, brother, are you one
       Vreeselijk is het om geen  acht te slaan  `op die  open-        of the contributing causes thereof? The-earth totters
baring Gods.                                                           under the weight of  greecl,  lust and bloodshed, are we
       Maar wij hebben het gezien en wij hebben het  ant-              wilfully adding to this weight? In how far' are we,
woord gegeven dat dobr God geeischd werd. En  daar- as farmers,  -as laborers, merchants ahd -salesmen, in
om?  l&ndat Hij heil ook bekend gemaakt heeft in ons                   how far are we co,-responsible for the things which have
diepe hart. Daar  -wederbaarde   rHij ons en bleef de                  come upon the world? Certainly we clo not wilfully
koesterende  stralen van Zijn liefde-licht  zenden in  o&e             add  .to this world's  ills, `do  iYe? But, besides that, we
cluis'tere ziel.                                    f                  have a positive calling in this world. We; who know
       Toen geloofde wij en zongen.                                    the right way, haven't we a great responsibility to
       We zongen  bet nieuwe lied.  yanwege de nieuwe                  practice it, so others also may see the right way?.
blijken van Zijn gunst.                                                Who can interpret the Word  bf God like the Christian,
       En we zullen blijven  zingen tot in der eeuwigheid.             and who can interpret history like the Christian'?
                                                         G. V.         Therefore  we are of all men in  a position to say:  thid
                                                                       is the way, walk ye in it.          Ye  are. the light  of"  ehe
                                                                       world,,  s&d Jesus. . . . a city set upon an liill. . Cer-
                                                                       tainly also in things social we are prophets  of. the
                                                                       Most High, and with Daniel of old, stand at the king's
                IN  IIIS  F E A R                                      court to interpret what is happening. And- dare to
                                                                       be a Daniel!

                                                                                              A  F'eau  Sug~estiom.
  `The Gospel and Our $ocial Life                                          If we will walk in sanctification also when it comes
                                                                       -to the details  6f social life there is nothing quite so
                    Reforrnecl Sociology Applied                       important as to be well acquainted with  .the Word of
       I do not believe that  t6e  s&al evils of this world            God. I know,  %riptu<e is not a dictionary in which
-can be  cured. Instead I believe that Scripture teaches               you can-find social problems and behind them  jrou
us that the world socially and `in every way involves                  find the  answers.  But Scripture is the Word of God
itself ever more deeply  in the curse of  the righteoys                and that Word covers  all of life., Hence all of  us, but
God. While we contemplate our social calling in this                   not the least those who are confronted, with certain
world we must  not.overlook what God's  word teaches                   social situations ought to be well bcquaintkd with
us, especially in  the Book of Ecclesiastes, more particu-             Scripture- as a whole.         It is not  @%cient  to. know
larly about the crooked which cannot be' made straight.                certain -texts, we should know Scripture as a whole.
       If  tie look back over history we get a picture  a$                 Hc& valuable such acquaintance with Scripture is
follows : A series of evils arise  ; there comes a clash,              we can perhaps  s'hpw you by means of a few illustra-
                                                                                                                              .~
a crash,  _ temporary- chaos, then everything settles                  tions and references.                       -
-dotin. But if you hasten thither with the measuring                       TheY;e are many passages in the Word  df.  God which
rod of faith, you will find that the world has slipped                 simply speak for themselves and as  such  -give very
to a lower level.  -It stands at that level for `a while.              evident information and direction. .  One  of%hose  you
Another series. of evils arises,  there comes a clash, a               find in Jer. 22 : 13, where we read,  "Wbk  untd  him that,
crash,  slnothe? temporary chaos, and  `after everything               buildeth his house by unrighteousness,  and' his cham-
has settled-down you will find that the world has slip-                bers by wrong, that useth his  nei&bor's  %&&k  with-
ped to a new low. And so on until  it settles finally                  out wages and giveth him not for  hiswork." Cektain-
into the perplexity of which Scripture speaks, and in -1y our  Christian employer should be very-  consdious  -of
which it is  odeytaken by the final,  rightequs  judgmept.             this Word of  Gtid. Many a  houie  has. been built  ancl


      many chambers furnished out of the wages which                   Gentile touching the eating of things offered to idols.
      employers have kept back from  theirlaborers.         Scrip-        Or the following: In  ,Gen., 1 we read that God  n&de
. ture does not command what  wages must be  given the                 the& male  .and female `and the two were one flesh.
      workmen, but Paul in I Cor. 10  :24 says: "Let no  mall.         When the matter of  diybrce comes up Jesus simply
      seek his own, but  every man another's", i.e. be solicit-        refers them to the fact that  "froni the beginning it
      ous of the welfare of  the.  othe?. His spiritual,  but  also    was not  so'!. Hence they who. engage in divorce go
      his temporal welfare. Isn't that the Golden Rule ap- `contrary to what it  w'as. from the beginning'and have
      plied' to the employer-employee relationship ?          The      therefore  left the straight line which God drew in
      employer is  noti concerned-  about the welfare of his           XZis Word.  ,On the basis of this departure from what
      employees if, shortly, he  himse!f has earned enough             it was in-the beginning, Jesus says-:  "whoso  marrieth
      to set up houses and buy real estate, while his work-            her that is put away doth commit adultery".
man lives in a hovel and can scarely  keep"himself  and-                  So we could go on,  but  ,suffice it to show that the
      his family  alive. He  .who would  build a house- on the         important thing in  our- social living is  that we be
      increase of his business, has the perfect right to do            filled with the Word. of  God.' It was' given  us  "for the
      so ; but he  shofild certainly want his employee to be           regulatiop,  foundation.and confirmation of our faith"
      able" also' to build a house, however cheap- a house it          (Belg.  Conf., Art.  V) .  lAnd if we are concerned about
      niay be, out of the increase of the business. in which           sanctified and victorious living God saith:          This is
      he labors. Let this general rule determine the wages             my beloved Son HEAR YE HIM.  '
      he gives his help.
           The employee on the other hand must  1ikeFise   "se&k                               Conclusion.            -     1'
      not every  man his  oivn but also another's".          They.
      must `intend the welfare  `of their. employer no  le&-              Ye are my friends,  s&s `Jesus, if ye do what I com-
      than  the&  owh.  Wherefore, "let him that stole, steal          mand you. Certainly if the Covenant is a relationship
      no more,  bW rather let him  woY'k',, and he that  work:         of friendship. between  God and us, we shall `rise up
      eth do it," not with eye-service as men pleasers, but            in this world as friends of God. We speak. of the
      with  `iood  will doing service".       To steal from your       Covenant in the church, in the  honie and in the school,
      employer  by. loafing,- to ruin his business by doing            but let us add to it now this' fourth dimension, the
      poor work, to  assume communistic. or socialistic  at&           covenant in the social'life.      I?riends. of God in our
      tude toward -him, or to destroy his business by organ-           socil living.    Friends of God in the relationship of.
      ized strike and-picket action, is contrary to the Word           marriage, in our relationship toward the' authorities,
      of God. And  *what.  fellowship hath Christ with Belial,         in our relation toward the employer and employee.
                                                                                                                .
      i.e. if you belong to the union of Christ's body, how               First  then  -we must be  filleti with the Spirit. Let
      can you also belong to  a union of that which  -is op-           us not be full of wine, says Paul, because in wine there
      posed to Christ's Word?                 :                        is excuse.  Let us not be full of lust and greed, nor
 L         I.iYant  t6show you  still.another  methocl of applying     be full of class struggle, but let  us  be full of the Spirit
      God's Word.                                                      of Christ.
      .    in  -Deut.  2s  :4 we read, "Thou  sh@ not  muzzlk-ihc       Being full  of.that Spirit, let us know what is the
      ox that treadeth out the corn". An unimportant little            will of the Lord, let us acquaint ourselves fully  with
      stitement, sandwiched between the thousands of  Old- th5 will of the Lord as it has  beeti made known to  us
      Testament laws you might say. But,' behold, Paul .in the Holy Word. If and when we are confronted
      understands that although God cares for the oxen,                with certain social `problems, let our first concern be:
      this is written for our sakes. And on the  ,b+sis of             what saith the Lord.' If it cannot become plain  -to
      such a seemingly Unimportant thing as this Paul  is              you what. the Lord saith, seek the advice of  othe'r
 <able to -determine that "they which preach the Gospel                brethren in the Lord,  perhaps they can-assist you in
should live of the Gospel"  and ever after it this has                 understanding what  the. will of the Lord is.
      b&n  helcl  &s a hard and fast rule. Do you see how'              And  if. we are full of that Spirit of Christ we shall
      great a matter is determined by a seemingly un-                  not- only have objective acquaintance with  ,what* the
      important  passage.  from the Word of God? If so                 will of the Lord is, but we shall also be able to walk
      great a matter can  be  determined  Srom so  apparent!y          in that will.
 trivial a passage, cannot our  trivial  ihings  be deter-                                                --
 mined' by the Word of God also?                                          Redeeming.the time because the days  are evil.
                 .  .._
           IOr take  the.. following.    In Ps. 24 we read, "The          May we have abundant grace.' `If we  la&  on&t,
      e&t!? is the' Lord's and the fulness thereof".. Just  `a let  us  seek it  -with Him Who is able  and willing to
      $+teln,ent of  fact- you might say. But- on the basis            make  ill grace abound toward  L&
 bf this fact  eaul.settles the question between Jew and`                                                             .M..  g.


&)g            :             -         THE  STANDARD  B E A R E ' R
                                                                                 .  -
                                                              ' that this Psalm also teaches  th.at  each believer receives
            `FROM  HgL9 WRIT                                    &a& from Christ.
                                                                         We repeat, according to Paul, Psalm 68  :18 teaches
                                                    *           that  Christ  cares for each individual believer; the
                                                                 Shepherd does nbt forget one of those whom the
        0. T. Quotations in the N. T.                            Father has given to Him, but  3ie will bring them all
                                                                 to the fold and will go in and  out;before them, and
                (Eph. 4  :8-12  ; Psalm 68  :18)                feed them in green pastures!
    When  we. were students in our Theological  Semin-                   That is the entensely practical  iruth which the
ary, our professors would continually  stress  the  im-          apostie is here teaching.
portance of keeping in mind that the Bible  is no  Dog-                  And to  perify this  giving,.of gifts, which is an
matics.     The' Holy Scriptures indeed, thus it was             activity of the Crucified and Risen Lord, Paul appeals
stressed, were the only source of dogmatics, to be               to Psalm  68:18.   I In effect-he-says to  us,  turn to your
Sure. But this did not constitute them a dogmatics               Bible and read Psalm 68  :i8 and there you will  yead  :-
p u r e   a n d   simple.                                        "When  IHe ascended on high, he led captivity captive
    It is well to bear  this fundamental truth concern-          and  gave  gifts  unto  mei  `7
ing the Word  of  God  in mind also in this study of  `fold  Perfectly                                      j
                                                                                     clear  isn't  it?                 --
Testament Quotations in the New Testament."                              Don't say too  &on tliat this' is perfectly evident?
  When the  apostle Paul speaks of  t&e great article            For if. you do, you may later discover that you did  not.
of faith, the ascension of  Christ~to  the right hand of         read  Psalm  6 8   .18  carefully
the  Father; he does not merely speak of an abstract                     But what is the difficulty? Is there  B discrepancy
dogma, that means nothing for our daily life as child-           here 7 If  so  -what  is  it  7.
ren of God. To the contrary, `all these truths' in  gen-
eral; and the ascension of Christ in particular, is  pre-                Let us  piace 68  :18  nekt to Ephesians 4  :8.          The
sented by the apostle as being intensely practical.                   respective passages here follow.
    That Jesus ascended to  heathen is to  our  aclvantage               ,Psalm 68': 18 : "Thou  hast ascended on high,  thou
as believers. Of this advantage as well as of the high' hast led captivity captive  ;  thou  hast  received  gifts
calling connected with it  theia.postle writes in this. from men" (amongst men).
fourth chapter of his letter to the Ephesians.. Of  &his         I       Paul  c&&es this  in  Ephesians  4  :8 as follows :
we hope to see more presently.                                           "When  he  ascended up on high,  he  led captivity
    The great profit of Christ's ascension is not merely              captive and  gnve  gifts  unto men".                   .
something for the church as a whole. It is a profit                      What  -do we notice, when we compare the exact
for each member in the Body of Christ. Each re-                       wording of these two Scripture passages? It strikes
ceives grace from Christ, befitting his particular place              our attention, that Paul, in quoting Psalm 68  :18 in
and station in life and in the Church. None is  over-                 Ephesians 4  :8 has made a change  in the text. He  has
looked. The individual saint has value before God, `is                made  -a rather' impdrtant and fear-reaching change.
precious in God's sight both in  lff"  ,and in death.                 The  dra&ic change is that instead of  r_eading "received
                                                                      &fts"we now have "gave gifts".' And,`we also notice
    Of  this- the apostle speaks in Ephesians. 4  :`7 where           that instead of the second person' "Thou" in Psalm
we read "Now unto each one of  us  has been given. 68  :18 we here have the third person  "Xe".
grace` according to the measure of the gift of Christ."                  `The question arises, when  we consider this change
    This care that Christ exhibits for His people is                  of the wording, whether Paul changed the sense of the
therefore  intbnsely~ personal. `And, what is  remark-                text,  the sense of the Holy Spirit as meant in Psalm
able in this passage in Ephesians 4  is, that the apostle             68  :18  wheti he  Guotes as he does in Ephesians 4  :8?,
tiakes such  & special point of the care that the Ascend-             This question, as might be expected, has received a
ed Lord has for each individual believer._ And as                     great deal  6f attention already in the Christian church.
remarkable as it is, so comforting it is also.           _            Men of every age, from the times of the early church
 `ro prove this point of the care of the risen and                    fathers till this present day, have sought  to- give an
glorified  Lol"d for each member in that great multitude              answer to this question. Each pne, who has answered
of the Saints, the apostle Paul quotes from Psalm                     the question, or, at least, attempted to give a solution
68 ;lS. And, lest it be overlooked, this passage is the               to the problem proceeded from a definite critical or
end of all contradiction on this score. Without doubt, .dogmatic  b i a s .              This, from the very nature of the
when Paul makes this quotation from this well-known .:case, could not be different.                              Paul is  .no longer in
Psalm, the tacit implication is that this Psalm teaches               bur midst. Him we cannot interrogate; we cannot ask
that Christ,  does not only give gifts  to `His Church, but           the writer of the letter to the  Ephesiaris just what
                                                                                                     . .


                                                    `-
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         i
                                       THE  S T A N D A R D   ` B E A R E R                              I                 4 0 3

prdmpted him -to give this rendering to Psalm 68.              tiake all to-see what is the  fello%vship  Qf this Mystery,
Therefore, each  ancl every one in  attemp&ing  tb answer      which from the beginning of the world hath been hid
the question `of this change in quotations,  .must needs       in God, Who  c.reated all things  by  Jestis Christ: to
study the text in question. In doing so he will always         l;he intend that now unto the principalities and powers
proceed from a definite bias; in large measure the             in heavenly places might be made known by the church
point of departure and procedure will determine the            the manifold wisdom of God, according to  thti eternal
solution to this question.                                     purpose, which He purposed  iii Christ Jesus our
    We will, in this investigation, also proceed from          Lord  !I'
definite presuppositions. .                                        Who, upon reading this most marvelous passage
    The' first matter, that we  .accept  as established is,    from the apostle's pen, a passage that becomes the
that we here are dealing with the Word of God's revela-        more- marvelous the oftener one reflectively' reads it,
tion.         in  this passage, we very  d$initely have the would still dare to assume a critical attitude toward
unfolcling `of the Mystery of God's will in the  cleath        Paul. Surely, it is a great privilege and responsibility
and resurrection of Christ and in His exaltation at the        to listen to  what this preacher on the  "riches of Christ",
Father's right  hand. Ultimately,  we'are  her,e not  de&      the "manifold wisdom of God" has  tot proclaim. Do
ing with the word of Paul, but with the Word of God.           not the very angels, who  ever behold the face of God,
                                                               learn to see  Yhe manifold wisdom of God" in  ti:e
    Implied in the former paragraph, namely, that we           Church of Christ, which wisdom Paul preaches-
are here dealing with the Word of Gocl's revelation to         preaches even in this quotation from Psalm 68  :18?
Paul, is, that  +ve do not purpose to seek to establish,       We will, therefore, only attempt. to learn from Paul
whether Paul actually understood the sense of, the
general  struction-and intent of Psalm 68.                     that Psalm 68  :18 speaks of the tender care of the
                                                We believe,    Shepherd for each  indiviclual sheep of the fold  ; for
that the great apostle  of. Christ to the Gentiles did         thus is the sense of Paul here in Ephesians 4  :8.
give  us the sense of the Spirit of. Christ, as  this~per-                                                                        .
meates the typical-prophetic81 68th Psalm. Pray, why               IHowever;  this does not mean that we  do `not have
should' we doubt Paul's understanding  of. this  `Old          the right or the duty to attempt to give  accou& of this
Testament Scripture, which he quotes? Who  are we              change of quotation in the light of the Word of God.
to set  oup. ourselves as competent judges abbve this          We must do more, to be sure, than merely say: "`What  _
apostle. Rather than to assume such a critical and             Paul says is true  ; hence, there is no need  ,of investiga-
proud attitude in this matter, we should place ourselves       tion and study." ,On the contrary, we have a very
humbly and eagerly at his feet.                                real  tilling to attempt to understand this  change.
    *Surely, that is our place.                                    In attempting to understand this quotation we will
                                                               have to give  accomlt of two matters particularly.
    If we possessed only  this great epistle of  Paul to                                                                   The
                                                               first is, how in the light of Psalm 68 in its entirety
the Ephesians, and had not other great letters from            and verse 18 in particular Paul could possibly change
his hand, such would be the case. Does Paul himself `the term `"take gifts" into "give gifts". Is their any-
not,call our attention to this fact? Whose understand- thing in the  Psalm.that  would suggest this rendering?
ing of the Mystery of Christ measures up to his?               `The- second matter that clamors for an answer is,
Who has received grace. as Paul did to understand  t&e
Mystery of God's will in Christ Jesus His Son? Thus            whether due to the coming of the Son of  #God in the
we read in chapter  3  :%li : "If you have heard of the        flesh, suffering and dying on the cross, and  being
dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to          raised to God's right hand,. Paul  dicl not by the Spirit
you-ward  ; how that by revelation (according to the           of the Risen Lord see  exp&2itZu  in this Psalm  what  was
                                                               very really  inzp&itb?g  present.
standard  of. uncovering the sense, the meaning,  cG.L.)
He made known unto me the Mystery  ; (as I wrote                   We believe that an affirmative  ansJ$er  to both of
afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may              these propositions will not only give us the answer to
understand  .my knowledge of  ,the mystery. of' Christ)        this knotty question of quotation here, but it will also
which in other ages was. not made known unto the               aid us  iri grasping with all the saints what  is `the
sons of men, as it is now revealed unto -His holy apostles     length and breadth, the height  .and  debth of the love
and  prophet> by the Spirit, namely, that the  .Gentiles       of God in Christ Jesus that surpasses all knowledge.
should be  f$low-heirs, and of the same body, and                  This is a matter of great importance. This matter
partakers of His promise in Christ by the Gospel:              thus becomes for us more than a matter of academic
whereof I was  ,made a minister, according to the gift         study. It will be a matter of the  hea;venly Father's
of the grace of God given me by the effectual  wqrking         wondrous love manifested in His Son. to us.            .
of His power. Ul&o me who am less than -the least of               We will consider, D. V., these two propositions in
all,,  is-  this- grace given, that  I, should preach among    the next issue.                      \
the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to                                                           G. L.                 ._
                                                                                                                .-


      404           '      *                .THE       ST'ANDARD                 BEA&ER

                                                                       toclay. He spoke with:  gratificatibn  of the, fact that
                          PERUXOPE                                     several French departments have outlawed prostitu-
                                                                       tion  sinc_e  then war, and the Church is resisting `the
                                                                       .fight of  organizecl  vice to have a licensed system  again.
 Mennonite  Migq*ations  . . . .                                       On the liquor question he  sajd that there  is more  drun-
                                                                       kenness in France than many think, that it  hacl  beeq
             Great lovers  .-of rural life with its comparative        a problem even  i.n his own  pai5sh.
simplicity. are  -t`he various  br&ches  of Mennonites.                      The Reformed Church is the largest Protestant de-
  The stricter groups, as for example the Amish, are                   nomination of  France  and corresponds in Calvinist
 particularly careful -about keeping.  thetiselves free                doctrine and organization to the  PresbyteYians in
 from all  .entanglements with the world  as much as                   America. His is the sole  Prbtestant  church  in.his com-
 possible.  .Just  .recently a group of  Ami&`Reformecl                munity, -which is largely Catholic.                  But informed
 folk in Indiana  decidecl to move to Tennessee to escape              Catholics admit-  th&-Catholic'ism is, weak, he `said, for
  worldly influences.           Unable to maintain their . own         many Catholics are that only on paper. The problem
 high schools, and compelled by Indiana law  to  .keep                 of French  Protestantism  is like that of American
_ their  .children'in school until they are sixteen years              churches  - getting more than about one-quarter of
  of age, this Amish-group' is migrating to Tennessee those on the  rolls to attend services. Because of the
 t6' keep their children out of the public schools because low birth rate, yohng Prdtestant leaders know they
  of the ill effects of their worldly  inflilence.                     must  spreacl the gospel to others to survive, he added,
             From Germany and  II!olland, 2,300 Mennonites             but it is hard to get ordinary people in the  congrgga-
 arrived recently in South America seeking a  ne-w home tion  Steamed  up about  "evatigeliiation." In most con-
  ancl freedom in Paraguay. Their migration was ar-                    crete terms, his problem is serving a parish which
  ranged and financed by Mennonites in the United                      extends about 20 miles north and south. He said- he
      States and Canada, who hope during the next  f&w -doeS not see how he -will do the job  by bicycle" over
years to help 10,000 of their fellow-believers out of the              pitted roads. If somehow he could get a car, it  woulcl
  clistresses  of post-war Europe.           But  the difficulties                                                                      ,
                                                                       be. a great aid.
  of the emigrdnts  did not cease with their arrival in                 -    The  pastor   expressed.his  concern about the compe-
 the Western`--Hemisphere. Half of the -company of' tition which Com'munists give the church.  Sofietimes
 migrants were able to reach their destination in Para- the Christians and the Communists find they are  illies
  guay,` but the rest were halted by the revolution in                 in social welfare  Lstruggles,  such~ as in the battle
Paraguay, and compelled to remain, for the time being,                 against  .prostitution,  he said. But with a program
  at Buenos Aires.                                       -     -       which they picture as heaven .on earth,  the. Commun-
 -           In the history of religious  nligrations-which  never     ists offer a materialistic faith which many- Frenchmen
  seems to end-the Mennonites have done more than                      seize upon instead of religious faith.
 their share of travelling, and have endured  &heir share                    Notwithstanding, I got the impression from talk-
  of hardship. Their vigorous, and sometimes distorted,                ing with him that French  Protestantism-   unclerstoocl
  anti-worldliness has  accentuatecl their  t@oubles. Deep-            its strength and weaknesses and was having sdme
      seated loyalty to convictions is not  disturbecl  b$ op-         success in. injecting new life into French religion. So
 pression and hardship.-P. Van Tuinen, in  The Banner.
        -                                                              I was not prepared for the quick drench of pessimism
 _'           *                                                        or optimism that I then-got, depending on  youi view-
 .ii&twaY France . . . .                                               point.  .When I asked- whether he did not think  Pro-
             Some time ago we presented a  .brief article on the       testantism in France was  ~proving  equal to  the situa-
      Protestant Church in France. Interesting and further             tion, he replied that he  did not and that in his  mincl
      light on the general and ecclesiastical picture in France        t.he struggle of Christianization  iYas being overwhelm-
  today is  conta&led in  the following. It is an excerpt              ed by the evil of the world. This, he added, seemed
  from  ari article written by Robert W. Root,  CCORR                  to him a sign that the second coming `of Christ is near
      Correspondent which appeal-eel in  The  Ban&r  of May            at hand."
      16, 1947. Mr. Root writes of  2 conversation `which he                                      :I:  :,:    :g *
  had with a French Protestant minister while travelling
  from  Switierland to France.                                         Clipping Th,e News. . . .
             "This pastor,  .who is in the Reformed Church,  alid
      I got  to talking about moral  proble@s.       He  saicl' the                   R e l i g i o u s   L i b e r t y   In.Poland.
      first American soldiers who had come through  h-is                     The day following my arrival  ii Poland, I- was cor-
      city were well-behaved,. but that the French were less           dially received by the Polish government's director of
      enthtisiastjc  about  those in his city now. As when the         religion.. I found him exceedingly sympathetic  towar'd
      Germans  hacl occupied, there is some  illegjltimacy  also       evangelical work,  .p&ticularly. the  iroject for opening


                                                          THE     STAN.~-JARD           BEARER                                     405

    a Polish  -Bible- institute in Warsaw  similar to the authoritative sources. reported here.
    Russian Bible institutes already established in Toronto,                      Chief victims were-Holland's Jews, of whom 114,000
    Canada, and  Rosario, Argentina. For, you see, Poland out of a total of 140,000 were deliberately slaughtered
   `is now open -for the. preaching of the gospel and the                     or died as the result of ill treatment.
    distribution of gospel literature. New work, too, may                         About 11,000 political prisoners lost their lives in
    be organized and one has permission to. travel. from                      the same manner, in addition to about 2,000 persons
    village  .to village,- and city to city with the gospel.                  executed  .officially by the German occupation  authori-
         The first postwar conference of evangelical Chris-                   ties, while  34,066  of the Netherlanders taken to  ,Ger-
    tians met in Warsaw in October.                        Fifty-nine  repre- many as forced laborers  .are known to be dead;
    sentatives came from different sections of Poland,                            Approximately-25,000 persons died  .while prisoners
    braving all sorts of transportation problems. It was                      of the Japanese, and 22,006 of starvation in Holland
    my privilege  at. this conference  to'meet many of the                    in the  "hunger winter" of 1944-45.
    missionaries we used to support before the war. Many                          Military. casualties were- about 4,000 in the army
    of,them fell on my shoulders and wept for joy to think                    and 2,600 in the  navy.
    that we  could.meet once  again.--Peter"Deyneka.  The                         Iq addition, 90,000 of all categories are listed as
    Moody Monthly.                                                            missing. Virtually all hope that any of these still  sur-
                                                                              vive has been abandoned.
                   Southern Baptists vs. Federal Aid.
         The Southern Baptist convention, protesting what                                     Still Wars and Rumors.
    it described as a "threat to the future  .of all public                       A.P.-Three Youngish officers, their identities
    schools," went on record Friday against acceptance of_. known only to a select few in the army top bracket,
    federal aid by church-sponsored schools.                                  are trying to visualize-what war will be like  25 years
         The convention, attended  by-`7,900  persons from 19 from now.                        .
    states, unanimously adopted a resolution warning all                          They will attempt a reasonable guess on the fan-  _
    Baptist schools and other institutions against  accept-                   tastic means of destruction science may devise and
    ing grants of money from the government for any then they will  give  Gen;:-Dwight  D. Eisenhower a  pic-
    purpose on the grounds it weakened what it termed                         ture of the command problems involved. The chief of
    the traditional wall between the church and the state.                    staff let it be known he is isolating the officers from
         Also adopted by the convention was a resolution                      the war department's regular operation and planning  -
    deploring the recent supreme court decision which up-                     staff.
    held, 5 to 4, a New Jersey case for use of federal funds                      Taking orders from no one the three will think
    to help pay the cost of transporting children to' and                     in terms of the future.
    from parochial  schpo1s.eA.P.                                                 The study group's research goes everywhere,  Eisen-
                                                                              hower says, "since everything effects war." Behind
                         Methodists vs. Catholicism.                          this statement was the implication of improved atomic
         The Methodist National Council of Bishops has  .ac-                  weapons, germ warfare and means to inflict unheard
    cused the Catholic church of denying religious freedom                    of mass destruction.
    to protestants in "`Catholic-controlled lands."                                                   *  *    y:  *
         The bishops in a report adopted at their annual  i  s  Views  u  s
    meeting, referred specifically to Argentina; where they                    *  *          . .
    said "law now requires the teaching of the Roman.                                       (Continued from last issue)
    Catholic  ,religion even -in the schools of Protestant                        "We noticed the great danger to which the  re-
                                                     .
    c h u r c h e s . " .                                                     formed church in America- is subject, the depletion of
         "The situation in Italy and Spain denies to Protest-                 a Reformed Theology. Acc.eptance  of the religiosity
    ants the religious freedom which Protestants in the                       of Americanism begins with "Jesus saves" and results
    United States desire Roman Catholics to enjoy," the                       in a departure from dogmatic fundamentals.
    bishops said.                                                                 "In many  ,American Churches, which I attended,
         The report asked removal of the President's  per-                    one can find these symptoms present. Sometimes it is
    sonal representative to the `Vatican and opposed  al-                     revealed in the little things, as  for. example, in the
    leged Catholic overtures for public support of church                     lack of Bibles in the pews. Each is supplied with a
e d u c a t i o n : - U . P .   D i s p a t c h .                             large hymn book but very seldom does one find a
                                                                    --      c Bible available to follow the Scripture reading. In
                         Netherland War Casualties                            many Church, moreover,, the preaching has also lost
         The  Hague-(AN~~TA)  -The war cost the  Nether- the essential Reformed character. The text serves
    lands a total of 265,000 human  hves, mostly as the  re-                  merely as a "kapstok" upon which one hangs what-  _
    suit of murder and mistreatment by the Germans,                           ever he has-to say. Up until now I have heard nothing


                                                                    __


 406                                     TH-E  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   ,`..:..-.

 but what we call  `exemplarishe'l  sermons; in which            influence of a new sect, that  had,,just. begun, and as
 the-proper meaning of the text content is hardly dis-           all sects in America, quickly gained followers.`:             -.
 cernible.       What is said has a good purpose  ; the evils        [Here Mr. Van Spronsen describes  at. great length
 of Church life  `are decried. in very sharp terms but the the  IfKingdom?  movement. Undoubtedly,- the brother
 Word does not come to its right because the content of          was. in California when he wrote this as -any American
 the Word is not brought. The text serves merely as a            would  guess;- even if he didn't- know. That which he
 stepping-stone to allow one to say what he  .desires            describes is  .another of the many "wild schemes?  .which
 to say. This naturally removes the emphasis from. the           are always coming out of California and with which
 Word.  .It is the minister that says  something,`not  the       we in-America are so often amused and annoyed.- At
 Word itself that speaks to the Congregation. It. is no          this point we wish to add a bit-- of criticism of the
 WORD service anymore. A result is that the Congre-              brother's writings.,. To an-American many of his ob-
 gation suffers from lack of spiritual nourishment and           servations would be simply-humorously' interesting if
 this lack is reflected in the discussions of the members.       it were not for the  .fact that he is writing to the public
 There is an alarming ignorance in the spheres of  "kerk-        in the Netherlands, most of whom will accept his  ,cle-
 begrip", exegesis, dogmatics, etc. The discussions in           scriptions as  being: an authentic' and generally  pre-
 the men's societies. are. superficial. `They speak rather       vailing condition in  Ref  armed Churches.-  `. We main-
 broadly about the text without seeing the Scripture.  .`,       tain, with him, that wherever conditions exist, such  1
        "It is also a great defect of American reformed life     as he describes; these Churches or individuals have
 that one no longer studies. I made it`a special point           lost their  RGformecZ  character, though they may still
 to ask, in the several homes in which I stayed, whether- bear that name. But we do -not agree that this is a
 there.were any books in the house and -if so what kind:         fair characterization -of prevailing conditions in  `Fe-
 On this point -1 always experienced a feeling of thank-         formed  circles. The basic error  Mr:  -.Van Spronsen
fulness for my own land as I thought how much differ-            makes is that he sees a few extreme. instances and con-
 ent it is in our country in this respect. I often thought       siders them to be the norm  Land so applies them. Such
 of the visit I had last summer in a simple fisher's             sweeping statement-s as, for.' example, "all the houses
 cottage in  Spakenburg, whose-bookcase  .was filled with        are the- same. in America", "in America they do `not
 theological works. The complete "korte verklaring'!             study", "they do not buy -books. in America", -etc.
 was included and the. great standard works of our Re-           Give his readers distorted. impressions of both spheres
 formed theologians were notlacking. And that these              -social and religious.  - `They may be the -brother's  -
 were used was evident from the conversation I' had              impressions, but  .he should not set them down  .as
 with this  man  .And this situation is not an exception         general facts. The influence and tendency to  world-
 in the Netherlands but is the rule `amongst those who           conformity  ,(not Americanism,' as  v.S..characterizes it)
 -are active in the Church.                                      is no more severe here than in -his  ,own  co'untry. -Nor,
 "In America they do not buy books. The daily                    do we believe, according to all reports and writings
 paper, that is completely at the disposition of the             from the Netherlands, do we as  R'efofrmed.  churches
 world, and the "`neutral" magazines, weeklies, etc. are         in America do a poorer job of maintaining our dis-
 avidly read; One meets with them in every home.                 tinction in this struggle than the  fieformed church  _.
 This is the reading matter from which proceeds a                anywhere else in the world; including the `Netherlands.
 deadly influence on the younger generation .in that             We appreciate much of what  :Mr. Van  Spronsen.writes
 the antithesis is no longer discerned. And he who yet but maintain that the situation is not peculiar to
 strives to live the antithesis in America is  = considered      America nor due to a spirit  of,conformity to American-
 a. kill-joy.                                                    ism but is the age-old struggle of the Church every-
 `.     "Another great danger that defrauds the reformed         where against  worldiconformity  ; ever increasing in
 churches in America is the increasing power with                intensity as. the end draws near. Perhaps, along these
 which the spiritual  americanism influences the mem-            lines we will make a few  .remarks as we continue to
 bers of these churches.' .`This is the result  of..mixed        quote Mr. Van Spronsen.                _
 marriages, in-comers from other church groups and a                                                            W.,H.  -
                                                                                    :.  -
 general deflection among  .her own members.                                                    A'
                                                                                        .                                -           -.
        "As I make the acquaintance of more individuals,                                                            n
 &nembers  of -the Christian  R,eformed  Church-1 am                           CONSISTORIES,   A T T E N T I O N !
  more and more struck with the fact that there is                  .Those desiring pulpit supply  by~students  during the
 ,among these' every  l`wind of doctrine'. In a compara-         summer should send  their.requests  as  early as  possl:&le
 tively small congregation I found adherents  of: `The to Homer C. Hoeksema, 618 Paris Ave., S.  E,., Grand
  thousand-year reign'  ; another that was convinced of          Rapids, Michigan. Requests will  ,be filled in the order
_ the theory of `soul-sleep', an adherent of  arminianism.       in which they come in.
 =There was also a member who had come under the                                             Rev. H. Hoeksema, Rector.
                                                                    _-
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                  `-      c          T H E   S T A N D A R D .   -B`EARER                                                 40'7     _
        :               _.:
        I
                                                              the March  Classis  West decided to meet the first Wed-
                               __

                        (kmferenc& Data                       nesday in September 1947 instead of the last Wednes-
 A           -                                     - i -. day, the Sutton  Confe&ce will now be held from
                                                              Tuesday evening,  7*:30, until Thursday evening at
 -' We presume.  th,at. all our readers are acquainted        5:00  th& is, from September 9 to September 11, 1947.
with the fact that the ministers of the Protestant Re-              Your conference committee met at  Menno, South
formed Churches and the ministers of the Reformed             Dakota, January 20 of this year and-made certain
 Church in  the-U. S. have had several conferences in         decisions; and here they are.
years-past. The fact of this matter has been  advertized            First,  -we considered the five suggestions we re-
repeatedly. The members of both churches have also            ceived for a possible topic from three brethren  ; and
contributed  financialiy for this worthy venture.             we decided to choose the theme : The Law. And under
      The last  Conference.was held at Hull, Iowa, and the    this main theme; we have the following sub-divisions :
 conference:for this year will be held at  Sutton,`Nebr:      The Idea of the Law ; The Law and the First Adam ;
      The  .undersigned brethren have been appointed by       The Law and the Gentiles  ; Christ under the Law ;
the 1946 conference to take care of. matters for  .the        and: The Law and the Christian.                  ,
1947 Conference. And at this time we would  acqaint                 Second, we drew 
you with the work we have  .accomplished,  and we will                                     np  the following program:
also render our financial report to date. -                                   Tuesday, P. M., September 9, 1947  _
      At our last conference the following invitation          P. M.
 appeared on the table, and I quote : "To the Conference       7 :30         Opening exercises and address: the President,
 in session at  Huh, Iowa, October l-3, 1946 :-The Hope                      R,ev. A.  Cammenga.
 and Emmanuel Reformed Churches of Sutton, Nebr.               8 :00  Leetme:  The  I&a Of The  La&,  Rev. H.
herewith  extend  `a joint invitation to the Conference                      IHoeksema.
to meet in Sutton? Nebraska in the year -of our  L,ord         9 :00 Discussion.
 1947.  (w.s. Rev. Calvin Stuebbe and  R.ev. U. Zogg)  ."      9 :45         Closing : Rev. Robert Stuebbe.
      The conference at Hull, while in session, appointed
 a committee to serve- us with a report' and advice re-                         Wednesday,' September  19, 1947
garding  .a possible future conference, speakers, chair-       A. M.
man-for the conference -of 1947, conference committee,         9 :00 Opening Exercises : Rev.  U: Zogg.
 etc. This committee rendered the following  repor_t           9 ~30 .The Law and th,e First Aclam, Dr. K. J. Stuebbe.
which was unanimously adopted; and I quote again:             1 0   :30  R.ecess,  15minutes.
 "1,. The committee took action to consider the ques-         10 :45 Disc.ussion, and if possible, business.
tion of the advisability- of another conference in 1947.      11:45  Closing: Rev. B. Kok.
And the (present) conference is very strongly en-              P. M.
 couraged to meet  .in conference again next year, 1947  ;     2:06 `Opening Exercises: Rev. J. De Jong.
 2. In regard  -to the theme for the conference of 1947        2 130         The L&w ancl the G.entiles,Rev. P. De Boer.
the committee suggests the conference to leave the             3.:30   l$ecesi.
topic to the Conference Committee ; 3. The committee           3   :45  D i s c u s s i o n .
recommends to the conference to continue the present           4:45 Closing, Rev. W. Grassmann.
 conference committee, the Revs. William Korn and                               Thursday,, September 11, 1947
Gerrit Vos  ; 4. We  recommkncl-the following speakers         A        .     M    .
for the 1947 conference: the Revs. H. Hoeksema,  ,C.           9 :00         Opening Exercises : Rev. D. E. Bosma.
-Hankd, and P. De Boer of the Protestant Reformed              9 :30 Christ  cncler The  L.aw,  Rev. W. E. Korn.
 Churches, and the Revs. Dr. K. J. Stuebbe and Wm.            10  :30 Recess.
 Kern of the Reformed Churches in the U. S.; 5.  <We          10  :45 Discussion.
recommend that the conference accept the invitation           1.1:45   C l o s i n g ,   R e v .   W .   Hofman.
from the Sutton churches for the place of meeting of           P. M.
the 1947 conference, and the time to be the week after         1:30 Opening Exercises : Rev. `J. Howerzyl.
the Fall-  Classis  West of the Protestant Reformed            2:00 The Law and The Christian, Rev; C. IHanko.
 Churches  ;. 6.  IAnd, finally, we recommend that the         3 :00 Recess.
Rev.  A.:Cammenga  be chosen to be our President for           3   :15 Discussion.
next year's meeting at Sutton, Nebraska."'         )A          4 : 15 Business.  _,
      As said before, the Conference at Hull adopted this      5:00  Ciosin'g,  Rev. H. Hoeksema.
 report and advice in full.
      At first the date for the Sutton Conference would             Third, the Rev. G. Vos was instructed to write to
have been September 30,  ,October 1 and 2, but' since         the five brethren who were chosen to address the
                                                                                                                    i,


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                                                                                                                                                          _-_-  -                              ~_~~_.  .-
       408 --                             .____                       S.-(-J                         T                   H                     E                XiY~NDARjD  B%AaE&

       Sutton Conference and acquaint them with  our  choice                                                                                                          ,Rev. E.-Buehrer, Green Bay,..Wisconsin  : . . . . .                                                                            ~O,OO
       of the themes, and also their  inaividual sub-scheme                                                                                                           Collections a t Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l.... . . . . . . . r 83.95
       on  w&h they were -to speak.' (This was done by Rev.                                                                                                                   TbTAL titi?@I@TS: . ..`......:_.:: . . . ..I . . . . ..:..@08.18
       Vos January  -2,
                                                v7  6947   ; and the  5' brethren evidently                                                                                                                                                 .
       accepted their assignment,  sinc.e' they did not &fuse)  .-                                                                                                                                           D~XJRSEMENTS  :~  `-.                                                   -
           . Fourth, we decided to  yequest collections in all our .,October  4; 1917, Eank Service-; . . . . . . . . . ;..~I.. . . . . . . . . . . . . $                                                                                                                                                   .85
       chUrchei;-   of both--the  ?rOteStant   -Reformed  an&  the  :  @i;ober   1~3,   1947,.  Travel.   Expense,  d,-Je&es*..   -609.66
      Reformed Church in the U.S.,  ,the proceeds to be sent,                                                                                                   IOctober  3, 1947, Catering at IHull, Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . 14%2'3
       for the `Protestant Reformed Churches to Rev.  G; Vos                                                                                                    January  S;O  alld  $2  .1947.
       at Edgerton, Minnesota and for the Reformed  Churches                                                                                                          Travel Expense,  &ationcry   and,postage  .  ..I....                                                                            14.49 --
       in the U.-S.,. to Rev. W. Korn,  M&no, South Dakota.
             -Fifth,. the conference  colimittee  tias to meet again                                                                                                  `TOTAL                     DISBURSE.MENTS a...; . . ..I . . . . . . . . . . $767.23
       the 2nd  Monday in February in order to further decide                                                                                                   May 16, 1947,  Cash on hand .,........  ~ . . . . . ...! l....... $ .34&95
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       _
       on-tihatever is  &c&sary  for the Sutton  meeting.-:(  This                                                                                                    LAS- soon as  Bossible `after thk  Confer-ence at  Gull,
       meeting was  nbt, held due to various circumstances,                                                                                                     Iowa, in 1946, we put $3.00.00  cif  the  .balafice   011. a
      .among which the ill-health of brother Korn.)                                                                                                             Certificate of Deposit,.- drawing  1%  inte?est,' and  the
             Lastly, we  decidecl to  puljlish our- financial report other $40.95 is on a checking deposit.                                                                                                                                                                   .,_                -_,_
       and state of the finances as of this date, in Concordia,                                                                                                                                                                                               ."
                                                                                                                                                                        And now a final word.                                                         ,-
       The Standard Bearer,  The Witness,  al&&e  Geqeinde-.~                                                                                                                                                                                                                  .
     b l a t t .                                                                                                                                                        By all means, let' us-all come  ,to,t6e  Conference  at
        ' And here follows the financial report,  as of today.
                                                                                                                                                           -            `...  :
                                                                                                                                                                 Sutton Nebraska. These conferences  ire:  a-  vrjotiderful
      :A mimiographed financial.-report was submitted and                                                                                                       stimulus  for  .a11 of us. Let- us  constantly  remen?bkr
       accepted at the Hull Conference  of- 1946, where we. that the glorious life of the Kingdom:  ,of: `God is  $&ted -
       showed `a balance of $193.24.                                                                                                                            only in the  commdnion with the Body  .of  .Christ.  .No  -
                                                                                                       I                                                  -one-is--sufficient `unto -himself.
                    s                                                                                                                                                                                                             If. we  cut..&rtieiveg  dfS
                                                  .l?inancial Statement                                                                                    ! from the communion with the  brethien  we.-become
     of receipts and  disbu-rsements  of the 1946  C0nferenc.c                                                                                                  ,stagnant..   Ai  .our..conferences you will  h&ar  wond&fL~l
      between  the ministers  and students  of t-e Pyote&~t-~  !eCtUTeS, dkflUlatiU~  ChXSSiOIlS,~  andthe .USUal.COlltaCt
       R,eformed  Churches and the Reformed  Chul;ch  in the  :  with.one another. No  one.  can attend  .these gatherings
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ._  __,.
      U.. S.,  held at Hull, Iowa, October  l-3,.  X946.                                                                                  '                k and go home  tinchanged.. Be sure to come!  i  -
                                                                                                                                                          ., _  .-And,  let all our  corisistories take.  +o,?L of this  -l&d
                                                                 RECEIPTS  :                                                                               request -which we  liow  .make again: please,  callest  for
       O&ber  1, 1946, balance on hand . . . . ..i. . . . . . . . . . . . . T 193.24 ! t.he coming conference. Even though  ..we  -have  -a-  nrc.e
       Collections from  the following church&:  -                                                                                                              balance left in the  tr.easuyy,  let us cemember that-the
           Randolph, Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                    1o 64
                                                                                                                                                     .          next  confer&e will be much more expensive..  - And-let
           Eedlands,. California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .,... . . . . . . . . . .                                   32.80 *  -OX&  people remember that when- your minister  &---en-
           Peon, Iowa . . . . . ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  l..,                     8.02 riChed at-  such:meeti'ngs,  the  Tspiritual  be"ne-fits-  are,also
9          Oak Lawll; Illinois . . . . . . ..!.................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                  I3  13,, tasted  by  .you.. See you-at. S&ton,  .I$.  -Y:  L                                                                         _          .
                                                                                                                                                     .
           Rock Valley, Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :::: . . . . . . ;.                                  91li!  `lY  :  '                   .- -                      The-  ConfeTence  (E%xn.mittee  :
           ,Orange City, Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . .._............................                                                               - 6 . 3 7                              1.                     .Revs. Win.. .KoY'n anil G, .Vos;
           Hull, Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          27.3~-.._i~-~~;,~~~~-.~~~~-   -,-,  ~,  $:  .j  s-.e;  ,;,.  *.+T.-;.`  ,;,..                                                                                      ,
           Bellflower, California' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                    13*40  ..-  _._  _  -=. --  _                                           d.k&,~P~~~.~.~, A `"`ya.~                                                                       .,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        .:                       -7.  ..:.-.  _ .  .,                                         :
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                _..
                                                                                                                                                                                                                -                      -
          :Zope, .Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,.............: . . . . . . . . . . . .                                    1 6 . 5 1                                                            _ . . . .  _-  -.-  ._
           First Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan . . . . . . 250.00                                                                                                     -            -             --  B&&Y~S~WY-   ^  -'  -  .-  -  - .
           Fourth Church, Grand Rapids,  Mich. .......... -~ 28.68                                                                                                                                                            ._  .                          .          .       .._
           Holland, Michigan .....,......-. ...............................                                                                     21.18                  On. Saturday, May 31,. $4.7, OUT- &~elp&l  .par.en:ts_  _
           Pella, Iowa ........................................................                                                                 1 5 . 2 8                                  MC.  and  .Mrs.  -WILLIAM  W~EREN~GA   _  -.
           Edgerton, Minnesota ....................................                                                                             15.55           h o p e   t o   rzommemorate   theix  25th:meddkg.   an-nkersary:
           Kalamazoo, Michigan ....................................                                                                             17.91            -           That our Heavenly Father may ,continue-to.  bless-ad-  keel):
           Sioux Center, Iowa .........................................                                                                             9.88 them for -ea-ch. other-, and for us -is -the earnest prayer- ofl1thhei-r
           Manhattan, Montana ....................................                                                                              29.8-l          gr&eful.   &~&-en,  .  -.  .,`.                                             _ ___  1  ._  -                                            I
            Creston Church, (Grand Rapids,  Mich; ........                                                                                      !7;44.                                   __  "  - . .                 Nk.  a n d   M r s .   .&ox&-  Wierenga
           South /Holland, Illinois ..................................                                                                          30.01                 -.                       : --  _          -Martha.  -'  ~ .  -  -  - .
            Grand Haven, Michigan ............... ..... ............                                                                            i 5.45                                                                Bernicw .                               _ .                         -            -
            Hudsonville, Michigan .................. . ...............                                                                          42.00 37th.  St. and. Ridgeland .Ave.. .  -  - .                                                 -  c  -  `.,  : .
     .. -The Reformed  Chur,ch in the U. S.  ; ...........                                                                                     2QO,.OO           .-  - Oak-Lawn, Illinois.  `.  -.                                               -                                              .-


