  ,YOLUME                                 XXI?              ,Ocfober  15, 1947  - Grand Rapids,  Mich., .  :                                                         NUMBEG.
    -.;.
- _ -....:.                                                                                                          cl?strpy  `all the"childr,kn of S&th., knd Edom shall be
   ~  .-.,  a&)  I  T'.A  $  j$  -Nr'. a possession, Seir.`also shall be a possession for, H&
                         ` _:,             :                                                         .               enemies ; and Israel shall do -valiantly:       Out- of `Ja&%
                                                                                                                     sliall- conic .He that shall'have dbminion; and shall de-
                   _       _                                _                                                        stroy him that `remairieih of `th& city."
 &ibiti~. l!h.ich, Pet &kg ' Notlhing ' And %&en we read the'mihole history w.e `are` St&k
                                                                                                                     with, the excellency of -his-  profihecies.`  He  SLGZU  the
                                                                                                                     wonders  of G`od's  -redemption atid' the beauty. bf -the
                         ,"Ancj  tholugh   .I  $asje  t!ze  gift of prophecy,  and                                   people that %%ti redetimed  `by IGod's fight hand. It is
                         undenstaid  all` yysterieqY   &d- all  k?o-&ledge;  and
              *                                                                                                      from tl& ljrophecjr  of `Balatim that -the `people iif God-
  _ _                    though I have all faith, so that  i >&Id remove  moun-                                      are iyorit`tij .quote the text which tells. of the mar'?,el -of.
                         t'ains,   `and  have  not  &b&-J   ani  nothing."
  .,                                      -. .                   -.                                                  eterllal  justific$tidn? "He hath not -beheld inicjuity. ih
                                                                                  `-1 Cor. 1321
                   -                .             _                                                                  Jacob, neithek hatli Hb seeri perverseness `iri Israel".
  - -The Apost& will teach the chu>Gh ii- Corinth the                                                                  .' And of Ca"i'aphas  iYe all knoti how he g&e expres-
 difficult  -lesson that a11 their gifts and talents,. if they Siori `to the very h@art  .of the Gospel,  prophesying- that
 are to be conducive. t0 edification of the .con.gregation,                                                          it "is eipedient  for' us,' that bn'e -should die-for tlie..
 must spring from conscious 1ov.e  of God.                                                                           people, and that the whole natioti  p@rish not". Ancl thhe
            He had told the& that speech, be,it ,evex so beautiful                                                   Hdly .Ghtist expressly adds : "And this spake he.not- of
 in the. out-ward sense, yea, even.. though i-b would be himself: btit being high-priest-thdt yea?, `he pi-ophesied
 angelic in. soulidj without love is a discord in the ears that~  Jesus-shduld  di6 for  thdt  jlation":`-  ,.                                                             -  ~  -
 of _ God. Speech, if. it is tQ .be -pleasant- ip Godls ear,                                                            `So we see that a tiaa may have the gift- of pro$herzy
 must be-the &xpression.of  the.love  of IGod. i If it .is not and still to& no+,hing `ill' the' Kingdom- b;f Go& _' -
 that, ,it wer.e bei&&  if. we. had never uttered. a word.                                                               And as it  is with  t&~e~-&$n_  ~c&ept-pf,  prop&cy,
 it is nothing buf; as. sounding brass and as a tinkling So it `is with l&e gifts`@ th$ un~erstandjng  of my&e$$
 cym.@al, discordant, ug!y and void .of real harmony.                                                                and the gift of knowledge. If they are not put in- the
    iHe -will -now proceed to ,apply that. principle to .ihe employ of the love bf God; th%y' are Koth`ing. Ind&ed,
 gifts .of - prophecy and. faith, for. both mysteries arid they will make us the i'nore Vculpabl,e  before the great.
knowle$ge..are mentioned in connection-&ith  prophesy- white thrope. It' will be more 3olerable  for B%l+k who
 i n g :                                      :. .                      . .  -                                       employed. .Balaam. than .fo~! Balaam who. allobecl him-
  .: Though I have the gift of ,prophecy .- . . -and have self to be thus employed.: This  man  c&$ainly knew
 n o t   ehstrity,.   1.  a m   nqthing.!  s                                 .                                       much of the .mysteries `of the.kirigdom  ancl had mudh
                                                                                                                     knowledge. It would be entirely possible  to-  buil'd a
  - 1 s   t h a t   - p o s s i b l e ?   '                      -                - .          -                -
       Indeed,-                    it.is.              '               -            _          -                     .little .dogmatics .on the basis of his utterances... %ut his
                                                                                                                     heart was filled with the hatred against God--and iHis
  : `?Ther'e-  aYe instances %orded  `in the Wo?d cif God people. For worldly' riches he .would faiL'emplo$  -all
 where m-en had the gift of :pJop]riecy,  `and jret they were` the-gifts that God bestowed on `him; iri order to curse
 lost: - At- 6fice,+e-think  of BaI&ati &id of' CaYaljhas.                                                           the people  of-God;  _  -  ..  `,.  `1`  __  -
   _:. The one uttered a most. beautiful proph&  .of th6                                                               "' And, jred, Caiaphtis 332red then beatitiful and fnri?la-
 promise& Redeem&. `List& to liini :. "I sliall s&e ,Him,                                                            n%%tal  tru`th  c$  vicaridus   aton&nent;   puti his  h'eart,
 titit not\&w: I .shall behold Him, buf not -nigh : there                                                                                       .
                                                                                                                     even as  Balaati,  was  .fllled  with  wrath and  hitred
. s`hall:conie'~a  Star'otit of.:Jacob,  and & Sceptre shall rise aaainst God and His .Anbinted Son. -And-he `was in-
 out.& Israelj'alid  shall smite the cdrriers  of n/joab, and strumerital  iiz ha&ing Him on the accursed` tree. `-
                                                                                                          _'
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         2            6                       I' H E    S+AtiDA.$D                              BEARER

              Man; there, be that perish who knew the mysteries of "God ! And_ that Divine virtue conieth by the !Holy-
 .       of the kipgdom and who had knowledge of the thousand         Ghost : "for the love of God is,shed  abro'aci in our hearts
         and one details of the unfolding counsel of redemptibn. by the Holy.  ,Ghost  which is given unto us".  Roni;
         And thei-perished because they lacked the one mbtivat-                                 -.
                                                                      5:5.  '              Y
         ing principle: the love of God which should vitalize till        And thus we can understand in a measure that the
         prdphe&, understanding and knowledge. It is a ter- New Testament' Church declared the wonderful works
         rible thciught to think of prophets in hell, but God's of God when SChrist .poured out the Holy. Ghost on the
         Word ha+ revealed that awful truth.                          day  .?f Pentecost. . `The  ,exulting  church broke, out
              8uch'revelation  makes us shudder.                      in most beautiful prophesying, declaring the mighty'
              There is a serious and sblemn warning in our text. works of God.
              I may write a complete Reformed .Dogmatics, and             But there is more.
         be able to pass muster and censure of a' reading ortho-          Note how the apostle p?oposes  the possession of
         dox church, and yet be.nothing,  stand naked before the prophecy to the utmost degree. .And yet, if `love does
       -  throlie of judgment.. I may talk in my prophesying not accompany such tremendous gift, we are still noth-
         and reveal mysteries and exhibit great knowledge of ing,
         thit things of God's Kingdom, so that others are edified,        .Try and understand him. Suppose a man wodld
- -      and still be nothing . . .                                   possess the knowledge of all the mysteries of the King-
              Oh,. let us not make a mistake `and think that in dom qf God, so that he would harbour in his m&d all
         such case we are merely neutral. That the Lord will Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, and Paul
         say in that great day: No, there was no positive fruit knew of the mysteries and the- knowledge of the king-
         for yourself ! But no harm- done : you are merely noth-      dom. And suppose that he had mastered all the dog-
        ing ! The Holy Ghost employs the word nothing here matics that were written by the church-fathers, that is,
         to indicate that the fruit. we might rightfully expect those that were pure in doctrine,-and yet lacked the
         tipon the employ of prophecy is not found aiter all. love. of God, he would be nothing !
         But it also implies that we -are in awful debt. Pro-
         phecy, if not employed through and in the love of' God,          Oh, yes, we are thirsty for knoyledge, and we Would
         is employed in and' through hatred against God: no fain know about the mysteries, that is, the truths that
         man ever does anything without a motive. And the are so great a,nd so wonderful that I.canno$ fully grasp
         two motives expressed are the sum total of all motiva- them, the truths that become. still greater, the more I
         tion. There is no third motive at all. You ,either  act approach them with a wondering mind: we surely
         from the love of  `God or from  th,e  mofiye  of wrath would desire to know and to know much.
         against God. The two examples from Scripture also                But our text tells us that knowledge and unde?-
         teach such. IAdd to it the case of Saul.  Helalso  was standing of mysteries are nothing without love.
         found among the prophets. And  ,tie know how he                  They are less than nothing, for the more I know
         stood over against the Lord and His anointed king the more responsible I am fqr~that  which I have grasp-
         David. Paul really writes about.the  Same thing when ed of the works of God. Responsible, that is: I must
         he tells us that we. either call Jesus.a curse, or that we give the right response, the right answer to ,God.
        say through the Holy Ghost : `Lord Jesus ! There is no            Atid this is the response that is pleasant to the ears
         neutrality possible over against God.                .' 1    of the Almighty:  70  Lbrd, how manifold are  .Thy
              Yes, we shudder at the thought. .                       works ! in wisdom Thou hast made them all : the .earth
              How often do we prophesy from the motive of pur- is full of Thy riches !" And in the New Testament:
         est love?                                                    "`0 the depth of the riches both of -the wisdbm and
              How often do we employ  our understanding of knowledge of God! how unsearchable  tire His  judg-.
         myst&ies `and' our knowledge of the things of God's ments, and His ways past finding out !"
         kingdom because we love (Him So very.much?                       Standing before Him, having receivecl  the gift of
              If this verse teaches anything at all, it tells us that prophedy, .and in-order to give content' to s&h admir-
         we  ouiht to prophesy because of God's love. That able work of prophesying, having received your share
         wherever we talk about `God and His wondrous works of the knowledge of  His mysteries,  y&u'  raise your
         (and. that is prophecy) we should do so because `our voice in the song of the redeemed, and praise Him
         hearts are burning with zeal for our great [Shepherd.        because you love Him ! Doing this, you .are a mirrol;
              Mark the literal `meaning of prophesying : it means in which the Lord beholds  IHis image, for He  pfaises
                                                                                                                         1
         to boil over! It means. that the love .of Go'd so boils Himself forever.
         within otir hearts and minds that. we cannot keep still;         And as it is with the gift of prophecy, so also with
         but tell everyone within our sphere that His works resnetit  to the gift of faith : "and though. I. have al!
         z.re most marvellous and worthy of glory and honor.          faith. so that .I could remove mountains, and have not .
              Mark also the motiv,e  of such prophesying: the love charity, I am nothing".                      :             *


                                                                                                                                    -.
                                    -      .THE  STANDARfl  BE,AR%#                                                                 27
_I ___l____l_____  ..-- -~.~. i.~_.._.     ~.                                                              _._.__ -..-.- -..-
    Let us note, first of all, that the faith which is tien-          outside the kingdom. -It were better e for, him if he
tioned her6 is hot -saving faith. A man havipg saving never had been bbrh. ,Thihk oii Judas once more. It
faith cannbt be lost. Moreover, saving faith worketh had beeti better for hirh if he never had gone out with
by  love;- Faith is essentially the love of God. It is the disciples of Jesus, teaching and preaching and
the cleaving love of ,God. which throws itself upon IHis              performing miracles of healing and casting out of
word. of promise.. Its two eleinents are the -knowledge devils. All such action aggravates the judgment, if
of God and the relying on His word. Such a on,e can- there is no love as the deepest motive of all such
not be lost. But -must be saved. His faith saves him, actions.
according  to the words of Jesus.  ._                                    I said: we shudder it these solemn warnings, and
    But miraculous faith is meant here, as is evident well we may.
from the text : "so that. I could remove mountains?.                     -There is no one among us who possesses the gift of
    `There have been niiserable souls who h&d this mir- prophecy to, the extent that he knows  CLZZ mysteries and
`aculous faith, and v?ho @ekish<d  nevertheless. Think, ha"s a!1 the knowledge. And no-one among us possesses
f.i., on Judas Iscariot. .The?e  is no doubt .but he also all the faith.
went out to preach the go@el of the kingdom.Bt  the                       But we. do possess `Yn part" the wonderful gifts
commalidment  of Jesus ; and he also came-back ,exult- of God in prophecy, the knowledge of Inysteries and
ing : that the very devils tiere:stibject unto them !                 of `the various facts of knowledge of the works of
                                                                                           d
    But this miractilous faith did not save him. He is God.
lost forever.                                                            And all these gifts make us responsible,before God.
    Such miraculous  faith existed during Jesus' sojourn It makes us greater debtors before IHim who gave the
on- earth, but js no more.                                      I,    gifts. And He will one day call us to account, `to a
   `I know that the Roman Catholic chu?ch ciairns this minute accounting of.each and ,every one of them.
faith and its. exercise 2nd triufiphs, but vtre- knoiv that
                                                      _                   And if we have. used those gi'fts unto .&vying and
it is all a sha-m.                                                    `strife, even as in the case of the four parties at Corinth,
    AlSo other churches claim  this gift. `Especially , we shall suffer loss. That is also found in `God's
in stir day, the sects tliat claim th% wsnder-working                 Word.                                 :-
faith are on the increase. They coine tb us with won-                     We should employ them in the sphere of the love
&erful  stofries of  ;`faith-h6alifig'!,  etc., but  tiin&  and of God and from that same love as the motive of the
again it has been disproved.                                          deepest heart.
    The questipn is often asked :. why, no miracuious:
faith ilow? IAnd : why did the Lord give this gift .dur-                  It is the c$y excelling way t'o the heart of Gbd.
ing afid shortly after Chri&`s  sojourn on earth? And                     It is the way-that lead Christ to `His heart. He pro-
the -Word ,of God gives us the answer : God wrought phesied and spoke of God from that wonderful motive
b&h the pr&ching .of the. Gosp61, in drder to establish               of love. He employed all the gifts of God in the sphbre
the New  Testamerit  church among `the heathen na- of that love. It was the reason why He merited salva-
tions, ahd.caused maizy miracles to be performed.                     tion for His sheep. .And He bids us,on every page of
    Atid if we persist ahd ask: but why not now, then the Bible t6 follow His footsteps. It is even now the
hour  answers  must be simply this: the Lord does  not                only way to ,God : the way .of the walk in love.
de&m it necessary fop the e&ablishing. and the edifica-                   The same Paul teaches this truth in Ephesians
tion .of His Church. i3e is th@. Same mighty Lord, but 5:1, 2: "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear
it rloes not please-Him  td Use this pow& today.                      children ; and waik in love, as Ch&t also hath loved us,
    In the l&t d.ays He. will,. indeed, again show won-               and hath givep ~Himself for us an offering and a sacri-
ders and-miracles. -And He-w&do so on a great scale.                  fice to. God for a sweetsmelling savour  !"
But those wonders will be terrible.                                       I would conclude by saying ihat we can do so only
 . The point, however5 of the text is, that even though through the operation of the Holy Spirit of pur Lord
a- person would -have all the .miraculous faith which Jesus. Christ, operating in our heart and niind. If we
. once was exercised by Jesus- and the a-postles, it would have that Spirit, our hearts will boil over: we. will
not mean anything if the love of IGod would not accom- prophecjr. And you will do so .in the measure that you'
pany! the- gift.      .                   _.  -..`
                                                 .         . .
                                                           `          have received the gifts of understanding the mysteries
    He woiild be nothing ifi such ?a&.                                and the knowledge of the facts of redemption. It will
 -.-. iUracu16tiS faith-,,' i6 @de% t6 behefit its possessor vitalize these .gifts so that you too will stand before
must  be j&&j .w& t& love df f&d.                                     His face, exulting  i% God.  -'
    And also h&e :' ?t -%il `b6 `te$%l&  Yo? that `person,               It 3s the beginning- of heaven on earth.
having possessed this fa&,  ahd y& to  ,find h&self                                                                        G. V.


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                                The' Reformed Free Publishing Association                                                                                                                            Dr.  Schillder Answers  -Rev. Van
                                                           1 4 6 3   A r d m d r e   S t . ,   S..E.
                                                                     , . .
                                               E D I T O R :   -  R e v .   H .   Hoeksema.                                                                                                                             Hdsema
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      `.  _
Contributing Editors: - Rev. G. M. Ophoff,  Rev.  G. Vos, Rev.
 R:Veldman,. Rev. H. Veldman, Rev.  H.-`De  Wolf, Rev. B.  Kok,                                                                                                                                        An article appeared in a recent issue`of De Richter
 Rev. J. D. De Jong, Rev. A.  P&ter,  Rev. C. Hanko, Rev. L.                                                                                                                                   against Dr. Schilder. The brother: is far-from -home,
Vermeer,`Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev.  M.  GrXters, Rev. J. A. Heys,                                                                                                                                  and thus also far from his own` paper, atid since it
.Rev. W.  Hiofman.
  _'                                                                                                                                                                                           would take considerable time for the copy to go to
        Communications relative to contenta  should be addressed to                                                                                                                            Holland, and the *paper to come back to our shores;
 REV. GERRIT VOS, Edgertcn, Minnesota;                                                                                                                                                         the  Standard  Bearer  offers `the use of its pages for
        Communications relative. to subscription should  .be addressed                                                                                                                         his reply.
i  to. MR.  GERRIT'PIPE,  1463  Ardmore  St., S. E., Grand  Ra.pids,                                                                                                                                   We grant him the  space othex%ise  -taken by our
.Michigan.                        `All.   Ann&mcen?ents,  and  Obituaries  must be  sent                                                                                                       editorial and by SION'S .ZANGEN.
to the above address  and will not be placed  .unless.  the  regular-
 fee of $1.00 accompanies the  n.otice.   '                                                                                                                              . .                           Here follows the. brother's `reply. to !Ds. Van Hall
                                          (Subschiption  Price $2.50 per year)                                                                                                                 sema:  x
En&red   as Second Class Mail at Grand Rapids, Michigan., "DE W~AC'HTER" ISPREEKT SCv@jNE WOORDEN,
                                                                                                                     .   .                                                      .                    -  MAAi3 BEPLEIT  ,GEEN  +ROU%ti  DADEN"
                                                                          -~                                                                                                                         Het  weekblad "De  Wachter" van 16 Sept.  jl.,  bey&t
                                                                                                                                                                                               een artikel vah Ds. E. Van Halsema, waarop we gaarne
                                                                                                                                                                                               antwqorden. We  zoudei?.   liefst het blad zelf dit  ant-
                                                                                                                                                                                               woord hebben toegezonden, maar omdat  ,er gegronde
                                                                                                                                                                                               reden is voor het vermoeden, dat de  copie  tech niet
                                                                    '  -  C O N T E N T S   -1  -                                                                                              zou worden  opgetiomen (stel u voor, dat een man die
 . .                                                                                                                                                                                           "by order of the  synodical committee" niet door de
M E D I T A T I O N   : -                                                                                                                       .-
                                                                                                                                         `                                                     kerkeraden der Chr. Ref. Church tot spr&en mag wor-
 BAVING  MU6,H,   Y E T   BE1N.G NOTErilNG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25                                                                                          den uitgenoodigd, in het blad van een lid van dit
              Rev. G.  .Vos.  `-                                                                                                                                                               committee zou schyijwen!)  beperk  ik me tot de Standard
        =                                                                                                                                                                                    .- Bearer.                               .,                 -
 EDITORIALS :-                                                                                                                     .                                                                   Ds. Van  Halsema spreekt in zijn artikel  onder-
 DR. S6HILDfER  ANSWERS REV. VAN HALSEMA...:..: . . . . . . . . . 2s                                                                                                                           scheidene schoone en vpiendelijke  woorcZe?i. Maar- hij
                                                                                                                                                                                               bepleit geen trouwe claden; en, om het heel duidelijk
              Dr.  I<. Schilder.  -                                                                                                                                                            te zeggen: hij  camqufleert  de positieve  daden  Ivan
                                                                                                                                                                                               ontroww,  waaraan de Chr. Ref. Church en haar "syno-
 OUR DOCTRINE,......................................................... * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :..33
                                                                                                                                                                                     _I        dical committee" (waariran Ds. Van Halsema lid. is)
              .R'ev,  H .   V e l d m a n .                                                                                    : ,                                                             zich tegenover de Geref ormeerde AVerken in Nederland,
                                                                                                                                                                                               en &us ook te.gc+xo%er rnij, bij h&haling, en ook thans,
 THE RAY'OF SHAfiOWS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
                                                                                                                                                                                             8.7 schuldig heeft gemaakt en nog maakt. Hijzelf klaagt,
,THE LORD'S SUPPER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  40                               dat ik d'e `"niilk of human kindness': verzuur  met dk
              Rev. G. M. Ophoff.                                                                                                                                                               gal der bitterheid. Hij bedoelt blijkbaar, dat ik, die
                                                                                                                1                                                                              op de .boot. fatsoenlijk tegenover den me.depassagier
IN HIS FEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  :.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42      opgetreden ben, me v&n de,nmbteZi$e  ,relatie, die hij-
              Rev. J. A. Hey?.                                                                                                                                                                 zelf als Wachter-redacteur (in een artikeltje over  d&n
                                                                                                                            ,`
                                                                                                                                  ..                                                           "Schilde~-representative", @ e n   men  riiet  o.ntvangen'
 @ROM ' H,OI$  W,RIT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44                                                                           moest):.  heegt geschapen,: blijf doord&&ni; en tevens,
              Rev. G.  Q Lubbers.                                                        ."  ~  1             , i!!.  1' 9::,.`,                                       (-                      d&t; ik de aqbteliijke  frelatie  hooger acht `cian de' private :
        L  ,; ,  ., ,                                          .                      _:- /  :"  1  1  `. .  ,'  ,:.                                         .:  t  `*, ,                      teen  ch<isten   pmoet  :izijn:;amtit  v&%:.all&i  aoen  gelden.
 PERISC.OPE  . ..I. . . . . . . . . . . . . ..I I...... ,..: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :... .,.,..,...................... I...&
                                                                                                                     _ _                                                                       Maar  koni  aan,  we  twisten  d&r6ver  niet.          Ik klaag
    Rev. W. Hofman.                                                                                                                                                                            erover, dat Ds. Van3Ialsem&  -d* .g%l der Bitterheid in
                                                                                                                                                                                               de f`milk of  huniafi  kindlie&  veYst,c&.  .  :.--  -  1
                                                                                                                                                                                                Laati  o n s   m a a r   eens-zien:  .   -'  -  -    .  ::i  :.:.  1


                                            T H E ' S T A N D A R D   BEARER-                                                           29

  I  .`I.  1 Ds.  v~~~~Hal~erna   hoopt, dat mijn  bezsek "de Cotimissie  staat,  aardig  ker;lcelijk is  %an karakter.
  zaak des Heeren ten goede zal komen". Dat  klink$ Maar  goed,  toeg ds. v. H. door' bovengenoemde  op-
  vriendelijk. Maar hij voegt er aan toe: "al heeft zijn merking  deli  indruk gaf, dat  ik  niet  moest  denk&,
 bezoek d8n ook geen officieel kerkelijk  karakter -,en. al dat wat  De  Wachter  schr,eef,  officieele houding van
  zijn de kansels onzer-  kerken ,voor  hem nu gesloten".                de  lx+k was,  h@b ik dit  aanyaard.  `Toen  evenwe  66n
  `Hij  Wil  _ blijkbaar  ztiggen:  er is  we1 een . zeker van de passagiers  van. de boot, wiens naam. trouwens
  "fat;um", dat er nu eenmaal ligt (die geiloten kansels) , door ds. v. H. met eere. vernield wordG op bl. 570 van
  maar DDE Heere kan tocli `ofidanks die gesloten kansels het Wachter-nummer, mij met verontsaardiging liet
  wel-.Zijn  z e g e n   g e v e n .   - -                .'        ;    lezen een knipse! uit The Banner, het stukje, n.l., waar-
   .- Nu, dit laatste  meeli  ik ook.  Persoonlijk ben  ik ia "by  .-order of the  synodical  committee%' de kerke-
  o+.eFtti@d,_<at  er reeds- zegen ontvangen werd.                       raden..werden verinaand,  zdowSal  voor spreekbeurten
  . `-Maa? Ds. Van .Halsema' nioet zich we1 herinneren, als voor preekbeurten  de deuren voor ondergeteekende
dat' hij,zeZf voor die gesloten kansels, althans van "zijn" -g&l,oten te houden, toen heb ik daarna aan d,s. v. H. dit
 .kerk,:   nie`de  veranfwoordelijk  is: Zijn eigen blad "De stu!k  getobnd; en hem  gezegd,:-maaf  &it is  tech  we1
  Wtichter':  -heeft al  bet  sto?mGgnaal  geheschen,  toen kerkeljk, en  officieel.  Hij gaf dit toe. Het is  trou-
  e_eri  "Schilder-representative" werd  -a&gek&digd, en ,wens klaar als de  ,dag. Welnu,  zulk  obtreden  is  pure
  gezegd : iliet ontvangen  ! Hij heeft in zijn blad omtrent hierarchic.  Een commissie, die als manusje-van-alles
  l+! doen ea laten-der nederl&dsche sytiodes, en ook om- maar  optrede;; kan of mag  oti als een  soor_t  opper-
  trent' ons- zelf, en onie eigen meening, berichten ge- lrerkeraad   .op te treden, en de zaken  te bedisselen, is
  geven; diel` Wij g'eheel- &i' al o&zyaar ndemen. Hij is                               `I
                                                                         bij het goede, oude, gereformeerde  kerkfecht onbekend. -
  bovendien lid van he% `%yrGdidal committee", , dat we-                 Een  geqeformeerde   sypode   kan  we1 deputaten  benoe-
  d&oin-&zGgd  heeft : b&van& lism niet op uw pulpits, men met een strikt beperlcte en nauw omschreveri op-
  o"k&ketad&, die de. genieente van  Christus weiden drticht, en.  zjerantwoordelijijk   aan de  vblgeticle  dynode,
 m o e t .                                                               maar die deputaten hebben daarom juist geen enkele
.  - -En nu heeft Ds. Van Halsemi mij op de bootreis .algemeene bevoegdheid  van regeeren of zelfs van ad-
 we1 gezegd,` dat' dit laat'ste  `geschied  is iti aijn tGfw.@p viseeren. De kerkeraden.blijven  vrij binnen het kade?
  heid (tilsof hij er -onschtildig  aall Iwas) ; maar -ik had van Schrift, belijdenis, kerkenorden&tg.  En het kerk-
 h+i t& vdren al- (blijkbaar no&. in "the milk of human verband doodt de  z.66  omschr&en.   vrijheid van de
 kindn'es's". m: .)  -eraan  herinnerd,  dat "De. Wachter" kerkeraden  niet.. De kerkeraden hebben geen heeren
 nit  `x66-  geschreven  en' g&watir&-Lutid had tegenc%r' boven  zich. De afgevaardigden naar de,  classis b.v.,
  dc.n  --Schilder-rep~e&e~t~~~~e,  dien  nien destijds' ver- krijgen gtieiz oors;wro&elijl?e,  maar &U&n geclelegeercle
 tiachtt& `Dat `tias  -toen D$. D.' Vati Dijk. Welnu, als macht, gebonden  aan hun lastbrief.                                 Die  naar` de
 iiielii troor `beti r'represe~tative" de deur dicht doet, dan synod& hebben.' ook geen andere _ dan gedelegeerde
: t&h ieker ook `voor den man zelf, dien-ti&i (een dwaze -macht. En da&om is zulk' een "order"- van eeri "synb-
 probleemktelling)   de&  "vert&genwo&digd"  te zien ? dical committee". hiGra?chie.  En higrarchie  beteekent
 Ds. Vtin Halsema is dus we1 degelijk  verantwoordelijk een  doodelijk  gevaar voor de kerk.                                 Menschenheer-
 voo?.  dell g&St eri -oobk vdo? de letter van bet' decreet schappij' st&lt zich in de plaats van Christius'regeering.
 van` het  sjrnodical   ctitimittee,   tiaarvan  -hij lid is. En En' heel gemakkelijk  tiordt de partijiZiDheicZ'cle.  baas
 tils'hij-qeent,  dat de hee&n  Darihof:c.$. verkeerd  heb- w&r de  higrarchie  den  toon aangeeft.  .Zooals  oak
 btin gehandeld iiz zijn aftieiigheid, w&u, `ik zal eens thans  d,e  Chr. Ref. Church  zich  aan  droev"e partijdig-
 uitkijken  of er-ook ceil  dfficiekle  aflieuring veGehijnt h&d s@huldig inaakt. Maar daarover  afzonderlijk.
 iti  -The  .B&iner,  of in De  Wachter,   magrin Ds. Van                    3. Want ik -sprak hierboven oak .over "trouweloos-                :
 Halsema` `zich -d@nlijk en dtiidelijk, lo'smaakt van de heid". Ds. van Halsema gebruikt schoone .woordeti.
 "order" ( I)- Van dit comit6.' Tot  zoolang  neem' ik op Maar hij canioufle'ert slechte,  trouwelboze  d&den.
 goe'de gronclen  aan, dat ook hij vobr dat frtiaie stl!kjd                  Dat hij camoufleert, blijkt al uit zijn ietwat bizarre
 h%rarchie  en trouweloosheid geheel en al verantwoor-. opmerking  : "Kom, professor, betracht nu `eens dezelfde
 delijk' is.                                                             vriendklij'kheid aan broeders in MeckdancZ, die gij bier`
0 . -2. Ick `sprak daar van "hi&%%.ie". Toen ii op de. a&n de broeders in de Protestant Reformed Church
 boot  Ds'. Vati- Halsem'a -spr& (hijztilf  -y&t6lt iets tiit me&tt te' moeteri  ,bewijzen.-  B&id&n  tech  verschillen   `.  o
 -@t .ges@elf;; en ik^ m&g: tieq&J&`da&rin vdlgen) merkte Tian LT, w&roin `dan genieten met: twee mat&n?`,' Tots .
,.ds.y.  -vi.-Hi `.-oyi; dat' wzit.ts:cJe:6lai-len~  schreirtin   `(b.v. ."De z6over  dti.  v .   ~H&l&ti&   -  ~  r    -
, Waiihterl' ov`er dien 8~~ild&~re~resentative)  Get voor                .Ik  kdil  bv@r  zulke  `wobr`deti   me  slechts'b&wond&$n. '
 relien`ing  van de ke& kwam. Daar- had hij gelijk iii, Verschilled   de.b?6eder$  van,  d6  Prot.`Hef  Chur&es  vati  1..
 al meen ik, dat een blad,als De Watihfer,  dat "bet eiben- mij? Als ds. v. H. bedoelt; dat e? Protestant Reformed
 clo?.n. `is' vaii de' Chr.- Ref. Church"; en` dat &nder~ toe- theologe% zijn, die~dv&- e&i&e thedlogisbhe-vraagstuk-
 zicht  -vali  -`@en' door' de synode  Genoemde   Publicatie-            ken andeix denken  dan.ik,  ofiwat meestal het feit is-               _

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 30.                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   - B E A R E R ; -
            :                                                                   _
een andere tekminologie volgen, en andere clilemna's         reeds lang openlijk geschreven  heb) , dat Rev. ,Hdek-
zich zagen opgedrongen in hun kerkelijke  worsteling,        sema op de vragen;' die rnij gesteld zijn, ook xelf zou
dan heeft hij daarin volkomen gelijk. Is het bij de hebben  geantwoordr NEEN, evenals ik.  `En dat dus
Chr.  *Ref. Church  soms anders? Praat daar iederen Rev. Hoeksema zouSgeschorst  zijn, en afgexet, in Neder-
b.v.  proif.  Berkhof in  c&es na?      Wel, dan is het land, net als ik. Hij is veel te  goed en veel  te eerlijk
nog  erger  dan men vermoeden kan.           Geen enkele theoloog, om in Nederland niet afgezet tk zijn in het
lever&e  kerk zal onder theologen  geen verschil zien. dolle jaar 1944? toen de Amsterdamsche theologen de
Maar daar gaat het niet over. .Ds van Halsema weet kerk hebben laten verongelukken met hun ondeskun-
natuurlijk heel goed, dat volgende feiten officieel en dige adviezen in betrekking tot sacrament, wederge-
voor ieder controleerbaar zijn :                             boorte, etc. Van die ondeskundigheid, zelfs met  be-
    a/ de Prot. Ref Churches hebben gezegd: Zaat ons trekking tot hun eigen slachtoffers, geeft b.v. blijk de
eens hooren, wat er in Nederland ,gebeurd is, en Ben brief, dien dr. F.W. ,Grosheide  schreef aan ds.`J.  Waag-
van de broeders zelf daartoe uitnoodigen.        Dat- was  meester over "cand.  Schilder" en over den vromen en
prachtig. `Dat. was broad-minded, want de Prot. Ref. geleerden Prof. dr. 8. Greydanus, dien men 6ok heeft-
Churches hadden met ons nog geen .correspondentie,           durven schorsen,-een blijvende  smaad. over wie het
en tech zeiden zij : give him a hearing. Maar de Chr., durfden  doen, tenzij ze  zich openlijk in berouw  be:
Ref. Church had met. ons in Nederland. WEL corres-  _ keeren. Wat ds. v. Halsema zegt,. is dus volkomen on-
pondentie. Maar ze zei: deuren toe, de&en toe. Als zakelijk, ook'kerkelijk gezien.
ds. v. H. nu onze relatie tot de Prot., Ref. Churches 266       Maar nog op een andere wijze camoufleert'ds.  v:
prachtig vindt, dat hij ze ten voorbeeld,,stelt,  dan .zou Halsema de feiten. Hij zegt, dat hij .mij de gelegen-
ik willen zeggen: kom .dominee,  bedracht nu eens de- heid Wilde geven, om, indien ik in zijn huis was, IN
zelde  vriendelijkheid  aan broeders in Nederland, die  BESLOTEN KRING "mijn" zijde van de historie in
gij hier in de  `breeders  van de- Prot. Ref. Churches Nederland te vertellen. Maar hij  verzwijgt, dat ik
meent te moeten prijzen. Dat is: protesteer nu eens toen verwezen heb naar-.  het Wachter-artikel : Geen
tegen uw eigen synodical  committee, heb den `moed,-  Schilder-representative. En tevens, dat ik hem gezegd
dien Rev. Hoeksema. getoond heeft, `en zeg dat eens heb,, wat ook ds. D. van Dijk hem onder het oog ge-
hardop tot uw eigen broeders, en dus publiek.: laat ons bracht heeft, en wat in den brief van onze Groningsche
den man eens hooren in het openbaar; Rev. Hoeksema @node aan de Chr. Ref. (Church is opgemerkt, nl. dit :
is niet bang voor zijn f,eiten-materiaal,  waarom zouden DAT. DE CHR. REF. CHURCH, althans in officieele
wij het zijn?                                                bladen en door officieele handelingen en thans ook door
        b/ de kwestie in Nederland loopt er niet over, of een officieel synodical committee, met &iee maten meet.
iemand een bepaalde theologische verbonds-beschou-           Ds. van Halsema durft mij (omdat ik met de Prot.
wing aanhangt, of. zoo iets. Dat moet ds. v.~ Habema Ref. Churches, die me inviteerden, spreek, terwijl ik
-we,!  weten. Ze loopt erover, dat wij zijn geschorst  en in Nederlancl tot onze UITWERPERS zeg : eerst schrij-
bij honderden uit de ambtelijke  bediening, ja uit de ven en dan spreken)  d.e vraag  voorleggen: "waarom
kerk,  het kerkverband gezet (Bergschenboek) , of van gemeten met twee maten?" Men kan over zulk een
bet `avondmaal geweerd, o.a. omdat we niet beloven vraag uit DEIZEN mond slechts  het hooft sehudden.
wilden,,   toeN dat geeischt werd, NIETS te  leeren,  dat Inviteer me maar evens,  ds. van.Halsema,  qm te spreken
nikt VOLKCMEN in overeenstemming was o.a. met de voo?: uw vo& (de dominees alleen zijn niets zonder het
?ormuie, dat men het zaad des verbopds moest houden volk, `en het balk moet `erbij !%x&nen z&z, als LIW zaak
voor zoedergeboren en in Christus geheiligd, totdat bij het licht. kan verdragen) . Als ik clan weiger,  spreek
bet opwassen uit leer of leven het tegendeel bleek. Dat DAN van meten  met twee maten. Maar Gij zelf zegt
was een dwaze, en onwetenschappelijke en onsehrif- tot uw volk ,en totuw kerkeraden (gij als zwijgend lid
t&urlijke eisch ; lietgeen reeds daaruit af tel leiden valt, van  LEV  synodical  committee, en als  .Wachter-redac-
dat men `een paar jaar later (in 1946)) toen,men  weer teur)' : laat hem niet spreken ; en `dan tech nog -praten
aan het knoeien ging, vrijheid gaf, om &?k iets te lee- -over meten met twee maten?  Kom, word consequent
ren, dat NIET in overeenstemming was .met die for- en,  wee; mannelijk. WANT GIJ EN  UW LEIDERS
mule: men mocht to&n (nadat wij waren uitgeworpen)           METEN MET TWEE  MATEN. Uw  synodical  corn-  0
OOK we1 zeggen : niet "wedergeboren", doch "te weder-        mittee zegt : laat hem. niet preeken en o& Get. eens
baren". Maar als ds. v. Halsema heeft gelezen wat spreken, want :- we hebben Gmet zijn denominatie geen
Rev. H. Hoeksema schreef, dan weet hij bizonder goed,        correspondentie.  Maar  &d&e&in   Amerika.weet,   dat
dat deie openlijk verklaart, dat hij van die onderstelde `oy de platforms' van de platforms van de Chr.  Ref..
wedergeboorte  nikts moet hebben. Hij weet ook, dat Church heel wat. personen optreden  die allesbehalve
Rev. Hoeksema openlijk-verklaard  heeft, het kerknecht,      goed-gerefoimeerd  zijn.
r'at de synode in Nederland gebruikt heeft, hartgrondig         Yaar dat is het ergste niet, althans in &it -geding.
te  -verwerpen.  Hij weet dus ook (wat ik trouwens,             -Gij zegt, ds. v. Halsema, ,en het klinkt.  heel ferm:

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                                         THti  STAND.ARD   :  B.EARER.  .   .                                            81

     "van mondje snoeren houden we niet `en . . . we hoo-          leeraren zelf, hen ionder &&ken of blozen tiee helpt
     ren ieinand graag  uitprafen". Wel,  is  dat  ZOO  ?  Mqar uitwerpen door' de synode, al is hij secretaris:curator.
     uw  k&kvol,k  dan? Is dat een stel  onmondigen?  Als          Gij iaat we1 optreden dr;. Brillenburg Wurth, die de
     Gijzelf in l& Wachter  het volk waarschuwt tegen ds. plaats durfde innemen van een ander;  die weggewerkt
     D. v&n Dijk, oni hem `NIET te vragen, en Bls uw eigen was omdat hij een formdle afwees; die men later . . .
     synoditial corklm&ee  nu hetz&lfd,e doet tegenover &j; veranderde.          Gij laat we1 bptr ?den dr. P. ' Prins, ,die
clan kan men de  &5n&'  uitlating met de  aidere slechts Calvin Forum voorzag van copie, waar<it dr'. G. Bouma
     verbinden, indien men er uit leest : `een paar clominees, ntiar eigen zeggen zijn onwaarheid schrijvend artikel
     die mogen  he%  we1  hooren,  m@ar  het  volk  niet.  De distilleerde. Gij laat  we1 optreden een man als  dr;
     dolriinees, in een besloten bijeenkomst, o%e laten iemand Berkhouwer, die zijn handteekening zette onder allerlei
 I  (nadit ze  h&meerst publiek beleedigd  hebben) "gaarne banvonnissen, en rapporten, ,waarvan wij beweren en
     uitpraten",' maar het  ~017;; moet  >er buiten blijven. bewezen: ze staan vol fouten (net zoo `dwaas soms, als
     Maar ik heb ge.en zin, ,uw -volk `te negeeren. Ik weet w&t Grosheide  schreef over de  theologische-meening
     ook veei te goed, dat het`altijd'weei van bet `volic moet van Greydanus) . Maar gij zegt'ioowel van ds. D. van
     komen,  als de leiclers  iich laten bepraten door de &ne Dijk als van ondergeteekende:  niet laten preeken, .niet
     partij  tieen nadeele  van de  andeu'e. In  Gland Rapids laten spreken, zelfs dat niet. ,Ooren toe. En dan durft
     zfjn` alli theoldgische prdfessoren  geinviteerd, publiek,
                                 .                                 ge nog uw  artike  bksluiten met den  wensch, dat  ik
     en ook namens of door mijzelf pe?soonlijk,  om te komen mijn pen zal gebruiken tot samensnoering van het volk
     luisteren als ikin het openbaar gprak. Dat is geschied, van God. Ds.  vin  Halsema, dat uw broer, en vele
     NADA'T, d ds. v. Halsema, LIW blad& die waarschu-             anderen,  in Nederlgnd  zich hebb'en~ laten verleiden tot
     %&de stukjes  `haclden  gepubliceerd;  Dr. C.  B&ma,          het gehoor geyen aan Amsterdamsche adviezen van
     b.v., die in C@vin Forum && mij allerlei leeli'jks (dat zich vergissende theologen, en toen Gods saamgesnoei'-
     is niet erg), maar vooral allerlei onwaarheid verteld de volk uit elkaar g,ejaapd hebben, dat kan ik niet hel-
     had, krkeg zoo de kans $001 een gereserveerde plaats: pen. Maar gij moet `de zaak niet `op haar kop zetten.
     hij- kon dan &ens nagaan, of hij het eenvoudige volk          Wij hebben geen menschen om onze opinie geschorst
     van (God en het -buitefiland naar waarheid had.ingelicht      of zoo. Maar anderen hebben ons geschorst en ouitge-
     over  een broeder en  collega. Ik  h,eb hem niet  gezien.     worpen.. En dat, omdat ze weigerden  in 1944 te be-
     En aideren evenmin, al had niet ieder zich onttrokken.        loven, wat blijkens 1946 God niet eischte te beloven,
        Maar ook dat is'het erg&e niet in dit `geding.             doch verbood te doen : ,God` verbiedt ons nl. ons te laten
b       Het'ergste is,  dtit gij, ds.  $. Halsema, gij en de       binden aan een formqle, die men ook veranderen msg.
     uwen, WEL toelaat de %ne partij, en niet d,e and&e. &j hebt in. Grand Rapids een z.g. oecumenische synode
     Dat gij odrdeelt over zaken waar gij niets yan .weet:         gehad; die verklaarde : ook ai zou. de N'ederlandsche -
     Dat gij het officieele nieuws, dat gij WEL weet, ne- synode verkeerd-g,ehandeld hebben, ook dan is dat nog
     geert, en .din iiever Bfgaat op oncontroleerbare mede- geen  reden de kerk te verlaten. Dat zei ik ook;:en
     deelingen van de synodocratische uitwerpers  in Neder-        daaroti zei ik tot Nederlandsche synoden, toen het`nog
     land.                                                         tijcl was: bindt niet, bindt niet. i@aar men boiid tech.
      Kijk, ik ZOLI me hebben kunnen voorstellen,  dat gij En het was juist toen een synodale commissie, en later'
     gezegd hadt: er is in  Nederland  een  Bcheuring; wij         de synode, die zeide: kunt gl"j het met LIW geweten ni&
     hadden  met de  uitwerpers  en de  .uitgeworpenen   te- overeenbrengen, u te binden aan onze formule,  riu, loop
     v&en  correspondehtie   ; wij  willen nu  self  oordeelen,    ey dan  toeh uit,  verbreek  dan  tech het  kerkverbark!
     wie aan de oude grondslagen v&thielden en wie niet, De oecumenische synode dacht, dat ze ons veroordeelde ;
     en  tot  dat  wij  alles  zelfstcinclig  en  openlQ*k  hebben maar ze veroordeelde in f  cite de Nederlandsche synode,
     onderaocht en beoordeeld, `zullen wij MET GE.EN VAN die tot ons zeide:  die zaak is WEL een reden, om- de
     DE NEDERLANDERS in officieele relatie treden. En kerk te"verlaten. Waarom zij dan ook een kerk buiten
     NIEMAND vati hen laten optreden. Of: met beiden, het  verband plaatste, hetgeen zij  echter in de  Aeta
     indien iij tip d.e basis der drie formulieren -van eenig-     zorgvuldig veriwijgt.               -
     heid, staan. .DAT w&e onpsrtijdig, geweest. -En da&              En d`it mooi spraken,  maar nie& alzoo handelen, dat
haddeiz  tie  ni&s tegen  ifi  kunnen  breigeq.  f Maar  gij is het wat ons grieft. Juist in ons ambt. Gij  loopt
     haidelt anders. IGij laat we1 den man preeken (Barkey achter anderen aan.. iGij  m.e& met twee  mat.en.  ,Den
     Wolf j , die, een `telegi*ammetje  aan de synode stuurde, &5n gelogft ge zonder `anderzoek; den &her la& ge zelf
     dat ze'toch iou optreden tegeti'deti  man die de kinderen n'iet auitspreken,  en niet eens beginnen te spreken. Gij
     niet- vcYor wedergeboren. Wilde l&fen houden, .@aar die zijt ons ontrouw geworden. Want wij fiA,DDEN. met
     .o+erigens  de kansels openstelt voor  menschen van LIW kerk corregporidentie, en wij zijn in niets veran-
     allerlei $1&g, `oak al tasten ze de. grondwa&eden  der qerd. ,, En fiu hebt gij de correspondentie ufgebroken.
     S&rift  aan. IGij  last  we1  ds.  iVIeijst@r  optreden, die, Dat .moet gij zelf weten.; maar ge meet dan ook niet
     ionder een wooid i;e `ho&en van de betrokken hoog-            doen, aIsof gij sainensnbert, en wij scheuren. %ij hebt

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       3%                                       THE  STANbARQyBEAREk                                                          .

       gescheurd,  door  lieden,  met wie gij  correspondeerdet,        afgebroken op  gezag van  anderen,.  zoqder  on's ielfs
       xkncler  eenig verhoor uit  -6  da&en.  Gij hebt ons een te willen hooren. Al uw-spreken over "milk of human
       nieuke d&ominatie genoeqd,  en ge weet niet eens, wat kindness" wischt het feit niet af, d&t CGij ons in ons
       wij kunnen of willex? aanvoeren om-te bewijzen, .dat de ambt diep hebt beleedigd, en de'prachtige Amerikaan-
      -andeyen wat nieuws zijn, `,en wij het oude.                      iche     gastvrijheid hebt geweigerd  aan iemand, die
             Als gij sehrijft: "we1 is er iets tegen, om v&r &en collega is van uw theologen  in Grand Rapids, belijder
       tijd,  d.w.z.,  v%rdat uw synode eindelijk eens  -oilzen van de drie. formulieren van eenigheid & verdediger .
       brief beantwoordt, stemming in den boezem der Jcerken vam het  recht der kerkeraden tegenover  machts.mis-
       te  we&$&", dan zeg ik: het  klinkt  mooi, ds. v.  Hal- bruik van  synoden,  en ook  tegenover `heeren van de
       sema, maar het is  hum&g.  Want-toen.  gij nog  niets V. U., toen xij aanvielen. Gij moet nu zelf maar weten,
       w&t-ge verklaart het$zelf--van  het bestkcn van &en hoe ge verder  doen  wilt: Ik hoop bij niemand  uwe?,
       brief onxer qnode c&n u, Feeds toen hebt gij gezegcl:            te bedelen, eti geef-u allen tie gelegenheid, mij te hqoren
      geen Sqhilder-rep.res,entatjve.  Als U deze I?we houding en zoo ge,wilt tegen tespreken. ?Maar ,dan in het open-
; wat veranderen wilt, zeg het dan-rqnduit 266, maar ge- baar <de kerk moet erbij kunnen, en onderonsjes stich;
       bruik geen ander als "kop van Jut". En wat dat `.&em-            ten niet.
       ming wekken" betreft : dad hebben ,de persartikelen van                IAfgevaardigen van LIW kerk hebben reeds op . de
       Banner en Wachier gedaan ; -dnt do&n oak. uw waar- z.g. oecqmenische  synod; verklaard, dat men de kinde-
       schuwirigen: laat hem niet eens spreketi.                        ren moet beschouwen en behandelen `(&us ook cloopen)
             Breed ben ik ingegaan op U& `&`rtiikel.  Oind&wille        als deeleride in de wederbarende  genade van den H.
       van uw menschen. `Reeds sprakb-$k'.`e"r  velen, en nog Geest. Zij hebben daarmee  iets and&s beleden dan
       meerderen hoorden mij. Ik zoek hen, want' ik weet, wat in den Catechismus staat. D,ie zegt, dat hun de
       dat zij verkeerd iijn  voirgelicht.  Zi,e in dit  uitvoerig BEGOFTE des Geestes, die het geloof wepkt,, is gedaan.
       antwoord geen teeken  van. boosheid of van een gevoel Zij- hebben tevens daar hooren zeggen, dat een oecu-
       van teleurstelling.  .' Ik wist,  toen ik naar Amerika men&he synode we1 iets Bon besluiten, nzanr, de lande-
      kwam, `hoe de  "leiders" der Chr. Ref. Church  zich lijke kerken moesten daarna nog zelf uitmaken, of' iij
       zouden  houdeti.    Ik wist uit  brieven   66k, dat velen die besluiten zouden aanvaarden. Hoe dus LIW kerk
      :hunner  kerkleden het met  bun-  methoden niet eens reageeren zal op dit be&it,  staat nog te bezien. Ma'ar
       waren en gaarne  !eerlijk   wilden  worden  voorgelicht. juist clanrom moet uw voli& er over kutinen worden in-
       Hen bereik ik  tech  wel. Komt er straks bij  U. een . gelicht. W8aro.F   tech  zoos- bang?. Is  er- een afstand
       &d&e stemming, dan zal' dat mede aan dit verblijf tusschen de leiders en het volk? Waarom  toeh  zoo;
       en .aan deze contacten-  te danken  zijn. De hi6rarchie          schuw? En ten slotte: als de oecumenische synode niet  '
     _ `houdt het alleen uit bij de dodden,  niet bij. de levend,en.    besluiten kan; zonder dat. de landelijke kerken daarna
       En er zijn er, die ook bij u nog vragen naar recht en            voor  zi&el?f  beslissen, of zij  die besluiten  zullen
       waarheid. Wij zijn bereid,.als  kerl&i met LI te corres-         ratificeeren, waarom wei-pt  men in Nederla;nd or& dan
       pondeeren,' maar niet  bereid,  erQm te  bedeten.  Wij           de. kerk uit, onder het zeggen ,(onderteekening-Berk-
       richten"`t hoofd. Omhoog, en hebben een beetje te doen houwer),  dat besluiten eener SYNODE  altijd moeten
      jniet"lieli  die zich laten leiden door Nederlandsche theo- worden  uitgevoerd  door -de' "mindere" vergaderitigen,
'      iijgen,*,d,ie,  in de zaak van 01944 zich heljben  `geblameerd dok al. zijn ze ni.et goed, altijd, totdat !ze .eventueel  heri
     ;$o6r ii'un ondeikundigheid,  hun zig-zag-beweging, hun roepen zijn? En dat ratificatie ervan geeti apart punt
     `eerst' beweren en later terugkrabbelep,  al veroordeelen van behandeling en van vrije beslissing mag zijn bij
      -we 601~ htin weigering van boetedoening over wat reeds' d& mindere vergaderingen ?
       tipenlijk misslag gebleken is. Wij bedelen niet om een                 Kom, kbm, ds. v. Hal&em&,  er is <och zooveel werk
      - plaatsje in een vergadering, die noch oecumenisch, noch aan den winkel. Laat u  niet beinvloeden uit Neder-
       synode is. Wij zeggen Gel tot-U : als gij ons nopwekt,           land, noch door mij, nqch door andereri. Kijkt  saqen
       Gods volk saam te snoeren, welnu, ds., `G. Halsema, uit  eigen oogen. Komt  ofis niet  aan boord, gij,  noch
       ye&u% dan uw pen tot samensnoeriig van Gods volk, uw medestanders, niet het argunient : we hebben met
       en zorg ervoor; dat ook de Prot. Ref. Church,es,  vlak die mensehen geen correspondentie nag, en DAARlOM
       naast uw deur, een invitatie krijgen, als staande  op de `mag men hen niet `laten spreken, zelfs dtit niet." Want
      -basis der drie  formulieren.   ,Leg  u niet vast op drie dat argument wordt weerlegd als' ondeugdelijk doof
       puntenj als waren die'het criterium van tronw aan de             uw gedrag tegenover anderen .die we1 sprek&n  bij u:
     ,corif&sie  i ze  i<jn  het.`troutiens'%iet.    Maa? ljleit `eens :Eh detik aan Uw'theSe oti& h$ samens;ioel?en  vln Gods
     voo;  `trouwe   daden. TegknbGer  Am&ikaa&&he   gere- volk. Ge weet het adres-  van "Rev: Hoeksema;!  of (van
       formeeYd,en.   - En  .tegenover   Nederlandsche.  . Tot  "nu het coniit6, dat de tour&e  van ondergeteekende  regeit ;
       toe hebt'gij in de relati,e  tegenover de kerken, die 66k Rev.  tioeksema  zal  bet  u  graag'  melden.   Kolnt dan
      "art. 31  K.0.  .onderhouden ontrouwe  daden  getoond:            eens  ,aaar  voren`  als ik  sbreek.  `t Kan niet  scheleni
       want, wij hadden met u correspondentie,  en die hebt ge waar: Ge-&unt een mooie,  plaats krijgen. ,Ge nioogt
                                                                         _


                                                                             T           -      H        E              STAflDARti.   BlkARER                                                   33

       weerspreken zooveel ge  -wilt.  Brengt ban  dat  voUi of logical ,deduction, that only then- can we believe in
           GocIs, oin -welks samensnoering  ge ZOO bekomtiefd zijt, the Maker of heaven and earth after His existence had
       nlee, .en laat hen eens zien, wat ge kunt bereiken'met been proven logically and-scientifically. They rendered
      liet Woord des Heeren tegenover Berkouwer en Grey- these "proofs" subservient to the principle of faith,
       danus, `iegenover  ,JXeijster   eq Van Dijk,  tegenoveY; and recognized the fact that the ri&tural man can no
       f rins en Vonk, tegen&er  Barkey Wolf en den man, longer see God and that faith is a-primary sequisite.
       die  de. Youtl! .fo? Christ niet samenroept; maar we1                                                             Sooti, however', .' "protestant Theology". pursued the
      de youth of Christ wil -bgengen onder het Woo&, be- course ,of rationalism. The -existence of ,God, it was.
      lo&e en eisch, en ze niet  `in  een  onderstelling   $doi alleged, could be proved from nature, and must be
      &e&Fgebtir.en  houdt. `Den man, die  geeli eigen  mee- proved froni nature. And the Church oftentimes sue-.
 ninkje opdringt aan een ander, maar 661~ geen vergis- -cumbed to the principle that Reaspn is.mist&ess  ,of the
      sing van Kui&r `of Groshkide  of. Ridderbos.  of Polman Scriptures, that we must believe only that .which can
      wil bkhandelen  als het Woord van God door te beloven,
                                                                                   .'                                    be proven. The result' was that Revealed Theology,
      kds geeischt  is, niets te zullen- leeren,  dat daarmee the Scriptures, more &n.d m&e receded into the -back,
      niet voikomen  in overeenstemm&g  is. De mecle$e&iger                                                              ground and finally, in mahy instances, disappeared
 van  H&ema is  e& ander dan de  schrijver in  ria altogethir. The same .struggle was- evident. in the
      Wachter.                          -*      `._     ..            ..                 .,     ..`.          1          church's attempt, made' over and over again, to "con-
                                                               ic.  Schilder  -                                          vince" the world of the Scriptural presentation of the
                                                                                                                         exist&e of, God over ag&inst evolution's "explanation"
                         s                                     Orange City, Iowa.
                 "             `.                              19 Sept., 1947.                                           of  th'e origin and development of the  world;  The
                                                                                                                         Church appeared to .&and `ppwerl&s, over against the
      -                                                         :.                                                      tfemendous  strides and development made in the field
                 .                      .                               - .                                             of ,,&nce.` The bQn!s and, fossils unearthed by Science
                                                                                                                        deemed to fiaralyze the church of .God: T&y  a&u~lly
                                                                                                                        felt ashamed of- themselves because they believed  oi
           .'                   am mc1[`kitiE:                                                                          &shed to believe in ,the "old-fashioned" theories and
                 .       .                                                                                              beliefs  of the Scriptures. -They attempted td aqswkr
                                                                                                                        Scicqce.witih science, proof with. proof, to co&ince the
      The  "PFoQ~$'  l?or  !i%i  - Existence world of the Scriptural presentation of the .origin and
                                             -Of                        God.                                            development 02 all -things.              Too often. the, "proofs"
                                                                                  .'                                    for the existence of God appeared in the framework .
                                                                                                                        of this logical reasoning. Befqre we appraise, evalu&i!
 -                     The atteinpt has been- made throuihout  the `ages these proofs for the existence of God, let us  regard  -,
                                                                                                                                                                                               .~
      (0.                $roVe",
                                     i.e., to establish by means' of logical reason-                                                                                                                  ,:i
                                                                                                                        them as such.
      ing,' the -existence  of -,God. It c&n.bt be'said `that the&
      at$en$t%  spe%k convincingly of  a  living faith on the The Cos'mological  Argument.                                                                                               -
      pa'rt'  of` those who would thus establish the existence                                                               This- argument,
                                                                                                                                       -             proceeds  from the idea  &at `the
      of  God.  Fdith,' not  rea's&, is  the  sub&an&e  of things" wsrld is,  E+  CO&OS.  Iri  f&t,  ihe words  `iworld"  $nd
      hoped for, the,&ideri& of things not seen-Heb; il :l. `~cosm&" are identical. The. word  "cdsmos"  means`
And, he  that  cometh to God  mtist  believe  that He is, literally : or.der, harmony, beauty, bea&y in the sense
      and that -H$ js a rewirder of'khem  that diligently seek of harmonious' arrangement. The world is elia?acteiE
      Him-Heb.  11:6. These proofs date back  to the  days ized' by the -law of cause and :effect.  This la& is` &+iL
- of -Socrates; Plato,. Aristotlel  etc. `Gradu'ally these so-                                                          dent everywhere. The child has its parent; th8:f&it?
      called proofs were overrated, and the .&onviction  was or vegetable its seed ; rain or snow is preckded  by &&l~
      in&ea&tigly  expressed that the truths `of .`God revealed thunder, arid lightning ; whatever exists remi&db%&  "OF
      in nature were prdvable as tieie the rules of m&he- something br someone which produced it c&&l$&s~`~l&
 matic% and logic: `The heformation  brought a te$por-                                                                  cause   of  if.-.  This  even  applies   to  p&&~&&~~~~~@&,fi~
 ary change-in this state of af-fairs. To be  sure';`tjhe' causes liave hitherto be& unknotcrli$$%li~ra~  &is%&`&
-&ad&s  of this tremendous movement did not .ig%&e L%ate `s&entifirq r&ear& ha;s `e~p&&&d@&&  Q&~&:S%
 or discard' them'. They .`recognized tl-@ir value. .$hey the p&t- had && a. m$ster$.j"i W:&&~&~p]i& !f&i$f;
 &knowte<ged  the f&t that God had -nbt le-it i%nself fhiigs( in the w&ld, so ~h~hiar~~~~~~~~~ti';~~~~~i~~~s,  &$
 without a wit&& that the hea%ens.idecl-$r& the `glory' appli& to the weird.  itselfi ~.$J!&n~~~t~&&&~d~  to.o~&&
 of  `God  -and. the  firm&i&t   sheweth  ?Xis  h.&ditiork. have a  cause. And tt~~~~~~^se,fr:ba-~~~~~s~~  tin& %bi?i
 iNhat `the iefprmers `refused to `do, however,' was `to- greater- thaIi the wbrl$r&a&u&~ &s, ~~q&&&d-:&~
 pl@e  reason,  above faith.  They refused to concede world .and must tke&folE be&i+&& :.fl70~:~~~~.~g~~at~r:
 that odr faith in the Creator depends @on the process
      `.                      `!`.'                                                                                     than the world~~~~~h~s~~~~s~r $&j&y: `!*: (:-t(; :.:ii': I:- :P'+-!.;., ;I


                                      - T H E   S T A N D A R D   3EARER'  -

    For  4 long  _time  this cosmological  argumelit,   niet    The Te!eological  Argument.
little  oppbsition. During the eighteenth century, how-            The word "teleological" -is derived from a AGreek
 ever, it was attacked and criticized by the philopoph&s,       word which means: ,end, purpose.' It is the argument
 Hume and Kant. The former questioned the law of which concludes the Designer-from the fact that this
 cause and effect as- such. ~ He. simply declared that it world is characterized Jhroughout  by purpose $nd de-
 could not be proved that such a law ,existed in the uni- sign. It "proves" that there is a God Who designed
 verse, Presuppose, for example, that my cue strikes all things. This argument is undoubtedly the riches
 a billiard ball. The ball will roll down ,the billiard of the four. It not only seeks to prove that there is'a
 table. Now one may conclude that the ball rolled be-           Cause of this world, or that there is an infinitily per-
 cause the cue struck it. But, according to Hume, this fecb Being which lies at the basis of our idea of a God,
 must be proved and it cannot be proved. He therefore but it would also tell us who arid what that Cause and
 questioned and rejected the.law df cause and'effect as Being is. Surely, the world is characterize$  abundant-
 s&h. Kant, on the other hand, did not deny the exist-' ly by `design. What, a wonderful and truly amazing
 ence  df God. He denied the knowability of God. He adaptation we' discern in all of life round about us !
 did not deny that ,God is .but that He could be known. The birds in the air are wondrously adapted to their
 And tliis German philosoph&r  even used this cosmo- particular sphere and mode of existence, and the same
 logical-argument to prove that `God did not exist. If is true of the fishes that have their abode in the seas.
 it be true that all things in the world are characterized Purpose and design characterizes the.life of plant and
 by cause and effect and that also the world,must  there- vegetation in all its innumerable phases. Examining
 fore have a cause, does this reasoning not also apply the life of the animal world in general the tremendous-
 tii  God? If all things have a cause then also' God must mystery merely deepens and our admiration increases
 have a cause. :One  can- reason in this manner ad accordingly. The coldration among animals is surely
-infinitum, endlessly. Logically, therefore, the law of wonderful to behold. -Marvellousljr they are prbtected
 cause. and .effe& cannot establish the existence of a against danger because they are able to/merge into the
 God; Besides, does the law of cause and effect neces- particular color scheme  of their particular surround-
 sarily establish the fact that the world has a single ings. The eat with its paws and wonderful eyesight,
 Cause? "Could  not, logically; several causes 2iave pro- the sog with its sharp sense of' smell, the squirrel with
 duced this world? Then `we would have. Polytheism its tail which serves to balance the  animal while ifi
 instead of $!Ionotheism; many gods instead of one god. ?light, the lion with_its  claws and tongue which can
 The cosmological argument, therefore, as far as ,logic- tear the flesh off our arms,-the woodpecker, the horse,
 ally proving the existence of God is coscerned,  falls the fly,-all these animals and many more, proclaim to
 ,short of its goal. It fails to  proye  that one  Lord         us how wondrously  ttey are adapted to their own
 created the heavens and the earth.                             particular' modb of  existence. And the crown of the
                                                                earthly. creation is man. We can surely understand
. The Ohtological Argument.                                     the psalmist when he `declares that he was fearfully
   -This ,argument  was advanced in its most' perfect and wonderfully made. He, too, and in an unfathom-
1 form by Anselm, an Englishman of the eleventh cen- able mai?ner, was adapted to lead his peculiar existence.
 tury, the father of medieval scholasticism. The onto- J<arvellous  is his organism. His eye, his ear, etc., sim-
 logical proof- inquires after  the essence of things. It ply transcend all human understanding. Every part
 proceeds from the idea that there is .a world of thought of our amazing organism has its own function to. per-
 2nd a world of being. It assumes that the  world of form, serves its own particular purpose. YAnd they all
 t4ought,  of our ideas originates in the world of being, serve one another and together constitute the one
 of essence. Man has the idea of an absolutely perfect human organism. Hence, this world, characterized by
 Being. This idea of God is. necessarily `greater than design throu&out,  must have a Designer. Besides,
 we and, hence, it cannot be attributed to us. It must purpose and design presuppose consciousness, one who
 be ascri'aed to <God. Consequently, the ontological aFgu- intelligently  and consciously has designed and purposed
 ment wduld establish the existence of God by asserting all things. The  c&elusion: this  Besigner,  of  cdurse,
 that it is God Who gave us this id,ea of Himself. The is  GLd.
 weakntee-of  this argument as a proof for the-existence         L. However, also this teleological argument falls short,.
 6f God is apparent. It is guilty .of begging the ,ques- of its -goal. On the one hand, it also fails to prove that
 tion. ?t, accc?pts -what. must be proven. As a logical a God designed all things. Also here, the argdment
 nrjmzent  it must prove that a world of essence lines at       is guilty of begging `the question. `-Why can we not
 the basis `of `our world of thought, that our idea of God conclude from the phenomenon of purpose and' design
 c3mcs farth Lout of the existence of such a- God. The in all things round about us that a Wise Nature has.
 mere 1': ct .that we may have `an idea of God does "not pnmosed all things, or-that al! things develop bliizdly?
 necessarily  prove objeciively His- exi&ence.         -        Is .it not tl*ue that the creature spon'.aneously adabts


                                          T&3  `STANDARD,  REAR3R                                                                           35
              .    .._      .  ,,. .                                                               _  .~_-  ..,.  _         -..
       itself to its own sphere of existence? Does not that seek the origin of this inner urge to obey the law with-
       creature spontaneously seek its own welfare? &lust in ourselves. But, `according to Kant, this inner urge
       not this teleological argument prove  that a,living, per-- to obey the law is of such a character that our obedience
       sonal, infinite God is the Designer of all things? Be- is freed from every intermixture .of personal interest
       sides, is it really true that, by merely regarding this and self-gratification. This moral argument is there-
       world, we can conclude that a wise God has intelligent- fore plain. `Man experiences within himself the con-
       ly designed all? Could I, by looking at the same crea- sciousness of moral responsibility. He is conscious of
       tion- and world, not come- logically. to the opposite con- a law which he must obey-this is the first premise of 1
       clusion, namely, that all things are hopelessly  con? this argument. The second premise of the argument.
       .fused? What purpose and design do we really discover is that there must be someone who is responsible for
       in all of life round about us? Are not all things sub- this consciousness of moral responsibility. This person
       ject to death and corruption? -`The hideous .power  of necessarily stands higher than man, is distinct from
       death and decay operates-in every living creature and -man, inasmuch as man feels that he must obey the law
       in .every part of that living creature. Animals devour for `reasons outside himself. Hence, he  iyho works
       one another by ,the thousands upon the thousands. It this consciousness in man is (God; The weakness aiso
       is-true; modern science conveniently calls this amazing of this moral argument is apparent. It does not prove.
       phenomenon the- "survival of the fittest" or the !`bal- that this moral consciousness is from God. Is it not
       an&' of. life'!, declares that thus. the balance of life is possible that human self-love can dictate a course of
       maintained in this world. If it were not for this fact,      law and order? Does not the apostle Paul declare in .
       so the wise of this world would have LIS `believe, life      Remans  2 :14 that the. Gentiles; who have not the law
       itself would- soon become impossible. Of course, the and who did not know of God, do by nature the things
       worldly wisdom does not consider the living God, no,         contained in the law,`and that they, having not-the law,
       not even when that Almighty God is daily. executing were a law unto themselves? Does not the creature
       thousands upon`thousands of living creatures through realize that it is profitable for him to do that which
       His intense anger and hot displeasure. We know, how- .is contain.ed in the law ? Hence, also the moral argu-
       ever, that death is the operation of the living `God, that ment falls shorts of its objective, namely, to estab-
       He is daily executing.the  living creature because of His lish by the profess. of logical reasoningthe existence of
       righteousness and holiness (it might be interesting to God.                                                                     -
       explain this phenomenon of the wrath of God in the                                                                          _  _  -..
       light of His-  "common-grace" and so-called general The If&o&al Argument.
       love) 1. But, do all things round about us then not speak       This argument really furnishes us with nothing
       to us that all.is vanity and vanity of vanities? Where, new besides the proofs already set forth. It proceeds
       then, `is the design? What may be the purpose of the from the .universal phenomenon of religion and* eon-
       birth of the living creature' when it, sooner -or later, eludes that this religion must belong to the very nature
       must die :? Why all' this plant-life and vegetation when of man. And if the nature of man naturally leads to
       it is subject to corruption and presently withers and religious worship this can only find its explanation in
       dies? Are not all things .in. the.bondage  of corruption a higher Being. Who has constituted man  .a religious
       and decay? Cannot I conclude logically therefore that being. In answer to this argument one may remark,
       the element of design and purpose is lacking in this however, that this religious attitude appears strongest
       world, and`that there is consequently no Designer who among primitive races, and disappears in the measure-
       `purposed all things ? Logically, therefore, the teleo- that they become civilized. The w,eakness of this f'proof"
       logical argument also `falls short of its goal. and fails is therefore self-evident.
       in its objective.                                            Conclusion-
       The Moral Arygument.                          `.               Firstly, we need not underestimate the value of
       -. Kant regarded the moral argument as far superior these so-called proofs for the existence of God. To be
       to any of th.e others. This German philosopher, in his sure,. we cannot "prove". God's existence aby means of
-.     "categorical or absolute imperative" taught that he logical reasoning. However, if we believe that God
       was conscious of an inner obligation to obey the law. is these "proofs" can confirm us in .our faith. In the
       His moral theory advanced an obedience which was conmological  argument we observe the relation every-
       freed from every intermixture of personal interest where of, cause and effect. {Standing upon the basis
       and self:gratification. He declared that we must have `of $cripture and that of faith, is it logical to conclude
       reverence for the law as. such. The thrust of Kant's that, whereas we observe everywhere the relation of
       reasoning here is quite plain. If we discover within cause and effect, also God must be subj,ect to the law
       ourselves an obligation to obey the law for selfish of cause and effect? `- Is it not far more logical to say
       reasons, -from  the principle of self-interest, `we might that the Creator of all things, also of the law of cause
ii;;;;r--.                                                                                                             *
      .-.
       *-.
#$j&


                                                     ._

 36                                   T'&]G.         sfpAN-.D~-p-j-                   BEARER                                                     -     -

and effect, is Himself infinitely exalted above the the world of the existence of  God; The knowledge of  -'
creature which He brought forth? The law of cause God `is also a spiritual, ethical activity. And the
.and effect so evident everywhere" tells us that the , natural man is `horribly prejudiced.                                                                            He `hates God.
creature cannot create, that all things develop organic- Hence, all `neutrality, a neutral approach is simply im-
ally, that therefore this world-did n&bring itself forth, possible and non-existent. :And,  on the. other hand, it
`that the universe was called into being by the infinite is not necessary to prove the ,existence of God. Fact
Maker of heaven and earth. `The ontological argument is, God has revealed Rimselfl _ He has revealed Him-
declares that God created within us the idea of a per-, self in all the works of His hands, has surely not left
feet, infinite Being, I may not be able, to convince .an Himself without witness. He created' a world which
evil world of this fact, but, again standing upon  the. speaks of His eternal  .power  and `Godhead and He
principle of faith, it is surely perfectly natural to me brought forth  `a creature adapted. to this undeniable
that the Lord -did not leave Himself without witness ,testimony of the li+ihg God, He,also r,evealed.,Himself
and-that He wrote, the indelible testimony concerning in Holy Writ. Whatever the godless world may say
Himself into the very nature of man. The same ap- ,of that Divine testimony, fact is that it' is-the only .-
plies to the teleological argument. Again, I may not book written. exclusively by the ilord. In that Word
be able to "prove" to a. wicked world that a heavenly the Lord does not prove  his own existence. He simply
Designer designed all things. But, we stand upon the testifies of Himself and declares unto us that He, and
principle of faith. We believe that :God is. And tben $Ie alone, is the living God. `Besides, the ,existence  of
all things do  .speak to  us  of an incomparably wise God need not be `proven ta the church {or the simple
Creator. Then all things confirm us in the belief-that reason that the Church lqves the Lord .and believes
"in wisdom hast Thou made .&em  all." And if it be that He is and that He is a Rewarder of all who serve
true that all things round about us speak to us of `death l&m and diligently seek Him.
`and that all is vanity of vanities, then again, of course                Finally, what, then, .,is our calling? To prove the
                 `i
upon the basis of the Word of God;1 answer that it is existence of God is not necessary. We have only one
the will of my God to call light out of darkness, life calling.  _ The Church must speak of the Lord even
out of death, the heavenly renewal of all things out of as the Lord has. spoken and speaks of Himself. We
the ,misery  of sin and corruption. The world may then. must testify, boldly, and without fear. This in our
refuse to acknowledge this fact, but the Christian; calling, in the home and in th,e church and in the school.
even apart from the testimony of Holy Writ, experi-. We need not be concerned ,about the reception which
ences this truth in his own spiritual life. Was he not our testimony of God shall receive. God will continue
called out of darkness into the-light, out of death' into to speak of Himself by His Spirit; He will speak as
life? He  .knows that God's way into. eternal life is a savor of death unto death in some, but also -as a
out ~of and through death. The moral argument also savor of  life  tInto life  in  His  own.  All we need do is
confirms the' child of God in his faith in the living be  .His party. The Lord will gather His Church. _
God. God made the heavens and the earth. He is the                                                                                                                                  H.     9. .
                                                                                                                              . .
sole Sovereign over all.  ' Of. course, he demands of men _          .
that they, serve Him, Him alone-the moral argument .                                  '                       '                                                         z.
naturally follows, as far as the child of God is con-                                        .
                                                                                           ..s
cerned,  from the fact that Jehovah reigns.
       Secondly, man cannot pr.ove the existence of God.       -                                                         IN                MkMORIAM                     :
We cannot attain- unto, the knowledge, of the Infinite                                                                                                                        ,.
through a process of logical reasoning. The reason for              Zondag, 7  Sept:, nam de  Heere  onze God tot' Zichzelf  bnze
this is ,apparent. The infinite cannot be reached by geliefde man,  .vader en  grootvader,                                                                                   .,                 "
the finite, the temporal cannot touch  the. Eternal,                                                    .-  FREDERI.CK   F                                  A     B            E      R    .
man cannot ascend- unto God. My human reason can in den leeftijd van bijna, 76 jaar. Dat hij nu juicht voor den
move about only within the sphere of the creature. I t&on Gods, en dat hij is verlost -van Zonde en smart,`is  voor de
cannot lift myself up out of the things that have been        diep bedroefden een vertroosting en  groote  blijdschap.
-made. `We need not be concerned, .therefore,.  if. our        1                                                                                                                                          -
finite mind cannot grasp the Infinite. And does itnot                                                              , Namens  de bedroefde Weduwe,
constitute the height or depth. of sinful folly to deny                    .          -0                            -                            ,Jennie-   ( D e   B o r s t )   Faber- .
or. doubt the existence of `God because I cannot corn-                    -_ .                                                                   . Mr. en .Mrs.-Arie De Borst
                                                                                                                                     _
prehend Him 7 What is-.more  -logical than to assume                                                                                             Mr. en Mrs; Henry .B.-Holtrop
that an infinite  God~cannot  be comprehended by finite                                                                                          Mr: en Mrs. Henry De Borst -
man ?                                                          . .                                .                                              Miss  .Janet De  B'oxst                             :
                                               ,.
  r However, in this connection we may  -remark  in the                                                      ..                      -                      7.Klein'kind:ren.-
.third place. that, on the one. .hand? we .capnot convince                                              es-_                               -           l-Ove*-Kleinkind.
                                                                                 _                     ?           _            I
                        _.
            0                                                                                                                                                                                             - -
                                                                                                                         :


                                         -THE       STANDA-R'~~            ~~BEARER            -
     `.
:                                                                                                                              3 7
                                                                      reign,-+s not stated. It must have taken him some
                 .JlIE  DAY-,OF  t$I.ADOWS                            years..    Every one of these military enterprises was
                                                                      successful:"whithersoever  he turned himself, he vex-
                                                                      .ed them"--and therefore they greatly  endeaied  Saul
                         &d's Rebellion                               to the nation. For the spoils of these wars he lavished
                                                                      .upon  the people, so that .in his. lamentation over him
            So is  Jonathan rescued  out of the-hands of  S&l David ,with reason could' appeal to the "daught`ers df
           by the people. Saul shall have to reap the consequences Israel" to weep "over Saul, .&ho clothed you in scar@, -
           of ,&is vile adjuration.. His curse in its flight -will be with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold
      made to. return to him.' For the military- might of the upon your apparel".' And even Samuel was much taken
           Philistines -is nqt ,broken  ; and the. result will 6e that up wit6  Satll. The revelation that it  lepented' the
      the Philistine's will triumph over Saul in the end.             Lord that he had set up Saul to be king grieve,d Samuel ;
             Now foll'otis a summary account of Saul'swars and ,%and he cried .unto the Lord all night". And so un-
      fatiily relations (chap. 14  :4'7-52). Its  intloductory        willing was the'seer  to let ISaul go that the Lord ifinally
           statement reads; "And Saul took the kingdom over said to him, "<How.  long wilt thou mourn for Saul, s&e-
      ,Israel;  and fought against all. his- enemies on' every ing.1 have rejected hini from reigning over .Israel";                  -
      side".        The meaning  .undoubtedly  iS that after the         .`l'hat Saul believed pot in wonders, -that he made
      battle of the Philistines, related in the precedink  narra- not God his expectation,. did not stand in'his way of
      tive, Saul vigorously addFesses himeelf  to the task of manfully fighting these wars. He did not have to
      delivering the whole  natioii  &t of  the hands of all believe in wonders to fight  ihese  bars. His natural
      its enemies. He. now makes a beginning of' fighting courage carried him tlirough. For he was' naturally a
      ag%nst his enemies on every side. The enemies men- brave man. The only time his  c&rage failed him
      tioned are Moab, &he children of Ammon, Edom, Zobah,            therefore is when he had `no one to rely upon but the '
      the Philistines and the Amalekites.           Most  df these Lord,. as in the  recent crisis., He was an expert at
      wars, if not till of them, must -halve -been fought be- taking- the field as .heading a-large, well-equipped and
      tween the defeat. of the- Philistines related `in the pre- eager army to put to the sword Moabites and kmmon-
      ceding narrative and the defeat of the Amalekites, the ites in their unguarded moments; but when there was
      last  wai',mentioned.   Foi*  it' is impossible to find a a battle t6 be fought that called for true spiritual herb-
      pl,?ce -for all these wars elsewhere in the  nairated          isti, he was an expert only at making himself as in-
      career` of Saul; .'                                            conspicuous as possible. Yet the importance of- Saul's
                                                                     achievements-on the battlefield for the true Israel mu&
              (There is another interpretation .of the statemZe$`: not be overlooked. Through the natural couu;age of the
           . "And S&l too& qver the kingdom and fought against unbelieving -king .the .Lord delivered His people out of
             all .hi+ ehemies  on every side". The interpretation the h.gnds of their spoilers. This `explains why ,Saul
             is to the- effect that the reference is to Saul's acces- by HIS military achievements `could ingratiate himself
            sion to the throne, which the sacred, naryative men- with Samuel even to the extent that the seer held unto
     _ tions--+uch  is the view-to supply  .himself  with a, him despite his disobedience and ,rebellion. Samuel
     starting-point for the  histqrical-statistical  state-          was a great  `man  .of  ,God but for all that a  man im-
            ment of the various wars which he carried on from pressed by Saul's -countenance. and and the. height. of,
            ,the  .begin&g of his government. `This interpreta-      his stature. And being but a man, he could not know
      tion of the statement  ip question has in. its favor Saul's heart and discern the vile ambitions that stirr;ed
            that the -a$eady-related  war against the Ammonites in his bosom and the carnal zeal under the impulse of
            is  heqe agam mentioned. However, it is qot improb- which he fought his battles. Being but `a man; Samuel
            able-that Saulls ,victory over the Ammonites  under mistodk Saul's natural courage for true zeal.  .For
            ,l$+ash, was not decisive so that the war against this these reasons he wanted !S%ul spared also, it is certain, I
           people has to be fought  over again. Be this as it for Jonathan's sake, who by  the,grace of  `God had
            may, certain if.is.that,-  with the acception  of this one shown  ,himtielf `capable `of greatest deeds of faith.
            warj all  ~the wars here mentiqned must ,have been What .a w&thy successor of Saul Jonathan would be !
            wag&l. after the defeat pf the Philistines related in        The sacred narrator also has considerable to say
            the preceding narrative and &hat therefore thte sac-. about Saul's household and family. He mentions- three,
           . red writer: can now state that-. Saul addressed him- sons : J'on+$an, Ishwi, and Malchishua. In&&ad  bf
            self. to `the- task 0; fighting. against all his enemies. Ishwi in  31:2 is  -\Abinadab, "And  the  Philistines . . .
           ~.  0~.  every  si$e.)'                                   slew Jonathan, Abinaclab,`and Melchishua, Saul's so~is."
           How lohg a time it tdok Saul.  to. fight all these Likewise in Chron. 8 :33, "And Saul begat Jonathan,
-wars, -not counting  the one against the Philistines, of and Malchishua- ,and. Abinadab, and Eshbaal'.`. Her&
&ich it is -s+- that it extend,ed throughout his whole the text- adds a name--Eshbaal'Qo  thbse previotisly
                                         . .                                      _--     _
                            .-  _


                                  _-                                                                                   I
 38                                     T,HE  .:Sj+ANDARD   BgA'Rxk  :
              _                                              ..-
 mentioned,- and likewise 9 :39, "And Saul begat -Jona- discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of
 than, and  Malchishua;  and Abinadab  ,&d Eshbaal. the sword. Then the Lord swore that he would have
 And 2 Samuel 11:8 mentions the son Ishbosheth. Ish- war with Amalek from generation to generation until
 baa1 is the same with Ishvi -and with Ishbo.sheth, "man his remembrance was utterly `put out from under
 of shame'!. `The change t-o this name is accounted' for heaven (Deut. 25 :,l7-19). It means that the Lord pdt
 by the shameful murder of this .son narrated in 2 ,Sam.       Amalek under &e ban'of His curse. Atialek, like Esau,
 Altogether, then,  .Saul had. four sons. His two daugh- is thus reprobated; he cannot be redeemed, but must be
 ters were Merab and Michal, and his wife's name was destroyed. Accordingly, the Lord hardened his heart,
 Ahinoam, a dailghter of Ahimaas. Saul's captain. of so that the hostilities' of Rephidim were  often after-
 the host was kbiner, abbreviated in verse 51 to Abner, wards iepeated  in !Amalek's allianoes  with. the Canaan-
 his cousin..- This appears from-the next verse, where ites (Num. 14 :40 sq.) ,. with the Moabites (Judg. 3 :13),
the relationship is stated more fully: Kish, Saul's and with the Medianites (Judg. 7 : 12). Amalek there-
 fathe?,  and Neri, .Abner's father, were,sons  of Abiel.      fore was-now ripe for judgment. Accordingly,.  Saul
       The sacred writer closes this section of his narya- receives the command to "go and smite Amalek, and
 tive with the notice, "&nd there was a sore.war against utterly destroy all that, they h&e, and &are theni not;
 the  Philistinei all the days of  ISaul: and when Saul but slay both man and woman; infant and suckling, ox
 saw any strqng man, or any valiant man, he took.him and she.ep,  camel and ass." Such is the Lord's will.
 unto him".' Eyentually  the Philistines proved Saul's For He is purposed to reveal His wrath on Amalek
 undoing because he made not God his expectation, but in order that it may appear that He is righkeous  and
 trusted in the  a& of flesh.. This agrees with his holy God with eyes too pure to behold sin ; and appear
 gaining for military -service apy strong or valiant man further that they who touch His people, touch the apple
 that he saw.               ,                                  of His eye and  .that  therefore  ivithout  fail  He  &ill
   If the virars against the nations mentioned in verse avenge them, who cry unto Him dtiy and night. It can
 47 of chapter 14, were fought after -the defeat of- the also be stat&d  thus :  (Goa is purposed ,to reveal His
 Phil-istines related in. the preceding narrative-and wrath on the Amalekites, the  vessels  of wrath;  $-id.
 doubtletis they were fought after that defeat-then the through His destroying these defiers of God and perse-
 first verse of chapter 15 is chronologically related to cutors of His people,  reve.al the riches of His glory
 14:47. Some time after the waging of the war last on His people, the vessels of mercy. Hence, the de-
 mentioned in this verse-the war. against the Philis- struction of' Amalek will be solely to His glory but only
 tines-Samuel comes to Saul and sends him to destroy in the way of lSau,l's carrying out the intitructions  of
Amalek. Mindful of  Stiul's former disobedience and the Lord to the. last letter.
                                                                                   . .
fervently desirous. that henceforth he submit to the                Saul musters the people. As colE&ted together they
 word of the Lord, the seer, in imparting ;to him the form a great host; it numbers 200,000 footmen. Be
 divine communi?ation,  ,sets out. with' reminding him sides, there  axe 10,000 men of Judah. `Thus, the whole
 that. "the Lord sent me to anoint thee to be eking over of the population, al& to bear arms, is assembled to-
 his people, over Israel: now therefore `hearken thou gethe?. This is according to  Saui's orders. For he
 unt;o the voice of the words of the Lord". Saul must puts his trust in numbers instead of in thk `Lord ; and
 consider that in Samuel he has to do with a true pro- he is-convinced that the powerful Amalekites ian be
 phet, who speaks to him God's word ; and he must also         qverthrown  and destroyed  only by the full force of
 consider that, as'king;  he is the Lord's and mot' his own, --_ Israel. And- with that force behind him, h,e takes the
 and that he reigns .over ,God's  people so that he is in field against the  enemy,  full of confidence that the
 `duty bound to obey the L,orcl's voice. The seer goes on victory in his not as a thing ~ozunrd  which he fights,
 to tell him tliat the Lord remembers that which Amalek it being Gocl's gracious gift t to His people; but as a
 did to Israel, how he lay for him in the way, when he thing that he will gain for himself through his bravery
 came up from Egypt ; and that Saul shall now go and - and ability as a leader of men. with this mind in him,
 smite Amalek.' -                                              he -advances, toward an unnamed city of the ,Amalek-
                                                                                               .
       The Amalekites were a wild, warlike, desert:people,  ites.
 descended frqm Esauls grandson Amel'ek. (Gem 34 :12,               The way leads through the- setGe&ent of Kenites
  13). The first attack of this people on the children of that lies well within the. ferritory  of Amalek.           The
 `Israel is' narrated `:in Exodus `17 :8 sq., "Then came Kenites must be spared. For they ark a.people friendly
 &nalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim."` frlrhat to' Israel and a people that always have been friendly
 the Amalekites there did to the people of Israel tias a       to Israel. -They  had--shown kindness to Israel  aft.er
 -thing of -revolting meanness and cowardice. They met their departure from Egypt (Num. 10  :29). Moses'
 them by the way, and smote the hindmost of the march; brothel-in-law, Hobib (Judg. 1 :i6)`, WaS one of them ;
ing host of the Lord, all the feeble, faint, and weary. .tind it w$s through-his servities that this kindnesc had
                                                                                                              .
 The Lord's anger burned. At  His  cornman&  Joshua been shown. `And so the Lotid  is not numbering t&&i
                                          *


            .-                          TfiE            STAiJDARD                  BE.ARER                e,        39
   ..~,.
  with the Amalekites ; for blessing His. people, they are himself, against better knowledge, that in sparing  Agag
  blessed of the Lord. Saul, therefore, urges them to and all that is best among the sheep and oxen and fat-
  depart from among the -Amalekites  ; and-so they do.          lings and lambs, and that thus in, destroying only every
     The battle between the !Amalekites  and the men of thing that is vile and refuse, he obeys the voice of th,e
  Israel is fought in the valley of that unnamed Amalek- Lord through not the voice of Samuel. But what does
  ite city ; and it goes against the Amalekites. ,Saul he really h'ave to do with Samuel? Nothing at all, says
  smites them throughout their whole terri,tory.  Their Saul. What proof does he really have that all or even
  defeat reaches from Havilah to Shur. According to any of the old seer's instructions originated with God
  Gen. 25 :18, Havilah forms the boundary of the Ish- and not with Samuel? None whatever, says Saul. But,
  maelites ; while Shur is that portion of the Arabian he is willingly ignorant of the *evidence to this effect
  desert bordering on Egypt ; and into which Israel came with which the Lord literally overwhelmed him at the
  on leaving Egypt.                                             time of his anointing, at  .the very beginning of. his
     But in-the prosecution of this war; Saul is forgetful career as king. But Saul is unbelieving. As if the
  of the word of the, Lord. He sets himself up as judge old seer is always speaking for ,God! As if it can be
  over God's instructions, and discards as `many of them the Lord's will that he, the king, blindly, do what
  as, according to his view, are too,foolish and unneces- Samuel says, thus do what he says without subj,ecting
  sary -to be carried. out. The Lord has given orders to his orders to his own good judgment. .Yet that pre-
  destroy all the people,  both man and woman, infant cisely is what the Lord demands of Saul; He d'emands
  and suckling. Saul can see sense in that? Amalek is of him that he receive Samuel's word as the very word
  a-realmenace; and always has been. It is a good thing of God and` consider always that in Samuel he verily
  -good for Israel and for Saul-that this people' be -has to do with God. And Saul well knows that Samuel
  destroyed-out of the earth. -Saul will have one enemy speaks God's word. This was made plain to him.
  less toacontend  with. Accordingly, he "utterly destroy- Hence, he is without excuse. But Saul will not have
  ed .a11 the people with the edge ,of the sword" with the it so. For God's word, as obeyed, exalts God. And
  exception `of one solitary man-Agag, the king of the Saul wants himself exalted. For he is carnal; and
  Amalekites. Him Saul takes alive and spares. As he being carnal he is wholly self-absorbed. He  lov'es
 sees it, sparing Agag is the wise and right thing to do.       not God but self in contra-opposition to ,God. He seeks
  He will be able to provid,e the- people at home with.the      self. He seeks his own glory, fame, and advantage.
  best possible evidence that,  thanks.to his superb energy This explains all that he does. It .explains his partial
  and force and to his inspiring-presence on the battle- obedience. Thus it explains his slaying all the Amalek-
  field, the Amalekites; as .a people, are no more. FOrj ite men and women' and. infants and sucklings. It 3x-
  behold, he leads captive their king. How the people ljlains his sparing Agag. It explains his sparing the
  will-rejoice. -How they will applaud him, their warrior- best among the oxen and sheep. The people .insiste"d.
  Ping ,and ;bless  his memory: And when he has done And he will not resist the will of the people. It will
  with Agag he will put also ,him to the sword. That hurt his popularity.
ought to satisfy Samuel perfectly. For what differ-                "Then came the word of the L-ord unto Samuel, say-
  ence should it make- to the seer when `Agag is slain, if ing, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king:
  only he.be. slain. Saul- also can see'no  good in destroy- for. he is turned back' from following me, and bath
  ing what is best among the sheep, and the oxen, and not performed my commandments." What is here
  the fatlings and the lambs. What a Wanton and useless asserted `of God-it is asserted that it repented Him-
  destruction of-prize. cattle- and herds that would  be+!      can ,only be understood in_ the light of the truth about
Does the Lord really demand it? Saul wont believe God in His divine capacity of man's sovereign" Maker
  that He does. `That `order--must have originated with a~icl Lord. That truth is this: `God sovereignly deter-
  Samuel, not with the .Lord ; and the people fully agree mined Saul's disobedience, so that Saul transgressed
  with their king, and -he with them. For both want _-God's commands according to God's own sovereign
  those oxen and fatlings spared. For, they say; there will, and as sovereignly hardened- by God. Hence, that
  is the, Lord's.altarmto-  be.considered..    How pleased the it repented God that He had set un Saul-to be king,
  `Lord will be wi,th the sacrifice of such specimens of cannot mean that, as compelled by Saul's disobedience,
  perfection among the kinds.of the animals that were ap- that God at best could onlv foresee but could not deter-
  nointed,by him for his altar. Yet, of course, they are mine, God, contrary .to His original desire, will'and
  not interested in the :Lord's  .altar-  at `all but in them- purpose. and thus according to His changed .purpose
  selves, as is' evident from- their flying upon the spoil and will, rejected and removed the disobedient and
   (verse' 19). How. can -it be #the love of God's altars rebellious Saul and chose, David to rule in his stead.
- than constrains them,. if in sparing those oxen and To so explain God's repentance is to say that He is a
  sheep; they disobey the word-of the Lord?                     man.- For that precisely is repentance with- man.
     Yet such is Saul's argument by which he persuades          Frustrated by things, conditions and circumstances


                 .

                                           .

 e,

        40                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R `

       over which he has not the slightest control, man, con- and drunken. And this spiritual eating-this eating
       trary to his original purpose and desire and thus `ac- and drinking the `word .and thus the Christ-is just as
       cording to his changed purpose and will, turns about . real and  ,actual as any physical eating by physical
       fac.e and.sets out to his great disappointment and grief, organs; can possibly be. This is true. in general. All
       in a direction opposite to that in which he was going men eat in a twofold sense. They -eat words; ideas,
       to avoid coming to grief or to salvage as much.of  his concepts with their mind, spirit  iand with their physical
       original plans as he can. Thus,_  that, it repented God mouth they -eat the natural bread with which they
       that He had set up Saul to be king means: 1. That nourish th,eir immor.tal frames. Therefore the world
' Saul's disobedience grieves Godf and 2.  That God, builds schools. Institutions of learning are places where
       when .He has- done' with Saul, that is; when Saul, as men are fed and where. they do eat words, ideas, -good
       sovereignly raised up by the Lord in all his `disobedience or bad, spiritually wholesome; upbuilding, or poisonous,
       and.~rebelliori, shall have fully served God's, counsel,           soul-destroying. :But eat and drink they do with their
       God will remove Saul through the agency- of the Philis- mind. Words, ideas, mightily effect a man. -Someone
       tines. Why should the Lord not be grieved with the brings' him a. glad tiding, and he leaps with joy, the
       wicked Saul, hate him on account of his wickedness, reason being that very actually he has eaten the mes-
       and punish him for sins? How could God, being holy, sake, its' wordsj  -the idea of which in their totality the
       not be grieved with the wicked Saul? That God has words..of  the message are.` the embodiment `and the
       need of tSau1 and accordingly raised him up cannot cer-            vehicle. Therefore sad news has the effect -of bring-
       `tainly imply that he takes delight in the rebellious king. ing the tears' to the eyes of the man. So' does the be-
       In the light of these observations, it ought to be clear liever eat and: drink the idea of the Christ?.  and thus
       that God repents continually, in t.hat His repentance the very Christ Himself, set- forth by God's Gospel. .
       `spells the progressive  realiiation of His counsel. It He eats and drinks the `Christ by eating and drinking
       is only because God. repents that there will `be new the word-picture of the Christ hung before his eye by
       heavens and a new earth on which will dwell right- th.e preaching of ,the ,Gospel.  We set pictures ,of our
       e o u s n e s s .                                       -T         loved ones in conspicuous places of our homes, especial-
                                                     G.--M.  0.  .`. ly-when-they are away from us. And we fix our eye
                        _--                               .
                               -      -         -
                t,                                                        on these `pictures and drink in `the. features- of those
                                                                          beloved faces. So does.the  ,believer  have a picture of
                                                                          Christ. And the Gospel of God and the symbols of the
                      .'  The Lord's  Sup@x                               sacraments that He instituted. for the strengthening
                                                                          of the faith `of His `people, `i;: that picture.  .And by
              We-must now inquire after the sacram'ental `work- the mercy of God the believer fixes, his eye upon that
       ing in the Lord's Supper. This working was set forth picture-the picture of the Christ.' !And drinking in
       by Christ. Himself,.. when He said, "Except ye eat my the beauty and the loveliness of the- Christ, he says,
       flesh and drink my blood,' ye have no life in  your- also at the communion table, "My Saviour". So does
       selves." The believers then do very actually eat Christ's he by f$th' eat -Christ, the crucified Christ, as .atoning
       flesh and drink His blood. But how can Christ give for the sins of His people, His sheep; the Christ as
       us His fl'esh to eat'and His blood to drink? Not through raised up from the dead `unto the justification of His
       changing' the natural bread and the wine into His people;' `and the Christ set in heaven with His people
       flesh ,and blood, as Rome teaches. This  doctr.ine is and ,blessed  with all,$piritual blessings.
       not according to the Scriptures and must therefore                    And so eating the Christ by faith, Christ nourishes, ,
       be `rejected. Nevertheless, the believers `do' eat and feeds this eater and drinker of the Christ, f,ee-ds him in
       drink> the Christ, not with their physical mouths but the-way of his spiritual hunger and thirst, and' of his
       bv faith, spiritually. For Christ through the prophets sniritual eating and drinking-Christ's pwn work  .i.n'
       and the apostles has placed in the possession of the him. The saying,  `,`Eating and drinking-  Christ,.the
       church a revelation of Himself by -word, and -symbol. believer `is fed and nourished," again gives. expression
       It is. this revelation, this word" by `itself and as im- to a reality.. Eating and drinking ,Christ; the believer
       posed upon the symbols-of the ,Lord's' ,Supper that the receives out of Christ life  and.grace.  For Christ is
       believer eats and' dr.inks,  and -eating and drinking this the bread .of `life, the living water. A hungry  man,.
       word, he eats and, drinks the Christ set forth by word havini eaten-a whol'esome m.eal, will tell yo~7 that he is
       and symbol-the Christ, the` suffering,. dying, resur- strengthened,.refreshed  ,by the food that hk'has eaten
       rected and the glorified Christ.` Thus, the eating and . and that. has been zassimilated  .by his body and poured
       drinking is  ,by faith. It  isa spiritual action. For `it into his bloodstream. So the .believers,  who by faith
       is the word, the word-picture, the idea, conception, eat Christ-they are -spiritually fed, nourished, and
       revelation of the Christ, and thus, whereas this revela- strengthened by their Christ `who gives them to eat
                                                                                       :                   -
       tion is true and not a he, .the very Christ that `is eaten         His own flesh and to drink His. own blood ; who thus
                                                                     .


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                                  .'
                                       T H E   STANaARD  B E A R E R                                                       ,41

.' continued to give. them out of HimseEthe grace and seal, can be a Seal, only because of  the words that                         .-
  life that He merited for them and .of which-His Father Christ spake, and still speaks, -when  He instituted this
  is the cr.eative source and. He, the Christ, the seat and Supper. "This cup is the-New  Testament' in my blood s
 . channel-the channel of grace. For He is the true which is shed for you and for many for the remission.
  bread of life.. This is the essence of the sacramental ,.of sins; do this as often as `ye drink in remembrance
  working of the sacrament:                                              of me."- The words of the institution of the  Lord3  I
      But this is something that the Reformer Zwingli :`S,upper.of our Lord Jesus Christ; as they are delivered
  seemed not. to have understood.          "We have", said by the Apostle Paul reads, "For I have received of the
  Zwingli, "in the words and the signs of the sacrament Lord, that which also ' I delivered unto .you, that the
  a revelation of Christ to our consciousness.. And with Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed,
  our minds, we receive the revelation and believe and took-bread ; and when .he had given thanks, he brake
  are saved.. And we associate the idtea of the Christ it, and said,, Take, eat ; this`.is my body which .is broken
  presented to us by the word with those signs. And we for you, this do in remembrance of  .me. After the
  see those things as a picture of the Ghrist." But this same manner also, he took the cup, when he had supped,
  is all the farther that Zwingly went. He never seemed saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood ; *
  to have come to5 the understanding of the fact that this do ye as oft. as ye drink of it in r,em3embrance  of -
  Christ in the. way of the believer's spiritual hunger me: for as oft as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup,
  and-thirst eating and drinking of the idea of Christ, ye do shew the .Lord'.s  death till he come."
  and thus the Christ,-Christ imparts His very own                          Firstly, we,;should realize that these words of the
  life to .th,em also when they. are seated at His com- institution of the! Lord's .Supper, as spoken by Christ,
  munion table.                                                          are not words by which  He offers Himself and  His
    But what now has faith to do with all this? If "a salvation to His people, but words, a command-"Take,
  man has no true saving faith, if on this account he is eat; this is  .rny body which is broken for you"-that
  .dead in trespasses and sin, and as spiritually dead, ' He Himself, as the chi'ef prophet of His church, realizes
  .devoid of hunger and thirst, he -cannot -and does not in the hearts of` Es people, to whom He gives IHis flesh
  eat; and Christ does not feed him. `For Christ, the to-eat and His'blood to drink. Through His command,
  true bread, is not for the dead but for the living.                    "Take, eat," He genders in them spiritual hunger for
    The fact and-- truth that- Christ. now `and everlast- ' the Christ, the living bread, so that, as commanded'
  ingly nourishes  iis people, imparts unto them  PIis to eat His flesh. and to drink His blood, His people, as
 lifeand  grace, in the way of their -eating and drinking. so commanded by, the Christ who realizes in them the
  .Him-I-Iis work in them-is brought home to us in the virtues of His atonement,' do. verily hunger and thirst
  Scriptures by still .othe? images, among others by the after him, the true bread, and the living water, and do
  allegory of -the vine and the branches. Says Christ, eat and drink Hirii, the living Christ,, in order that, in -~
  "I am. the- true vine, and, my Father is the husband- the way of their hungering and thirsting, eating and
  man. Abide in me and I in you, As the branch can- `drinking,  Ile may feed, nourish and strengthen their
  not bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no faith, by imparting to them His life and grace, Only
  more can .ye .except ye abide- in me.`.' `The natural vine on this account can the Lord's Supper be a seal and is
  .and the branches in nature also..is a mystery, it being it a'.seal. But to understand just why the sacrament
a creature, a  ,work  of  God?s hands. The. seat of life                 of the Lord's.Supper can and does serve Chris8 as-His
  of the *branches is the vine ; and of the Me of the vine instrumen-t wher'eby  H,e seals unto His people that,$e
  the branches are full ; and-on this account th,e branches, is theirs and `they His, we must by' all means have
  must needs abide in the vine, the vine being their very `understanding also of this, namely, that natural bread
  life, so that, as separated from the vine, they must is a creature of Christ; and that it is He who feeds
  needs wither and die. `Thus applying this figure, we and nourishes `the bodies of His people by the natural
 get  this.: The seat of life of the believers is Christ, bread, just as` well as.3 is He who nourishes the new
  now and ever; and of the life of Christ the branches creature in them by the true bread of lif&the Christ.
  are full. On this account the branches must abide in Thus it `is plain that the Lord's Supper is a seal because
  Christ, He being their very `life, so that- as separated of Christ's speaking in the hearts of His sheep this
  from Him they must needs whither and die.. And word, "As truly as `I feed your mortal bodies with my
  therefore- His admonition to them, "Abide in me". natural bread, so true it is that I, in the way of your
.: And, they ,&all abide in.)Iim.; fo.r He prayeth' f or, them,
                                                            *            hunger and thirst-my,, work in thee-nourish the
 so .&at their faith. cannot cease.;        ,  _.,    -I                 neiir man `in' you with `my flesh, and  satisfv  th.e
      But this is not all; `To understand the sacramental thirst of this man with my shed blood. -And  kn?lTT
  wcrking of the L,brd's Supper, it is also nec.essary to this, my people, as surely as I do' the former-ntiurish
  contemplate it as a seal. The Lord's Supper-and this your'bodies with nly,natural'bread,  so without fail, I do
  is just as true of the sacrament of Holy Baptism,-is a the latter. IAnd Christ's people. believe `this word of


                                       .                                     .                   a

  42 .                                 THE       STAN'DAAD                                    BEARER

  Christ, always "as macle to -believe by Him ,`and :beIiev-     &at is that life? -It is the heavenly life that Christ
 ing, they-have joy.and peace and are greatly strength- merited .for Himself as to His. human nature and for
  ened as to their faith. But it all is Christ'g work in 1& church by -His suffering and death. It i;s thus a
  them. The bride wears a ring on her finger. It  am- ,cre&ed. life oKwhich God is the creative fountain and
  firms, does this ring, the mjrriage vows spoken to her C;hl*ist  the channel. For He is  the.true  .bread.   .Thui
. by her husband. As often as she looks at that ring, it is not God's own personai life tiat isimparted unto
  she is reminded of his vow, so that the presence  of that :the church. To say the latter. is- to teach that the
  ring on her person, revives and strengthens. her faith church in Christ is an cextension, an efflux, of. God's
 -to the effe`ct that her husband will keep covenant trust .qer$ `being, which, to be sure, she is not. .
  with her. So, `too, the Lord's Supper (and the sacra-                     Finally, it is not' correct to ,speak of the magical
ment of Baptism -as well) ; it is Christ's seal for                   working of the sacraments. For Christ is not a magi-
  strengthening the faith_ of,' Hia people in ,Him and in cian;but  He is the wonder-working Christ. .And there-
  His promise  that He, with whom `they were crucified, F'ore he can and does strengthen the faith of His people
 and with whom they died, were raised and set in through their use of the sacraments. This strengthen-
 heaven, will certainly redeem them from all their sins ing,~being a work of Christ and nqt a work of man, is
 and make them to inherit the kingdbm.                           a wonder ; it is one of God's mysteries; and it therefore
     80 was the L,orcl'e Supper (and the sacrament of defies our powers of penetration. We do not compre-
1 Baptism) indeed instituted for the `strengthening of hend it. Nevertheless, the believers know it to- bLe an
 the  faith of the believers. And because Christ works,          actuality; a's they taste that the L&d is-good.
 it does strengthen their faith. For this very purpose                                                            `G. ,M. 0.
 thjs sacrament was instituted. Eating  .the Lord's                                           ___--
 Supper, the believers receive a- strengthening  tk;at
 would not be their, should they, in their Vself-will atid
 self-conceit, imagine that the preaching of the word
 is sufficient to them.. .If it should be ask'ed, "Why is                            I N   H I S   F E A R   `-
 not the preaching of the Gospel sufficient  to the be-
 liever," the answer must be,  "becau'se  Christ wills
 otherwise ; wills to strengthen the faith of His people              -m
                                                                *.                -  :I$ving  In  H i s   F e a r
 in a-special way  a.ad measure through the sacrament With  ancl  Thmugh  o-w Children.  =
 of the `Lord's' Supper, through. the symbols, the signs
 and `the seals of His covenant. God -hai created His                       If the end of all things-was at hand in the days of
 people with  two doors .to their inner man. And in Peter, what must we who are living t&o centuries later
 saving His people, in,strength.ening them by His Gospel say of the time in which we are 1iTing'i An-d if Paul
 of the Christ, He avails~Himself of both of these doors.       could say  that, the  iight `is far spent, the  day  1s at
 Accordirigly,  He addresses His Gospel -of His Chri#t hand, then tihat part of th`e. night still remains now
 tb the ear of His people by means  of the word and to. that it is two thousand years after Paul spoke these
 the eye of His peopl'e  by m,eans of the symbol, the signs words? An'd if the tim,e was "short'-' when Paul wrote
 and the seals of His covenant. Not alone thrtiugi the his first epistle to the Corinthians, how much should.
 one but through the both of `them, through Word and we expect that there  is.left today? Without fear of
 symbol; does He' make His word; His Christ, to dwell contradiction it may be said that we are speeding to-
 richly in them to the salvation of their. souls. Thus ward  the days of the  final manifestation of the anti-
 the  word  and the sacraments belong together. The Christ.
 one is ,not complete without the' other. Rightly con-                      If -in'the days of Peter and tiaul there wetie signs
 sidered, .therefore; the Lord's Supljer should be eaten in nature, in  *he  .church and in the history of the
 $s often as the word is preticlied:ori the meetings for world, which indicated that the return of Christ would -
 p u b l i c   w o r s h i p .   *                              soon be realized, then how much clearer those signs
     There is still _this question. Just what is that life are today. Eartliquake's in diverse places, places not
 that Christ imparts-into the believers, the church, even known.by  the Apbstles ; wars and rumors of wars,
 which is His  body? There  -is this admonition from wars  and-p&s and-rumors for bigger. and -more dread-
 Paul's pen, `"Seek'the things &bos%-fo?  -your life is' ful wars; apostacy  on every hand, a growing indiffer-
 hidden in Christ- in ,.God." ~:The .idea`.iB that the life ence to things spiritual `and an increase in the'itching
 that is in Christ and of which the father is'the-creative ears that clamor for en$ertainment..instead  of- spi&ual
 source, is also in the believers, `the bran&X There- instruction and -comfort; nations  seekin`g. `peace `and
fore the fa.ces  of. the-believers are turned heavenward ; prosperity in the way of the formation of one world;
 therefore. do they seek the things that -are' above. Their these are the things. we see today. . How much more
 life is in Christ, whd iS at the `right h&d of IGod. Bdt distinct the signs `become !- Pan1 alid-P,eter' with Erei


                                                 T H E   STANDqRD B E A R E R                                              43

      mendous spiritual insight could- see the etid rapidly world &id just before the antichrist appears in that
      coming-even though to. others the signs were not dis- final form, we may surely believe that the institutions
      tinct. We do not need to see these things from such `a       of education are the sure tool of the devil to prepare .
      great distance. They are right before us and with us. his way ; and the danger in these schools for our zhild-
      The time- is short, .the night is far spent and the end      ren is greater than ever.
      of all things iS at hand.                                        That holds .true, as we said above, for the &hools
         What has served and will serve the purpose of the of higher,  educatiori  as well. In fact we would even                           -
      final, dreadful, world-embracing `manif,estation of the begin there. The teachers that instruct your children
      antichristian spirit in the world? What always has in the schools of the world, today `receive a far more
      and,a!ways  yrill mold the thought of man and prepare atheistic and antichristian education than before. Atid
      him for this world-wide kingdom of darkness? The they, come to their pupils with further developme&s
 -answer -is  at  halid.. Men  are. prepared for things by of the lie than those o!f a few generations back. In-                  .
      ineans of. instruction, propaganda, the printed page, striction is becoming more and more uniform. Con-
      the spoken word and constant repetition of the lesson ventions are held, and attendance is demanded. Here
      you would ha+ them learn.                                    thk teacher in the on&room country school, who form:
         Indeed, in a very real sense; the world must be in- erly w.ent more or less his own way and was permitted
      $ructed,.  and  ~prepared~ for' the  coming- of the anti- to present his maiellial.from his own viewpoint, comes
      christ,  The antichrist ha`s  .not  corn6 as yet because under the influence of more atheistic and antichristian
      men- were not ready to receive him, and today the            philosophy than  -he would have experienced in his
      @orId still is.not ready to receive him. Russia is bitter- isolated positioii back home. For we must never for-
      ly opposed  to the idea of one world  unless .it is a RL~s- get that the wor1.d develops in the lie and in its foolish
      Sian-iolitrolltid  and dominated world. We must never philosophies which become the backbone of its teaching
      fdrget that trem&dous fact of the cdnfusion  of .speech      methods and cotii;etit. The unbeliever dicl not always
      at` Bab&l when God frustrated m$n's first attempt to believe in evolution. The .world always scoff,ed  at the
      form sutih 5 world-wide power of-deviltry; it will take idea of a divine  &eat& of all things.               But when
      mlitih  edticatioh  and instruction -,e`s;en today to bring puestioned  as to where .a11 things came from, a shrbg ,,
      the' :virhole  world- into a uliiversal kingdom under one    of the shoulders simply expressed ignorance;  Btit the
      head as th,e antichrist is pictured:to  r&in Revelation 13. parti.cuJa!  ly foolish and atheistic theory of evolution is
      But the devil and meli -are striving` toward' this thing of comparatively recent origin. So the world- develops
      and fa,&otiing their educational systems accordingly; in all the fields of the lie. And one may say what hc '
      The invention of ,the atomic bomb- has caused them to will, but one exposes his children td all this corruption
_ hasten in their work. And it cz+ be said without fear when he gives his children over to tlie world for in-
      of_ contradiction dh?t the schoqls,  .both  of higher and struction.
' iower .educatidn, will and aqe being used for that end.              you may say that this is-all counteracted by the
      What other end can the world- seek? How else can the education and instruction he recei+es at home, in cate-
      `world interpret curre~it `events? Iri socialistic nations chism and Sunday School. Bu% the questibn may be
      the youth in its education was the special target of the     asked, "Is .it very likely and is it practiced, that the
      propaganda.put  forth to i&ure the future of.the views parent who so  indiffeirently. sends his child to the
      bf the governing powers. `Thus also today the youth is world for his instruction, will and does show enough>                     '
      the special target of antichristian, education to insure interest in his instruct& when he returns home in the
      his rise and to prepare his way. g.                          late afternoon to feel him out in regard to his instruc-
         ,What explanation caiz the .%&id give our children tion -and to correct the dangerous impressions he re-
     0 of the{sigfis of Christ's return 7; The world .surely  will ceiveci in school .7" We are afraid that this' is liot the
      not `explain them as signi of His `personal, final, trium- base. It is a  tedious  task that must  b,e performed
      phant and glorious return  to  redeem His own  aIs>          EVERY day. You cannot wait for your child  t:,  re-
      from that last enemy, death. T.his they do nqt believe. ,veal of himself the evil philosophies  .he  has  leaimecl.
     .T.`ow then shall they  explaili  ihi: increase of earth-     If he' reveals them, then it shows that he has'detecterl
      quakes and di$iurbances `iti'che~llealm of creation. How the lie himself. But ther,e are so many small, unnoticed
      will the world explain the tiars atid romurs of wars ? bits of philosophy which soon build up-and  thz& in
      Surely not in a wajr `that will &.%&e `the fear of the a systematic way-into. a deeply entfenched  evil out-
      Lord-in  bur children.       ,,_     .'                      look on life: Do  i?ot `forget that a teacher whd has
       Theli, too, in close  cdnnection.  with this, it may be received his A.B. degree and has taught for years is a
      stated that such corrupt in&itutiti&  in our own count&y capable instructbr  with `the qualificatibn to-impart his
      ai  Holleood  are &xerting..a growing influence upon own philosophy upon his pupils. And your children
      the edl~cati?!~al  systems and pj:&ices of our schools.      will respect his'opinion before they will yours, even
       In these last  few  mometits  of the history of this though you are his parent. Recently undersigned spoke
.                                                                                                        7

                                                                                           D


                      ,
           44                                           T H E " S T A N D A R D ,   B E A R E R

                  to a group- of thirteen and fourteen year  iid grade in `bringing up our children-His children-to the ut-
                  school pupils who had been taqght that God ck:eated all most of, our powe? in the truth and strive as much as
            , things in periods of thousands.of years rather thari in in us lies to ke.ep them away from all danger of worldly.
                  siy'days. `The instructor, apparently a capable teacher, philosophy.
                  skilled in presenting his view, had convinced his pupils        . We should no& send otir children where they cannot
                  that this was `very t&&and also entirely in harmony live in the fear of the Lord with us.  And if we are
-           with Scripture. The point we wish to make here is not living in the fear of the Lord through the jnstruc-
                  that. we wonder how. inany I of then parents- *of -the&       tioti'to-:which  wb sub'mit them, we are not-personally
                  children were awar'e that their children believed this,       enjoying the fear of the Lord ourselves  either.  We
                  and how tialiy w&e Able tb.refute' it to the satisfaction. can enjoy the fear of the Lord ourselves only when we
                  6f. their children? In this  ptirticultir   case  all. appeal are seeing to it that the children God has given us are
                  to Scripture bjT the undersigned had little effect, for also enjoying the truth~and  growing in His fear.
                  at that ages children can easily be deceived by a text           We are not advocating tworld flight when we de-
                  that seems to substantiate the false doctrine. IA day mand the withdrawal of all ,God's covenant children
                  iS as.3 thousand years in God's sight. - ISO the Psalmist from the dangers they face when taught by the .un-
                  speaks, and to these children by the teache?`s  guidance, bkli,evers.   Bti< we  are indeed advocating world fight,'
                  that- meant that those days were `indeed really thous- the world fight of Genesis 3  :15.  An@ we may  no>
                  ands of years. The group b&.zame~con&ticed~only  when cleceivk dur-Children .into thinking that- there is -any
     -.           it was made  plain to it that then-Adgni  could hot have cessation?  in any s.phere  df life of this battle of the-ages.
                  been 930 years bid when- he -died: btit :-inust at least In tlie`se.dtiys when- the world atid the false church .put
                  have been 1930 years old, for he `must have lived forth sutih `a hypoc?itically frietidly' front, it is above
            . through the entire thousand year: lolig sev&ith  day. all urgent that they be reinind,ed of the spiritual differ-
                  Thus these things creep into the niindss of `our children ence  -beXweeti  light  ancl'  darkness- When the. world
                  and constant <igil is needed. But if we- throw' off our tries to appear Christian, you .ma$ be sure- th&&e
                  calling to see to it that they are instructed in the febr     antichrist is not far-away. It still denies the incarnal
                  of the Lord to the utmdst` of our power .afid iristead -tioh,, the' cross and the resurrectibn  and is'&ntichri&i&
            ' send them to the world, will we -etain enough interest rather than Christian.  L&t us `riot lay  s-  Z;utibii@
                  to check up EVERY. day' on what they have Y'eceived           bldck iti, the wajr `for-.dur  children but with--them and
                  in' the wajr of subtle instr'uction in the lie?               through them live in the fear of the-Lord.:`- - -                         -.
                     Besides this, school occupies such a big place in                                                  .-             J. A.-H.
                  the life of  our  children.. In  compdrison  with home               _ .                                                                 .  .-
                                                                                                                                              . .
                  training, cateel&& Sunday School and churchseririces                                    ..I  ,-                                    :
                  the world has our children if we send them the're .for                                .-         _
                  their training the greater share of the time. How can                       F'&Jna.*&-JLy.  WRIT
                  we expect our-little'to overthrows  so much? Then, too,
                  by our very act- of sending th,em to the .world we are
                  teaching  `them -a wrong lesson. You may teach them                         .                         `~
                  at`home  that the natural mall.can do no good; In cate-          Signs In The'~ kk&d - Of John ,.
                                                                                                   -
                  chism he may be taught the total. depravity of man.
                  But when you send him to the world, ydu sag by iour Introduction.
                  actions, "Yes, but. there is some good yet left in the           When this `article appear' in our 8taridard  Bearer
                  world. The world is so good that I can send my child already a new vblutie of the StandaFd  Bearer iyill have
                  there to his schools without the fear of ethical -moral begun. It seemed to me that this' would be the proper a
           - taint. In the realm of the natural,.`at least, the world place arid .time to begin' a series bf articl& dir another
                  does good." But be not deceiTied, your child. does not subject in this rubfic. Expository, &ticlizq -of-cdurse.
                  simply get a little. training. in reading, writing and This would be profitable'for`thereaders since's char&
                  arithmetic.. He gets all these from the viewpoint and would stimulate f?esh"int&st:  :Ndt that the studies
            /  unto the goal of those who are ethically under the               on "0.  Ti  Quotatio&  In.  Thl!  N.-T."  tioilld  n-ot have
                 .dominion  of the. evil one.                                  been continu.ed by-the :~r$ei$g%ed%ith joy and `d&b-
            `:       0ur"children. are our. r&St pr`ecious  heritage and tidn..  `I;hei-e tire  st$ll-:$Zi4  very-`interesting   `,Scri@tur&
I Iii' `.`$i?t' h&e'!b&low;           Atid `as we live  -in the; f&r of the passages, w$ich wei ha& nc$ yet discusKl in,:this $&i& i
      ""' \F)&$ we`dGgh_f to' do &o,`with ,th& &d thr&gh them.                 w6rt'hy of &.`c%refil -$tidjr.-aqd-  exiositioin. But,. &isd-, ;,_
            `:' Our own fear of the Lord ought to be exerciseb'through ful of the proverb `ia &&gb'of `diet whets&he  appgtite",
                  our dealings with our bhildien. And th?s fear of rever- we decided thtit a ?h&n&e-  iri &ading in'gterial .would
                  ence and deep respect for the  GoId  df our salvation be           the course                wisdoni        `dictates.-     `-          _     ._
                  ought to cause us to be extretiely diligent and faithful         We have chdseri.` to -write!  a. series of article' 6n the
                                             : . .  -


                                           THE                  S.TAND;PRDI.";-~.~EP;.R-ER                                   1                     &5
                                                                                                 "       -  -  ..  --.-           .     ._,
  subject written Above this essay : "Signs In .Tbe ,Gospel .is dealt in by all the ful.ness of God ; He mu& out of the
  o f   J o h n " :                                                   necessity of His higher being, bring forth t@ese works
      Ths venerable apostle John &@res us .witb. great greater than man's, They aye the periphery -of -the
  fervor,  _  that. his  purp.&  in  vriting'  his  ,G;ospe!  is a    &cle whereof  :H$  is  the`center.  The great  miracle   is
  practical one. His is the service of .tijnist.ering  $9, the the @carnation ; all else, so to speak, fp!lows n&gy@ly
- needs of the saints ; his g&l .is the strengthening and .anG of cgGrset I$ is no wonder  that $I,e whoeg,.p+ge  is
  woiking of faith.  .Wri$es  he,  "And-m&y-other  signs ,`;wo~derful" (Is. 9 :6), does works of wonde? ; the @y
  truly did Jesus `in the presence of Hi: discip!es, .,which          woinder would be Tif He did them not?`,                           I.         . .
 are not- wrjtten, in .this book : B.gt these are written,               There are in t&e New Testament Scriptures  six c$f-
  that-ye might believe that J,esus  is-t,he.Cbi&,  the Son ferent naees -given by. which we. ark told something
  of God ; and that believing ye $igl$ haye life thl:ough of $he nature and purpose of the tiiracl& of our Lo@.
  His- name".  Chapter 2Q:30, 31.                                      , A brief statement of these names we here submit.
      If the inspired writer had this goal in mind'in writ-           They. are  ?s follows:  1; "Wonders":  2,.  I.`Pqweys"
  -ing this te&&nony  concerning. C&t, concerning the ,(krachten)  . 3. "Signs". 4. "Works". 5.  `JMarve!-
  things which he had.seen and heard and what his hands ous".  -things.  -  .S.  "Par+d?x&al" things.  .lT$e-/@st. two
  had handled concerning t&k Wofd of life, then well may `na.mes each only occur qnce in,the  .Gospels. `The term
  we give lieed. ;Agd such. giying heed we .must do in "marvelous" is the rendering of the,, Greek "Thauma-
  faith. .It must be an act of obedience, It must; be more sion", that which cquses-.wonderment,  makes men. td`
  `than an idle past&e, a satisfying. of. a natural craving marvel. It is used in Matthew il:15. The term "Para-
                                                                                                                                              .
  for lesirning; For all Scripture is Go&in-Spjrited,  .ancl          doxa" is found only `in Luke.6.:26:  It, like "Thauma-
  i$ :profitable  for doctrine, reproo$, correction ,foy ad- sion" expresses the %nexpect@he~s  of the wonder, and
  monition in righteousness, that the man, of, God *be. thor- so implies, though it does not  expyess,   the  @oni&-
  oughly furilishefl upto every .g?o,d work !                         ment which it causes". (Trench).
      We shall then give heed in faith; in obedience of                  This leaves us the "fi&t[ four names  to consider.
  faith and love for God!                    -           _            These four names ares the most `co&on, and unitedly
      Then our labors shall not be  vain in  Hi&                      ihey afford us an insight into the nature and purpose
      For a correct understanding of our subject as a                 of the miracles as well &s into their effect. upon the
  whole, as well as for the understanding of each- separate people. We, will consider them in the order that, they
   "Sign" recorded in the Gospel of John it is neces$&y are given  .in the-former paragraph..
  to have a preliminary insight into the meaning of the               . .The first that calls,`for  our attention is "Wonder!,.
 various terms employed in Holy Writ to `designate the Wonder is a translation of. the term "Teras"; The wdrd
  miracles of jesus.. Names, after all; have the function is derived from verb "teereoq", that whtch ii watched.
  of, telling us something of the nature ef the thing or :It is therefor,e  that which inthe miracle strikes the eye.
  per&n riamed. Something of `the essential and hidden And,.wheieas  that which is seen nowhere fits in with,.
  qualities are related- in ihe ,n?mes.                               the .common  egperience'and the created -laws it causes
      Thus it is wif;h-the names, for example, of God and wonderment. on the. part of those who behold them..
   of Christ in the Scpiptures. `To confine -ourselves to             This wonderment, this' effect that the works of Christ
  the latter, we notice that Jesus is given many names in. arid also those of Hig `disciples. (John 14 : 12). proguced
 _ Scripture, Such names-as J&us, Christ, Lord, Son of in.men is' carri,ed over to ,the deed itself. -Hence, the
   God, Son of Man, Son of David, Root, of David, Lion sign, the miracle is called a !!Wonder". It  start@  men,
  out of Judah's trib_e,.`etc.,  which each in turn tell us it makes tlitliem take notice; `it calls th.eir attention. As
  something of the fulness which is in Christ's peY;son               yet -they -do hot understand, they wonder. -If left to
  and work, His mission-and calling as our Savior., They themse'lves, if' no' further word accompanies `them, if
  all designate the same Christ- from .a differtint view- `no other element w&Ye- present in the works of' Christ;
  point and each name enriches the sum-total picture that- men would not see the implication-of th*eni, they would
  the- Scriptures ,portray  to us of the Son of God in the
                                     *                                not. hear the niessage they convey, &Y best. it `wo.,u!d fill
  flesh.              _                                               th.em with fear and with superstitious awe. ,I Th&k of
   It  ii, therefore,  but. wholly natural that also the the GxpeYiehce  that Paul and B&abas have in, sDper-
  <great  .and, mighty .works that this : Son of GFd in the           stitio& Lystpa- when Paul heals the-man  whd h&d fievee
  .flesh -performs;  should be designat&d with m&e than mfalked.  A&s l4':%18. A weld of explafitition is net%%-
 .one:namer~..  These ,mighty works are so many -.yadiant             sary.  VNeVertheless,-   we.  %an be  `&Ye that  jri all the
  beams of light,.shining [from the Person of the !Son, mighty works `of Christ this el,emeiit of "wonder". is
  who testified concerning Himself: I am the Light of peesent: Compare Acts -2 :22:'                                       -,'  A'  ' .  T  r
  the world. ' John 8 :12. To put it in the wqrds of the               The neSt tel"m, meriting our attention is "powers?`.
  schc&a?ly  Richard C. Trench: "The  wonderful`& for : The Greek' t&m  .is  "dun8mis".  C6mpariz   otir English
 St..John-only,the  naturtil form of working for Him who `.word' "`dynsmjte".                It  .is shggestive of the  .stfei-&h


        46                                       .q,H$j-       STiN$j&R.j)                             jjEA,R-gR                            `, .  `.I-'
        -.-------- ..--- lll.._____-- -_I ____ ._s____                             --.....-e---.-_----_ . -- ---- _ . .' .-_  _            -- - ---.-
       tiiii@&eij  iti- the .$i&s. The la&e tidlked; -the -de&f h&ice.- it &a&d their ;ztt&itiori`alto~ether:                           *hey did
       -heard; ihe le@?r& ..%ver,e  cledhsed;  the -sick- healed; the not see that this %read',,  multiplied, was a pi&uYe and
       d&id X&YE! r&is&d to life J this was @tier; the working               Sti &ideijt %igiz" of Christ HimBelf  as He is the .Bread
        ef the tibwer bf Bad's migh& At D& tirhe `Jesu$  inten- of Life. From thib it iE evident that there is a special
e      ti;&i&lljr &lls attention to this ~`p'~Mie~"~ and :the lxans- si&iiiida~ixe  tb tin& teYti~"Sigris" in the book of John;
       .&iidiiig-ehar8ct& of tlie &tie. Thus w@ read in Mark                    It ix$qiiires faith in the Son bf God to see the "Signs" .
        2 :-l-l2,ationg3  other niatters; YW,hich is easi'e? to say iri  th@  wdindt%%  of  %hrititj  &His- -mighty  ivorks. These
       to the -paralytiti  : thjr .sins be f&gitiitn thee, ok td say i&tteE. $&Fe .mofe th&n- tie%hihgless-  oci3urances, *more
        &is&~ i&j take dp thy bed and tialk"; ;Stirely this say- thati events  dausing inere x%nderm$nt 2nd amazement,
       ,itig %f&s to the F'potier manifested" aiid. this p&&r tirhih in their me&in& iiiere Ieft to the manciful inter-
       ihaniYi%!sted  in-turn itiditiat'ds  the. &uthor~Zy;  the right of pretatiori  of' each-$pectator.fol  himself. Nay, the works
        chri%t  ih the  midst  0f death to  overcotie -it:  `I'here of Christ are. `.Signs" ; thejr -have-&  definite  j?rophetic,
       ~&&iii eve-r'y wofk id `meY;ely tionderment;  s~eh as tias            priebtliy   a&d  kinglji,  ti  MeBsiatiic  r3ontent.
        &ca$idlied by th@ tiicks of soothstiyers  and ina@i&is                   WlieY;@fol;e  it is not  without good reason that the
        `(con@&!.  -Acts 8 %ll) ;' but inen say that iiid~ed  t+iiB &&-@elitit   johi lather cotisistefitly calls all the  mir-
      tiag  t.&  pow,pr;   the  aivifiitjr  of  ,&d  j.  W&d@&ieht   i,&s    &.?ltis  tliat  he.  tiecords  for his readers "Signs".  That
       ~he&f&  @tiesent,  e&rt8ifily;  Bdt  also  there  shoti@ be &titi is thti `ease is tiot so. evident in our King James
       fe&Y. Foti heFe is the @eat pooive? -of God, Hi& rn@hQ                VeFBi@. Thtis in Jbhfi 2 111. tie read "This begijnnitig
      gk&!                .'     :        1.          _                      r&ir&E&9"  ii&te$d  of  "begin.fiin&  bf Signs";  However
              T&ldlyj &epe  is also t&b te& "Sigtis" to ccnisider.           iii  idein  4:48  "l&cept  jre  gee  signi  Bnd wonders .  i  i"
        $.h c&&&A~iiig  f$ijg j$&irfi tie,, mijbt- &all &j-&t$&  to &b hkf& thii t&in ?3ig%V~ is tised; Hotiever in the s&me
     &3lo~i~~            -@lemetitL                                          cli%bte?j  ts. 54  the  trtin&iatioti  is "This is again the
              First of all we noti&; that the t&3%1 for `-(Sips'? ih second  miracle `(tibt : sij@s) when. he edme  i
       th& ,&y&k &."S&j&b~",                                                                                                              i  ."
                                       Iii this tio?d thi! ethical end           Ihtei%&@&nd   iristructive is the  remakk  of &. C.
        aljld piippbs-6  of-the iiiirable  con-i& out the tiosZ pfoti&       Trench on this question of the. t&i&&h  of tl& i&3&
       ,eitJy; hts jii "Vv~nd~f" the leg&. (!I%%ichj . It cle%te's           "seem&)$'  in && Kific  Ja&& 'versi&.                   Writes he:
       thie.?e$l~ti%nii@  gnd ili?ijlic&iofi of th& iniY&cle,  and it "Thaw  defect  $0 frequeiit  in our &@lish veksiolij  name-
       ~bi$ii to the &?eltitional  toritent,  t&ee_testiiinotiy  of.`God - ljr> %li&t jt F&es  riot &ek -& far as possible to redder  one
       that `is present in' &ch tioiidef %%fk' df God in chfi& %%kd of the o?igiiiial alvriajis by &e and the same word
       ?&iie% `trerji cl&?lji th'e iiiipliC@,iofi of the terti `ifi John iii &X&i&; Et varies its r&deritigi capriciously and
       6 52'6.. in th`iS iiis@uKti'ire passage ZeSuS replie& to- the with&t n&x%&y,  is ngticeable here. There is no rea-
       iiiuitittidei %+io f611owed  Hiti fl;om be@iid ththe Sea ,of $&fix  `%hy  `?3%e&&&n" should.  ntit always be  rejndered
       `Gtililee td `C&p&&i&. The  d@ b&!&e this  Jegiis jhacl `%si~~"~-Bu~ i,ti the Gbs@l 6f St. John with whom the
=    c ied t&e rylilltititdtis,  aEoiit fiv'e tlioti&nd  %I%%, with fiire iXi@d is %.spetiitil f&or&e; fa$ oftener thah not, `%ign"
       fc&,i;`ti's &nd two fi,hJ&. $l thi$i@ efithusi&a;;slli this k&i- gives place to the vaguer, "tiir&?le" 2nd this SomeEnes
       hide  h&d  tiadted to  take  Jesus ahd  Fiske   HYti-K-iiig.          ti8t tiiihtitit i$@j;, to-the force Knd e&ire clearness of
        &x%jtie&tl.j+  :J&ds $e;erisi@  this phl"fibfie of th;he &ti-        $&  f&jl;&".
       ttid@; ,hgd g&e into a inVJiunt&ih  alone to pr'ay. &irin&                                        `(To big ccntitiued)              G: lk
       th'e highi fie h&d ;ioilled His disQjl&  by &-3-&g to th&ir                         :  .'
       @+a~,  tihiking   bn  t&  se&.  With  &ek  fie  haa  f&&e
       To  C@&ii@.ifi~  &id  nijw  th@  titiltittitie,   iirhiCh  y&ste&                               +Nfi:&J&~MEfi~
       ,da;Y had beeh SC, hih&cul'ousljr fe.d, %614ies io %apern&ti-                 I
                                                                               `The Bt%%id bditiitidfi  bf "`The HistGry  of b@r P?ot. Ref.
       too,  S&ki&j   rdj!  Jebtis.  Fitiding   .&ti  t'hey  ask  Hiti:      Chti~ch~~P .is, dYf t`he pl"e&. This book give& a compl$e
      -,%abbi.,  wheti&  `ca&eBt   th6ti  hit&r?"  tiost  signifi- his'torjr  of t& c&s&`tih&t.  led .ub to the breach betiveeti
       `ctiiiiljr Jes'uB Yepli&  to' th&i, "y', &Sk ,tie fiot~b&Xis'e        %he i=ti. Ref. and Prot. Ref. `Chtirches. It also.contains
       .$7e &$v jj$@$Q, bjjt be&&e $7e gte ijf the &e&d &fid `w&
       &a&s&e&`;                                                             Z& c&&hi&i  whi`ch Y&t& the pei"n1ciotis. doctrines of
                                                                             "copmon grace" and."a. well,meant  offer of salvation".
              Notic;  tkj$,  &pl.jr  of-  jesag  is  tio&  &&i&jr  "y,&f&- "!l!he bdok 33 pr$fu~ely iliust?a&d  With. pictures of our
       blent-. Fir& `iif ~Ul'becau% of the x%ntYa& here `d:`jr&wli.
       T&e cdatya$t. ii: Hcj Tggeeilig sie$J bht "&tifig by&ad,".            &upches,  c&i&tories and mitiistejrs;               It js jxinted on
                                                                             9 yepy high glade Qf paper, `alid is beautifully bound.
       All &at `tli$. peopl$ h%d K&iced  was the `&&i&lance `bf
       bf@:a'd. They h&j-`s`@jgh  M& b&iad;`:.  Eveh so, much `go            I$  h&s  41Q  pages. A Copy of this book should be in
                                                                                          .~.
                                                                             i?ve?r.y   .Reformed   .honie. The price is $230.              .
     ~ had this been'the case, $h& ihey e&?&n: "This is in-
       "&++i  t&i  &qjh&  &at.  -&dhl,-j  `co~&  .j&-j  &G  wo~~;ld."                                    .Prot.  R&Y.  Mi&.~on  %om&ittee,
        z&n E ~14. -Bat -*h&t th& :~ir&ie @is&& ti teach, its                 . .                          &fjx  562,  -  -  ^  ;  ..
       .kegl  ~~pl~c&t.on   .c~~c~~h~fig  kKe'  Chffgt  j$ei  di;l.  B@t                         `.        `G?atid R'@ids, Michigan.
                                                                                , -- __.- -__


                            d        THE  ~TAHDARD  -I'B-E~ARER   _.                                                                        47
                                                                                                                                       r
               P is RlSC..Q P Ii-                              use false .means to teach truth? The Roman Catholic
                                                               Church thinks that truth can be taught through means
                                                     = of pictures, images, crosses, and crucifixes;. Slowly                                      _
 The Pi&we of Christ. . . -. .                                 but surely we are beginning to follow the example of
                                                               the Roman Catholic Church.
    We recently. received a- publication which we had          .- "All this is in direct transgressiqn  .of the second .
 never seen before. `It- is called Bible Christianity. In commandment. It reads: `Thou shalt not make unto
 glancing through its `pages we`are informed that it is thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything
 a monthly journal "for the furtherance of the doctrines       th.at `is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath,
 .of the Bible" and is issued by ministers of' "The Pres- or that is in the -water under the earth. Thou shalt
 byterian  Church in Canada". Under the title which not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them'.
 appears above we found the following editorial, which            "It will be pointed out that Protestants do not bow
 we have taken the freedom to condense and reprint.            down before .pictures  and plaques nor do they serve
 We lik,e the note which'it strikes as well as the fact them.. But that is not all that is forbidden. It is for-
- that it gives us food for thought. -What <do you think? bidden to make any likeness of any. thing in heaven,
    "Pictures of Christ are becoming increasinly  popular earth, or th,e-water. Making a l-ikeness `of ,Christ is in
 in Protestantcircles. Plaques of the face of Christ and direct transgression of the second commandment.
 framed-pictures can now be seen in many homes. We                "It is a question, however, whether Protestants do
 noticed a news item that on the desks of. increasing not venerate pictures and plaques of Christ. .They do
 numbers of business'men  and women in a certain city attach a certain' holiness to them when they do not
 is a small plaq,ue of the face of Christ. One woman's swear or lose their tempers in front of a picture of
 reaction to -having such a plaque is expressed in her Christ. When holiness is attached to a material thing
 words :' `It sure helps me keep my redheaded te.mper.' it is spiritual adultery. -Greater.  power is attached to
 And a business man stated: `No one has cursed in my a material obj.ect than the ever present God. That is
 office since the -picture has been on my desk'.               a sin and a transgression of the second commandment.
     "Recently, in a folder from a firm selling such pic-         "God does riot want us to' fall in love' with. any
 tures and plaques .we were informed that these things physical likeness of Christ . . . The, beauty of Christ
1 help to create .a spiritual atmosphere in the home ; such    is seen in His virtues and in His -love for God `.- . . .
things are an aid to- prayer and reflection.  it is an That is the beauty which we must behold and adore. .--
 aid to devotion and. worship.                                    "There are those who call it very narrow to object
    -"Now all this may- seem very innocent and of benefit to any picture of Christ. But actually:they are the
 to the Church. However, it is time that the Church ones who are narrow. They would narrow Christ to a
 considers the (question whether or not' such pictures picture and a false picture. How can any one receive
 of Christ meet with the approval of God. What ap- the proper vi,ew of Christ in all His power, majesty,
 peals to the popular mind may not meet the approval and glory bg a human artist's conception of Christ?
 and blessing of God . . .                                     No human picture can possibly.do  justice to the Son of
     "The first thing to consider is that'the Gospels or       God. Christ is not only man but God. One cannot
 the Epistles nowhere give us's description of the physi- narrow God to a picture!"
 cal appearance of Christ. This is most remarkable.. . .                                                                          -
 No one writing a biography of a famous person would                                                            ._
                                                                                      :i:     *     *    :I:                                 I

 forget to give a pen description of this person. That                                                                I'
 there is such an omission in the Gospels is startling. Report on Europe . . . .                                            `.
 It is evident that God did not want a physical descrip-        Our next item of interest is self-explanatory and
 tion of Christ.                                               needs no introduction. It is taken from The, Presby-
    ""When man seeks to supply what he -thinks-  is a terian Guardian of September 25, .194X We will mere-
 lack in teaching and worship, he sets himself above ly add a brief comment.
  God . `. . He will make up for this deficiency of `God        "The fourteen clergymen who made a tour of Europe
 and supply a picture of Christ. What God neglected under the- auspices of the United States Secretarv  of
 to do man ,will supply.                                       War returned to this country about the `end of Julv,
     "Of course, since no description has been given of and the reports of their trip are being published in
  Christ, every picture is false. No one has any idea various religious periodicals.
 what J.esus actually looked like and any picture may be           %3ince it'appears that the Rev! Harold J.. Ockenga
 far from any likeness to Him . . :       .-                   of the National Association of  Evangelicals  and the
     "But can we not teach a great deal about Christ- Rev,. W.  0. H.' Garmen of the American' Council of
 through pictures ? `That leads to another question. Christian Churches were more particularly intended
  Can truth be taught by that which is false? Can we to. represent American evangelicals, ,we have perused


I                                                                                                                 .                                                                                  \
      48                                                            T H E      .$TANDA`FiD                                   BEiRER                                                                       li

      with.- interest their reports,. published respectively .in testants  in it, not to make the scheduled visit to the
      UEA  a n d   ?he  C~hristim  B e a c o n .   :                                              Pope. Garman himself refused to go to the. Vatican,
            ."Certain things stand out in both .ofthese accounts.- and. thus was the only. I'Protestant" on the trip,, in the.
      First is the terrible destruction wrought in many of the opinion of the American.Council. The-Roman Catholic.
      cities of Europ.e, destruction so terrible that it seems members of the Commission refused to go to the head-:
      fifty years wouici be required to' repair the damage.                                       quarters of the World Council of Churches in Geneva,
      Berlin in particular is described as a mass of rubble. a distinctly Protestant movement.
      People live' in the midst -of the rubble, in any hole they                                                  "`Since the Communists are -fighting the Catholics,`,
      are able to find,           '                    __.                   .)'        I         and the Catholics are fighting the Co'~muiiists,--aad  yet'
        _ The' second point .emphasized  is the tragic need of both are oppressing the Protestants, especially  evan-I
      the people thems,elves, physically,: and also spiritually. gelicals~ the lot of the latter is particularly desperate.
      Even  in countries where `destruction such as that men-                                                     `*The  final thing that stands `out in the.picture  these
      tioned ,above `is, not the rule, the people are terribly men present is -the ever present menace throughout
      destitute; The black market flourishes in some places. Europe of Russian `Communism. From our own read-
      Russia is draining off to the. east food raised in codn-                                    ing of American-newspapers this menace is clearly in- -
      tries under her domination. Clothing is scarce and the existence. But the clergy commission encountered it
      poorest sort. -Italy, Germany, Austria are nations de-                                      in-the person .of many individual citizens-who seriously
      pendent to a very large extent upon the geeerosity of fear Russia.` --Because of the situati.on, it is emphasized
      those in other countries who send `gifts of clothing -and that America must not only talk "tough" to Russia, but
      food through recognized- relief agencies. The;indica- m&be pr,epared to back up-that talk with force. .Gar-
      tlons are that in' general 1 these agencies are doing a                                     man goes so faras'to support"`universaS`military  train-
      wonderful pi,ece of work,                  -                     -        -            '    ing; under certain .restrictions".                                                                                   !l$e: withdrawal `of
        It also.appears  that Russia is taking away to slave &i&i&n- troops from European countries, .it is said,
      labor camps many of the more ableibodied  itien; espec- will but-open the= way for the entrance of the -Russians,
      iaily of Germany3 Yo.mig  men in`good health and sound for the native- population is in' no' position to protect
      in body`and limb are scarce, in the Russian zone. `.                                        itself,"and`will  not be for many years?' .
        "Then there is the tragedy of the displaced persons.                                                      These -things cry out to LIS of .`"Revelation".  The
      These' are peopl,e  -who.- are `not welcome in what was.                                    "`four horsemen" are riding .fast and furiously! The .
      I%&, their homeland, because the present powers .in `-`Beast" and the  "Fals&Prophet" are  -raising their
     camrol do not consider' them acceptable. Because of heads everywhere ! .- Babylon `becomes great and Jeru-
      general conditions, they cannot find a-place to'live any- salem-is iiade desolate. The "time" is at hand ; watch
      where else. They wander  aboutj trying to discover and. pray!, Behold,  i come quickly!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  ~                                                                .'
      some area in the.great  continent where they .will not be                                   I  ".-'  '                       :            -                 .'           .-
      too unwelcome, and where they may find `a little hope.                                            ^                         -,                         -                                      -.-. .                                      W. H.1,
      But the word  hope~does not loom  1arge.m  the  Eluropean  -  `.                                                                                                                                                 .-  _.  -.
                                                                                                                             -  .'                                       -                                                                                                    .
                                                                                                                                                                                                                             .  -                    _          .__
      vocabulary  thesedays.   .'                             ..              ...  -
      "In addition to this suffering incident upon  -the .  "  ~  `.  `:                                                                  `jvji~$~j~plj~`  s&N~~~&&@  .`.  -.'  -  -
                                                                                                                                                                   .                 -
      results of th_e war, there is the tragedy of persecution.                                    '                   -  -  -            -  `_                                            _  _  _; -  .,  _  ^
      That religious persecution exists cannot be question&l.                                     s Qn%%d~yyiO~tob&  10,  1>4?,  our  b;elbv$w~ai-6nts,   -                                                                                                     -  -
      And perhaps the group which suffers most from this                                                                                                          Jdii[N.H.QFMAN                                                     '                          - ,
      persecuti&l   i s   t h e   P r o t e s t a n t   gr0up.m  l a n d s   ,such.  a s   -  -  -  '                                                                                -        and                -           -'           -                -             _
                                                                                                                                                                                                          .
      Ital.y, Austria, and similar areas. For the Protestants                                                                                                                                                                                        .
                                                                                                                                          JENNIE  HOFMkN  nee  Ho&n-.
      are,`so few in numbers in`these parts, that~they  do. not                                              .
      loom large in `the- overall picture and so receive little celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. We thank and praise
      attention. They are hersecuted  alike by the'Comm&                                          God with them that He has kept a?d.provided  for &em together.
      ists and the Catholics. If .there  is any -sembiance  bf're-                                through ,the years. It is our eai.nest  hope- and .prayer that the
      ligious liberty, it is liberty to practice-one's Protestant- Lord may grant them. His peace -in their remaining years.  -
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     "_                    -.
      &m  ~j-iT&yr&                                                 L  ., . . . .  _  L  _        -                     -    -           - .                             .`Ihiir  g&ef;;l  &dren,  ` .                                                       _  ye--.-  -
        "An illustration comes from Rome.  ' The-group -of`                                                                                                                                Mr.  ,and  MI%. A.  Ve&i&er  -  ' -
                                                                                                                                                                          ~- .
      clergymen met  w?th: the Protestants in' that` Catholic .  .-  ^  -  _,                                                                                                              R&. and `Mi-s. @. Hof$F -- :                                                                  -
      city. The Protestant  ministe~s!:`~epqit~d~:ti;ei~;`cdndi-.   ;,  L  `:  `.tle"`T   ;,.  -1  -  ,'  ;  -  +:                                                                         Re$.`axid   MI%.  `A.  -w:  1 l+dgs&te-
      t?bn  and  ()&ejy&.~e$&i$,   &t,h&`afid' big  &j&p$&$o&                                           '  (  ,i ,  `?                   1.  :  ,,`-  ,;, .  ,`~&&r  $!k& __  I.  ,:`  .-:  -`--                                                                   .-
      %&e vividly'remmded that the Vatican'ha$`noi;`.ceas~d'.  .                                                                                      i _                                    j@idf&..Rhth                                       .                        1:.
      its  persecution   bf  P~ot&-;ta~ts  i&-&y"w~~~.~  (&~fi&  -'  *  -.-                                                             -  *'  -.  "  "  -Joh-Ji.
                                                                                                                                          -.                             -                    -
      goes- more into detail,- and reports that these  %alian                                                                                                                                       gigI&  Graidchildrkn.   -  -.
      J&jtest&nts"aske~   .&e  &i@  .com&ssiop,   0~  the  Pro-  Grand  I&pi&,Y&Ii~~h:'   `- .                                                                                                .           ]`           -       -          r


