                                                                               `2.                                                                        ,
      V O L U M E   XXI_II                       August 1, 1947  - Grand Rapids, Michigan.                                      N.UMB`ER  2 0  
                                                                                                                                                  :
                                                                          Christ in the world. She has. &y one calling,' and .ail
                 M:E~DITAT  I-(j.N                                        other  thin&  ar.e secondary and subservient.  to it:
                                                                          that they so walk that they iealize-  the mariifestation
                                                                          of the glbry of Christ, that their conversation.  is
                                                                          worthy o$ tlie`gospel, that they strive for the faith of
         - Sbivinjg For The FaithOf The ~ the gospel.. This is the main thought of this whole
                                                                          passage. For the faith of the gospel the Church-`&&
                                       Go&pel                             strive. ,That is her only concern. " She--need be cd.&
                                                                          cerned  .adout nothing  e&e; And to realize `this sole
                       Only' let ywur conversation, be as becometh and unique calling she must walk as becometh. the
                     the gospel of Christ: that whether I come gospel *which- they profess; must be united in tinity of
                     and see you, or else be a&ent, .I may hear of        spipit ' and of mind; and must not be, if&id df those
                     you?: affairs, that ye starid fast in one spirit, that' oppose.                 -            - .                                          : -8. .. .
                     z&h one  mid striving for the  faith  of the             Only.  ., . .                                                  ! j: .; y,
                     gospel:  A&.. in nothing terrified by your               Whether I am present or absent. -                                           '
                     adversaries  :                                         . Let me hear of your affairs, that ye are so' united,
                                       which is  `to-  them an evident
                     token  of  pew&on,  bad to you of salvation, and so  svve for the faith of  the,gospel;  1 .
                     and that of God:                                         For,  m -fulfilling this calling,  the Church is not
                                                     Phii. 1:2?`, 28.     dependent tipon a man, not eve`n upon the presence of
                                                                          an apostle, but on' Christ only,                                  .:
              Only. . . .                                                    Stand, therefore, and realize your calling!                          '
              This one thing must be emphasized now, at once,                .In the midst of a hostile wo+ld;
      and allays !                                                           Withoutfear!.                          .-                                    .'
`.            The apostle had'confidence that he would abide in                                                    . . . . .
                                                                                                                   1.      z
      the flesh for their sake, and that he wotild continue
      with them all, for their furtherance'and joy of faith.                                    -
       `IHe would see'them again; that their rejoicing might'                  ,                           .,.                   j::.,            !r:.
      be more abundant in Jesus Christ by His coming t6                                                                          j...;                         ._
      them  a g a i n .                                                     Striving  for: the faith.
              Only, after all, this is not'the most important mat-           For the faith of the gospel.
      ter.      The question whether he would abide in the'                  *The gospel is the promise, and the promise is Chri@,
      flesh' and come unto them again, whether .they would and the faith of the  :gospel is-  the  trut$  &hcerniifig
      see him, arid speak to him face to face, oy never meet Christ, as `it is beli&$ by the' Church and cgnf'essed
      him again in this. world, is of relative significance. by her in the midst of.the world that, lieth in darkness,
. O,...it was not -tiithout meaning. for the Philippians.                    Christ as the revelation -of the ,God of QUIZ salva,
      That the apostle'would abide in the flesh iYas surely tion,-tbatyis' the, gospel. Chris$ the Anointed, Wl&
 more needful for them. How edifying was his i&true- is`brhained from before the foundation of the $&id"to
      tion, how powerful his word, how encouraging his be Lord  `df  all.;  the firstborn of  every  creatti$   `u&i
      cdnsolation, how strengthening his very. presence-! Whom and for Whom, and through mom, all things
      Yet, this was not the chief qnestion.                         e     were -made; and the firstbegqtten of the dead, the head
         Oeiy, strive for the faith of the gospel!                        of. the Church ; Lord iri His own rights, b.ecause  He is
        There.  is only one requirement for the Church of the only begotten Son of .%odl and Lord of all things


   ,                                                             _                                                                          t
 458                                      `T H E   S T A N D A R D :   B E A R E R
               .
 by  -divine ordination, because He fought the battle of 6hat faith $he must display. That faith she @called
 and overcame, Hqe suffered- and was obedient even to- proclaim, in her own midst, preaching the gospel of
 unto death,-that is the  gospel. Christ  for  us, Who Christ, and instructing the generations to. come in 
 assumed human flesh and. appe$red  in the form of a its glorious mysteries\  of salvation. The banner ,of that
: -s&&&t,  Who revealed utito us the,Fathe?  in word and faith she must unfurl, in t-h& midst of the world, and
 work,  Who shed His lifeblood `for His-own on .the .ac- that, too, among all nations, even unto the -ends of the
 cursed tree, makirig  atoneinent for bur sin, gnd' Who earth. That faith she is called to confess in word and
 was raised to glory, exalted at the, right hand of God, -&eed, everywhere, and in all relationships of life. ,And
 the  &ord of- lords, and King of kings,-that is the all this must needs assume%he  form of strife. For the
 g;dspel;      Christ  in us, Who received the promise `of _ faith' of the gospel she must contend, for the world
 the iHoly Ghost, and in the Spirit returned unto us, hates and opposes it. It will gainsay it, attempt to cor-
 that He may dwell in us; make us. partaker of His own                rupt it, to silence the voice of the Church. False teach-
 life, and of all- the blessings of salvation,-that ii the ers will ever attempt to creep in unawares and to de-
 gospel. `And Christ through us,~ Who is- the vine while . stroy the faith of the gospel by their -pernicious  lies.
 we Are .the branches, Who bears fruit iti us, and we Shame and.reproach  will be heaped upon the-defenders
 thrdU& Him, that we may walk in all the good works                   of that faith. A place will be denied theni in the world.
 God  pr,epared for us. . . .                                         Hence, in proclaiming. and conf esSing `the faith of the
        Christ,  the  whole  Christ,  in  all  Hii  riches,  as  the  gospel the Church must  expect   oPPosition.   1
 revelatidn of the ,God bf our salvation. . . . .                     Striving for the faith of the gospel !                                               -
        Christ as the sole Lord, ruling by His Word a,nd                  For that strife she must ever be prepared, putting
 Spirit. in and over His own, and ruling dver the world               oh the whole armor of God.
 Ijy His  power.  . . .                                                   Like athletes in the contests of the ,Grecian games,
                                                                      she must exert all her efforts, concentrate all her
        Christ, unto Whom every knee must bow, in heaven, powers in order to have the victory .in this strife.
 earth, and hell, and Whom every tqngue must confess                      Strive t she must togethek;  ynitedly.                                 '
 .to be the .Lord,  to. the glory of <God the Father. . . .               Standing together in the fellowship of the gospel,
        IChrist, in  Whoi alone I  truz& for my salvation, they must not stri$e with one another, -but together
 excluding and r.ejecting every other; in Whom I have stand opposed to the world of: darkdess, and as one
redemption, even the forgiveness of -sins, and eternal man contend for th,e faith.
 life.                                                                    Proclaiming the IChrist  of the gospel, and confess-
        ,Christ, to Whom I belong with body and soul, for ing that )He aloce is Lord
 time and eternity, ,Whom I acknowledge as Lord over                      Fighting the good fig& of fai.th.
 my existence and- life in this world, over my body and
  over my soul, over. my thoughts and- all -my desires,                   Even unto the end !          '
  over my talents and powers, my wealth and my posses-
  sions, my wife and my children, my  posi$ion  in  the                      J                 -
 world, in the <Church, in the State, in shop and office,
  over a.ll my walk and conversation. . . .                                                    1     _'..; <.";' +,.&:"r..*,.` i- 
                                                                                                                            .;;r;. < ( `. :;.         ,
        That `is the gospel!
        And. the faith of the gospel is not the same as our               ,Only.! . .  ., .                                           `4                        .'
 faith in the gospel ; the expression is not to be under-               Walk worthy of the gospel !
  stood in the subjective sense of the .word  : it- rather. .             Let you? conversation be as it becomekh  thk gospel
  denotes the truth of the gospel as it is appropriated by of Christ!                  .
  the faith of the Church; expressed atid -confessed by                   And stand fast in one spirit, with. one mind striv-
  her in the midst of a hostile world, and maintained by ing together for the faith of the gospel !
' her over against all opposition. Just as  wee speak of '  ' Also in the sphere of things spiritual, yea, there
  Me Reformed Churches, so the text speaks. of `the more than anywhere else, all things ape. inseparably
 Gospel -Faith, meaning its truth as, by -the g$ace of related and connected. How- shall the Church striv>
  the Holy Spirit, it is kliowh and believed, appropriated for the-faith of the gospel, if her members walk not
  and confessed by the Church. Hence, to strive for the worthy of the gospel? And how shall she contend for,
  faith of the gospel, is to contend for all the fuln.ess of that faith unitedly, unless she stand fast in one spirit,
  the truth of Chritit, the Bon of -God, the Lord of all, and be of one mind?
  the Redeemer of His people, the Heir of all things!                     Walk as becometh ,the gospel !
 For that faith, the Church must  striv'e!                - .          . Ah,, how otherwise shall your be in a position to
        Such is  h&r high, her  chief calling.                        contend for its faith? Would you strive for the faith
          The faith of the gospel she must preserve in all its which you d,eny at ,&very step you take on-life's path?
  prrity, for unto her it has been -entrusted. The riches 0, you may contend- for a philosophy of man, for the
                                                                                  .


                                                                                                              J
                                      T H E   STANDAljiD  B E - A R E R                                                         459

wisdom of the world, by word of. mouth, without even               0, this,  too, stands inseparably connected with all
making an attempt to realize that philosophy in your t h a t   .pr.etiedes.
own life. A mere theory it is tb you, a matter of intel-           If .you do not w'alk worthy of the gospel, and stand
lectual pastime. But  &he gospel is the promise, and the fast in the oneness of  the  ISpirit of Christ, there is
prom&e  is Christ, and the faith of `the gospel is not neither sense nor reason iti this exhortation to be fear-
a  matter of the head, but of the heart; it is not a less over against. your adversaries. For, then your
philosophy, but` the living truth of God ; it is not an striving for the faith 6f the gospel is Vain and power-
intellectual theory, it is  a faith!                           less,  a_nd the ,advergaries  of the faith will leave yolf
     It demands your heart and all its issues!                 alone. You are a friend df the world, and know noth-
     To appropriate that faith means that you know it ing of the battle of Jehovah, the suffering `of Christ
as. you know nothing else, with yoyr whole being and and its Fellowship,  the joy of being without fear though
existence ; that you put',all your confidence in it, that a host should rise against you.
you rely on it in life and in ,de?th, and that you esteem         But walk now as becometh the gospel  qf Christ,
the riches of which -it speaks more glorious than any- confess Him as your Lord and. adorn this confession
thing and everything the world can'offer. The faith by a. -walk worthy bf the gospel, forsake th& wo+,d atid
bf the gqspel demands #your life! It requires of. you be a friend  *of. God, stand fast in one spirit, being,
that you stand in the covenant of G'od in Christ, that dominated by and living in the sphere of the Spirit of
you love- Him wi*th all your heart, with all your mind,        Christ, and so strive  fo: the fiith of the gospel,-and'
with all. your soul, with all your strength ; that you your adversaries will arise on every side. They will
forsake the world, crucify. your old nature, and walk in arise in greater number, and with more determined
a new and holy life.                                           opposition, as $he coming of the Lord draws near, and
     That is the implication -of a walk worthy of the the man of sin is being revealed in all the horror of
gospel.                                                        his iniquity. They will arise against you according as
     It is a walk that does not put-that gospel to shame. you contend for the faith.           --
     It means that you walk as a people that have been             But you will then, be in a `position to  he&  tliis
brought under the power, under the complete domina- word: in nothing be terrified.
tion of the faith of that gospel, that are called out of           You will nbt fear!
the wbrld, redeemed and delivered frqm sin, sanctified             For  ifi this opposition you. will  se6  & double, an
unto the God of your salvtition.                               antithetical token, a divine sign, a Word of God to
     Walking thus, and then only, you will be in a posi- you.                         "
tion, to contend for the faith of the gospel.                    To them, to the adversaries, this opposition Will be
     Your conv&sation being worthy of the. gospel, you an evident  tbken,. and that, too, from  ,God, of their
will maintain' the unity of the spirit and of' the mind, sire perdition. They oppose your walk as it becom&h
in which you may strive together, in unison, as one the gospel, they hate you for striving for the faith
man, for the faith of the gosp'el.                             of the gospel. `Their hatred and their opposition are
     For then you walktin the #Spirit.                         their own  .cond,emnation. As sons of perdition they
     r!h& on& spirit of th.e Church is the Spirit of Christ. become manifest., To you this same opposition is a
He dwells in Christ as the Head, in the Church as His token  of salvation. The hatred of the devil is to you a
body, in  th@ individual.  believers  onljr in fellowship EI -3-rn ?hat his dominion is destroyed, and that yc& be-
with that body.                                                ion;-: to  .the  ,God of your salvation. The victory is:
To stand fast in one spirit  implied  that  yoi'are all you] s. Eternal glory  akaits  you:
partak&s:of that one Spirit of Christ, that He dwells          . And it  ,is all  if  IGod!          ~  `.
in you, and works in you all one mind, one will, one               He places the adversary on your way to create the i
purpose, one desire : the- mind and will ,of Chris!, the       double sign!
purpose to strive for the faith: of the gospel, th.e desire        ,Your faithfulness is His grace;. the opposition of
to be more and more ci>nfortied according to the image the adversary is His trial!
of the IChrist  that is the sum and substance of that
faith. .                               -                           Be not terrified at all ! Fight the good fight- with-
     Stand fast in one spirit, that Spirit!                    o u t   f e a r ! .                    -
     Walking worthy of the gospel !                                The victory is yours!
                     0                                                                                             `H,.  IH.
                                                                                           --
*

                                                                                           NOTICE
     Never fear !         _                                        !As is customary,  U?he  Standayd  B:earer will not
     In nothing be terrified by your adversaries,!  ..         be published on the. 15th ,of August.


            460 .                                                                                                                   T H E   -STANDARD.  BEA$Ea

             _'      3          The  Sfandard   &rer
                          Sen+Monthly,  except Monthly in July and August
      !                                                           Published   B                                                                    y                            .:  ?!l
      i  <i                         The Reformed Free Publishing AsSociation
      "_                                                _ 1463  A&more  St., S.  E.                                                                                                                       2 Correspondence  with  me!
                                                   EDITOR:  - Rev. H. Hoeksema.                                                                                          '                                                 Netherlands
                                                                                                                                                        .
       Contributing Editors :  - Rev.  G:  M. Oplioff,  Rev. G. Vos, Rev.                                                                                                                                We received the `following article from the Rev.
       R.  Veldm&  Rev. H.  -Veldm&,  Rev. H. De Wolf, Rev.  B.  Kok,
      .Rev. J.  p.- De  Jon&   ,Rev.  A.  Platter,  Rev. C.  Hanko,, Rev. L.                                                                                                                          L. Doekes  :
       V-ermeer,  Rev. G.  Lubbers,   Re?.  MT Gritters, Rev. J. A.' Hey&                                                                                                                                               WA?' IS  DE.BELOFTE?
       Rev. W.  Bofman.
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                                                                                                                                                                                                      voortzetten. Die dankbaarheid is in &en nieuw stadium
                                                                              .--_-
      i                                                                                                                                                                                               gekomen. door de tusschentijdsche ontvarigst van de
                                                                                                                                                                                                      concrete  vragen van Ds.  (Roeksema.           We1 heb  ik
                                                                                                                                                                                                      naar aanleiding daarvan een gtideelte van de reeds in-
                                                                                                                                                                                                      gezonden  copie  teruggevraagd. Ik had namelijk  juist
                                                                              - -   CONTENiTS   -                                                                  .                                  de hand kunne; leggen' op een serie brochures over
                                                                                                                                                                                                      de scheuring in Amerika, en de resultaten van mijn
     - MEDITATION :-                                                                    ,. .                                                                                                          verder onderzoek leken mij zoo de moeite waard, dat
      STRIViNlG FOR THIZ FAITH OF THE GOSPjEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457                                                                                                               ik ze al `was begonnen te verwerken iti een meer uit-
      _ Rev. H. Hoeksema.                                                                                                                                                                             Yqxige  bespreking  van, heel den samenhang der in
      :::.:                     ,;:,                                                                                                                                                                  Amer.&a en. hier in d,en kcrkstrijd aan de orde gekomeq
      ~E~ITORIALS   z--                                                                                                                                                                               kwesties. dm maar &n punt als voorbeeld te noemen :
                                                                                                                                                                                                      de frappante overeenkomst tusschen'de methode,  waar-
      CORRE,SPON,DEN~C~   WI;~`H  THE NETHERLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . ,460                                                                                                                        op men in Amerika van synodewege  heeft gkwerkt met
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                                                                    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..."~....~."    1464
                                                                                                                                                                                      ...-.... / de daar  iq 1924  aangqomen  leerformule.   (d,e ."Drie
                      Rev.  %I.  Hloeksetia.   "                                               `-
                                        . .                                                                                                                                                           Punten").  -om sommige ambttidragers  uit te bannen en
                                                                                                                                                                                                      andere.  otigemoeid  te  laten! Maar dit blijft nu even
      .SAUl%  DIS'&EDIENCE . . . . . . . . . . ..I.............................................  .I....467                                                                                            rusten, om vooreerst alle  aandacht te geven  aan de
                      Rev. G. M. Ophoff;                                                                                                                                                              concreet geformuleerde vragen van Ds.  IIoeksema.
      ::                  ;.                                                                                                                                                                          Intusschen  heeft  dat  "Overschakelen"  mij temidden
I     Dti tiRIEWERF HEILIGE :.:...I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  s.0 . . . . . . . . . 471 van alle andere *be&ommeringen  in ons vrijgemaakte
                                                                                                                                                                                                      noodtiedwongen   weer'  oponthoud  bezorgd.
      `: . . Rev. G. Vos.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          fin  d e
                                                                                                                                                                                                      haastige critici mogen best weten, dat wij predikanten,
                                                                                                                                                                                                      als wij ons we+ serieus opnemen, nog we1 iets meer
      ,IN HLS .FEAR ..I,,,.. :, ,........: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  i . . . . . . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ,.473 te doen hebben dan geregeld artikelen te schrijven vdor
                     Rev.   `J. A.  Heys                                                                                                                                                            de pers.
                                                                                                                                                                                                         En nu  ter,  zake.,  A& het slot van zijn door niij
      FROM HOLY WRIT ,....,......................................................  . . . . . . . . . !475                                                                                             gewaard,eeYden  brief (zie "De  RefBrmatie" van 12
            R e v .   G .   L u b b e r s                                                               m                                                                                             April  j.1.) zijn de  ,vragen  te vinden, waarop hij een
                                                                                                                                                                                                      duidelijk antwoord van ons bege&+.
      PERISCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477       De eerste  vraag was deze: "Welke onderscheiding
                                                                                                                                                                                                      maakt men ten  Uwent-  tusschen  belofte  en  toexeg-
                    . Rev. W. Hofman.                                              .
                                                                     ;.
                                               ._  :                    i_                                                                                                                            ging Y'                 ).
                                                                                                                                                                                                         Op die v?aag kan ik tiisschien het best antwoorden


                                      .`THE `S T A N - D A R D   B E A R E R - ,   '                                             461
                                                                                               .
  met een gedeelte uit de bekende "Verkl&ring  van ge- waarover d-e strijd hier zoo-fel is ontbrand,  en daf qok
  voelen", in November  1943 `overgelegd door de  be- het verschil  in zienswijze tusschen Ds. Hoekserpa  en
  azwaarde predikanten S., ,O. Los, H. Meulink; Joh. H. pns  beheerscht.  IOmdat  hei  bier op nauwkeuriglieid
   Rietberg,  R.  Schippers, M. B. Van `t  Ve`er  ,en F. De -aankomc herhalen we de vraag nog even woordelijk:
   Tries.  Daarin staat qp de eerste bladzijde:, I                  "In betrekking tot de belofte des verbonci8, is h'et
       "Van' ganscher harte gelooven en belijden &j, dat .Uwe beschouwing : a. Dat zij voor alle gedooptezi,  On-
   God trouw is in'Zijn toezeggingen ook aan en omtrent poortiaardelijk   .geldt?   Indien- ja,  houd,$ deze belofte
   het zaad des verbonds, en in het daaraan gestand doen,        ook ih, dat de-Heilige Geest `in ons wcnen, en ons;tot
       Van `ganscher harte geiooven -en .belijden wij, dat lidmaten van  Christus heiligen wil., (en  iat  d&r
   Gods belofte onvoorwaardelijk is in dien zin, dat G&d volgt in het Doopsfor&ier, L. D.) ? Indien ja-,..waar-
   hun, wien deze belofte toekomt, niet het'verrichten van .dm vervult God dan Zijne belofte niet  aan alle  ge-
   een bepaald werk of het komen in een bepaalde gesteld- dooptcn?
  .heid als voorw&arde  stelt, waaraan door h.en eerst meet        b-.  Dat zij. voor all6 ,`gedoopten  is, maar dan vdor--
   worden  voldaan,  v66r God het woord Zijner belofte .waardelijk?  Indien ja, moet  d+ het  gedoopte  kind
  aan heli begint te vervullen.                                  die` voorwaarde vervull$n, eer God `Zijne beloft? aan
      Maar terwijl wij dit van harte en v66r alles geloo-        hem wil vervullen, en adn dat kind wil `toegigenen  he&
ven en belijden, gelooven en belijden we evenxeer,  dat geen  k;et in  Christus  hekft'? Indien ja, hoe kan dat
   Gods verbondsbelofte; viraarvan  ;Christus de inhoud is, kind, *d&t van nature in z&den ontvapgen en geboren
   gesproken wordt en dus niet alleen toezegging,  .doch         is, en een kind des tooY;ns,  die voorwaarde of ook niaar
   ook zeer bepaald toexegging  is."                             ee&e voorwaarde vervullen?
     Uit  .deze  passage kan Ds.  Hoekseina zien; hoe  een          c. Of dat zij voor d.e kinderen  der belofte is (naar
 groep  van  vooraanbtaande  bezwaarden  -in dit stuk de .Rom.' 9)) .die'vdor het zaad gerekend worden? Naar
   wobrden- "belofte" :en "tdezegging" afwisseletid  `ge- mijn overtuiging kan &ede &xeg&e van Keel het fer-
   bruik&  zoiider  @n  liadere  onderscheiding.  Ook in band in Ram: 9 slechts tot de conclusi,e.  leiden, da+ tiet
  virat `verder Van onzen kant is;gepubliceerd, herinner         `kitideren  d@r  belofie'  h`et  geestelijk   o f   uitverkoren
  ik inij een  defgelijke `oriderscheiding  niet.. Mogelijk ,iaad bedoeld is. Ik ben nog altijd ber'eid dit te' ver-
   heeft Dti Hoeksema haar aangetroffeh in een geschrift dedigen, ook nadat ik gelezen heb, virat ten Uwent hier-
   van blaze zijde;-dariiyilleiz tie gfaag eeti ving_erwij&ig    over is -geschr&&  in den laatsten. tijd."
   v&n hem ontvangen.  "                                          Dit is  da;  de  tweedi  vraag van  I&.  Hoeksema.
     Wat ik mij we1 herinner  is dit : dat'de niet-vrijge-       Jammer genoeg  mbet ik juist hi& bet artikel afbiek`en.
   maakte ds. J. G. Woelderink e&s gewezen heeft Op Maar tiu kunneti we ons op htit antwgord  des te. beter
   het onderscheid tusschen belofte en `profetie, tusschen prepareeren.
   toe-zegging  en- voor-iegging. In navolging daarvan                                                  L      .           DOEKES.  ]
   is die onderscheiding ook .wel eens door vrijgemaakten
 * naal: voren g&racht,  om daarmee aan te geven, dat de
   synodale theorie de verboncjsbtilofte-  denatureerde tot
   ceil gdddelijke  inedkdeeling of  voorzeggifig  vati  heil       Here ,follows the translation :
   aan dezen en dien uitverkorene ;. een eenvoudige  niede-
de'eling     iran "onvervreemdbaar  heil",..  "waarvan de                      WSAT IS YHI$ PRO,M;IlSE?                  .,`       :
   vrucht hun n<ei kan ontgaan" (Praeadvies, pag. 55) ;
   of zooals het op pag. 53 van het prgeadvies  ,werd  be;                    (Reply to the Rev. Hoeksema)
   redeneerd : "in verb&d en s&?ament` zegt God tot den _'          Here, then, comes the promised cqntinuation of my
   uitverkorene  of geloovige: `Ik ben uw God (d.i.  -uw r&ply to. the R'ev. IHoeksema.
   heils-God)  voor eeuwig.' IHier staat vast; d'at de aafi- par  weeks  this was postponed. A hasty writer
   gesprokene het heil zal ontvangen, ja, in beginsel (tege-     already coniplained that `we, evidently; did not intend
   lijk  met het Godswoord) reeds ontvangen heeft; en to go into the`matter  any further. .And also the `!Geref.
   dat dit niet `meer afhankelijk is-van eenige conditie, Weekblad" (:R,efdrtied  Weekly j revealed some inquisi-
  .waarvan het `Godswoord het onzeker zou `laten, of ze tiveness concerning the remaining"part  of our arti&%.
   we1 of niet  zal  worden   vervuld. In dezen zin, dus in         Let me set the .hearts of the writers and readers
   tegenstelling met de ,?lgemeene  tianbieding des heils, rat .rest : a grateful task it is to me to continue the dis-
   heeft `de Toelichting gesproken van de onvoorwaarde-          cussioti: This gratitude  .e&ered  upon a-new stage
 ' !ijlTe heilsbelofte aan de Uitverkorenen".              :     through'  the  questibns  df the  R&v.  aoeksema which,
       Wat dus de eerste vraag van.`Ds.` Hoeksema be- in the meantime, I  r.eceived.  '  Th& receipt of  the&
   treft, is het antwoord yrij gemakkelijk  : bij mijn weten questions did, indeed, eduse me to request the return
   wo?& van onze zijde geen wezenlijk  onderscheid ge- of `part of, ithe copy I had already  &ent in. For I had
   z&n  .tusichen "belofte" en "toezegging".                     just been able to lay my hand ori a sepies bf brochures
   : De tweede  v&ag raakt rechtstreeks het groot`e  punt, about ,the sdhism `in America, %tid the results of-my
             .'


                                         .
       462                                    T H E    STANDAiD  B E A R E R .   _  -_

      further investigation appeared, tb be `so important to accept it, are heirs of the promise. Let us now con-
      me, tl&t I had already begun to incorporate them into tinue our translation : )
      a  tiore elaborate discussion of the  quesjioms, raised          Froni  this passage, the Rey. Hoeksema will see how'
     both here and in America, in their proper connection: a group of leading men among the aggri&ed on this
      To mention, for instance, only one point : .the striking point, use the terms promise and pledge promiscuously
      &greiFent betweeri  the method followed by synod, in without further distinction. Also :in that which has
      America, in the  kdop&n of the "Three' Points" in been further publish.ed on our part I do not recall any
      :1924, to .expel  sonic officebearers while leaving others such distjnction. It is possible that the Rev. Hoeksema
      u&io@ted! But this must wait  now for  the, time met with it in some writing from our si,de ; if. so, we
      b&ig in order to conce$rate,  all our attention upon will be glad to have him suggest where.
      the colicrete  qtiestions of the Rev. Hoeksema. How-             I do, indeed, recall that the non-liberated Rev. J. G.
      ever, this alteration in-the set-up, iii connectio%  with Woelderink once pointed out the distinction between
      all' other cares in our liberated church-life, became promise and. prophecy; betw,een  pledging to and pre-
      neeessarily the  cause of new delay. And our hasty diction.             Following this example,. the libertitkd, too,
      critics may well know that ye ministers, if we .take sometimes brought this distinction to the fore, in order
      our work seriously, have something else to do besides to indicate that the  synodical  theory corrupted the
      writing articles for the press.                               covenant promise into a divine communication or pre-
          But to come to the point. :At the close.of his letter,    diction of salvation to this or ihtit *lect ; a simple com-
      which I appre,ciate, (c.f. "De Reformatie of April 12)        munication of "in irrevocably Sure salvation", "of th@.
     _ the questions may be found to the which he desires a fruit of which they cannot be deprived" (Pr.e-advice;
     clear answer from us.                                          p. 55) : or, as it is argued on p. 53 pf the Pre-advice:
          The first question id this : "What distinction do `you "in covenant and sacrament .God declares to the elect
      make  between  promise.  (belofte)  wick! pledge  (tbexeg-    or believers : `I am thy God (i.e. the God of thy salva-
      -.ging) ?                                                     tion) for ever.' Here it is established that the ad-
          This `question can, probably, best be answered by dressee shall receive salvation, yea, in principle (simtil-
      quoting-a part of tF.e well-known declaration of Senti- taneously with the Wdrd of :God)  has already receivecl
      .ment," presented in Nov. 1943, by the aggrieved minis- it ; &nd that this .is no longer contingent upon any cori-
      ters S. 0. Los; H. Meulink, Joh. H. Rietberg, R. Schip-       dition, concerning which the Word of God would leave
      pers, M. B. Van `t Veer and F. De  Vries.  There we           it' uncertain .whether or not it is to be fulfilled. In
      read on the first page: -                                     this sense, therefore, in contrast with the general offer
          "With all our heart we believe  atid confess that of salvation,  the. Elucidation spoke `of the unconditional
      Gqd is faithful in His pledges (to.exeggingerz)  also to promise of salvation to the elect."
-     and about the seed of the covenant, and in the keeping           With respect to the,first  question of the Rev. !EIoek-
      of the same.                                                  sema, therefore, the answer. is easy: ace&ding to my
          "With all our heart we believe and confess that knowledge no essential distinction is seen, on our part,
       God's promise (belofte) is .uncimclitionnl in this sense, between "promise" and "pledge",  '
      that-  God does not require of those unto w$,om is the          -`The  second  question concerns  dir,ectly the  im-
      promise the performance of  a, certain work, or the portant  point about which the fire of controversy was
      entering into a certain disposition, as a condition which started here so furiously, and which also dominates the
      they first must fulfill before [God begins to r.ealize to     difference in .view between the Rev. Hoeksema and
      them the word of His promise.                                 us. Because all depends here on conciseness, we here
          IBut while we believe and confess all this,, with all `repeat the buestion verbally :
      our heart, and before all things, we believe and confess         "Is it your yiew that the promise of the covenant:
      no. less; that God's covenant-promise of which  Clirist          a. Is for all that are baptized unconditionally? If
      is the content, is spoken, and, *herefor&  is not only a      so, does this promise also include that the Holy Ghost
      pledge, but also defmitely a declaration."                    `will dwell in us, and sanctify us to be members of
          `(/Here  we may well interrupt our translation to add Christ, applijng unto us that which we have in Christ,
      a word of ,explanation. The Dutch here makes a p&y namely th.e washing away of our sins, and the daily re-
      upon the word toe-xegging  for which I know. no exact newing of our lives, till we' shall finally be presented
      equival&t in Eriglish, surely no equivalent that would without sljot or wrinkle among the assembly of the
      lend itself to the same play. Itpis a compound verb, elect in %fe eternal."?. If it does, and God makes this 
      the first part, of which, "to?", rather emphasizes that promise to all the children that are baptized, why does
      a pledge or promise is given to someone, the second, He .not fulfill .His promise to all?
       "zegging" that it is  spo,k+, and must be heard  .arid          b. Is it for all  cor&tionally?  -If so, must the bap-
      -received. It is evident that the authors in-tended to tized child fulfill and live up to this condition before
      emphasize the fact that the cov,en&t  promise is:spoken       God will fulfill His promise, and apply "that  which-
      to all;`@t t.hat only those that hear it and receive it or    we have in Christ' ito it?- If so, how  can-<that  child,


                                     THE,  S T A N D A R D _   B E A R - E R                                        $63

~40 is by nature.`born in sin, and therefore a child. of         "But is this a promise?
wrath', and who `cannot enter the kingdom of God ex-             `6O, if ther,e were no debate, and n6 learned qr seem-
cept it be born again', fulfill any condition whatever?       ingly learned reports were-handed in, `and the air were
    c. IOr only for `the- children of the promise' who still pure, and the relation were still honest, we should
&-e counted -for the seed7 and that, too, both by-,God        probably call this sentence a prom&e,  with the greatest
and us?  (Ram.. 9). In my_ conviction, sound exegesis of pleasure.
of the entire context in Rom. 9 can only lead to the              "But now things are being debated, now &here-  is
conclusion, that by `children of the .promise' the spirit- expulsion and things are sharply accentuated,  now.
ual or el.ect seed is- meant. I am still ready to defend we say: against the background of all this God and
this position,  alsQ after I have read what has been men grieving misery, we can only note that the prob-
written on your part about this passage recently."            16m of the promisi! .is here being avoided-, eyen though
   -This, then, is the second question of the Rev. Hoek- the word `promise' is mentioned.             '             . ,.
sema. Too bad that I must break off my article at                 "For, strictly speaking,  the'citation is no promise,
this point. But now we can prepare ourselves all the but a dogtitic  trufh.`: . . .
better for the answer. 1                                          t"me difference is felt at on.e when- the beginning
                                                              of the quoted expression is compared with th6 rest.
                                                              The latter declares  e that the Lord pledges  .the Holy
                                                              Ghost ("toe-zegt"). To whom? To him who already
    Thus far the translation. `.                              believes? I say : yes, for such a one needs' the ISpirit,
    There is one point in the article of the Rev. Doekes      every day; to remain stedfast, and to be reborn through :
on which I must reflect at once. It concerizs  t& ques- faith- (art. 24 `Confession). But that is  .supposedly
tion whether anything in the whitings of the.liberated        not the meaning here. We all think, in this conne@ion,
occasioned..my question. concerning the alleged distlnc-      of the children (Lord's Day 2'7, qu. 74). To the.child-
tion between promise and pledge, belofte and toexeg- ken,  i.e.  to  Johti  znd Mary, and to every N.N., each
ging.      -                                                  time one by one, it  is said:' `to you, N.N., the Holy
    I am sofry that, for the present, I lack the-time         Ghost that works faith is pledged (toegezegd) . There,
to peruse, once again the `abundant material that was not the general `whosoever', but the individua&: you;
sent ,rne' after the close of the war, and &hat is related N.N. is used." ,.                  .
to this question. `1 am writing this in a great hurry,            Prof. Schilder then calls attention to a distinction
because I am about to leave {Grand Rapids for the far `which the fathers made between promise and pollicita-
West, _ and I like to publish this article -of the Rev.       tien. Now, a pollicitation is a promise without mutual.
Doekes  in the earliest possible issue of our paper.          ity, i.e. a promise that has not been accepted by the
    Let me say this about it, thit I sometim,es received .party to whom it  is  mad& It is, therefore,  an,  wn-
the impression from the writings 6f the liberated that conditidnnl promise.            And Prof. Schilder  hitiself
they prefer the term "toezegging" the sp&en @ledge            writes in this connection: "The whdle  question of con-
to the term "belofte" or promise, because it more read- ditional or unconditional pro&se of salvation is con- ,
ily lends itself to express the idea of a conditional nccted with this."-
pro&se. And the quotation which the Rev.  Doekes                  From all tliis, and also from other p&s+@  in-the
makes above from the "Declaration of Sentiment" writings of the liberabed,  in connection, too, with the
rather strengthens me in that conviction'                     distinction they make between  f`bequest" (schenking)
    I believe that I can even now, more or lessoffhan'ci,     and "giving in possession". (in bezit stellen) , I received
explain  how I received this impression.                      the impression  that they made a distinction between
    I ref,er to De Reformat&q -Vol. 22, Nd. 12; where         "promise" and "p&d@<,`, belof te and toexegging. The
Dr. ;Schild,er criticizes the hollowing synodical.declara-    promise (belofte) is a general statement; addressed to.
tion :                                                        no one iparticular.:  "Whosoever believeth in the Son
   "In the promise, He witnesses not only that who- hath ,eternal  life" ; the pledge (toezegging) is the prom-
s6ever  btilieves in the Son has eternal life, but i@e also ' ise ds addressed to particular individuals. The prom-
l)ledges the' Holy Spirit (xegt  Hij ook den  Heiligen ise ig !i.miteh to believers, the elect ; the pledge (toezeg-
Geest toe); Who  wdrks faith whereby  He  .makes  us Lying) is  `fork all that are baptized. Accordingly, the
partakers of Christ and all His benefits."                    ijromise is  unconditi?naJ, the pledge  (toezigging) is
    Prof. .Schild,er complains' that,  the synod failed to conditional.                                              .
.make sharp and correct  diseinctions, especially with           This impression is strengthened by what I read &De
Pespect to the meaning of the terni promise.                  ~Ri?formixtie, Vol. 22,`No. 15:.+.3 other wol'ds, to Al&
..~ - And then he writes (I translate) :                      legally%iptized children  regeneration  is  PLEDGED
   "Here, the contents .of the promise is supposed to ,l(!TOE~GE,ZEGD)   alid the Holy' `Ghost is  P&EDGED
-be indicated .in the words: whosoever believeth in the        (TOEGEZEGD)  . And justification PLhD.GED  (TOE-
Son hath eternal life.                                        GEZE,GD) . Just as it is PLEDGED (TOEGEZE&GD)


  464                                       TtiE       STANDAIiri                       BEA.RE&
                                                             ,._.              .,. .
                                                        .  :
  to them that the -Father will provide tliem with every as an brganic whole, from the viewpoint of its order
  good th.ing,. and will avert all evil, or turn it to tl@ir                a n d   h a r m o n y .   Y        .:
  profit.  B.ut  these.pledges   tire conditional."             ~.              Pl'l-$s fundamental denotation is, probably, never
         In view of all this, I must repeat my question to the              entirely absent from the word as it occurs in the Bible,
  Rev. Doekes,  but now in this form:                                       although it has different  connbtations.       Frequently;
         Although you use promise and pledge (beIofte  and the word refers especi&$  to the world of men, to man-
  toeieggirig) promiscuously often, -yet, when a distinc- kind or  3 part of  it: But since man is intimately'
  tion inust be made, that distinction is as follows:                       related to the world' outside of him, and stands at the
         .,a. The promise is .the uncqnditional, general state- head of the u&verse as we know it, moreover, lives
  ment to the believers or the .elect: they that believe iii and develops in. and through that u.niverse,- the word
  the Son have life, and similar  sC&ements in Scrip- "world", even when it has special -reference to men,
  ture.                                                                     does not exclude the u$v+e, still less has in view
         b. The pledge (toezegging) is the condiFiona1  prom- men individually, but r@her. denotes mankind a$ it is-
  ise addressed to all baptized children.                                   organically related to and connected with the whol!
       1s this my impression correct?                                       outside world.-                                      _.
         And, secondly, when the liberated use the terms                        Bearing this in &id, we find that the word some-
  promise and pledge, belofte and toezegging, promiscu- times denotes the w.hole of reprobate, wicked men,
  ously, do they not always ascribe to promise ,(belofte).                  ai they lie in darkness,, and subject. all things in their
  the meaning of the spoken pledge addressed to .,con-                      universe to their  -sinful mind and will, and employ
  crate individuals ?                                                       them in' the seryice of sin. It is in `this sense that the
         Finally, does tiot the Bible ever speak of the prom- Saviour uses the word `in John 17 :9, where w.e read:
  ise of God as the -unconditional assurance of salvation "I pray for them: I .pray not for the world, but for
  to the elect?                                                             them which thou hast given me; for they aj!e thine."
                                                     H:               H:         Closely related  td this meaning of the  -word,   yet
                                                                            with-a different shade of meaning, is the word world
                                                                            as it occurs in the text to which our inquirer refers
                  _  Question
                                .   l3our  *..                  -           in the- second question:. "Love not the world." When
                                                                            sinful' men react upon the world, and use all things.
                                                                            therein in the seryice of sin, the result is a certain
         1. IQ& first question really consists of three parts,' form of life, a sinful and corrupt order of things.' In
  but si.nce they are all related and concern the same a sense ii .may be said that the wicked create their
  subj&t,: we will read-the whole question at once. Here own world, a world of-evil things, in which everything 
  itis:-.            "                                                      is adapted to the satisfaction of diyers, siliful lusts
         a. Please, explain John 3 :,16.                                    and pleasures. Think,: for instance, of that world as
                                                                            it is-full of adultery, the world.of  adulterous literature,
  "      b. -How are we to reconcile this text with the ex-                 pi&tires,  movies,   dances,  speech,. and  gestupes.  To
 ho&&ion : "Love not the world" 1 -                                         this the Bible refers when it warns us: "Love not the
       ; ,. c. In how many ways is, the term "world" used in                world, neither the things that are in the world. If
  B&?p$L&?                             ;                                    any man iove the world, the love of the Father is not
.-Answer  :                                                                 in him. For' all that is in the world, the lust of the
                                                                            flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is
         We'feel at once that all these questions really con-               not of the Father, but is of the world." I John 2 :15, 16.
  centrate arqund the last. If we answer it, we have the                    Love of the world, of the universe and the things
  key to, the answer to the other two questions.. This therein, apart from (God, is l&t, ,and results in cdr-
  thikd, [question ,we: will, therefore, attempt to aristier ruption..
  first.-                 :       -                                              NQW, the same word "cOsmc&" is used in Scripture
       . . In-answeripg this question, we will liniit'ourselves to denote the totality' of the elect as an organic whole;
  .to.the.  word -world as it occurs in the original df `John but again in cotinection with the'whole universe. We
  3  :16, which is  the word cosmos. There  are other must remember that, `in the elect, `God does not s&e
  words for world in the origirial, but they need not con- .a: f&w -or many individual m&n; but the.real' organism of
  cern- Us now. .                                                           the race. tComparin&  the .*ace to a ,t?ee,  -we may..sajr
         :The gen,eral meaning of the. word cosmos is har- that the real tree is' saved; the- lost' are the branches
  mony, orderly arrangement, beauty,  (Our  word  cos- that are cut off. The- real  organism  of the  hunian
"tietics  is derived from it. It is used to denote  the race is, saved` as' the body of. Christ. Mor&o?er,  not
  created universe, all creatures  in heaven and on -earth, only the elect; also the  universe, God's  `cr&ion,  .is.
        ! Radio program over WMUS, June 1, 1947.        -                    saved, and wil!. be glorified in -the new creation. ' It is
                                                                                               _-


                       -.                        THE.  STANDARD,   BEA-REk                                                                     465
    .                         .
   to'.  this whole world of  ,Ghd,s- elect and all  thip& in          Here is the next question:
   Christ $h& John 3 :16, refbrs. For it is the object of            ;  3.  IHow can we  harmonjze  the text in Matthew
   the l&e of ;God, and it, will surely be saved, ; -              10 :34, where we read : "Think not that I am come to
   .' In:. the light of all this, it will be. pl&in that the send peace on..earth:  I came not to s&d peace but a
   word."%orld" dare not  bs  translated  *by "all men"; sword," with the text in John 3 :I7 :. -"For God sent
   This is never-the meanilig, le+&.@!- all in -John- 3 :16, .nc$ his" Son.into.  the world to condemn the. wo?ld'; but
   a.l;hpugh it :is often ititerpreted ,as if it &a$ just this. -: `thatthe  world thrqugh him' might bqsaved." ?.                   -
   SurBly, it must be &elf-evident that the zuorld  in John Answer.                  '                ~.
   3 :16 &-surely- saved, sinee what ,God loves cannot be                '                                                      -
   Id&; and' that-,tfworld" in this `passage cannot include.           YOU-Y  questioner sees. -an apparent &n&adi~tid~-be:
   th&-:  other  "worldf'  for  which  the  ,Saviour   declaps`  tweeli  y these two  paiiagdS. If the  son  of,  iGod  Came
   that He does not pray. It is the world in Christ, as to -save the world, how can He say that He did fiat
   God conceived `it, in` His counsel, and as it shall once come td send peace on the earth, but a sword? There
   be revealed in all its beauty.and  .glory in the new crea- `%,. however, no real contradiction here;                        This will
   tion, where the tabernacle of -God will be with men.            be:ct,me plain if we consider the.following :                          ~
    -. .                                                               1. There is 110~ other way for the salvation of. the
             ~                                                     world than that of the righteousness of God. This
                                       `
                                            .                     -righteousness,. i.e. salvation from the `guilt and froth
          2. `The second q&stion  reads as fqllows: will this s  the power of sin,  God prepared for us in  Chri&,
  , `very earth be our future .heavenly home, after the final k `through His death and resurrection. This is the.&ajT
   judgmeht?  I I   P e t .   3:13.-  i                           ,of salvation thtit is preabhed  by the gospel.,' It is the
                                                               way of repentance and faith.                 *
                                   :  `.
   Ar&er :                                                          . 2. By nature, we hate  this'gospel of the righteous;
    `. :-Thk, Bible certainly teaches us that, after the resur- ness of Gtid in Christ, We do not want to k;epent. W e
   .rection,  God's people shall dwell, on the earth. "For love.  the darkness  r&her  than the light.' We are
   evild@r,s   shal!  be cut off: -but those that wait upon  enemies of the cross of  ,Christ. It is only through
   .the Lord, they shall inherit the earth." Ps. 37 :?. Anti God!s  sover'eign  -grace that we humble durselbes,  re- (
   again : <`For -such. as are blessed of him shall-inherit pent of sin, seek forgiveness, -and flee to Christ for
   %he-:ea&h--;-  and they -that be -cursed of. him ,shall be refuge. -Now,, since not  all men are  sayed;`but the
   cut -off ." Ps,. 37 :22. And so the Lord Jesus-teaches us :     grace df God folldws the line-of election, the result is
   "Blessed are the me& : for they shall inherit the earth.,,      that the gospel caus.es separation, atid a deep-rooted
   .Matt. 5 :5.     Correctly, however, the question refers spiritual difference between men, that causes strife
   to 11 Pet; 3 :13 as its-Scriptural, basis. There we read : and contention. It. is .the antithetiis between light and
   "&v&&less  we, according -$ his promise, look for darkness, between the.  ,Church and the kingdom of
   new heavens-and a new earth, wherein dwelleth right- this world, that is brdught to manifestation.
                                                                                ~
   ,eausness;".The earth ig its pres,ent  f&m the righteous            3. It is to this "sword" that the Lord refers in
 I sll&l not ,inherit,.  neither .could  they in their resurrec-  I Matthew,  10 :34.     This  is evident .from the context.
   t&n, bod!es. The. present world shall pass aw.ay : "the In the verses. following this text we find that the
   heayens shall pass  away with. a great noise, and the Saviour  explains  ihis "sword"  which  He  came  to
   elements shall melt -with fervent heat, the earth also bring on the earth. There we read: "For I am :com'e
   and the works that are...therein  shall be burned up." to-set a man at `variance against his father, and the
   1,I Pet. 3 :lO. .And John on Patmos "saw a new heaven daughter against h&r mother, and the daughterTin-lay
   and a `new earth,: f$r the first heaven and the first, against her  mothey-in-law. And a man's foes shall
  -earth were passed.&vay  ; -and there was no more sea." be they of his own household; He that loveth father
   Rev. 21:l.           -.                                  :  / or mother dare than me is not worthy `of me: and he
         `.-.Just how: this tiew earth will >be, and how we must &at loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy
   conceive of the creature that will then  be.delivered of me."vss.  35$7. It is  cl,ear; then, that the Lord,
   from the bondage of the corruption, according to Rom. when He speaks of the sword which He'is dome to send
   5:19-22,  we do  nqt know. Certain it is  that heaven on the earth, refers to the. deep' spiritual separation
 ,,,j++l earth- wiii'th$ be united : dwelling: ,,on the earth, and conflict -that will be caused by the gospgl and .for
,  ,we _shall"inhsrit the entire heaveqlya kiilgdom.' It. will [His name's. sake.                                -,
 ' :bc.. .a i&%,n t&at shall be .wholly  `conformed to the           4. Thus understood, there is no contradiction but
   @dry -tif Christ, i& `he&d,  and _ a tfit `d%vellingplace for perfect harmony between the passageb  referred to by
  -the glorified saints in their l;esurr&&i-bodies; Right- our  inqtii?er. In fact,,we niay put it'this vLay : because
  .eou`sn&s  a&d  `peace  shall  reign..th*re,  and the  taber- the Son of God is come'to save the world, He came to
 `nacle. of `God shall then be with nien: . . : ..                bring  a.  sword on the earth,                       `. ,


  -,_
  `-4% - . .  ._  _          __    . ._.. __    ,  ,THE S.T,XNDARD                .B_EARER                         *
                                                                                                     .             .--
          4. `The next question- calls our attention to-a pas, Joab' had made himself worthy of  death. Twice he
  `sage from the Old Testament. Here it is : "In I Kings 2 had killed a general in time of peace, first Abner, then
  Sol`ldi'hdn:`tells  `Bathsheba that he will not deny her re- Amasa. Now, at the time these. killings- took place,
  !quest. Yet, when she asks him.to  let Abishag be given David must have felt himself too weak to inflict proper
  &o A&onij&h for his wife, he uses this as an occasion to -punishment upon so mighty and influential a man as
  kili &Mnijah. What tias the motive, and was he j&i- Joab. When the,first crime was committed he had but
   fied in his actidn?"                                             just ascerided  to the throne ; the second took, place -im-
                                                                    mediately after the rebellion of  .Absalom  had been,
A n s w e r :                                                       quelled. Nevertheless;it surely w&s David's calling to
  Let  `US  try to recall the historical  ci.rcunistances  to punish these crimes, and I `do not consider it justifiable
  which. this ques'tion has reference. Adonijah hati con- that he failed in doing so personally, and charged
   spired with Joab and Abiathar to succeed ,David -on Solomon with. the execution.
  :fh& thron'e, although he knew that Bolomon,  &as the                                  _-
  :divinely appointed successor. The conspiracy `failed.                     0                 -d
   Sblomon was anointed king. Adonijah feared for his
  .li.fe; begged for mercy, and was pardoned by Solomon                 6. The next question is rather of a doctrinal nature.
  ,on con$tion that he would show himself a worthy man. Here it is: "Did Christ.  suffer in both /His human and
  ,But the' king had added : "If wickedness shall be found divine natures? If so, how?"
  ,in..him, he shall die." I Kings 1  :52. Now  l&is same
  -Adonijah had &quested  Bathsheba to present his peti- Apsw,er :                              :          .  -
  ,i$on to  SoJo$on  that Abishag be given  .&im to wife.               The answer. to the first of this double question will
   Abishag, we recall, was the damsel they had found for eliminate the necessity of answering the second : Christ
   pavid. to nourish. him in his old age and although the           did not suffer in His  divine.,nature,  but only in the
  -king had, no intercou?se  with her, she was .regarded            human nature, body and  s&l. The infinitely perfect 
  `as his &icubine. ,To ask fo? David's concubine was, divine i&ure is not subject to `suffering and death.
  ";uj the. eyes of the people, tantamqunt to claiming the              This answers the qtiestion;  But a word or t&o of
  .`t@&e. The request"of  [Adonijah, therefore,.  was prqof furth,er  explanation might not be superfluous. Chris%
 ' :tb-at' hk wa& still conspiring against ,Solomon, with the is the Person of the Son, of God iin two natures : the
  z&l atid counsel, perhaps, of Joab and Abiathar. Now, .human and the divine nature. .He-is not two p&rson$,
  khe king's mother did not see through the &il.`designs            but. one. But this one, divine Person, subsists in two
  gof Ad&j&h,  and when she brings his request to the natures. In  .His divine  nature.  He: is. very God, co-
  `lii'n'g;: she' calls it a "small petition". This "small peti- equal `with the Father atid the Hbiy, Spirit, infinite and
  $42 S&io&oli  ,promises  to-grant her. When, however, eternal. In that nature  Chri$t,  the  Son  of' God,  ?s
  i,&!io&dil &s become acquainted with the conten& of eternally in the %bosom. of the Father, also when, &-
  %his  tipposedly  "small petition", had  recognized  its cording to the human tiature, He'is oti earth, suffers
   evil design, he.withdraws his promise, and swears` that and dies on the  cros%. We must not  iay, therefore,
  ?Adoilijah  ,shail die, a sentence that was %nmediat+y that Christ suff.ered  in His `divine and human r&tire
  :&xe&uted.       Iri  `t$s, the  king was certainly justified, `both, but that the  pe&on of the  Sdn of lG&d  suffered
  :sihce'h&  was the king ordained of God to sit on David's         and died, was raised and exalted, in the human nature
  ,thron@;  and as such had the calling to $ifiish, all rebels      only.                                  `
                                                                                                           .
  :.as .enen?ies  -of Jehovah;
  `__                                                   _                         -.
  ,f.'                                                              j...  ,'                                              :
  -,  (.' , :                      ,.     _,                 -.
  :.~       ,`_                                                         7.  iTh&  follotihig question is concern&d with a
  `:". 5. The next-question is Closely related to the pre- profound problem, which we can never completely
\ :vidus one, aild refers to the same period of Old Testa- c fathom : "From whom does  Satari derive his  I. evil
  -ni&t history. It reads ag follows: "In the same chap- power? What effect, if any, has this on the doctrine
  ,ter. we  read of David's charging Solomon to punish of salvation ?T'
  jdoab-for  his sinful deeds during David's reign. Why
  .dTd ,,Dav&l defer to inflict punishment ljersonhlly, and Ansyer:                                        :                   -.
                                                                                                     ,'
  .:;ddid, h% retain Joab.  in. his service throughout his life-        In answering this'question,  we ,m,ust!,  1 think, s@e,ss
   time for utili'tarian  purposes only?"                           the following points:
  `j&gw ;;. ;                                                           First,  that Satan's  evil nature does not have its
                       /.                                           origin in God, Who is. a light, and the`re is no darkness
          :-Y&s,  perhaps, we may say that David was motivated in  :Him  a& all. He was created  a good and  gloriou?
  `.by:utilitarian  considerations, when he failed to inflict spirit. But he stumbled over his pridse, and became
   the proper  punishment on Joab for his crimes. -Twice the personification  o$ wickedness. Yet, this fall  :of


                                                         THE.,  hTAJ$;bARD-:  .~BljlAj3E,R                                                                 4&Y
       .L.-..  -                                                                                                     _                        .._
                                                                                                                          .-.. _: -: ._-. __            _  -.._
       Sa@. `-took place under God's  all%ontrolling  provi- of the law, they so emphasized the negative and legal
       dence, and must s'erve His purpose.                                               aspect of the sabbath; that .it h;td become.,an u:nbe.+r-
            Secondly,  that Satan,  beirig.a creature, still receives able burden, rather than a bless&g? 8 In.. this, parti&lal:
       all ,his power from God. God does not have to fight case, evidently, they judged that the disciples had.to  g?
       the devil in. his opposition to the Most EZigh, If God hungry rather than violate the purely ceremonial  asp!@
       would not sust,ain  him, he would exist no more. All of the sabbathic law. It is to this that t& Lorcl;rc:
       the power Satan uses'in  the attempt to accomplish his plies : "The sabbath is made for man, pot m?n. for the
       evil purposes, he receives constantly from God. More- sabbath." It is not the mere negative and legal side
       over,  though he neither thinks nor intends to serve                              of the sabbath. that must be ,emph+iied,. but Father
       God's `purpose, God so controls,all  his activities, that he the positive-element of the worship of and fellowsbiB
       can do nothing else.                                                              with God. If the former is emphasized, man wi!J be a
            Thirdly, the significance of this truth for the doe-                         slave of the sabbath, groaning- under a btirden,of @y
       trine of salvation is exactly, that the devil, in' spite of that `fills him with fear ; if the latter, the sabbath will
       himself, must serve God's .purpose  of salvation. Satan be, a  means  to  cause  man to grow in  sanctific$+n;
       and his host can never, prevail against th,e Church, nor and to give him a  :oretaste of  the eternal  sabbath. .
       even harm ,.her.     The very powers of darkness are Unto this it is intended.
      ,under  Christ's dominion, and must.work together for                                                                         i           .'  `H.`H.  ._..;
       good, though they `do not mean it, for them that love                                                                                                     ;....I I
       God.                                                                                                                :             :            ,,. _  . .
                                                                                                                                                               ;   _.- '
                                                                                                                                                                          .`.

                                                    ,

            8. With the next &estiop we turti dir,ectly to Scrip-                              `THE  DAY  OF  SHA&JWS  -.:
       ture once more. Here it is: ".How d_o you .exp!ain the
      `latter portion of Mark 2 :i7: `I came not to call the
       righteous, but `sinners to repentance'?"                               '
     ._.                                 -.                                                           Saul's.  Diasbedknce  ~  _,  1'
       Answ;er :
            We must consider the context  of this passage. The                               As was stated, the people of Israel, +s admoni&d
       Pharisees  and scribes criticized the, Lord-because He by Samuel and subsequently as terrified by the:Lord'i -
       sat at meat with publicans and sinners. *It is in answer thunderings, finally confessed, their great sin of ask&
       to them that the Lord said : "They that art whole have that a king be set over them. Sam&l having finish+
      no need of the physician, but they that are sick : -1 came his discourse to the people, Saul now came forward.
not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.`: He chose him three thousand men of Israel for pure7
       By this answer the Saviour made plain, first' of all, poses of war; and, a's was proved, in these men he @It
       that he did not eat--with publicans and sinners as their his trust.                                                                                .
                                                                                                                                              r  :                  `?
       fellow, but as their healer and saviour ; and, secondly,                             `At this time .the People of Israel were.  hopelessly
       He indicated the d,eep reason why they,. the Pharisees. in bondage to the Philistines, as wc saw. The niil'itary
       and the scribes, had- no fellowship with, or' need of might  .of the Philistines was tremendous (chap.- 13 : 5'):.
       Him. They were th`e whole, that needed no physician; And the `people of Israel were unarmed, the Phliistilfes
       the righteous, that needed no repentance; not really, having destroyed all their  smithies,lfor  they said;
       of course, but in their own estimation. As self-right- "lest the iHebrews  make themselves swords and spears.`.,
       eous they were ever excluded from the scope of Jesus' Only the implements that were needed for the cillfival
       call to repentance, and from His salvation.,                                      tion of the soil were allowed them-to sharpen .iyhi'i~h
                                                                                         they had td go to the Philistines, `The result was. that
                               -                                                         ."there was neither sword  no? spear.fotind  in the Yand
                                                                                         of any of the people that were with Saul and Jontithari;
            9. We probably have time for one more questiqn. but with Saul and with Jo&than there tier6 founc$"
       It is this`: -"IlXow do.you explain the saying of Jesus in Thus the entire force'with Saul and Jonathan -was un:
_      Mark i :27 : `The sabbath `was made for man, and not p r o v i d e d   w i t h   arms.                              -
      mali for the sabbath'?"                  .                 :
                                                         -.!           1.          (1        The people, so we remarked, had `demanded that a
                                                                      L!
      Answrer  :                                                                         human king' be set over them .to deliver theni fr6ti
                                                                                         the, oppYessi&s  of the dominions of their ad$e?sari.e&
            `This passage, too,  m&t be read in the  context.                            and this because they did not want the Lord td reign
       Again it was the Pharisees that were criticizing Jesus over them, the reason being that l!Ie would ,&ye-`them
     j for allowing His disciples to pluck ears of corn on the only. in the way -of their forsaking their wickedn&s
       sabbath. Though the? omitted. the weightier `matters and turning to their redeeme&God  to serve the& &&


   468       ..                     T H E .   .STANDARD  B E A R E R                                               1 .
  all their hearts. `The Lord had given them their way. hopeless,  hug-a&  s.peakin&-  ,The Philistines could
  They nowm had their king. But tihat was their king be elipected  to advance Brom Michmash into the Gilgal
  doing for them in this`crisis?  Nothing at all. Though plain; and the,people  were unarmed. Mindful of their
  naturally a brave man, .in that terrible crisis his cour- predicament, the men of Israel were sore afraid. `De-
  agr+ failed him utterly: ' Being devoid of trust in God void of faith in .,God and at 6nce aware that their king
  and thus being unable to arm- himself with the truth - could do nothing for them, thgy fled .to the. caves,
  thet the victory is the.Lord's and that therefore faith thickets, rocks, high @lakes and pits c&that region and
  m-the  Lord-the Lord God of  Israel-overcometh  the hid themselves therein. Many wefit over the Jordari
,_ world, he sat still there in Michmash, afrgid to bestir to th,e land oi IGad and Gilead. As for @aul, it would
  @mself. The'people's  only'hope  was the God whom , not do for him .to seek safety in fliiht; For he was
  they  had rejected.  IHe must work, or their bondage the king. So he remained in Gilgal. . With him were
  needs would be without end.                                  but ei< hundred ttiembling  men of war (chap;137735)  ;-
     The j&d did work, so we saw, through Jonathan All the ye+ had fled during the course of the seVeri
  His cho+n instrument and workmanship. , What Saul dajrs that had elapsed since Saul's aTrival in Gilgal.
  lacked, Jonathan possessed ati .a gift of ,God-he  pos- `The king now did the forbidden thing. .Cogmanding
  seescd a hving faith in God. While Saul sat still, Jona- that a burnt offering and a peace offering b.e brought
  than 2vanced against th&t Philistine garrison in Geba him, he offered the burnt offering.. The doing  .\Vent.
  :;nd smote it. The defeat was total.- The garrison to contrary to the Command of G`od under which Samuel
  a man  wts annihilated.                                      had placed the king on the day that .he had anointed
     The unbelieving Saul now  best,irred  himself  .not       him, "Thou shalt go down to Gilgal; and, behold, I will
  by clioice but-. as compelled by fdrce of .circumstances.    come down td thee, to offer -burnt offerings, and .to
  .The Philistines .naturally would hear of the disaster sicrifice sacrifices of peace offerings : seven days shalt
  by which their garrison at ,Geba Rad.been overtaken. thbu tarry,  till-1 come to thee, and' ihew thee what thou
  Soon they' would be on the @ai;ch not alone for pur- shalt do." ~,The violation of this command was .a great
  poses of-terrible revenge but also because:,they  tnioald sin. Though S&u1 would continue to reign for zsev&al
  real&-  ?hat the attack .upon  their garrison was the .years,  his "kingdom would not  contiriue'),   $70.soli of
  signal Por a general rev& and' that therefore there his would succeed him ,in the throne.
  was need- on their part for speedy military action              Though Saul was justly retri$uted-necessarily `Iso,
 agamst.  fsrae:.' ,Soul  did  two things (chap. 13  :4, 5). as with God there isrio injustice,. be.,it that this is not
  With  Es three  ,thousafid  "strong and valiant men" always clear to reasdn,  But iGod's people live by faith
  -he immediately took up his position in Gilgal. Thbugh -at first  &mcti it may appear that his  0fXence.   .tias
  this is not explicitly stated, it i6 the necessary implica- trivial`and the pun'ishment  therefore much. too. severe.
  tion of various statements occurring in the text. Se& A hasty appraisal- of the' attending circumstances may.
  .ondly, `%aul blew the trumpet throughout .a11 the land, find  US concluding even that Saul was driven to dis-
  saying, Let the Hebrews h&r," that .is, at t&e command obey, (though that of course was itipotisible)  ; or `we
  of the king, trumpeters went forth to summon the May find it difficult to explain thtit the king had sinned
 -,peo$e to war by the peal of their instruments under- at all. For seemingly Saul's, excuses were valid.' Said
 zstood  by all. This call to, arms was supplemented by .,Samuel- to the ,king, "What hast thou done?" He re-
 .,what the  truhpeters  said, namely, that -"Saul had plied, "Because I saw that the people were scattered
  smitten a garriso; of the Philistines, that in conse:        from me, and that thou' earnest ndt within the dajrs
  quence thereof Israel tias held in abomination with` appointed; and that the Philistines gathered themselves
  the Philistines," and that -therefore  -the people-every zit  vichnia& ;  therefor'e said I, the Philistines  ,will
  man able to bear arms-must hasten to Gil.gal, where come down upon me to  Gilgal .,and I have  llot `made
  Saul  would be awaiting their coming. So were the supplication  tinto the Lord: I forced myself therefore,
  people "called together after Saul to Gilgal,`: Tb this and  of$ered a burnt offering.: Also according to the
  movem.ent  of Israel the Philistines replied by gather- testimdny of the s&red -writer -(verse 8) -Saul did tarry
  ing themselves together  "to fight with Israel, thirty "seven  days, according .to the set time that the seer.
  thou?and chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and had appointed." It. must be  admitted that at first
  people .as the sand which is .on the seashbre in multi- glance Saul's @fence  w&s impregnable. But `actually
  tude." ?e large artiy of the ,I?hilistines pitched' in the kipg's reasoning was spurious. It must have been:
  Michmas+  in front of Bethaven.:  It was the Sam& place I$or  8aFqel  $Q  the  g+rne.' of the  .Lo?d   dticlared  him;
  where- Saul had `been. encamped. Desidid  of trust in guilty of disobeying &he diyine command J ahd thi! lan:;
  the `Lord and therefore fear&g the military might of guage used by the seer do& not. at all indicate th$t
  the adversary, the, king had. abandoned this posit&          also tq his mind he was really the cause of Saul's doing,
  and betaken himself wjth his three thousand. men to and that therefore he was holding himself c&respofi-
  .&lgal, behind the steep slqpes of. the hills in the plain sible. Yet, this precisely alas the contentioti of Saul,
  that &tends to the Jor.dan.  . . But his plight was still    namely; that the seer. had compelled him to take .tiat-


                               ._

                                     -THE:        STANDARD                    -mAkEa.                                        469
  _.  _                   _                                                                                           . .
  ters in, his own ,hand. To this sentiment he .gave ex- waited for the seer t'o perform that function. This cer-
 pression  iq the words,? "Because thou earnest not with- tainly is the only acceptible  iinterpretation  of the .pas-
  in the days appointed. . L . I forced m&elf therefore sages involved. `The notice, "And Saul  .said, Bring
  and offered a burnt' offering.". Strictly, this  stat& hither a burnt  off.ering  to me, and peace offering..
  ment of Sau+"thou earnest not within the days ap- And he offered the burnt offering," is a-notice to the
pointed'.`-must have been false.  .For had the seer effect that the king, himselfj sacrificed. The passage
  come after the exljiration  of th.e seveh days, he thereby contains not the slightest-  indication that the offering
  would have invalidated his _commandL to the king and was sacrificed through the  ag@ncy of a priest. `But
  thus freed him from the obligation of obeyipg it. But there is still this-question : how might Samuel sadri- '
  what tlnen are' we. to do ,with the testimony of the fice, if he .was but a common Levite? ,This is no +diffi-
  sacred writer, "And he-Saul-tarried seven days. . . culty. The seer everywhere appears as performing
  but Samuel came not to Gilgal." We must take notice priestly' functions. We must consider that the time6
  that the testimony is not to: the effect that Saul.tarried       were still abndrmal. r The priesthood that during the
  Seven. full days atid that thus the seer.came  after these reign of-$he judges had fallen into disrepute had still
  d.ays had fully come. It is unquestionably true, there- to be `restored. The  hi'gh priest was not  functioring,  
  fore, .that what happened is that though, i.he last of could not function, as the ark and .the tabernacle were
  the app&ted `days had come and tias well advanced                still .separated.. Various passages : compel us to ,C,on-
  the seer c&me not to ,Gilgal,  that therefore the king, as elude  that  tl+ acting high priest `of that day was
  consumed by the impatience of unbelief did the for- Samuel. .                         a
  bidden thing, and that while  .he  w&s thus  o&upied              .I So, then, Samuel was  not alone prophet  btit also
  San%`el appeared perhaps a& the day was drawing to priest, not according to the law  ,of Moses but by  a
  a close but thus had not yet fully come. This tells special appointment' of ,God. This is one of the thingi
  ps how the words of Samuel-seven days  shalt,.thou that must be takep into consideration and be borne in
  wait until I come unto. l&e--:are  to be tinderstood. mind, ,if we are to understand Saul's siri as to its true
  Not, "I will come to thee `on one of `the seven days. character; the otherlthing  being that the burnt and the
  If  6ecessary,:  wait therefore until these days have peace offering (asw41 as the sin- and the trespass offer-
  come," not, "When these days-the. seven-have fully ing) were. &mbolical-typical transactions that iike ouu'
  come, then, on sbme hour of the eighth day, I yill conic sacraments set forth the work of. ChristiHis  atonitig
unto thee;" but, "wait seven  days. During the course the sins of His people by, His suffering and ,dyirig on
  of the last of these days-the  seventh--I-  will come the cross, and :His entering in once into the Holy place
 unto thee." This interppetaticgn gives to the' command by IH!is own blood, obtaining eternal redemption; that,
  a rich mean& as seven w&s :a sacred `number that as therefore the @aace  of the sacrifice of these offering
  such, signifiid God's covenang with His people.                  was the very house of God, the. temple of the Lord,'
     We must further take notice of the. face that it was where the believing  worshippers  sto6d  `before God's
  a double command that  :Sa&m21  had imposed upon face,`beheld the beauties of ihe L&d in His temple atid
Saul.  ,These  `commands were: 1)  "Sevkn  days shalt tasted that He was -good by His testimony in their
  thou wait untif I-come to thee-to offer burnt offerings ; hearts that ,they were His beloved people, ,saved  from
  2) Seven d&y& shalt thou wait until I come to thee to all theif sins by the atdnement of Christ symbolized by
  sh&v thee what thou shalt do." "The Cdmmand under the shed blood of these offerings on the horns of <the
 .2) receives explicit.  `state&&t iii the text; and that altar. ,The burnt dffering lay `in itd entirety  on  the-'
  Saul was commanded by the seer to `refrain from altar in a state of consumption by fire as the tokefi  of _
  sacrificing is proved by the fact'that it was held.against the perfect consecration of Christ and'of ,God's people
 him that he did  SO.                                              in Christ. *This was the special feature of the burlit
     There is also tliis question: J.ust what was Saul's           offering..  .The peace offering was the only  sacriifice
  sin?  - According  ,to one interpretation it  was this:          by blood, the flesh of which was eaten by .the wor&ip-
 that he, himself, ordered the priest, who .is assumed per, the common Israelite. Symbolized was the cove-
 to have been present; tG sacrif&-the offering instead of nant fellowship.of  IGod and His people in Chriet.
 waiting for ,Samuel  to'. command tKe-, priest. Thus                 We perceive now the thrust of Samtiel's  command
.-- Saul's sin according  to this  .view,  wa6  `ilot that he tti Saul. It is this : I will ,come down unto thee $0 Gilgal
 peronally   sacrificed `but. that he took  :charge."of   t,h&     and build the. altar of the -God of Israel's salvation,
 sacrif%e*in.Samuel~s  stead;:who,  9s he w&s but a corn2          who ,alone can save. Make thou ' this' `God thy'.expecta-
 mon L&trite (and he <tias, tliatg could nU)tiore sacrifice tion and seek: Him. there. at His altar .`in the `blood- of
 than Saul-such is the view-except, of coures, throbgh the atonement, imploring His  pardotiing  grace, His'
 the agency of a priest.              :                           ' victory and  Hiti power for thy warfare, ,and learn
     Then there is the interp&t$tion ac&-&ng. to which from Him by me, 1H:is prophet, what thou shalt do.
 Saul l&&elf verily did- sacrific& and thereby collided              `But the seventh day had come, and Samuel came
 .with the commajnd according to'which he should have .not &Y Gilgal ; and the' pedple were scattered from. Saul.
                :


     . .
   670                                            T H E   $TANDA.RD:  -?E;AR-~E~RJ
                                            _     _..  ..-  ..-  -..  --_-
  `All but six hundred of the men` of .-Israel had fled.. the -Lord. ;.`. .;"y meaning. that it was the very thing,
   Saul concluded that he was desperately- in the need of that :he all along: had :w.anted4o  do but that, he had
   altar, priest, and sacrifice for the purpose of makin`g             restrained'. himself on. .ticdopqt  of the command ? And
   supplicatidn unto the Lord and for the ..purpose  of ar- 19hen he had tarried se!&-:days,  did he not that very
   resting the disp,qsion of the people. So he appointed ..thing-make supplieatiqn unto the Lord? Not reallyi
   +,nself  priest, built an altar, and sacrificed a burnt- What he did :w,as :verily,,$hihis : he attempted to induce
   offering and worshipped there in that temple of his Gcd by his gift-the burnt offering-to come to his
   own making and furnishing, thus worshipped in the aid iri th&t, dreadful-hour, as if IGod were a deity whose
   temple of an idol, of a god of his own imagining.                   wrath must be warded off `and whose favor must be
            T&+ dreadfulness of Saul's disobedience. is obvi&s, won by gifts .an,d bribes ;' and as if the buknt offering
   He, rqje&ed  God's house and all that pertaineth there- were such a bribe instead of an instrument fpr the
   t'o-the God of Israel who dwelt there, God's altar and              expression of true faith like our  sacram@nts.  ,Saul':
   prie&..and  blood of atonement, ,God's fellowship, favor, suppl,ication   was not true  prayer,  .His conception  of
   and help alld God's prophet atid ,thus also God's dire'&- God :was -pagan. He prayed to an  .idol.  That the
   ing word  .as spoken by Samuel.  -As rejecting  `God's              burnt offerings and the rest of the Qffering  were use-
   k;o.u& he wbrshipped in the' temple. of tin idol, pros- ful $0 Saul simply as a ,means for ingratiating himself
   tr.a$ed.  himself. before its  shrin.e,  and  sticrificed  the with <God is proved,  by .the fact of his postponing his
   Lprd's offerings hpori its altar.                                   supplication until he had forced himself to  sacrificd
            lThat this was Saul's sin is plain. Saul~ waited not contrary to, the seer's command. That of this foolish-
   for Samuel; and Samuel  was God's prophet and priest. ness he  was.guilty is evident  froni the language  qf
   Saul- thus waited not for .God, the Lord ,God of- Israel, the defence  that he put up~for.himself  in the audience
   for. His  atonemept, salvation, fellowship and word. o f   S a m u e l .
   But we must not make Ilight. of `S?ul's predicament. ,-                    Rut this pagan conception.  of  Gdd was not the
   The people were scattered from him. All but a hand- pnly idol that Saul was supplicating; Doubtless it was
   ful had fled ; and these were without arnis. Saul was `also on account Qof the fearful ,and unarmed people, of
   thus without an army t6 oppose: the Philistitie hords,               rsrael  that he sacrificed. In  all likelihood he  h6ped
   should they  conic down upon him to  Gilgal. And he that as as result of his sacrificing their: fears would be
   `y,as sore afraid.  &nd no  wofidep.  His plight was calmed and those who had fled would be encouraged
   +ly terrifying. From the point of view of nature it to return $0 him. .Thus it was also to those f'earful one8
w.as hopeless. Wliat was  E&u1 to do? What  coulcl he that he mad& supplication that they stay ,by. him in
   hqe,done;  what would he have been @llowed to do, had that crisis. :The sight-of  those'fleeirig men- terrified
   the -Philistines attacked `? Verily this : In true -contri- him beyond words. For he trusted not in the Lord but
  tion, of heart cast himself upon the Lord's mercy an2 in idols ,and in the `arm of flesh. But the inen of Israel
   cry to `God to deliver him and His, people out of the continued fearful. The spectacle of :their unbelieving
   hands of the Philistine for His name's sake. `And with? and disobedient king, gding through the  motions  of
   out  Xai!, the Lord, in His unmerited and sovereign making supplication.`unto  the Lord, did not, to be sure,
   love of His ill-deserving but chosen people would have calm their fears  and.  enco>Trage  them to return to
   lfeard and answered- that cry, Kad the Pliilistilies come him.                          "_
   down upon Saul to GilgSl. `Samuel had in&Llcted  him                       Let us understznd  well that what was  rquired of
   $0 refrain from' sacrificing. the burnt atid the peace Saul. - As threatened by a, mighty foe that had estab-
   offerings;, but;he had hot forbidden him to pray'. But 1ishe.d itself in Michmash, and whose ranks were daily
   .thjti; @au1 could -not will truly to .do. He was not a growing, and virith ,his `own people in flight, Saul had
   praying man. For he' was devoid of faith and he to wait  for the Lord, for  IHis word, and to  colitinue
   knew not God.in' love. But aside from this, Saul had waiting ,for 3&m, .while Israel's armies. dwindled. until
   God's, promise that the Philistines would not trouble all that remained oY' them' was six hundred fearful,
   him during the sev'en days that he awsiited Samuel's uqarmed 2nd thus helpless men, and this' as believing
   coming. IAlnd this promise waS implicit in the seer's that in reward of his obedience God w?uld give victory,
   covmand to him, "Thou shalt wait seven days until `1 however impossible this might seem from the view of
   `come unto thee`to'show thee what thou shalt do." And nature. ..Of ' this `implicit faith in God and absolute
   implicit,  in this command was' the promise that, in `the obetiiencc to His will- the captain ovei .God's people
   ivay of obedience .he would triumph .gloriously  over the .h.ad   to be  capable; But  SaiJ had not that faith. He
   P,hilist&es;' 80 there was no excuse for Saul's sacrific- w& not capable of that~cib'edi'elice.  1;' He was' unbeliev-
   ing the  .burnt `offering. ,  :.                                     ing.  13%  w'as disobedient. He -trusted in  ttie idle, in
   :.. The statement tias just .made that Saul `was not a whose temple he also worshipped. And therefore in
   praying man. But is the statement true, one will ask. the v ( rds.of S&muel, "thy kingdom shall not continue."
   $aid Satilinot, "The: Philistines. will come ddwn upon How could it? Certainly;  the kingdom of a king who
   &e to .@!gal,, arid I have:& made .supplic+tion  into
                                       i                                trusted not `in God, refused to ,live by His word, wor-


                                      T H E . . . -S'T A, N.D A R D I. .B E A R E R                                                                471

shipped inthe temple of an idol, and was priest to the mind to set aside Samuel's command. `For he  .well
arm of flesh, the Lord could not establish. Such.king- knew that Samuel was the Lord's prophet and that the-
doms are anti-God. They -must. be destroyed. But, seer had charged him in ,God's name. This had been
so Samuel continued, "the Lord hath sought him a man proved to him over and over. Hence, he was without
after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded excuse.
him to `be captain.-over His people. . . ." This man                                                                          G. M. O...
was .David, yet not David either,, For he was but a                                                                                          .
common mortal, by nature as unbelieving and dis-                         -_                                                                       _..(_ *_
obedient as Saul.. This man-was Christ. .`He trusted           .                                                                                        : .
in God perfectly,. and therefore God also delivered
Him, and IHis people in IHim.` .He was .obedient  unto
death,- even unto the death of the cross. Therefore                   SION'
                                                                                     S  -zA,NGhg-  .  .  .  ...> 
God also mightily exalted Him and gave Him a name                                                                                                              :
above every name; and established His `kingdom for-
ever.            _                           _'
    There is yet a word to say about Saul's reactions                   DeDriewerf                       Heilige                                  '                  +-
to his own disobedience. No sooner had he made an
end of sacrificing the burnt offering than Samuel ap-                          (Psalm 99  ; Tweede  Deel)
peared. Saul now behaved as though he had done no                   De laatste maal, dat we stilstonden bij dezen psalm,
wickedness. Boldly he went out to meet Samuel. in zagen we, dat Gods  volk opgeroepen wordt om den
order to  payi the seer his respects. The ring of his         grooten en vreeselijken .Naam van God te loven, omdat
salutation was' calculated to bespeak an untroubled Hij. heilig is. De Naam, dat is, de openbaring van
conscience. But Samuel did not allow himself to be {Gods wonderlijke Wezen,  is heilig : alles roe& ons toe
,disarmed. Ignoring Saul's greeting, he said to him; in dien Naam, dat Hij verre is van het vuile en ver-
' "What hast thou -done?" Doubtless irked by thus keerde, en dat Hij Zichzelf volkomenlijk toegewijd. is,
being taken. to task, Saul confronted Samuel with a                 Doch er wordt nog ~meer gezegd van dat loven.
mass of seemingly irrefutable argument. And also                    We moeten ook de sterkte des Konings loven. .Want
the point to this argument was that he had done no
wickedness.                                                   Hij heeft het recht  lief.. Die gedachte wordt  nader
                And what did Samuel say in reply? verklaard' in bet tweede gedee1t.e  van. den tekst: Gij
.Going straight to the heart' of the matter, he said to hebt billijkheden  bevestigd, Gij hebt rechten gerechtig-
the king-what he had not as much as touched upon in heid gedaan in Jakob.
that it was fatal to. his argument-he, said, "Thou hast                                                                       _"  ..' .:
not kept the. commandment of the Lord thy God, hast                 We mogen hier opmerken, dat  .alleen  .zij die den
thus rejected the only way-the way of  obedience-             Heere kenn.en  dit vers km-men  benaderen. Alleen het
in which Israel's king enjoys God's favor,. has the vic- balk, dat den Heere kent en liefheeft, kan er in kamen,
tory and sees his kingdom established. Saul had chosen dat Gocl geloofd .moet .yanwege de .heerlijkhed.en  .di,e
                                                                                                                                     .  ..:  *
,the?way of disobedience; which was -the way of death, opgesomd worden  in dit vers.                            .                   : "! `a , c
misery, and final destruction to .every king in Israel              Laat  ens, eens zien. .  _      I                             -`..  i .  ..r.?
who walked therein. Saul had done foolishly indeed.                 Er wordt hier veel meer gezegd, dan dat.God  recht
,The people had remained scattered from him despite is.. Er  staat; dat  (Hij-het  recht.  Ziefheeft..  En dat is
his sacrificing ; and besides he now had God against onuitsprekelijk. Er zijn onnoemelijk  velen die recht
him-+God whose favor is -life, and' who. alone could doen, en-het recht  tech  haten. Ze  doen recht in den
establish Saul's kingdom. What would an army have             formeelen  zin,  doch:het hart is er niet  in,,  Evenwel,
availed him in that crisis with God against him? And wij hebben te doen met een God en IHeere, .die zoo groat
what would it have mattered if the people had scat-           en heerlijk is,  dat Hij  het-recht   Ziefheeft..   Dat is  echt  .-
tered from him to a man with him choosing the way Goddelijk. Ge wordt  bier  herinnerd,.aan   Micha, die
of obedience and thus choosing God?            The victory ons vertelt, wat de Heere .van Zijn volk eischt. Daar
would still be his. And then his entreating the face zegt Hij : ge moet de weldadigheid liefhebben ! Dat is
of God by the. blood of a forbidden.,sacrifice  and thus ontzaglijk veel  meer,.   dan  weldadigheicl  `cloen..  `De
in rejection of God, His priest and prophet and atone-        Heere wil, `dat wij een schaduw toonen van `God1 , .I-Jij
,ment  and, word !,,, What horrible folly. .,Could the Lord heeft alle deugd lief.                                                                 .--.
                                                                                                                     i"  _          ._._.`i
,be  `expected,,to  hear  and answer, such a  lcry? .,              Het recht liefhebben.                .-             '          ,::-;                       _,
    But Saul doubtless spake `the truth when he said,               Wat is redht?                                                                       I .
"And I forced myself therefore and offered a burnt                  Recht is die deugcl Gods, waarin Hij in al Zijn do.&1
offering." It must have required .effort on the part beantwoordt   aan  bet Hoogste  Goed.  Recht'zijn en
of Saul to -overcome the restraint of the voice of his                                                                            -3 .  ,..c.-
                                                              recht  doen is het beantwoorden  aan de  eemgste  en 
accusing conscience, while in the act of making up his hoogste  standaard en maatstaf. En die eenigsti; St&--


   n




                                                                                                   _
          472  -                                         THE STANDARD BEARER                                         '        ._ .
          daard en Maatstaf is God Zelf. Dus voor ,God is recht- _ dat .Hij in het hooge en .het heilige woo&;  of, ook, dat
         zijn, het in harmonie zijn met  Zijn Eigen heerlijk Hij een ontoegankelijk licht bewoont. #Of oak, dat.Hij
  Wezen.                                                                      in de eeuwigheid woont..  Alle teksten die het ons-ver-
             Dat heeft `God lief. tHij do& gaarne r.echt.                     tellen, dat ZGod volmaakt is?
             Is het niet heerlijk zulk een God te kennen en te                    Wat beteekent het : dan, dat we hier opgeroepen
          minnen  ?  c                                                        worden,  om den Heere te verheffen?                            `.
             Zoo kunnen we den dichter volgen als hij iingt van               -. --Het-beteekent,  dat we dat. doen in ons hart--en met
                                                                                                                                            -. 7-:-.
                                                                                                                                               .
          het  doen van  billijkhedenY  Billijkheden,  recht en ge- onze stem:
          rechtigheid zijn  allen recht.            Zij zijn de  wonder-          Van -nature  doen we dat niet. Van nature  doen
          werken  van den rechten God.                                       we het tegenovergestelde. Het vergif Satans, hetwelk
            Ik sprak van  wonder-werken, Ik koos  .dat woord we'in.het Paradijs inzogen,. wrocht malheid, dwaasheid
`- . vanwege het glorieuze  f&t,  -dat hier  geboekstaafd                     en groote boosheid. Door dat gif zijn we  dier mate
          wierd. Let er op, dat ,God billijkheden bevestigd heeft, vergiftigd, dat we den IHeere juist niet verheffen, doch
         -dat Hij recht en gerechtigheid gedaan-heeft iiz J&ob! Hem verlagen;en  onszelven-  tot een god zijn.
          De zanger zingt hier van het groote `wonder, ,dat  ge-  :  Doch  als, genade  -bns genas, zoodat we door  #Gods
        F schied,is  in'de-volheid des tijds, daar even buiten Jeru-          recht in Chrisfus v&lost zijn, dan moeten we beant-
          zalem op Golgotha. Jakob is Gods volk, is de -kerk aller woorden  aan het  .groote  hoofddoel  aller-  dingen:- we 
        eeuwen.  lH.et was hoog noodig, dat  (God  billij.kheden              `moeten  den  Heece verheffen. We  moeten tot  in_-alle
          bevestigde in Jskob. Jakob is van nature goddeloos eeuwigheid  Hem. toeroepen,  .dat $Hij de Volmaakte,  de
          en krom.        Hij is het tegenovergestelde van recht. Verhevene is!                                                                    _
          Jakob,  verre van het recht te beminnen, heeft  ,het                   . Dat is ook de Hemel!
          kwade lief. Van de goddeloozen wordt gezegd, dat zij                    Die verheffing van ,God gaat gepaard  met de open-
          den dood liefhebben. Welnu,.dat  is- ook `zoo van Jakob, baring,van lieflijke nederigheid. IGe -hebt door genade
          van : elk kind van God, zooals- hij `is krachtens zijn- geleerd: om de  rechte verhoudingen te  zien.: En  -de-
          eerste geboorte.                                                    fundamenteele rechte verhouding is deze: God Ogden
              Maar IGod verkoos  en beminde Jakob. En nu gaat troon, en ik vlak.voor dien troon, voorovergebogen in
          God  billijkheden   bevestigen,  recht en  gerechtigheid-.--bet  stof  l-  Leest.het vers nog  eens.1   "Buigt-u   ned-er
          doen in de kerk. En dat is Jezus. Jezusbeteekent,  dat voor de voetbank Zijner voeten, want Hij is heilig!?
   I bet 1~romm.e  rechtgemaakt wordt door God. . ,Als .Hij,                      En wilt ge nu-bewijs,.dat dit'de fundamenteeleser-
          door `Jezub; klaar komt met Jakob, dan is alles billijk, hou mg is tusschen God en 
                                                                                  d*                             -mensch,. leest dan Openb.
          recht en gerechtigheid.           -                                  4 en 5. Aan het~einde  van.het .gezjcht,-ziet ge de drom-
              Dat nam de sterkte des Konings !                               men van engelen en menschen, die door 24.ouderlingen
              Leest  .hier Efeze  1:19, 20. Daar  wordt gewaagd vertegenwoordigd  worden,  vlak voor den troon, op
          van de sterkte des Konings ; daar leest ge met beyende. .hunne aangezichten voorover -gevallen.! En. ze hebben
          aanbidding een opsommipg van krachttermen, die alle hunne kroonen van hunne.hoof den-af geritkt:en  neder-
          getuigen van de uitnemende grootheid der krachten                    geworpen voor den troon: Luistert naar een -hemelsche
          Gods. Er moest een eeuwigheid van toorn getorst  wor- belijdenis  :`  "(Gij, Heere, zijt waardig te  ant-vangen'de
          den.                                                                 heerlijkheid en de.eer .en de kracht. . . ."  Het volk;
           Zoudt ge dan niet loven?  Temeer, waar ge  jube-                    dat 266 handelt, beantwoordt aan het groote.  doelder
          lende tonen van den zinger opving, die getuigtvan het schepping en herschepping : ze loven God!
          hemelsch-heerlijke feit, dat God.dit recht-doen  bemint?               En nu zal de zanger concrete'voorbeelden aanhalen
          Let er tech op: God heeft eeuwiglijk de redding van uit de gewijde geschiedenis : hij. gaat zingen van Mozed 
          Zijn volk in  Christus Jezus  bemind. Hij heeft dit en Aaron, en ook van Samuel.                                                              -
          recht lief ! Jakob door .Gods recht verlost !            .' : "         De eerste twee waren onder Zijne priesters! _~
              Dat we Hem dan loven !                                              iHet is onuitsprekeiijk heerlijk om onder Gods pries-
           Zoo kunnen we het  verstaan, dat de dichter  voort-  ters  gerekend   te  worden.                                          .:
          gaat en jubelt: "Verheft den Heere  onzen God, en  Waarom?                                    . .
          buigt u neder voor de voetbank Zijner voeten,  Hij is                   Omdat  een Priester.  een liefhebber Gods is.- Dat is,
          H&g!"               .'     1           ,,.      IL.,      -          het  wezen van het  pries@+-zijn. De priester  .heeft
              Neen,.  ge'  kunt den Heere niet verheffen, in den lief. ,Hij  heeft  God,,lief-a$-het  Foogste~-,~oed~:~~;,Zi-jh
                                                                                                                                .,
          zin, dat iHij verhooging zou ontvangen, die, Hij eerder schepsel  om'Zyns  Naams.wil,
        niet had. Dat is onmogelijk, want  IHij is volmaakt.                      Ziet het in Moses en Aaron, vooral in den eersten.
          Hij is bet Inbegrip van alle hoogheid  en.,verheffing.               Niemand waser onder de:menschen  gelijk Mazes. ..fHij
          Jesaja heeft ons dat op verscheidene plaatsen gezegd. was zacht en teer,  ootmoedig en nederig. ,Hij beminde
         - Ik :denk  vobral aan. die plaatsen waarons gezegd .wordt,           God en had het volk lief.
.'
    .                                                                                                          Z6.6 lief had hi j het:volk,:dat
                    .


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                                                                                                   I

:


                                           T H E -   .$?YA,NDARD  BEAR-ER
                                         ..-'  _  z_. .                                                                                                 &73<
                                   .                             ._                  _.                      ^                                                            P
hij gewillig was  .om uit Gods  -bock. uitgebannen te                                  .       Zoo zit -bet. Sla d' oogen naar dat gebergte heen,
     worden,  als bet volk.maar  behouden mocht worden.                                en ge zult  zingen.
        In den brief aan de Hebreers  wordt ernadruk  ge-                                      Die berg is gegrondvest op het iieflijkste  wat  dit:
     legd op de hooge vereischte van een priest& : hijmoet heelal ooit zien zal.
     zich bekommeren om- de zbnde van het balk.. Dat heb-.                                     En dat lieflijkste is bet-harte-bloed  van God.                 '
     ben we gevonden bij Mozes.                                          `.                   ,Gestort in Christus  Jeius voor U ,en voor mij.                      :
         En zoo was het  oak. met Aaron en Samuel;  .De                                        Wie zou niet eeuwig zingen van zoo wondere goederi:
     laatste is het product van  .het smartelijk klagen en  tierenheid?                                                                                 ' .
     smeeken van Hanna. Zijn' naam beteekent immers                                          We zullen d,er engelen stemme  overtreffen in klank-
                                                               _.I             .I      geslacht en groote variatie van  jubeltonen: .                          `.:
     gebedsverhooring ?                                                                        V o o r   z&i  g r o o t e   z a l i g h e i d . ' .
        Welnu; die mannen hebben de Heere' aangeroepen                                         De dorpelen der deuren zullen zi;Ch bewegen en `het
     -en Hij verhoorde zk. IGod sprak- t`ot hen vanuit een Huis zal vervuld worden met rook.
. wolkkolom-;  zij hebben Zijq getuigenissen onderhouden,                                    - De rook van-`s Heeren,hoerlijkheid.            _         . . 
     en de inzettingen die >Hij hun gegeven had,                                                                      .                       G. i.
         Hier  worden  voorbeelden getoond van een volk,                                                                               _'
     dat den  1Heere  verheft.  ,Neen,  de  schoone  .getuigenis                                                                --~
     die we hier lezen beteekent niet,,  dat zij niet zondigden, '
     doch zij hebben Zijn geboden onderhouden! Dat  be-
     teekent,  :dat zij die geboden beminden, ,en in.het -diepste
     hart ook  d.eden.  Ze  hadden  ,God  lief.  1                                     _                          IN  HJS'  FEAR.-  .  .  .  .  `i.
         Neen, ze waren niet zonder zonde, want we lezen..                                              _
     ,verder,  dat hoewel hunne gebeden Wilde.  verhooren,
     Hij  wraak' deed over hunne  daden. Denkt hier  aan                                                          Living  In  His  Fe&  _.                          `=
     _ de daad van Mozes toen hij den Rotsteen  sloeg in plaats                                                            -
     van er tegen te spreken. Hij was kwaad geworden                                        On vacation, no vacation.                                     _
     op het.zondige Israel, en dacht door_tegen  de Rots te                                    The time `for going `on our vacation is here. `, We
     slaan, het volk te doen. smachten van dorst. -Doch de go to the"store and read a sign telling us that this st%e
     Heere gaf tech water.. En het ging Mozes kwalijk om will be closed.for-a week while the employer and em;
     der Israelieten wil. ,God had Zijn volk lief. En Moses ployees take their vacation. We come'to church and
     bewees in deze zijn zonde; dat er een betere Middelaar read on our bulletins that our pastor is taking his vacai
     moest komen.                                                                           tion and we will be led in our worship .by a visitmg
         Maar God heeft Zijn volk verhoord..  En. Hij heeft pastor.                                                             .
     Zijn volk hunne zondenvergeven. Lieflijk Evangelie !                                      Far be it from us to condemn vacations as such.
         Het is werkelijk het beste, dat ge U buigt voorGod.                                In most instances they are beneficial. and in some
                                                                                            instances even necessary. When today we live in such
         En dat ge buigende voor den berg Zijner heiligheid, a commercial life with all its hustle and strain, lit` does
     Hemverhoogt, verheft, door met ,jubelende.harten Hem one good to get out into the wide creation of our Al-
     te loven. _                                         _               ~-                 mighty `God and listen to the quiet music of His crea-
         De Berg van Zijn .heiligheid zal, U daarin helpen.                                 tion. The thought often paid us a-visit during those
     Niemand kan dien Berg zien en niet jubelen.                                            hectic days, of warfare and wholesale bloodshed a few
         0 ja, `men kan dien Berg zien m:t het. natuurlijk years `ago as, we stood- by the shore of a quiet lake far
     oog, do& dan knerst men zijn tanden, zooals de Joden                                   removed from these things of man's greed and hatred, .
     rondom Golgotha.                                                                       can there really be so much turmoil and violence on 
                                                                                            the other side -of the world while here it is so peaceful
         D%ch als men dien Berg, van Gods `heiligheid `ziet and calm? There is' something restful for the soul to
met het oog, dat geestelijk is, dan zult ge vanzelf be- "get out of the harness"-so to speak, and relax amidst
     ginnen te buigen. En buigende'zult ge loven.                                           the wonders. of God's hand in creation. Especially
         De Berg van ,Gods heiligheid is de verheffing van for those who work in the artificial light and stuffy
     de door de zonde gevloekte aarde. En die verheffing atmosphere of our offices and shops, it is not only a
     vindt plaats door Jezus Christus. Met eeuwige`armen                                    joy to. get out into  %od's creation but also of great
     van den  DrieE.enigen God  zoekt  en vindt  Hij' Jakob benefit for the body -and soul. 1 We sometimes forget
     in den eeuwigen  dood.. En  Jakob  vin.dende,  richt Hij that God-has made all this for us to enjoy so that we
     hem 06, trekt iHij hem op tot in den hemel der hemelen, may' be  &minded of His greatness, His power and
     opdat hij den IGod `van. onuitsprekelijke zaligheden beauty. He made  e&h  ,bird with its own  .peculiarly
     mag zien. En dien God ziende, gaat Jakob aan `t'zin-                                   beautiful song. )He made each flower `with *its own
     gen en  aan't  loven..  -  -"  -               .
            ^                                                                               exciting color and texture; And (He surely wants, us


         ,..
      4 7 4                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   $EAkER.e

        to, see these things that we may fear Him for His             In our newspapers we have been assured that all .
       beauty and glory. And as a rule we are too materially the resort areas in this vicinity will have an abundant
        minded and too- busy materially to sit down in the milk supply. So pack.up  your things, get the children
        wonderful creation God has given us `to contemplate ready and go, `being confident that your children will
       the glory and -power of  .Him Whom we fear: "The have the milk  sthey need. But have you made pro-
        heavens declare His glory and the firmament showeth vision, have you ,investigated  whether you and your
        forth His handiwork." He put His rainbow in the family will be able to enjoy the sincere milk of the
        sky as a sign of His grace to His people.. AHe has made word that ye may grow thereby? Your vacation is not
        an: almost endless variety of trees and flowers, of birds an attempt also to get away from the preaching of
        and animals;large and small. Surely /He does not con- the Word, is it? On vacation you may not seek a
        sider it to be a waste of time or a sin when we for our vacation from that phase of the fear of the Lord. On
       health's sake. and relaxation go out for a week or two vacation is no vacation spiritually.
        into His creation where we may behold all these things           You have investigated and found out that there is
       which  .speak  of His glory.                                  a little church near the place where you intend to spend
                That; of course, also applies to-those who for their your vacation? You are indeed more honest spiritually
        vacation find pleasure in travelling about the country than if you had not done so. We surely should never
        to behold the exceptional works of God% hand, such as for our pleasure take our families or ourselves to%
        the wonders of Yellowstone National Park, the awe- `place where there is no possibility at all for us  to
        inspiring Grand Canyon in Arizona, and the majestic worship God on the Sabbath through the proclamation
        and expansive Niagara Falls. It does one good to go of His Word. -We may not do that. If you leave on
        and see these things. Or if your delight is to go and such a vacation;with  this definitely planned, and for an
        see the orange groves of California and Florida or the excuse you fall back on the olld, deceiving statement
        corn fields of Iowa,. the..mountains -of -the west or the that God can. also be worshipped in creation as wiell
       countless lakes and streams of. Michigan and Wisconsin, as in His house of..prayer,  then our answer to you is,
        you may return. home with a deep feeling you never "Brother, that is not the fear of the .Lord. And when
        experienced before.       You have seen more of God's for  pleasure's sake you leave your place of worship
        work. You have beheld with your own eyes and seen vacant,' you will not find ,God in His creation. You can
       what a tremendous work the Almighty ,God has done find Him only in Christ Who is the Way, the Truth,
        and is every moment executing. If these things are and the Life, You will find Christ in the- preaching
        undertaken in faith and we do not forget our Creator of.the Word. No more than Adam and Eve found God
        while beholding them, far be it from us .to condemn and peace of soul under the bushes which God had
        your taking a vacation.                                      made and under which they tried to hide, no more will
                The point of these lines is not that we should cease you find God in His creation, iHis tr.ees,  lakes, birds
        taking such vacations. ,The purpose of these lines is and flowers. And even as Adam and Eve found God
        to remind. ourselves that on vacation we. have no vaca- and `peace in and only in the Word He spoke to them
        tion. You understand, there is no vacation from liv- in their ~guilt and misery, so on the Sabbath on vacation
        ing in His fear, while we are on vacation. ,Our vaca- you will find God in His Word which through all these
        tion, ought not only to `be conducted in the fear of the     ages He has preserved for that purpose. The milk,
        Lord; it ought to help us in our appreciation of the the spiritual milk supply, the sincere milk of- the word
        greatness of the Lord Whom we- fear. Anything that is still abundant today. But on vacation .do not de-
       .keeps us from living in His fear is to be condemned spise it.                                                    3
        .whether it, be our -vacation or our work. If on our             When ,your infant child refuses his milk, you begin
        vacation we. do not forget God but look at -His handi- to worry and to wonder what ails the child. If the
        work  and. even make use of His waters,, His woods and infant refuses only one feeding, you know that some-
        fields with an .eye single to [His glory, we will have thing is wrong. And something is wrong too when a
        increased, .in. our reverence and respect for the Mighty child of God makes it- impossible for himself to drink
        .God Who is our Covenant Father in Christ. The child the sincere milk of the Word on the Sabbath day.
       .of .God,  not the world which has not seen Him in His We sometimes hear the excuse: it will not hurt me to
        Word, with the Word of `God hidden in his heart can stay away only one-Sabbath while I am on vacation.
        se-e the ~glory of God which the heavens and the earth Listen, such speech reveals already the lack of appetite
        declare: and `will find in his soul richer praise for his for the sincere milk of. the Word and shows that such
        Creator and Redeemer.                                         a person before he ever leaves for such avacation has
           .And so,. on. vacation let us remember that we `have .at least a touch of spiritual sickness. And .that -is all
        no vacation from living in His fear. Was your vaca- the more reason -why he ought to stay home where he
        tion such last month? Is the one you have planned for can hear the truth. He needs a good dose and tonic
        this month arranged so that you will live in His fear of the Word of God.
        the.se, weeks as w,ell as while you were at home?                "But I can appreciate,my  own church so much more
I-


                                     T H E   STAP6DAR.D   B E A R E R                                                   475

when I come back. When I hear how shallow and simply the fear of man's mockery.  ,We are afraid of
superficial the sermons are in other places,. I can having godless, corrupt men consider us to be simple
appreciate a good reformed sermon again which ex- or old fashioned.
pounds God's Word .and is not simply a systematic                 This, of. course, holds true not simply on vacation
patching together of stories with `a little moral pep but whenever and `wherever our work calls LW and we'
talk interspersed." That there is an element `of truth must seek the bounties of God's earth for our' physical
in this, we will not deny provided the experiencing of nourishment.
this meager meal, in a church where the truth is given            The excuse is used that there is always so much
is such small portions if at all, is properly b,efoye God's    noise, clashing, evil music and disturbance that one
face  attcqi?zed. We must be sure that. our reason for can hardly. pray properly in such places. Our  answer
attending such services is not our own convenience. to this is that our prayers need not be lengthy but
We must be sure that it is not so that we can get an           must. be sincere. and that all these things do not take . .
extra swim yet Saturday night'and Monday morning away our obligation to draw before `God in prayer;
or because the fish bite best late in the afternoon and        We have no days or hours or minutes,' no not even
early morning, which would be denied us if we stayed           seconds wlien we have a spiritual vacation. .Living in
home till. Monday morning and came back Saturday His `fear means living in IHis fear every moment and
afternoon. Be sure when you say that it does you good every part of every moment. It should not. even be
to. be. away to experience the difference,. be sure that       necessary that these lines should be written, y& from
you really are concerned -with, the enjoyment of spirit- past experiences we have witnessed the fact that in
ual things and that this is not merely something inci-. this pleasure-mad age there is a growing. tendency to
dental to your extra hours of pleasure. On vacation seek vacations from living in His feaE On vacation
we may not seek a vacation from the fear of the what was your vacation like spiritually?
Lord.                 ..              '                                                                .J.A.H.             -a
   The same thing is true when  w-e do not confine
ourselves on our vacation by remaining in one locality
but rather go out on a journey across our land. , We
have no spiritual vacation and ought not to seek one.
Yet we have experienced ourselves through witnessing
the actions of those who confess to fear the Lord that
they do let go of those works which characterize a walk                      FROM  HOLY  WRIT'
                                                                       ?I

of living in 13is -fear.
   We now.have reference to the beautiful and neces-
sary practice of bowing our heads in prayer before                    0. T. Qgotations in the N. T.
we partake of the bounties of this earth which God has
provided for our nourishment. The act of prayer is                            (Rom.  lo:18 and Ps.  19?4)  -`I
a beautiful manifestation of the fear of the Lord. It
is expressive of the -fact that we trust Him for all .            In this article we intend to introduce. you, dear
things, that we recognize Him as the giver of ,every reader, to a very beautiful quotationin Romans IO :18
perfect gift and that we are aware of the fact that we. taken from Psalm 19 :4.
need His blessing upon that food and drink.                       This /Psalm,' indeed, is very well known. Most
   The -world sits down to eat and drink `and rises up children of Christian parentage have memorized ,this
to play, and God is not in all their thoughts. He who psalm already in early childhood years; We, therefore,
fears the Lord will confess Him before,meil  also by scarecely  need to introduce the 1-eader to this psalm as
seeking  {His face in prayer whether he is at home such. It is very -familiar to us. However, the manner
around his own table or in the midst of the world, in in which it is at least in part.quoted .by the apostle
restaurant or dining car. After all, the bounties on Paul is not so well known. Fact-is, that in Rom. 10 :18
t,hat table are God's whether it be in your home or in this particular passage from Psalm 19  :4 is woven
any cafe. And before we touch and appropriate `God's inIt0 the thought-pattern by Paul in a very lucid though
bounties, which He gives us that we may be' strength-          profound manner. It is to this latter that we wish to
`ened for service before His face, ought we not to seek        call attention in this essay.
His face in prayer regardless of where we are?                    Before we do so, however, it will be well. to .have
   Yet because of the weakness of our flesh, because the respective. passages rather clearly in mind to which
we do not want the world to smile in derision and be& we hope to call attention.
cause we are ashamed of the Almighty God who has                  In the American Revised Version Psalm 19 :4 reads
made those bounties,  we. even as the world, sit down to as follows : "Theicr  line  js gone out through  all the
eat and drink, *rise up and speed' down His highways           earth,  and -their  words, to the  end of the  auorlcl..  III
again. That is not the fear of the Lord. That is them hath He set a tabernacle for the sun". Paul does


 476                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEAR&R  '

  not quote this entire text in Romans 10.: 18. He refers forth in the way .of His death and resurrection conquer-
 merely to the first part. W-e have underscored the part ing and to conquer.
  by the apostle: He does so, quoting evidently from the           Calvin will have none of this interpretation. He
 I( Septuagint translation, as follows': "Their sound went insists that there is nothing in Psalm ,19 which re-,
  forth into all the earth, and their ,words to the end of motely  suggests. that the "sun" is not very really the
  the world."  Rom.  10:18.                                     "greater light to. rule by day".- Yea; he points out
         From the very outset we ought `to have a rather that the contrast in this psalm between the former
  .clear understanding of the exact point that interests part which speaks of God's  cr,eation, the heavens and
  us in this study.                                             the firmament, `and the latter part which speaks of
  `. We are, of course, interested. in the matter of the. the Law of. ,God definitely contradicts the contention
  quotation. Our interest, however, is not `merely in the of all who would allegorize the meaning of this pas-
  ..purely formal question af quotation. If this were. the sage.
  case we could merely. cite the quotation,: as w-e. have          Besides, thus. Calvin, Romans 10 :18 also refers to
  .done  above, and let it go at that. We are also inter- God's speech in the created `world. Paul means to say,
ested in the import of the passage iquoted  both in its .in answer to the question: f`iiave they not heard?"
  setting in Psalm 19 :4 and Rom. IO :18. Although.we           Indeed the Gentiles have heard of (God even before the
  are- not interested. in an interpretation of this passage glad tidings of the Gospel wasp proclaimed in- the name
  .pure and simple, we are, yet in so far interested in the of Jesus. `There was from the beginning of creation
  interpretation of this passage as it has a direct bearing the clear testimony of creation -attesting to the pre-
  on the correct understanding of the quotation.                sence  of IGod, the creator and judge over all. When,
        .By way of:general  introduction we would call at- therefore the.gospel  is preached to both Jew and Gen-
  tention to th'e fact, that there are in. the main two ,tile in the New Testament Dispensation of the grace of
 .schocils of thought on this question of Paul's quotation` God, nothing really new begins. Paul preaches the
  in `Ram. 10 :18. The one school of thought h,olds that "`unknown ;God" in the, streets of .Athens, the God of
  Paul in quoting Psalm 19 :4.-m Romans 10 : 18 gives the -whom the Greek'pdets  unwittingly sang.
sense of Psalm 19 :l-6 pure and simple. According to               When Calvin thus refutes'the interpretation of the 
  this school of thought  .Paul would say  .in Romans allegorists we heartily agree with him.
  ,lO :18 : "The `speech of the heavens and of the firma-          However, we tak'e exception to the manner in which
  ment- is gone- out through- all the earth. . . ." The .he refutes these expositors: We do not agree with
  second interpretation holds that Paul is speaking in Calvin's interpretation of the quotation in Rom. IO :18.
  Ram, II, :18 qf the: "souncl of `the, gospel that is. gone We are convinced that Calvin's dogmatic conception
  throughout ,the earth and the words of the preaching .rules here in this refutation of these wild allegorists.
  to the ends onthe'world".                                     To say that Psalm 19 :l-6 literally refers to .the sun,
         The question is purely'one of exegesis. Dogmatics the. firmament, the heavens over against the allegor-
  may here not decide the question. Such, indeed, is al:- ists is one thing. .To .say, that Paul in quoting this __ 
  ways the case in the interpretation of Scripture. We particular passage from Psalm `19 has the same speech
  .here merely recall that general rule. of sound exegesis in mind. as Psalm 19 is quite another. But, apart from
  in view of this particular passage. -                         this, it should be evident `that careful exegesis of Rdm.
         It is none the less than John Calvin himself who       10 :18 will not sustain the contention" that Paul here
  maintains. the first of the two views just enumerated. refers to the speech of we&on which is heard by the
  He .does so both in his commentaries on the Psalms Gentiles. In Paul's question: "Mave they not heard",
  and on the book of  Remans,. In his commentary on according to #Calvin, the "they" refers to the',Gentiles.
  Psalm 19 :I-6 Calvin definitely, and we believe cor- With  .this latter we disagree.
  rectly, finds reference made to the speech of God in             To what does the "they" in the just quoted question
  the created world; it is the speech of God in the things of Paul refer? In hour opinion the .correct  answer to
  made, even His eternal  pow,er and divinity. Rom. this question is the crux of the &entire  matter here.
  1:20ff.          "                                            It will.determine not only the manner of Paul's quota-
  F' In his commentary of ;this Psalm, Calvin also deals tion here, but `also the content that ,is "`sounded forth
  with the matter .of Paul's quotation in Romans 30 :18.        into ,-all' the earth" according to Romans 10 : 18.
  He does so in -dispensing with the interpretation which        1 Paul is undoubtedly-in the verses 16-20 .of Rom. 16
  ,.would  allegorize Psalm 19 :l-6 by appealing' to Paul's still speaking of the Jews; those who are his kinsmen
  @&ation in Romans 10 :18. According to those who according to the.flesh. He is speaking yet of the re-
would allegorize.the  various elements in Psalm 19, the sponsibility of Israel, which is  n6t  obedsent.  to the
  .t!sun" would refer to Christ, the "earth" to the. church. gospel. Verse 16. Israel is without excuse. She is
  .The "sun goes forth from his chamber and rejoices not ignorant in the sense that she did not understand
  as .a strong man to run his race.", must,`according  to thelogical  content of the Word of God. She under-
  #this allegorizing interpretation, refer to. `Christ going
        i     I                                                 stood. Christ was very clearly portrayed in the gospel.


                                                                                 :.     P



                                   THE         sTANDii3fi                 BEARER                                                                             472

  Always the Scriptures, as well as the whole typical-            `Iti them the following was not realized:
  symbolical institutions of the Law,`point out the Christ        1. Faith,.as a constant appropriation of the fulness
  and designate Him to be the end of th.e Law.                 that is in Jesus, is wrought by the ithing that is heard,
     That Paul is here speaking of the Jews is very in the gospel. This- thing heard is the living voice of
  evident from the quotatitin from Isaiah `53 :l. "Lord, the Son of God, the risen Lord, calling: Come to Me.
  who hath believed our report". Thus Isaiah complains In Me thy God reigneth. to your salvation!
  in his day concerning unbelieving Israel, concerning            2. This "thing heard" is hearing .Christ  Himself. Q
  the Israel of which Paul says : `IIsrael according to the Him we must he& say: Come to Me. I-give .you rest.
  flesh".    Of this Israel Isaiah had cried, saying, "If His Spirit must .testify with our spirit that weare sons.
  the number of the children of I'srael be as the sand of And this is only possible through the preaching pf. the
  the sea, yet a remnant shall be saved." And,. again, `Gospel, the `Key-power. The key-p.ower  says Lto. all
  Isaiah, says "Except the Lord. of Hosts had left us a unbelievers: you have no part. Although,  theref$e,
  seed, we had become as Sodom and had become like the "sound" is heard, yet the "thing proclaimed? .is not
  unto Gomorrah."                                              tasted,. experienced.                                                                              _
     Now it may=very well be objected and said: what              3. Although many proph& spoke this thing heard,
  is here written of the unbelieving Jews to whom `the unbelieving Israel never  heard it. It  was to them
  words' of God were intrusted in their unbelief and dis- foolishness. ,The "thing heard" did not produce faith;
  obedience of the gospel is true also of th'e unbelieving a  film trust in God's covenant mercies:.  .Instead  .of
  Gentile. ITo this objection as such we' can heartily sub- the savor of life unto life it was the savor of death unto
  scribe. -However, this general objection fails to prove death!                        .'                                                                             :..
  thdit Paucdoes here not speak of the Jews.                                                                                                 G.  i..  :
     What may well be accounted the `deciding fa,ctor                                         -               -
  her& is that Paui repeatedly speaks of "Israel,' and                                                 .,.
  each time he refers to the natural seed of Abraham,
 the Jews. Thus in verse 19 : "But I.say, did Israel not                    : pb E R 1 S C 0 & ET .:c jljy~...i-: .
  know ?" ,And, again in verse 21, but unto Israel he                \                                                                ._.
                                                                                                                                    y _._ .t  1lli.G  .!.j.t:I
  saith "All day long have I stretched forth my'hands                                                                   .1     _
  unto a disobedi,ent  and gains.aying pedple." From this The Nethe~lqds. . . . Ds. A. C. Van Raalte . .
  all it `is quite evident that Paul is here speaking of                                                                                      II! .I .L.
  Israel, who is disobedient to the gospel.                       We received the followirig letter fc& the Nether?
     And Paul asks in verse 18 bf this people, a .di%s- lands recently and transcribe it  wjthdut   comment,
  obedient people : "But I say,  have they not heard?" For those of our readers tiho cannot re%d the Ixolland
 And the answer : "Yea., verily !?' They heard  <the gospel a free English translation is included.
  sound, but they did not believe the matte? repo&d.                                               Old&boor& 9 Juni, 1947. i ' .,
     yen the gospel sound came to them it was heard ; ,Geachte Redactie :                                                              _  .'
 the words of the gospel came to the ends of the world.           Met opneming van onderstaanden  brief ,i& u `ons
_ Thus it is stated by Paul. In `so doing he  does not zeer verplichten.                                                                                    ._
  directly quote Psalm  19:4,  but he alludes to  what                                             Met hoogachting,
  Psalm 19 :4 teaches concerning God's speech in the                                                  Uw dw.
 universe. This speech is heard by all, althoughspoken                                  ds. F. Dresselhuis, Geref. Pred.
  in the specific tongue of none. So also the gospel was
  sounded abroad in the land of Israel; up and down the                                       ****                 .
 land it was proclaimed. Israel, to whom the oracles                                                                                                  `,
 of Gad were intrusted, indeed, heard!                                                                Olde&oorn,  Groningen,`-  :
     But what was wrong ? Israel did not believe. They                                                                  Mei,  1.944"  .'
                                                                                                                                                            .   .
  did not trust on the Stone layed by God in Zion. They Aan de Generale !Synode van de
 did not hear the voice of theShepherd. They did not Nederl. Hervormde Kerk.
 have .ears of the sheep to hear. Although they heard Weleerw.  en Eerw. seeren en Broeders:
 the "sound. of the gospe!", its conrtent never spiritually       In. het gedenkjaar  vati  -de stichting  va'n de  s&d
 sank into their heart. The thing proclaimed, the thing Holland (Michigan) in de Ver. Staten van Nd. AmerikZL
 h&akd in the gospel, to wit, repent ye and believe in the komen ondergeteekenden, beide dienstdoende predi,
 .Son of God, the Christ, who is the end of the Law for kanten  v&n een der  gerefopmeerde  kerken in  Neder-
 everyone believing, did not find spiritual response in land, tot uwe Vergadering m& een eerbiedig verzoek.
 Itheir Heart., They did not hear Jesus say: Come to me.          H.et niag als bekend verondersteld, dat de stichter
 Weary and heavy laden they were  `not. Gainsaying van bovengenoemde-stad,  ds. A:C. Van Raalte; tottaan
 they were and disdbedient,  and `that, too, all the day `bet kind van zijn leven gebukt is blijven gaan onder
 long!,          i.                               1            het onrecht, de. smaad en de moeite,`hem  als afgeschei- _
                                                                                                                                                            -'


                                               T H E            STANbARb  BEAkEk-                       \
.den predikant in Nederland aangedaan, van de kant                                                           - Oldeboorn,  Grpningen
     der burgelijke en kerkelijke autoriteirten.  De inkwar-                                                        M a y ,   1 9 4 7
     tiering toch, waardoor ook hij gehoffen werd, was een To the General~Synod  of the
     maatregel  van den toennialigen  Minister. Jan Justitie, Netherlands Hervormde *Church.
     waartoe dez&$vas  overgegaan op verzoek--vap de Alge- R&erend  and Hdtiorable Gentlemen and Brethren:
     meene Synode  der N. H. Kerk.               I                            In this year of the commemoration of the founding
;        Over deze tin andere maatregelen  schreef Van Raalte of tkie city of Holland (Michigan) in the United States
     `in het jaa,r 1862 : "Van achteren, een blik op `t gebeurde of North America, the undersigned,. who are  bot;h
     werpende, zoo verblijd ik mij de`stem. van `t geweten active ministers  .of the  Gereformeerde  Churches in
     gevblgd te hebben, `ofschoon  mij zulke veel kostie  ; aan the'Netherlands,  come to your gathering with a sincere
     de andere zijde smart het mij .nog altijd, daarom in request.
     mijn eigen vaderland door Nederlands ,regeering  en                      It may be assumed as well-known that the founder
     burgers,  opgestookt  door de Hervormde  Syridde  $n of the above megtioned  city, the Rev. A. C. Van Raalte,
     piaatselijke  regeering, beboet, met strafe van inkwar- remained to the end bf his life under the cloud of un-
     tiering  gekwild,  in gevangenissen  geworpen,!   g$ur; righteousness, of seame and trouble, @hi& was his lot
     ende. jaren gescholden, met stijk en steenen  gewo\rpen              as a deposed minister in the Netherlands ; accokded
     en  a1.s  .uitvaagsel, in  persoon  en huis gejaagd  ,en ge- -him both from the civil and ecclesiastical authorities.
     plaagd te zijn. . . . Na onder andere naties ingelijfd Also the measure of billgting was imposed bpon him ;
     te zijn, heb ik vaak als Nederlander gewensclit, dat die a measure taken by the Minister of Justice, of that
     vlek van de Nederlandsche natie door herstelling van time, but which he ordered at the request of the General,
     het  ongelijk,  xoove,el  rnogelijk  mocht  afgmCscht  &or- Synod of !the N. IH. `Church.
     den."  (IOvergenomen-  uit de  bio&fie van. ds. Van                      Concerning this and other measures' Van Raalte
     Raalte, door J. Wormser, deel I, `!Een Schat in Aarden wrote in the year 1862: `fAs I cast a backward glance
     Vaten", bl. 60.)  _                                                  upon tliat which has taken place and listen to the voice
         Htirtelijk en eerbi,edig  verzoeken ondergeteekenden `of. my feelings, I am happy for the consequences, even
     nu' aan Uwe Vergad,ering,  aan deien wensch van ds. though it  co&  tie dear; on  the other hand, it still
Van Raalte, voor haar deel te willen voldoen.                      .-     grieves me ithat iti my own fatherland the authorities
         Een schoon geschenk zou dit volgens onze meening and citizens, at the instigation of the Hervormde Synod
     zijn aan' de jubileerende stad Holland eti bovendien and local authorities, subjected us to the imposition of
     zdu het een .schrede  van toenadering bed&den  tot die the annoying billeting, `cast us into prisons, reviled us
     kerken,  welke mede  aan  Van Raalte's daad van  af- thrgughout  the years, cast art us with mud and stones,
     scheiding haar ontstaan hebben te danken.                            treated us as trash, hunted and plagued us in person
         -&let de bede, -dat de Koning der kerk, onze Heere' and home. . . , Now that we have found refuge among
     Jezus Christus, Uw,e vergadering tot rijken zegen mag another people it  has been my desir.e, as a  Nether-
     stellen voor de wederoprlchting `en vernieuwing van de lander, that &his disgrace upon the Netherland nation
     Ned. IH'ervormde.  Kerk, een zaak, die u niaar ook pns `should be removed as much as possible." (Quoted from
     ter harte gaat.                                                      the bidg?aphy of Rev. Van Raalte by J. Wormser, Vol.
                                     Uw. dw. broeders,                     1, "A Treasure in Earthen V.ess~ls", p. 60.)
                  (w.;.) F. Dresselhuis, Geref. Pr,ed. Oldeboorn              The undersigned cordially  and-  sincer,ely  request
                  (w.g.) Dr. P. Prins, Gixef. Pred. Groningen.            your gathering to .accomplish your part of this wish
     P,S. Bovenstaande gedachte werd door  eerst-onder-                    of'the Rev. Van.Raalte.           .  ; .  0
     geteekende reeds .in de Nti. Prov. `Groninger ,Ct. van -                 We believe it would be a beautiful gift to the cede-
     24 Febr. jl. -zoodat zij niet mag gezien worden  als een-             brating city of Holland and above all would serve as a
     voudige  navolging  van het 6ekend.e verzoek  insake step towards closer comEunion with these Chtirches
     eerherstel  aan ds.  IH!. de Cock,  .ged&an door Dr. W. who must thank the beparation  of Van Raalte for their
     Volger, C.S.                                                          establishment.
                                                                              Wit@ the prayer that the King of the Church, our
                                                                           Lqrd Jesus Christ, may richly bless your, gathering
     !l?ranslation              :                                          unto the r.evival and renewing- of the Ned. Hervormde
                                                                           Church, a cause, .which is close to your hearit and ours
                                       ~Oldebobrti, The Netherlands,       a l s o .           i
                                                 June 9'1947                                          Y o u r   brbthren,  "
      E s t e e m e d   E d i t o r :                                              (w.s.) F. presselhuis,.  :Geref. Min., (Oldeboorn
          Your placing of the following letter would oblige                        (w.s;) Dr:(P.  Prins, Geref. Min., IGroningen.
      us very much.                                        .
                       -                   R e s p e c t f u l l y   y o u r s ,   - P:S; The above mentioned thought was already publ-
        . .;.'              The Rev. F. Dresselhuis, Geref. Min.           lished by $he first signer in the New Prov. Groninger


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                     *
                                                             ~2333  STAMDARD  BEARER                                                                       479
.,      %ess of last Feb. 24, so that it  shbuld not be con-                                      In the first place; the Wm. B. Elerdmans Publ. Co.
        sidered as an imitation of thk well-known request for is to be compliniented and encouraged in this very
        honorable reinstatement `of the Rev. iH. De *Cock, re- worthwhile prdject.  The expenditure of the amount,
        `quest&d  by Dr. W. Volger, `s.c.                                                     noted to finance this publication, is evident .,of courage
        Note:  #Since  .the receipt of this letter we heard that ,and conviction of the Reformed faith. Biblically ftinda-
        the General &ynod did not gra& either request ; neither mental  .and Calvinistically Reformed commentaries
        that concerning the Rev. Van Raalte nor that pertain- and materials are difficult to find. This publication'
        ing to the Rev. IH,. De Cock. In fact, the Synod refused should find an enthudiastic welcome among all who
      to go into the matter atid returned a very sharp reply love the Reformed Truth.                                                            ; ., :
        to those who had so requested. W.H.                                G                      In the second place, we- also commend the aim..of
                                                                                               the publishers to supply "adqquate - teaching and -re-
                                                                                               sear'ch material". The basic need of the Church tpd+y
                                                                                               is, just  exactiy, to return  to the `fundamentals  and
        Compkete  Commentaries of John Calvin. . . . . .                                       course as laid down,by the great Genevan Reformer.
                                                                                                  In the third place, howevg?r,  we do not agree with
           Another  letter received recently concerns the above. the statement that "there has been a strong revival of
        It is also of sufficient interest to pass on to our readers. interest in Calvin and Calvinism in the last sever.al
                                                                                               ye`ars.". Any revival has produced only a  psuedo-
                               :i:       Q      :p    :I:                                      Calvinism, or better, perhaps, an bmerican-Calvinism  ;
                                                                       July 3, 1947            which has desired, Ito retain the name but is far .re-
        Rev. W. Hofman:                                                                        moved  f%om the basic  priticiples: Calvinism,  as it  .is
                                                                                               popularly known today, has little of Calvin's Calpinism.
           We take great pleasure in  bringipg to your-attention That last term reminds us of the book by` that' title
        the ecclosefi  announcement of our forthcoming publi- which wtis republished sotie `years ago by the `Sover-
      cation of The Complete GoinmentarSes of John Calvin, eign Grace Union of Lonclon, England. This  bo.ok Y&
        including the Institutes o`f the Christian Religjon,  as' first published in  1552, and was ;translated  into i+hk
        originally published in 48 volumes by the Calvin Tra&-                                 English language in the year 1856. Abou& 20 years
        lation. Society.                                                                       ago it was reprinted and published by *the Sovereign
           We feel that the time,is ripe for an American edition `Grace Union under the title, Calvin's Calvinism; It
        of ,John. Calvin's works. There has been a strong re- contains some of Calvin's !ater discourses which are
        viva1 of interest in #Calvin and Calvinism in the last in refutation of- {Albertus Eighius. These are an ex-
      .several years  and both in America and abroad  there                                    position by Calvin himself of his  t`eaching and is, in
        is a mar'ked upsurge of evangelical Christian scholar- many respects, also a commentary tin his much earlier
        ship. It is our aim that the revitalized Evangelical Institut,es's, and hence; a product of his'maturer years.
        `Christian scholarship shall  not be lacking for  want It deals almost,entirely  with the subject of predestina-
        of  adeqtiate  teaching and  reseal'ch niaterials.                       This tion. Per+.ps, the publishers .cotild see fit to also ili-
        American edition of John Calvin Will be added.  to. our elude this work in'the forthcoming.
        already extensive list of standard theological  se&,                                    We nevertheless .look forward with`anticipation to
        commentaries and textbooks,  which are now being the appearance of .the commentaries and Institutes.
        used in almost all confiervative schools and seminaries. It is also true, that a careful and-honest study of these
           .The present prciject `of reissuing  The Complete will reveal Calvin's  (=alvinism  and must necessa,rily
        Commentnri&   of Jo@ Calvin  will involve an outlay condemn much that goes by thart name in .our own day:
        exceeding $250.000. `The first volumes are now- in We Iiop-e to kq,ep. qur readers informed and, perhaps,
        production and will appear late int 1947 or etirly in comment at greater length at `some futu're date.
        1 9 4 8 .                                                                      ,.
            Whatever: `mention of this project you can make
        in your public&ion will be greatly appreciated and We
       sh?@d also be interested in your comments or inquiries.                                             ,CLIPPING   T H E   N E W S   .         ., .  .,
        Further  details as to format, Volumes, prices,  and                                     :'
        terms' will follow in later announcements.                                             Neti  Bible  Veriion. . . .          _:  `--
                                                      Sincerely yours,                  -          London, IEngland. - A new translation @the Bible
                                       -Wm. B. Eerdmans Publ. Co. -                            into modern, idiomatic English has been authorized
                                                                                               by the upper house..cbnvocation of the Church of Eng-
                                Q  `I~`#  8                                                  - land, consisting of 21 bishops, under the archbishop- of
                                              `. !                                             ,Canterbury. Six transl&ors, three for the Old  Testa-
         Since. the publishers invite our comment we take ltient,  two for `the New, and one for `those books re-
       this opportunity to set it down.                                                        garded  by the Church of England as &ocryph& will
                                                                                                                                          -

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

       prepare the new version. They will hatie a mastep  of snare and a stumbling-block to the church of all ages ;
       English prose to assist theti. : ..                                       and bringing it  even  thoigh   .it means suffering for
            :+Thiz; will be the first translation  ito be officially t&e flesh and "often cuts straight through the ties of
     prep&red  by the established Church of- England  iince                      relations and families. Church schism to maintain
       the famous  King James II's "authorized" version of I&& Church. - Perhaps that- sounds paradoxical, but
       161X. The "revised" version of 1884 was produced by hasn't that been the ru!e in the Church throughout
       a Convocation- of Canterbury, but this was  -not an the ages? `On Good Friday the veil of the  fofficial
       entirely fresh translatibn from "source to veriacular.                    Temple  .was rent because, although a form of the
                 Predecessors of the atithorized  version were: John             Church was y&t scrupulously maintained by them, the
     ~~ycl~ffe's  Bible of 1380,  tranilated from the Latin.                     WORD which must explain the symbols wa's discarded.
       This was' the first-complete Bible in the English tongue, Through all the ages since the'n that same principle
       tliere being nothing bef0r.e it but the metrical trailsla-                sin must explain the Church's history."
      : tions of parts `of the' books by King Alfred in Ariglo-
       Saxon. `!Tyndal&`s  New Testament was- published in                                    r  I                       (IThe  E n d ) .
       1526. But the first complete Bible to be printed in ,                         Next time, D.V., we hope to add a few comments
       E-nglish'iirtis that of. Miles ,Coverdale  df 1535.
            .                                                                    to these articles of Mr. van Spronsen.                                                     W. .H;
                                                                                       .'                                                            d
                 The Rbman Catholics of Britain have had in their
       hands for 18 ,months a new translation of the' New                                                                       -     -         -         -
       T.estament from the Vulgate by Msgr. R. A. Knox.
       yo such work has appeared since the Rheims`versiop                                                                 IN  `MEMORIAM
       of 1582, `although there have been revisions- of this,                        The Mary Martha Circle of the Fourth Protestant Reformed
       notably lthat of Bishop Challoner. The Knox version Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan, mourns the loss bf a: faith-
       has  recgived the official recognition of the Roman ful member
     Catholic hierarchy of England and Wales, `although it
       does not displace the Rheims version.                                                    BAR+R&   STADT   S C H A A F S M A
       _                                                                                                                 _.
            .              -From%he  Holland Evening Sentinel.                   whom the Lord was  pie+kd to take to Himself on Sunday,
                                                                              i1 June 15, after an illness of several months, at the age of 45
                                                                                 years. May.our  Heavenly Father comfort  &he   berea,ved relatives.
                                                                                     "ln  till  t.hese things we are more than  conquerdrs  through
                                                                                 H i m   th%t  Wved  us."
                 Tulcea, Romania. -- Presence of an authorized  ' .                                                                             `Mrs. J. De Vries, Pres.
       "talcioc,~' or market for old  cloth.es and other used                                                                                  _ Mrs. G. Bol,  Sec'y. .
       objects, in the' church yard of an Armenian  chtirch                                           _
       in the Danube port here, has aroused local protest.                                                                      -4--
I Townspeople al;e urging that the market be prohibited
       a s   "p r o f a n i n g - t h e   c h u r c h . " .                                                               IN  MEtiORIAM
                                -From the  .Grand  Rap'ids  Press.                 n The 29th df May, 1947, our beloved wife and `mother
                                        :..                             -!
                                 . `
                                   -                                                                               ELLA VAN  DELL,EN
                                                                                 passed away at the  a.ge of 61 years. She  Xeared  the Lord and
       2). S. Views  U. `s.                                    . . .             loved.  her family. The Lord  .who   iaGes  no mistakes  gives.;  es
                           (C$@inued from last issue)                            grace to continue our  pilgrimage,                                                           -..;  ,,y:  ;-;  ^ 
                 "And now as I find myself here in the Middle West '                                                                  Mr. Richard Van Dellen
       of the boundlessly .great  America, in this small place                                                                        Mr. and Mrs. Chester Van Dellen
                                                                                                            \                         . . .
       called  `Amsterdati' with its  f,ew houses and two                                                                             Mr. and MI&. .Earl  Stxikwerda
       ch&ches, and as I see them &might,  this small zgroup,                                                                         Doris
                                                                                                                         `Ai.  /.'                             _  _-  ,I
                                                                                                                          ST
       divide& as they go up to remember the suffering                                                                                John'R.                          '
                                                                                                                   .j          ??     Marvin  `.  "  : `7  -.`.
       and death of our Lord, then I can understand never-
       thelebs, that this schism, th6ugh it testify of the  sin                                                   .`c _ ,."-LL
                                                                                                                    .\ :  em-.             and 4 g>atidchildren.
       of the :bhurch, iet is a provision. of the' grace of God,.                                                ...u.-.-j;Y1.                  ,..'
                                                                                                                    .:  ."..  i  .(
       Wh6 &a `wat&es over His Church. in this out-of-the-:                                                "-                   -          -              -
       tiay piace where the majesty of His mighty creation .-
       declares IHis glory. day and night, arid I can see ,t&t
       He is bringing this counter-action to oppose the per- NOTICE ! 7 As -is- customary, The OStandard  Bearer
       niciouti. spirit of world-coiifortiity which has beeh a will not be pub@hed on the 15th of August.


