      VOLUME XXIV                                 January 1, 1948 - Grand Rapids, Michigan.                                                    NUMBER 7
                                                                                                                                                       ,.
                                                               ,.'  ._                    Spoedt. We zag& het`boqze  zaad en.huiverden  bij het
               -ME.DITAT ION  ' opgroeien vati boom en takfen blad. In ohze dag!n
                                                                                          verspreidt dcvieze bloesem de stank van steeds gi%oter
                                                    _                                     goddeloosh&d.
                                                                               -.                Do& troost U,: volk -van God : wzint zie, Hij komt
      Bij  De  wi~s&ng   ~fies  Ja;ars                                                    Get  de. wolken!  .,:  ;                 .           _,                          -_

                                                                                                                    *  *`*  *                                _-.'                 -
._                "Zie;Hij komt met de wolk&, en alle`oog zal Hem                                                                                     ._ -.-_
                  zien, ook  degenen  die Hem  dooqtoken  hebben; en                        De woorden  zijn gexien  door Joiiannes op.Patmc+  :
                  alle geslachten der  a&de zullen over Hem  rouw                         hij iag en hoorde de dingen. die haast geschied&m?e--
                  bedrijveh;   j a   a m e n . "                                          .ten. .Het boeksken werd uit de  hand,van   G$  afge-
                                           -                        O p e n b .   15'.    nomen .door  .den Leeuw. .$t Jtida's,  stam, want Hij was
          Al zoo vaak hebben we het -de otiden hooren zeggen :                            waardig.  -
      `"Het is iiu &ger dan toen Wij. jong tiaren !"                                             Eri toen iond .Hij Zijn -engel om Johapneb  te tooqen
        En  .we `hebben  soms  gelachsn en `gezegd : Kom, de dingen van het kometid  -$ereldgebeuren.- . .                                                                       .:
      kom,  h$ zal we1 zod erg niet zijn ! In Uw dagen waren-                                    En dk missie kwam er bij.: om het den'uoliip  bekend
      dc menschen 66k zondig !          -'  `,                                            te maken,  opdat ze getroost  inochten le+eYi en st&x (en
          Dat laatste laehen en zeggeii  is in den grond godde-                           in den  Heere.'  '
      lcos.                                                                                      Troost  U dan ook in het laatste der dagen !
          Zelfs de' goddeloozen  worden bang in' onze dagen.                                     Oudejaarsavond  prehikt gelijk nopit te yorea : I$j.
          Deze  oudejaarsavond,  die  aan `t  .komen. is (we k-omt met de wolken!
      schrijven  vandaag  Deceb"b@ 13)' is  benauwder  dan                                       Wat die wolken clan zijn?               :-
ooit  te.voren.   En er is  ni?mand. die  h&loochent.  Het
      .go'dvruchtig  volk `en de goddeloozen beginnen lang-,                                     ie-zijn negatief : de .wolken  van Zijn oorde<i!
      za,merhand hetzelfde te tieggen, Dat  wil  zeggen, for-                                    I& positief : de wolken van groote heerlijkheid  !
      &eel. Materieel is  & een  hetielsbreed  verschil. De                                      En er is ook een nauwsluitend verband, wini Zij; .
      goddkloozen zeggen : H&loopt aan op hit einde va.n alle 1.leerlijkheid  `is in Zijn vreeselijk oordeelen.                                                  ~
      beschaving en cultuur. Gods Golk zegt : Het loopt  aan
      op het e&de van deze tegenwaordige  wereld: de Heere                                                          .% a:  *  *
      komt  met  d e   -wolken!
      .. 0 ja, men wordt -bang in -onze dagen.                                                   En  ,alle oog zal  Hem  zieri, ook degenen die Hem
          De Heere HEERE wordt meer en meer, gerecht-                                     &x&oketi hebben, en alle geslaehten der. aarde'zullen
      v&ardigCl,  in Zijn  oordeel. Hij  heeft  aan den  m@gen over `Hem  rou.w   bedrijven, ja Amen !  .'                                                            -
      `van-dit wereldgebeureq  gezegd, dat de mensch godd&                                       Die  tel&t staat  66k in de profetie  .van  ?&charia.
      loos is van zijn pl"ilste  jeugd. --En door de eeuw& heen                           Daar staat:  Doeh over het  -.h&  DavidKen   oveg de
      is- het bewezen--g$lv&den:          Iti grbote goddeloosheid. inwoners  v&n Jeruzalem zal ,Ik uitgieten `clen @es! d"T
      Met aile ged&$ten Gods die iti -de.rijke  schepping  lig- g&ade en `de gebeden, en zij zullen Mij aanschou$en
      gen hebben ze -gehoereerd,  &zondigd, en het ~geheel  en dien zij dobrstoken hebben, en  zij' zu&n  `oier Hem
                                                                                                                                   _
      .&l  v e r d o r v e n .                           _-                               rouivklagen gls met de,.$ouwklage  over eenen eenige;?
          En, let  eY op, hoe  meek het naar het  &nde der zdon, -en zij zullen over Hem bitterlijk kermen gelijlr-
      cla.gen gaat, hoe snellei" het proces  der zonde zieh voort-                        men bitterlijk k&r&, over eenen eeystgeborenen.

                                                                                            -


                                                                                               .
     " 146                                   I' H E    `S T A N D A R D .   B E A R E R
                                                                 L
                                                           -.
.             Maar  hbe zit dat dan? In Johannes' openbaring die den dood  werkt.  Ai sidderende vluchten,  zirigt
       bedrijft de'wereld r&w, omdatzij ten verderve geleid D a v i d .
       worden,  en in zachqria.kermt en klaagt het huis Davids            Bij den andere, dat is, den door-God  beminde; daar       .
       B!Y Jeruzalem  over aGod -7anwege den Geest der genade vindt ge den Heiligen Geest  der'genade  en der gebeden,
       en der gebeden. In. de laatste teksten is het dan ook eli dad maa@ e&n ontzettend onderscheid. Zij weenen
       el51  klageti  to<  eindilijke  zaligheid, en in  &et eerste omdat zij God liefhebben. Zij zeggen in hun Smarten:.
       e@ klagen vanwege de verdoemenis die komt.' En liet             Tegeri U, 0 God, ,dien ik bemin, heb ik gezondigd en
       g.$t om dezelfde zaak,, want i$@id~ $eksten  staat, d&t, gedaan, wat kwaad is in Uwe oogen! _ 0 vei-geef mij-
       zfj,, Hem zien iu$en~&&a xij..dooisto&n hebben.!                alle mijne zonden. -"Zijn kroon heb gevlochten, Zijn
        ::' En de Heilige  ($&t'$&  ir?~~h; 19  :34, dat die beker gevuld !`? Ja, en ge kunt er bij voegen: ik heb
       Schrift van Zacheria vervuld is  toen de  soldaten Hem doorstoken met ,tijn groote zonden !
       v&rRbme de zijde van Jezus doorpriemden' met. een                                             :t--g,*  *
       zwa&d.
              Het. antwoord is gemakkelijk, als we  ee& zien,
       d+t het doorsteken van Jezus iiet op de zonde, alle                De goddelooze wereld !
     : zonde, of het geschiedt do?? de uitverkorenen of door               Over haar komen de wolken van den komenclen
       de' verworpenen.        `-                                      Christus, anno 1947 en ook 1948:
                                                                        Steeds duidelijker word&n de teekenen  van  Zijxi
              Welnu, als die zonde thuisgezocht wor'dt  door God,      ha.astelijk   komen.
       clan l<laagt men en roilwt'meb, hetzij dat men kerk is              En  +et doorsteken van den lijdenden  .Christus
       ol' wer.eld. Allen komen tot erkentenis van gehondigd neemt banger en angstiger afmeetingen sari.
       te hebben, den I$eere doorstoken te hebben.                         Wie siddert niet bij het lezen der dagb@den-  en  _ . .
              Maar, o wat een verschii..       -                       der tijdschriften. De wijzen ( ?) der wefeld, de wet&
         _ Bij Gods valk is_dat de bekeering. Ik heb we1 eens .sehappblijk&  der  chemie,  de  mannen die  weten  y+t,
       gezegd, dat wij elken dag den dag des oordeels ervaren          vreeselijke krachten in de vuile `handen der n+xxheli.
       in :i;lreren  zin. Dan zoekt  God de zonde thuis en dan gegeven  zijn~door  den komenden God, zij w&den steeds
       gceft Hij -den Geest der genade en der gebeden. en dan angstiger in hun roepen.  tot hun gezellen: Beseft tech
       klaxgt het huis Davids en Jeruzalem en zegt : 0 He&e ! dat. de tijd ten einde spoedt ; dat "the sands of timg
      we hebben U  doorstoken  met alle onze  zonden( De are running out !" ; dat e? straks tieri verni$ing komt
       e&t&  van  .`dat  g&laag.  +ij  Paulus is  :'  -Ik  ellendig    die niet afgemeten .kan,,  die de tegenwoordige.  bescha-
       mensch ! wie zal mij verlossen' uit h&t lichaam dezes !?ing verpletteren en vergiftigen zal, die van wereld-
       dqods !. En bij den tollenaar : 0 -God! wee% mij, den deelen gaten in den groqd maken zal, zoo zij niet zelfs
       zondaar, genadig ! En bij den verloren zoon : Vader !           de  aarde  zal'  dqen splijten! Ze schreeuwen van de
       Ik heb gezondigd tegen den hemel  en Goor  U !. En ik daken : Het einde nadert ! (Hier schijnt de wereld
       ben niet waardig Uw. zoon genaamd te worden; maak sommige klanken.  van- het Evangelie-woord te benut-
       mij. toi een Uwec dienstknechten ! En gij allen zingt t e n ! )
      :  e-Tvan, gebruikende de editie van  David!       "Ge&j  o          En er is slechts Qhn oorzyk: in al die din&en  komt
       God I gena,.hoor mijn gebed!" ..                                C;od op de wolken !
         Bij de wereld echter:is het het laatste oordeel..Dan  zal         Hij komt in de binge teekeneti-der  tijden!        .
       &en @k klagen en kermen en bitterlijk weenen. Dan                   Of ziet ge het niet bij de vreeselijke goddeloosheid
       zal- Stalin en consorten inzien, @at zij tegen zulk een der volken ? Wie siddert niet van het ruwe der Russen,
     he&lijken God gezondigd hebben. Dan  .zullen zij                  E.et vuile-der _Franschen, `het bluffen der Engelschen,
      .  zlen, dat toen die God Zich liet zien in de nederige het vijnzen der lthmerikaneri? (Wij hebb& mooi praten
       gestalte van een  slaaf,  zij Hem doorstoken  hebbkn,           waar we tot over de ooren zitten in de weelde en den
       Die het geiang en het gerei is d& Engelen ,Gods en der rijkdom!)
       volmaakt rechtvaardigen,                                            Herinnert ge U nog dat eenige jaren geled.en  onze
              (:I ja, wij allen die geleefd hebben, nu leven, of- nog president een brief  schreef- en  &en brief  begon met
       kom& _ zullen om wat- jaren.  te leven, we gaan-. allen         "Dear Joe ! ?' Die demokratische Joe ! Die. "gallant,
     k&men en we&en, of hebben dat al gedaan:  ]Daar is Russians our allies 17
                                                                                                    . . " -
nu-  geen:uitzondering   o p .          1                                  En din die gevleugelde termen om tech maar af te-
              -Et enwel, wat een verschrikkeli  jk onderscheid wan- meten  hoe lieflijk dat Fransenlanci was, dat geholpen,
       neer we vragen naar den tijd van dat kermen, Ien der-           verlost moest uit de-klauiu  en van het Duitsche Beest!
     .ze!ver  o o r s p r o n g   !                                    Ze wareli nog niet eens vrij toen het de hand beet van.
              Bij den eenen, dat is, den wereldling, vindt ge het      hen die hen verlosttin. Hoe zou men ook ware trouw
       l.crmen als het voor eeuwig te laat is. Het is in zijn          en dankbaarheid vinden- in een wereld die God door-
       weeen  bet kerinen,  het berouw, de droefheid der wereld        steekt in Zijn zijde ala Hij aan het kruis hangt?


                                                                     T.HE  STAWl)ARD  B E A R E R                                                                  .I47

                Ja, ge leest de lourant en Uw aangezieht verblekkt                       B&de in het Oude Vaderland `en hi& in Amerika
      elken avond. Het wereldgebeuren wordt al angstiger, dorst men het bestaan om hen die `trouw waren aan
        al benauwder, al rijper voor den komenden God!                           _    .Gods  Woord en de erfenis der vaderen, te folteren, te
         8 De  w&eld!                                                                 beangstigen, te benauwen, kwalijk te behandelen ; uit
           _ De' wereld die in het booze ligt gaat ten verderve, te werpen, hun naam te ontnemen  onder de  bl"oe-
        want God komt met de ivolken-van  Zijn rechtvaardig deren.
        oordeel.                                                                         Deze smartelijke  di&,en  zijn gebeurd  niet in de
                Ze  begin-nen alreede te kermen en klagelijk te valsche kerk, maar in de kerken waar God Zijn volk
        weenen.                                                                       vergadert en onderwijst. ' I$et is ons gegaan als met
                Maar het zijn nog  -maar  -de  voorw,ee&  van een David, die klaagde : Het was niet mijn vijand die mij
      eeuwig, krijschen in bang-en  nacht  waar men  tever-                           benauwde!   10 neen. Het  -was mijn vriend die met
        geefs wacht op den morgen,.die  tech nooit komt. Want mij opging naar Gods Huis !                                                `
                                                                                                                                          .
        dad is.Pecht. Zijn wolken zijn 66k heerlijkheid.                                 Dat maakt het lijden zoo bang. _
                                                                                         En het zijn de teekenen  der tijden.
                                    *     *    :i:      :!i                              En men schijnt  met  blin$eid  gesla$c&   Stelt het
                                                                                      U .toch vobr : men had een zek&e  ;o6rst&lling  hooKen
                De gpddelooze  kerk !                                                 pre'diken  voor. vijf-en-vijftig  jaren,  &&ge 55  jaren!
                0 ja, die is er ook.                                                  En na zoo langen tijd .maakt tie.n er een zaak van bm
        Daar is de kerk zooals ze de  goddelooz6  menschen dezulken uit te werpen.. 0 neen ! bedriegt U niet! Hei
        insluit, die bij hun zonde van allerlei goddeloosheid                         was fiiet om die beschouw&g ! `Er zit ee? *adder 6tider
        ook  nag, huichelarij voegen. Het zijn  4~ menschen `t gras.
        die zeggen : Heere ! Heere ! en Zijn Zoon ,elken dag                           B e w i j s ?
        kruisigen,  Zijn Woord  aan  flardcn scheuren, Zijn                              .Waarom  geschiedde het toen de beklaagde niet ion
        deugden,  vooral van oprechtheid en  waarheid,  ver- spreken, schfijven,* zich verdedigen?                                                    . .
      D loochenen: de  valsche kerk.                                                     Is het anders met ons gegaan?                   `. .
                Zij zal  zich uiteindelijk  scharen  aan de  .zijd!e van                 Waarom wierp men ons uit, en waarom` bestendigt
       AntiChrist, om  SGods lievelingen  te benauwen.                                men die uitwerping op (3udejaarsavond  van 1947?
                In Jezus' dagen traden zij schroomvallig terug van                       Omdat er een stem .was die zeide :--God is God en
        het rechthuis van Pilatus: Stelt  het U voor : zij wilden -de. mensch is verdoemelijk, zoo verdoemelijk,  `dat hij
        niet `bntheiligd worden  ! Ma%T:ci leverden' Jezus over niets is, kan, wil v(rat goed is uit zichzelve!
        aan `t wild gediert!                                              .:             Toen  mail&e de kerk een omtuining  ron&& den
                Hun kinderen vandaag zijn bezeten  met den zelfden                    verworpenen. Men wierp <Gods yolk uit, om den wil1.e
        a a r d .                                                                     van den verworpene. Dat is de waarheid.
                Zij-wonen  in bet`-huis  Gods, maar zij verlooehenen                     Maar God zag en ziet en zal het zoeken.                                      -
        den Eigenaar van dat Huis. Zij kruisig-en Zijn. Zoon
        elken  d a g .                                                                                            *         :F 8 *
        Er is nog een schijn van Godsvrucht, maar- de
        kracht is er allang uit. Hun wacht grooter smart dan                             Hij komt ! Met de wolken !
        d,en openbaren zondaar.
                Als de.komende God met de wolken einbelijl&ich                          . En gij, mijn ha+, wat hebt gij te zeggen a& den.-                                      .
        zal laten zien in den laatsten dag, zal Hij zeggen : Gaat                     avond van een jaar dat  vreeselijk,is, een jaar dat ten
        weg, gij vervloekten  !                                                       einde spqedt en steeds duisterder schaduwen werpt?
                Wolken, vreeselijke wolken van, oordeel  !`                             La+ ons allen tot onszelf inkeeren, en ons door de
                                                                                      pijlen des Almachtigen laten doorpriemen.
                                   1:     *    8 a                                       Oak wij zien Hem .dien wij doorstoken  hebben.
                                                                                         Er zijn bergen  van zonde &or een iegelijk`onzer.,2
                En in de ware kerk van Christus is zooveel. schuld !
                De Heere Jezus heeft eens gezegd, dat in. de laatste                     Het' wordt al stiller,  naaymate wij het gedreun
        dagen de liefde' van velen zal verkoelen ; d&t menschen van de' twaalf slagen naderen, de twaaif slagen die een
       `zullen zijn liefhebbers  van zichzelven, meer dan lief- somber ?aa-ywel zijn aan een bang jaar: .,_.                                                 .-
        hebbers van God.                              '  ..                              Neen, het is niet doodstil. Ik hoor .een bede, een
                Ook heeft Hij geprofeteerd van den  gropten  &f-                      kermen van Gods volk uit alle landen,  natign en to-q:
        val.                                    -              .,                     gen: Wees, mij, den zondaar, genadig!
           .Die afvai, mijn geliefde broeders, nam groote af-                           Het is'de vrucht van dien Geest der genade en der
        meetingen          aan.                                                       gebeden !         -                                                    .-__          .-
_.         Ze is doorgedrongen tot in de zuiver'ste kerk-open-                           .Korn,   Heere,   k o m   h a a s t i g l i j k !   ".  1
      ' baring op aarde.                                                                                                                              G. V:


                 148                                                                                                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEaRE&
                                                                                  -.                                                                                                                                                                                                   _           _.

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                                                            EDITOR: Z- Rev. H. Hoeksema.                                                                                                                                        The following aiticle was cut from the periodic%1
. . .            Contributing Editors : - Rev.  G: M.  d$hoff,  Rev. G. Vos, Rev.                                                                                                                                           "De  Strijdknde  Kerk", of which Rev; G. -Toornvliet  is
                R. Veldman,  Rev.  H.  Veldman,  Rev. H.  De Wolf, Rev. B. Kok,                                                                                                                                             the Editor-in-chief. _
          Rev. J. D. De Jong, Rev. `A. Petter, Rev. C. Hanko, Rev. L.                                                                                                                                                        He writes  as follows-:
               Ve.rmeer,  R&v. G. Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev.  .J. A. .Heys,
                R e v . - W .   H:ofman,                                                                                                                                                                                                        NAAR             AMERIKA .                   ..
                      Communications-relative to contents should ,be  ,addressed to
              REV. GERRIT  VO,S, Edgerton, Minnesota.                                                                                                                                                                           Prof.  Schilder is naar Amerika; Naar ik vernam
                 :  Cdmmunications.  relative to  s;bscription should  be  addr,essed                                                                                                                                       zal ook Ds. van  Dijk.vo!gen.   Doe1 is onder meer  om
                to MR. GE.RRIT  PIPE, 1463 Ardmore  St., S. E., Grand -Rapids,                                                                                                                                              voorlichting te  geven.
                Mich. Announcements and  dbijxaries must be mailed to the                                                                                                                                                       We weten hoe dat gaat: ze spreken van eigen strijd
                above address and will be published &t a fee of $1.00 for each                                                                                                                                              En nood en stellen daartegenover  de verdorvenheid van
                notice.                                                                                                                                                                                                     de  synod;. `, $Vij` b+lagen de broeders en zusters in
                                                        (Subscriptibn  Price  $2.50  per year)                                                                                                 -.                           Amerika -als zij het alleen zouden doen met de voor-
                 &beTed  as Second  &?ss Mail at. Grand Rapids, Michigan.                                                                                                                                                   lichting  van deze twee  woordvoerders  der  vrijge-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            maakte kerk. Hoevelen in ons eigen land zijn al ni&
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            gevangen door de voorstelling die deze twee broe.ders
                                                                                        -.~                                                                                             .-                                  van het conflict' gaven ; ze  zagen  &lleen maar twee
                                                                                         :                                                                           _                                                      gees`telijk   mishandelde  breeders.  die het o  zoo:  -goed  c
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            bedoelden en een vijandig college. Maar wie zicli'niet
                                                                                        - CONTENTS -                                                                                                                        gewonnen gaf aan hun voorstelling maar zich op het
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            objectieve  vlak dex feiten stelde, die heeft gezien, ook
                 MEDITATION  ::                                                                                                                                                                                             al is hij het niet  %in alle  dingen met  d,e  Synode.  eens,
                h1r.r DE W~SSELING, D E S JAARs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ..i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :145
                                                                                                     :  ,,.-:                                                                                                               clat bet optreden en van prof. Sehilder en van Ds. van
                            R e v :   G .   V%.                                                                                                                                                                             Dijk onnodig op kerkscheuring moest uitlopen.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Er zij;l kerken  in Amerika; die hun kansels voor
           EDITORIALS  :-                                                                                                                                                                                                   deze broeders iullen sluiten. en die geen enthousiasme -
                 A RIDDLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  148kennen valor de broeders van 31.
                ' Rev. G. Vos.                                                                                                                                                                                                  Maar de "Protestant Reformed Churches", die
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            zich achter Ds. Hoekseina hebben gesteld (en door de'
                OUR DOCTRINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  151.Jeer van de  ,algemeene  genade apart iijn komen te
                 ,          Rev. H. Veldman.  ~                                                                                                                                                                             staan)  hebben op haar synodevergadering besloten
                                                                                                          _  I                                                                                                              nauwer contact te zoeken met de Vrijgemaakte kerken
                THE DAY OF SHADOWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154                                                              ilz ons land en de kerken aanger&den  haar kansels voor
         THROUGH THE AGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158                                                               grog.  :Schilder   t e   o n t s l u i t e n .   .   _
                            Rev. G. M. Ophoff.                                                                                                                                                                                  Deze sympathie voor  Prof. Schilder kunnen we
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            eensdeels we1 verstaan, omdat ook die kerken zich ge-
                SION'S ZANSGEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1r,0 griefd voelen door de kerkrechtelijke  behandeling die
                            Rev. G. VOS.~                                                                                                                                       `r                                          haar van de Synode in  Amer'ika destijds ten  deel
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            viel.
                IN  IiIS  FtiAR . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162                            Anderzijds staan we voor een raadsel; Ds. Hoek-
                            Rev. M. Gritters.                                                                                                                                                                               sema be&reed Prof. Hejms zeer fel op het punt va;n.
                FROM  HbLY  WRIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164                                          bet- Genade-v&rdond  en erkent nu dat de kerken art. %,
                            Rev. G. C. Lubbers.                                                                                                                                                                             naar het standpunt  .van  Prof.  Heyns zijn  overge-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            gaan. .                                              -`
                PEtiISCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166                             !Anderzijds schrijf$ H. B. in "De Vrije Kerk" (art.
                            Rev. W. Hofman.                                                                                                                                                                                 3.1) : "Nu  weten  wij, dat er tusschen de Protestant
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            RefBrmed Churches en ons leerstellig Verschil is. Om
                TNGEZONDEN  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                    0
                                                                                        . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...*.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  - . . . . .167    bet .`eenvoudig uit te drukken: zij staan dogmatisch
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            goeddeels` 6p het synodale standpunt terzakk vah de

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                                                        T H E   S,TANDARD`  B E A R E R                                                                                                          149
                                                                                                            _  s  _.
      vraag aan wie de Heere Zijn verbondsweldaden toe- meetings to -seek a closer contact with the Liberated
      z e g t . "                                 .Y                               Churches in our country, and they have advised the
      Hoe-meet  dat  nu :  kerkrechtelijk   vinden.zij elkaar ; churches to open their pulpits for Prof. Schilder.
 maar dogmatisch liggen ze tegenover elkaar. Tot nu                                     This sympathy for Prof. Schilder we can under-
      toe was het altijd zooj dat wat leerstellig samenbond                        stand' in part, since also those churches feel aggrieved -
      - sterker woog, dsn wat kerkreehtelijk  verdeelde.                           because of, the church-political treatment they received.
            Voor Ds. Hoeksema  .dus een zware  stap: iemand some time ago ,from  the hands of the Synod in America.
      tot de. kansel toe te laten, die in de voetsporen van                             On the other hand we are placed before a' riddle.
 -prof. Heyns gaat en voor Prof.. Schilder het onwennig .The Rev. Hoeksema fiercely- contended with Prof.
 ,- gevoel om op de kansel te staan in kerken waar men Heyns on the question of the Covenant of Grace, and
      het standpunt der Synode goeddeels aanvaardt.                                he now acknowledges that the churches of Art. 31. have
             Het wondere is, dat hij onze kerken om die leer gone over to the standpoint of Prof.  Heyns..  _                                                                                    -.
      :vprfoeit en met woorden, die  buiten. het burgerlijk                             Cn the other hand; H. B: writes in "De Vrije Kerk"
      fatsqen vallen, te lijf gaat, ons den broedernaam en                          (art. 31) : "Now, Owe know that there .is a. doctrinal
      ambtsnaam ontzegt en in .Amerika" spreken  gaat tot difference between the Protestant. Ref armed Chu.rches
      hen -die op ons standpunt goeddeels staah met de aan- and us.                                                To state. the matter simply: dogmatically
      spraak: vrienden, broeders, dominee., . . . en hen zijn they adhere to a great extent to the Synodical stand-
      liefste glimlach waardig  keurt.                                             point with'reference to the question to whom the Lord
      -      W,erkelijk:  `t duizelt me.                                           pledges His covenant blessings."
             Waar is de ernst van principieel konsekwentie,                             Now, then, ,what must we -make of that : chur,ch-
      .waar is het heilig moeten vankerk-verbreking  en het politicaily' they find one another ; dogmatically they
      heilig  moeten van kerk-heling.                            `-                are opposed to each other. Up' to now the proper
             Ik zie het bij prof. Schilder niet.                 1                 judgment was that what* united deogmatically would
 _           `Missehien dat de breeders  in. Amerika  Prof. Schil- weigh -heavier, than. that. which divided church-politic-
      d e r   kunneri  helpen.:  '          `.-^  ` G .   T .                      .ally:'             -                                                        `. _
                                              -:                                   Therefore a heavy step for' the Rev. Hoeksema:
                 I                                                                 he has to open the pulpit to someone who. follows the
                                                                                   steps of Prof. Heyns, and for Prof.  Schilder-the
             I translate :                                                         strange.. feeling to stand on the pulpit in churches
                              1 TO AMERICA                                         where -they hold the standpoint of the Synod to a
                                                                                   great extent.
            Prof. Schilder . . went to .America.            F r o m   w h a t   I The wonder. of it all is that he abhors our churches
      heard -the Rev. Van Dijk' will follow him. Their pur-                        because `of that doctrine and that he attacks us with
 -poseis to give elucidation.                                                      words that lie outside the pale .of civil decency, that
            -I'.W%know how that will go : they speak of their own. 1le. denies us the name of brother and office-bearer,
      struggIe  and misery and they will put overagainst it and' that he `will speak in America to them that to a.
      the  .corruption  of the  Synod; We pity the  *;brothers                     great extent adheres to.: our standpoint as follows .I
      .a.nd S&Z3 in' America if they have nOthiI$  else than ,,friends, br&hren]pastors. . . and judges them worthy
      *the elucidation of these k&o spokesmen of the liberated of his loveliest smiles.
church (es). How many in our own country are al-                                        Really : it makes my. head swim.
      ready caught through tke presentation which these  :
      -two gave: of the conflict :' all they saw was these two                          Where is the earnestness of fundamental consist-
      spiritually maltreated brethren who .meant  so well,                         ency, where, is the holy obligation of church-schism and
                                                                                                                                                                                .-
 and a hostile  ..college. But whosoever did not give the holy obligation.of  churhh-healing?.
      himself  .over-.  to their presentation, but  who. would                          I do not see- it with Prof. Schilder.                                                   -.
      place himself squarely on the plane of the facts, has :                           Perhaps the brethren in America may-be able to
      seen, even though he.may,notagree  with all the Synod help Prof* Schilder*                                                                                                 G. T.
                                                                                                                                           _.
      `did, that the action of both Prof.:S?hilder and Rev. Van                                l..                              _                 --..                    .,
      Dijk would unnecessarily end in church-schism.                                                                    __ _               __             .= ,                  ;_
             There are churches in America: who will close their                                                                     .,          _  _  .  _  .  .
      pul.pits  for these brethren-and who have no, enthusiasm                       -1 Comment:  1  _  ;..,  _,                                          -                           `,
      for the brethren of  31..  ".                                                     1. I did not intend at first to place this article of
             .But the "Protestant Reformed Churches" who have the Rev. Toornvliet nor did I intend to comment on
           placed themselves behind the Rev. Hoeksema (and same. However, I changed my mind with the thought
      who `have come to. stand separate because of the doc- that .many may be misled by some of the statements
      t.rine.of  common grace) `have decided at their synodical                    `made. After all, our names are mentioned, every one
                                                                             -.
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  X60                                                     THE-mS,TANDAR?                    BEARE-R  -.
                     .
 ofus,:in that he comments Qq..the action of The Pro- detest  the "supposed regeneration", we cast fro? us
 .,t&tq~t  Fefoimed Churches. .`, "hen also, I cl&u-it it a the socalled "offer of grace"; we wili have nothing of
  duty, .an :hon&able  d,uty, to defend Dr. .&$ilder  in his the soycalled "common. grace" I And more and n&e
 appearance and work among us these last months.                                 TA;e  .are  cqnvinced that your churches honor a dead
 r`: `~2. -In gen&al I must say- that I ah ainazed at.-the                       orthodoxy, a chewing over and over again of the
 ?gnorance-  of ' the. brother. I  slways  had the opinion words. .of great men, who themselves have warned in
  that those' who lead in the Reformed Churdhes.  are their day not to .&se' their, .qpini& as a touchstone to
  far advanced, more so than here in Atierica, in what &ict ,f aithful offieeb.earers-.I  .-
  they call "scientific" `procedure. That is, they invest% ..                           6; We have -learned to know Prof; Schilder as: a
  g&e all the sources before they build their ,structur& beloved brother in Christ, as a faithful servant of `that
  with the resulting conclusions; Attend to this: the s&e Christ, as a man mighty in the Scriptures, .as
  Liberated Churches adhere to the standpoint of Prof. a truly Reformed man whom to-throw out of the church
  K?yns! Yes, I .know  that we thought sd ioo at first.                          communion cries to heaven.                                    Of course, there are
  And'it was to. be forgiven us. Ve are iri America,- diffe$nces-!  .Do. all the -ministers in your churches
  and -at first, because of the war, were unable .to diag- ~think alike on  all,dogina's? You  know they- do' not!
 `nose-`the  struggle that w+s Pagirig. After all, it takes Follow the p&you have begun to tread and you will
  mu@? tfme to read all the-brochures and to scan all end up with peace, but it will be the peace of the gr&&
  the official.  data  %hat' pertained to the fight in the yard, where no one disagrees with no one. They are
Reformed Churches. Allow me, brother, to  corretit                               rlike still, but it is the stillness of death. The end of
  you.. We know now that -Prof.  Schilder and his %he pathway you  have followed in 1924-1946 is  the.
  churches reject the main tenet of the late Prof. Heyns, path that will surely- end with Roman Catholicism
  to wit, @at the Children of the covenant receive sub- ,tvhere  there is but bne voice of. authority : t'he Pope ! `,
 .jective grace through whi& they can do good works                                     7. Rev. Hoeksema todk a heavy step? Prof. Schil-
  iii the-sight of God. We were afraid -that the Liberated der felt strange oti o,ur pulpits? I -wish that you could
  Churches adhered *to that error. And we have found have seen our communion, could -have attelided  our
 .+& they do not. -Did you liot read the article which - conferences, could have heard the `words that were
 %Prof...Schilder  wote in one"of the recent issues, df the                      spoken on both sides which spoke of warmth, of love,
 -Reformqtie? There he repudiated this error.                                    of trust, of appreciation. And all this in the know-
    y.3;: Yes, th&e are differences between~the  Liberated ledge that we differ  9~ some points.  Whst of  it? No
 X@rche;s  and-us. But we certainly.would  ndt be guilty one has-all the truth:' dnd we will l&n one from the
  of the sin to refuse to hear the other side, even ai the                       other.                                    a
 .$!h.ristian   .Refornied  Churches here !  They simply                                8.  I+. Toornvliet !  `I am  Gery sorry that your;
 &dered the  `dhurdhes  arouind  in a  hi&rtihieal. way,                         churches,  `have made the cardinal error. of raising the
 %~<d  saicr::  you cannot  let this  tiafi  on your pulpits !                   pet notioll.of one theologian to a church dogma, even
  Imagine : three men, members. of the Synodi'cal  corn- though the man himself warned against. just such a
 Tl;?t&, `ordered the church of `Jesus  Christ arouhd as                         fooi.ish action while he still lived among us.. I am also
d&m& they  .w&&  some   -Holy Order,  `8om@  ,$?;ope  wh0 sorry that you threw from your communion faithful
 ..a&& is. r.es$onsible  to :.God ! Oh $I%,, we &la&jr. would affic&`:bearers. And because I will &ink Mielr &i you,
 !$ him come aild speak in our midst so th&& Fe ,might                           I  a.m of the opihion that many hundreds &$  `you are
  hear first hand ab0u.t ,the struggle i@ the' Netherlands sorry for the silly and sinful things that were done, in
  &t:h .frorn.  the +urch-political and from-the dogmatical
                                              .-  (  f                           ~1942-1946 ! I hope that you may `see the error of your -
  side. _                                                       v-`  ..,
                                                 ^        -                      wa;y!L       --?.     _'     .,                          :
         4. `Pray, `Rev. Il'oorfivl~et,  did not the diew of the
  Liberated Churches ,anent the Covenant of Gpace cir&-                                                                                  Fraternally,                          __
 -!a.&: in many. of.- yoUr, churches and -by many of y&r                                                                                                  G. v.
              . .
  n&&te~s before 1942? And we&' they not considered                                                                 . .
;Tood, sound and Reformed? --Why should we,  $nd
  much more, why should you cast them aside li-ke the                                             0                                                                  .
                                          _-  _.  -                                                                                                                       .
  hnrlot and the  pub&ant After hearing both sides                                                                                                        ! I ! .
  such as we have, we have come. to the conclusion- that                                               CLAS'SIS  E A S T                                      1 1 ,,/
  the Reformed  Churches (bound by hierarchy) have
      . .
 ~~liiled'.gr,ieVousI~~.         .'  ""  :  I  -1  :                             wiil meet in regular session  Wednesday,  January 7,
 ._-. `5-i;;' o)d':"h~f,,' .fla&$                                                1948, at 9 :00 A. M., -in the First Protestant Reformed
                                      yo&ielf,  -  R&:  -*"foornyli&   the.
  &?te&a&  I@f&n&l  Cl&r&&  cl;  J&$  .stand  &o  `.a                            Church of  Grand Rapids,  Mich.
                                                                                                                    .
 ' gr&t e:i&i$" o&t& &&point bf y&r'.chur&es. We                                  I.
                                              --  ;  _                                                                                D.  Jonker, Stated  Cleik.
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                                                    .   THE.  S T A N D A R D . .   B E A R E R                               '         :---                                    181

                                                                                   min&the  `si@iificance of this  Scri$ural  c'oncept:;   '  ThI
                         O U R -   DOCTRIN'E. the Old Testament  .ihe word for  "cdvenant", used
                                                                                   approximately thr.e&  hundred tini@, is always "beri@`i
                                                                                   According:to  some this word "b&Mi" is derived I?$&?
                          :Our Covenant. Gbd - _                                   a word which means "to cut", and it c.ont&ins a'@fe&-
                                                                                   ence to the. .ceremony  described in Gen. 15.:!7.  A&a;
           We Coh&idc!d our previous article with "the &per-                       ham had  b&n commanded by  the  16rd to-take  An
     -vation that God's covenant with His people constitutes heifer of three years old, a  sh&goat  of  -three years
    ' tne -very ,essence of eternal l<fe.                                          olh, a ram.of%hree  years old, a turtledove, and a'yomig
                                                     We. must. not-identify
      the idea 6f the covenant *with a promise.                                    pigeon, to, divide them in the `midst, and lay each'$i'ece
                                                                     God, then,
      establ&h& His covenant with &an mer,ely by bestow- one. against anothel.                                         It was customary` foE. parties
      ing upon him His  promige of eternal life.  &id,  &c- who entered into a  covenant-relationehfp-  with.  i&ie
      cording to the late Prof. Heyns, this promise must be another to" follow this procedure, thereupon to pass
      understood as intended for all the children of the                           &?,weeti  the halves'of these slain-animals; thereby  de-
      covenant, as  given to all  wiTbout  distinction. This,                      claring that, if either failed ,to live up to his-obliga-
      of course, is the arminian conception of. salyation.                         tions, to. him would happen what had happened tb
      Ncilher- must God's `covenant with man be regard.ed  as these animals. God, we read in verse 17, p&sEd+b%~
      a c?,ntract, or mutual agreement, with mutual stipyla-                       i-w&n  `.these piece& and thereby : avaialed Himself df
      tic% and obligatiotis. This definition may apply to a this &?em&y.tti conclude His covenant with AbrFham.-
      cuventipt between men who stand on.an equal footing                          &$e opine, .therefore,  thtit,  "berith;`!. is `cl%&i from
      toward one another. _ But we ctin hardly speak of an a word:w.hi.ch means "to cut'?,, and-thlat it refers to. f;his '
      agreenient   .or  `coritract  with respect to  the covenant ceremony. in Gen; 15. Other's declare, however, `that`
      betwien  %be Lord  a<d man. `The Lord is the living ihe. word.used for "coven&t" is derived from a word
      %.~l.  Hope,  .faith, love,  gbedience,,  etc. are gifts of which Imeans "to- tie, bind'!. . They ape of: the opinic&
      God',s grace and therefore not conditions .upo.n .which                      that the idea of "covena&  i! that of a bond. -
      God's  cbvknglit  is realized. The work of, the Lord is                                In the New  Test&ient  we  -l%.&  ilie" word  "dia-
      alna$$  uii'&nditional.            Our c&en@ obligations are theknee:`. This word  ib generally translated  "&&-
      nothing e&&&n what is required of us because. of the                         n&y. : In `Hebrews 9 :15-1'7;  how.ever, this word :is :
      nature of C&d',s..grace,  which is .such that, it savei us translated "testament" atid this is yndoubtedly the'cor-
      as moral-rational beifigs and ther'efore causes--,us- to rect  trtinslatidri. The "word  "test&men~'  em$.%$$ei'ea~
     work and to will  according  .to- His. good pleasure. the thought that the  id$$::of  prioriti  .be'lohgs   F-:@od;-
      Thirdly, God's covenant -must not be identified with And this also receives einljhasis  iri Luke-l :72-7$,:wh&%
      a v!:ak of salvation. Regarded from this point of view, we  Iread of "His- holy  c&ena@,   the  oath. which He
. the c$&ant .is .the LOfd's unchangeable word or revel-                           sjirare  unto our father, Abrah$m" (co&i&$ `&i `&&li~
      ation to us that. He will &ave us to the uttermost in the                    ar&`id&ntified.here)  .
                                                                                                                     It -rem&i& a ql,@kui~ ,Jkn&&?~
      way :)I faith and pbedietice. To this conception `of the, whether the -meaning of this word in t!e Neti :.Testa-
      covenant we object. that the covenant according to m&t  emph&Tz6d   the -idea  .of  "dispo&t'io$  test;a&e$,'
      Scripture is' not something temporary but eternal.. dis@ZP 67. that b;f `~cov&i&, agy@&n&t; cointra&`. 1"
                                                                                                                        ., .: : ._ -
    Finally; God's covenant with His peoljle-  must not be                                 ... HI&~; ,to deieimine the :Sc~iptural.`si~~ifican~~.  6%.
     interpreted asan alli.ance  of God, and His people against. `the or&& `"cb&&&' we must attend t~`~!he .Sc&
     the. power of .sin and the wicked -Gild-round ibout us. ttiral p-&sag& %lli&- speak- of ~~~d'~~,~~~la&ion'.  -to `$i{'
      Sin and Satan, tie remaiked,  must not be viewed dual- c&&a& pec$le. ;The &&3"$& aff +s. is. &le; &Q..
   isticaily.            Fact is, tliey serve the development o&God's              in the at&Apt to &certain-&he  sigpfical)ce  of this con:
                                                                                                                                                                ;  .`.>:.`  .._  ..
     co&nan$   Jhroughout   ,.the a&s. All  -thitigi exist for cept.   .'  ,..~-  ._-  `.  .I-  ._-...  ::  _  r.  _  : ,. .._' :  .-  .,_  -::  ;-  .,
                                                                                             .._.  i
     the .sake of the' eJ.e&,  and all..tbj.ngs  work together for                                                                              &       :,.         _        ,;        .:::
                                                                                    ,,       _     -
     good -for. those who l&e. "qZd and .are .the called a;ccorcl;,                                       `..:T@`$deci. of F.ke ~(Ydvenunt                                I_...  ".
                                                                                   +.  `;`.  -,  ,.`T.                                                ,,-  ..-c.  .:`....`- ,  `+.
  ing        tp                                                                                                                                                           .  t-.
                   His purpose. God's' covenant- with man' IS                         ..--~Basic'$ll~  <and  ftindamentally, the  ~cyi~tur~l con-
     therefore life itself, the . highest to- which -man can                       &It.  "`~o+$n&r#"  -.+&  iriseparably  cbnnected  %ith  ..th8
     possibly attain, the .f3less.@  relatiopship  of the. living. ~~~ll~~ari~~.`exist;en~~:sf'-t~e   living`  -God.  This  thought'
     frjelldship- of  Pt4;&Yi.ving  God  w&  Hi-s own  in.,,.a&                                                                                                                                -
   beLause -of .-and: through  the Lord -Jesus  Christ'. IV..' .+:..               ii liter-ally ,~x~~.~sehjin 2 p&`l'f~~~ LC$iher&y ar'@-&jv&
                                                                .                  uizto . Qs:-exceeding  g&$t~  and $Eec<o&s  proniis& : %&t
                    `-"  `~                .,..      I_.               r-  _.-.    b~~these'ye.-~.igh~-  be p&$&e~~~`6f  &`.Divin$' `n&&-e;
     .'                        !&be W&l, ."Covenunt"`e
                                                     .j_ . .    .,  `i.  :Ts,cL    ha$ifig:-escap&j   t&j  &f&$tiofi  t&i  &  I  {n  ihe  world
  _  I' The-word whi& is ii&d .iri.-ihe Scjriptures. fbr. "&+&' thq^ou@i-hi&"..  Tliat- `theBcri&.iPal co~~ept."`coven~irit?)
     n&nt"-.&fords  US little help `in `oti? attempt to d&r-                       should.  be  inseparIlblji connected  wi&?%e  %rifiita$n
*$l*r-              -               a


                                          .  .


                                                                                      .I.

  1 5 2                                  T        H    E      $TANDA.RD   -BE.ABER  1
                                                                                 .
 existence of the living God lies in the nature -of. the           personal distinction.     Although essentially one,  we
 case. Also Prof. Berkhof declares iti his "Reformed must personally have our  persbnal  fM&ion,  duty,
 `Dogmatic$, and I quote : "The archetype (original work to pel"fii?ti. I Bdth &Quireinent& %r@ fu"ndamenta1
 pattern-H.V.) of all  ' covenant life is found-  `iri  thi $tiffy a life of true friendship. Notice how this applies
 L;rinitarian  being of God, ,and what is seen among men to Scripture's revelation of the lving God. He is es-
 is  .but .a faint copy  (ect$pe)  of this."-page  363. All        sentially one::-And personall-y .Tli%ee. _ He-is essentially-
 revelation *is necessarily Divine Self-revelation. That. one and. -personally Three.                   Hence, the relation of
-all reyelation  is SeZf-revelation must be understood in cov`enant-fellowship  constitutes the very essefice  of the
a ,$wo-fold  sense of the .w.ord. This is true, first of all,      life of God. The Lord oul' God is a covenant God.           '
 m a subjective sense. God's revelation is, SeljF-revela-           I .This also' determines- God's~.covenarit  relationship
 tion because-He is the Subject of His own revelation.             with His people. The Loird receives us, indtiots us,
 He does'the revealing. Of course, only God can reveal takes tis up into His own dov&a& life. He makes us'
-Himself.. Go&E;  reve!ation  is also Self-revelation, hgw-        partakers; accolding .to 2 Pet. 1:4;of' His own Divine.
 ever, because He is the  Object  of His revelation. If nature. To be sure,  th&  infiliite distinction  between
 it be  true, that only  God  can reveal Himself,. it is           God and `the' creature must  -he  main&tied.   Prif.
 equally. t?ue .that God can -only reveal Himself.. He is Schilder; dciring his recent visit amcirig us, preff?rrigg
 the;absolute  Reality and the absolute Good. Of whom              i!: speak of parties -rather `than of parts when discuss- '
 could He speak except `of  Biniself  P All revelation;            ing the relatidnkhip  between .  God. and man `or his
 therefor.e,  is Divine Self-reirelation. God does- 211 things     people, emphasiied  this distinction betvireen the Irififiite
 to reveal and.to glorify Himself., Hence, to ktiow- that          Creator  ahd the fipite creature  by the use of `the
 God `.is life eternal. This knowledge, we understand, -capital "P" and the small ."p". Of God then,' he spoke
 is an experiential. knowledge.       To know abqut  Gbd with a capital "P", Party, and of.mati with-a small "p";
 is not life eternal. It is surely possible that one may pa,rty.  Upon this  disfinction he surely `laid  all  the'
 know all abqut~the Lord and, yet, that it were:better. ..cmphasis.' And this distinction .must indeed be main-
 that  he had  never  been born. But-to know God,  tcj             tain&d.    God does not, - cannot impart Himself unto
 know Him  exp&entially,  to know Him with all the man essentially. This lies in the'nature of the case.
 i&e of o;r heart and`mind a$d to &joy living fellow-              He is infinite, we are finite; He `is the Creator, we are
 ship with .that Eternal and  ,Alo& Blessed Good-that creatures; He is the Eternal, iye are temporal. -He is
 is iife everlasting. Greater good than the living fellow- the Absolute-Reality; we are relative, exist only thru
 ,ship with the alone.blessed  God is: i&ongeivable. And           Him and in relation tgHiin. He is~.the. self-sufficient
 of this blessed fellowship beiween the living. God and            God in Hiqself; owes' His life to' nothing  outside- of
 &an. God's`bwn.  Covenant life is the basis.                      Himself. : If heaven and earth were to fall away; He                       _
     God is the Triune  God and, the&fore, in- Himself would remain standing. All  creati@, not only  `man.
 a covenant God. God is Triune. This implies, as we therefore, but-all creation, thse entire universe together
 sa%`in a previous article, that He.is essentially one.            ip less than a drop on the  butiket  and a particle of                     1
 One mind, one will, one desire, one seeking,' one life            dust on the balance. This distinction, this distance-
 charqcterizes  the living God. He is never in conflict be!ween  the livjng God and man mu+ be emphasized,
 with Himself, is never divided. And He is. persQnally             always borne in mind. `How, then, can the covenant
 three. Personally He is Father, Son, and Holy Bpirit.             between God and man possibly be presented `as, a con-
 That God is personally-three implies that each Person tract or an agreement, or even as an arminian prom- .
lives' the-entire Divine- fulness in His own' personal             ise?. Shall- t'his conception, of the covenant be attri-
 way. Hence, God is `a covenant God. ..God's  ,covenant            buted to the `living God, df Whom we read in Isaiah
 is not something -incidental,  something external, some- 40 :ll-15 : `~HB; .shall fecd-H&.  flo&"`:bs  a sh$phe$ : He
 thing which was Added` to the Divine life. God's cbve- `&all gather the lambs with His arm, and c&&hem
 nant is not a contract which the three Persons con- ii3 His bosom, and shall gently lead thos,?  that are with
 cluded among themselves,` or an agreement between young. Who haih measured the waters in the hollow
the Father and  the Son 2nd the Holy Spirit, a pact of His hand, and meted out  heaven with the span,
 into which the Three Divine Persons .voluntarily enter- and comprehetied the dust of the earth .in a measure,
 ed. God's covenant is the very essence of the life of             and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in
 the  Triune God.  IEe  is a covenant God. The life of             a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord,`
 covenant-friendship constitutes the very essence of or being His counsellor  hath taught Him2 With1 whom
 God's being.    A -life of friendship presupposes twd             took He co&sei,Land  who instructed Him, 2nd: taught
 condition's or requirements. To be friends we must,               Him in th;! paths of, judgment, and taught Hini know-
 in -the ,first place, be essentially one. This speaks -for        ledge, +nd shewe+  to. Him the Way of understanding?
 itself. There must, not. be any conflict between us.              Behold, -the nations are as a drop of, 2 bucket, and are
The second  requipement  for. friendship,  how@ver;  is            ccutited  as the small dust of the, balance,: behold, I3e:
      -                                                                                                               1'  -
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                                               T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          -:I53

  taketh up the-isles as a very little thing." ,God is aqd .the teaching of the Word df God. We believe that the -
  must ever, remain the living God.                               . Holy: Ser.iptures speak this language- throughout. In
      Pet, we  becdme  partakers of the Divine  natupe,            varipus.;  ways- this glorious truth is. held before  us..  "
  This, we. understand, do& not mean that w.e becon&-" Sometimes-the word "covenant'! itself is used. Very
  partakers 05 the divine nature in the essential sense often, however, other expressions appear in Holy Writ,
  of the word. _ God is. and will forever remain the such as: dwellihg, abi'ding, tabernacle, temple, friend
  infinite Creator and man is and .will forever remain ok God, etc. All these expressions refer, point nS' to '
  .the creature. : But we become partakers of the Divine the one cardinal truth of the Word of God, namely,
  nature according to the measure of the creaturk.  -As th.at the Lord our God- is a covenant God, in Himself,                         :
  creatures  we-  share the Divine  life.  What God wills and-also for and with His people, in and through and
  and seeks apd loves arid ?lesires, as God, we will and because of Jesus Christ, the Lord;                                    .__
                                                                                                                     ,:.-       .I
 *seek -and love and desire,  tis creatures. The life of-the          -First, tie would call .attention to. Paradise. Recent-
  Lord -has been reflected in us. We know Him. As* ly, the doctrine of a "covenant of works" has  be,en
  the fiord-seeks  and loves Himself we have learned to advocated in connection with the calling and sin in
  seek and lo+e the living God.                                    Paradise. The history of the doctrine of the covenant
                                                   .
     Henoe, God's covenant with inan is the fellowship,            of works is* comparatively of recent `date.      Our .Re-
  the communion of friendship  beteeeh God and His formed ,Conf.essions do not sp#eak  of it. This is all ihe
  people in Christ Jesus.      This relationship is  char-         more remarkable in the light of the fact that` the
  acterized, first of all, bi a communion,' a fkiendship           Westminster. Confession, drawn up soon after the
of love. God and His people love one another. But, Synod of Dordrecht, does mention it. That our fatheps -
 this relationship between the Lo$d and mari is a re- did not incorporate  %hi,S  .doctrine into our  confes&ons
 lationship between God and man. Ind,eed,  they know is therefore not to be attributed to the fact that they
  one another  iti  a- bond of friendship.,  God' and  His had hot heard of .it. The later Dr. A. Kuyper, ho%-
 people are frien&. However, because God is the liv-, ever, developed this theory, and of late this doctrine is
 ing God He is the :Sovereign  Friend. In this relation- generally accept6d as sound,. ref armed  : do+ne.
  ship of friendship the- Lord loves us, blesses us, is the           This- so-called "covenant of works" $&k~' of .a
 sovereign Lord Who must be worshipped and adored. promise, a threat, and a condition,. To be sure, so it is                           -
 He is and forever will remain the Source- of all. our            said, man cannot  merit. anything before God. Yet,
blessjngs, the Fountain of life  and all our peace,  the the covenant of works is _ presented ,z&. a graciousi
  God out of Whom and,through Whom  and unto Whom specid condescension of -&od whereby He .agreed  to
 are `all things, even forever. And man, in his rela.tion- give iAdam eternal lif'e &&the way of obedience. The
 ship-toward- the living God, is friend- servant. Iie is condition hpon`which this threat and the promise were
 God's friend and loves the Lord with all his heart and contingent was Adam's obedience of the prohibitive
 mind and soul and strength; Sut, as m&l,-h`e  is the command of God which hid forbidden him to eat `of
 Lord's servant. His calling it. is  to. se&  the- Lord . the tree of knowledge of good and of evil.> His failure
 with all ,&hat he is and has, to inquire after and do the        to obey this command -6f ,God was threatened' with
 `will of his God. And this is for that man eternal life.         death. And; if the  fir& man refrained from  &sting
 1s it possible to conceive of a greater calling, of a            of the forbidden fruit he would receive  eterna! life,
 higher -glory, of a grander ideal  th+n to praise the. the  eternil and heavenly fellowship with God.  Ttiat
 glories of Jehovah and proclaim the -greatness of this promise ref &s to eternal Jife .in the heavenly setise
 Hi& Who hath called us out. of darkness into  HiB                bf the word lies in the nature of the `case. Spiritual
 .mar$lous  light? Surely, to be the servant--of the life could hardly be offered him inasmuch as he fios-
 1l"ving <God with: all the. love of one's heart .and mind,       sessed  it. What the Lord therefore promised  &.ir
 "ip b,e. privi1ege.d to pr.?,claim  His greatness and beho!<     first father was the eternal fellowship, with G&l; the
 `His `beauties and sing bf His glories,,this  is eternal         service of the living God minus the possibility of sin
 life,  the'highest   .to which man can  pos&bly  attain.         and deaih, and therefore eteTnal`life:.-
                                          .
 Aqd thus m&i h&s been inducted mto `God's life, loves i T This'.concection of Adam's position and calling in
 and  tilk, il'$ $ord, accdr;dilig  to the measure of the         Paradise  we con&der  impossible.  We. reject;& -in the                   .
 `eieature,  even a$ God ;eternally  loves Himself: And first place;- because of its &er la& of Scriptural proof;.
 this,  cov.ena&   r'elationship,  we  &der@?ncl, is, the  e8- $`hat the Scriptures do not speak liter&y of, this. do+
 `sence of religio& the highest  ty which .mal! can  pas:         trine is. even admittea  by its exponents.  . .Nd%ing  is
 `&bly      attain-     '          ,.:                           said  in Genesis l-3 of any agreement between  G&l
                                                                  and Adam: Besides, nothing is said in these  -three  '
           Scriptural Proof  for this  Conceptiok                                                                                                y
                                                                  chapters of a promise of eternal life.  ,One-  s!mp]ly
                 -of  th.e Covenant.                           - does,no$  read of it.. However, so the exponents- of this
    This c&ception  of- the covenant we believe to be             doctrine reply, neither do we read of God's coming to


                                                                                                 -

       1      .      5    4                  T H E ` S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
              . .                      0
       an  agree@ent with  Abrafiam  or with Noah-shoulcl people  and  those reprobated unto eternal damnation.
       this lattet fact not have warranted the conclusion from lhut enmity  is essentially friendship. The enmity
       the defenders  sf a "covenant of works" that, therefore,     against the world is surely the friendship of God. We
                                                                    . .-.
     _ also in connection with Abraham and Noah :x& i-nust          &r%? en&&&  of sin and of the world exactly because we
       not speak of tin' agreement of the Lord with th.em.          become the friends  :of  Codi Hence,  ithe Lord main-
       Moreover; so these. exponents continue, the threat of tains His coveriant with Adam and His own elect by
     . deatli implies the ~promise of. life. But,' is this true ? maintaining  hini and them `in the relationship of
       That a murderer will be-electrocuted surely does not friendship. Paradise. is therefore proof for' our- con-
       iinply that he will receive special favors if he obey the ception of the covenarit. And ,Gen. 3 :15, let us never
       law. Consequently, the attempt to prove the "covenant forget, is the key  to all subsequent history.  Ali of
       of wbrks" by appealing to.Rom.  5 :12 collapses. To be -history is nothing else than the d&elopment of this
       sure, sin and death entered into th& world by one man.       spiritual struggle. God makes us His party and grants
       Does this prove that also eternal life-- could have been * us,,the victory.                    . .
       merited for all by thtit one man? Secondly, we rkject                             \                             IfI. v.
       the theory of  a. "covenant of works" because man
       cannot nierit anything .before God. Scripture abund-
       antly establishes this. And; thirdly, the dbctrine of a                                                  . .
       co%enant of works is  futi.damentallp   ,`a denial of the
       Christ: To  teach  thst  Gid offered Adam eternal life
_      in the way of obedience implies that Adam could have                    THE DAY  OF  SHrbDOWS-   :.
       attained unto it. But, the Scriptures teach us (Eph.                                                                        ,.
       1 :l-10) : !`Having made known  unto.-us the mystery
       of His will, according to His good pleasure which He                            Saul's Duplicity.  %
       hath purposed  in Himsklf :  That in the dispensation
       of the fullless of times He `might gather together in                 As we have se&, Paul refuses to sumbit to his sen-
       one all things `in Christ both which are in heaven, and tence of deposition tind the loss of his kingdom pro-.
       which are on earth ; even in Him."                           nounced over him by.  Samuel  in the name of  God.
            In  &stir&ion  from the mechanical theory of  a         Contrary to the revealed will of the Lord. that he abdi-
       c&enani of works we maintain that Adam was created cate his throne to niake room for his God-appointed
       by God- in'covenant rel&ionship with Jehovah. It was successor, Saul is determined to mairitain. liimself in
       noi; Adam's choice. whether o? not he would serve God.       power and to  secure his  throne for his kin.  Accord-
       Neither did the Lord enter with Ada& into an agree- inily, he will be on the alert fbr that "neighbor" better
       ment. Of such an agreement  we read nothing iq Holy than he to kill him as soon as he can be certain that
       Writ. Fact is, Adam was  cl-eated as  God"s  friend- he has identified him. It doesn't take Saul long to
       servant. He was simply created nzan,' and in the image make up hi6 mind, that this "neighbor" is David, son
     I of God. He ti&s therefore created the Lord's friend- of Jesse; and the latter is therefore a marked man.
       servant. Adam's service of God was the spontaneous           Saul's first' attempt. on David's life is made in- his
       expre&bn of  his-  iYhole being,  and,- therefore, his deli&m in obedience. to a sudden diabolical impulse.
       relation to the living God was an essential-relation,        He twice stabs at David with the javelin that is' in his
       created in his -very being.                                  -hand, as he says, "I will smite David even unto the
        .- To this must finally be added the striking word of wall".             Dajid avoids the missile and removes from
       Genesis 3 : 15 : "And. I will put enmity between thee Saul's presence. Saul goes from  bad to worse. As
       and &he woman, and between thy seed and her seed ; David's favor-with the people continues to grow, Saul's
       it shall-bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel". wrath as fed thereby burns with always greater heat ;-
       Adam viplated God's covenant. He tramples it under and he has now reached that stage at which he begins
       foot. He refuses to be the friend-servant of God and to plot agbinsk David's life.
       would be the master of his own fate, the captain of                   Having fought with the giant and killed him, David
       his own >soul.' `He turns his back upon the Lord and should llave received Merab, Saul's eldest daughter,
     . becomes `the servant, slave of  the devil. However, to wife,  according'to the king's word. But Saul has
     i  Irhe Lord maiptains His  c&enant. He mairitains  it in not kept him to his word. And he is not intended to
       Christ. Si& after all, is b& a. means -in the hand, of keep -him to his word. But this does not .deter him
       God tq realize His covenant fei@wship with His chosen from .using David's tilaini upon Merab for the destruc-
       people ip the ..way df .sin and grac;i! unto. the glory of tion of the son of Jesse. He tells David'that he wants
       -His blessed Name. And not&. that God  maintains the marriage to go through. Merab shall .be David's
       His coven@ ,by establishing enmity.. between the seed wife. These are his words, "Behold, my elder daughter
       -of t&. woman and that of the devil, between His elect Merab, her will I give thee to wife," but-he adds, "only


                                     T H E 3TAb;DARD  B                 E     A    R     E     R       -             155
                                                                        _ .  _                                  _
  be thby valient for me, and .fight the Lord's battles'!. he still is the artlessly humble and self[effacitig Dairicl
  Saul can mean this bnly ai an obligation `and not as a     of. yesterday, despite his victory over the giant, his
  condition by the fulfillment of which Mer# will ,be-       achieyemen+as  general in Saul's army, and the`grow-
  come David's. For the latter's right to either of Satil% ing e'onsciousness  of his calling to the kingship. And
  da.ughters.  has been firmly established, on the ground he believes that Saul deals honestly.with him. And in
  of the king's promise, by the slaying of the giant. But this faith he expects Saul to keep him td his ,word.
  with Mera.b  betrothed to him, thus as prospective' son- "But it came to pass at .the time when Merab. Saul's
  in-law to the king, he must fight for the king, the more daughter, should have been given to David, that she
  so, seeing that the king's -battles are the battles of was given to Adriel the Meholathite -to wife." Why-
  t&e Lord. These are .Saul's words, the obvious .de@n does Saul do t&s to David? The reason is not revealed.
  of which is to induce David-et0  prosecute the war with. But- it is not difficult to conjecture `correctly the ex-
  the Philistines with great vigor; and the  hope,  ,that    planation of Saul's doing. Saul did not intend. that
  Paul. cherishes -is that David per"ish in the doing. Let David should have Merab. Why did he lie to David?
  th.e enemy triumph over God's people on the battle-        Orily to get him to figh!ing  as prospective son-in-law
  field. It is well, if only the son of Jesse be destroyed. `c-f the king, furious battles with the Philistines that
  Such are  the thoughts of Saul's heart. Such is the he -might be killed. But it  do&@? appear that any
  motive that hides behind his honeyed and pious words.      such battles were fought by, David at this time. If
 And his reason in hoping to rid himself of David in they w&e, David was kept by the hand `of God. Dis-
  this way is that he does not want to kill David by. his appointed, Saul does whit all along-h-e has planned to
  own hahd. ."For Saul' said; Let-not mine hand be u.pon do : He gives -Merab to another. The narrative is silent
 hiin, but let the hand of thk Philistines be upon him". on David's reaction t.6 this foul. treatment. It-is cer-
  As if Saul, by hating David. wit&jut  a cause, is not on tain that he behaves himself wise&. He does not go
  this account alone B. murderer in God's sight. As if,      about airing his grievances in the ears of men. He
  in wanting David killed in `his war with the Philistines understands that v&gean& belongs not* to him but to .
  and sending him intd thiB war that he inay be killed, the Lord.. .  -
  Saul will not be guilty in .the-sight of God of slaying       As to Saul, his., determination that David be re-
 David with the sword of the'philistines, should he fall' moved from the land of the living is just as strong and
 in battle+thus as .guilty of doing him to death. as he eve% stronger. Hence, when it iS now reported to him
 would be, should he allow his own hand to be upon `that hi> daughter Michal lqves David, ,he is delighted.
 him. Saul imagines that he has thought out a way of .He imagines that new sways open to him for, having
 .murdering  David without  beiiig responsible.      ,Saul David put out of the way:., "And Saul said, I will give
 knows better.     His dbing indicates that he knows him to her, .that she may be a snare to him,. and that
 David innocent and righteous..                              the hands of the Philistines may be against  him,,.
     Though the narrative  makes  no mention of  &is,        These are his words, the vile whisperings of his wicked
 there can be no doubt that David continues as valiant hea&, known only to himself and to  God: For these
as always. He is Israel's real king in the sight pf God. thoughts and intents df his heart he keeps to him-
 Whether by this time he fully realizes that his anoint- self; What.he  has just done to David,rega?ding Merab
 ing was an appointment to the kingship, is quite an-        is indication what he `,means. by his resolution. to give
 other question. - :Samuel  may ,have told him inunedi-      his daughter to. David. He will betroth' Michal to
 ately ; or he may have waited. The narrative does not David as determined by himself that the betrothal
 sa.y. The latter is the more likely, as also  .David's      shall not consumate in marriage. And Saul's purpose
 reply to Saul at this time seems to indicate. -If David     ag&n is to put David anew under the obligation to
 speaks honestly,  ,if he voices  hii true feelings-aid fight the Philistines -as a prospective son-in-law to the
 there is.  & reason to believe  that he does not-his king.  It shows how little  SaLi really knows David.
 words betokeri  that the thought of his being-son-in-law Da,vid fights the battles .of the Lord under the inspira-
~ to the king overwhelms .him. Says he to Saul, "Who tion of the Spirit and as motivated by the love of God
 am I? and what. is my life (Hebrew : "mo is my ,life",      and, his people. But  Saul, being reprobated and on
 meaning perhaps, "What is my station in 1if.e")) or this account a thoroughly self-absorbed man, has nq
 my father's family in Israel, that .I should be son-in-law understanding Of this. He,*too,  has been fighting the
 to the king.? The prospect of marrying Merab is not Lord's battles but only as mot&ated  by.love of hiti own
 unwelcome to David. But,  considering who he is, it         cause. And he cannot believe but that .`David  does like-
 is hard for him to conceive of hiniself as son-in-lath to wine. David, he thinks will fight the Lord's warfare
 the king. Or does he. -doubt.  Saul's motive? Does he if supplied with a carnal motive. This motive Saul
 see through the man? And is. this his way of tellirig will again-supply. He will Gffer David now &he hand
`:&he king that he is not being fooled? The narraLtiv& of  Michal. And to realize a long cherished ambition
 `in the sequence is opposed to this interpretation, of to marry into the kirig's family, David will fight :the
 David's words. He speaks honestly. It.  shows that Lord's, battles fbr the king a.nd, so Saul hopes,. perish-


 156                                  THE        STANDARb                 ,BEARER            '     _     .- .

by t&e hand of the Philistines. "Wherefore Saul said their own accord with him knowing nothing .about it..
tq David, Thou shalt this day be my son-in-l:aw  in the For he would have it appear that his love ,.of David
twain". The meaning of the ph?ase `.`ic* the` t+ain" i?  -80  great and that he  esteeti the son of  Jesse `so
is not clear. It obviously must have some s&.& .mean- .&ghly,  that he cannot refrain from praising him to the
ing as "In a second way thou shalt be. my `son-in-law". faces of his servants all the day long; and, th&t the:
   Saul's proposal has the apcearance of an apology. servants felt it their duty to tell David i`n- order. that
Apparently he wants to mzke  good the .wrong he did he might perceive how true-it is that the king really
David by giving Merab  tb  &r&her. Actually he is wants him to be his son-in-law; and tell him also that
<bent on David's destruction. We know this because the marriage will have the full approval of all the
-the stic&d:`@r+er lays bare Satil's heart on .the pages servants in that they l&e him too.
of  his  &rratiVe. But' Divid did not have ouY' Bible.        _    David's' reply to the servants seems to indicate tha?
Henck`,`he"dbesmzjt kndw. For $atil screens his motives it does not occur. to him that they &mp!y obey .orders.
`by pious tind swee,t-t-so&+-@ offers. end David, being These are his words td"them, `.`Se&meth .it to you a light
btit a man, ddes not kno-%`sau!`s  heart. It (cannot  be thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a
but that he is in a quandary-this is-&o evident from poor man' and lightly esteemed?" If the theme of his
the seqdence-regarding  the true state of Saul's feel- form& reply was the lowliness of his status and +he
ings toward him. Twice has Saul stabbed at hini with insignificance. of his family, it is now his poverty to
his javelin, as if he'had wanted to pierce him through.       which he directs attention. We may believe that now;
But David could-.fairly  say that S,aul Was n& himself too, David speaks sincerely, voices his true s&ntiments.
then.- The evil spirit from God had again seized upon For the-love that' Michal be&s him-is mutual. But he
his  ~0~1.    Not knowing Saul's  hea&, David cannot cannot well afford to~marry her. She is the daught&
tell *whether,  Saul had actually meant to db him injury. of a king. The marriage would call for a dowry, a gift
 He still has reasons to doubt this; Evkrybody  knows         of. property. to- the bride, `f&r above his means:. Do
that there ti& a time when iSaul was fond of David. not these servants understand b Their importunity
And no one has yet heard Saul say that*his.`feelhigs          p&zles him. Does it also op"en his eyes to their-hype-
toward  David  haGe  clianged. David slays the giant c&y and td the .diabolical dupiicity  of the master who
and Saul takes him`intd his service permanently and sent them? This cannot be- expected. Thouih David
 even  raises  bin-i to  the rank of officer in his  army.    has come to pe&ive that- Saul is not`to be` tr&&d;
And though-hk tricked David regarding Merab, he still though ihe eag&ness  of the servants may `strike hini
 insists that Dayid be his son-in-law. Sd `what is David. as strange, he does nbt apprehend what really goes on
to  `thillk of Saul? Though Savid has reasons to dis-. ai; the moment. Such `apprehension calls for' ati all-,
 trtist Saul thoroughly, the etiid@nce  that Saul is deter- seeing' eye,  fti$  ati  eye that can pierce "even to the
 mined to.kill him or to have him kill&d is stiil to& in-     dividing asunder of s&l and spirit, `and of the joints
 sufficient.C,  Accordingly, David  has nqt yet brought and marrow, and is a .discerner of .the thoughts and'
himself to believe this, as is plain from the narrative.: intents of the heart.". Such an `eye- belongs only to
    How David replies, when Saul- says' that hk wants G o d .
 him to marry his daughter, is not stated: But the na&             The messengers tell David that all the serQants :of
 ra.tive  makes it  r&her clear  that-David, mindful of :Saul love him. There is truth in what they say; `The
how Saul tricked him regarding Merab, `refuses to give text at 23 :15 reveals that David was accepted in the
,Sa.ul his promise to marry  Mich,al. This is little to sight of-all the people, and also in the sight of all Saul's
 Saul's liking. He tries hard to get David to promise servants. David may still be accepted in the'eyes. of
that he will be his son-in-law. For David must perish these very messengers. In telling him that they love
fighting Philistines for iSaul in the confidknce  that he him `they `may be speaking. the truth. They may be
is `going to m&+x Michal. Saul therefore. commands            imagining, too, that Saul actually delights. in David.
his servants. He  &ders.  them to  com~unic&e  with For no more `than' David do they know Saul's heart.
 David in secret. They must. say-to him, "Behold, the But th&ir lbve of `David is riot the love that men, who -
 l&g hath delight in the&, and &I1 his : servant's love ajre one by & common faith in Christ, bear `one another.
tllee ; now therefore be the king's son-in-law." ; It - is It is a kind df love-that at bbttorn. is cruelty. For`these
 not stated-that Saul reveals his motives to his servants, messengers, afid perhaps the majority of Saul's .serl-
tells them his scheme. There is reason why Saul should vant.s; stand ready to do the king'sm bidding even when
refrain from this. Why shouldihe  needlessly disgrace he c8mmands them to bring. David'to him in his bed,
 himself in the eyes of his. servgnts, which he would that he ?nay be slain (19 :15). They 10% David, .but
 cWshoul&`he  l&y bare his heart to them.      For it is a they love themselves more; and tlierefdr&  ,they Will db
 ' fart that seems to have become the center of all hell's whatever the king cdmmtinds  "them. That God must
 blackness. The servants must not tell David that Saul bz obeyed more than man is tiot in all their thoughtSL
 SF-? the& and instructed them what to say. Naturally -4.11 thai has weight with them is the favor,of the king..:
 %%~l.~want~ David to believe that the servants come of That favor must be retained: at. all `costs; even at the


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                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   -.B E A R E R                                           157

       cost  .of justice. And David is a just man. Saul de- over  ;Saul.            Once more the Lord brings his wicked
       clares him just; first by his failure to name his `crime counsel to nought by preserving David in his battle
       and `later by word of mouth in the hearing of  the. with the Philistilles. Saul is crestfallen and furious.
       whoie nation (24 : 16-22). Every one in Israel th&e- David-has  -returned  with twice the  nbmber  of fore-,
       fore should. follow the example of . Jonathan. He re- skiris that. Saul had required. It is perhaps his way
       fuses to-obey the king's command  that David be' killed.. of expressing his disgust to Saul with the manner of              .
       He goes over to David's side and delivers David from -treatment afforded him by the-king. Saul can` hold
       Saul's wrath at every opportunity. But he organizes out on David no longer. -He must allow the marriage'
,_ no ?ebellion against Saul.                                     to-take place to save his face. Sq the two are married,
          That David has established his rght to  eitlner of David and Michal. "And Michal, Saul's daughter, ,
       Saul's daughters by his slaying of the giant, is a thing !oves him" (18  :28). But they are not long together,
       that lie chooses to disregard. Perhaps at no time for when Saul takes Michal and gives her to another,
       some reason or other~has he considered assertjn:g this to one Phaltiel the son of  Laidh (II Sam. 3  :21). It
       right. Some interpreters supposa that Saul's Drimis- again shows that Saul had not intended that Miehal
       ing to give his daughter in marriage to the slayer of should marry David.  H-is hatred  ~of David was too
       the giant was a rumor that originated with the people. deadly for him to really want David to be his son-in-
       But this is not. likely.                                        law. ,A_11 that he wanted is David's destruction. And
          The servants tell Saul what is standing in David's           his whole scheme was to put David under the obligation
       way of marrying Michal. It is his poverty. _ Said has of fighting for him .th&  yhiiistines by betrothing. to
       considered that. , `"Go tell thg son of Jesse," sa,ys he Xim first Merab and then Michal  ;  ;it.rid putting him'
       to his servants, "that the king desires no.dowry." This under this obligation in the hope that in one or the
       is generous of Saul. But he has fiat finished. "The king other of his battles.with the Philistines he might be
       desireth not any dowry ; but a hundred foreskins of killdd. kll that- :Saul does and says in connection `with
       the Phili&nes,  to be avenged on the king's enemies." this matter brings clearly out that he had ao'intenti%n
       What Saul requests is not unfair to David. He really oi` marrying off either of these daughters to David.
       is making it easy for the poor man .  fo marry his                 {`And Saul saw and  kn&  that,the  Lord  &th with
       daughter. As an officer in the king's army -it is his David. . .  ." (18  :28). The  evdence is there before
       calling to wage  w.& against  the Philistines. As fol- his very eyes. And it continues to'-accumulate. And
       lowing his line of duty he will have sooner or later the Lord lays the speech thereof-the Lord's speech or `.
       the required number of foreskins.  .Yet,  as coming T?Tord-on  his heart, so that he sees tit only but knows,
       from  ?aul, the request is deeply sinful. The motive is convinced in his  hart. But he  _cloes  not  repent.
       and purpose are to destroy this man. "But Saul thought For the Lord is against him to destroy him. Thus,
       to make David fall by the hands of the Philistines." holdi-ng under the truth in unrighteousness, he persists
       But David does not know Saul's heart. Thus "when in hardening his heart as  sovereiglily   harclened  by
  his serirants told .David these words, it -pleased' him God. In the words of the  sacreci writer, "And  Saul  -
       well to/ be the king's son-in-law."                             was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul  becam;
           That Saul is lnotivated by wickedness is now ap- David's enemy continually."
       parent. Without a moments delay he  should make                    The. two hundred .Philistines. that David slew for
       arrangements. for the  consumation  of the  bethroth-           their foreskins must -have forined an enemy garrisdn
       al in `marriage. But he holds back. And with rea- somewhere in Judah not mentioned in i&e sacred na,rra- 1
       son. As a man just married David will not have to tiye.` Hearing the disaster by which it hacl been over-
       go to &ar for a whole year. So Israel's law decrees. take?, the Philistiqes  swear vengeance and mobilize
       l&t Siul does not want David 60 l"est  from war. His fvr war, and errlong their armies as headed by the
       sole purpose is to get him to fighting Philistines in iirinces of the land are encamped. on the soil of Judah,.
       order that he may be killed. Accordingly, he does nbt poised for battle. This must be the import of the
  keep him to his word. He insists that David go forth statement contained in 13 :30, "And the princes of the
  and. kill Philistines and get him the required  nmnber Pbilistines   ,wefit  fbrth. . .  ." That the Philistines
       of fore&ins. And not until David has returned with right at this time do set on foot a -miltary movement
       the full -count will Saul allow the maTriage t'o take against Israel, is revealecl by the text at verse 8 of --
       place. David does so. "And the days, were not ftil- , chapter 19. Here the statement occurs, "Ancl there
       filled-the days of the year of the  ex'emption  for was war again," war, so this verse tells us, between
       David-And David arose  `,and went-so reads the ' Israel and the Philistines. It is `in the  ,behaViour of
       Hebrew text-he and his men, and slew of the Philis-             David during this war, more than in the war as such,
       tines two hundred meti. IAnd David brings their fore- that. the narrator is interested. df David's behaviour
       skins : and they bring them in full count to the king,          in this new crisis, brought on, it seems, by his slaying
       that David  ,might be his  sqn-in-law."  Th,e son of of the two hundred Philistines, it i's stated, "And it
       Jesse, unbeknown to himself, has  agAin triumphed came to `pass after tkiey-the Pliilistine princes with


     1 5 8                           T H E              .STANDARD  BEAR.ER                        :

their armies-went forth, that David behaved himself had its beginning in Italy shortly after the cap&e of
mdr&wisely than all the servants of Saul ; so that his Constantinople by the Turks' in 1453. The fall of this
name was precious" (18 :30). - As in the. former crisis,     city caused a great migration of Greek scholars intb
so now; he speaks to the terrified peop!e the laiigtiage It&ly:  These fugitives brought with them the pagan
of faith, it must be, exhorting  them to fear not but culture of the East and disseminated it among the
to trust the Lord to save them. It is also a good con- .Italian .secular and spiritual princes .a& the wealthy
j.ecturc  that, to demonstrate his faith, he raids the       classes. From Italy the new learning spread to the
Philistine encampment, and that,. as ,working for him, utmbst bounds of. Europe and eventually to the New
the Lord lays his terror on the hearts of these heathen. World (the United States of America). `Our civiliza-
This would go. a long ways to explain the statement tion is the Christianized paganism of the Graeco-Roman
that David's name is precious: At the same time,' the world. Thus in its broadest sense, it was the working
name of Sati1 is scarcely being mentioned. And with of thaf natural energy that  brought -into being  ou,r.
reason. The contrast between David's faith in. its mod&n civilization with its new.and  pagan conception
heroic working and the- inertia of Saul's unbelief is of religion and science atid with its`inanifold inventions
glaring and always -more glaring. It- is to Da;id that and discoveries.
the nation looks iri its crises, not to Saul. Verlly,`the       As was  said,. of this movement the Reforniation
Lo1m.d is `taking the kingdom from Saul and, is giving was neither a phase nor a product. The two move-
it to that "neighbor" who is better than he. Saul sees .menti differed in principle and in aim. The sub-
and knows but he persists in fighting God. His hea& jective  pfinciple of the Reformation' was  the life of
is hard and always harder. It is a hardenilig  process regeneration, the  ?aith  `and love of God's believing
by which-Sa$ is being visited characterized by clearly people. YIts objective principle was the Scriptures.
discernible stages. The first stage in the proc,ess  -was And its aim was, the emancipation' of the scriptures
reached when  ;Saul began- to  eye David.          I\Text. he from the reign of tradition and dogma &d the sub-,
stabbed &t David with his javelin. David had to leap jectioh of human reason to the reign of the Scriptures.
in order to avoid being  pi&reed  through. Advancing` The Reformation- ldved the Bible.  !!?o  then Bible it
in sin, Saul schemes to slay David by the sword of'the we& back in its original languages. The Renaissance,
Philistines. David was not slain. He !ived as kept by on ,the other hand, `went back to the- ancient classics
the  ,Lorc&     Then the princes- of the Philistines go and revived the spirit .of Greekrand  Roman paganism.
-f&h, and David behaves himself wisely and his name Its- objective principle was these classics, the pagan
is much set by. `Unutterably grieved,  Saul now makes learning and wisdom contained therein and in which
an&tJer adva.nce in. sin. He calls on Jonathan- ana on it gloried. Its subjecti+ principle,was  unbelief, hatred
all his servants to cooperate with him in putting D&id       of God and His word, and positively, the l&e of .the
&t of the- way. "And Saul spake to Jonathan his son world and the things' thereof-the lusts of the flesh,
and to, all his serva&s, that they should.`kill David" the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. `True, in
19 :l) .                                                     Germany the- Renaissance, too, inveiged against popes
                                             G. M. 0.        .and councils as the ultimate authority in matters -of
                                                             faith. But it. w.as moved bi hatred' of. all authority,
                                                   ^
                         ---                                 whether expressed in the degrees of co'uncils, iri the
                                                             pronounCements  of the popes, or in the doctrines  of-
                                                             the Scriptures. T&s  its aim was to  emancipatk the
I
              THROUGH  THE AGES                              n&d of mati from the reign not merely of tradition
                                                             and the dogma of the church but of the Scriptures as
                                                             well, If the priests had subordinated the Bible to
                                                             tradit-ion and the dogma of the church, the Renais-
               ~Renaissance   P o p e s .                    sance submitted it to individual and private judgment.
                                                             Humanism (Renaissance) therefore was  sceptical,
       The last series of artiiles appearing in this maga- rationalistic.
zine~under the abosre  caption iYere on the papacy. This        As was said, the ten pontiffs who occupied the
article is a- continuation of that series.       We were papal throne during the. years 1431-1517 gladly re-
occupied with the Renaissance Popes, 1431-1521.. Be- ceived the new learning and were deeply influenced by..
fore we proceed it is well to get our bearings.              it. All were `tiorldly  men who gave little thought to the -.-
       There were in all eight renaissance popes. ISince spirittial interests of Qie Christian church. They were .
they were renaissance popes it is necessary that we patrqns  of- letters, artists, and great builders who
be clear on that movement l&own in history as the adorned Rome &nd filled it with treasfires of art, and
Renaissance. As was said, the Renaissaficezthe  word whose- principals ambition was to increase the estates
means new bir$hAwas  a revival of the pagan leayti- of the church and to maintain themselves' as. indepen-
in& ,wisdoni and art -of the Graeco-Roman tiorld. It dent rulers in t!eir estates over against the lay ponten-


                                                      ,                                            . .


                     -            T H E   \  S T A N D A R D   B'EARER                                            159     _

tates of Italy, who, too, were always striving to. ex-        in 1468, Frederick iii visited Ilqme. in the basilica
tend their possessions. And they had a big heart, did 0-f St. Peter's holy communion was served. .Fr?d@rick
these popes, `for their owri nephews apd other rela- t was seated at the pope's feet.
tives; i&l bestbwed upon them great favors iti:%otal        - I%& seems to have despised learning in the Roman
disregard of their. intellectual. and moyal disqualifica- schools, But he took a great deal of pleasure in col-
tions and age. The Vatican-in this period was always lecting  ,precious  stones, coins, vases  and other curios.
crowded with .office-seeking kin of the popes. tAnd in his pal&e were found "after his decease, 54 chests
some of these popes could cdunt among those seeking of silver filled with pearls that he had collected. But _
emoluments of -office their own illegitimate children. this was not his only diversion.  `Gregarqvius stat&
They acknowledged them ,without  shame and could that he filled his house with concubines. Rome had its .
easily  mapry them off  to the'sons and daughters of carnival  week.  Paul  Pelighted in its gayeties. From
the  `most aristocratic families in Italy. Banqueting St. Mark'$ he watched the crowd make merry. Much
and indecent entertainment was the order pf th'e day to the del.ight'of the merry-makers he provided a feast
in their palaces, and among their invited guests were in  the public: square and threw down among the people
even women of ill-repute.  -Thi!  pop&s of  this period handfuls of coins. He was extravagant in his dress ;
were great spenders.. For the cost of maintenance of and his custom was to- paint. his face, when he ap-
their, household  Gas enormous. When their. resohrces       peared in public: He .was immoderate in the use of
were exhausted, they would `borrow from  ba,nking food.  .He  is, said to have died as a result of  gorgin$
houses with the things of the Vatican put in paw?.          himself with two large melons. Though his eyes stood
   in fihe; the gayeties,' scandals and crimes of the auk with fatness, and though he possessed more than
Renaissance popes make this period one of the mos't heart- could wish, he was a bored man. Asked why he
depraved in the history of the popes, So we wrote. was not contended, he repli&d  that a little wormwood.
The lives of three _of the renaissance popes has already can pollute a whole hive of  honey.~ He attended to
been reviewed. -We therefore pass on to Paul Ii, the official  busin@s only under compulsion.. He did his .
dates of whose pontificate'are 1464-1471.  His real sleeping,.in  the daytime and worked nights. ~-His le-
name. was Pietrd Barbo. . His home city was Venice, gates had to wait sometimes even till three in the morn- .
where  he was born in 1418. As a young `man, he ing before they could get a hearing.
started iti life as a merchantman ; but soon thereifter,
acting. upon the advice. of his eldest brother, he gave
Ups his business' and devoted himself to, the chu.rch.
His prospect of rapid promotion was. excellent, as his                   SiXTUS:!:ZV.   (14'71-1484)
uncle wtis `pope Eugenius IV. The pope. successively
appointed him arch-deacon of Bolongue, bishop of              `The real name of this pope*tias`Francesco Rovers.
Gervia, bishop of Venice, papal pronotary and cardinal .Being the son of a fisherman, he- w& born in lowest
Then followed his election to the, papal chair. `The obscurity near Savona, 1414. He studied theology at
cardinals that chose him had agreed ambngst them- Pedua. <Obtaining his doctor's degree, he spent several
.selves to demand that the new pope prosecute the years in teaching; when he was appointed cardinal by
crusade against the Turks, call a general assembly Paul ii. As, pope,  %&us'- chief concern  viras his 16
within three years, limit the' number of cardinals to nephews and grand-nephews. All  that was in his  -
24, appoint. to that body not more than one of his power to do, he did, to establish them in positions of
relatives, and none who had.not attained the age of 30; opulence and honor. Five of them he appointed car-
But Paul, as pope, refused to be dictated to, on thi!       dinals, two of them prefects of Rome. His favorite
ground of the theory that no one had the right to com- nephew was Julian Rqvere, later elected pope. under
mand th& pope, he being the supreme judicial power of the name Julian Ii. He loaded this relative, a man
Christendom.    Accordingly, he called no council; ap- of rare ability, with benefices. He was,  ar'ch-bishop
pointed three, of his nephews cardinals ,and ignored of Avignon and then of Bologue, bishop. of Lausanne,
the Turks.                                                  Constance,. Viviers, ,istia and Lelletri, and besides the
   Paul was an energetic Pope. He brouiht the whole head of `several abbeys.. Another nephew, Riario, Titus
of life of Rome under his actual jurisdiction, even put: similarly favored. His income amounted to 2,500,OOO
ting ceilings on the prices to be paid for clothing, francs. He had several mistresses, all elegantly dress-
banquets at weddings and funerals, and dowries.             ed. The slippers worn by one of them were embroid-
   King Podiebrad of  Bohemi:a  .offered to crusade ered with pearls.
against the Turks on the condition that Paul recognize         Sixtus was a bloody pope. He fanned the feud be-
him as Byzantine emperor. The pope not only rejected tween rival families in Rome ; and nearly succeeded in :
the offer, but deposed -the king and ordered Mathias blotting out the name of one of them by assassinations
of- Hungary to rule in his stead. `This doing T&as in' and judicial murder.                               .  -
strict accoidance with the theory of papal. supremacy.         Hissixteen nephews, several of w-born  were worth-


                           .


,160                                  THti  -STANDAR.D   B E A R E R   - -

 less men,~ caused Sixtus no end of trouble as disturbers          Dat ik liier op mij schrijfmachine tik, en dan we1
 of the peace of Italy.                                        over  dtize  materie, is gevolg van dat  komen des
    Sixtus also gave some attention-to the dqctrine of HEEREN~   om Sion genadig te zijn.  Dat gij en Uw
 the church. He issued ttio bulls bearing on &-doe- kindereh. psalmen zingen komt ,van de vervulling qan
 trine  of- the immaculate conception. in all ma!ters  of d i t   g e b e d .
 ritual and outward religion, tione was more punctilious           Onze voorvaderen zijn verloren gegaan. Zij wan-
 than he, despite th; fact that the diarist of Rome, in- delden in de duisternissen van hun dwaalziek en ver-
 festiura, calls the days of his death the day on which        dorven. hart; en, zonder hoop en  zoncler God in de
 God liberated Christendom from the hand of .an im-. wereld zijnde, hebben zij de mate hunner ongerechtig-
_ `pious and iniquitous ruler, who had before him no fear heid volgemaakt, en  vielen in de  handen van den
 of God nor love of the Christian world nor any charity levendigen God.
 whatsoever,/ but. was actuated by avarice, the love of            Maar over ons, over hetlate nageslacht dier benden
 vain show and pomp, most. cyuel, and -given tp sodomy.        in Noord{Europa,  is de'zonne der gerechtiiheid opge- i
                                               G. M. 0.        gaan. .De zendelingen kwamen, sommigen  hunner zijn
                                                               gemarteld en stierven. Anderen leefden  en verkondig-
                                                               den het Evangelie. En de latere voorouders hebben
                                                               geloofd.
                                                                   En zoo zijn we- geboren en getogen in het volle
    -  -.  S I O N 'S   -Z.ANGEN                               licht.Straks kwam de HEERE .en &as ons genadig. Hij
                                                               sprak Zijn Eigen Woord in ons diepe hart en weder-
                                                               baarde ons.         D,e  Heilige  `Geest  van  Jezus  Christus
         Het, `Gebed Eens Verdrukten
                .                                              stortte in ons diepe hart de genade`vari  het Verbonds-
                 . (Psalm 102; Vierde Deel)      _             leven, en weldra &ad dat getien naar buiten in de be-
                                                               `keering en geloof.
    De zanger had den Heere gebeden uit groote ver-              Zelfs Koningen  hebben gelddfd en gez&gen van die
 drukking.     Hij had bewezen; dat het  yolk al zijn genade over heidenefi. ik heb plaatjei gezien van een
 sterkte verwacht van den Heere. in tijden van  el-            Gustaaf Adolf die knielde op het slagveld. En Prins
 lende gaat dat volk naar Hem 5% Die all3 kracht heeft.        Willem-v&n  `Oranje stierf met den Naam op. zijn lip-
 `k Ben gewoon in bange dage?.  . . .!                         pen. .- 0 ja, `de Koningen geloofden en zijn zalig ge-
    in die  bede~.  om hulp  eiz  h&l  had  -d$  zatiger  den worden.
 Heere gevraagd om Zieh over Sion te- pntf ei+men, want,           Alle de Koningen der aarde?                      . .
 zoo zei hij, de tijd om het genadig te zijn, de bestemde          Zullen alle heiden& den naam des-HEEREN vree-
 t.ijd is gekomen.                                                 .?
                                                               Zen.,
  Alles. wat er  geschiedt  op aarde heeft  zi& tijd.              Daar moet- ik tweegrlei  van zeggen.
 Doch er zijn bijzondere dingen die te gebeuren staan.             Eerst, alle heidenen en alle Koningen, zonder onder-
En  die bijzondere  dingen met  .hun  bestemden tijd scheid,. zul!en d.e knie btiigefi voor God. Daar zai Hij
 vrageil om de bijzondere aapdacht des Allerhloogsten.         koor zorgen. Alle mond zal Hem 66k belijden. Som-
    De allerbijzonderste  gebeurtenis is de geboorte, het migen, de meesten van hen, zullen het doen met -de.
 lijden en sterven van Jezus, met Zijn herrijzenis. Dat smart des ,eeuwigen doods ,die hen doet krommen .in
is de  centrale gebeurtenis aller  eeuwen.  Alles stuwt de.  faltering van zelfverwijt en vertwijfeling.
 naar dien Jezus heen, en alles. ontwikkelt zieh vtinuit         Tweedens, ik ben overtuigd, dat het hier gaat
 den hof van. Jozef.                                           over alle koliingen en alle heidenen die opgeschreven
    En om die centrale gebeurtenis .had de.zanger ge-          staan in het Boek dat des Levens is, en dat is J&zus.
 beden.                                                        Teti slbtte is het zoo, `dat de uitverkoienen .de wereld
    Geschiedt dat hoogekrlijke feit, dan "zullen de hei- van Gods geneugten  -uitmaken.  Zij zijn  bet -m&s&-
 denen den naam.des  HEEREN vreezen, en alle Konin-            dom,  d&  tie&&:  Bebt  ge' er  we1 eens op  gelet,  dat
 gen' Uwe heerlijkheid."                                       den naam van-`de' v&loren& `uitgedelgd w&den zal?
    De naam des HEEREN en Zijne heeilijkheid komen Vree$elijke' g&&chtti !
 hier voor in den vorm van de parallel. Zij zien op het-                Dit &+s- zal. &es&eden "als de HEERE Sion  zai
 zelfde. Het gaat in beide om het groote Wezen, dat tot opgebouwd hebben;  in Zijn heerlijkheid zal verschenen
 ons  tu'eedt in Zijn  "naam'9 en  oris toeschittert in  dc      .,,
                                                               zijn.
 "heerlijkheid" Zijner deugden.                                         Eerder zageti we, dat Siofi de aanraking in ondoor-
        En de heidenen zulleri dien Naam vreezen, en de grondelijke liefdgis Tian den hemel en de aarde. Waar
 Koningen Zijn heerlijkheid.                                   -die aznraking geschiedt, daar vloeit het bloed tian~het
    Wit hie?. zin.gend gebeden wordt is gescliied.             onstraffelijke Lam Gods. Waar God de aarde  kust,.


                                            TH'E.  ST:AAN_DARD..   BEAeR%X`-  -                                                                         161
             _- _-_- ._ -_ . -
  daar hoort. ge `bet kermen vafi Jezus Die vi&it de he1                                    Gods Gee&  vervulde hem : hij is een Bijbelschrij-
  schreeuwt tot God : Waarom ! o Waarcim?!                     ,                        ver.     *l.'     `.                                            `..
      En het  anttidord` is,  dai  "de'goe&&ierenheicl   en                                 Alle  -dingen, ook  de  kwade  dingen,  virerkteti'  heni.
  de wa&rhei@  zullen elkander ohtmotiten,  de gerechtig-  -- ten goede-want  hij- had~ God lief.
  heid en de yrede zullen elkander kussen".                                              Ge  Feet het  allen, zijn lijden  wa&an  hij klaagt
      Dat .is :Sion. God en mensch vereenigd :, de on?oge- in  dezen psalm  was,  slechts  betrekkelijk.                                                     :
  li&heden zijn mogelijk'gewo?den'in en' door ~dde "jer-                                    Zoo zult ge he& met mij eens zijn; als ik zeg, dat
  borgenheid. der godzaligheid" : God geqp&ibaard  in bet, dit ziet .qop Jezus.                                                                                .
  vleexh. Straks zullen ,de kinderen  ov'eral ervap zin-                                  Hij was waarlijk van alles  qntbloot.                         _
  gen.  Hkbben  ervan  gezongen  bij den tijd, dat ge  dit:
                             1                                                              Hij kon door den mond van Jeremia'klagend vra-
  lee+.                                                 0 .                             gen: is er -eene.smart  gelijk mijne smart?               -.
      Ali de H$I$E &Zijn heerlijl&eid perscheqen  ial                                       Met lichaam en ziel moest Hij -den eeuwigen dood
  zijn,.                                                            .'                  in. En ik weet het, alhoewel ik bet nooit +eb ervaren,
      Wie, denkt hier...niet aan. dat `plotselinge l&t het-. ik weet, dat in den eeuwigen dood er geen besbhutting
 . welk .-den. herders -oqscheen?  : Vreest niet, want, ziet,. meek is. Daar is alles ons tvgen.
  ik verkondig U groote blijdschap !               C                                        Ep dafi is er een mysterie:           .-
   E$  dit alles is geschied vanwege het feit dat de'                                       Hoe, namelijk, God Herb bleef liefhebben,  en tech-
  HEERE "Zich gewerid  -!a1 hebben tot het -gebed de&                                   de vreeselijke Godsverlating deed ervaren. ik kan er
  genen die.gansch  ontbloot is, en ni&`irersmaad  zal heb-`. niet  ljij!  0
  ben hunlieder `gebed."               - .                          -                       Maar Hij is I% g&s& ontblqote.
      Wie is die man die gansch ongbloot  is?                                     `-        Denkt  eraan.,  Denkt er telkens  ,aan.  Ge zult er
     Wie zijn de me&hen (in het meervoud)  die baden                                    aan herinnerd  w&den. tot in alle  ,eeuwigheid.  Het
  t o t   G o d ?                      :                s,
                     .-                                                                 groote en oreeselijke van  Jezus'--1ijdeti   .is  bet juist,
      Dat' is eerst geweest de zanger van; dit.lied,  de ve+ he&elk U zegt hoe onbegrijpelijk lief de liefde God is.
  drukte.        ' .                                                                        Er blijft voorts  n!ets over dan  fe aanbidden, te
   Die velen  zijn` het volk geweest die  eensge&stes aanbiddeq.                                                                                               .-
  waren met hem: de kinderen Gods die- in alle eeuwen '                                     ."Dat zal beschreven, worden  boor het navolgende
  tot God gerdepen -hebbeu. uit hunl:eder  verdrukkin:g.  " geslacht; en het volk  d&t  gestihapen   .zal  word& zal
      Maar het  iB  vervuld   toen  $I+  Zichzelf  verhoorde                            den HEERE loven!"             .`..  `_
  op het  roepen  van  .`den  Zoijn'.  Gaat  inaqr `naar  He-'                              Weet ge waaraan ik iacht bij het bestudeeren van
  bregrs.5 :7. Daar .staat, dat Hij v&rhoord  is geweestI                               qeze  w o o r d e n ?   -
  Ne$;; ik versta  liier niet alle .dingen.   M&ar .ik  weet,-                           " Dit : wonder, .of die  man het  toen wist,  d$t een
-dat het  roepen  om genade van  J&zus  bestemd was om kleine  dertig' eeuwen  la&F een eenvoudige  iominee.,
  het yolk aan wiens spitse Hij stond te zaligen, te zali-`. lover zijn woorden ZQU peinzen, ~&n stamelende  spreken;
  germ.  En'.waar Hij de  Gezondepe  des Vaders  iS (en aarzelend  s c h r i j v e n   ?                                                                             !
  dan neem ik Vader -bier te zijn  den DrieEenige) die _                                    Want die man  tierd onfkilbaar geleid  do& den
 Hem Fond om het volk thuis te halen, mag ik zeggen,                                    Ileilige Geest,-  om te .onderzoeken naar de tijd& van
  dat God Zichzelf verhoorde.  Toen Hij Jezus eindelijk                                 ,Jezfis' li j den en de heerli j kheid daarnavolgende.
  uit den vreeie verloste, kwam het volk inede. Roemt                                       Maar wij strompelen  ons paadje af, we vallen. eti
.nu met nienw lofgezangen de nietiwe  blijken van IZijn xtaan  o p .                                                                        .  :-
  gunst ! Hier weiden onze zielen met verwonderendes
                            ._                                                              Maar de schrijvers des Bijbels konden zeggen: "en
  oogen !                                                                               ik meen  ook den Ge@st Gods te hebben!!!  (Paulus)
      En die Man was gansch ontbloot.                                                       Maar het  ,is  .geschied  : de  woorden   .Gods zijn  ge-
      Zoudt gij mij &!n, ilechts  &n,mensch k&nen aan- schreven !
  wijzen van wien gezegd mag, dat hij gunstih oritbldot                                   --"Dat zal  bkschreien woorden!" Wat? Dat God
  was ?                                                                                 Zich gewend heeft-tot  Hem;die  gansch on$bloot  was.
      HIoudt &a&r op. van zoeken: hij is er niet.                                           Wilt ge er`een ander woord voor? Een dogmatisch  '
      Straks zult ge er millioenen aan kunnen wijzen, woord,  dat letterlijk  door de' dogmatici uit den Bijbel
  .als zij met lichaam en ziel tezamen wegvaren naar de gehaald is ? Iflet is .dit : de ppstanding  vah Jezus.
  plaats  die: voor  den duivel en zijn engelen  bereid is:                                .,O ja,  toen  3ezps^in   groote smarten stierf en Zijn
  Daar zullen ze dan voorts -(er zitten eeuwigheden. in-: &ffelijk  overschot  verborgen werd in Jozef's  hgf,
  dit vreeselijke  woord) gansch--ontbloot zijti;                                       toen heeft God Zich t&.Hem gewend, en Hij heeft Heni
      Maar de zanger ?            s                                                     toegeroepen : Kom hooger op, Mijn geliefde Zoon !
      God had hem lief.                      -~                                             En to&n is Jequs ontwaakt!
      Zijn hart was rein.                                                 .' .              Zeker,` ik .weet,  wel, dat Paulys zich vooinam om


 162 _                                T H E   - S T A N D A R D   BE,ARE,R .

niets te weten dan Jezus Christus en Hem gekruist,
doch vergeet niet, dat hij dien  Gekr&,e  predikte                                 .-I--N         -HIS  F-EAR
als Degene die opgestaan was uit de dooden..;  :Het is
juist Paulus die het onyergeteiijk - hoofdstuk  -s&reef
van I Cor.  15:  -.                                                    PIS. .          ,.        l-
       En zoo is de .Bijbel  er., gekomen.  Op Goddelijk
bevel.                                               _ -                   In -an article which I wrote, (page `66, Standard
       En de Bijbel werd  bewatird.   Overgeschreven.  En Bearer) I mentioned Jacob waiting fourteen  yi?ars
                                                          . .
later gedrukt bij de billioenen.                                       for. Rachel (page 67) . At  the  ConfeTence  a brother
       En menschen wqrden geschapen (ik denk dat de remi~nded me that Scripture .states Jacob took Rachel
Heilige .Geest hier herscheppen bedoeld, zooals in II to wife' before the last  period  of seven years. labor
 Cor. 5 :1'7) die' dien Bijbel iri zich opnemen,  door den began,  hen&$ waiting but seven yeajrs for her. Some
Heiligen Geest, oni te `loven, te loven !                               tiuie lat&.%nother  brother writes to this, column about
       De  zanger  .gaat voort: "omdat Hij. uit de hoogte               it, and .he too reminds .me of this fact. By the way;
Zijns l$iligdoms zal hebben nederwaarts gezien, dat I attempted  to correspond with this last named brother,
de Heere uit den hemel  op de garde.  geschouwd  &l writing to  .him at the address given on  ,his. letter,  '
hebben, om'het zuchten der gevangenen te hoorejn,:om but I got the letter back, saying there w&s' no such
ids te mslken de kinderen des doods."               ..                  address.  Gence; let  mk ass&e the brother  that I re-
                                                                        ceived his, letter and that his contetition` is correct.
       Hier  hebt  g& het telkens  wederkeerendi   winder My mistake.  Jacob.  Waite! seven years for Rachel, ,
weer. God ziet naar de  menschen   om.  @                        `-     not fourteen, that is, he took her to wife before the
     Laat ons het apart  neerschrijven:                                 seveh years of. labor -for her began.. - I tias surprised
     " God ziet om paar de m&schen op aarde.                            to learn this. Perhaps .you too wi!l be' surprised. Ima-
       D?t, is `een wonder.                                             gine that! having learned it that way once  upoti a
       Want wij zijn  kinderen des toorns. Leest den .time  (.I believe it was in  catedhism),   having  sttidied
tekst :  kinderen des doods.  D,at. is onze  na,ati. Die this event a&-its surroundings, having preached about
riaam hebben we duizendmaal verdiend. Het onkreuk-                      it, .taught it in school and catechism, wrote Sunday
bare recht (en dat is God Zelf) .eischt dat de ziel die Schoq;l~   l+sp$s concerning it. . . . . and still always
zondigt. zal sterven. Dat zei God in het Paradijs, en havilig. read the  text wrong.  Perha@ you have had
dat gebeurde naardat de mensch in arren moede  het like experiences with these things. `Our "I'm sure I
bestaan durfde om Zijn God'& het aangezidht te slaan. know", sometimes wanes into a "I thought I knew",
                                                                        and, ey$,en some@nes .dissolves  into a "I don't know".
       Toen  kwam de mensch in de  gevangenis.   Eh  -bet
einde van die `gevangenis is de put die brandt van vuur                    If "r do tio~~di&ntinu&  this shortly, you mi&ht think
en sulftir.                                                             that I.was just writing this to fill up my column. That
                                                                       `is not the case.
-      En daar te blijven tot in alle eeuwigheid is recht,
Goddelijk, heerlijk,  aantrekkelijk,   schoon  en  lieflijk                I choose for my subject this. time:                   j
recht.      :          ._
       Hbe' kan God `dan luisteren naar dat zuchten .der                                    G r o w t h   I n   P r a y e r .
gevangenen? Ho; kan God in .liefae neerblikken op de                       When discussing the.sulbject of prayer with one.of
aarde?                                                                  the saints; .he said to me : "I find this a great danger
       Het antwoord is gemakkelijk. We spraken er. al in our praying, that-we repeat our prayers,. until at
over. We  zullen  er. van spreken totdat  `geen  maan length we' can utter them. from memory".                                             -' 2
meer schijnt. En dan  zullen we er van  gaa!n  zingen                      I-Iave you ever accused yourself of not having your
toi:  i n   eeuwigheid.. .                                              thsughts  with. your prayers? :.That is, have you' ever
     Hier is het  antwoord: God ziet naar U om, God experienced that .while were: ti?e. praying .yqu..were:
blikt ob de aarde ter neder.met liefde en lankmoedig-                   actually thinking about something else?                       In  bther
heid en groote goedertierenheid, `vanwege he$ zuchten words, your. thoughts were not with your praying.
van Jezus. Jezus is naar onze gevangenis gegaan. En                        There then you have two things related to' our
in die gevangenis heeft Hij gebeden. Gebeden-van den prayer life.                                                                I.  ;'
beteren.`Jona.   -Vanuit het  .iggewand  d&r aarde heeft                   And I wonder  if. there is not- a possib@:  co,&ectigri
Jezus tot God  .gebeden.-  Ge  .kunt die gebeden in de between  the& two things. Sinful as we all ar'e,` we
psalmen van David- en der anderen vinden.                              sometimes pray to ieave an impresqion.  :Sometimei
       Gebeden van Jezus!                                               we pray' to express our opinion about.-matters,-  and
     I En' onze God ontfermt Zich op Zijn gebed!                        sometimes we .pray'Xo gain a point. Theri our thbi~ghts
                                               - G.  V.                 knay be wth our prayers, indeed, btit :ndt` -w%th-: God


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                                                                  .              .

                  . .                     T H E   STAPJD`ARD.  B E A R E R   -_                                                          163
                                                                                                            :
to whom we are praying. In which case our thoughts                             Is there a danger-here?
  are at another place than  our words purportedly are. I                      This is a delicate subject,
           But &metimes  our thoughts wander here or there,                    No one dugbt $0 be discguraged  a!, the .tendency of
 ' they roam aimlessly* about, our thoughts may: ble on repetitson much less ought they. tq, use tl;zis .tendency
  our business, our undertakings, or any other thing, as an `excuse to refrain from public praying, nor from
  but all thb while we -are speaking words,  words p<r-                    frequent public praying. .
 portedly addressed to God.                                                    Let us stand fast.
           I recall the story (&s stories go) of a horse-trader,            We easily adopt prayer formulas.
  stopping  for dinner with a friend: `The host asked
  the ~guest to offer prayer. The guest consented. `After                                 Repetition With Variation.
the prayer the host remarked what a fine prayer he
  bad offered. The guest however, to his shame, had                            If we take somewhat of an inventory of the prayers
  to. admit that while he was offering: that prayer he record&l  in Scripture we find what we might call repe-                                       ,
had really  bee; selling his horses.  This  may be  :a titian with variation. If one reads the Psalms, the
  bit coarse, but who of us hasn't had to accuse himself prayers of David and others, on6 finds certain matters
  of uttering words while the thoughts were elsewhere. always repeated. There is the petition for forgiveness
  This ought not to :be, it is sinful, but si,ns are facts,                of sins, the prayer for deliverance, the plea for mercy, ~ .
  an4 painful facts sometimes.                                             -the  request for  st`rength, the doxology, etc.  Yet  dne,
  ,,.                                                        "             -liads these almost with endless variations, depending               .
    '                     Fornmla Praying.                        .:.:.    upon the condition of the soul or upon th9 attendant
                                                                           circumstances.     David' prayer in  ,Psalm,  23; for in-
         How about  &is  ripeating the same prayers  until stance,  is quite different from his `Psalm.  :51.' The
 -we Lean utter them from memory? Is there a danger                        Spirit  df Christ  which was  in them `prayed within
  here? How serious is it?                                                 thein, yet the expression thereof varied.
          We all know how the C@echism defines the.kss&ce                   Jesus gave us the perfect prayer. .It. was given at
  df true prayer, and. naturally we. mu& fina this es- the request of a disciple, who said : teach `us to pray
  sence in every prayer which we utter.  Thkrefore  we                      (cf.  L'uke  11). And our Heidelberg Catechism ex-
 ,will r,@peat our prayers as long as we live.                             plains it as the model of the prayers of all saints. It
           But they who are called upon to pray pften, especiai- was not' given merely as something which one memor-
  ly I mean in public, realize that the tendency exists izes and .th& simply repeats, but as the model after
  to become used to a certain,  :I might say, formula                                                                                     .r
                                                                           &hich'  ali  && prayers  $lould  be fashione'd'.
  prayer, and then repeat it almost invariably.                                Therefore `Ge will have repetiti&;,  but with varia-
           This can become the case with ministers who per- t i o n .                                                     -
  hsps twice or.thrice &very Sunday engage in congrega-
  tional prayers. And then all the other public prayers
  which are to be rendered, sometimes ten to fourteen                                                  D a n g e r ? .
  or even  m&e on one day. The prayers  must  always-                          Is there-danger if we get stereotyped prayers?
  bear the essence of true prayer as the Catechism de-                         I believe there. is.
  fines it, and hence there mu& -be repetition. And `it                        A person can $dopt a certain word order, certain
  is well that certain things -be always repeated. They sentences; and then repeat that prayer so often..that
  `cannot be repeated too often. Repeat-it until everyone at- long last one can give it from memory. In that
  learns to repeat it with you. But unless the. minister case there is the danger of praying almost purely from
 .watch, diligently, he will in due time be able. to pray habit.' ,And it  can  .easily be  that the soul scarcely
his. prayer without the stimula of.  santitified  think-
                                                        .                  enters into the prayer at all. I clo not say that the
 ing.                                                                      soul cannot enter into formula prayers (it can and
          . .Fath&s in the home, too, who Derhaps oifei p&ye; does if used aright) but the danger. is' present that our
  six-.o$ more times per day, at meals; are confronted prayers .b&ome words which we can utter without any
  with the -matter  of repetition. I. have heard fathers. soul effort.
  say to me that they felt themselves incapable of offer-                      Tk;e words can be uttered while the mind and our
  ing six prayeri a day without fallin&into simple rep&                    thoughts are engaged elsewhere.                          0
  t.ition. This was no excuse of. course, for if they en-                      Beside& when one grdws used to confining himself
- gage  &i-$&t prayer the  -satie problem confronts to his. adopted form, it becomes almost impossible to
  t h e m .                          -                                     eirpress himself in any other way. If he tries it he
           Teachers0  in otir Christian bchools  offer. peEhaps two stutters and stumbles and can scarcely seem to find
  gr four or more p;"ayers per day; .They, too, are liable words. Conditions and circumstances vary, but his
  to adopt stereotyped prayers  and use them almost pr?yerS   callnot vary. Thus making it impossible for
  without variation.                                                       him whb prays- to. re-act or respond -in `harmony with


             1 6 4                                                ` T H E     STAti;jAl?ti  BEAR&&
                                                                                -.  _.-..-.-  - -._. - .___..    .._.._
             tie circumstances. Life `is varied and' changeable, cir- .w&ild :haiie ctiosen .would hot have led to the. glory` of
            `.  cumstances. change constantly, our- needs  vary, we the throne of -David,. the glory of. Christ .in the deep '
             re-act differently under different  ci&.zumsttinces, the r-ay of -His suffering, His hour, at' the right hand of,
             soul tiotild .sometimes  groan in contritidn,  `&&times tl&  Father.                                          a     %
            it `Gould leap for joy, . . .  but. the soul has  fiat  tkie                          B,ut it is now .that  Christ takes matters into His
             words with tihich to express itself. Spch a situation oNn  hands,.and  that'most fundamentally.                                                -_
             can result if we do not grow in  prayel and  d&elop                                  Notice -that He. takes it for this. b&y reason'*  out
             the gift of prayer'.           -           ~              .~      ..:           of the hancls of Mary. the puts. her into her rightful
                -Finally, if we stereotype our:' prayers we shut out ~place. No, this is not the crude rebuff of a rude soti
            the possibility of growth. and development. We are who would da?e call his mother "woman". The word
             satisfied to stay `within the &am&work  of our fdrmula                          that JeBus here speaks as the :Son of .God in the flesh,
             and therefore make no progress  towai-d   prayer de- .%s He-is His anointed Servant. He is.obedient  `here to
             velopment.  This, is the more  serious`%  we  colisid.&r                        His  Messisitiic calling. He here  itands pot  as  Mriry'h.
             that prayer must b& soul-effort, Prayer,must engage &onj but,here  He stands as the First-borri  Sori of God,
             all our attetition,  all our interest,- all our effort. We who  -wjll be' L&d over all.  -He is, therefore,  .also
             are liable to lose this if we adopt-ctistom.prayers. -NaS;, Mary's Lord, as well as that of David.                               Compare
             rather, if prayer  .becomes  soul-effort, spiritual  wrest- Psalm  ~110  :l.; Matt.  22:43.  L&I in this  relationship
             Xng.. . i . if we approach that of which Scripture says as the Anointed  Son  ifi  -our  ~flesh,  *hose work- is
. .          that there are  groanings "which cannot be  titteked" wrought in flesh and blood, yet nqt along the line of
             and of  " -joy unspeakabie", then we shall wrestle also the progress of  fle'sh.  and- blood, -by the Word apd
            +d  f&d  neti- words,  m&e  .words  ;  we should exhaust Spirit, water and F&i? blood, tie here lays down the
             ,the dictionary to find, means bf `expressing ~ur&lv&. lines of thePoundation of the- Father's house. In this
             Even then we fail. But thtit eft%qt  is prayer. 1" Y:                           house He will be Lord and `all the others, .&ill ,be'breth-
                 How we ma$, develop. prayer ,grbwth? Let us leave -.. ren. But they .will not be the brethren  of &e flesh.
             t h a t   for'the  n e x t   t i m e .   -                                      Ho%. could this be. Thus `wtis never -the ,promise  gi?en
                                                                              M. G.          to. Abraham. That is  not the  sty!e of  the heavenly,
                                                                                             ATchit&  B;nd  B%iZd&. Nay;  t;he  tiother,  bretltien
                                                                                             and sisters of the' Lord in this new relationship are'
                        1                                                                    they'who +I tbe'tiill ,pf His Father who is in heaven.
                                                                                              -  A&  so.,the   motheS.:of  Jesus  is here fundamentally
                                                                                             corrected by the Messiah of Israel.
       ,                - FROM- HOLY WRIT                                                         So, fundamentally, that now Jesus has -cleareX the
                                                                                             way to begin His work in the Father's' house !
                                                                                            : He has  .in this correcting of Mary;  in  one stroke,
                  Signs In -The Gbspel Of .Jchm                                              kept -the way clear for Himself to walk the way, that
                                                                                             will  lead to ,His "hour". Alid. the chief come?-stone,
                        `(The Begigning Of .Signs"+oncluded ' .
                   0                                                                  .      the stone that was laid by God in Zion tyiii He be ih
                                     (John 2 :l-11) L 2-,-`.                                 His own blood in that "hour".
                             .                                                                    When Jesus, therefore, thus speaks` He is -preaching
                 Many long' years-had passed. by. ., And always the the cro.ss and. its pbwer. He is preaching Himself tik
             mother of Jesus was pondering in her: heart conc&n-                             the only hope for. Israel and aiso for Mary. `Mary He
             .ing the meanifig of all this W,hrd of God, ihti revelation is  saving.from.her  own  destructibn. He takes Mary's
             concerning  her  son. And  wliile she pondered, and,` l$iJe plans, the plans of a mere mother according to
             no  do.ubt, instructed Him, He "increased and grew the flesh, and raises it to the exalted  style of the eternal
             strotig,  filled with wisdom and the grace of ,God. was goodpleasure   df  .God's will in  the  Beloved Son. And
             upon Him". For.thirty years she htid watched this so, this is not a c?ude rebuke, but. it is marvelous..sav-
             marvelous son, and all the while she'pondeled.                                  ing'&ace,-  of which even Mary and' her, other -children
                - Small wonder it is, that, when Jesus was, thirty will one day sing.in perfection, as they already&d in
             years of age and when so many great and important the day of, $`eii.ecos'c..                                             :
             things were' happening-things that seemed to point                                   And, we. thin& Mary felt something of tl&. wonder
             `to' the indisputable fact, that the hour had struck, th& here already..  .;She  i&unedi&el$   is obedient.  Noj do
             &ary, Jesus.' mqther,  could contain herself nlo longer, not say, %h&t wheti &ii tells `the-.s&vants  to do :whatSo-
             that on this memorable day at-.$he- wedding-feast in' ever he. says, -that. she atill p.er@sts to take m$tters
             Cana of Galilee she ,l;,eeks  to take the initiative by say- into  h&r  h@ds.  .Sh$,  c$esn't.  She says:  let's all  be
             ing : they have no wine'. Mary would push, the issue.                           obedient td Him. We will do what He says.                 '
                 B<t she does not: understand ! %icl in her- hands                                And now J&us .begins with -His Isign". He?,ells
             things would have gone all wrong. Thk way which'she
                                                  .          -                               the servants present to' fill the water-pots,- that` :aPe
                                      ._


                                                        *.

                                      THE        ST'ANDARD                   B E A R E R                                165
                                                  .,. .                                . .
  present, to  the brim. This they do. And  with  His "beginning qf miracles" the disciples believecl in Him.
  almighty power, virhieh is His because of the Father's              Thjs might at first glance seem to merely imply
  love -for Him. (.Jo@ 5 :20) He changes the water. into- that the disciples believed that Jesus had performed
  wine.  An4 here again there  iS  Divine  majesty5   The  t,he .-miracle. But surely that cannot merely be' the
  servants knew that it was water that they put into meaning  if John. The disciples believed that He was
  t$e pots. And what a  water; they  had carried. Ap- the Christ,' By faith they saw the implicatiori of the
  proximately.120 gallons 6f water. And now, behold it sign. They began to look for greater and better things -
  is win& It is carried to the governor of the feast upon to come. Here was the long pro*mised  Messiah indeed.
  Christ's command. !And real wine it is found  to be.             Indeed, he was a prophet and. God was with Him.
  It was very good. It exceeded in qbality thk wine that Here is Immanuel!  -
  had up&till  this time been served. Such was the testi-             Itis true'that there are notices in the Gospels which
  m&y of the governor of the feast not after he knew `indictite. that, the disciples did not always understand.
  whence it was. The servants knew.            Tile judge  is They. often were. of little faith. But believe in Chfist
  ignorant of the circumstances. The witnesses are pre-            they  <id: Although the content of their faith  sha1.l
  sent. There can, therefore, be no doubt `about this presently increase ili riches `they now. already see in
  sign for the servarits, nor for Mary and the disciples.          Him the `Messiah, j the one that' shall redeem Israel.
     Such  .was the  "beginning of  signs".                   .    Concerning this there is no question in their minds.
     The tekt says beginning. We must not attempt,  td                Thus John _ says : And His disciples believed  -in
  change the sense of this. Let us leave it as it stands.          Him. -
  "Beginning" is not the  same- as "first". Indeed this               We have but to think of Andrew, one of the two
  was the first sign. But it was much more. It  was vriho first visited Owith  Jestis,  .who goes to Simon Peter,
,  khe  beg&&g  of signs. The implication of this is  his  brother  and says : "We have found Him, the  Mes-
  undoubtedly, that in this first sign the,  fundalnental   siah".            Or. again we think of  Phillip.  ,After seeing
  pattern of all future signs.is present. All t&, other so many of the signs of Christ, and after having been
 signs in the book of John fall  intp line.  ; When we             %o  iong a time" with Christ, he still asks that the
  understand this sign. the others are understandable Father  be  shown to Him in  the `upper room  .in the
  too. This plan in the work.of Christ ij what we would night in which  Jesu's  was betrayed:                 H&-does  even
  expect from Christ. Does Jesus not follow .the- s&e then not yet fully comprehend. But at the first meet-
 * pian also in. the parablks that He speaks. Wherefore ing with Jesus, when Jesus tells him that He already
  when He speaks the first parable, the parkble of the saw him sitting urider the sycamore tree, then Phillip
  sower; and when the disciples do not understand it he already makes the -wonderful confession : "Rabbi, thou
  says I "Know ye not this. parable, and how shall ye art the Son;of God, thod art the King.of  Israel". He
  then know all parables?" As  is. the case with this had been promised to see greater-things than these.
  `first parable, so we would also understand the "be- At this wedding-f east Ehillip is. shown with the .qther
  ginning" of  sighs.                                              disciples in this .Sign of the changing of the water into
     What Christ manifests  iti this sign  -is His glory wine, the greater thing&-the glory o$ the Son at cod's
  in the-way of His "hour". And in this "hpur!' He will right hand. Truly the very heavens were come down
  enter  ihto His own glory, and-tie shall be brought with to earth. The wonder. of Jacob's ladder of ascending
  Him into this glory. Qther  signs Jesus will perform,`, and descending angels must have been -brought to,
  and we hope to study them. A"nd they will all point Phillip's. attentiqn.. h And in- faith he, ,saw and believed? _
  us to this Christ, to the glory that is .I33s and that shall Vistas of glory opened up before his believing eyes !
  be ours with Him in His death anrJ. .resurrection.                  Such is the pow& of this manifested`.glory. It is
     Thus it also becomes clear why John writes as he t&e.$ear  testimony of God in heaven to His Soti for our
  does. He is obedient to the Spirit of truth. The Holy sakes,.  in our behalf.
Spirit as the. Spirit of the living Christ in glory- led              It is well in- these weeks oft. cotimemorating the
 . Him, John writes! But  writirig' he is led by Christ birth of Christ to be  min'dful  ,of this truth;  (_ The
  Himself,~who sends the Spirit. And this Spirit take it Christ, in whom WQ believe, is not the Christ in-the
  all out of Christ and gives it urito `~1s. What He gives manger. Truly there He was laid as Mary's son. But
  is' ndt merely the spiritual blessings, but also the work there He did not remain. He is now at the right hand
  of :`instruction,  the tes$imony concerning the Christ, of God.. We see Him who w,as made a little lower than
  the Son of the Living God. These things, these signs the angels, because of the stifferitig of death crowned
  are written in'this book by-the guidance of Christ, that with glory and honor.
  we might believe, and.that  believing we might live in              Let-us remember, that He is Mary's- son,. but He is
  His name. It is His own Word concerning Himself now her Lord. I&SO Mary confesses with that .other
  that we possess here in this fourth gospgl.                      disciple: My Lord and my Gdd. She also is with all
     And, therefore,  Johri adds the important notice, the saints able to comprehend the love of Christ that
  that when Jesus manifested forth His glory in this passes all  knowled.ge.. She. also. is a *living stone built
                                                              .
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                $6       .` .                       T H E   STANDARfj  - B E A R E R

               together with al-l the other stones unto a spiritual sacri: likewise, also experience beside this. the "general
               fice. She with all the redeenied'of all. ages looks unto grace'!.                                       i
               Him as unto her Saviour.                                        "Concerning the question whether this  "genera2
                  Thus is the' wondrous testimony of `the alj&e.- By g;.ace;'  -can be spoken of as` such a. "middle-attitude"
               this testimony we shave felloti+hip  with them by faith, in God, we wish to make a few remarks.
               and with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ!                   "If. we desire to consider these questions in the
          _                                                   G .   L . light of Scripture, we must maintain, first of all, that
                                                                            God looks upon all His creatures  c&  (qua)  cre?tpres
                                                                            with Diviqe good-pleasure. God has eternal pleasure
                                                                            in the great and variegated work. of His hands. He
                                                                            saw all that  I%e had  made and behold, it  was very
                        o  P E R I S C O P E '                              good.
                                                                               "But it also true that men are never merely crea-
                                                                            tures and nothink more. Whoever speaks of ,men as
                                                                            c?*eatuTes  speaks of an abstradtion, therefore.
               "Common Grace" and Gocl's. Attitude Towards                                                                      Men
                                                                            are always creatures 
               the Ungodly. . . .                                                                     who think, act,  and live in a
                                                                            definite manner, and-whb, in that activity, assume a
                  This heading appeared on an article in a recent definite attitude towa@d God. They know -and serve
               issue of  De  Refomnatie.  As is known,  the subject of Him with a perfect heart and thereby embrace the
               "common grace" was among  those=which  was being c,ovenant in which God will' live with them, or-they
               discussed in the Netherlands before the war'. and that reject and b&ak it once and consequently, permanent..
               the @nod of Sneek-utrecht also declared itself in re-                                                                9
                                                                            ly.-
               spect to this theory. .Sintie the Liberated Churches            "After the fall of Adam, all  men are  covenant-
               have separated themselves, this `subject is -still .open breakeys,  sinners, by nature, and'as such all are turned
               for discussion amongst. them. We are, of course, into the way of destruction.
               especially interested in this  pgrticular  subject. The         "But it has pleased God to. elect unto salvation a
               article referred to is  signed C.' V., and  tiritten,  un- certain riumber ;pf meti, not becatise  they were better
               doubtedly, by Prof. C. Veenhof of  Kampen. We will or more worthy than the others, for they lay with the
               attempt to translate and-transcribe the article as liter-    others iri a common misery, but out of pure grace and
               `ally as possible.                                           according to his own free and eternal good-pleasure.
.                 "`Whoever has followed  the,  dis&ssion of the so-           "The result of this election is that there are now
               ,called "common grace" of  `fgenkral grace" with any living in this world two speyific  groups of individuals.
               degree of interest, knows that in connection therewith There are the elect; to whom God in Christ reveals His
               the question haS often,arisen  whether, relsitive  to "com- grace. These are the vessels of mercy that partake
               mon- grace", we have to do with a certain "attitude" of God's disposition of grace. And overagainst  them
               of God;and  naturally, fcivorc&Ze,  in respect tlo all men, are the reprobate, the vessels of wrath, .towards  whom
               and more particularly  towards  the ungodly in this God's disposition of wrath is poured out unto eternal
               world and  .this dispensation. .          I                  destruction.
                  "All those who are fundamentally reformed agree           - "If we examine the dealing of God with these
               th& there is in `God an -attitude of "grace", and more two groups of men, as it is revealed in the Holy Scrip-
               particularly-of "forgiving grace", towards all the elect, tilre,  we find among the many other references also
     I         and' an attitude of "wratiz",  alld more particularly of this, that on the one hand it `is stated that God is kind
               absolute condemnatory wrath, towards all the repro-          (friendly, easy, good) towards the unthankful  ,and
               bate. But now the question also arises: must we as-          evil. `Maar hebt uwe vijanden lief en doet en leent
               sume'that there is, -next to, or better, between these zonder er iets van terug te verwachten. En uw loon
               two,.still  a third attitude in God toward mankind. Ai zal groat, zijn, en gij `ztilt kinderen  de& Allerhoo&ten .
               at.titude  which, because. it  ektends   to all men and zijn, want hij is mild jegens defi`tiankbaren en boozen,
               embfaces  all of mankind as such, can be called "geizeral. _ Luc. 5 :63, vert. Greijdanus. And on the other hand,
               grace" or "general -goodness" or "common grace".             that God's judgment, God's wrath, is expressed to
                  "If one accepts the position of such an "in-between- believers. "Want (liet is) de tijd, dat het oordeel.  be-
               attitude" in God, then i(t must be maintained that a gint van het huis Gods' (I  P&r.   4:17, vert.  Greij-
               two-fold disposition of God is expressed to all men. danus).
               The elect partake of that grace-the special or for-             "If, therefore, in the first instance  we desire to
               giving grace-which  is  etitended  to them only. But speak of "general grace" ok something of that nature,
               besides this  they also are  partakers  of the "general we should also speak of "general judgment" or "gen-
               grace", which extends to all men. And the rep?obate,         eral wrath" in the second ilistance.
               f&t of all Stan& under God's eternal wrath, but they            "The examination of these two pertinent expres-
                                                                                      :          .


                                                  T H - E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                             16'7

 sions, which apparently `belong on the, same level, T;&il                   Mel< ;-vas, `o,a., verrukt over sommige artikelen die
 niake it easier for us to aaquire the correct view 1 of tintelden van. enthusiasme over de vreugde die ze nu
 God's goodness to the ungodly.                                        kochten smaken in het hooren van de nu zuivere pre-
  "We begin .&th the quotation from Peter concern- diking welke ze in geen jaren `hadden  gehoord, en hun
 ing God's judgment over believers.                                    dankbaarheid betuigden in warme  bewobrdingen die
       "Analyzing what  P&f.  Greijdapus   ,writes about de gemoederen bij vele lezers in vuur en vlam hette.
 this text in his commentary, we give the following                          Doch, helaas, het bleek al heel spoedig,  dat de
 summary of its meaning:                                               vreugde van korten duur  tias;  de vlam die bij soni-
       1.  .Taken  by itself  ancl  consklered   .fyorn the view- migen zoo helder had geschitterd, ging als een "Ver-
 point. of `its origin all suffering of the creature is the- kade's  r&clitpitje" weer uit. . . . Het  -zaad van de
operation of God's wrath and judgment over sin.                        znivere prediking vond geen diepte van aarde,.  en was
       2. In the -suffering of believers God executes His *poedig   v e r d o r t .                            ~
 judgment over the sin which still is present with them.                     Doch er  waren  oak  _andere  inzenders, die door
       3. When "judgment" is spoken of-here, reference hunne degelijke artikelen het blad sierden,  en toonden
 is- not thefeby made `to .God's motive in that which is n?ee te  le?en  met de beginselen in  ,Gods  Wool;d zoo
 called judgment,  but it is called judgment becabse of kostelijk   u i t g e s t i p p e l d .
 its essential nature by itself.                                             Doch.  hoe dichter  we kwamen'bij de nieuwere jaar-
       4. So understood, this judgment has for .its pur- gangen, hoe minder vqnden we ingezondeh artikelen.
 pose the sanctifying and purifying of believers, hence,'                    -Misschien komt bet; d& de ding& nu bij ons een
 it is `subservient to the revelation and exaltation of meer volkomene zekerheid krijgen.
 G      o    d    ' s         g    r    a    c     e    .    '
       5. This suffering-this judgment, therefore;-is                        Nu we  tech  aan `t schrijven zijn,  willen we nog
 but temporal ; believers are only touched by "the be- even 01) iets de aandacht vestigen, wat misschien sbm-
 ginning" of it.                                                       migen onzer is ontgaan. We bedoelen,  nhmelijk, de
       6. Considered from the viewpoint of God's'deepest. toevoer  van vele Hollandsche emigrantep naar Canada.
 m@ive therewith, and with an eye to its eff eci in ,the               In een zeker blad lazen we jongstleden, dat er in Neder-
 believers, this `"beginning of judgment" is not juldg-' land twee millioen emigranten gereed staan, waarvan.
 ment, not the impqsition bf punishment, but the revela- duizenden plan hebben naar Cangda te trekken.. e
 Oion of  ,God,`s love, which purposes  theiF salvation  ;                   [Onwillekeurig   da&ten we. aan de- geestelijke ver--
 seeking it and working it also through that which dis- zorging die zoo dringend noodig zal zijn aan zoo velen
 tresses (Rom. 8 :l, 28). Also th?s suffering is, there- van onze stam- en geloofsgenooten,. want d&t er velen
 fore, grace for &he believers. * `The Lord Christ atoned onder die duizenden zullen .zijn van Gereformeerden
 for all their .guil.t alld carried all -their punishment, huize is tamelijk  zeker. Een prachtig tirbeidsveld  voor
 and therefore, took away all judgment for them'."                     een energieken  Zendelingsleeraar.               Die  emigranteli
                         (To-be  conti`nued)  .              W. H.     zullen niet vragen : is d,e DK een van de richting van
                                                                       1834, of van `86, of van 1924, doch als ze een zuivere
                                                                       gereformeerde  prediking  hooken  voorgedragen met
                                                                       gloed en bezieling  in hun eigen moedercaal  op vreemd'en
                         Ingezonden                                    bodem,  zullen ze  zich spoedig thuisgevoelen, en  zich
                                                                  I    birinen niet al te  langen tijd tot  een  gemeente laten
                                                                       organiseeren.      Geep gemeente gratie kwestie, geen
       Wanneer men zich de moeite getroost  eens de oude doopsprobleemen vragen daa? eerst de aandacht, doch
 jaargangen van onze "Standard Bearer" door te blade-                  de zuivere  prediking  des  Woojrd.' .  "Zo&t eerst het
 ren, dan komt men tot de ontdekking, -dat de inhoud Koninkgijk Gods en zijne gerechtigheid" staat bij e&
 van  voorheen  en thans  .heel wat  verschilt.   .Nu  be- goed gerefoxmeerde  01) den voorgrond. En als ze dan
 doelen  we niet. iYat taal en stijl betreft ; ook niet het een "speech" inogen hooren over Psalm 73, en de bro-
 geestelijk gehalte vai7. $en ,Editor  en contributing Eldi- chure lezen "De Geloovigen en hun Zaad'!; zal onder
 tori, doch we hebben het oog op de vele bijdragen die de leiding `des Heiligen `Geestes  het clonke? opkltiren,;
 jaren  geleden door sommige  leden  van bijna  ,iedere                en alles komt terecht.
 gemeeqte als "Irigezonden" door de "Standard Bearer                                        c,
                                                                        _                  -.          J. R. VanderWal,
 werden opgenomen.                                                                                     1015  IOhio St.,
      Vele  a&ikelen  waren "op-to-date", en toonden een                                          R e d l a n d s ,   .Califqrnia.
 meeleven   in. ons  kerkelijk  gebeuren `t welk bepaald
 verassend tias. Het was vaak een genoc de vragen FQ Naschrift der redactie :
 antwoorden,  zbowel  als opmerkingen en critieken, te                       De  kerken,,  in  klassis en synode,  h&bbe$  de  .zaak
 lezen, en men gevoelde, als `t ware,. den polsslag van der emigratie naar Canida behandel& en -officieus is
 het kerkelijk samenleven.                                             mij  ter oore  `gekomen,  dat twee onzer  ieeraren  naar-


                                          j- _
                                 : -_ ,__. .- -~                                                                !I
                                                          -__:                                                                                                                                                          i     ii
                                                                                                                 ;-~--                                                                                -7
                                                                                                                                                                                                             .
.-- 2        ~(           g$&
                  ~~-  -3                                                           T H E                             STANDA.RD   B:~EAREI-:--                                                        . .
                                                                  ,.  .-,                                                  . -           :     _      ~~             ..- .              .-                                    ,.
                                                                                                                                                                                                    -.r .
             Canada.zijn geveest, of .dat iij er nog werlren.,Binnen                                                               den zoo spoedig Ds. Hoeksema in dier ti&e herst`eld is,
             kort zulle'n we er wel:meer van hqoren.                                                .`.                           ciat  hij' het  hoofdredacteur&hap.   weer  $,I  &ch  neemt.
                  2:  .U  verder  dankend  vpor Uw bijdrage,  met de stille' De  Heere' geve in Zijn genade,  d& dit spoedig  -&-
             h@p,,.dat .&j -bet begin zij van .een grooten  stropm van schieden msg.'
             enthusiasti@ getuigen en meeleven. *vati meerderen  die                                                                    T`och dacht het mij goed U eenig.antwoord  te geven.
             het  goede  vqo?beeld  $ati br.  VapderWal' volgen,  Ger-
           ' 1                                                                                                                    En door  faGtisch te  antivdorden  zal ik  mij  -vliijwaren
             ulijf iii.  _  _  _                    _'              .                       ..~                                   van de beschuldiging de, overe&gekomen belofte gel
                  s                                                Uw -vri&nd e? broeder,                                         schonden te  hebben;   Tk zal  U  dus eenvoudig  .uit  den
                                                                                    -  .'c+:v.                                    d?oom  helpen door f eiten te- no&men--die  iedereen toe-
                                                    -. .                                                                          &emt.---                    .,                                                              .
                  .                                                            i                                                        En~dan  liaiz  mij'n  antwoorcl  k&t  zijn-:
                                                                             Ripon, . California                             I          1; Ja, Ds. Doekes  .en de vrijg&a&t&  leeren,  dat
                                                                             November 2'9, 194'7                                  d,e volle heilsbelofte geschiedt  aall  allen die  gedoopt
                                                                                                                                  worden..                     -                   `..                -,_ .
             Waarde Broeder, Ds. Vos:  -  `*  :                                                            -                            i.  LNeen, wij  geiooven  dat niet. Wij gelooven,  hat
                        Vergun mij U eenige inlichting te mogen vragen,                                                           de doop beteekenl; en verzegelt "`de- rechtvaardigheid
             en w&l over hetg$en  in de Standard'Bearer, 15 Sept.,                                                                cles  gelo'?fs'- ,Ik ga -ten -`voile- accoord  met waf Qs.
             No. 22, geschreven .is. Ik  be,doel de  Correspondentie   I~oeksema   PQneerde': `LHet is eenvoudig riiet waar, dat
            m,et de Nederlanders  : Een- antwoord door- Ds. Doekes                                                                God  in den Heiligen Doop i&s  beloof`t en verzegelt
          -aan Ds. Hoeksema,  en dan zij  opgemerkt  dat ik de  aan  `alle  gedobPten.`?
             eerste  acht regels van bedoeld stuk niet begrijp. Het                                                                     3.  I$e+ en  andex zal  U  ,en- de vrienden  `in` Ripon
         7. begint: "Hoe spreekt de S&rift?  In- de taal, die-de duide!ijker worded-`in  de debatten en corresptindentie
             synodes van 1942 en daarna ons  wiiden  ondri&$n:                                                                    die voortgezet. zullen ,worden in d.e Standaid Bearer.
             dat de volle heilsbelofte `eigenlijk' alleen de  ui&er-                                                                                                                          Bro.edergroef;end,
                                                                                                                                                                                              _-
            HoreGen tc&komi?  En zooals Ds. Hoeksema het sterk                                                                                                                                                     G. V.
            heeft uitgedrukt, in w&den  die  herinner&  aan ' de                                                                                                                                             1
            beruchte taal van Toelichting en Praeadvies:.  `Het is                                                                                                         -
             eenvoudig  niet  Waar,  (3at  God  in den' Heiligen  Doop                                                                                 . ACT& -and~YEARBOOK
            iets `belooft en veriegelt aan alle, gedoopten' ?"
                       Spreekt  de  Synode 1942  nu uit, dat  zij de volle                                                              The Acts .of the synod of 1947,"Combined  with the
            heilsbelofte eigenlijk all&en  de uitverkoreneti  toekomt?                                                            Yearbook, giving information  atid statistics of all
             (Dat. geloof ik ook ! %eo. Vrieling) . Hoe spfeekt  dan churches, have again been sent out to our `consistories.
            Ds. Doeke& van een opclringen daarvan doqr de Dynode?                                                                     .-We have some extra copies. Oui- people should all
            Ik meende, dat Ds; Doekes  en -de vrijgemaakten daar- have a copy of this Yearbook and Acts combined in
            mede   tieheel  acco$d  ginken,  alsm,ede met het woord                                                               one volume. Y8u. can order them from the under-
            van Ds. Hoeksetia,  als dez_e  zegt : "Dat het niet waar                                                              signed. .P@e: $1.00 per copy.
                                                                                                                                                                            _ _- _.-.. /_. -
            is, dat God in de Heilige Doop iets belooft en verzegelt                                                                   There are still a few  copies left of the Church
            aan  .a1  d e   gedoopten.?'                             *                             $qL                            Order, which also sell for..$l.OO per copy.
                        Nu, dat  q&l Ds. Hoeksema beaam ik ten  .Ivolle,                                                                                             D. Jonker, `Stated Clerk
            maar het bovenste begrijp ik niet, en oak de vrienden                                                                                                   - 1210 Wealthy St., S. E.
            in Ripon niet, met wien ik deze d$gen,bespreek. Deze                                                                                                          Grand-Rapids 6; Michigan
            zcggen : "Wij begrijpen het niet, en hebb,en  maar eel1                                                                                                        1  Q  *  .*
            blaadje omgeslagen (maar dat doe &niet)." "
                       n/Iocht U mij- persoonlijk. antwoo&en willen `is heel                                                                                         I N   MEtiORyi
            best. Of.  ali  U  .het noodig oordeelt,  m&g  U ook de                                                                The  Con&tory  of  the First Protestant  Refprmed  Church of
            Standard Bearer da&voor  gebruiken, naardien ik her-                                                                  Grand Rapids, Michigan hereby  &es expression to its con-
            trquw, dat er meerdere leiers zullen wezen,  die bet niet dolence with  its fellow office-bearer,  Mr.  J.  Boelema.  in  the
            begrepen hebben.                                                                                          _           recent death of his sister,
                                                                                                                                                                     ,
                        In beleefde afwachting dan, broe&rgroetend,                                                                                          MRS. P. VANDER  KOOY                                 .'
                                                                          George Vrieling,                                        of  -Grand  RBpids, Michigan. ~May-_  the  God  of  all grace and
                                                                          Ripon,   C a l i f o r n i a .                          mercy work  in the hetits of the-.bereaved-by  His Spirit, in order
                                                                                                                                  that also in this His. work they i&$- a&no&edge, "He .d&h  ali
            Antwoord :                                                               :.~
                                                                                                                                  -things                    &I"`.                 -
                        Naar afsprak kan, mag en wil ik mij niet mengen                                                                              The:  Cons&tory of the First Prot. Ref. Church,
            in het debat tusschen Ds. Hoeksema en Ds, Doekes                                                                                                                Rev.  H.  De.-%Voif,   Vice  President
            van  Nederlakd. Die c/or+spondie.  zal voortgezet wor-                                                                                                          M r .   S.`De  Y o u n g ,   C l e r k .
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         ,

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