 VOLUME XXIV                                 MAY` 1,. 1948 - Grand Rapids, ,Michigan                          NUMBER 15.

                                                                        Er. was een, vrouw. die een dochter had, deerlijk van
           MED`ITAT  TON                                             den duivel bezeten; We weten niet wat dat geweest is.
                                                                     Maar dat het verschrikkelijk was is we1 .duidelijk  uit
     _'

                                                                     de verschillende  verhalen die tot in bijzonderheden ons
                                                                     die toestand beschrijven.
           Bhhkens Voor Hondekens                                       Dat mensch was een .heidin., We zouden- niet veel
                                                                     verwachting van haar hebben. Vooral als we opmer-
               "En zie, eene  Kan&i?esche   vrouw  uit die land-     ken in het verband,  dat zelfs de discipelen door Jezus
            palen  komende, riep tot Hem; zeggende: Heere, gij       bestraft worden vanwege hun ongeloof. Indien de dis-
             Zone  Davids,  ontferm U mijner! enz..                  cipelen, die geduriglijk met Hem omwandelden zoo
                                       ..    -Matth.   15:22-28.     weinig geloof. aan ,den dag brachten,. wat zal men dan
                                                                     -van een heidin verwachten? En dan vanuit die streek!
    Onze Heiland had vijanden gemaakt. Er  waren Tyrus en Silon waren vuile plaatsen;                          .
eenige Schriftgeleerden en Farizeers tot `Hem gekomen                   En tech, -die vrouw. b.eleed een geloof, waarover de
van&t Jeruzalem met een aantijging tegen Zijne -dis- Heere  Zich grootelijks  verwonderde. En haar geloof
 cipelen. Deze laatsten hadden de gewoonte .om brood werd ook beloond.
te eten zonder eerst de handen te wasschen. En `er                     .- Straks komt ze'thuis en vind haar dochter gezond
schijnt een gebod der ouden te zijn geweest, om dat                  en wel. De duivel was uit haar gevaren, en zij lag op
niet te doen.                                                        h e t   b e d .
    .En toen had de .Heere  Jezus tot die schijnheiligen                Ze mocht  eten de brokskens die van de tafel des
gezegd: Waarom overtreedt ook gij het gebod door Heeren  vielen.  .,  _  _
uwe inzettingen ? En beginnende `bij het vijfde gebod,                                     *.*  * `*
had Hij,hen verweten, dat zij door hunne leeringen dit
gebod  ondermij~nden. En daaraa had  Hij. de Heilige                    Hoe'ontzettend is haar geloof `op den'proef gesteld!
 S&rift aangehaald, hen veroordeelende, door de .woor- Dat zij  g&of had  is. overduidelijk uit het verhaal.
den die God .gesproken  had door den profeet Jesaja.                   ' Eerst al,-omdattt'zij tot Jezus komt om hulp en'ge-
    De discipelen waren. daarna .tot Hem gekqnlen en nezing. Dat doet'een natuurlijk mensch nooit. Daar
 hbdden H,em een soort verwijt .gemaakt, I zeggende :                zijn wij veel te hoogmoedig voor van nature. Wij  hel-
W.eet Gij wel, dat de Farizeers  deze-rede  hoorende, ge- pen onszelf veel liever; iBat komt ovkeen met den aard
 ergerd zijn geweest? Het schijnt we1 alsof zij de rede der zonde. En die aard is dat wij bnszeiven'tot  een god
van Jezus ietwat hard .vonden.                                       zijn. - Dan gaat met te rade met zichzelf  `zoolang het
                                                                     kan, en als we het zelf niet meer kunnen redden, dan,
    Doch de. Heiland had gezegd: Alle plant die Mijn gaan `we naar den mensch of naar eenig ander schepsel,
hemelsche Vader niet geplant he&, zal uitgeroeid wor- maar naar `God' in Christus? Nooit !' *.
 den. Laat ze varen, zij zijn,blinde leidsli,eden .der *blin-           Dat zij zaligmakend geloof gehad heeft is ook duide-
 den: indien nu de blinde den blinde leidt,.-zoo zullen zij
                                                               ,.    lijk uit het feit, dat `zij tot Jezus komende Hem aan-
. beiden in de gracht vallen !                                       bidt. Dat `doet geen men&h  wien het er sleehts  om te
    En daarom was Jezus naar de landpalen van ,Tyrus doen is om van een zekere bezoeking af te komen. ,Als
 en Sidon ui'tgeweken. Het was Zijn ure nog niet :. Hij              het er haar-om'te  doen was geweest om haar dochtertje
moest nog wat verder leven'en  prediken de dingen van van den duivel verlost-te  zien, en niets anders, dan had
het Koninkrijk Gods. En in die landpalen geschiedde zij Jezus daarvoor ye&r&l&, -en dat ware het einde ge-
 er een schoon wonder.                                               wee&. Denkt in dit -verband aan die elf melaatschen


338            '                     I'HE  '  S T A N D A R D   - B E A R E R

die nadat zij gereinigd ;waren,  Jezus eenvoudig ver- werkt om te zaligen. En daarom keert de vrouw niet
gaten.  Doch deze vrouw aanbidt! Dat toont geloof,           af om den Zaligmaker te smeeken.
zaligmakend geloof.                                                Wat geeft het al wordt zij beleedigd? ' Er zit een
        - En ten slotte blinkt haar zaligmakend geloof nimmereindigende eeuwigheid in het geloof van deze
ook  hierin,  ,dat  .zij  o&z&tend nederig  zich betoont. vrouw.' Niets kan haar keeren om te smeeken, te
Leest dit verhaal en. . . . schaamt U !- Ze wordt eerst smeeken. Zij zal het karakter des  waren geloofs toonen.
doodgezwegen, dan peledigd, bij een bond vergeleken,                Eerst, zij  spree@ niet tegen. Zegt dat  *duizend.
en zij blijft nederig, en erkent bet. Zoo handelt geen malen,  over en weer: het geloof spreekt niet tegen.
ongeloovig mensch. Die was allang weggeloopen.                      Als God spreekt, dan legt de geloovige cle hand op
    En dat geloof wordt op den proef gestekd. `Eerst al, ` den -mend.
omdat de Heere net doet alsof Hij haar niet hoort.                  Luistert  dan eens naar den `ongeloovige, en siddert.
    0; het is .erg, als we. roepen om hulp. Maar het Van Jezus staat er, dat Hij `he! tegenspreeken der ion-
wordt erger als we dan .ook nog aan doovemansooren claren tegen Zich heeft verdragen.
kloppen. Dat is een vreeselijke beproeving geweest                  Het helsche werk in het Paradijs is juist daarmee
voor die arme vrouw.                                         begonnen. Men sprak  ,God tegen. Eerst de duivel.
    De discipelen schamen' zich ten slotte voor dit on-      Eva zeide tegen den duivel: zoo.en zoo heeft ,Gocl ge-
smakelijke  schouwspel  (?) . Ze treden op den Heere zegd. ~0 neen, zegt de duivel, gij moet niet naar God
toe, en zeggen: Heere, laat ze van U, want zij roept         luisteren. Ik zdl het U verklaren. ,God heeft gelogen.
ons na ! Waarschijnlijk  bedoelden zij met dit zinnetje :    En Hij  spreekt het  Goddelijke.  Wezen tegen Wiens
Om des lieven vredes wil, Heere, gknees haar dochter  ! naam de WAARHEID is.
Niet omdat wij met innerlijke ontferming over" haar                 Als God later op aarde komt, dan spreekt men Hem
en haar dochter bewogen zijn, maar om der schande in het gezicht tegen. Kunt ge ,er geen berekening van
wil. Wordt Gij het' r&t zat. om zoo nageschreeuwd te maken hoevele malen Jezus tegengesproken is in Zijn
worden? Wat een barmhartigheid !'                            l&en van ruim 33.jaren? Zelfs de godvruchtige Maria,
    En dan zegt de Heere, zoo.in het.privaat tot Zijne Zijn moeder; sprak Hem, tegen. Goddeloos of reeht-
discipelen:  Ik ben niet gezonden dan tot de verlorene vaardig, men sprak Jezus gedurig tegen. Dat is de
schapen van het huis  Israels. Ik denk  .niet, dat die       aard der zonde. Dat is de trochtschheid der levens.
vrouw dit zinnetje gehoord heeft.        '                          Maar als de relaties fundamenteel weer rechtgezet
    Maar zij gaf bet roepen  niet op. Als de Heere doet zijn, en dat geschiedt als men geloovig wordt, dan gaat
alsof Hij haar niet hoorde, dan keert zij zich direct tot het geheel anders. Dan.legt  men de hand op den mond,
Hem, naderbij komende, en zegt : Heere, help mij !           en dan zegt men: Heere, spreekt Gij ! Ik ben van
    En danmoet zij een zeer harde leer hooren.               gister en weet niets! Als we geloof hebben, dat zalig-
    "Het is niet betamelijk  het brood der kind,eren te makend is, dan zeggen we niets tegen de Majesteit, ook
nemen en den hondekens voor te werpen."                      niet, als Hij ons vreeselijke  dingen in  ger'echtigheid
    Wat een harde leer!                                      doet hooren. (Ook niet als Hij tegen ons zegt, dat we
    Nu dan, daar staat zij. Haar'dochtertje is van den geheel en al verdoemelijk zijn. 001~ niets als Hij zegt,
duivel bezeten. Zij heeft het arme wicht misschien in dat wij honden zijn. Ook niet  als, Hij-  zegt, dat Hij
waanzinnigheid  en schreeuwende achtergelaten  om Zijn brood aan ui.tverkoren  kinderkens geven zal, om
.Jezus te vinden, die, zooals ze waarschijnlijk  gehoorcl de honden buiten te werpen, waar zal zijn weening en
had, in die  streken: was. Eerst luidkeels  roepen  en knersing der tanden.
kloppen aan een doovemansdeur ; dan van nabij zoo                   Ziet  liet maar  aan die vrouw. Gij zijt een hond,
dringend vragen;  dat er `een antwoord moet komen ; .en en gij, noch Uw dochtertje,  krijgt het brood der kinde-
dan wat? Dan komt er een wreed (  ?) antwoord:               ren. Dat is niet betamelijk. Wat zal zij nu doen?         _
Vrouw, gij zijt een bond: En ik red wel, maar alleen                0, geliefde lezers, ge`kunt we1 een geheele Christe-
de .kinderen des Koninkrijks. Dus ik ga geen brood lijke ethiek op dit verhaal bouwen. Christelijke ethiek ;
van de kinderen  Gods wegnemen om U, die een h.ond hoe te handelen en te wandelen met God.
gelijk  zijt, voor te werpen. Voor zoover zij het wist              De vrouw?. Luistert, ze gaat den Heere van ant-
kon ze met dit -antwoord naar haar' bezeten dochter woord dienen.                       . .
terugkeeren. Vreeselijke beproeving.                               Ja, Heere ! Eigenlijk is dat hemeltaal. Ge kunt er
                      *  * Q.  9                             van op aan, cl-at alles in den hemel geduriglijk ja roept
    Het brood is voor de kinderkens en niet voor de naar het centrum van den troon, waar Eenen zit, met.
hondekens !                                   --_            de regenboog-boven  Zijn hoofd. Maar de editie hier is
    Maar deze vrouw heeft'zaligmakend geloof ! Daar aardsch. Daarom zegt zij : Ja, Heere! `Ik ben een
zit al het verschil. En daarom laat zij niet af.             hond. Ik geloof dat, want  IGij  zegt het. En door het
    Het ware geloof is sterker dan de dood. Het geloof licht dat van Uw aangezieht straalt in mijn duistere
 is de almaehtige krscht iyan God die in Zijn schepsel ziel en hart, begin ik er ook watvan te zien. Ja, waar-
                                                              ,                 6


                                                                                                                                           1

                                       T H . E   S T A N D A R D -   B%A.RER                                                        339

 lijk, ik bemerk het meer en meer, ik ben eeh hond, en Zijn Godheid. Die menschen hoordeq ook de Goddelijke
woon in het midden'eens volks dat honden,zijn!              - antwoorden die Hij gaf. Maar het deed hun geen nu'c,
    En dati komt de honger naar heil q&r voren. H4er.e         omdat het met het geloof riief gemengd was.
 Jezus, ,Gij Zone Davids, ik zal U antwoorden  naar Uw          Maar  ,deze vrouw zegt : Heere, ontferm U mijnes!
 eigen woorden. We1 `verre van U teg& te sprgken,  zal Dqar zit Fen zware- belijdeqis in.. Daar zit'in, dat de
 ik beginnen. tiaar Gij, tiij'en n-$jn dochtertje geplaatst    Heere redden kan. Zij  belijdt de deugden van het
hebt: we zijn honden. Ik heb `de bekldsprsak gevat. Goddelijke  Wezen in Jezus.  Allee!  (God is grooter en
`Maar, Heere, er zit meer in ,die beeldspraak : de h&tde-      krachtiger dan,de.duivelen,  .want er is geen' kracht, ook
kens spelen onder en rondom de tafel waar hetbrood             geen duiTieiscbe  k!acht, `die ni&.;cran God is. Als Jezus
der kinderen  opstaat. En het is regel gew&den;-  dat d&n. ~ich.;`B16nt,f~e~&&Y  6$&h&a? ~~~h~ektje;l~allhdidt
 de hondekens &en v&n de brokskens die vallen van de dat in, dai `Hij` een<o&ig d.en `d&el' z&$er;siq&. ' "%ij
tafel des Heeren.                                              heeft een zware belipdenis gedaan in al. .haar  angst en
    Heere .Jezus, tieip mij eti mijn dochtbrtje  een zulk lijden. De Heere was haar leermeester.                        ,
 een  broksken  toe! Wat lieflijke sprake! Hoe toont              Heere ontferm U mijner !
 deze vrouw dat  zij uit God geboren is. Zij  vertoont.           Aanbidden is bet opsommen van de, deugden Gods.
 een aanvallige geest.. Zij is waar, en,daarom  nederig.       Aanbic.l&n is het bewijs dat Gdd ons le@rcle.
Zij. knielt zeer diep. Zij heeft de kunst van Jakob's ~                               *  8 :k .. *       1,                  \
worstelen verstaan. Zij zal zich, zij heeft zich vorste-          0 vrouw ! groot ,is uw geloof !                                 .  `.
lijk gedragen met God's Zoon.' Zij heeft overmob&t.               Deze vrouw is een dergenen die geweldenaren  ge-
    Heer,e, als hondekens staan wij bij Uti tafel, met noemd worden. De'geweldenaars in deze dagen riamen
 de koppen opgeheven, en wij wachten op een `brok-             de dingen van het Koninkrijk met geweld. Jezus was
stuk van de lieflijkheden die in Uw. rechterhand zijn,         nog niet eens  aan het Kruis genageld. Hij had den
 eeuwiglijk `en qltoos.      De vrouw uit de  streken  van prijs des bloeds nog niet. betaald. En $erst als dat ge?
 Tyrus en Sidon wacht 6p Jezus' woord.                         schied was, en Hij den Heiligen ,Geest  uitgestort zou
                           8  *  *  *  `..                     hebben, zal God  Zich  wenden tot de  honden:, En uit
    Straks zal Jezus spreken van -haar groote geloof.          alle landen, en volken, ook uit Tyxus en Sidon,' ial Gdd
    Ik zou U ook nog willen wijzen op die grootlieid,          Zijn volk trekken.. Doch ,diz&`??outi  k&n `diet tiachten.
gooraleer  we ltiisteren  naar Jezus' directe  sprake.         Zij is een voorloopster --vane die. onteibare &%&en  der
    De vrouw aanbad en zij ieide: Heere, ontferm u heidenen die komen, die komen naar Jezus. " ,:' ;: :: : .-i ,:
mijner  !:  In- die twee  vingerwij%ngen van  d&xi  Heili-        Ge moogt hier ook we1 wat--4usscheti de regels door
gen `Geest, bnderk&nen"we hei ware geloof..         '          lezen. Eigenlijk moet bge dat. doen;  aals ge den- Heere
    Eerst, het ware  geloof aanbidt.  ,O&elbare  malen al den lof zult  geven' voor dit  schobi&  "$&icier.  De
@b ik Gods volk -hooren  vragen : wat is bidden? En Heere had haar zoovekl geloof gegeveti,.  .cl@ :zi$ q%%ssf
.evenzoovele   malen heb  ik het  antwobrd   gelioord: hi+* spreken zooals iij +eed.  -`D,e.,Heer~`hati-haa~.`gdl~aakt
                                                                                                                   .
den is vragen. Nu is dat wel'waar, maar er moet meer tot een geweldenaar, die de dingen siah, jezus'. Eonin-
bij gezegd worden. Bidden is we1 vragin, doch er meet krijk met geweld nam. Maar d+Heiland' z&:haar ge-
bij : bidden is ook loveq en prijzen. ,En dat is belang-       tuigenis gev& van het geloof, dat in hasp woonde;  i Oak
rijk. Ik ben er van overtuigd, -dat dit laatste'jui&, het      om Zijne discipelen te leeren. lOok vo0r.U en voor mij
belangrijkste stuk  vati het gebed is. Zegt de Heere in deze late dagen.  ,Opdat wij altijd op God zouden
niet, dat wij alle onze begeerten  met dunkaegging tot vertrouwen, en Hem nooit tegen. zouden  spreken.' Maar
Hem moeten brengen? En bet duidelijkste bewijs voor altijd zeggen : Ja, Heere !
onze stelling is wel, dat we straks ook bidden zullen in          0 vrouw, groot is uw gelotif !
den Hemel,  doch dan valt zelfs het eerste element van          r' U geschiede gelijk gij wil$t. Als we geloof hebben,
vragen weg. In de volmaaktheid vragen we niet meer, clan is het vertrouwd, dat de Heere ons de sleutel gbeft
doch daar  lov.en en prijzen en  ,dankzeggen  wij  uit- van  .Zijn schatkameren. U geschiede gelijk gij wilt.
s l u i t e n d .                                                 JGroot  is `uw geloof ! Daar mag ik dit van zeggen ;
    En  ,dat. het zoo is, en niet anders leert ons deze daar moet ik d$ van zeggeq  : ,Groot is de. Gever van
vrouw. Als er een mensch geweest is die wat te vragen zulk  geloof!  .De  Heilige Geest heeft een boodschap
had, dan was het deze diep bedroefde moeder met haar voor al dezulken zooals deze vrouw.
bezeten. kind. En wat doet ze? Ze aanbidt! Hoe zou                Luister, gij dochter uit de streken van `Tyrus en
het anders? Ze is van God geleerd.  Dat'blijkt  over-          Sidon ! De HEERE Heere  sljreekt !  Uit  -genahe zijt
duidelijk. En daarom zegt ze: Ontferm U mijner!                gij. zalig geworden. Door dat groote geloof, waarvan
    Zie die smeekbede op den vuilen ,achtergrond  van. Uw Heiland getuigenis g+f: Maar denkt er altoos om :
.+et schelden en razen der Schiiftg+eer&n  en Farjze&rs.` dat geloof is niet uit U, het is ,Gods gave, niet uit de .
Die  Fen!chen zagen ook de  C+oddelijke wonderen  die werken, opdat niemand roeme!  Wilt ge `tech roemen?
Hij deed. Die menschen  zagen ook de  bebijzen van Roemt- dan in God!                                          G .   -Vos.


  3             4                 0                                                                   I2  l&THE  S T A N D A R D   l3EAREIZ

                                          The St&dard Bearer
                 Semi-Monthly, except Monthly in July and August                                                                                                                                                EDITORIALSi
                                                             P u b l i s h e d - B y
                             The Reformed Free Publishing Association
                                                         1463  Awlmore  St., S. E.                                                                                                                               An. Unsavoury Mixture
                                             EDITOR:  - Rev. H. Hoeksema.  `-
 Contrib&in,g  Editors: - Rev. G. M. Oplioff, Rev. G. Vos, Rev.                                                                                                                                            In Th.e Banner issues of Martih 12, 19; April 2, 16,
  R.  V,eldman,  Rev. H. Veldman, Rev. H. De Wolf, Rev. B. Kok,
  Rev. J. D. De  Jon.&  Rev. A.  Retter, Rev, C. Hanko, Rev. L.                                                                                                                                        the Rev. H. J., Kuiper is writing a series of editorials
  Vermeer,  Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev. J. A. Heys,                                                                                                                                        under the general theme: God ancl man in salvatiibn.
  Rev. W.  Bofman.                                                                                                                                                                                     And as sub-heads he has chosen the following titles:
    Communications relative to contents should be addressed to                                                                                                                                         1. Did Christ'die for all men? 2.. Christ died to save
  REV.  GEBRIT  VOS, Hudsonville,  Mfchigan.                                                                                                                                                           His people.     3. Christ  died to  sate "The World".
       Communication8 relative to subscription should be addressed                                                                                                                                     4. Did Christ die to save all?
 to MR. GEI?RIT PIPE, 1463 Ardmore St., S. E., Grand Rapids,
  Mich. Announcements and Obituaries must be mailed  td the                                                                                                                                               If the Rev. l%enry Kuiper would have poured'his
 above address and will be published at a fee of  $l.O$J for each                                                                                                                                      wine unmixed, I would have drunk of it and savoured
                                   . .
 notice.                                                                                                                                                                                               it. But as it is, he has poured out a miserable mixture,
                                          (Subscription Price $2.50 per year)                                                                                                                          and I cannot drink it.
 En@red   ai Second Class Mail at Grand Rapids, Michigan.                                                                                                                                                 Judging from the very suggestive titles, he had a
                                                                                                                                                                                                       marvellous opportunity to instruct his readers in the
                                                                                                                                                                                                       undoubted catholic faith such as we as Reformed people
                                                                                                                                                                                                       confess it $1 the midst of a lying world. I said there
                                                                                                                                                                                                       that the titles are very suggestive. And they are. They
                                                   C O N T E N T S                                                                                                                                     seem to' shout their very answer. To the first title I
 MEDITATION-                                                                                                                                                                                           would shout : No ! Christ did not dik for all men.' To
              Brokskens Voor Hbndekens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337                                                             the second I would offer a thankful Amen :" Christ did
                       Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                                                     die to save His people. To the third I would say: I like
                                                                                          :
 EDITORIALS-                                                                                                                                                                                           t.hose  quottition  marks  .on the words "The World".
             An  Unsavoury  Mixture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340.                                                   They show a tendency, and the right one at that. And
        Calvin's-   ICommentaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.42                                                 tie the fourth one I would have answered whole-hearted-
                       Rev.  G. Vos                                                                                                                                                                    ly : Yes, but then I mean by a'& all God's elect people
                                                                                                                                                                                                       in Christ Jesus the Lord.
 OUR DOCTRINE-                                                                                                       ,
                                                                                                                                                                                                          But the Rev. Kuiper  has botched it. He has poured
              The Expression "Sanctifted  In `Chpist" Iin Our
             Baptism Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343                          out a mixture. He has not been true to his calling.
                       Rev.  H; Veldman                                                                                                                                                               . He seems to fight the Arminian; and I am afraid thaf-
                                                                                                                                                                                                       most of his readers will applaud him, and  remal"k about
 CONTRIBUTION-
             The l&e&on Overture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347                                               his able defense of ,the Reformed trnth, although the
                      Rev. H. Veldman                                                                                                                                                                  poor, deluded sheep have not seen how he is guilty of
                                                                                                                                                                                               the same things he accuses  the Arminian of. And I
 THE DAY OF SHADOWS-                                                                                                                                                                                   would want my -present reaclers  to know that' I am
        David Tempted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
                      Rev. G. M. Ophoff                                                                                                                                                               heartfelt sorry for this state of ,affairs. I would love
                                                                                                                                                                                                      to see the whole Christian Reformed Church (es) em-
 STON'S  ZAMGEN-                                                                                                                                                                                      brace the Reformed truth, and not the miserable mix-
             Majesteit En Heerlijkheid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351                                                    ture which Kuiper  pours us.
                      Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                                                         It is clear from his introductory remarks. that there
 IN HIS  FEAR-                                                                                                                                                                                         are many in the Christian Refdrmed Churches,who  are
             As A Thief In The Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I.................... 354                                                                       departing from the soundly Reformed doctrine of
                  Rev. J. A. Heys                                                                                                                                                                      particular atonement. Attend to the following, and
                                                                                                                                                                                                       I quote Kuiper-from  his first article :
 FROM  HOLY   WRIT-
             In Vain.'. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  I . . . . . . . . 356        "We shut out eyes -.to facts if we think that this
                     .@r%. C. Hanko                                                                                                                                                                   doctrine (namely, unjversal atonement, ,G.V.) is not
                                                                                                                                                                                                      making an impact on the minds of our Reformed
PERISCtiPE-
             Released Time Religious Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358                                                                              people. It is being dinned into their ears daily over
                      Rev. J.  Howerzyl                                                                                                                                                               the air; they h,iar it in evangelistic meetings which'
                                                                                                                                                                                                      they sometimes attend ; it greets their eyes on bill-board


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        341          -

 gospel-messages and in other religious advertisements ; ings which even the reprobate receive from the death
 it finds expression in many hymns smuggled into our of Christ? Dabney answers: "A reprieve of doom for
 churches through the purchase of popular song-books every sinner of Adam's race who does not die at birth
 by Sunday school officials, leaders of church-societies, . . . . And this reprieve gains for all many substantial,
 and mission-workers. t Would we could add that all though temporal, benefits, sukh as unbelievers, of all
 who have a part in this are able to recognize such men, will be the last to account as benefits. Among
Arminian hymns and avoid them  !"                           these -are postponement of death and perdition, secular
      One thing I want to point out to our readers about well-being, and the bounties of life" (Systematic and
 the above paragraph which `is rather striking. I have Polemic Theology, p. 528 ff.)
 in mind the last sentence: "Would we could add that           In these words, by the way, Dabney touches on one
 all who have part in this are able to recognize such important angle of the doctrine of common grace.. lop-
 Arminian hymns and avoid them  !"  .This from the ponents of this doctrine have often challenged us to
 man w'ho has played a major part in the introduction explain on what basis a righteous' God could bestow his
 of hymns in Public Divine Worship. This from the grace on the reprobate. That basis in the case of the
 man who was appointed again and again to prepare elect is the vicarious atonement of Christ. But there
 the hymns for the Cliristian Reformed Churches. This can. be no legal basis for common grace, they say, be-
 from the man who has included in his hymnals count-        cause Christ died only for the elect. Our answer is          2
 less hymns with Arminian tend,encies. IAnd he dares that all the mercies which God.bestows on sinful man-
 to attach an exclamation point to that sentence.  ' kind flow from the Redeemer. `There. is' no grace,
       The same is true of thi.s series. He warns against special or common, apart from the Savior's cross.
 Arminian tendencies, and worse,. but at the very out- That grace does not begin at the cross, is not'generatsd
 set he incorporates that rotten, God-provoking doc- at the cross, so to speak. On the contrary, that grace
 trine.                                                     precedes the cross, it is first. It also, calls- for that
 `     Attend to this piece of human philosophy which cross, since grace cannot be imparted unless the de-
 you may find. on the first page, starting in the fkst mands of divine justice are met. That grace is like a
 column, of his first articl,e  where he intends to go to heavenly stream which can reach. men only through
 .war against the Arminians! And I quote:                   the channel of the cross as the instrument of the stern
                                                            justice of *God. Apart from that cross the elect cannot
                THE CROSS AND THE WORLD..'                  inherit salvation ; apart from that same cross ,God's
       "What complicates this question is that there is justice would demand immediate eternal punishment
 0: sense in which it can be said that .Chyist died for all for all the sons of fallen IAdam."
 manlcind. All men receive temgoral benefits from'the
 death of Christ. Not only do many unsaved persons             So far Kuiper.
 enjoy the fruits of Christian civilization.. None of          I would like to have you notice that although he
 the earthly blessings which #God bestows on the world uses text after text when he arrives at the pure part
 would have been given apart from the cross of Christ.      of. the pr.esent mixture, he dqes not let the living God
 The enemies .of the' cross of Jesus do not` realize that speak at all when trying to teach his people the lie of
 God would not have suffered this sinful world to exist common grace. P,erhaps we will have to put that on
 nor, any human beings to live on this earth after Adam's the credit side of Kuiper. If he would have quoted
 fall, except for the, work of Christ on the' cross and texts in order to prove the lie of common grace, as is,
 for the Church which that Cross called into being.         done altogether too often, we.  a,dd  .insult of God to
 '  - Reformed theologians, practically without excep- injury.,to God. Yes, we will credit him for the fact
 tion, hold that even the. reprobate receive some of the that the only witnesses .he has for his philosophy is
 fruits, the lesser fruits, of the death of Christ (Calvin, the WORD OF MAN. And he especially calls on a
 Kuyper, Bavinck,  ,Hodge, Dabney; Berkhof and many man by the name of Dr: R. L;. Dabney, Sorry, never
 others). Perhaps none has put it stronger than that heard of him. * But I did hear of ,God. And I am glad
-penetrating theologian, Dr. R. L. Dabney. Though that you did not try to set His glorious name under the
 he defends the "Reformed, doctrine of limited atone- fallacy of the above paragraphs.
 ment uncompromisingly, he also speaks of a special.           Let us see:
 a,nd a general design in Christ's satisfaction. Regard-       Note first the words at the beginning of the above
 ing the latter he declares: "Along with the actual re- piece which are placed in italics. `There is a sense in
 demption of- the elect, it- works:  out several other sub- which Christ died for all mankind. a -And -it -is plain
 ordinate ends. There is then a sense in which Christ- that Kuiper means all mankind, head for head. And
 `died .for' all those ends, and for the persons affected the,sense  is also specified. It is that all men may have
 b y   t h e m . "                                          temporal benefits. The italics are Kuiper's So Jesus
  : What are those general ends? What are the bless- died and suffered untold agonies so that  ,every,man  may


I                             a.
       342      `.  I'- THE STANDARD BEARER
       ,eat some bread and drink some water. Ch&t went heart and life except through the pathway of strictest
       to God, offering His precious blobd, through the Eter- justice. And that way is the cross. Both for common
       nal Spirit, in order that man, wicked, reprobate, god- and ,for particular grace, the cross of Jesus, and His
       less man might prolong his days on earth? Later, eternal death, are the  legal ground. It is very bad
       Kuiper calls these temporal be&fits blessings, earthly indeed.
       blessings,  and the italics are mine.                               And all this terrible philosophy he offers the Re-
          Would the Rev. Kdipef$l&ase t@l us where in ,Gbd's            formed public without a shr"ed  of Scriptural.proof. He
       Word the word Wessing~  is' eirer used for the things .does not say: Thus saith' the Lord, but: Thus saith
       that the reprobite wicked receive?. In the meanwhile Kuiper.
       I would.like to have the Rev. Kuiper explain his stand              Well, I reject it, and I hope many of. his, readers
       on common grace in the face of a very plain text such w i l l .
       as we find in Prov. 3 :33?. *here we read : "The curse              In fine; it is exactly reasoning such as is found in
       of the Lord is in the house. of the wicked  : but H'e bless- the above paragraphs. which leads the people of IGod
       eth the habitation of the just." We read there: -the astray. When you teach a God who from everlasting
       house of the wicked. So you have the proper setting is moved Tvith pity for the reprobate, it is only one
       for the so-called temporal benefits or blessings. His more step to say and teach, and: live: #God loves the
       house is his body, soul, family, beasts, plants, barns; reprobate !
       a.11 his p&sessioris  in the midst of the world. And the            But there is more, although I must wait until the
       Holy Ghost states `here,. and in many like passages, next issue.
       that His curse inhabits all his household. -And re- .                                                          G. Vos.
      member  h&e that His curse is the cursing God Hiin-
       `self. All day dnd all night the living ,God walks along-
       side of this rntifi, and He tells him continuously :, I curse             Calvin's C o m m e n t a r i e s   I
       thee!  Where is that introduction of Rev.  Kuiper at
       this juncture: How can he super-impose his philosophy               The William B. Eerdman's Publishing Company is
       on this terrible picture of Proverbs?                            to be congratulated on the mighty endeavour  which
          But there is more. And worse.                                 they have undertaken, namely; to reprint the commen-
          In the  fourth  paragraphs  above he simply states, taries of John Calvin. As far as is known to me, the
       that the mercies of God which He bestows on sinful last,  publ,icaiion of his commentaries is almost one
       mankind flow  .from the Redeemer. And in the sub- hundred years old, and. it was more than time that a
       sequent reasoning it is cry&$ clear that he includes new publication appeared.
       the reprobates as recipients of the mercies of God.                 -This work entails & considerable outlay of money,
          Now Holy @ripture has told us what the concept of and standing correction, I seem to recollect that it will
       mercy, is. It is the love of ,God toward His people that mean the expense of a quarter of a million dollars.
       are for the time being in great misery and distress, A mighty venture' indeed.
       and which longs to d,eliver them out of all. their dis-             The mechanics of the book are very good. The
       tresses, and, thir;cily, which determines to deliver them paper is a very fine French 6ffset, the binding water-
       a.t His own good time out of their troubles. That is             proof cloth, gold stamped, while the print is very cl'ear
       the'mercy of God. And-the Bible nowhere at all con- and readable.
       nects this wonderful virtue of the mercy of God with                I said above that it was more than time that such
       the  re8@obates.    But Kuiper simply writes `that the , a reprint should come.              Whenever you come in a
       mercy of ,God, or rather, mercies of God flow `toward            preacher's study,* ask him to show you his set of Calvin,
       the reprobate through the Redeemer.                              and you will be surprised at the cdndition of the books.
              That last thought he tries to work out later. And My set is almost one hundred years old, and they lobk
       the thing gets worse. -                                          it.  - They were printed for the Calvin Translation
              H,e has heard our objection to their theory of com- Society in Edinburgh, England. And, mark.this,  it is
       mon grace, to wit, that thek;e  is no legal basis for com- an exact reprint. There are notes by the editor here-
       mon grace. Kuiper will answer that charge. And and there, but for the most part, it is well to ignore
       here is his answer. You can control me and see if I . them. What is important in this venture is that the
       do him  ilijrstice.          If words,  tie& anything at all, very words of Calvin will once more come among our
       Kuiper s&i@ above that `there is an eternal grace in people. For Calvin has been abused by the churches
       God, a desire which is eternal, to'be good, to bless and of the last century. They call themselves by his name,
      _ to b&tow benefits on the reprobate. But that eternal but they have repudiated his teachings. '
       grace tow&?d  tl>e elect, arzd to the reprobate, (Kuiper            Many times I have been asked, by individuals and
       combines the two in his reasonings from all eternity,)           by societies: Dominee, what commentary would  you
       that eterfial.&ace canriot find an avenue to the human recommend? And my `answer is always : if you can


                                        THE  S T - A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                343.

get Calvin, get him. He is the best and the most trust-
worthy there is'. And as far as I am acquainted with                        QUk  D O C T R I N E
commentaries, I have found no ex'ception.
    Friend and foe have admitted that Calvin was an
honest exegete. He wou-@ not press his' own opinion
on the text; he-would not try td circumvent the diffi-                The Expression "Sanctified In
culties which confronted him in the text; he would at
once go to the heart of the text and lay `it open for                 Christ" In Our Baptism Form *
his hearers and readers. That is the way I have found
Calvin to be in the years that I have used him. I am                                        INTRODUCTION
glad that this  ,new reprint came, for some of  the                    The Liturgy of our Reformed achurehes, to which
volumes of my Calvin set are broken in three parts.                 also our Baptism Form belongs, is historically not .as
    Closing, I would say that whenever I wouid con- rich as our highly treasured Confessions. With respect
template buying a commentary, I would always see to our Confessions, our Belgic `Cotifession,  also called
what they wrote about John 3 :16 and Remans 9 :18.                  The Thirty Seven Articles and our Confessions of
Those texts usually reveal their pernicious bias if they            Faith, reminds 
were of the Arminian school, openly so or camouflaged.                                 us  of  Gtiido  de Bres and of the fact
                                                                    that `he preferred martyrdom to a renouncing of his
Listen to Calvin on Rom. 9 :18 : "But the word Jzardens,            faith and principles. These articles, originally com-
gvheh applied to IGod in Scripture means not. onl,y per- posed by,the above named French Reformer, were born
mission, (as some washy moderators would have it),                  of the blood and suffering ~of the saints of God for the
but  alsp the operation of the wrath of  ,God : for all             Cause of Christ, and `we treasure them, also for this
those external things, which lead to the blinding of the            reason, even before we havebegun to rea-d them. Otir .
reprobate, are the instruments of His wrath ; and Satan             Heidelberg Catechism, drawn 
himself, who works inwardly with great power, is so                                                  .LIP by Ursinus and Olevi-
                                                                    anus upon the rqqu,est  of Elector Frederick III, also           .
far His minister,  th,it  hk acts  not, but by His com-             cdled "The Pious", can also trace its origin to the fact
mand, etc."                                                         that Germany, then composed of hundreds .of greater
    All in all there will b,e 45 volumes, for Calvin wrote or lesser states, had become a battleground of the
about almost the whole Bible.`                                      various conflicting views, such as Catholicism,. Luther-
    So far, four volumes have come off the press and                anism, Calvinism, etc. And our Canons of Dordrecht,
are for sale at Eerdman's  : The Epistle to the Romans,             too, are the fruit of an uncompromising opposition to
to the Hebrews, and the first two volumes of the Arminianism and all which: that ungodly. theory im-
prophet Isaiah. The prices will be usually $3.50 per plies. It is somewhat different with our Liturgy, al-
volume, although the volume of Romans is $4.50, pre- though it, too, was composed 1n trying times of hard-
sumably because of its size.                                        ship and peril, as in &he days of bloody Mary, Queen
    If  our societies would like to have a set of com-              of England, wife  2 of  Philjp II of Spain, who ruled
mentaries which they can trust, we would heartily Englahd in the years 1553-1558, during whose reign
recommend the present reprint. And also individuals,                many Protestant leaders were compelled to suffer
%especially  at this time, are able to buy these books.             martyrdom, among whom we may name ,Cramer, Lati-
So much money is spent for needless things that a few               mer, and Ridley. `This persecution, we understand,
dollars a month is not too high a price to pay for ex- was not merely confined to the English isles.
cellent reading and studying material.
    The present plan is to have one volume appear each                 Our Liturgy and our maintainihg of it are signifi-
month. The next four books coming off the press will cant. `They, too, serve as a bond to preserve the unity
be First arid Second Corinthians and the last  two                  of the Church of aGod in.the midst of the world. It is
volumes of Isaiah.                               G. Vos.            not .difficult to foresee what the result- would `be, if
                                                                    these ecclesiastical  batids-   -were relinguished, aban-
                   YOUNG MEN, ATTENTION!                      0     doned, if each minister were left to himself -to deter-
     Young men who desire a limited Pre-Seminary -course of         mine the policy and course of action which he would
instruction in our Theological School are requested to meet with    choose to adopt.
our Committee the evening of May 14 in the Fuller Ave., Church.        This is applicable particularly to our Baptism Form.
     Young men who desire to @tend ,our Semin+ry  in September      In the history of the Church of God in the Nether-
to prepare `themselves for the Ministry of the Word of .God are
likewise requested to be  p&sent at this meeting. They should       lands, following upon the year, 1834, a person's ec-
come with a .stat@me& of health from a,reputed  physician and a     clesiastica] identity was determined by his conception
testimonial from their consistory as to their membership and        of Infant Baptism, To maintain "presumptive  re-
walk of, ,!ife.             The  Theolog%cal  School Comm.
           I                 Per Rev. John A. Heys                  * Paper delivered at the  Mhiisters' Conference held April 9,
1551 Wilson Ave., S. W., R. 5 - Grand Rapids, Michigan              at the First Church.


                                                                                                      *'
  344                                   T H E   STANDA.RD  B E A R E R

  generation" as the ground of infant .baptism stima- the parents. This question reads: "Whether you ac-
  tized one as a follower ef Kuyper ; to oppose this con-     knowledge, that although our children are conceived
  ception placed one in the camp of the `$A" group. To and born in sin, and therefore are subject to all miser-.
I emphasize the first view exposed a person to the charge ies, yea, to condemnation itself; yet that they are sancti-
  of Catholicism ; to champion the "A" `conception ex- fied in Christ, and therefore, as members of His Church
  posed him to the accusation of despising the. sacrament ought to be baptized?' The true interpretation of the
  and. of Methodism. The `minister who spoke a few phrase, "Sanctified in Christ" is a highly significant
  edifying words at the ,administration  of Baptism was question, because it is obviously the heart. and core of
  regarded as a pure "A" man ; whoever omitted such our entire Baptism Form.                   We have here the  all-
  words was truly "B". And, indeed, no other question important question directed to the parents whether
  reveals our truly and distinctively Reformed identity they acknowledge that their children Qught to be bap-
  more clearly than the question which pertains to the tizcd. . . It is true that the parents are asked whether
  ground of and reason for the baptism of all our child-      they confess the truth as contained in the Old and New
  ren. And of all .the difficult questions connected with Testaments and as taught in their (Christian Church
  our Baptism Form, so it is claimed, none is acknow- to be the truth and also whether they will instruct or
  ledged to be more difficult than that which concerns help instruct their child or children in that Christian
  the expression, `Sanctified in Christ".                      doctrine. But in this first question the fathers touch
                                                              l::.aon the very ground and basis of infant baptism.
           A Historical Review of Our Baptism Fowk. "         T!lis i? a self-evident. fact. And, it is also self-evident
         Our Form of Baptism we owe largely, together that t.iiis first question, as far as its essential signifi-
  with our other Forms of worship and our psalms, to          cance is  :concerned,  can be summarized as follows:
* one man, Petrus Dathenus, or Datheen- as he is also          "Whether you. acknowledge that our children, because
  called, had fled from the Netheilands to a small village they are sanctified in Christ and therefore are mem-
  in Germany, Frankenthal. `There a place of refuge bers of His Church, ought to be baptized?!' We may
  had been,  accorded him by the great Elector, Frederick safeiy conclude, therefore, that the phrase, "sanctified
 III. Because many of Reformed persuasion had fled            in Christ", is the very heart, the nerve-center, of our
  with him to Frankenthal, gradually a strong city de- Rapt&m Form.
  veloped there and with that growth a powerful and               Besides, in our appraisal of this expression, we
  active congregation sprang into being. In the midst must be strictly honest., The important cquestion  is not,
  of this congregation a liturgical book was composed "How can we explain it?" Because <of the failure of
 .`and used, ,which served, almost without change, until the National Synod of Dordt to produce a carefully
  1'737 ; this book, at least for the greatest part of it,    prepared and'established version of our Baptism Form,
  still remains our heritage. Peter Dathenus although ,it was often arbitrarily explained and interpreted.
  performing the lion share, did not work alone. Others       Becog::.izing  the dilemna which confronted them in
  helped.him and he drew fr.om various sources, as for this first question directed to the parents, several
  example, A  La&o, the great London  R.eformer. An- preachers very arbitrarily asked this question of the
  other source which aided Dathenus was a liturgy parents in the form of their own choosing. According
  drawn up by Olevianus, who corresponded with Calvin to the book, `!Ons Doopsformulier" by Ds. B. Wielenga,
  and was greatly influenced by that great French Re- page 275, the following change would be made in this
  former.      Calvin, therefore, be *it indirectly, has set first question of our Baptism Form: Do you acknow-
  the stamp of ,his spirit upon our Baptism Form.             ledge-that some children are sanctified in Christ? ; or :
         As far as the subsequent history of our Baptism Do you acknowledge that they can be sanctified in
  Form is concerned, in 1574 the provincial Synod of           Christ ? ; or : Do you acknowledge that they are prob-
  Dordt shortened it considerably. However,  becaqse          ably sanctified in Christ ? ; or : Do you acknowledge that
  the national Synod of Dordt neglected to bestow upon they ought to be sanctified in Christ?  ; or : Do you
 `the churches a carefully prepared and.established  ver- acknowledge that they, sanctified in Christ, that is,
  sion, the Baptism Form was corrupted in various ways        when they are sanctified in Christ? However, it is
  and arbitrarily explained. In 1897 P.rofessor Rutgers .not the important question whether we can interpret
  presented a new edition of the Baptism Form, and            or how we can interpret our Baptism Form and parti-
  this product of Prof. Rutgers was adopted, preliminar- cularly this first question directed to the parents.
  ily, by the Synod `of Arnhem in 1902.                           We must ask ourselves this question : How must .this
                                                              phrase be explained ? How did our fathers interpret
                 A  Higk&j  Signijicaxt  &u&tion.O  -         the expression? What ,does `it mean as it-constitutes
                                                              a part of our officially adopted confession? In.,regard
         The phrase,. "Sanctified in Christ" occurs, in our ,to this point the undersigned is convinced that  no doubt
  Baptism Form,, in the first question which is asked of need exists in our'minds relative the interpretation by


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   - B E A R E R                                         345

  our fathers of the much disputed phrase, "sanctified in measure that they held under the light of His general
  Christ.,,                                                     Revelation, .,His dealings with Abraham's seed were
     Finally, we will attempt in this paper to limit our- exactly the opposite. He separated it from the-peoples
  selves to these words, and  refer*  to the rest of our        of this .world,  covered its impurity with the blood of
  .Baptism  Form only insofar as it throws light upon this sin-offerings, placed upon it the imprint of His peculiar
  .expression.- We need not, therefore, enter upon a de-. possessions, and redelivered (hergaf) it unto men's
  tailed discussion of our Baptism Form in general. original destiny, by calling it unto His service. Israel
  Neither will it be necessary to discuss the sacramental became thereby an holy, priestly people. Now, our
  operation in the sacrament of Infant Baptism, whether children occupy the same position. This holiness can
I we must conceive of such an operation of the Spirit undoubtedly be lost. This does not take away.the  fact,
  upon the elect recipient of the sacrament. The ques- however, that it is of great value. `The sanctified child              .
  tion which confronts us in this paper is: What is the partakes of privileges which have been denied entire
  interpretation of the phrase, Ysanctified  in Christ,`?       peoples. It is not estranged from the blood of Christ,
                                                                IIeb. 10 :29; fact is, none is sanctified except by blood.
      Vwious  Interpretatiobu  of  the  Ezpressi,on.  :         Christ bought with His own also their seed, and merit-        _
     Some would interpret this phrase'in a subjective- ed for them the right to serve sod instead of being
  spiritual sense. The expression, then, refers to spirit- given over unto sin and being- subject to its Fondem-
  ual, actual, subjective holiness. To be "sanctified in nation. If this were not true, ,God could exercise no
  Christ" would signify that we are spiritually in Christ fellowship with the seed of His own whatsoever, yea,
  and  .consequently  partakers of His holiness in that He would not will to have fellowship with them. Nei- '
  spiritual, subjective sense of the word.                      ther does the sanctified child stand outside of all corn:
 I Others regard this sanctification or holiness in the munion with the Spirit of `God Who lives in the church.
  objective sense. Such, e.g., was the presentation of He resides underneath His holy influence (heiligen
  the late Prof. W. Heyns. Baptism, as such, is an ob- adem), is led by Him unto the knowledge of salvation,
  jective sign of' God's covenant, of our entrance into and also considered worthy to taste teh good work of
  God's fellowship through the blood of Christ and the          God, Heb. 6 :5. . . . But the most important gift to
  grace of the Holy .Spirit  ; that is, the sacrament itself them r,emains, that they have been laid, at. the open gate
  is an earthly picture and therefore a sign of this fact       of heaven, and may request, in all confidence, all grace
  as such. This sacrament, however, is also an objective of the Lord which they need to enter."
  seal, whereby the Lord declares, in this sacrament of            And` on page -37 of the same booklet we `quote the
  baptism, that the child has the right to all the covenant following as an expression of the beliefs of Ds. T. Bos,
  blessings of God in Christ Jesus-our receiving of these a prominent "A,' man: "Because of the words `in
  blessings, we understand, is contingent upon our ac- Christ' the word "sanctified' (in this phrase of our
  ceptance of the proffered salvation.  .Hence,  all  OLW Baptism Form-H.V.) means more than a separation
  children are "sanctified in Christ", set apart in that ,to reside underneath the means of grace; ,it is a privi-
  objective sense of the word.                                  lege which the children have in common with ,the be-
     A third presentation of this phrase is called's sort lievers, and which distinguishes them from unbaptized,
  of covenant holiness. This conception was entertained who reside Lmderneath the IGospel. On the other hand,
  exclusively by the  `$A" brethren during the famous con-      it is less than `being regenerated'. To him `sanctified
  troversy in the Netherlands prior to and including the in Christ' is the same as being member of the church,
  Synod of Utrecht, *905. `The undersigned candidly ad- as we know her; to express it with his own distinction :
  mits that it is difficult for him to disting,uish  sharply    sanctified refers to membership of the church, `not
  between this view and that of the late Prof. W. Heyns.        according to the line of election, but according to that
  The folldwing explanation of the.-phrase, "sanctified in of the covenant.' We do not err, therefore, when we
  Christ", by J. Van Andel, which appeared, in his `Pas- conceive of Bos as understanding covenant-holiness as                     '
  toral E.pistles' in the year 1907, was quoted in the pam- being partaker of -the .promise. The possession of the
  phlet `Rondom 1905') page 115, and we translate: "Ex- promise is, `on the one  hand, more than a residing
  actly because they are so seldom, the apostolic refer- underneath the gospel, and, on the other hand, less
  ences concerning our children are of such great value. than a being regenerated."-thus far this quotation
  WTe know the much-discussed passage: `your children concerning'the beliefs of Ds. T. BQS.
  are holy', I Cor.  7:14. Would. Paul here define the             In this same vein,spake all the "A,' men of that
children oft believers as regenerated? Not at all ; this day who so furiously opposed the conception of the
  idea lies completely beyond his vision. But wherein late Dr. A. Kuyper. It is clear that they did not inter-
  does the  ,holiness of the child consist? We must pret "sanctified in Christ" in a subjective, real, spirit-
  seek the answer in the  [Old Covenant. While God `gave ual sense, but'objectively, as-a sort of covenant holi-
  the peoples of the world over unto sin, in the same ness. All the children of believers were regarded as


346                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   ,BEARER

in the covenant, as possessing a special privilege, as ' On the other hand, the phrase is a quotation of several
receiving a certain right to the service and blessings ether passages in the Word of God. Permit us to quote
o             f           ,God.'                             the following : "Unto the church of God which `is at
     That also Prof. Berkhof, in his Reformed `Dog- Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus,
matics, conceives- also of the unregenerate as being in called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon
the covenant in the sense that they'have special privi- the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and
leges, suc11 as the right to lay claim to the promises ours"-? Cor. 1:2 ; "Paul and Timotheus,`the  servants
of God and as sharing the so-called common covenant of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which
blessings, appears from his writings on page 289, and are ,at Philippi, with the bishops .and deacons."-Phil
we quote: `"They ar.e in the covenant in the sense that 1 :l ; "Sanctify them through Thy truth : Thy word is
they may lay claim to the promises which IGod gave truth."-John 17  :17 ; "And such were some of you:
when He established His covenant with believers and but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are
their seed. `Paul even says of his wicked kinsmen, justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the
`whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the cove- Spirit of our God,-1 Car. 6 :I4 ; "That He might  saneti-
nants, ancl the giving of the law, and the service of fy and cleanse it with the washing of water by the
God, and the promises,`-Ram.  9 :4. . . . They are in word."-Ephesians 5  :26. In `all these texts the expres-
the covenant also as far as the covenant blessings are sion must be understood spiritually-subjectively. In
concerned. Though they do not experience the regen- fact, no text can be  quotecl from the Scriptures in
erating influence of the Holy Spirit, yet they are sub- which this expression ever has another connotation.
ject to certain special operations and influences of the        Secondly, the context of this phrase, "sanctified in
Holy Spirit. The Spirit strives with them in a special Christ", demands that it be spiritually-subjectively in-
manner, convicts them of sin, enlightens them in a terpreted. Notice with me, first of all, the immediate
measure, and enriches them with the blessings of com- context. To the parents the following question is di-
mon grace, Gen.  6:3;  Matt.  !3:18-22'; Heb. 6:4-6."-       rected : `!Whether  youacknowledge, that although our
end of quote.
       I                                                     children are conceived and born in sin, and therefore
                                                             are subject to all miseries, yea, to condemnation itself;
            The Spiritual-Subjective Interpretation the      yet that they are sanctified in Christ, and therefore,
            Only Possible Interpretation  of  the Expres-    as members of His  ,Church ought to be baptized?"
                   sion, "Sanctijied  in Christ".            The words; "conceived and born in sin", speak for
       First, the expression, "sanctified in Christ", ap- themselves. They can be understood only in a spiritual-
pears throughout the New `Testament in this ethical, subj,ective  sense of the word. Hence, if then the phrase,
spiritual sense. On the one hand, this phrase as it "sanctified in Christ" merely refers to covenant holi-
appears in our Baptism Form is surely not a quotation ness and cloes not necessarily imply ethical holiness,
of I Cor. 7 : 14. There we read : "For the unbelieving we would be able to ascribe this quaint interpretation
husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving to this first question : "Whether you acknowledge, that
wife is sanctified by  .the husband: else were your although our children are conceived and born in sin,
children unclean ; but now are they holy." The mean- and therefore are subject to all -miseries, yea, to con-
ing of this passage is surely not that the believing clemnation  itself; yet, that they are sanctified in Christ,
wife renders the unbelieving husband spiritually, ethic- ancl therefore still in their sin, as members of His
ally holy, or that the believing husband renders the Church ought to be baptized?" To explain the phrase
mlbelieving  wife holy in that sense of the word. This, objectively surely leaves room for ,the possibility that
we `know, is impossible. But the apostle would teach they are yet in their sin. Notice with me. in the second
us that the marriage r,elationship  between such parents     place, however, the general tenor of the .Baptism  Form.
is sanctified by God to the extent that He will estab- In the didactic part of the Form (the first part) we
lish His covenant with their seed. There is, however, are told, firstly, what the Father has done. We are
and this is self-evident, a striking, difference between told that "God the Father witnesseth and sealeth unto
I Cor. 7 :14 and the expression as it appears in our us, that He doth make an eternal covenant of grace
Baptism Form: the words, "in Christ", who do appear with us, and adopts us for His children and heirs, and
in.the first question directed to the parents do not ap- therefore will provide us with every good thing, ancl
pear in the text in I Corinthians. Also the late Prof. avert all evil or turn it to our profit." Thereupon we
Bavinck declared that it cannot be established that are told what the Son  has  cloti&.  We read that "the
the expression in the first question directed to the         Son sealeth unto us, that He doth wash us in His blood
parents is a quotation of ,or an appeal to I Car: 7 :14 ;    from all our sins, incorporating us into the fellowship
yea, he adds that if the author of our Baptism Form          of His death and resurrection, so that we are freecl
inserted the phrase, "sanctified in iChrist",  because of from all our sins, and accounted righteous before
I ;Cor. 7:14, he would have misinterpreted the text. ,God." Finally, in this first part of the Form, we are


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                         347

 told, not what the Spirit has done but what he avill cl& refers primarily to the increase of our ecclesiastical
 not because this work of the Spirit is dependent upon assessments because of the synodical';action with re-
 us, but because this work applies to our entire future. spect to our missionary activity and our theological
 And we are told that "the Holy `Ghost assures us, by school program. However, again the consistory fails
 this holy sacrament, that He'will dwell in us, and sanc- to merition  one concrete fact. Is it true that the action
 tify us to be members of Christ, applying unto us, that of the 1947 Synod fell upon our people as "a bolt out
 which we have in Christ, namely, the washing. away of of the blue"? On pages 42, 82, and 83 of the IActs of
 our sins, and the daily renewing of our lives, till we Synod of 1946 we may read of the proposals to have
 shall finally be presented without spot or wrinkle two missionaries instead of one and also of  .the ex-
 among the assembly of the elect in life eternal."            pansion of our school. To be sure, it is beneficial to
                     (to be continued)                        discuss these matters. publicly in our church papers.
                                          H. Veldman.         Yne undersigned is surely of the conviction that such a
                           ~_-                                public discussion is a sig_n bf a healthy spiritual life
                                                              in our churches., Yet, what Synod did the last year did
            The  ~Crestm Overture                           c not fall upon our people as a complete surprise. All
                                                              our people may ,avail themselves-of these Acts of Synod
     In an editorial of the April 15 number of our and thereby renew acquaintances with our synodical
 Standard Bearer, the Reverend. G. Vos. deplores the aetieities.  And finally, i$ belongs to the jurisdiction<
 action of Classis East because the Classis did not ac- of Synod to supervise our Mission activities and regu-
 company her rejection of Creston',s proposals with a late the `affairs of our Theological ,School-also from
 single ground. To deny this fact as such is, of course,      this viewpoint. the 1947 Synod  -did not  esceed  her
 l;ot the intention of the undersigned. However, we bounds, "do pretty much as it pleased,", but acted in
 would call-the attention of our readers to the following matters which belong to her supervision.
 ,observations.                                                  A third matter upon which the undersigntid would
    ,The consistory of Creston,  as the editor correctly comment concerns the reaction  of many of our people
 states, presented an overture `at our recent Classis.        to the increase of our synodical assessments. `This
This overture, and an unbiased  regding of the  doeu- increase is the chief cause of the complaint. The docu-
 ment will sustain me in this assertion, was in reality a ment of Creston,expresses  this literally. I do not-write
 protest against certain actions  of- our 1947 Synod. The this now because I  wbuld criticize the consistory of
 document is rooted in the many voices of protest             Creston or because I feel that this complaint also re-
 against and displeasure wi$h the 1947 SyEod which, flects the personal conviction of *his consistory. ,Cres-
 and I quote, "went on a spending spree and did pretty ton had the courage to bring this matter into the open
 ltiuch as it pleased."                                      and present in the'form of an.overture what has been
     Moreover, this writing of Creston fails to advance expressed by many of our people.              Personally, the
a single ground, does  hot cite a single act of Synod, undersigned has heard no complaints about. the in-
fails to' lay the finger upon one solitary action of said &ease of our assessments. But Creston's consistory
 Synod.    Cr.eston fails  completel;y  to  ljrove  Synod's declares that ,a good  many of our people h'ave expressed
' "misuse" of o%r ecclesiastical funds-to go on a spend- dissatisfaction even to the extent of accusing the Synod
 ing spree is certainly a misuse of these ftinds.             of 1947 of having.gone on a spending spree.
     Thirdly, when I am accused of "going on a spend-            If the increase of our assessments is the cause of
 ing spree or doing pretty much as .I please", must I         our complaint, I believe, too, that the document of
 prove myself innocent or is it not groper that I be Creston, as far as its content is concerned, is a serious
 proven guilty?                                              matter. It is serious, not because of the r$eason  for the
    Hence, why was it necessary for Classis to formu- complaint as such. These complaints, in my opinion,
 late grounds when, actually,  Creston presented noth- are shallow and superficial. But, these complaints are
 ing which could be refuted?                                 serious.because  many of our people have the boldness
    The document of  Creston also asserts that "Synod to complain. Over a, period of several years, I under-
 makes all kinds of important decisions. and financial stand, our mission assessment amounted to the stagger-
 commitments about which  tlie  l&al  `churches  have ing sum of <exactly ONE DOLLAR a family per year.
 nothing to say, unless it would be.by way. of protest." Did we complain then? Then we should have com-
 And the discussion on the. floor of our recent Classis      plained ! That meant that we were doipg exactly that
was such ,that the idea was advanced that our people mu&h for mission work. Then we should have felt
 should not be ignorant of these qynodical actions be- extremely ill at ease. Now we must pay $1.2 a year
 fore these actions are taken. But, is this-assertion of per family (since then Fuller Ave. has assumed the
 the Creston consistory true?                                expense of one of the missionaries) and a certain sum
 $a We all understand that the  Idocument,  of  Creston for the expansion of our school. What of it? ! I chal-


  348       3                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   -

 lenge anyone to show me worthier causes than mission by virtue of the word of the Lord to him, "The Lord
 work and the training of prospective ministers. 0, if hath retit the kingdom from thee this day, and hath
 we wish to complain, let us please never lame& be- given it to thine neighbour who is better than thou."
  cause it costs too much. `The Synod of 1947 acted as Had not the Lord said to Samuel, "I have rejected him
  she did because she had  ?aith in the future, in our -Saul- from reigning over Israel?. Had not David
 future, .in `our future `as the Cause of the living God. been anointed to reign in Saul's stead? Had not the
Are we complaining because we must. pay? God for- Spirit, departing from !Saul, already come upon David
 bid ! Let such a man among. us examine himself, that he might be qualified for the k?mngship? Was not
' repent,. and learn to seek. first the Kingdom of #God the kingdom rightfu!ly his by the word of God? Verily,
  an< His righteousness. Such is  our calling;  mlay  w;e         Saul is a deposed king. Re should step down from his
  not be found wanting.  '  '                                     throne ; but he is unwilling, and- persecutes the right-
                                       H. Veldman.                eous David., Shall David then allow Saul to pass out
                                                                  of his hands?- Besides, all David's troubles will end,
                                                                  if he slays Saul ; and the nation will be delivered of a
                                                                  worthless, godless king.  Z
                                                             3       So ,do D&id% men rejson, so, in that vein. David
    . .TfIl3 DAY OF SHADOWS :                                     must silence those seductive voices. And he does so,
                                                                  but not without an inward struggle. For, being a sin-
                                                                  ful man, he.is not immune .to the temptation of adopt-
                 David Tempted  D                                 ing the point of view of his men. This is evident. He
                                                                  hears them out in silence. Not a word of remonstrance
                                                                  passes over: his lips. Rising to his feet, he moves slink-
     As pursued by Saul, David, it was seen, had fled ingly to Saul in order not to be observed by the king.
 southward  to the wilderness of Moan. Catching up Is he half-minded to slay his master? It is not re-.
 with him, the kini nearly had succeeded in surround- -vealed what goes on in,his soul at .this moment. The
 ing and seizing the fugitive, when he received informa- sacred ,writer  only tells us that he cuts off the skirt of
 tion of a  nevir Philistine invasion.  H,e had to desist Saul's robe pribately, and that afterwards his heart
 from further pursuit; and David was saved. So had smites him, "because he has chit off Saul's skirts." It
 .the Lbrd again delivered his servant. IGoing up from is his- awakened conscience that. now troubles him. He
 thence, David dwelt in fhe stronghold  of Engendi, a is being condemned in hisyheart for what he has just
 mountainous region with many caves ' on- the border              done, so that he clearly perceives now how wrong it
  of the wilderness of Judah about $he middle of the would be for him to slay the king. And being' a .god-
  West shore of the Dead [Sea. These were the "rocks fearing Tan, he hearkens to the .voice bf his heart as
  6f the' wilderness", (24 :3) where David and his men understanding that it .is the very voice of God. Thus
 were n6w in hiding.                                              by the mercy of God he endures temptation. Turning
     No sooner .is Saul returned after the Philistines, to his men, he says to them, "The Lord forbid .that I
 then it is told him that David is in the wildern&s of            should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's
  Engedi. Without losing any time, he takes three thou- anointed, to stretch forth my hand again% him, seeing
  sand chosen nien out of all Israel ;and goes to seek he is the anointed of the Lord."
  David. He comes to the "sheepcotes  on the way". ,The              Speaking of Saul, David says of him that he is
 words indicate a well-known locality, which serves. as the anointed of the Lord. And rightly so. For upon
 the abode of sheep. In the place is a cave in the deep Saul's head has been poured the sacred oil. The action
  recesses of which David and his men abide. Into this with the oil- was symbolical. It signified a doing of
  cave Saul enters alone not to sleep but to cover his            God whereby he appointed, called Saul to the office ,of
 feet, that is, to comply with the necessities of nature. theqcratic  king and by His Spirit Iqualified him for a
  David's men say to him, "Behold, this is the day of time for .the duties of that office. Thus Saul is, the
 which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will delivel anointed of the Lor,d indeed ,but not .certainly in the
  thin; enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to sense tllat he is still Israel's rightful theocratic king-
  him as it shall seem good unto thee'," meaning to say the Lord has rejected him from being.king over Israel ;
  to him, `It, is plainly the Lord's -will that thou slayest and accordingly the Spirit of the Lord has long ago
 Saul. Such is now God's command to thee.'                        departed from him-but in the sense that it was the
    David is sorely tempted. By sending his adversary Lord, who by special -revelation appointed him to the
  into  th,e cave, the Lord does deliver Saul into his kingship and seated  him upon Israel's theocratic throne.
  hand. .Shall he-then allow him to leave the cave alive ? This was the Lord's doing, not  tian's, not  David's.
  Can that be the Lord's will? David's men don't think King Saul therefore is solely the Lord's. Hence, tihe
  so. It can be explained. Is not Saul a deposed king only one who has the right to hurl him from the throne
                                                                      ,


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           349

 is the Lord. No man htis this right except by divine                  ingly, Samuel broke with Saul on that very day.
 direction. `And whereas no such direction has  .be&                   He refilsed  to return with, the king to hono& him
 .given, `all Israelites, including David, must endure Saul            before the elders. The Spirit also departed from
and submit to his rule. For though Saul is a rejected,                 him; and the. word of the Lord came to him no
  deposed, and disqualified theocratic king, the Lord, also            `Imore. David was anointed,. and upon him came
  through Saul's unwillingness to abdicate, continues to               the Spirit. There can be but one meaning to all
 maintain him on the throne ; and the authority that                   thiti: Saul was deposed. But the-Lord  for a while
  Saul continues to exercise is the Lord's. Thus in the                continued to maintain him on the throne ; for He
sense here explained Saui is indeed still the anointed         .:      had use for Saul. And woe unto the nian who
  of the Lord. David now has full understanding of this.               stretched forth his hand against him. For he was
 And therefore, fearing God, he spares the king's life.                the Lord's anointed .and not man's. Thus a dis-
 `"`The Lord forbid that I should do this thing. . .  :"               tinction: must be made between Saul's judicial re-
namely, slay Saul. The Hebrew text here reads, "A                      ,jection  and deposit& in-the kingly office and his
 curse be to me from Jehovah, should I do this to my                   removal from that' office, his actual  .dethrone-
 master.' ' The thought of slaying Saul is now abhorant         ._ ment. The latter, followed some time later; it
 .to him. but not on account of his ,esteem  -for Saul's             was accomplished through the agency of' ;the
 person- Saul is a godless, worthless. king, and as such               Philistines.    Saul wanted to rule without .,God ;
 a menace to the nation-but because of his regard for                  and for a while the Lord gave him his way to his
 the Lord. Saul is the Lord's .anointed.  Hence, should                own unspeakable sorrow, ruin, and destruction.)
 he  ,slay Saul, he would be committing a great  sin.                Saul now receives absolute proof that David does
 against God. Slaying  -Saul,  I+e would be  moved  by not seek his life. Rising out of the cave, Saul goes
carnal ambition and be giving indication that he .is no on his way. He has gone but a few paces, when there
 more fit to be king than is Saul. David, as already is a cny at his rear, "My Lord the king".. Turning
 has been explained, may not capture the throne by him about he sees certainly to his amazement that he
 violence ; he must be willing to come `into his kingdom is being accosted'by the very man +hose life he seeks.
 in the way of implicit faith in the Lord his God as           Verily, `it is David. And he stoops with his face to
 enduring Saul's persecutions . `The Lord will give him the earth, #does David, and bows himself in recognition
 the kingdom in the way of his- patiently abiding the of the fact that he stands in the presence of his master.
Lord's time. Soon ,God will remove Saul by the sword Having thus paid the king his respects ,he loses no
 of the Philistines. This  tkien is David's calling. And time to speak to him his mind. "Wherefore hearest
 as walking, worthily of it in ,the strength of the Lord .thou  man's, words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy
 -he typifies Him, Christ Jesus, who for the joy that was hurt." It is thus a question that he puts to his master..
 set before him endured the Cross, despising the shame, But he' does riot pause for his answer'. Doing. so, he
 and is set down at the right hand of the throne of might be inviting disaster. Saul might reply by mak-
 God Heb. 12:2.                                    _           ing a dash for David or by calling to his men yonder
         (That Saul in those final years was a rejected, de- to storm the cave. B,esides,  it is not David's purpose
         posed and disqualified theocratic king upon Israel's ,to start an argument with Saul, but to overwhelm the
         throne is the only tenable view in the light of what king with the undeniable evidence that he seeks David's
         is written. "For. thou hast rejected the word of life' without a cause. So he gets on with his discourse.
         the Lord, and the' Lord hath rejected thee from "Behol,d, this day thine eyes have seen how that the
         being king over Israel," we read at one place Lord had delivered thee today into mine hahd in the
         (I Sam. 15 :26). This is followed by the state- cave : and some bid me kill thee: but mine eyes have
         ment, "And Samuel said unto-him, .The Lord hath spared thee;`and I said, I will not put forth mine hand
         rent the kingdom from thee this day, and hath against my lord ; for he is the Lord's anointed." Is
         given it to a neighbour of thine that is better than the king in the face of that evidence now ready to drop
         thou." And fiinally this  script+&,  `$And the all  liis charges against David? The Lord delivered
         Lord said unto Samuel, how .lOng wilt thou mourn Saul into his hand, and his eye spared the king. It is
         for Saul, seeing that I have rejected him." Saul's    evidence the genuineness of which Saul cannot sin-
         rejection and' deposition from office went into derely question. For, as David says, he saw with his
         effect on the very (day that these words were ut- owh eyes. He saw in seeing himself walk out of that
        tered by the seer. "`The Lord hath rent the` king- cave alive. It is therefore as impossible for him truth-
         dom from thee this clazj," are his words to Saul, fully to deny the genuineness of that evidence,?hus
         ma+k you, `"this day".     Judicially, before the deny David's guiltlessness, as it is impossible for him
   ,    tribunal of God, Sad's status in Israel from that to doubt the reliability of the  ?ce&imony of his own
        day on was that of a rejected  and dep&ed  king senses, of his eyes and ears.  And he cannot truly
        from whom had been rent the kingdom. Accord- gainsay that he was in David's power in that cave,


350                             1  ` T H E   STANDAR'D  B E A R E R

For the cut-off skirt of his robe is in  Da&d'd hand. wards of David. In Israel a dead dog was an object
And he holds it forth for Saul to see, "Moreover my of abhoranee -foG the .twofold  reason of its being an
father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in niy hand: uilclean animal and of it being dead. So, too, David.
for in that`1 cut off the skirt of thy robe, apd killed In Saul's eyes he is an object of. hatred and disdain.
thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil        For Saul knows that the Lord has appointed him to
nor tratisgression  in mine hand, and I have not sinned       reign in his stead. It is not only fear that moves Saul
against thee." "That there is neither evil in mine to seek David's soul to take it, but his hatred of David
hand. . .  ." From the nature of matters, Saul is now as well--fearing David, he naturally hates, him-thus
as thoroughly convinced of this as he is convinced tha% his being disposed toward the son of' Jesse as though
he sees with his eyes that skirt in David's hand.`Against he were a dead-dog. But in fearing, hating and seek-
the background of that evidence of his innocency  David ing David's life, he commits a great sin. For ,he has
now sets forth Saul's doing of trying to get David in not a.shred  of evidence to support his charges against
his hand to slay him, when he says to the king, "And David. Not only so, but from now on he can no more
yet thou  huntest my soul to take it!" `How  unutter-         actually doubt David's innocence than he can doubt his
ably wicked thy doing, 0 Saul. For I am guiltless, as own existence in the flesh. For `he now has seen with
thou seeest.' `I'here can now be no question of that in his eyes that in David's hand there is no evil.
Saul's mind. For his own eyes'have seen. And there-              And so David concludes his discourse with the
fol"e Saul is not sneering' at  Dsavid in his heart at statement, "The Lord therefore be. judge, and judge
hearing him say, that he commits himself unto God between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause and
Who judgeth righteously. For' Saul now has received `deliver me out of thine hand."
witness in his+ heart that David is guiltless indeed-            Having had his sa$, having expressed to Saul his
undeniably guiltless-and therefore he now knows that mind, and unburdened to him his heart, David is silent.
David can .call on God to judge his ease without fear Saul has waited until he completed his discourse. He
for the outcome as far as he himself is concerned.            has heard him out to the end. Not once did he inter-
   And this David does. He appears with his. case rupt the speaker.. But now he speaks, "It is thy voice,
before the tribunal of the Lord ; for -he has` a good my son David?`: Having uttered these words, he lifts
conscience before God. `Thus he will not avenge him- up his voice and weeps. Saul is deeply moved. It indi-
self. For that would be wickedness. But David is cates how these introductory words of his reply are
not wicked. He fears God. But the point to take to be understood, `I have heard a man teUing me that
notice of is that he wants Saul to know about it, as hiB      he spared my life? Can that be thee, my son David?
whole purpose is instrumentally to prick `Saul's con- Is it possible that I have been listehing to thy voice?
science in order that henceforth he desist from seeking Verily, art thou the man whose eyes spared me? How
David's soul to take it.. So he next says to thk king,        can it be ! What a marvel. It is a thing unheard of.
"But my hand shall not be upon thee. As sayeth the I am overwhelmed.' Such is Saul's reaction. And he .
proverb of the ancients, `LWickedness  proceedeth from iS sincere. There is no hypocracy or  pretence  here.
the wicked. But my hand shall not be upon thee."              The king means every word..  But it is not true that
   But David has not yet done with Saul. He will here he "is laid hold of in a hidden corner of his heart,
next show him the senselessness and thereby again the where he was still accessible to the power of the truth,
wickedness of his fear-inspired attempts on David's and involuntarily yields to the hobler tirousing of his
life. David has no evil designs against Saul's life. soul, though it is not destined to be permanent." Being
This has now been  .proved  beyond the shadow of a thoroughly depraved there can be in  him no noble
doubt. Saul therefore has as little reason to be afraid arousings to which he momentarily yields. The plain-
of David as. .he has reason to be afraid o'f a dead dog fact is that' Saul has received undeniable evidence
or a flea. Yet the thought of David's being alive and of David's innocence and thus of his own ungodliness
at' large fills Saul's soul with dread.     &cordingly,       ai a persecutor of a righteous man ; and that9  as pricked
he seeketh David's life! to take it. He continually c'omes    in his conscience, he confesses it in tears not of true
against him with armed bands of choice men. The contrition of heart but of `a carnal fear and remorse.
abject foolishness of such a doing. Do kings set out His behaviour at this moment is identical to that of
on military expeditions against a dead dog or a flea?`! the .wieked  in the final day of judgment. Then every
Verily, no. And therefore David puts to ISaul the ques- tongue shall @oiliess that Jesus is ,Lord, also the tongues
tion, `<After whom ' is, the king of Israel come out? of the `reprobated. Their knees,' too, shall bow befo,re
Afte? whom dost thou pursue? After a dead  dog: him. Then "the loftiness of men shall be bowed down,
After a flea?" Veyiiy, Saul is guilty of such foolish- and the haughtiness of men shall be made low i and the
ness. For as driven by fear of David, of all men the          Lord alone- shall be exalted in that day. And the idols
most harmless, he makes war against him.                      shall be utterly  nboiishcd. And they shall go into the
       But therk must be `still more meaning. ia- these       holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth: for


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                                  .   T H E   J3TANDAk.D   BEA.RER                                                    351

  fear `of the Lord, and for  the glory of his  maj,esty,      does, that -he is wicked. Thus he will be plucked up
 when he arises to shake terribly the earth" (Isa. 2 :17).     out of the "land of the living", and be cast-in the place
  The high pla@es also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be    of everlasting desolation. For he is' wicked and will
                                                                                                             \
  destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come upon not repent.
  their altars ; and they shall say to th& mountains, Cover                                          G. M. Ophoff.
  us, and to the hills, faI1 upon us" (Hosea  10 $3) ; "And
  I beheld when he had opened the six;th seal, and low. . .
  the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled to-
  iether ; and every mo&tain and island were moved
  out of their places. And the kings of  the earth and                  SIQNY3  ZAN.GEti
  the great men, and the rich men, and the chief cap-
  -tains,  and  the mighty men,  ar;d  every  bondman, and
  every free man, hid themselves in -the dens and the                 Mtijesteit En Heerlijkheid                             i
  rocks of the mountains ; and said to the mountains
  and rocks, Fall upon us, and hide us from the face of                       (Psalm 104 ; Eerste Deel)
  him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of
 "the `lamb ; for the great day of wrath is come ; and _         In dezen psalm wordt uitgewerkt hetgeen w.e in de
  who shall be able to stand" (Rev. 6 :2-7).                   eerste zeven v&Zen van #den 19den psalm vinden. De
     What Saul's reaction and these scriptures teich is hemeleg  vertel$en Gods eer en bet uitspansel verkon-                     .
  that God will put "n end to the terrible reactions of digt Zijner  handen  -we&. De dag `aan den dag stort
  `he wicked to Him and His people, the .righteous,  so overvloediglijk sprake uit en de nacht aaiz'den nacht
  that all their rebellion, defiance, and sinful pride will toont wetenschap, en wat daar verder volgt.. Doch hier
  cease. Such was the case with Saul for the moment.           krijgen we dezelfde  h,eerlijke  waarheid in  veel  bij,
     Let us take notice. of his confession.  Says he to zonderheden.
  David, "Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast           Het geheel ;s schoon, aanbiddelijk schoon, en leer-
  done me good, and I have done these evil," which is rijk.
  equivalent to saying, `Thou hast. rewarded me good              Ik sprak daar van leerrijk, en me`t opzet. Wij'men-
  for evil, and I have rewarded  thee evil for good. Hence schen zijn zoo dom en hard en goddeloos !' We moeten
  thou art righteous and I am wicked.`. That precisely zoo ontzaglijk veel leeren,  en ook afleeren.
  -hakacterizes the righteous. `They bless such who curse         De geleerde theologen spreken van Deisten. Dat
  then& and pray for such who despitefully  use them.          is een volkje, dat leert hoe God ver boven alle dingen
  But the wicked love only such who love them, hate their woont en Zich niet inlaat met de dlledaagsche dingen
  enemies ; and in persecuting God's people, they  despite-    die op aarde en in de hemelen gebeuren. Als een twijgj,e
  Cnlly use such who do them ,well. 5hi was `that kind van den boom zich langzaam heen en weder beweegt
  ?f a man. He was wicked. But David was righteous. in een zaehte zomer-koelte, dan heeft God daar n&s
  Saul now freely admits this. "For thou," so he con-          mee uit te staan-. Op zijn hoogst is het `God die een
  tinues, "hast showed me this-day how that thou hast Titanic doet verongelukken, die de wereld-oqrlogen
  dealt with me: .forasmuch' as when the Lord had de- doet beginnen en ophouden, doch Hij bkmoeit  Zich niet
  livered me into thine hand, thou killest me not," `me, met de  kleine,   alledaagsche  dingen ! Arme, domme
  ~-rho all these days have been. seeking thy soul to take mensch ! -De diehter van dezen psalm zal het U anders
  it.' "For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go leel-en,  tenminste  al's ge  bevattelijkheid  hebt om te
  away?" O`Sueh is not the doing of depraved in'en,t Saul leeren. Eigenlijk had ik het wo&dje Richter met een
.  rqeans to say. 730 do the righteous only. So doest hoofdletter moeten schrijven, want die Dichter  is God,
  -+hou;   for thou art righteous.' And therefore Saul         te prijzen tot in alle eeuwigheid, Amen.
  blesses David,, "Wherefore the Lord reward thee good           Ja, God zal ons leeren van "de schepping ,en de onder-
  for that thou hast done unto me this day." Saul knows        houding  aller  dingen. En als ge dan die eerder ge-
  ".hat it will be well with David, he being righteous. noemde bevattelijkheid hebi& Idan zult ge het uitjubelen
  ""And now, behold, I know well that thou wilt surely be van blijdschap. 0, het gaat het kind ,Gods naar den
  `ring, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be estab-        zin, als God gegerd en geloofd en geprezen wordt.
`ished   i n   thine  hand.`> And thus he adjures Da&l to         We lezen ' veel van Gods wondere werken in het                       '
  3 well by his -seed, "Swear now therefore unto me by aangezicht vah den Heere Jezus Christus. Dat zijn
  +e L,ord,  that thou wilt not cut off my seed aft& me, `de werken van $e oprichting aller_dingen. Dan lezen
  and that  .thou wilt not destroy my name out of my we van den val des menschen, van zijn vepdoemelijk-
  father's house." David swears. He will not blot out heid en groote  schuld voor God, van Jezus  Christus
  "ail's  name out of his father's house. But the Lord die beloofd was aan de vadei-en, van Zijn nederige  ge-
  --Till.   \And of this Sati is well aware, knowing, as he stalte  toen Hij kwam in Bethlehem, van Zijn  bitter
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352                                            T H E   FTAND'ARD  B E A R E R

lijden, sterven, en eindelijk  vail Zijn verrijzenis, Zijn iieflijk, zoo heerlijk: De zalen des hemels zijn vervuld
ten hemelvaring en van de uitstorting van Zijn Heili- met Zijne heerlijkheid.
gen Geest in de gemeente. hen: ook hoe die gemeente                   En dan volgt-de  titel van den psalm: 0 Heere, mijn
het gemaakt -heeft, nog maken zal, en hoe, zij als een God! Gij zijt zetir groat, Gij zijt bekl'eed  met majesteit
gesierde Bruid .s'craks  den Heiland tege&oet  zal w,or- en heerlijkheid !
den oti dan voor eeuwig bij den Heere te zijn, waar                   Dat is het opschrift., De  psal,m zelf zal dat  ver-
den. Drie-eenigen God zaE toegezongen  worden  de lof - klaren.                            1
en de prijs tot in alle eeuwigheid.                                   *O HEERE, mijn God !
    En dat te lezen en in te  denken is  goed. Dat is                 Wat een mooie benaming  van onzen Vader- in d6c
Gods wil over ons.                        ;           .:          hemel.
    Maar de tierken Gods in lde natuur zijn ook s&on.                 Hij is de HEERE. Dat is de onveranderlijke ver-
Daar vertelt de Bijbel ons ook van. Niet zooveel als bondsGod, die Zijn belfften altijd gestand doet van ge-
van het schoon'Zijner  eeuwige liefde in Christus, maar slaehte tot geslachte.                        '
tech  schoon,, aanbiddelijk  schoon. Deze psalm zal  er               Hebt ge al opgemerkt, dat ofsehoon deze psalm de
v a n   g e w a g e n .                                           aarde en de hemel die nu zijn bezingt, er tevens sprake .
    E.en van mijn professoren zeide  eens in de klas van is  van den  VerbondsGod?.  Er is een  schoone  eenheid
Dogmatiek: Wezenlijk is er geen verschil  tusschen de tusschen de werken  v&n ,God nu en van straks,  van de
openbaring',Gods  in de natuur van de genade. .En ik w,erken der eerste schepping, en van die der herschep-
za.g het direct. Het is de %ene God die spreekt, beide ping. Het is de HEERE  die beiden werkt. Ook nog
in de eerste sehepping en in de herschepping.                     we1  do?r  Zijn Zoon. Door het Woord des- HEEREN
    Laat ons ,eerbiedig  luisteren naar een schoon lied, zijn de hemelen gemaakt, en al bun heir door den Geest
dat zingen zal in onze ooren `van de grootheid, de heer- Zijns monds. Toen ik een  kleiqe  jongen was  hekft
lijkheid en de majesteit van Gods werked  in de natuur. mijn leeraar mij dien'tekst laten leeren om te bewijzeq,
Het is een wedergeboren kind van God die zong in                  clat er &en Drieheid in de Gbdheid  is. Schoone tekst.
dez.en  psalm. Aan het einde van het gbzongene zal hij                En die  VerbondsGod  is de  ..God van  den. zanger.
nog wat  meditateei-en:  zijne overdenking van  &en` Hij  zegt: .O HEERE mijn ,God! -Dat  bezittel'ijke voor-
HEERE zal. zoet zijn, zegt  hij. Hij zal  hich in  den            naamwoord:  mi+n, in de phrase  mijn God, spreekt
HEERE verblijden zijn gansche leGen. En de bittere boekdeelen. 0, het is meer dan ldat !. Bet spreekt van
klanken ,die er op aarde, te middenPan Gods majesteit,            een eeuwige relatie van liefde. Ik denk aan dien tekst :
gehoord worden,  zullen straks ophouden zegt hij, want Ik heb U liefgehad vet ecn ,eeuyige  liefde, en daarom
de zondaars zullen van de aarde verdalan- wor,den, en heb ik U getrokken. . . .
de goddeloozen zullen niet meer zijn.                                 Wat onuitsprekelijk heerlijk .&s we mogen zeggen:
    Verleden Zondag vertelde mij een  otide  man  ,die Mijn  *God! Laat het dan maar  stormen en razen om
nqg op de fabriek werkt, dat hij zoo lijden moet van mij heen. Dan ben ik niet bang meer. Als God mijn God
cl& goddeloosheid die hij steeds rondom hem hoort en. is, dan mag ik met Paulus zeggen : Zoo God voor ons is,
zi& Ik kan daar inkomell : ik heb het bok voor jarell             Wk  kan  Clan  tegen   011s   Zijn?   Hij  VOel"t   hIlll'lel"S   Op  de
gehoord in de fabrieken. -1k daeht aan dien ouden man. wolken ter onzer hulpe en met Zijne heerlijkheid op de
Hij mag zich troosten als hij -dezen psalm leest, en.met          bovenst,e  wolken?
de zanger zeggen: Ik ga mij in God verblijden vanwege                 En dan gaat hij aan `t loven. .-
Zijne heerlijke werken.  En die  gdddelooben?  Zij  zul-              Gij zijt zeer iroot.
len verdaan worden van Ide aarde, ,en de goddeldozen                  Soms sta ik in mijn catechisatie klas met een mond
zullen niet meer zijn.               c                      -.    vol tanclen. Dan kan ik het de kinderen  maar niet goed
       Gaat m,et mij naar het begin van dell-psalm.*Ge  zult genoeg uitleggen hoe groot de Godheid is.- HTj is groot,
lieflijke dingen hooren.                                          en wij begrijpen Hem niet.  p Neen, maar wij  weten,
                                                                  dat Hij ontzaglijk groot is. Denkt het U aan : fiij. is
    Loof den H,eere, mijne ziel !                                 zonder grenzen. Grenzeloos is Zijn Wezen, Zijn deug-
       Dat hebben we al meeKmalen gehoord. Een oproep             1c en, Zijn heerlijkheden.  Zijn-liefde is van eeuwigheid
naar binnen, naar onze ziel, om toeh den Heere te loyen. . en tot in eeuwigheid. - Hij-is eindeloos in Zijn wijsheid
       Ja, dat hebb'en we meermalen gehoord, in den Bij- en verstand. Gaat met Uwe gedaehten in de-hoogte,
bel, en door d&n Heiligen Geest die het yoord toepast.            in de diepte, in ,de breedte, -in de leng& : overal  zult ge
En het eindelijke refrein was dan : Ik zal IGpd, mijn God vinden, en dat is zoo tot in bet oneindige  toe; Houdt
God, nog loven!                                                   maar op; keert .rpaar weder.  van .vorsehen,  want er is
       En dan zullen tie nog meermalen  hooren, wanneer geen doorbronden  van Zijn verstand. Waarmede `zou-
geen maan meer schijnt. Ik denk, dat we in den hem.el den wij dan God vergblijken. ' Wie zou met denken `God
onszelf en  alle ereaturen toeroepen  zullen, als om kunnen begrijpen?
strijd: Looft toeh den Heere, want Hij is ,zoo goed, zoo              $Gij zijt.b&kleed  met majesteit en heerlijkheid.
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                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                     . . -     353

  Majesteit is het uitstekende, het naar U toetredexi-        zelfde redeneering God afwezig, moet zijn als de don-
de, hetgene wat uitkomt en' zich aan U opdringt tot in kerheid mij omhult, %dan moet ge tech niet dezelfde wet-
het overstelpende `to&                                        ieri die mij binden aan mijn God opleggen, want het-
    Majesieit in den formeelen zin, ik 5011 haast zeggen,     zelfde Woord van ,God zegt ook, dat de duisternis voor
in machinaleh zin, ,is wat men in het Engelsch "em-           God  lieht is. Hij is altijd rondom mij. En ik  meet.
bossed" noemt. Ik geloof, dat het Nederlandsehe woord `Hem herkennen als Hij door bet licht op mij toetreedt.
relief `is, of gedreven we&.- Dat is de idee van majes-       En er van  zingen. Dat is vroom. .
teit. Het treedt naar U toe op de plaat.    Het staat uit.        Hij r.ekt  de hemel'uit als een gordijn.
Het is uit-stekend. En zoo is God altijd.  ,God staat            :Men vertelt mij, dat als groote heeren in het 0oste.n
uit, is de Uit-stekende. Hij treedt op U toe in alle          zich willen terugtreken in het privaat, dat zij gordijnen-
Zijne werken, tot in het diepe hart toe.                      laten'ophangen, random hun hoog vertrek..  En die gor-
    En.Hij is ook heerlijk.                                   dijnen zijn dan van het ,allerkostelijkste  fabrikaat.
  "I Heerlijkheid is uitstraling van deugdep. Het is het          Welnu, God heeft,Zijn Eigen fabrieken. %Iij maakt
schitteren van de zonnestraien. De heerlijkheid van Zijn Eigen fabrikaat. Hij heeft Zijn Eigen hoog ver-
de zon zijn haar stralen die naar U toe komen om U            trek. En dat is de  hemel.  Hij treedt U tegemoet in
te  verwarmen,  te  koestesen.  D,e heerlijkheid is het bet-kleinste  en het nietigste schepseltje bier op aarde.              .j
stralende gelaat  3an een gelukkig menseh.                    `Hij vertelt U hier ook van Zijn pqivate kameren. Dat
    De heerlijkheid Gods is de uitstraling van Zijn-God-      is het b`lauwe gewelf daar boven U. Er zullen plaatsen
delijke deugden. ,Overal waar God is daar is die uit- blijven in dat. ontzaglijke heelal waar de goddelooze
straling. Tot in het diepe hart van Zijn volk.  Daiar hun vuile voeten niet zullen kunnen ietten.  I Ik word
giet Hij Zijn deugden als mededeelbare eigenschappen soms angstig gestemd als ik hoor, dat men i66 ver, en
in Uw hart,, en dan wordt ge vol van God. En daarom ~66 hoog ,gegaan ,is. Wacht U, hoogmoedig menseh !
leest'ge zoo vaak in de Heilige Sehrift, dat men den In het Oosten ZOU men U eenvoudig afmaken, als g&
Heere heerlijkheid gaf. Het is het teruggaan van de hct wagen ioudt om he% private vertrek vati de grooten
e'erder gegeven deugden Gods in Uw hart. Dan gaat te versto.oren. Zoudt ge dan niet bang wordea om God
ge aan `t loven.                                              te verstoren in Zijn heerlijke private kameren, behan-
    Doch hier hkeft de dichter  het over de uitstraling gen met hemelseh-blauwe gordijnen? Hij rekt  ,de
+an  `Gods deugden zooals die  verspr,@id  zijn over de hemel uit als een gordijn. Tracht toeh niet om aehter
werken van Zijn handen.                                       dit gou;dijn te turen'. De Heere heeft ons de aarde ge-
    De .dichter  zal ons dicht bij God brengen door op gevei ,Laa'c dat genoeg zijn. Weest tevreden om wat
Zij werken te wijzen.  Qveral waar hij  de.schepselen         te vliegen, in de atmosfeer waa2' ge ademen kunt. Ik
ziet, daar ziet.Hij 001~ de alomte@enwoordige  heerlijk- zou  tech  denken,  dat als men geen  adem meer kan
heid van Zijn `God.                                           halen iri de ijle hoogten,  dat het toeh een vingerwijzing~
    Ja, ja, de Heilige ,Geest is in den beginne`begonnen moest zijn vodl" elk menseh om'schielijk terug te treden.
met de openbaring van de herkomst van het  licht. Daar boven in het blauwe staat met vurige letters:
Immers, de Heere zeide: daar zij lieht? en daar was           Verboden   Toegang ! Hier'is  bet private  vertrek  van
lieht.  Eh nu hier: Hij bedekt  Zich met  bet  lieht als %od die  Zijn  steel op  starren   stieht!
met ,een kleed.                     1                           Die Zijn opperzalen zoldert in de wateren!
    Ergens heeft iemand van Hem gezegd, d&t Hij het              Ja; .dat brengt met zich een mooi probleem  om .eens
ontoegankelijk  licht bewoont.  H.et behoort  tbt Zijn. o+ `te praten. D'e kinderen  in *de cateehesatie kijken
Wezen om LIcht te zijn. Hoe passend dan ook om van altijd eenigzins vreemd op, als ik gewag &.aakt van
het geschapen  licht op aarde te zeggen: Heere, Uw de wateren  boven het firmament. ! En dan kan ik het
kleed is het lieht !.                                         voorlezen @t het eerste hoofdstuk van ,Genesis,  maar
   Dat op&t h.eerlijke  perspeetieve'n.                       dat helpt ook al niet.' Het klinkt zoo vreemd, om aan
   Ik ga Br aan denken als ik in het zonlieht wandelt. water te denken  -boven het blauwe. En toeh staat het
Dan is mijn God heel  dicht bij mij. Neen, niemand er. De Heere maakte seheiding tusschen de water,en
heeft'ooit God gezien. Niemand kan ,God zien en leven. die boven het u.itsgansel zijn en die onder het uitspansel'
Maar Hij is toeh dicht bij een iegelijk van ons. Wij zijn. En het uitspansel noemde Hij hemel.  Dus daar
zien Hem niet, maar wij zien Zijn kleed. Het is bet zijn wateren  boven den hemel en `onder ,den hemel.  Het
licht van, de zon, de maant ,en `de sterren. Dat is  d,e is ook duid,elijk  uit den zondvloed. `De Heere opende
kleeding van God. En het is schitterend schoon.               de sluizen des hemels, staat er.
   Ik heb van jongsa.an  gehoord, dat wij ons bewegen            Nu dan, de Heere zoldert zijn opperzalen op die
in God. Dus Hij is altijd rondoin  mij. Ik kan het nu wateren  ,die boven het uitspansel zijn. Weet' ge, waar-
ook zintuiglijlf waarneembaar ber'eden.eeren. Dat mag aan` ik dacht. bij het bestudeeren van deze clausul,e?
ik doen, tiant Hij openbaart mij, dat Hij mij omgeeft Dit : wat is <de Heere algenoegzaam. *Als  i k   da&  ,wonen
als het zonlicht. En als ge aoudt zeggen, dat bij de- moest zou ik het spoedig zat zijn. Maar de Heere is de


354      ~                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEAREaR

Algenoegzame.     Hij  verlustigt  Zich daar boven het                       I
                                                              men des vtiurs. We hebben ervan geKoord,  en we zullen
blauwe in Zichzelven. En zoo is het ook, als ik hoor er hog meer van hooren, als straksde Engelen  Gods uit-
hoe er plaatsen, zijn op bergen  en in hooglanden, waar gezonden worden om de boozen te vergaderen. En we
voor eeuwen bloempjes gebloeid hebben die no&t door hoorden er al wat van. Denkt aan `Sodom en Gomor-
een mensch gezien werden. Waar is dat voor noodig? -rah ! En het thema van den psalm lee& het ons : Die
God ziet ze, en dat is genoeg. Hij verheerlijkt  ZieK Engel&  ,en  vlammegde  wezens zijn er alleen  m&ar,
`in Zijn Eigen werken. De bloempjes  op hotige bergen,        om de majesteit en de heerlijkheid van God t& ver-
de stille ijsmassa op de gletchers zijn er om <Gods` wil.     toonen. Loof den Heere, mi jne ziel !          G. Vos.
En zoo is het in het luehtledige, stille, (zoo-men-zegt)
zwarte  van het bovenste uitspansel. De Heere gebruikt
het voor de  zoldering van Zijn  opperzden. En" daar
v&lustigt God Zich in Zijn werken. God verveelt Zich
nooit. Wint Hij is ook de Volzalige! Is Hij niet groqt                I N   HIS  F E A R
v&n majes'ieit en heerlijkbeid?                 -
 - Die van de wolken Zijn wagen maakt!
    Mozes zong van denzelfden God : "die op den hemel
i:aart ter Uwer  hulpe, en met Zijne hoogheid op de                    As A Thief In The Night
bovenste wolken  !"
    Wij  maken ook onze  wagens. En de eene  wagen                Are you asleep?
overtr,eft  de ander,e  wagen in schoonheid,  in vlugheid,        What a foolish question. If you were asleep you
in paardekrachten. En wij snellen daarhenen.                  could not read these lines, and the above question woulci
    Gaat nti met mij naar `Gods wagens !                      `never reach, you.
    Ge zingt ervan : ,Gods wagens boven `t luchtig zwerk,         Yet, is the above question so foolish? Are you
zijn  tie5 en tien  maal duizend sterk, verdubbeld in spirituallp'asleep? Coming to those who are physically
getale ! Och, houdt maar ,op ! Wat gekrioei met ons           awake, the question deals with your spiritual condition.
broddelwerk ! God alleen kan het en doet het. Hij Are you then spiritually awake? Do you know what
rijdt  01) de wolken als op een  "wagen. Hij  schiet te time' it is? Are you aware of what is going on around
hulpe, en Hij melt naar den goddelooze om hem te ver-' you?. God's regenerated people are not blind. They
delgen. God is zeer snel met Zijn'wagens.                     have been given eyes to see and have received ears to
    Die op ,de vleuglen des winds wandelt.                    hear. Being born again th&y can see the kingdom of
    Een wandelende God.                                       heaven. And they can likewise see it grow and come.
    Ge komt Hem gedurig tegen. Als de zachte zomer-           Once having received their sight they never go blind
koelte U tegenwaait, denkt dan  aan God. Hij loopt,           again. God will not allow those to happen to His elect
I-Ii; wandelt tegen U aan. Als bet stormt en raast, dan people. But are you asleep? Are you exercising that
hoort ge de voetstappen van Uw lieflijken Vad,er die in wonderful faculty of seeing by faith? Are you  lodk-
de hemelen,  ja, ook in de liemelen  is. Hoe wonderlijk ing at all things that occur about you from the view-
zijn Uwe werken, o Mijn God! Weest nog niet,bang,  gij        point of the promises God has given us in the Scrip-
arme reizigers op de baren en de golven, als de stormen       tures? Is .the promis& and reality of the coming of
razen en het bootje trachten te verzwelgea. Het is de Christ b&fore  you day after day?
wandelende God. En Hij doet alles goed. Weest n`iet               "Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watch-
bang. En als ik zou  spreeken in de taal der &hrift,          eth, and keepeth his garments." So speaks Christ in
dan zou ix zeggen : Vreest niet, gelooft alleenlijk.          Rev. 16 :i5. "But of the times and the seasons breth-
    Hij maakt Zijn Engelell gee&en, Zijne diedaars tot ren, ye have no need that I write y&K For yourselves
een  vlammend vuur.' Hier liggen vreeselijke dingen.          know perfectly that t,he day of the Lord so cometh as
Hier gaat het over dingen waar ik niet veel van weet.         a. thief in the night." Thus the Abostle Paul wrote to
ik heb nooit een Engel van #God gezien. Maar tech ken the church at Thessalonica.' Peter similarly writes
Iii ze. Ik verlang er .ylaar om de Engelen IGods te zien,     to the  church that begins to  .wonder  why the Lord
en tiet hen te sprekcn,  zooals Maria ,en anderen dat tarries, "But the day of the Lord will come .as a thief
gedaan hebben. In het bijzonder, verlang ik om IGa- in the night", II Peter 3 :lO.
brie1 en Michael te zien. Die laatste heeft een mooie             The thief comes at night when all in the house are
naam. Het beteekeht : Wie is als Jehovah-God? Wat fast asleep. Had he seen a light in the house indicating
een naam om mee rond te loopen  #en te vliegen in den that all had not yet retired, he would not have entered.
hemel.  En bij hem is de  naam zijn  wezen..  Dus zijn His visit can be a surprise ahd is such simply because
wezen, het wezen van Machael vraagt gedurig, trium- the dwellers in that hbme were not aware of his en-
fantelijk: Wie is als rnijn JehovahLGod?.                     trance. c& to their slumber.
    God heeft ze tot gee&en  gemaakt, en oak. tot vlam-          Only in this later sense can we interpret that little
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                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                      355

word "as" in the expression, "As a thief in the night".       eth his garments clean". The army has its sentries.
Chri&`s  return is not withheld until it is a certainty The factory has its watchmen. They are not caught
tllat all, or for..that matter any, shall be surprised.       unawares when the thief or the enemy approaches.
   In his second epistle Peter had laid down the truth They have been placed there just to watch for these
once again for the church that Christ's return is deter- th.ings. The people of `God likewise watch for the day
mined by God with just exactly one thing in view. of the Lord. Physically they may sleep and must sleep.
That one thing is, accordi!lg to II Peter 3 :9, that the      Spiritually they are always alert, looking, waiting,
last of His elect people may be saved. Christ tarries watching in hope.
until the last one of those chosen from before the foun-         The child of *God remaining awake is not looking
dation of the world is born and regenerated. Before for  B thief. He is looking for his Lord. He is not on
that moment, He cannot coqe. Only in that sense does guard against some foe who might destroy him and his
God tarry. His return will be a surprise (and indeed family. He has nothing to fear concerning that day.
also a disappointment) for `inany. It will be as a thief His watch is not, for his protection. His watch is for
in the night. He will be here before many are aware his glorification and redemption. He stays awake,
of it, that is, the day of the Lord will be here before he counts the days, the hours with an eager expect-
many realize it. Suddenly  .they shall realize it.  All a&y.
shall know i$ for, as Peter also declares, "the day of           Indeed, the day of the Lord will'be a d&dfui day
the Lord comet11  as a, thief in the night ; in which the for some! And from a fleshly viewpoint it will be a
heavens shall pass away with a great noise." Whether tremendous day. The heavens shall pass away with a
this passing away pf th? heavens takes place as the crackling noise. . The stars shall fall, the moon. be
dawning of the clay of the Lqrd or whether it occurs turned to blood,. the sun becoming darkened. The
.toward the end, has nothing to do with the fact that it latter shall no doubt be first. We may perhaps expect
will -come as a thief in the night. It does show that .a rather rapid execution of all the things mentioned in
even as the fact that the thief- has been there is dis-       Scripture in regard to that day, of the Lord. It is  .a
covered after the sleeper has been aroused, so, though day, yet not at all necessarily a day of twenty-four
the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night, and        hours.    It is a day because it begins at a definite
though it therefore will for some come unnoticed, its moment of a definite day in a defnite week and month
reality. will soon be impressed upon the minds of all and year of our present world, It is a day, not an
men. Wh&n the heavens.pass away with a great noise, hoqr, nor a week, nor even a year. It is a relatively
the most hardened reprobate, the most avowed atheist short period of, time' at the end of which the dead are
will in his heart know what day it is. The coming of raised and in their new resurrection bodies both elect
that day, however, will be a surprise to many. Christ and reprobate shall in the twinkling of an eye see the
does not .say in this expression that He tiill b,e a thief Lord as He descends from heaven. The whole period
in the night. He does not come to behave as a thief.          is His .day, and as He comes, perhaps at ihe passing
He comes ccs a thief olily in the sense that as the thief away of the heavens, He ushers-in the eternal day and
comes unnoticed, so He will be here before rriany realize the new heavens and the new earth. At the early part
it and when many are still behaving and talking as of the $tiy we may perhaps expect that of which Joel
though it is still way off in some very remote -future.       speaks, namely,: that the sun shall be darkened and
Thus Paul further explains the matter when in I Thess. the moon turn to blood before the day of the Lord
5 :3 he writes, "For when they shall say, %`eace and          come. Shortly thereafter the heavens shall pass away
safety; then. sudden destruction cometh upon them." with a crackling noise and `the stars shall fall. `The
This he states in connection with his-remark in verse earth and all that it contains shall melt with a fervent
2 that the clay of the Lord comet11  as a thief in the        heat. Every thing that man has made and owns shall
night.                                                        disappear and be destroyed. Indeed it will be a ter-
   Hence we again ask, are .you asleep?                       rible and a dreadful day. It means the destruction of
   It is not the teaching of, Scripture. that the day all that the flesh needs and craves. It will truly be the
of the Lord shall come as a thief' in the night for all day of the Lord. All man's works  sizall disappear.  1
men. No, even as the figure implies, He comes as a All he has achieved over the years and through the
thief only to those who are asleep. For does not Paul         centuries will be wiped out. Nothing of man shall re-
continue in I Thcss. 5 :4, "Btit ye, brethren, are not in inain.
darkness,. that that day should over.$ake  you as a thief.       Woe unto the inhabitors of the earth! The Lord is
.Ye `are all children of light, and the children of the coming ! He Who is the iCreator  and the King of a!1
day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. There- that man emplbys is coming to reward every man ac-
fore let us not sleep, as do others ; but let us watch and cording to what he has done. Yoy'cannot take a breath
be sober." Does Chrtst  not al,so through the Apostle         of air but you are using His creation. No grain of
John declare?, "Blessed is he that wateheth, `and ktiep-
                  .                                           sand can you claim as your own. The earth and its
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$56                                   T H E   STANDARD  B E A R E R
 ~.
fulness belongs to the .Lord. Atid`whtit  has man done to stay awake, can you say that you are such an elect
with it? The Lord of all these things is coming again. `child of God? On what passage of Scripture can you
And He comes to reveal His Lordship.                         base your' contention? ,Consider  such texts as' James
   You would think that man would indeed be watch- 2:20,  `I. . . .faith without works is- dead", Join 15 :2,
ing for Him to come. The army has its sentry, the            "Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh
factory its watchman, and should not then the world away". What manner of persons ought ye to be? And ,
be on guard against. the return of the Lord.? Futile what manner of persons are ye now? In the next issue
ii! would be and likewise. impossible. The world does we hope  .to "continue our consideration of this ques-
not recognize His Lordship, nor does it believe in His       tiori.
return. To  tne world it will undoubtedly coine  *as a                                                J. A. Heys.
thief in the night. Thi! world goes to slekp; yea, the
world is spiritually dead. For' the world it is pre-
posterous to speak of His return. That this world will
come to an end, the world will in, no wise d&e to deny.
Its scientist will even predict that fact. But a day of                     .FROM  HOLY WRIT
                                                                       -
the Lord !  I? No  ne_ed to watch for that. Besides to
watch would be of'no avail. The world can never get'
ready for that day. Arid did the world `know that it                           ..  I n   V a i n
was coming tomorrow, it could not escape its horrors.
It cannot wash itself clean of its guilt. .The Lord comes        There are iwo words that spell the depth of despaif,
in judgment! He comes in  wrath!                             the complete disillusionment of t@he sinner shackled
   And what of you? You who confess the Lord, you in  th,e bondage of sin  ,and death. They are the two
who claim to belong to His church and kingdom, are words,' "In Vain". It is Ithe v&diet of the righteous
you asleep? Or are you waiting for Him to return in Judge of heaven and earth upon those:who set their
the full consciousness that the day of the Lord will hearts and affections upon the things of this earth. In
come and that it is for you the day of redemption and        large, bold letters Gods.writes o&r a world of wicked-
glory? Do you claim the washing away of all your ness, as it exists under His curse: In vain, vanity. It
guilt through His blood? .Then `you will look for Him ends in eternal desolation of hell.,
to come and bring  yoG  home to glory. You who say                                                      -
that your only comfort in life and- death is that you        Vanity is Deaeptive Emptineb.
belong to your faithful Saviour and confess Him to be            The basic idea of "vanity" in Scriptuke is that the
your Lord and Master, are you interested in His re- thing is empty,. and therefore vain. It means that the
turn? Yes, but are you interested  ig it? Or do: the thing is devoid of content, like a breath, a shadow, a
things spiritual bore you and put ydu to sleep?              mist that fad&s away in a moment. A thing may be
   Indeed that sleep .is .there always; The eyes are vain because it is done without gdod cause, rashly, fool-
heavy. The spirit is willing  but the flesh is weak.         ishly. Or it may be vain because it lacks sincerity and
B& what do ysu do about that sleepy feeling? Do you truth, because it is evil. Or dgain, it may be empty
go to bed and succumb to it? Still worse, `you are not because it is deceiving, misleading for those who put
taking sleeping pills are you? Many a time it becomes their trust in it. Or even, it may be vain because it
necessary to take a etip of strong coffee to keep awake fails to meet the expectation and thus proves to be a
in order to finish a work that interests us. Is it that delusion.
way with us and the coming of the day of the Lord.               From a spiritual, ethical aspect, vanity is -devoid
Sleepy? Of course, we all are. -But interested? Are of trtith, it is the lie. Since `God is the .true and living
you anxious enough for its arrival, are you eager            God, all idols are vain. They.have  eyes but cannot see,
enough for it to come to want to stay awake.?                ears they have but they fail to- hear; `and mouths but
   We find a beautiful text in II Peter 3 in regard to       they cannot speak. Anyone who seeks or setsup ti vain
this. Peter puts the full responsibility of deciding how idol does so before the face of the only true *God. As
we ought to live in view of the coming of that day by the Lord says of Israel, "They have moved Me to jeal-
asking his readers the question, "Seeing then that all ousy with that. `which is not God ; they have provoked
these thingsshall  be dissolved, what manner of persons Me to anger with their vanities." Deut. 32':21.
ought jre to be in all holy conversation-and godliness,         There arc+ also -vain things, lying vaniti.es, that de-
leoking for and hasting unto the coming .of -the day of ceive men with their tinseled brilliance and  false allure.
the Lord?" What mamler  of persons ought jre to be?              The devil made the tree- of knowledge of good and
Ought ye to sleep ? Dare you sleep? Nay, the elect evil such a lying vanity in partidise. He deceived o&
of  IGod will not perish in that day. But if you are first parents into believing that.`the tree had power to
asleep now and are not interested enough in His coming make one wise, .so that they were lured into death by


                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                            357

 its appeal. Ever since that the things of this  wprld          man of all his -labor which he taketh under the sun?
 ha.ve had ,their  appeal to a sinful, rebellious hum,anity.     One generation passes away, and another generation
 The more the world ,develops, the more man strives com'eth : but the earth abideth ever. - ,The sun arise&,
 after vanity. He pursuies earthly riches, v&n glory of and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where
 men, power, success, carnal' pleasures. The rich fool he arose. The wind go&h toward the s&h, and turn-
 boasts that he has much goods laid up for many years,           eth  abeut untp the north ; it whirleth about continually,
 so that he can eat, drink, and be merry for a long time and the wind returned again according to his circuits.
 to come. He trusts in his  we&lth- and glories in  his All the rivers run into the'sea ; yet- the sea is not full ;
 treasures imagining that his house will  continue to unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither
 stand forever, and his dwelling place unto all genera; they return again. All things are full of labor; man
 Cons. Psalm 49 :6111. He who has forsaken God loves
                           .                                     cannot utter it : the eye is not'satisfied with seeing; nor
 the world and the th@gs of the world ; the lust of the the ear filled with hearing. The thing that bath b,een,
 flesh, and the lust .of the eyes, and the prid,e of 1if.e.      it is that which shall be ; ancl that -which is done is that         .
 Yet ail these things are v&nities and vexation of spirit, which shall be done ; and there is no new thing under
 for their end is destruction. Psalm 39 :6, "Surely every the sun. Eccl.  1:3-9.
 man walketh in a vain show; surely they are disquieted             It all runs in a vicious circle of' wearisome mono-
 in vain ; he .heapeth up riches, and know,eth not who teny. The sun rises and sets day after day, the wind
 shall gather them." Therefore Israel is admonished, runs its course over and over again, the seasons folloti
 "And turn ye not aside (from following the Lord) :             one upon another in endless repetition. Sunshine fol-
 for. then should we go after vain things, which. cafinot lows rain, and rain follows sunshine, day follows night
 profit nor deliver, for they are vain." I Sam. 13:21.          and night follows day, without ever, getting anywhere.
    Wicked men who strive after vain things are also One generation #dies and another is born into the same
 themselves vain. "Man is like vanity ; his days ,as a world of vanity, only%0 join the.one,  long, endless pro-
 shadow that passeth away." Pi. 144 :4. Therefpre he, cession that moves toward the cemetery. Wee see new
 .also  lives in vanity.        "They conceive mischief, and `inventions, new' discoveries to ease`the  burden of life,
 bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit." and to lift away, if it were possible, the curse. But the
 Job 15 :35. Their throat is an open sepulchre ; with result of all these improvemen&  is, that we live faster,
 their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of .asps       more ?ntensely, more dangerously, and die fast&. It
 is under their lips ; their mouths are full of cursinE and ' all ends in the grave, for there is never anything new
 bitterness.     "They speak vanity every one  with his in a `wor_ld of vanity.
 neighbour : with flattering lips and with a double heart           This is expressed very succinctly in Ps. 127 :l, "Ex-
 do they speak." Ps. 12:2.                                      cept the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that
                                                                build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman            .
 The Cause.                                                     waketh but in vain."
    The cause of all this vanity lies in the curse which            This does not mean that the builders do not venture
 God has pronounced upon the fallen human race. The to build without aGod. $Vicked Ten always do exactly
 righteous judgment of God upon sin has brought the that. But the Lord, Jehovah, the .Almighty, itimutable,
 terrible verdict : Iri Vain !                                  sovereign `God, Who keeps covenant with His. people
    Paul assures us in Rom. 1120, "Because &at, when forever, is not `with them, but against them. While
 they knew God, they giorifikd Him not as God, neither they are building the wall it crumbles down undertheir
 were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations hands; br, worse, they succeed in geltiing the wall up,
 and their foolisli heart was darkened." And the com- only fo discover on the next day that it has fallen and %
 plaint, of the' psalmist is always true, "Behold, Thou broken. Or, still worse, they manage to get the walls
 hast made my days as an handbreath, and mine age is            built and the roof spread over them, but before they
. as nothing before' Thee; verily, every man at his best can, really enjoy the pleasures of their new home, de-
 state is altogether vanity." Ps. 34 :5.                        struction  comes.  With their goal in sight they meet
    When the king of this earthly creation fell in para- with disaster.
 dise, he brought his whole earthly kingdom  with him               Nor does it mean that the watchers fall asleep dur-
 under God's curse. God's judgment upon sin has sub- ing, the long night of waiting. ,They diligently keep
 jected all things to vanity, as Paul writes in Rom. 8 :`20, watch, ever on the alert throughout the wearisome
 "For the creature was mad+ subject to vanity, not will- night, even until break of day. But in the meantime
 ingly, but by reason of Him Who hath subjected the the enemy stages a surprise attack from an unexpected
 same in hope."                                                 direction, `or at the last moment catches them off guard,
    This causes the wise Preacher of Ecclesiastes  to cry so that the warning of danger comes too late. They
 out, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." And because have watched the whole night through; but `God wrote
 the Pr,eacher  was wise, he added, "What profit bath a over their watching: In Vain.                .
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     358          _                       T H E   S T A N D A R D .   B E A R E R '

        It means that the wicked do all things in vain. iivered  `from all vanity. "They shall not labor in vain,
     Their eating and drinking, their striving to make a nor bring forth trouble;. for they are the seed of the
     success, their struggle. to get on top, to provide for the blessed of the Lord, and .their offspring with them . . `.
     future of themselyes and their families, it `all is brand-      The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the
     ed with vanity. Its end is death and eternal destruction. lion shall eat straw like the bullock ; and ;dust shall be
        It reminds us of the handwriting on the wall at the the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in
     feast of Belshazzar, catching him unawares even while all My holy Mountain, saith the Lord." Isaiah 65 :23,
     he was feasting with a thousand of his lords and drink- 25.                       :.                             C. Hanko.
`ing from the golden'vessels  that had been de,dicated to
     the Lord in the temple in Jerusalem.                                                      -
                                             It is most discon-
     certing.,to be called to account in the midst of the con-
     fusion, the stench and `the rubbish of a man's drunken
     orgies. It is a rude awakening to suddenly stand ex-                             P E R I S C O P E
     posed amidst the lameness and,vanities  of sin.
        This is but a picture of the world that makes its
     measure of iniquity full, always striving for the vain Releas& Time Religious Instruction:  c
     satisfaction that the treasures and'pleasures, the pomp              .' Recently the Supreme Court of the United States
     and splendor of this world have to offer. For the Lord decided that all religious instruction in the public
     will appear -suddenly,  even as thief in the night, while schools even on a voluntary basis was unconstitutional.
     .the vain builder is still working on his house, and the        This decision was made in connection with an appeal
     weary watcher is .still keeping his watch.. With this of a woman and mother from Illinois protesting such
     goal seemingly almost in his grasps, he appears before "released time" religious classes in that state. It is
     the judgment seat of Christ. -The number of man is not our purpose to comment on this decision as such
     t&number of vanity, six hundred and sixty and six. ' except in so far  as  it brings home to us once more
I                                                                    the- neutrality ( ?) overagainst r,eligion  in our pubhe
     The,Only  Escape.                                  / .-         schools.     For the plaintiff in this ease was a  self-
        The only possible escape from this vanity is by the announced atheist. And where neutrality is the rule,
     grace of God, Who delivers His people in Christ unto the one with the least religion, in this case the atheist,
eternal salvation. Jehovah builds His house and guards controls the instruction !
     His-city, in which the righteous shall dwell1 forever.          .      Rather in connection with this it is our purpose. to
        Christ is the only one in a world of sin and' death,         call attention to the matter of "released time" religious
     Who can fulfill the requirements .of as&ending the hill instruction as it is being promoted in many .places by
     of the Lord and of standing in His holy place. `Christ concretely calling attention to the attempt made to
     has clean hands, and a pure heart. He has not lifted begin this program as it was carried out in IOskaloosa.
     up His  soul  unto vanity, `nor sworn deceitfully." P.S.             * W,e quote the .Oskaloosa  D,ail Herald from, an article
     24 :3, 4. He brought the perfe$ sacrifice `for sin by entitled "Time out for Religious Instruction" : -"The
     His obedience on the cross. He merited salvation, and Oskaloosa Parent-Teacher Association is endeavoring
     calls His people to repentance, -saying,  0 Jerusalem, to get some kind of religious services for pupils in the
     wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest public schools. In order to avoid any  .differences  of
     be saved. How' long shall thy vain thoughts lodge opinion, one suggested plan is to give the pupils a short
     within thee? Jer. 4 :14.                                        period of free time to attend services in the churches
        ,As a result of His efficacious calling through the of their choice. . . ."
Spirit, He causes His people to cry with the Psalmist,                     "A `good many years ago ,Dr. David James Burrell,
     "Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity, and speaking.`on  the broader subject of Bible readings in
     ,quicken `Thou me in the way." Ps. 119 :37.` Therefore the schools, said: `We are not carrying on our public
     His saints are aiso assured that their strivings, their schools as they are in some countries, for. the sake of
     toils and sufferings in `the flesh will never be subject pouring information into the minds of young people.
     to vanity. They are God's workmanship; created in `Our, schoois are the bulwark of our national security.
     Christ unto those good works, iwhi&h God has eternally We are making citizens. We cannot afford-not to have
     prepared for them, that they should walk in them. The public schools because every young boy is a sovereign
     Word of ,God always admonishes them,' "Therefore, my in his own right: But the three R's cannot make a good
     beloved brethren, be ye. steawfast, immovable always citizen. They do not affect moral character one way
     abounding in the work of the Lord," assuring'. them,            or the other. The Bible is our only textbook of morals ;
     "For ye know that your labor is  not in vain  in the            and we have taken it out of. the public schools. `-Nor
     Lord." I Cor. `15 :58.       '                             ,    have we anything there to take its place. What do our
         Not in vain, for- in heaven they `are perfectly `de- educational authorities mean by undertaking to make
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                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEAR'ER.                                                            `359

citizens'in America without teaching them the De&-               Who- Makes Divisions in the Church?
logue or the Sermon on the Mount? If the Bible mu&                  To this our mind was directed whe? we read the
be removed what textbook on morals shall. supplant it? following paragraph from  `.an article entitled "That
We must put something else in. We shall not complain they may be one" by Rev. Jacob T. Hoogstra in the
if you can find it. Shall it be the- Analects of Con-. March Calvin -Forum : "Woe to the man who doesn't
fucius?  Shall `it be the  .three  Baskets of Buddhism? hesitate to start rifts in the church ! He is doing more
Our public schools cannot be left without some teltt-            than cutting the seamless robe df our Lord, to use the                        _
book of morality ; for we are making citizens there and language of Cyrian. He is toying with the holy Trinity."
the welf,are  of our country depends upon it"."                     It is not our purpose to review this article but rather
   In connection with this plan the following letter was to use this oppo?tu@y to point out a few things in
sent to all the ministers of the locality: "A delegation         cormection with the question above.
of ladies representing the ,local PTA' groups, appeared            Oftentimes the one who- by God is called upon to
before the school board last evening. . This group asks start 3 new denoniination is automatically looked at
the board to consider a pban, of week-day religious in- askance tind his work is considered to be of the devil
struction."           . .                                        because he was found guilty of splitting the church.
   "Under the plan proposed, school children in grades Nor do I -mean to defend every, and each division which
4-8 would be released from school for one hour on Wed- is caused and split that takes. place within the bosom. '
lIesday af$ernoon, if they,, desire .to attend a .class for      of that-which is called church. But f&t is that, as far
religious instruction. Attendance. at the class for re- as the irue and faithful church is concerne'd,  the mother
ligious instruction would be optional, and those who denomination is usually the one who is guilty of caus-                                    .
did not go would-,be  retained at school for the. regular ing rifts in the church. And the true church goes on,
time. The children would attend their regular church through the process of reformation while the old be-
or ,any chukch of  t]neir choice if  they had no former comes the false church and while claiming' to be the
church connections."                                             ch.uych  has really become a sect-a  grqup guilty of
   The board is ndw considering the suggested-plan. her,esy.,                                       0
Tlley need the opiniop of, the local ministers, and feel            We are glad tliat this is seen; at lest to a certain
the most satisfactory way to secure this opinion  .is            extent,- by My'. Hoogstra as is evident f%om another
through an individual conference. 1 . `."                        paragraph which we quote, "Denominations have been
   To this letter of the school board we replied. as under God of immense. value. They have brdken im-
follows: -`"Thank you for your recent  let!er regarding -personal,  anti-spirit.ua!  church machinery that raised
the proposed plati for week-day religious instruction.           the organization above the work of the Holy Spirit in
    "I am indeed sorry that I cannot give' my whole- the heart of a believer. They have kept the torch of
hearted approval to .the plan outlined in your letter, religious liberty undimmed.in  the'night of inquisitions.
which I uaderstand to be in the n,ature  of a supplement Through them a great diversity in the expression of
to the present religibusly-neutral instruction offered Biblical truths has come to light. They have called the
necessarily in the public schodls. As you perhaps know church back to the one source-the Word of God. Let
the group with which I am affiliated has taken  ,the             no man call our liberators sinners ! Bigoted Fen ? But
position, to which I also fully subscribe, that, strictly may  not  our  very criticism be a token of our own
speaking, there can be no neutrality, especially not in bigotry, perchance?"                                                  .  `I
the educational field. To quote the words of our Savior,
"He that ii not with-me is against me. . . ." For this                                  *     ,          g:     :,:     :k
reason we have opened our qwn `%chool for, Christian                 From the same -Forum we wish to -quote from an
Instruction" in which our children may be given Chris- irticle  by Henry  R; Van Til, Associate Professor of
tian training in every branch of the curricuhim. This
we believe to be the only answer to the problems which. Bible, Calvin College, entitled "Doctrine : A Scriptural
I feel you? group also detects in the present set-up."           Evaluation". "The same spirit of unconcern for mat-
    "Incidentally, such classes for religious instruction` ters of truth, i.e., doctrifial  issues, -the sanie listless
we already possess, meeting every Saturday afternoon." complacency may alio be found in then Christian Re-
                                                                 formed Church. Its members:no longer welcome and
    "I shall, however,.be  at your sqvice at any time to         appreciate doctrinal  preaching when it is controversial.
meet with you in individual conference in order to more By the latter term I refer to, the type of preaching in
fully explain the position outlined above."                      which some form of' the ,modern  denial of- the truth is
                                    "Sin_cerely  yours,"         scored, or the pdsitive principle is concretized by the
     . .                      II                                 `simple expedient of pointing-out the ecclesiastical her.e- .
    The above we believi:  explains itself.                      ,sies that must be avoided. Another evidence is the fact
                        9.  * .*,+          .`.     ./           that our men's societies, which have been organized
                                                            .


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 360                                     P-o'-T  H  Ii S T  A.N D AR D  B=R E R

 to study %he doctrines of .Sc'Y;ipt&e,  `n'o longe& attract therefore from whence thou art fallen, and recent,  ancl
 more than a fraction of the male membership of the do the f&t works ; or else I will come unto thee quiek-
 church. Bowling is far more popular.  B'esides, one  "' ly, and will remove thy candlestick out. of his place,
 never heaPs  our members discussing doctrine ; we are                                except thou repent."
                                                                                                                          .
 interested in methods and progl:ams and campaigns                                                                                                                       J.  Howerzyl;
 but to implicate ourselves into the truth, to grow in                                                                                            : ---
 the knowledge of the Lord Jesus has very little appeal
 today. This general lethargy is certainly not discour-                                                                        WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
 aged but rather abetted and `promoted when  eccl!esiasti-                                    On May 2, 1948, the Lord willing, our dear parents
 cal dignitaries issue a ukase (a command, a proclama-                                                                    MR. AND MRS. D.  JONICER
 tion or  im,perial  orde?  having the force of law-hence hope to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary.                                                                                   !
 any official decree-J.H.) warning' consistories not to                                       1; this  celebratipn  we,  ,their   thildrq,  join them in  thqnks-
 permit our Dutch cousins  to present `their doctrinal giving to our covenant God for the blessings of life  iri the
 differences lest we should become embroiled  in the .sweet consciousness! of His nearness, and in prayer for His
 issue. The fact that no protests are  ~forthcoming   is cbntinued  guidance and blessing during their earthly sojoprn.
 mute evidence either that thought control is, almost                                         "0.h satisfy us in the morning with thy lovingkindness,  That
 complete or that  doctfinal  indiff,erence  is so strong we may ,rejoice'and  be glad .a11 our days." Ps. 9024.
 that we no longer are alert or interested to know what                                                                                     Mr. and Mrs. Homer C. Hoeksema
 the truth of the matter-is. However, this docility, this                                                         0                         Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius R. Jonker
 seeming readiness to think only by hierarchical. decree                                                                                    T h e l m a   ,M.
                                                                                       Grand Rapid?, M&Y-..  _                              James   D.
 may well prove a boomerang for the church. As a re--
 sult the individual's co&ciousness of the integri.ty  of
 hJs office .of -believer and his consciougness of being                                                                  W E D D I N G   ANNIVl3RSAaRY.
 called and restored to the office of prophet are under-                                       On Thursday, May 7, 1948, OUT dear parents,
 mined. `Consequently. the apostolic  admonition to try .'-                                                                      JOHN  CAMMEN~GA*SR.
 the spirits to see whether they be. of God becomes a                                                                                            and
 dead letter. or must be turned over to Syrmdical  corn-.                                                              B,EATRICE   CAMMEnNGA   -  Bergsma
 mittee. Indeed, this procedure.of maintaining a death-* x?ill-  celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, the Lord willing.
                                                                                     y.        :>y
 like silence on  controtiersial  issues in order that we !:-2 B is o~desire  and prayer, that the Lord, who has kept them
                                                                                               i;--
 may have peace may perhaps achieve its obje$ive  ; the&-many years, may in His loving care provide for them in
 but, to my mind, it will result in the silence of the the future, and that the "sure mercies of David" may `constantly
 cemetery, the still.ness  of the tomb."                                               be their portion.'
        To begin we would point  out that we are simply                                               1                                     Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Boerkoel
 quoting from the introduction' of Mr. Van Til's article  i  .i                                                                             Mr. and Mrs. John Cammenga, Jr.
                                                                                                                                            R e v .   and.Mrs.   A..`Cammenga
 and do not intend to dis&ss or evaluate it as a whole.                                          ,T--                                       Mr. and Mrs. P. Cammenga
        With regard to .the above paragraph however we                                           $                                          Rev. and Mrs. S.  ,Cammenga
                                                                                                                                                        and 20 grandchildren
 would first of all extend a word of commendation to                                   Openr.House  May 7 from 1:30  to 5 and `7 to 10 o'clock P.M., at'
 the author, both fpr `the clear evaluation of .the danger ' 1036 2gan  St., S.E, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
 present and for the stand which he takes. `And if this                                               `~5`L=                                                        e
 article together  with one to which we  caqkd your at-  `.  +.
 tention in a recent number of the;Standa$d  B,earer is                                                    LL                     ECHTVEREENIGPNG
 an indication that there is a growing awa+ness  of and                                                    --                  1888 - Zastig  Jiaren  - 1948.
  opposition to the hierarchical actions of !recent time                                       De;  lSd& April herdachten wij met onze geliefde' ouders,
                                                                                                           :zx
 in tlie ,Christian  Reformed Churches .we :`can only re-                                                  .:-                   CORNELIUS KLAVER
joice. And once again we  would repeat  a$d emphasize                                            - ,L'-                                          en                                     .I
-excFpt there be  free)&Ad open discussion on every                                                                            ALICE  KLAVER-V&woerd
  subj,ect bound orily by the %Void .of 1God %nd the Con- ,,dat  zij 60  jaren  .,door  den band des  huwelijks  vereenigd zijn
 fessions, the  church dies.                                                   gewekit.
                                                            ;
        However, it seems to me th&t much; of what Mr.                                         De  Heere.  die hun deze  jaren   goed cn nabij is geweest,` zij
                                                                                            hm~ verder tot troost en  steikte.
  V a n   Y&l  w r i t e s   i n   t h e   a b o v e   paragraph  c a n   a l s o ,   be                                       _  Hunne  dankba,re  kinderen:                           '
  applied to. the .Protestant R,eformed Churches. and as
  s&h it should also be a warning to -us. :! When I tl&k                                                                                                 Mr. and Mrs. Sake Klien
                                                                                                                                                         Mq and Mrs. Chas. Reitsma
  of the impatience, even. in our own ci+s, with `do?-.                                                                                                  Mr. and Mrs. Peter H. Klaver
                                                                                                                                                  ".
trinal' seu'mons  and the greater  attraqttlon  of sports  8                                                                                             Mr. an& Mrs. Simon Miersma
                                                                                                                                                         Mr. and Mrs. John Kl.laver
  overagainst t&+ study of the Word of lG+od I believe we                                                                                                  2 4   k l e i n k i n d e r e n
also should read and take warning  atid  "&member.                                          Grand Rapids, Michigan                                1            5                  aohier-kleinkinderen
                                                                        ._
                                            ,I        I                 .a,
                                                   .~.~ ____ `i'                .                                                     .-
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