      VOLUME XXIV                              August 1,' 1948 - Grand Rapids, Michigan.                               NUMBER=              o

                                                                      - weighed him the money in the balances. And  the
            MEAN-I,TAT   IOti evidence of the purchase Jeremiah. gave. into- the safe-
                                                                           keeping of a certain Baruch, charging him to put the
                                                                           papers. into an earthen vessel, that it might continue      '
                      The Heav&ly . Gift                                   many days.
                                                                              We would be inklined to ask: what was so wonder-
                                                                           Pul about this iticident?.  A man-is shut in prison, and
                    "And I will give them one heart,  ,a+ one way, that    his cousin offers him the purchase of a field!
                  they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and         But wait ! Jeremiah. `walked with God, and with,
                 of their children after them."-Jeremiah  32:39.           the Go.d of heaven and the earth he was ,in daily com-
         This text is the expression of the wonder, the mir- munication.                  Note that .Jeremiah said, immediately
     .aculous wonder, df the lovingkindness of our Covenant after his-cousin had finished hiti story: "Then I knew
      G o d .                                                              that this was the word of the Lord." Marvellous`pene-
         In order to see this, we will have to tell you a bit tration of the L&d's doing !
      about `the histdrical background.                                       Jeremiah had seen ail tl?e abotiinations which Judah
         Jeremiah,`the  true prophet of the Lord, was shyt up had done in the sight of Jehovah their GO& And he
      in the court of the prison, which was in the king of knew that God was riihteous and just and that.punish-
     Judah's house. In these few words are a world of ini-' ment was in the offing. In fact, he himself had `an-
      ,quity and. trespass. The prophet'should have.occupied               n&n-&d the just' punishment in the name- of the Lord.
      a place of honor and tranquility : a place ,ip' the court               But now came this m&sage, clothed in the act of his
      of the king of Judah's house would not have been .too                cousin : the` offering in purchase of `a field-!
higlpfor him, for he spoke the Word of the:Eord. And                          Here is. Jeremiah's' interpretation of- the purchase
      we do find him in'the house of the king of .Judah, but, of the field of An&ho$h: "For thus saitk; the Lord of                    '
      alas, his place is in prison. It augurs eyil for Judah hosts, the God. of Israel, Houses and fields and vine-
      when the prophet of the Lord is thus treated.                        yards shall be'posses&d again in this land !" And there-
         And the reason is  giyen  wh$ he  was. shut up  in fore the evidences of the pur@hase must: reside in an
      prison. It was because Jeremiah had said, Thus saith                 earthen vessel. God will return from His fierce anger.
     the Lord, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of There is marvellous  lovin&kindness  in the offing.               '
      the king of Babylon, and he shall take it ;.and- Zedekiah                                     .I * :k  *
     king of Judah shall not escalje  out of the hand pf the                                 . .          . -
     Chaldeans;  but shall surely be delivered into the hand                  And the Lo@ confirmed the. reasoning of his ser-
      of the king of Babylon. . . .             c                          vant Jeremiah.            .
         "rh6n the king of Judah had giveh word to shut him                   He came to him and s&d among other things : "The
      up in the prison that was situated'in his pwn house.                 children.of Israel and the children of Judah have only
      His evil abided' very near unto him.              .                  done eyil.before Me from their youth: for the children      '
         And i't came to, pass that while Jeremiah was shut of Israel have ogly provoked Me .to anger with the.work
      up `in this -prison that -his` boun&n, Hanameel, visited of their hands; saith the Lord." And"that was true.of
      him with the plka to buy his field that was at An&h&h !              all of them, fqr the prophet accuses in the name. o? the
         -This action on the part of Hanameel set the pi;ophet Lqrd "they, their kings,  their  prjnces,  their priests,
      to thinking.                 _'                                      and their brophets,  and the men' of Judah, aid the in-
         And his reaction'is immediate. He bought the field, habitants of, Jerusalem."
      subscribed the evidence of the purehake, sealed it, and                 [Also their sins are `outlined precisely by the voice

                                                                                                                                 x

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     458                                     THE           S?ANDARb                      &aARtiR
                                                                        .I _....                               ,`
     of the Lord. Here it is: "They set their abominations The reason is heavily theological.  God took reasons
     in the house (that is, the temple), which is called by `out of His own Feing. From all eternity, and in the
     My Name, to defile it'. And they built the high places                  very depths of  Sod, there is  l@e, indescribable love
     of Baal, which .are in the valley of the son, of Hinnom,                and            lo.vingl&dness.
     to cause their'sons a$l their daughters to pass"through                        A&&hat is also the *Gospel of ,God which is eternal :
     the fire unto Moloch'i;:ghich I commanded them `not, IIis love and lovingkindness $gek and find their way to
     neither cam6 it into My -mind, that they should do. this the heart and life of Judah,-' Israe!, atid the inhabitants
     abomination; to cause Judah to sin."             '
\                                                                            of Jerusalem through sinT?niquit&and  great abomitia-
      i Well, dear .reader,  what would you, expect at this tions. For such is the case h&e with Jeremiah, Hana-
     juncture?                                                               meel, Baruch, Israel, Judah, an@: $erusalem  With their
            Yes, I know your answer. It' is  mi@  :ais.o.  We, sins on the one hafid ; and Nebuchadnezzap, Babylon,
     would elipect -&is, no! only sl$ld they' be sent into. the Chaldeaqs, and their cruel tyranny and oppression
     captivity into t&c.. band `d_S `the cruel king or: Babylon,             on the other hand. The one should find the other:
     but they should be sent into eveplasting captivity in the
                                      -_-                                    Nebuchadnezzar should  crdsh Israel because of their
     chains of- et&%al-darkness of Bell land daninaiion ! That b&tant sinning against God, whereupon also  Nebu-
     is exactly what we would expect.`- For the Lord is                      cli>d&&ar  should be thrown into the fire as a used
     righteous and holy, a God of;truth and equity is He !                   razor. And there should stand the period.
            Jtidah and Israel, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem                     But God is God. He never changes. He loved
     had revealed themselves to be a bad lot. `That is all Israel-Judah-Jerusalem from everlasting and to ever-
' there is to it.! And the end of a bad lot is evil, evil for lasting. They shall go to heaven t6 be to His praises
     time and for eternity.                                                  forever.. And that is that.
            Their hearts, fromllvhich are theissues of life, had                    And so Hanameel gets it into his head to sell a field
     been evil from their youth, so that they had only done                  to a man in brison,  which man is of a keen and pene-
     abomination, according to the Worq of the Lord. And
                                                                   \         trating mind about things theological. He knows God.
ti just recomljense  of an evil reward is all we can ex- And he reasdns  correctly. ,God shall visit His people
     pect for such hearts, and such ways.'                                   a g a i n .
            The evil heart and the evil wag find their end in                       God's love and lovingkindness are a continual, an '
     hell itself !                                                           everlasting surprise and wonder! You may prepare
                              x:***            :'                            yourselves to begin the singing of the hallels of praise
            But wait!                                                        and adoration.
            We have to deal ,with Jehovah, the Covenant ,God                        God always remembers His Covenant  which. is
     of His people.                                                          eternal.                                I
      Hard upon  CGod's  own. revelation of all their evil                                            * * $ :>
     doings, indeed, the very next ve+! in the story reads                          And then comes the text that is written above this
     t11us : "And now therefore thus saith the Lord, the God                 piece of writing. It took me a long time to come to it.
     of Isr&el;concerning this city, whereof we say, It shall But I cannot help that. I could not begin to tell you
     be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by                    of the heavenly .Gift of `a new heart and a new way
     the sword and by the famine, and by the pestilence ;                    without this introduction,  an. introduction which is
     .Behold, I will gather them out of: all countries,, whither longer than the treatment of the text. You meet with
     I have driven them in Mine anger, and in My fury, and these things `in Scripture. Besides, the Gift is en-
     in great wrath ; and .I will bring them again unto this                 hanced in the light *of the historical background with
     place, and. I will cause `them to dwell safely."                        all its lurid background of the unfaithfulness, abomin-
            I ask you in a!1 sincerity: can you understand it?               ations and the  very grievous sins of  Israel-Judah-
     `Here is a people that are evil from their youth, dbing- Jerusalem. The brilliancy of `God's love `needs a dark
     only evil continually, provoking God to anger, justly background.
     being given into the hand of a wicked and cruel tyrant,                        Tf you give love to lovers, it will make the angels
     and then comes'that cousin to Jeremiah the prophet, sing. But if you gipe love to those that hate you, time
     trying to sell a  piFee of land, which is  Gsd's way of stands still, and there is an eternity of wonderment,
     telling Jeremiah that the lanld shall be their's again which shall grow into the most beautiful singing of
     after many. days. In other. words: God shall forgive those so treated.  -Remember that there is one song
     their iniquity and shall return from His fierce anger, which no one can sing but those beings that are treated:
     and bless them- abundantly! .                                           with love when all ju$ice would damn them forever..
            And here is the `ieason, and I would beg of you to                      Yes, the.n comes the text. Here it' is: And `I will
     try and understand it: "And they shall be My people, give them one heart, and one way, that` they may fear
     and I will be their #God." (The next yerse)              -              Me forever, for. the good of them, and of their children
        .That is the reason : God is the God of His people.                   after the& !                IL- . . . . _ .-_. -..


                                       T    H    E              S    T      A    N     D    A      R    D      B.EARER                               459

    A little later will give us the edition of the selfsame               hard. It is an old heart and an old way I have by nature.
 Gospel of Ezekiel. And it will be well to quote that                        #Oh, for a. new' heart and a- new way!
 edition too. It sheds light upon the present edition of                                           *  *  .*  *'                       L
 Jeremiah.- Here it is: "And I will give them one heart,                     A new heart and a new way !
 and I will put a new spirit within you ; and I will take                    It is Jesus of Nazareth, dear reader..
 the stony heart out of their flesh; and will give them,                    ' He is the new and one heart for man.
 a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 11:;19.                                          The heart is the ethical center of a rational moral
 `.The New Testament is not always so flowery as the nature; From it are all the'issues  of life;                                               ;
 .Old Testament and uses less imagery. Paul would say                        Well, when humanity corrupted its heart `originally
 of this same glorious Gospel-truth  :. "For it is God in Adam and Eve, and subsequently in all its members,
 which worketh in you both to will and to do of His `God showed us a new heart in Jesus,. the Babe in the,
 good pleasure." Phil.  2:13;  2  I                                       manger of Bethlehem.
    Adding those touches of Biblical quotation makes it                      A way of a man'.is his heart in motion. `.And the
 easier to understand Jeremiah's version.        The "one motion of a heart is thought, will, imagination, reflec-
 heart" is a new heart, which is going to take the place tion, desire, speech and deeds.                                                   *
 of the "stony" heart which is our natural inheritance.                    Look strongly on Jesus of Nazareth. He `will prove"
    ,The Gospel according to the holy prophet Jeremiah :                  to you'.that  He is the'.New  Hearft. `And" His "life $11
 God will give unto. Judah-Israel-Jerusalem a new heart show you that great Heart in motion,                            q:;
 and a new way!                                                              And here are the reasons why that Great Beart and
                                                                          that Great Way came to earth in the midst of wicked
    A heart of flesh for a heart of stone !                               men and devils. First, in order to take away the sin
    That is all you need in order to be happy for ever                    and guilt of Judah-Israel-Jerusalem which was loved of
 and ever! And it is given to Israel-Judah-Jerusalem God from all eternity. .The Triune -God gave His Son
 gratis, free,' without money and without price.                          and caused Him to appear in the midst of the children
    And if your heart is made new, one, and of flesh of men. He took the nature of the children upon Him,
 instead of flint, your way will be one, new and tender                   and He took their place before.the'avenging  justice and
 as flesh. You will become angelic, no, even better than righteousness of God. And He stood therem long until                                               -
 angelii:: the saints in Christ shall be "nicer", more all the outraged justice of IGod was satisfied. Second,
 glorious than angels. For Christ is far above.all angels we read that Israel-Judah-Jerusalem "have done noth-
 in beauty and splendor.                                                  ing of all'that Thou'commandest them to do", vs. 23.
    By nature our hearts are hard, and they are divided.                  Well, this Great Heart did this in all His way. He
 For that stands overagainst a heart that is one.                         fulfilled the law of God for us. Third; the reason He
    We know what that meant in the present case. They came, which I would call the deepest reason, is that He
 turned unto God the back, and not the face. (vs: 33)                     would exhibit the greatness of ,God, the love of God,
 And they had `done that in spite of God's teaching and the wonderful virtues of God. God is on exhibition on
 preaching. `They simply refused to learn theology. the Cross. of Calvary. And the. view is surpassing-in
 And there they went. They took the abomination and ,beauty. And shall be forever and ever.
 placed it in God's house. They took their children                          But who is Israel-Judah-Jerusalem? It is the.people
 and offered them to Moloeh.                          i                   that fear .the Lord. .They are those who receive.. Jesus
    .The general description is terrible. Imagine : "They of Nazareth in their heart, for the g;pod of them, for ,
 only did evil before Me from their youth  !" Oh, if the good of their children forever. Christ Jesusis so
 Judah and Israel of 1924 would have opened ,their good for them that they shall sing forever and- ever of
 Bible at this place, how different would have been their God's praises.                                           x                G. Vos.
 conclusions of natural man's doing ! Kalamazoo ! Kala-
 mazoo ! You should have' gone to Jeremiah for instruc-
 tion. `If the terrible God speaks of "only evil before                                            NOTICE !. !
 His face from their wouth", how-.then,can  man, no, how                     We now have an. adequate supply of "The Histor?~
dare man say: "The GOOD that sinners do!?" Do you of the  Pdestant Reformed  Chud&es in America."  s
not see that if you brighten the picture`of man's abom- All ordershave been filled and a number of copies re-
 ination, you tarnish the. beauty of `God's love in the main ready- to be distributed. Price per single copy,is
 same measure? We marvel about `God's love' and loving- $2.00. We would urge our consistories to take ad-
 kindness just because it is shown to.men who are wholly vantage of the reduced price. of $1.65 per r. copy in
 corrupt and evil from their .youth. We wonder with quantity-lots.  Send orders to :  `.                                       '
 eternal.wonderment  when `we may -go `to heaven, while                                            The Mission Committee
 all our lives testify to and seek for eternal damnation.                                        ' 1210 Logan St., S. E.  ,'
    The heart of natural man is divided and cruelly                                                `Grand Rapids 6, *Michigan.


4               6                0                                                                     T H E   S.TANDAR,D   B E A R E R

                       The  Statidard Bearer                                                                                                                                       EDfT'ORIALS
              Semi-Monthly, except  i$nt,hly   :,in July  a& August
                                                    P u b l i s h e d   B y
                        The Reformed Free Publishing Association
                                                1463 Ardmore St., S. E.                                                                                  `I                    Set. The Ball A-rolling?
                                      EDITOR : - Rev. H. Hoeksema.
Contributing Editors:  - Rev. G. M. Ophoff, Rev. G. Vos, Rev.                                                                                                             A, short while ago, a brother asked me why I did not
R. Veldman, Rev. H. Veldman, Rev. H. De Wolf, Rev. B. Kok,                                                                                                            r&act to a certain article, or, rather, editorial in Thr
Rev. J. D. De Jong, Rev. A.  Better, Rev. C. Hanko, Rev. L.                                                                                                           Banner of April 23, 1948. The truth of the matter is
Veimeer,  Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters,  R&v.  J. A. Heys,                                                                                                       that when I read the editorial in question I intended to
Rev. "W. Bofman.                                                                                                                                                      `answer it, but due to  oth$r pressing material for editor-
     Communications relative to contents should be addressed to                                                                                                       ial reaction.it arrived in the backgrpund,  where it lay, .
REV. GERRIT VOS,  Hgdsonville, Michigan.
     Communicatiqns   relatiye  to subscription should be addressed                                                                                                   until this brother prompted me.       '
to MR. GERRIT .PIPE,  1463 Ardmore St., S. E., Grand  Rapids,                                                                                                             I am of the opinion that we should make some com-
Mich. Announcements and -Obituaries must be mailed to the                                                                                                             ment on the editorial referred to.
above address and will be published at a fee of $1.00 for each                                                                                                            I cannot transcribe the whole editorial because of
notice.                                                                                                                                                               space limits. I will, however, transcribe the occasion
      : I                         (Subscription Price $2.50 per year)
Entered as' Second  Class Mail at Grand Rapid?, Michigan.                                                                                                             for the comments of the Editor of The Banner anent a
                                                                                                                                                                      certain matter. Wrote he :
                                                                                                                                                                          "In view of the "cold war" between this country and
                                                                                                                                                                      R&sia, which could easily issue in another gigantic;
                                                                                                                                                                      world-embracing conflict, and the certainty that such
                                                      `C O N T E N T S                                                                                                a war would be unbelievably destructive, the Christian
                                                                                                                                                                      people of Grand Rapids responded to a u&ted call to
MEDITATION-                                                                                                                                                           prayer in which they were asked to come together in
     I. The Heavenly Gift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
                     Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                      their respective churches for one hour each evening
                                                                                                                                                                      duri:l,g the week of April 12-1'7 for " a series of solemn
EDITORIALS-                                                                                                                                                           services of repentance, petition, and intercession."
             Set The Ball A-rolling ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .460                          "Some of the churches .of this city followed the ap-
                     Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                      peal literally and had a prayer service of some sort
THE, TRIPLE KNOWLEDGE-                                                                           ;                                                                    every evening-of that week: Others arranged  for a
            An Exposition Of The Heidelberg Ca,techism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462                                                                            special prayer service on one of the evenings suggested.
                     Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                                                                                                 .Still others joined together for a "community" prayer
OUR  DOCTRINE-                                                                                                                                                        service."              _.
             God's Coven,ant And The Promise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465,                                                 And then follow, the comments by the Rev. H. J.
                     Rev. H. Veldman -                                                                                                                                Kuiper, bringing them under four different heads.        .
                                                                                                                                                 .                        I hasten to say that there is much to which we
THE  DAY  OF SHADOWS-
                                                             ~                                                                                                        would heartily agree in his comments, but there are
           David's Residence In Philistia . . . . . . . . . . . . I....................; . . . . . . . . . . 469                                                      aiso sentiments which are harmful to his readers. His
                     Rev. G.  M. Ophoff .                                                                                                                             leadershilj in this matter'is  wrong, and that on more
S T O N 'S   Z A N G E N -                                                                                                                                            than one count.
            Israel's Liefdevolle  Heiland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  :472                             I would offer the following criticism:
                   .-R"ev.  G .   V&                                                                                                                                      1. `The whole "campaign" for prayer is forced. I
FROM HOLY  WRIT-                                                                                                                                                      use the word "campaign" in this connection, and &he
             In View Of The Housing Shortage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 475                                                      Rev. .H. J. Kuiper will forgive me, for he occasioned
                     Rev. M. Gritters                                                                                                                                 such nomenclature. In his first comment he expresses
                                                                                                                                                                      the hope that other communities will follow the example
TN HIS  FEAR-                                                                                                                                                         set by the Christian people .of `Grand Rapids.` And the
             The Service cOf God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l.............. 477
                        Rev. C. Hanko                                                                                                                                 Rev. Kuiper agrees Ao that, but he makes the stipula-
                                                                                                                                                                      tion that " ministers and consistories should take the
P E R I S C O P E -                                                                                                                                                   lead: . . . let our own people set the ball a-rolling if
       Mission Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .479    necessary." Such words  from-a RGformed minister of
                     Rev. W. Hofman                                                                                                                                   the Word reveal much. 1s that Reformed? Does any
                                                                                                                                                                      man ever set the ball "a-rolling? It reveals a certain
         Notice! - `As is customary, the Standard Bearer tendelicy  when we note that the more than two columns
will not be published on the 15th of August.                                                                                                                          which Kuiper writes on this matter of prayer does not


                                                                                               .
                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                             461

 include one word on the vital truth that God sets the missions -would flourish because of a global conflict
 ball a-rolling. That is true with respect to everything, between the wicked nations..
 and especially with regard to prayer, the highest an.d             5. Finally, some positive remarks; First,. Kuiper
 most beautiful expression of the Christian life. Where must begin to see that it is rather late on the clock of
 is the sentiment expressed in the Old Testament prayer the present universe. We are more and more arriving
 that God would pour out His Spirit of prayer and sup- at that stage of history to which Christ alludes in Luke
 p l i c a t i o n   o n   I s r a e l ?                        21:28. When the terrible things of the last period of
     2. How can Kuiper advise his people to pray for the world's history are beginning to come to pass, we
 the world in the face of the plain teaching of the Bible as Christians, must not organize a "campaign" of pray-
 that this is never clone? Did not Jesus say: I pray not er meetings for the world, but "And when these things
 for the world? Abraham's prayer for the righteous in begin to come to pass, then look up, and life up your
 Sodom is not in place here. He prayed not for Sodom            heads ; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28.
but for the possible righteous souls living in Sodom. Second, I also believe that there must come a special
 Neither is the quoted text from II Chron. `7 :14 applic- note in our supplication in these evil days, but that
 able to the matter at hand. There we hear that God special note should partake more and more of the holy
 will spare the "land" upon the prayer of the saints, and theological sentiment expressed- in the prayers
 but the "land" is not the world for which Kuiper would of those that were slain for the Word of God, and for
 have us pray, but the heritage of Abraham,. the "holy the testimony which they held. For they "cried with, a
 land".                                                         loud voice, saying, How long, 10 Lord, holy and-true,
     3. Since when is a possible "revival of the church a dost Thou' not `judge and avenge our blood on them
restraining influence in the nation"? Scripture teaches that dwell on the earth?". That prayer resounds with
 us. that the very contrary is true. There are many a loud voice at the time on the calendar of the universe
 proofs, but.1 will restrict myself to the very core and which is called "when the  ,5th seal was broken". It
 center of such proof. Where is- the restraint in the would be well that we were a little more instructed in
 case of the ministry of Christ? The very opposite ef- the matter of prayer such as holy and perfect saints
 fect is noted. Devils and wicked men gather around pray in heaven, before we organize our "prayer cam-
 Him, and finally lead Him to the cross. Note the rel           paigns" on earth. ' `Rev. Kuiper would not like to be at
 actions' of _ the wicked world when Paul wends his mis- variance with the prayers of the saints in heaven,
 sionary way through Asia Minor. It seems as though would he? I know he would not.
hell itself broke loose. `The same .must be said anent             Third, I would like to remind brother Kuiper in a
 the so-called "longsuffering of  SGod toward the world" kindly manner that whenever he utters the second peti-
which will be the result if God's people repent. I would tion of the- most perfect prayer : Thy Kingdom Come !
 very much like to have some Scriptural proof for this. he is praying also for the coming of all the dreadful
 This is the teaching of Scripture, namely, that outside things which must come to pass before the glorious end
 of theCross  and its effects of repentance on the part of can come. .The Rev. Kuiper's own glorification cannot '
 God's Church, there is nothing but wrath and condem- come except through the way of the revelation of the
 nation for the wicked world.                                   man of sin, the coming of the anti-Christian kingdom
     4. Kuiperdreads  another, more horrible world war,         and kindred horrors. Much of :our present day prayer
 and I find no fault here. We all dread it. But he adds is a veiled criticism of the adorable `God in His just
at the end of his editorial that our prayer and supplica- and true treatment of the wicked world.
tion and also~ repentance are sorely needed to keep away           Just and true are His ways and judgments!
another world war since in such case "our entire for-              Our blessed portion is to worship.               G. Vos.
eign mission project might`be stymied". Imagine : the
foreign mission project of the Christian Reformed
 Churches might be.stymied in another world war ! The                                iN  M E M O R I A M   '
Rev. Kuiper forgive `me, but the whole thing sound                Wi~ereas our .Heavenly  Father in His wise and -loving provi-
childish.- Let us see : Kuiper will be the first to `hold dcnce,  took out' of this life,
that the, mission endeavor of his churches is the ,work                               MRS. M. SWART
of God? Can God's work ever by stymied by what the the  English men's Society of  the First Protestant Reformed
wicked nations are doing? Can anyone ever stop God              Church of Grand  .Rapids, Michigan expresses its sincere sym-
from bringing the Gospel to the heathen? Do not our pathy to our fellow member Mr. M. Swart and his"family  in .the
confessions state in more than one place that the Gospel loss of their beloved wife and mother.
is sent to the heathen in "God's goodpleasure" with re-             May our God comfort them according to their needs in
spect to place and time and persons involved?, I think theee lonely days.
that Kuiper himself could make out a good case to                                              Mr. A. Van Tuinen, Pres.
prove the very opposite, that namely the Gospel through                                        Mr. 0. VanderWoude,  Sec'y.


  4 6 2                                               T H E   STANDARD  B E A R E R

  L                                                                                  one ought `to have before his ,eyes,  as well the
               `THE TRIPLE KNOWLEDGE                                                 severity and judgment as the mercy and goodness
                                      .~                                             of God ; neither pught anyone to judge himself,
                                                                                  `I even though he be not conscious to himself of
  An Exposiktin Of The Heidelberg                                                    anything; because the whole life of man is to be
                                                                                     examined and judged not by the judgment of man,
                                   Catechism                                         but of God,  who will bring to light  th,e hidden
                                                                                     things of claflkness,  and will make manifest the
                                    PAR?         TWO         ,.,-          _         counsels of. the  heart,  and then shall every man
                                                                                     have praise from God, who, as it is written, will
         \                     LIORD'S  D A Y   2 4                                  render to every man according to his works.
                                                                                        "After this Catholic doctrine on Justification,  -
                                            1    .                                   which whoso receiveth not faithfully and firmly
                 The Repudiation df All Good Works. (cont.)                          cannot be justified, it hath seemed good to the
                                                                      .              holy Synod to subjoin these canons, that all may
  .:".,..: That the Roman Catholic Church, by its doctrine of                        kno_w not only what they ought to hold and follow,
justification, means an infused rather than an imputed                               but also what to avoid and shun."
 righteousness is also plain from the following:                                                                          Caput XVI.
                       "For, whereas- Jesus Christ himself continually              The canons that follow these decrees very severely
         infuses His virtue into the said justified,-as  the                    condemn the doctrine of justification by faith. In
                 head into the members,. and the vine `into the                 Canon IX we read: "If anyone saith, that by faith
                 branches,-and this virtue always precedes and alone the impious is justified, in such wise as to mean;
                 accompanies and follows their good works, which that nothing else. is required to cooperate in order to
  .`,  I without it. could not in any wise be pleasing and the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is
                                                                                I not in any way necessary, that he beg prepared and
:..              meritorious before IGod,--,  we must believe that
  :              ,.nothing further is wanting to the justified, to pre- disposed by the movement of his own will: let him
                 vent their being accounted to have, by those very be anath,ema."
                 works which have been done in God, fully satisfied                 And in Canon XI -we read: "If anyone saith, that
                the, divine law according to the state of this life, men are justified, either by the sole imputation of the
                 .and to have truly merited eternal life, to be ob- justice of Christ, or by the sole remission of sins, to
                tained also in its -(due) time, if so be, however, the exclusion of the grace and  thi  charity which is
                 that they depart in.grace:  seeing that Christ, our poured forth in their hearts by the, Holy Ghost, and is
                1 Saviour, saith: If anyone shall drink of the water inherent in them ; or even that the grace, whereby we
  ,  ,I ,,Jhat I will giv,e him, he shall not thirst forever; are justified, is only the favor of, God: let him be an-
                 -but it shall become in, him a fountain of water
 ,.~             :;                                                             athema."
 Y"r i ,;.springing  up unto l$fe eve?lasting.  `Thus, neither                      And again, in Canon 12: "If anyone saith, that
        `., " .liS our own justice.estab&hed  as our oavn as from
 I.. P                                                                          justifying faith is nothing else but confidence in the
  ,:             ourselves ; nor is the ,justice of #God ignored or             divine mercy which remits sins for Christ's sake ; or,
                 repudiated: for that justice which is called ours, that this confidence alone is that whereby we axe
                 because that w.e are justified from its being in- justified: let` him be anathema,"
                herent in us, that same is of .God, because that it                 T.his, then: is the Roman Catholic doctrine of justifi-
               `- is infused into, us of God, through the merit, of             cation. Christ merits for us the right to infuse a right-
                 Christ. Neither--is this to be omitted,-that al- eousness into our hearts. By the power of that infused
               -. though, in the sacred writings, so much is attri- righteousness, we can perform good works. And these
                 buted to good works, that Christ promises, that
       `...,                                                                    good works are meritorious, and are worthy of eternal
                 `even-&c.  that shall giue a drink of cold water to onie life.
                 of his least o?es, shall not lose his yeioard;  and the           Ih opposition to this Roman Catholic doctrine the
                 apostle testifies that,  ,That which is at  present
  j..,.                                                                         Heidelberg Catechism emphasizes: I. That our only
                 indm'entar'y  anid' light  6f  oicr tribulation,  wo$k- righteousness is the righteousness of Christ, .which is
          :      efh .for tius. aboue .mea&re `extieeclingly an etemial imputed to us of mere grace. 2. That we can appro-
  `.` -:w$igFJt"*6jc  glo+g;. nevertheless God forbid that a priate this righteousness only by faith, which is a gift
                 Christian should either trust or glory in himself o f   sovereign.grace.3. And that our good works have
 $3:  -?-.;lfid>.$Gt  #ii1  ;&k:.Lord;.   *h&e  bounty towards   all absolutely no part in this righteousness, even as all
                 men is so great, that he will have `the things our sins cannot possibly detract from it.
                 which,,jar'ee:h?s   %wn gifts be their merits. And                This does not %@an, however, that sanctification
                :&$&%w& 5s`.`iiz %ti+@ things we all offend, each and walking in all~good works have no relation to justi-


                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                      4639 T-

fication, except in the way of jaith, through regenera-       from this point of view, that the Heidelberg Caiechism  :i
tionand sanctification. We must come back to this in stresses the fact that our good works,.kither  thewho&:.:
connection with the last question and answer of' this of them or part of them; can never be.o~urrrigh;t~o~~ssi:,
present Lord's Day. But it does mean that, objectively ness before SGod.               :         :  .I-  I:  .;:  ;:  ":  ;;;?:.r  .JJ;;;,:  :"'
considered,  justification is first. .We are not justified       In this connection the Heidelberg ~~at&his-rij.  teaches':
because we are sanctified, but we are sanctified and UB two things : first of all, Chat&he r.ight~:~usrie&wh.ich~
are the recipients of all the blessings of salvation, be- can be apEroved of ,before-  -the .tr.i-bian&&f;;,Gcjd,~  must.'
cause we are justified. Justification must necessarily be absolutely perfect, and in. all .respe~tsr .contormable
be first, before we receive any blessings- of salvation to the divine law ; and, secondly; %ha&on+ bestwtirks in.
at all. God is righteous. H,e loves the righteous only. this life are all imperfect atid' polltitedb.ivith:  sin!. ,.The, _
He cannot have a&y fellowship*with sin, or with sin- first of these statements is self-e+ident;g*`i.Righteous-'
ners'. He hates all the workers of iniquity, and they ness is to be right. And the sole&a&lard  or criterion
are no objects of His grace whatever.          Hence, His of righteousness is the divine law, -wEich; ip the. expres-
favor is only -upon the righteous. The grace of right- sion of the  li+ing will of an  absolutel.$  holy;God;   .Just
eousness, therefore, must necessarily precede all other as the plumb-line is the criterion byi:tiEicb' it is deter-.
blessings of salvation. And who are `the righteous? mined whether or not a wall is perS@ndicular;  so the
They are those only that are judicially in Christ, eter- law of God is the sole standard of right&usn&s: And-
nally in His counsel of .election, and in time by faith.      conform to that law must be all our .w-MS J:and;  our,
     This truth the Catechism emphasizes in question whole nature, if. iye are to be declared pk~I%c~ly~ right-;
aud answer 62.                                                eous before the tribunal of God.                 `;:     - 7,. ,. , .i .. I,
                                                                                                                      ~          ., ..,          .:,
     Good works cannot possibly be meritorious.                   We must remember and emphasige th%t:ther&  4s"
                                                              nothing relative about the idea of righteousm%s.:~  .One
     Mark you well, they `could not have any merit, even cannot be satisfied and imagine' that Gbd. is *satisfied: .'
if they were perfect. The whole idea of merit must with the promise that he will do the best h,e cati.. -Nei-
be roqted  out. The notion of merit can be applicable ther is it possible that one gradually approa;ch right; ,
only to the relation of man to man, never to the rela- eousness. Righteousness is absolute. One  is: either _
tion of ,God to man. For when is any work worthy of righteous OT unrighteous. T.here is nothing  in  be-
merit? I can speak of merit only when I have some- ,tween.                                            b
thing to offer, whether it be time, talent, strength or           And if we are to be perfectly righteous before Go;,
power or anything else, which someone else does not our nature as well as all our works must be .conform
have and to which he has in himself not the right. But to  the law of God. `That our nature is  confokm .to
how could this. possibly be applicable to the relation the law of God mea& that our very heart, functions
betwee% God and mqn? God  iS God, man is a creature. in. harmony with that law, which demands that we love
`The creature owes everything to God alone: time,             Em. And that our works must be conform to the
talent, power and means, yea,  his very-being. Hence, law does not mean that they can be outwardly in, har-
he is' obligated before anything else to serve and to
love Him with all his heart and mind' and soul and mony with it merely, but implies that from their hid:
strength. And whell he has done all, he may, as far den motives to their outward manifestation, from t&r
                                                              -root in the heart to their visible fruit in our kveryday
as` God's being  .obligated  to him is concerned, say:
I `am but an unprofitable servant,                            walk and life, they are pure, and perfectly-motivated
                                          Besides; it is a by the love of God.              3
privilege to-serve God, a gift of grace to him, never             Only such perfect righteousness is -acceptable to
the reverse. The whol@ idea of serving God for wages
is -corrupt. God does not want wage-earners in His            God. Nothing else and nothing less can be pleasing
                                                              to Him.          '  '
house, but free  sQns to  serve Him. And .the service
of the living God has its own reward.                           Now, the Catechism teaches that al.8 the works of
     Besides, how could all our good works  merit the the Christian' are  *defiled  with sin.  *his is a very
forgiveness of one  sin?. We certainly cannot work strong statement--indeed.
 overtime for God, for we owe Him all to start with.              This! does not deny the"fact that they who are
 If once we are behind in loving Him with all our heart justified are also sancti?ied:  They are saints, in Chrisi.
and mind' and soul and strength, we can never make Jesus. In principle, ihey are new creatures, old things
 good `again. - And .even one sin' is sufficient for our are passed away, and all things are become new.
eternal condemnation.                                             But it does mean,' first -of all; ihat in many things
     .Ho'w theil &n our good works merit eternal life? .they do not live from the `principle of the new man
This is-evidently forever i&possible ! .'                     but froin that of `the, old. Oh, it iS true, that even `in
:    -But we must still consider another question. For respect to their sins they do `not live like'natural men.
we have proceeded from the assum$Fon  that OUY' good Always they arti new creatures, always old things have
wdrks are perfect, and that is not true. It is especially pa.ssed  away,  even in regard'to their own sins. They

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

 hate sin and condemn it. They are sorry after ,God, niortally  and consequentlydeserves  eternal punishment;
 they repent in d&t and ashes, they cry for forgiveness, and that for this cause only he is. not ddmned, that -God
 and they can never rest tintil they have the testimony does `not impute those works unto damnation: let hiti
 in their heart that their sins are forgiven them in the -be anathema."
 blood of Jesus Christ and that they are righteous be-           Yet, according to both Scripture and the experience
 fore God in spite of  ,the sins they have committed. of every true child of God, the Heidelberg Catechism
 A.lways they are of the party of the living. God even states the tryth,  when it declares, that in this life all
 over against their own sins. Never can they walk in our works are polluted with sin.
 sin, or live any longer therein. But this does not alter        As to Scripture, I but have to  refer you to that
 the fact that often they fall into sin, and their sin is     remarkable passage in Romans 7 where the apostle
 damnable before God. As far. as their sin is concerned,      speaks  bf his own experience as  an example of the
 they are worthy of eternal punishment. And they &an          experience of every Christian.
 have rest and perfect peace only -in the righteousness          There we read : "For we know that the-law is spirit-
 of Christ which is imputed to them and which they ual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which
 appropriate by faith only. But even so, all is not said. I do I allow not: for w6at I would, that do I not ; but
 For the situation is not thus, that some of our works what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I
 are indeed sinful, and. others are perfect and. conform- wouid not, I consent unto the law .that it is good. Now
 able to the divine law ; but all our works without excep- then it is no more I that do it, btit sin that dwelleth in
 tion are defiled with sin. Even the very best of our         me. For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwell-
 works are,not perfect before God. Sin cleaves to them,       eth no good thing : for to will is present with me ; but
 and pollutes them entirely.                                  how to perform that which is good I find'not. For the
        Such is the emphatic` teaching of the Heidelberg good that I would I do not: but. the evil which I would
 Catechism.                                                   not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no
        This truth, that all our good works are defiled with more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find
 sin, the Roman Catholics arid all Pelagians and Semi-        then a law, that, when I would do. good, evil is present
-Pelagians consistently deny. They hate this doctrine with me. For I delight in the law of  ,God after the
 and condemn it very severely. They claim that one inward man: But I see another law in my members,
 who is justified `can keep the comman'dm&ts  of God          warring against the law of my mind, and bringing
 perfectly. `This is evident from Chapter 11 of the me into `captivity to the law of sin which is in my
 Canons and Decrees of the Coun&l of Trent: f'But no members. ,O wretched man that I am ! who shall de-
 one,  how.  much  soet;er  justified,  ,ought to think him- .liver me from the body of this death? I thank God
 self exempt from the observance of the commandments ; through Jesus Chrfst our Lord. So then with the mind
 no one dtight to make use of that rash `saying, one prod     I myself serve the law of God ; but with the flesh the
 hib'ited by the fathers under an anathema,-that' the law of sin."
 observance of the commandments of God is impossible             We are well aware of the .fact that many cotimen-
 for on& that is justified. For God commands not im- tators and theologians would explain this passage as
 poss%ilities,  but, by commanding, both admonishes having reference, not to the regenerated child of God,
 thee to do what thou art cable, and to. pray for what but to the natural man. This  .explanatioli is plainly
 thou art not able to do, and aids thee that thou mayest untenable. For, on the one hand, there ,is nothing in
 be able."                   6                                the whole passage which the child of- ,God _cannot take
        And after some Scriptural passages are (quoted, the upon his own- lips. What true child of God does, not
<ame  chapter continues: "From which it is plain, that admit that, in himself, he is carnal, sold under sin',
 those are opposed to the orthodox doctrine of religion,      that in his flesh there dwelleth no good thing, and
 who assert that the just man sins, venially at least, in that the evil, which he hates,-he perfor"ms? And, on
 every godd work ; or, which is yet more instipportable,      the other hand, no mere natural man can declare of
that he merits eternal punishment; as also those who          himself, -nor i8 he willing to do so, what the apost!e,`in
 state, that the just sin in all their works, if, in those    this passage, expresses to be a matter of his own ex-
 %vorks, they, together with this aim principally that perience. The person that is ipeaking here is keenly
  God may be glorified, have ih view also the eternal re-     conscious of an awful inner conflict between Spirit and
 ward, in order to excite their slath, and to enc0urag.e      flesh. He finds a law in himself, that, when he would
 themselves to run in the course."                            do good, evil is ever present with him, vs. 21. He
        And in Canon XXV, an anathema is pronounced speaks of the inward man, a term that is applied in
  upon all who teach that all the `works of ,the Christian Scripture, only to the new tian in Christ, and accord-
  $re polluted with sin. In that  Can& we read: "If ing to that inward man, he has a delight in the law of.
  anyone saith; that, iti- every good work, the just sins     God, vs. 22. But he -sees another law in his members,
  -venial& at least, or----which is more intolerable still- which wars against the  law of his mind, and  whi&


                                                T H E   S T A N D A R 'D   B E A R E R                                    465

     brings him into captivity to the laws of sin which is iti according to verses 11-21 of the second chaptekj  the
      his members. He is conscious of the `sad fact that in apostle had even attacked and withstood the apostle
     `his flesh there dwelleth no good thing, though the will Peter to the face,  Bnd this, too, for the purpose of
      to do good is present with him. The result is that he defending his apostleship.
      does not accomplish the good which he would, but corn.,          In chapter 3 of this epistle the apostle Paul really
j     mits the  evil; which he would not. Nevertheless, he begins to discuss his subject, namely, that we are savecl
      1;ates the evil which he does, and he loves to do that by faith and not by the law, the result of which is the
      which is good. And in the end, he cries out, as if. in        Christian liberty of the New Dispensation. The epistle
      ciespair : "0 wretched .man that I am !" Yet, he doe's to the Galatians emphasizes the. truth that salvation is
      not despair. He looks for a deliverer, who shall s&e          given unto us by faith ; it is given us of Divinely sover-
      him from the body of this d.eath. And he is confident eign mercy, for faith does not emphasize what sue can
      that he shall have the victory through Jesus Christ his       do or must do but what we cannot do and need not do ;
      Lord. And it is this same man, who looks for com- faith is not that which proceeds from us toward Gocl
      plete deliverance from the body of this death, who but it proceeds from God toward us; faith, for this
      thanks God for .the victory which 1 he ha& in Christ, reason, does not nullify the promise-the law does
      that concludes: "So then with the mind I myself serve nullify the promise. Let us look at these things a
     the law of God : but with the flesh the law' of sin."          iittle -more closely as held before us in this third chap-
          Surely, it is quite impossible to apply all this to the ter of Paul's epistle to the Galatiajns.
      natural man. He knows of no such a conflict between                      The Foolishiess of the Galatians
      the Spirit and the flesh, between the inward and the
      outward mail. No man, by nature, -earnestly longs                We read in verses l-5 the following: "0 foolish
      for deliverance from the `"body of this death:" no re- Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should,not
      generated man ever looks to Jesus Christ as the de- obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath
      liverer from the power of sin; noe does he hope for been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This
      $he final &tory in this conflict, and give thanks to only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by
      God for it.                                                   tile works of the law, or by t.he hearing of faith? Are
          The whole tenor of this passage is expressiv6  of ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now
      the experience of the regenerated man in Christ.              made.perfect  by the flesh?. Have ye suffeked  so many
          Besides no true Christian, who knows himself at things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that
      all, can assume  a critical attitude over  .against  the ministereth  to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles
      statement of the Heidelberger that all our good .works among  you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by
      are defiled with sin.                                         the hearing  df faith?
                                                  H. Hoeksema.          The fundamental significance of these words is
                                                                    clear. The apostle addresses them as "fbolish  Gala-
                                                                    tians" ; literally we .read that he, speaks to them as
                                                                    ignorant Galatians, lacking in understanding. And
                                                                    their foolishness consisted in their attempt (verse 3)
                                                                    to be made, perfect by the flesh whereas they had be-
                 O'UR.DOCTRINE                                      gun ins the Spirit. We must bear in mind that Paul
                                                                    is addressing the church of God at Galatia ; he- is not
                                                                    speaking to individuals, but to the church as she
         God's Covenant and The Promise                             was revealed at that place-we must remember that if
                               (Galatians 3)                        to fall away from t&e truth is impossible for the indi-
                                                                    vidual Christian t&is is possible for any locally organ-
          The epistle of Paul to the. Galatians is surely of ized and instituted church. Before their eyes, we read,
      interest to anyone who-is concerned with the question         Jesus Christ had been evidently set forth, crucified
      whether the promises of the coyenant are .conditional         among them. Ciearly He had been set forth before
      or' unconditional. In the early part of ihis epistle the them, and that as the crucified Christ. Mind you, H,e
      apdstle had defended his apostleship.            Ther,e  were is the end of the law. In Him the law of the Old Dis-
      false teachers, also in the congregation of the .Gala-        pensation Is  i'uiiiiied and has come to an end.  iAnd
      tians,  `wh6  liad disputed his  afiostolic authority. He the)-- had belie\-cd in Him, had tasted the fuleess of His
      refutes th6ti and proves himself commissioned of God salvation.
      to preach to `the Gentiles. In chapter 2 Paul had stated          But now,  h:,ying begun thus in the Spirit, they
      that, after~  Fears of experience and preaching and pre-      sought to be rijadti perfect, t;o finish the work by the
      @tation,  -he had also preached his gospel before. the flesh, t-hs !: is, by the works of the law, their own works
      church at Jerusalem, and- there all had given him the or aetiivity. The apostle asks the Galatians: Who haih
      ha.aidshake of perfect agreement (verses 1-9). And,           bewitched-.you?  `This question  cont&ns,  in the- first


`4%                                    'THE      STANDARD                  BEARER

plare,  the element of astonishment. Paul is astonished          of regeneration, love, hope, etc., by the `works of the
that `they, having tasted the' blessedness df the Lord           law? Did they, by fulfilling  t&e law, experience the'
Jesus Christ, could return to the law of the Old Dispen-         blessedness of salvation?  <Of course, their answer
sation. _ Someone must have bewitched, hypnotized must, be an emphatic No. Or did- they receive this
.them khat they could be guilty of such an unbelievable Spirit by the hearing of faith? These false teachers
fdolishness.  The question, however, also isuggests  an p?eached  a justification to them which was of the law,
 evil pc,;Jer who must have gained the ascendtincy over          a justification by the law whereby the Galatians ren-
them.  They had been bewitched. Hence, some fatal dered themselves just and righteous before the. living
 spell had been cast' over thtim; an evil mind must have God by means of their own works of the law. But the
l:a$yxed them. We kriow to whom the apostle Paul apostle had preached a justification unto them which
 refers. False teachers, corrupt Judaizers, evil minds was not of the law but only of faith, a justification
`had led them away from the truth, the truth of God which they. had experienced only then when they had
 in Chr;st Jesus, had subjected them once more to the acknowledged their own iniquity and unworthiness
 boadaze of the law of the ,Old Dispensation, had caused and- hopelessness and had taken refuge to the Chr.ist
thqm ii1 lhat sense to "suffer many things" (verse 4).           cf Calvary. And when they had heard this preaching
Once Incre they had groaned underneath the rule upon` of the, apostle that we are justified  only by faith and
rule, ,)recept  upon precept, line upone line. And the           in the way' of faith, ,and had embraced this preaching, .
 apostle is afraid that  the& suffering  will not be in          they had received the Spirit.  Such, had been the
vain  (-ilerse 4). If ,only it were in vain ! If only these      spiritual experience of these ZGalatians ; this they could
evil teachers would fail in their attempt to subjugate           never deny. And the same appeal is addressed by the
 the chtirch of God anew! But Paul fears that it will apostle to these Galatians in verse.  5...
 or may be permanent;                                                        . . Paul's Reference To Abraham
           Paul's Appeal To Their Experience                            This reference  tb' Abraham is expressed in the
       This appeal is expressed in th,e verses 2 and 5. We %rses 6-9. We quote: "Even as Abraham believed
 read in these verses : "This only would I le&n of y&,           God and it  was  accouiied to him fpr  righteousnesd.
 Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by           Know ye therefore'that  they which are of faith, the
 the hearing'of  faith? . . ~. . He thefefore  that mihister-    same are the children of Abraham. And the Scripture,
 eth to you the Spirit, and worketh m-iracles'among.  you, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through
 doeth  he it by the .works  of the law, or by the hearing faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, say-
 of faith.?" This appeal to the spiritual experience of ing, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they
 the people of God is always a powerful argument. This which be of faith are blessed with. faithful Abraham."
 also applies as far as our approach is concerned in                    Firstly, why does the apostle Paul refer the Gala-
.connection with the doctrinal differences between our tians to the example of ,Abraham? Galitians 3 :6 is a
churches and the Christian Reformed Churches. Points             quotation of Gen. 15 :6. Does Paul refer to, ,Abraham
 One and Three. of the `famous Three Points speak of merely because he considers Gen. 15 :6 a striking proof
the love of God to all men which He manifests to them in support of his. contention that salvation is not by
in the preaching of the gospel and also of the good              the works of the law but through faith and, therefore,
which man can perform before the living ,God without of Divinely sovereiin  grace and mercy? Is it because
the regenerating bperation of the Holy Spirit. `Is it Abraham merely furnishes him with a telling illustra-
 true, we might ask of the Christian Reformed breth- tion? `This can hardly be the reason why the apostle
 ren, that we "accepted" Christ  J,esus,  or did we ex- at this point of his epistle to the Galatians calls @ten-
 perience that we were apprehended of Christ Jesus? tion to the "father of believers". IOther reasons prompt
 Did we love ,God or did the living God loye us? Did He the apostle in this selection. Is it not true that the
save us because we believed on Him or did we believe false teachers who would subject the Galatians anew
 on Him because He saved  us?. Did our  love of God unto the bondage of the law appeal exactly to a man as
 precede His love  `or did His love precede our love? Abraham4 Did not the Jews, who would maintain the
&id, is it our spiritual experience that we can .of our law of the Old Dispensation, not pride themselves in
selves please and serve the living God,' or did we ex- the fact or contention that they were children of Abra-
perience the truth of .Holy Writ that the carnal mind ha? and that he was their father? Did not the rite
 is -enmity  against' God, is not and' cannot be subject of circumcision begin with Abraham and did it there-
unto the law of God? Are'we by nature sinners who fore not seem undeniable that circumcision and to
 are wholly corrupt or are we corrupt but in' part? be of the seed of Abraham were inseparably connected
 Paul, too, in this third. chapter of his epistle to the and invaluable? And did not God establish His cove-
 Gala'tians, appeals to the spiritual experience of the nant with Abraham and his seed? Hence, what right
 dalatians.  Did they receive this Spirit, that is, did does Faul have to .preach  his gospel, namely, that the
they receive conticiously  and thus experience the Spirit works of the law are wholly yvorthXess and the rite of
                                                                   .


                                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   B `E A R E R                                 467

  circumcision without value? This, I believe, explains cation. He did not become righteous, by the works of
  the apostle's' motive when he calls attention to the the law. He did not present unto the Lord anything
  "father of believers". As far as the charge is <con- he had done. He did not attach any meritorious value
  cerned that Paul proclaims his gospel, a gospel of his to his act of faith. Besides, -to believe means exactly
  own invention, this was overwhelmingly refuted by that we trust not in ourselves but in -the living God.
  the apostle in chapters 1 and 2.' And ag far as Abra- The `very act of faith, therefore, rejects the thought
  ham is concerned, with whom the covenant of :God had that man can of' himself  preBent anything unto the
  its historical beginning as far as the Old Dispensational Lord. Abraham believed, that is, he trusted by the
  aspect of that covenant is concerned, the,apostle will grace. of God not in himself or his own work, but solely
  let that father of believers speak. 9                             in God and in the fulfillment of Jehovah's promises.
       And what do the Scriptures teach us with respect And the promise of the Lord had been that He wo'uld
  to -Abraham? In the first place, we'read concerning establish His coveinant with him and with.his seed for
  him that he  believe:1  God  &cl it (his believing) was an everlasting covenant and would give, therefore,  unto
  accounted to him for  right&ousness  (verse 6). This him and Sarah a son. The fulfillment of this promise,
  text is often quoted by those who maintain that the however,  wa,s humanly impossible, for both, Abraham
. act of faith is for us the work that saves us and makes and Sarah, as far as the bringing forth of children
  us righteous. We can never satisfy the justice of aGod was concerried, had died (Hebrews 11: 12) . But Abra-
  for all  oilr sins and trespasses. The Lord, then, is ham had believed, had trusted that the faithful Je-
  satisfied if we merely believe in Christ, confess that hovah would call life .out of death, had cleaved unto
  wecould never satisfy the Divine demand and acknow- that which was humanly impossible and therefore
  ledge l%s love and mercy toward u$. This explanation, invisible,  ha,d placed his trust solely in the faithful
  however, is obviously impossible. It is impossible, ,and irresistible  IGod. And in the way of this faith
  first of all, because the apostle declares that ,Abra- the father of believers had attai5ed.unto  the unspeak-
  ham's faith was reckoned unto him for righteousness. ably glorious assurance that he was just and righteous
  Anything that is reckoned for, accounted as righteous- before the Lord. This faith of" Abraham, and its ac-
  ness is obviously not that ryghteousness  itself. Faith companying justification .is, we und.erstand, a direct
  is never regarded by t-he Lord as merely a substitute refutation of the presention of the false teachers who
  fqr the  %atisfying  of His justice and  rightequsness.           would subject the Galatians once again to the bondage
  Secondly, all of Scripture establishes the truth that of the law and teach that our works have meritorious.
  our righteousness before. God is possible only in and value before the living.
  through Jesus Christ; our Lord-we are just  ,before                  And  w&o  are  Abr,aham's children? Notice: "In
  God, our sins are forgiven and we .are heirs of ever- thee shall all nations. be blessed". This statement of
  lasting life; not on the .b'asis of what we .do or have the apostle is. a stunning. blow, launched with studied
  done but only of the work and merits of the Lord Jesus effect full in the face of Jewish privilege. Patil,`too,
  C     h    r    i    s    t    .         *                        we understand, believed that the promise belongs to-
       That Abraham's faith was accounted Unto him for the children of Abraham. However, these children of
  righteousness is only because his faith was the work- Abraham, to whom the promise belongs and whom the
  ing of the spiritual bond which united him with the promise concerns and in whom the promise will be
  Lord Jesus  <Christ. It is true that the reckoning of realized, are not natural Jews but those who believe
  his faith for righteousness implied  thtit this faith epen as  Abrah&m  ,believed. Why the believers are
  was ilot the righteousness itself. On the other hand, heirs of the promise we shall see later-the verses 16,
  however, it is -equally  true that this Divine reckon- 26, and 29 explain this: believers are heirs because
  ing must rest upon the basis of Divine justice. Christ is the Heir, and faith is `God's gift uniting us
  Faith never replaces the satisfying of God's justice. with that Christ. But, the point is now that in Abra-
  That  justitie  of the Lord  .must be satisfied.  Hence, hati shall all nations be blessed. God establishes His
  our unity with Christ, the fact that we are in Him covenant not merely syith the Jews, hot merely with _
  and, therefore, one plant miith Hiin, iS the reason why' thOe circumcised, not merely with those who cleave td s
  God reckoned Abraham's faith unto him for righteous- the Old Dispensational rites and circumcision. hut all
  ness. Our. oneness with Christ is our righteousness. nations `shall be blessed, and therefore also the heathen ; _
  Because we are His body.His atonement is our atone- salvation is: not b$ the law but by faith; and faith
  ment, and, through faith in Him,  H,is  righte'ousness            must be. understood here, not as a substitute for the
  is also actually bestowed upon us. Abraham's faith law, as so&&hing which the Lord will accept in its
  was indeed the workiilg,  the op.eration  of this spiritual place, but as the very opposite of the works of the law.
  bond which united him with God through Christ.                    If righteousness is of the law; we earn it. If it is by
       Let us, -however, understand : Abraham ' believed faith,. we are given it. Hence, we do not merit the
  and, beZiev$ng, he exijerienced  the blessedness of justifi- promise. God gives us  th.e promise, and, therefore,

                       ,


       4       6    8                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

      the promises of the Lord are wholly uizconditional.             took upon Himself the .guilt `and debt of others, of a
            The N.eedAess Folly Of Seeking Salvation By Works         definite people, the elect. He became a curse for us.
             We `read in the, v&ses 10-14: "For as many as are Hence, He removed the necessity of fulfilling the law
      of the works of the law are under the curse : for it is by fulfilling the law for us. And this He did, "That
      written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles
      things which are written in the book of the law to do through Jesus Christ ; that we might receive the prom-
      them. But that no man is justified by the law in the ise of the Spirit through faith." The blessing of Abra-
      sight of .God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by ham is expressed in verses 6 and 8 : our righteousness
     f a i t h . And the law is not of faith: but, The man that before the Lord. Were salvation of the law, it wou!d
      doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed be limited, of course, to those'who are under the law,
      us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us :       the Jews. 7!$Fn the `Gentiles would necessarily be ex-
      for  it is written, Cursed is  ,eyery one that hangeth cluded. But Christ redeemed us from the law by ful-
      on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come filling the law; hence, the law is no longer necessary;
      on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might sjlvation is now possible also for those who are not
      receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."               under the law, the Gentiles. ,Of course, this blessing
             GOn the one hand, the apostle teaches us in these comes upon us through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And
      verses that as many as are of the works of the law are          notice, that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the
      under the curse. To be sure, the man whb doeth iaw in order that we might receive the promise of the
      them shall live by them.  I  Notie has ever failed to           Spirit through faith. All emphasis must be laid upon
      experience that the words .and commandments of the the words: through faith. Not by the works of the
      Lord are words of life and peace and joy. To do the l&w! But by faith in Christ, as a gift of sovereign
      commandments of Jehovah constitutes the very essence grace ! And this is possible because Christ redeemed
I     of eternal life, for life is fellowship with and service us, having become a curse for us.
      of the living God.       However, this implies that we             Now we also understand the folly of the Galatians.
      actually do them. We must love the Lord our God                 They would maintain both: law and faith. Having
      with all our heart and mind- and soul and strength; begun in the Spirit they would now be made perfect by
      and, if in anything we have violated the precepts of the flesh.  However,.the law cannot, save because it
      Jehovah, we must also in that case do the law of the Curses whosoever continueth not in all things khat are
                                                                      written in the law to do them. c But, the law need not
      Lord perfectly: love the`Lord our God even underneath save. We need not take recourse to the iaw of the Lord
      the eternal and infinite wrath: and indignation of the to merit our righteousness before God. We need not
      Most High. But, who is able unto these things? What fulfill that law because Christ fulfilled that law for us.
      flesh is there that can obey the law of tile Lord .and          How foolish, therefore,. the Galatians were ! But also
      qatisfy all the justice of Jehovah? Hence, as many as how wicked ! Their  .efforts to establish their own
      are under the works qf, the law are under the curse. righteousness by their own works of the law were
       To be under the works of the law means that we take surely a denial- of the cross of Christ. Salvation is'
       our refuge to these works of the law and that the `Lord        given us, by faith and out of sovereign mercy and
      will judge us according to the things we do and have grace. God's promise of everlasting life is given by
       done. The law, we read in verse 12, is not of faith. the Lord unto His people, unconditionally. Galatians 3
       It is either or: we are under the law or under faith.          surely establishes this unconditional character of the
       To be of the law implies that we are not of faith-such promises of God.
      `an one does not live out of faith but out of the works                                 to be continued)
       of the law. And to be und,er the law means that we                                                           H. Veldman.
       are under the curse, for: "Cursed Is every one, that
       continueth not in all things which are written in the
       book of the law to do them." The law of God, it is                          .
       plain, must curse every one who .attempts  to justify
       himself in the way of works, for'none can satisfy the                                   - I N   BXEMORIAM
                                                                 u
       demands of the Lord.                                               The Ladies Aid  So&&y  of the  First Prot. Ref. Church
             `On the other hand, however, `God hath redeemed wishes to express its sincere sympathy with Mr. `I!$ Swart and
       us from the curse of the law. H,e became a curse-for family in the loss of `wife ,and mother.
       us.`. He became's curse. He was tiot accursed of Him-
       self but he became a curse. He took upon Himself the                                   MRS. M. SWART
       sins.of others, entered into the-guilt and condemnation            May our God comfort them with His abiding grace and the
       of otheys, `and therefore became a curse. Hence, He assurance that there remaineth a rest for the people of God.
       became a curse for iti. ,Of course ! To become a curse,                                         Mrs. J.  VanderWal,  Pres.
       to assume the guilt of others surely implies that I%e                     -      -              Mrs. C. Lamse; Sec'y.


                                     THE;  STANDAiXD  B E A R E R                                               469

                                                            is no escape for him from Saul but in Philistia. David's
        THE .DAY OF
                         -    ' SHADOWS                     immigration to the land of the Philistines is a sin. The
                                                            Lord frowns upon the doing. And, as we shall see,
                                                            He does not fail to reveal his hot displeasure.
   I David' Residence In Pkilistia                             But it is not only fear of his life that sends him to
                                                            Gath, but an unwillingness to endure the chastening of
     As. we have seen, the Lord through David again the Lord as well. What brings-this out is the conclud-
  confu:onted Saul with eyidence such as could be seen ing words of `hii soliloquy. "And Saul will desist from
  and handled that the son of Jesse seeks not the king's me to seek me and I' shall escape out of his hand," says
  life. to take it. As pricked in his conscience and as     D&id in his heart. What he means.is  clear. His life
  filled with carnal remorse, the king confessed, "I have in the land of his-people, he tells himself, is insuffer-
  ,Isinned." But he was ilot truly penitent. As was point7 able. Wherever he  betakes himself in the coasts of
  ed out, he was subdued and afraid and remorseful like Israel, Saul is always hard on his trail seeking his life
  the doomed in hell are s%ubdued  and afraid and remorse-. to take it. He wants to believe that it is more than
 f u l . That Saul was not tftdy penitent, that at the core the Lord is asking him to endure; Thus by his immi-
  he now was harder thtin ever, is plain from the sequel gration to the land of the Philistines, he will benefit
  01 the narrative. He would have continued to seek himself in two respects, so he reasons. First, he will
  after David, had the latter not removed to Gath. Such, free himself of the miseries of an existence that con-
  as wps explained, is the implication of the stetement, sists in being chased from one corner of the land of
  "And it. was told Saul that ~David was fled .to Gath:- Israel to another by a mad king. Second, he will escape
  and he sought no more after him."                        out of Saul's hand. Such  is David's reasoning. It
     But what are, we to think of David's,  removal to indicates an attempt on his partUt justify his doing
the land of the Philislines? It is a doing that proceeds before the  bar of conscience.  But" let us not in  OUP
  from unbelief; first, from the fear  pf  &is life that criticism of this  estjmable servant of God  under-
  unbelief genders in him. "I.will now perish one day at estamite %he severity of this trials ; and let us not fail
 the hand of Saul," says David in his heart. He ima- to consider that patience in tribulations is a gift of
 gines that sooner or later Saul will succeed in ridding Him-Christ Jesus-without whom  ;God's believing
 the earth of him here in God's country. David's' ima- people can do nothing. `The scriptures admonish the
 gining is vain. As he well knows by this time, he has believers even to glory in tribulations. But who of
 been appointed of God to the kingship., Hence, as the himself is sufficient to these things.
 Lord has been, a wall of deferice  to him in days gone        David arises; so the text now states. His mind is
 by, so the Lord will preserve him in days to come made up, and he is ready  for a&ion. He passes eves
 right here in the borders of Israel. David cannot unto Achish, the son of  Maoeh, king of Gath-he,
 perish by the hand of Saul.                       .       David, his two wives, Ahinoam and' Abigail, and the
     But David's faith wavers. "There is not to me any six hundred men that were with him, every man with
, good-there is to me no future-except I hastily escape his household. David's flight, is reported to Saul. "`And
to the land of the Philistines," says. he in his heart.    he sought no m.ore again for him."
 But Philistia is the land of the dead. David need not         David dwells with Achish at Gath, says the text.
 immigrate to such a land to be  .saved of God from The notice is `impoktant  as showing that David was
 Saul's wrath, as if the Lord were no longer williilg or well-received.    He is a distinguished leader with a
 able to preserve him in the land of the living. The considerable armed bsnd against whom Saul is known
 Philistines, being uncircumcised - uncircumcised in to make war. As the sequel reveals, Achish cherishes
 heart-are enemies of  `God's people. And they are theti hope that he has acquired in David a permanent
 always actively hostile. They are always making war friend and ally-in the, Philistines' wars with the people
 against God's people' or pltinning war as at this very of Israel.
 junctufe. To get along with such men David will have         But it doesn't take long before David requests                 .
 to pretend that he disowns his own br.ethren in the Achish.to allow him a freer position in the land. "If  _
 faith and makes war against them. And he will have I have found grace in thine eyes, "are .his words to
 to feign love of the ungodly. David does the one and the king, "let them give me a place in some town in
 also the other as well. Necessarily so, as friendship the' country, that I may dwell there: for why should
 with the world is enmity against God. Besides all this, thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?" Thus
 some time ago, through a prophet, David received of he gives `as the reason of his petition the impropriety
 God the command to take up his residence not, in a of him, the servant, dwelling in the royal city with his            :
 heathen land, but at home, in God's count%y, definitely lord and master. But what may b6 the- real reason
 in the land of  Judah  -(22  :5). Now he disobeys this    of his request? According to some David understands
 command under the constraint of the fea'r that there that Achish cannot -be expected for long to bear the


       470'.                                T H E   S.TANDARD  B E A R E R

       expense of the support of so many strangers .in Gath. pleasing to  `God.          He fight Amalekites, doesn't  he?
       But even with a change of residence David still will .But the work is not good. It is very useful, but not
       be living more or less on the b&ty OS the Philistines.        good. It has no ethical value.- Walking, as he .does,
       According to others, his real motive is "to be out of in disobedience, David's h&art is not right with God.
      h the way of observation, so as `to play the part of Saul's Better than fighting &nalekites_  is. obedience. Those
       enemy without acting against him." But this is just raids  from Ziklag are mere incursions for booty, at
       as unlikely, since  aft&r  every military expedition this time a dire necessity for David and his men. Sa
       against heathen tribes friendly to the Philistines and he smites the land, and leaves neither man nor woman
       1Tostile to the people of Israel, David reports to Achish. alive  but takes away  ihe sheep, and the oxen, and
       It may be supposed that David's real reason for w&t- the asses, and the camels; and the apparel, and returns.
       ing. to dwell al?ne in this enemy territory is that he Such is his custom in each  raid of  tihich there arc
L?    . cannot endure living in the same city with Philistines.      several, as the time that he dwells in the country &f
       Their idols and idol temples are an eyesore to him. the Philistines is a y&ar and four months, says the. text,
       Their godless way of life vexes his righteous soul. So But the Amalekites and the  Philistities are friends.
       he is determined to get him and his band out of Gath.         What if those .raids were reported to Achish, king of
       Achish. immediate1.y  accedes. He gives him .Ziklag that Gath.        How' might not Achish' react? David has
       day. The text states that he gave him. It means that thought of that. He saves "neither man nor woman
       the city is a present from Achish to David. According-        alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should
       ly, the text goes on to say, "wherefore Ziklag pertain-       tell on us, saying, So did David. But though dead men
       eth unto the kings of Judah unto this day." The city t-e11 no.  tales, the difficulty is but half. settled.  *rhc
      has a history back of it. It  pertaineth  first to Judah Philistines in the vicinity of Ziklag and particularly
       (Josh. X:31), then tp Simeon (Josh. 19 :5), and was Achish -will wani; to know how David comes into the
       aftereards captured by the Philistines. `To say that possession of all tliose  sheep and oxen atid camels and
       since that time the city remained  uninhabited is no& asses and apparel. It is booty with which he returns,
       an idle conjecture. Certainly Achish would not give `This is apparent. Whom is David plundering? What
       away a city inhabited to any appreciable extent by tribes of men? David has thought also  ,of that. HE
      Philistines. That would only get hiin in trouble with has thought of everything. Returning from his ex-
       his countrymen.                                               peditions, he.goes  to Gath, instead of going immediaie-
           Once settled  .in Ziklag, David is faced with the ly to Ziklag, in order to make reBort to Achish of hif
       vexing problem of the material `support of himself and movements and to &are with him the spoil. The king
       his large retinue. And as he has withdrawn from invariably asks; "against whom have ye went  uy
       God's country and assumed dependence on a heathen Soday?" To which, David replies, "Against the soutlr
       king, it is decidedly his problem, `one of his own crea- of Judah, and against the south of the Jerah-meelites
       tion, with which he now glso undertakes to deal in his and against the south of the Kenites." Jerahmeel `waz
       own strength. South of  Philistia and Judah lie  the the firstborn of Hezron (2 Chron. 11:9, 25). His pos-
       districts of the Geshurites (to be distinguished from terity-the  Jerahmeelites-are one of the three  greai
       the Aramean' kingdom. of Geshur, 2 Sam. 15 :8; and families of Judah who dwell on the southernmost bar.
       from the northern  G&hurites  pear Hermon on the der of Judah. Tlie Kenites are under the protection o-l
       border of Bashan, Deut. 111:14) the `Gezrites  (a tribk Judah. In Num.  24:21 it is  sai$ of them, "in  rock2
       not elsewhere mentioned), and the Amalekites. Of the thou hast put thy rest," meaning that they dwell in the
       three tribes, the last mentioned, ihe Amalekites, "were rocks and caves..south of Palestine. These tribes and
       inhabitants of the l&d, who inhabited it of old, "says those first mentioned-the Geshurites, Gezrites, and
       the text. They are the original occupants. They had tlne Amalekites-dwell near one another in the distrid
       opposed Israel in the Exodus.  `On that account the that borders on'the south country of Judah and stretch.
       Lord had sworn that He would "utteriy put out the es between the hill cduntry. of. Judah .and the Arabiar
       remembrance of Amalek from under heaven," (Exodus desert (Josh. 15 :21). The close -proximity of &ll the
       17:5 sq.). As a tribe theybare thus under the ban of tribes mentioned makes possible David's deception
       God and doomed to extinction. Joshua `had `discomfited Tlhat he practices deception, that he has recourse tc
       Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.. tr;cKery  and lies with !Achish is clear. His language
       Saul had smitten them "up to Shur, which is. on the to Aehish is ambiguous, equivocal. "Against the soutk
       border of Egypt". But each time they had recollected          of Judah can mean: against the southern portion OJ
       and. settled here. Their old seats stretched into  ,Arabia    the tribe of  Judali. It can also mean: against  tribe2
       Petrea. Against these cursed tribes, who being nomads -that dwell to the south of Judah, the Jeshurites, ani
       had large herds,. David and his men make military the Amalekites. -The gullible Achish takes David tc
       `expeditions from Ziklag. Doubtless he tries to per- mean that he plunders the`tribe of Judah, the Kenites
        suade himself that he performs `a good work, well- and the Jerahmeelites.               And he has a right.  Fol


 _  -.-  __-       . . . . -    -_  .  .  _    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                471

David makes no mention of the heathen tribes actually can only `conjecture. David's residence in Philistia, his
attacked; it -being his purpose to deceive. The sacred conduct toward Achish during the period of this resi-
writer holds David responsible. "And Achish believed dence, his int&course with this royal heathen, forms
David,`; is his statement. Mark you, he believes Dc~vid. a strange and perplexing story. One thing is certain.
What he believes originates not with him but is com- I-f forced into the battle ithat is pending, David is not
municated to his mind by David, to wit, that he makes going to fight his own pejple, He was never more in
war against his own .- brethren. And the jubilant earnest than, with a view,to combating Phiiistincs in
Achish concludes, "He hath made his people utterly this fiar, if need be, he says to Achish, "Surely, thou
to abhor him; therefore he-shall  be my servant for- shalt know what thy servant can do". David's heart,
ever." Says the narrator, `"So did David and so was is still with his people as much ai ever.' Of this, as we
his manner all the tihile.he dwelt in the country of the shali presently  see, all the Philistine princes are deeply
Philistines." David is guilty oY open lying and denial cgnvinced,-all  but Achish.
of his people during all this time. Doubtless, he -tries              Meanwhile the Philistines gather together all their
to justify himself by saying that his equivocal lan- armies to Aphek in Issachar. In divisions of hundreds
guage is ah allowable strategem. of war and that it is             and thousands, at the head of' their divisions "the
a heathen, an enemy'of  God and His pe`ople,  &horn he princes of the Philietines", march on $0 Jezreed. Here
tricks. But he soon finds out .that, in the words of one in the north they advance with their whole force in
writer, "God weighs those who will belong to him in order to bring about a decisive battle in the plain with
the scales of His sanctuary, in which there is, among the Israelites. Their advance to Jezr'eel  compels Saul
others, as weight-stone, the indestructible word :-Thou to le5d 5s whole force thither. The Philistines having
shalt not bear false witness."                                     begun iheir march; Achish finds himself with David
    It comes to pass that the' Philistines gather their            in the rearguard. Catching sight of  David and his
armies together for warfare to fight with Israel. It men, the Philistine princes are' amazed. "What, these
is a general war of .a11 the Philistine princes against Hebrews?" say they to Achish, meaning, "What do
Israel that is contemplated in which even `David, they here? Achish observes' that David is servant of
posing ai a Philistine vassal-prince, and feigning love Saul, king of Israel, thus, reminding them of his enmity,
of the Philistines and hatred of his brethren, is re- with Saul ; that he already has been allied with him a
quested or rather commanded to take iart by Aehish, iong time against Saul ; that in all this time he found
his royal master and benefactor.  `"And Achish said no fault in him, saw nothing- in him to awaken sus-
u&o David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go picions of treachery.  ,At hearing Achish argue for
out with me to battle, thou and thy men." Achish is the retention of the Hebrews in hi,s division, the wrath
emphatic. To reproduce the sense of the original text, .of the Philistine lords kindle. They command Achish
we must translate, "I want thee to understand by all to order David to return to the place that was appointed
means that thgu, yea, even thou indeed, shalt go out him, and not to allow him to go down with them into
with me to battle; thou and thy men." It is vigorous battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary unto them.
language, indicating that Achish means to avail him- For wherewith should he reconcile himself with his
self of the opportunity afforded .him by the` impending master but with the heads of Philistines. They are
war  .to put  David3 loyalty to a test. David's reply not  Forgetful of  ,David's military skill and bravery.
seems to say that the test will be endured. Says he to They' recall the defeat he inflicted upon their Goliath.
Achish, "Surely, thou. shalt know what thy servant For they say, "Is not this David, of whom they sang
can. do." Achish takes the ambiguous answer as a one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thous-
promise" of the action that he. requires. Elated, he ands and David his ten thousands?"
m&es David "the keeper of his head", the captain of                   Achish is compelled to yield to the demand of his
his  body-guaid, forever.                                          comradks. His is now the  pa&-&l task-painful to
    David now finds himself under the pai.nful neces- him-to  commtinicate the decision to  David.  Call&g
sity. of going into battle with Philistines against his David, he tells him the sad news. David must blame
own brethren. Why did he not avoid being dl"awn into the Philistine lords. If Achish had his way, it would
this predicament by returning to the land, of his not happen. For he  beliives in David, and his con-  .-
people while there was still opportunity? What had fidence in him is .implicit.. Using the name of Jehovah
prevented him from rejoining his people?  Hi,s fear even, he affirms under an o&h that `"thou hast been
of Saul or an inability to get him. out of Philistia or upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me
both? `Or did he voluntarily remain because he wel- in *the host is good in niy sight, `(meaning= to say that
comed going into -battle with Philistines not against it would be good to have David with him in the pending
his owti brethren surely but again& these Philistines? battle. "For", says. &chish, "I have not found evil in
Or is this hour to him a dreadful one, and is he silently thee since the d&y of thy coming unto me unto this
and fervently praying to `be delivered out of it? We day : nevertheless, the.lords  favbr thee not. Wherefore


472                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                  _(
now return and go in peace, that thou displease not the of thy lord (that is, of Saul) that are with thee : and as
iprds of the Phiiistines." For, Achish means to say, s3on as ye be up early in the morning, and have light,
what will the lords do to David, if he disobeys. the@ depart."
voice? Doubtless` they  .will slay him and his whole                  `730 David and his men rose up early to depart in
company. And Achish will be out a faithful servant, Ilye morning, to return unto the land of the Philistines."
a good friend, and a brave ally.                               Doubtless David had wanted to help his brethren in
       Achish's attachment for David is great. He loves that war, thinking that he would be doing a good work
this Hebrew. He would not fain  lose him. It is not whereby to reconcile himself not with  Saul, as the .
a wonder. David poses as a Philistine prince. He has Philistines imagined, but-with the Lord. But the Lord
done Achish only good.  After every military expe- does not want him in that battle for more than one
dition against what Achish believed to be Hebrews he reason. David must first repent` of his sin before he
divided with Achish the booty. David refrained from again is "meet for the Master's use". So  -the Lord
spoiling Philistines. In this point of view he merits          sentences him to inactivity until he repents.
Achish's trust in him. But Achish is not a good man.                                                      G. M. Ophoff.
I-Ie is a heathen, any uncircumcised of heart. And he                                   -            -
loves as do the uncircuincised.  H'e  lo;es those who
love him and none- other. Yet, how the man can ,ap
preciate uprightness in people especiajly if they be his
`servants and hate with him God's people and are will-                 _  S I O N ' S   ZANiGEN
ing to help him in his warfare with them.
       `David must persist in equivocating. There is no
turning back for him now. "But what have I done?"
he asks in feigned amazement. And "what has thou                                     EiefdevoSle XIeiland
found in thy servant so long as I have been before                                (Psalm 105; Eerste Deel)
thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the
enemies of my lord?" David involves himself in- an-                   We zijn toegekomen  aan de behandeling van een
other open lie, be it that in his own consciousness  "my       psalm die zeer  geli@ is onder hen die  -de? Heere
lord the king" is Saul and "the enemies of my lo@' kennen. Opsomming van slechts drie verzien  uit de
the Philistines. For David has all along unto this berijming is voldoende om dit te staven. Wie onzer
moment been posing `as servsnt,,  friend, and ally of kent niet het zingen van:
Achish, and therefore the latter has the right to take                   Vraagt naar den Heer en Zijne sterkte,
David to mean that he is greatly disappointed at being                   Naar Hem die al uw heil bewerkte ; enz. `?
prohibited from going into battle with ikchish to fight               `Of oak:
against Israelites. There is also the question whether                    God zal Zijn waarheid  nimmer krenken,
Cavicl is actually disappointed at not being able to                      Maar eeuwig Zijn verbond  gedenken ; enz. ?
avail himself of the opportunity to go down into battle               Dit laatste vers wordt vaak gezongen na de doopS-
with the Philistines to help his own brethren against bediening, en tereeht.
this adversary, or whether he Jeans far -backward to                  Dan is daar het laatste vers; dat mij altijd in de
conceal his great joy at b.eing freed of the necessity gcda`chten  komt als er sprake is van een genade die .
of going down into battle with Philistines. Here; too, algcmeen zou zijn, des neen !
we can only conjecture. What pleads for the .former                       Die gunst heeft God Zijn volk bewezen,
view is th.at it must be exceedingly painful for a man                    O,pdat het altoos Hem zou vreezen, enz.
of David's disposition to sit still with his brethren in              Ik heb boven de behandeling  van dezen psalm een
the faith involved i'n bloody combat with Phil&tines.          titel geplaatst die den geheelen psalm wil karakteri-
       As can be expected, David's reply incites Achish to     seer&:  isr,ers  Liefdwolle  Heiland.  Ik  kwam  daar-
eve21 greater extravagance in his laudation of what he         toe, omdat Hij zoo geheel en al zwijgt van de zonde
considers to be David's vir.tues. Says he npw to David, des volks, ook dan wanneer we weten hoe Israel gruwe-
""I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel           lijk zondigde.       Neem tot  voorbeeld  vers 40. Daar
of God-as an  nnyel. `Think on that-notwithstanding staat:  "Zij baden, en Hij deed kwakkelen komen en
the- princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not Hij verzadigde ze met hemelsch brood.`.' Maar uit de
go with us to battle." He wants- David to understand geschiedenis weten we hoe het volk tiurmureerde in
-by all means that the fault lies exclusively with these dit vragen om vleesch.
lorcls.    As it can spell only disaster for Achish and his          In` den gehe@n psalm wordt de zonde van het volk
excellent servant, David, to refuse to submit- to the niet @nmaal genoemd.                     .'
will df the lords, his last counsel to David is, "Where-       i      In den volgenden psalm is dit anders. Ik denk, dat
1ore now rise us early in the morning with the servants             ik daar hetzelfde thenia boven mijn `verhandeling zal


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B.EARER                                               473

schrijven,  doch met deze toevoeging  :  Schoon  xwuar en alles moet aangeleerd worden.
getergd!                                                           Nu, in den Nieuw Testamentischen dag, mogen
   "Looft den Heere, roept Zijnen naam aan, inaakt we- bet' ook toepassen op het zendingswerk.
                                                           0                                                    De Kerk
Zijne daden bekend onder de volken."                            van  Christus moet er voor zorgen, dat de volken .de
   Hoe vaak lezen we dit : Looft d.en Heere!                    daden Gods te  weten komen. Dat  moeten we  doen
   En  to&  r+et te vaak. Want het loven van den &licieel  door de geinstitueerde kerk, en organisch in
+Ieere is  bet einddoel van alle  dingen. Het is  over-         ons geheele leven. Want er is o zoo veel d&nheid ten
duidelijk  uit Gods Woord, dat het loven van den Heere overstaan van des Heeren daden.                 Om nu maar 6Bn
centraal is in Zijn eeuwigen raad. Let maar op Ef. ding te noemen: men zegt : het regent ! Nu moeten wij
13-12, waar ons gezegd wordt, dat het Gods welbe-               er voor zorgen, dat &en te weten komt dat God regent !
hagen was om alle  dingen wederom tot  &n te  ver- Dat onpersoonlijke in die werkwdorden  is diep godde-
gaderen in Christus Jezus, . . . .opdat wij zouden zijn loos. Get regent ; het vriest ; het dooit ; het sneeuwt ; hid
tot prijs Zijner heerlijkheid.                                  dondert ; het weerlicht  ; enz. Het is allemaal goddeloos.
   Ret is  goed, dat  `wij dat beseffen ten  allen tijde,       G;od doet alle deze dingen.
want alleen de mensch die daar_aan beantwoordt-is ge-              Welnu, zoo is het  met'alle  dingen. God doet alle
lukkig.                                                         dingen, bier-op aarde en ook in den hemel.  Niets kan'
   Loof den Heere i 1                                           zich roeren of bewegen of  ,God moet hem of het  be-
   Doe. dat, en ge zijt gelukkig, al. is het ook, dat ge krachtigen.
in groote armoede en  uiterlijke ellende zijt, iooals              En dit moeten wij den volken onderwijzen vooral
Lazarus aan den poort d'es rijken.                              op geestelijk gebied.    "Maakt Zijn  daden bekend  !"
   Wat is het loven van `God?                                   d ja, en vertelt het geduriglijk, dat Hij het is die van
   Het is, dat ge Zijn deugden verkondigt. `En nog de allervroegste eeuwen de menschen Gods getrokken
enger : dat ge het Hem persoonlijk vertelt. hoe schoon,         heeft uit den dood tot in het eeuwige leven. <God-is het
lieflijk, wonderlijk, sterk en wijs Hij is. Datmag Hij          die de geheele kerk optrekt vanuit de klauwen des
gaarne hooren uit Uwen mond.                                    doods en des verderfs tot in de atmosfeer van het
   Looft den Heere!                                             eeuwige Jeruzalem. 11~ de Heere doe alle deze dingen!
   Dat te doen is het beantwoorden aan Zijn voorop- Men zal U h&en in dezelfde mate, dat ge vertelt hoe
gezette doe1 : alles moet, als `t .ware,  een Spiegel  zijn,    de Heere wondere daden doet, maar dat is niet zoo erg.
tYaarin  Hij Zijn heerlijk deugdenbeeld weerkaatst ziet.        Het is eiger  als ge zwijgt van Zijn  daden. Laat er
   Nog eenmaal: het loven `van den Heere is einddoel geen stilzwijgen onder U gevonden worden.
van alle dingen, en daarom is het het eenigste werk,               "Zingt Hem, Psalmzingt Hem, spreekt aandachtig-
wat we doen zullen in den hemel,  daarboven bij' dad.           lijk van alle Zijne wonderen!"
   "Roept Zijnen naam  aan, maakt Zijne dad&n bekend               Zoo, ge m6et zingen en. vertellen: een mooie com-
onder de volken!"                                               binatie.
   Hierboven zeiden we, dat het. loven van JGod be-              Ik denk, dat men-zingt om  tw.ee  reden. Eerst,  ltien
staat in het  opsomtien van Zijn  deugdeh. Wel,  het- zingt omdat bet hart boordevol is. Men kan het niet
zelfde is waar van het aanroepen van Zijn naam, of laten om te zingen. Het is uiting van groote blijdschap
van het aanbidden. Hier op aarde is het aanroepen en verrukking bij het zien en ervar& van de groote
van ,Zijn naam het vragen om dingen, beide voor het daden cods, en dan vooral op geestelijk gebied. wan-
lichaam en voor de ziel. We zijn arm en ellen&g  op ileer men bet ziet en ervaart, dat God u vanuit de duis-.
natuurlijk gebied of op geestelijk gebied, en dan gaan ternis der, zonde en des doods optrekt en Uwe voeten                   *
we al .roepcnde  tot God om hulp en heil. Dat houdt zet op het pad. des eeuwigen levens, dan moet men zin-
straks op. Straks, als we aangekomen zijn in het vol- g&. Tweedens, men zingt'van tevredenheid. Er is
maakte, dan vragen we nooit meer-om  iets, want dan een radio-program der goddelooze wereld, dat tot zang-
liggen we aan aan de rivier van God die vol waters is. thema heeft : "Ik zing, want ik ben tevreden !" En dat
Daal" araagt en smeekt men nimmermeer, maar daar is' waar. -De Wereld heeft het formeel gezien en er-
doen we niets dan aanroepen van den Naam, aanbidden varen, dat tevredenheid doet zingen. Welnu, zoo is
van Zijn deugden;  die. in dien naam voor ohs staan. hef 66k op geesttilijk gebied. Als men tevreden is, dan
Want Uw Naam ziet het  Wezen !                                  gaat men aan `t zingen. En men is tevreden, als alle
  En dan worden  we opgewekt om Zijn daden bekend nooddruft vervuld is. En de grootste nooddruft voor`
te maken onder de volken. :                                     het geestelijk ethische en moreele wezen is God te heb-
    Ik denk, dat v&ken hier slaat op de volken Israils. ben tot zijn deel in eeuwigheid.
En dan vooral in de geslachten, zoodat vaders en moe-               0 ja, dan zingt en psalmzingt men, en het onder-'
ders en leiders van Gods volk.geroepen worden om te w&p van Uw  zi?gen is dan God. Daaraan onder-
zorgen, dat de volken te weten komen wat een wondere k&t men des Christen's gezang. De wereld zingt van
God wij hebben. De  kinderen   worden  dom geboren,             de wereld, den menseh,  de tijdelijke dingen, maar het
     .


     4 7 4                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   BVEARER                                          c.

     kind Gods zingt van God.                                     in mijn hart. Vanuit het "zuivere" hart komt het aan-
        En ge behoeft niet te zoeken naar de stof voor het dachtig spreken van en over Gods wondere daden. In
     zingen. God heeft' Uw lied vooruit  bereid.  Er zijn Jezus Christus.
                                                                  0
     150 psalmen in. den bundel. Het was  te verwachten,               "Roemt in den naam Zijner heiligheid: het hart
     dat men die oude psalmen zou verachten en zich over- dergenen- die den Heere zoeken, verblijde zich."
,    geven  aan de meestal flauwe gezangen. 0 neen, ik                 Roemen  is, dat men iets of iemand boven alles uit
     veroordeel niet alle gezangen. Ik.heb  sommige gezan-        doet  staan.' Roemen  is .als men iets verhoogt tot de
     gen met genot, gezongen. Maar zet ze tech niet op Ben h o o g s t e   hoogte.
     lijn met de  psalmen Gods. Neemt nu de beste  ge-                 Dat past bij den Naam.
     zangen die er zijn, en ge zult zien,Sdat men zelfs in die         Het gebed dat over den Naam spreekt in de wet op
     betere gezangen zwijgt van sommige deugden Gods,             Horeb spreekt dezelfde taal. Daar heet het : "Gij ,zult
     zooals, de gerechtigheid, de heiligheid, en Zijn eeuwig den naam des Heeren Uws Gods niet opheffen in het
     toornen op de goddeloozen. ' Vrage : waar-vindt ge stof ijdele!"
     in de gezangen zooals in psalm 63 :1 ? Of in Psalm 5?             De Naam van God is heilig, dat wil zeggen, die
     Ik kon zoo voortgaan. Gedenkt ook aan Psalm 73.              naam is afgescheiden van het kwade, het gewone, het
      "Spreekt ook aandachtiglijk van alle Zijne  won- gemeene; -en, positief, die naam is toegewijd aan het
     d e r e n . "                                                alleen-goede, en dat is IGod. *God is toegewijd aan God,
        Ik heb we1 een hooren zeggen, dat alles een wonder en daarom is Zijn Naam heilig.
     is. Daar zit waarheid in; ,Is misschien we1 geheel en             Dus ge moet den Naam van God zeer hoog houden,
     al waar. Maar daar gaat het hier niet over. Het gaat zoodat Hij `uitstaat boven  alles wat schepsel is. En
     ,hier over wat de Heilige Schrift wonderen  noemt. Hn dan moet ge dien naam uitroepen, bezingen, er van
     dat is. iets geheel  speciaals. Als de Heilige  Schrift jubelen den ganschen dag.
     spreekt van ,Gods wonderen, dan gaat het over de her-             Doet ge d-at, dan is op U van toepassing wat er ver-
     schepping aller dingen; en dan vooral zooals die her-        der in dit vers gezegd wordt. "Het hart dergenen die
     schepping den mensch omzet van een kind Satans tot den Heere zoeken, verblijde zich.`"
     een kind Gods. En  da& is  alles wonderlijk. Het is               pals ge de heerlijkheid en de heiligheid van den'
     Fen wondere `liefcle die mij `van eeuwigheid kende,.  ver- Naam gezien hebt, .zoodat  ge dien Naam heiligdet, dan
     ordineerde om het beeld  Zijns Zoons gelijkvormig kan het niet anders, dan zijt ge aan `t zingen gegaan
     te zijn, riep vanuit de duisternis tot Zijn w'nderlijk       in het diepe hart.
     licht, deed hooren en zien de wonderen  Zijner liefde en          .Doch. om dit te doen, om den Naam te heiligen,
     goedertierenheid in Jezus Christus, rechtvaardigde door moet ge dien Naam kennen, zien, ervaren. En dat is
     het geloof, heilige door Zijn IGeest  en ,,Woord. En het tegennatuurlijk. Dat gaat "zoo maar" niet. .Dan moet
     centrale wonder is Jezus van Nazareth, dat is, de ge  aan `t zqeken. Er ligt een fleers over dien Naam.
     vleeschwoording van God. We zullen nooit uitgespro- En die floers is subjectief. Ik bedoel daar dit mee.
     ken raken over die  Wonderen  Gods. En, let wel, ge          Indien wij Engelen Gods  waren, dan behoefden we
     moet daarvan spreken met aandacht.           Uw geheele niet te zoeken naar  ,God en naar Zijn Naam. Dan
     wezen moet er in zijn.                                       zagen wij bet "zoo maar". En Adam behoefde #God 66k
         Allereerst, hebben we daar kerken vbor. Ge gaat niet te zoeken. Hij zag Hem en Zijn Naam (en dat is
     naar de kerk om `de wonderen  Gods te verhalen. Ge eigenlijk hetzelfde) zoo maar, elken dag, van oogenblik
     doet dat door het ambt van leeraar, ouderling en dia- t o t   o o g e n b l i k .
     ken. En ook door het generale ambt der geloovigen.                En daarom moet ge aan `t zoeken.
     Ge doet dat door predikatie, luisteren, zingen, offeren,          En dat doet niemand van nature. De Heere meet
     gemeenschap der heiligen.                                    U zoekend  maken.  En als Hij dat doet, dan zult ge
         Tweedens, doet ge dat door Uw leven in deze gqd- zekerlijk zoeken. En dan zult ge Hem ook zekerlijk
     delooze wereld.  IGe zijt een brief die door God  ge- vinden. Dat zegt Jezus, en Zijn Naam is de Waarheid.
     schreven is. En .als ge dat leven openbaart rondom U,             En als ge God zoekt, dan zal Uw hart zich verblij-
     dan leest men van ,Gods-wonderen.    En dan kan het ge- den. Let er op, dat er staat dat men zich verblijden
     beuren, dat anderen door Uw voorbeeld getrokken zal "in zijn hart". ,O, het is de Heer om Uw hart te
     worden.                                                      doen. Want als ge Uw hart op Hem gezet hebt, dan
         Derdens, ,doen we dat in de die&e van ons hart. komt de rest als vanzelf. Eerst nog &et,  doch er komt
     Daar is dat spreken het zuiverst. Zoo spoedig dat een tijd dat vervuld wordt den zang van-David: "Dan
     spreken in het diepe hart omgezet wordt door .daden,         zai zich `t hart met mijne daden paren." Als het hart
     . komen er onzuivere elementen bij. Dat, is zoo erg,         God zoekt, dan is dat hart. rein, en dan kan het niet
     dat men `s avonds zegt : hetgeen ik vandaag gedaan heb anders, dan woont daar blijdschap en verheuging.
     1 ken ik met.. Ik  herken de aanzet en de opzet niet Toon mij een, mensch die God zoekt, en ik zal U een
     meer. 266 ben ik vanmorgen niet begonnen te spreken vroolijk mensch doen zien. Degene die gerechtigheid


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                             475

 doet in zijn hart, ,die is vroolijk in God. Jesaja sprak a veritable fortune, yet, frequently,. there is no other
 van dat soort menschen: "Gij ontmoet den vroolijke en way out. There will always be those who have the
 die gerechtigheid doet, die Uwer gedenken op Uwe cash or the collateral to finance a dwelling, but there
 wegen !"~ Benijdenswaardige menschen ! Zij zijn vroo- are more who will have to assume a heavy debt if they
 lijk en hun hart verheugt zich `in God.                           will find a roof over their heads. Time was when a
     Zingt, psalmzingt _ dan van Gods heiligen Naam. newly married couple could set up housekeeping with
 Ziet de heerlijkheden van `den Naam Jehovah, want very little capital. And time was, when one could find
 daar gaat `bet over; Ziet het, dat die God. tiert van for rent signs in almost every block in the city. But
 goedheid  qver Zijn volk, dat Hij  bemint van eeuwig-             things have change immensely. `Generally speaking,
 heid, en die dat volk naar Huis brengt. Zoekt Hem, we may say that marriage costs a fortune today, even
 en gij ,zult zekerlijk vinden!                                    if such a fortune can procure them a house.
                                                   G. Vos.            Or they marry and become wards. Instead of hav-
                                                    a              ing a place of their own, they live in with the parents
                                                                   or others and really become wards. H.ere in our big
                                                                   city it is nothing strange to read how three families
                                                                   a?e living in quarters originally built for one normal
               INHIS  F E A R                                      family. They are compelled to put up with cramped
                                                                   conditions, no room for additions to the family and no
                                                                   room for the normal expansion which married life
                                                                   naturally seeks.
-In View Qf The. HouSing Shortage                                     Or they marry and, of necessity, strike out for some
                                                                   almost uninhabited regions of our country. The wide,
     As children of God we are not *OF the world, but we           unsettled, open' spaces beckon them, and when the
 are certainly very much IN. the world, and the trends             opportunity presents itself  the..news comes that John
 and events of this world have effect upon us. We are and Mary have gone to live inFaraway.
 confronted with the situations of this present world.                There then you have the various situations and I
 This is especially true in respect to our to-be-married hope to show how each of these has a definite bearing
 or our just-married young people.                            ,    on living in the fear of God, especially as it affects
     The housing shortage effects everyone of us, but our young, just-married people.
 especially our young `people:who  ar,e planning to enter                              Postponing Mtirria~e
 or have recently entered upon married life.
     In rural communities it is perhaps the farm,short-             , Friendship between young people normally leads
 age, in the cities it is the housing shortage.                    to courtship, and courtship advances into engagment,
                                                                   and engagement flowers out into wedlock. There should
                    Various Situations                             be a period of courtship and a period of engagement to
   Time was when one could rent a farm or rent a the end that the parties may learn to know one another
 home. Due possibly to .our increasing population and and ascertain whether marriage between them is pro-
 due probably to no small extent to common greed, the per. The period of engagement, being what it is,
 for rent signs have almost disappeared from the scene.            should not be long. They have pledged fidelity. Now
 To get a place therefore which they can call home it they wait. They mature., They plan for wedlock.
 becomes almost imperative to buy. These things af- But, with the difficulty of finding a dwelling place,
 fect our young people. Various alternatives present the wait becomes long. Marriage has to be postponed
 themselves. Let me name a few of them.                            from oee season to the. next, and the period of engage-
    "Postpone marriage". How often you hear of mar- ment, instead of being a hopeful anticipation becomes
 riagably aged people, who would much desire to enter an `almost futile. waiting for an opening. They are
 the married state and are ripe for it, but are. compelled ready  for marriage, and they know oneanother but
 to wait it out until they find an opening here or there. there is no place to set up a home.
 ,These  conditions exist. They are the facts of life                 These situations are modern realities.
 today. If marriage were a cold business enterprize                   They are a discipline for the young people, a disci-
 one could say: we have ample time, we will wait until pline in patience. It is the hand of the Lord that
 the opportunity comes. But marriage is not like that. brings these things upon them, therefore they must
 It is not something which will be' indefinitely post- exercise patience, not only in respect toward the com-
 poned. Yet if it has to be postponed and be long mon objective but also in respect toward one another.
 postponed, it sets up a situation which forms a trial             They must not become impatient toward oneanother
i for the" young. people.                                          and as a result fret at and nag each other. Be patient.
    ,Or they can marry and begin their united life sub- Keep looking for an opening and meanwhile accept the
 merged in mortgage. To buy a farm or a home costs                 discipline with. Christian submissiveness. But while


 4     7    6                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   6.

 marriage is being postponed the engagement calls for coming to LX from the.world about the in-law misery,
 marriage.. Marriage is not a cold business affair, it is but even among  ..christians, where all of us are im-
 the merging of two lives, as Scripture speaks of it.        perfect, in-law trouble can arise. And that makes for
 While therefore marriage of necessity waits, the dan- utter misery., It may even. threaten to drive `a wedge
 ger besets them of assuming marital privileges. The between the newly-weds or otherwise between the in-
 familiarity continues while marriage has to wait. laws. Besides, they are faced with cramped conditions,
 ,And here again they must discipline themselves and no room for additions to the family, no room for the
 conduct  themselv,es chastely. The  ,Lord, through cir- normal expansion of married life. Not ideal' conditions
 cumstances, commands their marriage to wait, and for having children, for the birth of a baby may be
 therefore they must keep their -familiarity within the interpreted as an imposition upon the generosity of
 bounds of chastity. This is the calling we have of the in-laws. In some circumstances it is almost an
 the Lord. ,Receiv% it as a discipline, approach it as a     unwritten contract that the young people may share
 challenge. A mutual love for God's commands as well the home", but there must be no additions to the family.
 as a mutual faith will be the means to keep you while And again the newly-weds are confronted with the
 you are being thus disciplined.                             danger of violating the ordinances of God. Let's re-
                  Marriage Uker Debt                   \     member that there can never be excuses for violating
                                                             the  drdinances `of God as laid down in the married
      Time was when one could set up .housekeeping  in- state. Times and styles and public opinions may
 expensively. Today however we have a different pic- change, but God is unchangeable and His ordinances
 ture. The possibility of renting a place becomes in- are unchangeable. The psalmist prayed: let integrity
 creasingly difficult. One almost has to buy if one will and uprightness preserve me. May we desire that
 acquire a home. And that involves a vast outlay of          also.
 money. For many young people this means begin
 *their married life under a heavy mortgage, and this                          Moving Faraway
 debt will have to be met. At least there-will have to           And there are those who seek a solution to the
 be regular monthly payments. They find themselves situation by marrying and then moving far away from
 virtual prisoners. Marriage becomes an extreme at-          everything. `This may seem like a solution, but for
 tempt to meet  ~the payments. As a result they will our covenant youth it is really a dissolution of covenant
probably decide to both work, and pool their incomes. living. The danger is that they do what Lot of. old
 Married life is liable ta become little more than a chase time did. To move far away from the preaching of
 after material things.  W,ith such  .payments to meet the truth, the sacraments, Christian discipline and
 there will be little left for church, school, charity, etc. Christian instruction is a reckless move. I know- that
 But to facilitate these matters .they may also decide our young people cannot all stay close in, they have
 that they cannot afford to have children. Having ,to seek place elsewhere;and I know that there are few.
 children would hamper their progr,ess.       If she is a places in this land where t.he reformed truth is main-
 wage earner, her wages would cease if a child came, tained.           We have relatively few churches -in this
 but at the same time the family expenses would mount. country. But let us beware lest we violate the cove-
 Thus  they come into temptation in  ,respect. to the nant of our God and thus bring upon ourselves and our,
 ordinances of God. If you see the houses which the' children desolation.
 contractors are building these days. it is evident that         May SGod grant our young people wisdom, integrity
 men are not thinking in terms of families. And fre- and. patience and may you seek. it where it may be
 quently, if there happens to be a house for rent, the       found.
 cwner  looks askance at a family of children. He would                                                     .M. Gritters.
 rather you came with a kennel than with a baby buggy                             -     -    -    -
 or cradle. These things present actual temptations
 and our young peopleomuch  arm themselves with faith
 and righteousness, lest they become conformed to the                       = CLASSIS  W               E    S    T
 world in their married state.                               of the Protestant Reformed Churches will meet, D. V.,
                                                             on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 1948 at 9 :00 at at Pella, Iowa.
                     .Marriecl      WkrcZs                   Delegates desiring'lodging should contact Rev. L. Ver-
      Here in Chicago it is nothing strange to hear about meer, 609 Peace St., Pella, Iowa.
 several families living in quarters fit for only one                                  J. Blankespoor, Stated Clerk.
 family. Some of the'newly-weds, who enter marriage
 despite the fact that they can find no home; live in
 with the in-laws. This is a help out, but it is far from
 ideal. It is contrary to nature. It may be successful,          Notice! - As is customary, the Standard Bearer
_ but it `may prove disastrous. We resent the stories will not be..published  on the 15th of August.


                                  .   .   T H E   S T A N D A R D   - B E A R E R                                  477

                                                              in the ears of the people the mercies of `the Lord in re-
                FROM HOLY WRIT                                storing the two tables of the law, which had been shat-
                                                              tered in pieces. It was only by the mercy'of the Lord
                                                              that they. were not consumed at ,the foot of Sinai. Only
                The Service Of God                            because of the unchanging faithfulness ,of Jehovah to-
                                                              ward His covenant pe.ople  would they inherit the land
                                                              of Canaan. Therefore they are admonished -to serve
      Scripture often refers-to our relation to God as a the Lord and keep His commandments. The text
  relation of servants, our calling to serve Him; and our shows us:
  obligation to devote ourselves with our whole lives            1. That the service of the Lord is mandatory. I
. in His service.                                             consider it significant that this mandate is directed to
      The Old Testament employs only one word almost the Lord's covenant people. The :Lord re&res of them
  exclusively to express the idea of service. The root that they serve Him as the Lord their God, Who has
  meaning of the word is simply to labor, to work, to' delivered them from' sin and death unto His glorious
  serve.    It may refer to  -the duty of ,a slave who is salvation.
  owned by his master and thus obligated to serve him.           2. This service must be rooted in love, manifesting
  It may designate the worship of idols. And it is even itself in fear. We must "love Him", and "serve Him
  used in reference to consecrated service of `God. Moses with all thy heart and with all thy soul".
  was such a servant of the Lord. God calls Job His              3. This includes a holy walk in sanctification, in-
  servant, as a.man who was perfect and upright, fearing volving our whole life upon earth. "To walk in His
  God and eschewing evil.` And they were also called ways", and "to keep His commandments.".
  servants of God who held an office among the people,           4. And finally, those who serve the Lord are bless-
  either as prophet to speak the praises of God, as priest ed. God requires it "for thy good",. The service of
  to consecrate himself in the ministry of God's house, or    the Lord itself is blessed, so that those who serve Him
  `as king, to rule over .Israel. Even Israel itself is re- derive true joy' and :blessedness  from it. Moreover,
  ferred to as God's servant whom He has chosen. Isaiah the Lord blesses His people with all the riches of sal-
  44: :l, 2.                                                  vation in the way of obedience to His will.          '
     In the New Testament at least three. different
  words are used. The first (douleuoo) compares in               A second passage that merits our attention is found
  meaning with `the word useb. in -the Old Testament. in Matt. 4 :I0 : "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee
  It means to be a slave, to do service, and thus includes hence, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the
                                                              Lord your God, and Him only shalt thou serve."
  .the idea of obedience and subjection to some master,
  who has full authority over his slave. In that sense           `This passage is the final answer of Jesus to the
  Paul likes to refer to himself as a servant, or slave of three-fold temptation of the devil. Satan has been
  Jesus Christ. Cf. Rom. 1 :l ; Phil. 1 :l. -The. second      forced to. state his case bluntly and frankly, offering
  word (latreuoo) includes the idea of worship and Jesus all the kingdoms of the world on the condition
  homage. It is just as common as the first, but is gener- that He will bow down in worship before him. The
 ally employed with special reference to the service of refusal is final, on the basis that we owe our worship
 God in fear and reverence. The third word (diakoneoo)        solely to God.
  is the source of our word `deacon' and means to wait           1. It is interesting to note that two different words
  upon, to minister to someone. Although it carries the for service are used here. "Thou shalt worship (lat-
 -general meaning of ministering to. anyone's needs, it       reuoo)  the Lord your God; and Him only shalt thou
  .is also used. to designate the office of those wh.o are serve (douleuoo)  ."  '
  called to dispense the mercies ,of Christ.                     2. This service .is entirely exclusive. For God is
      Instead of quoting from the many possible pas- God, and He gives His honor to no other. He asserts
  sages of Scripture that speak of the service of God, we and maintains His glory eternally as the only True and
  shall select a few outstanding passages that can be of Living ,One. The Lord thy God is a jealous God.. Ex.
  a particular help to us in understanding the Scriptural 20:5. On the other hand, it is impossible for the crea-
  idea of this expression.                                    ture to divide his service between (God and some other
      The first passage is found in Deut. 10 : 1213. "And object. We either worship God or we worship the
  now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of          powers of darkness,`but  never both. We serve God or'
  thee, but to fear. the Lord thy God, to walk in His         we serve an idol. As we read in Matt. 6 i24, "No man
  ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord thy #God can serve two masters:- for either he will hate the one
  with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and
  commandments of the Lord, and His statutes, which I despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon."
 ' command thee this day for thy good??,        ..               Especially worthy of note in this connection is also
      In this chapter of Deuteronomy Moses is reviewing Heb. 9 :14, "How much more shall the blood of Christ,


        478                                / - { T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEAR'E.R

        Who through the eternal Spirit ofiered Himself with-              From the foregoing  w.e, can make the following
        out spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works significant conclusions :
        to serve the living God."                                         1. That the service of God is never a matter of
               1. This passage suggests that our service by nature personal choice, but an obligation which God lays upon
        consists of "dead works". They are dead because they us. God demands it simply because He is God, Who
        have their origin in our old sinful nature, which is has formed all things to His glory and can give His
        dead in trespasses and sins. They are also dead, empty honor to no other. "Let all the creatures praise Him,"
        and vain in themselves. And they even work death. is the mandate that man as a rational, moral creature                      j
          2. The text further implies that these dead works may not fail to carry out consciously and willingly in
        condemn us, even before our own consciousness. God his whole life. Therefore if we have done that which
        does not leave Himself without witness in the hearts wa.s our duty to do, let `us not seek a "thank you", or
        of the wicked. Nor does He ever leave His people at expect to collect wages, but let us wholeheartedly con-
        ease in the way of sin. " (Our conscience condemns us afess that we are unprofitable servants. We have done
        before God.                                                   only that which was our duty. Luke 1'7:lO.
               3. But the blood of Jesus Christ surely purges us.         2. God requires a willing service. A mere formal
        "How much more shall the blood of Christ. . . . purge         lip or eye worship is an abomination to Him. Obecli-
        your conscience from dead works to serve the living c&e is the first requisite.                But then an obedience
        C&d." That means, first of all, that we are justified rooted in love, manifesting itself in humility and godly
        by the ,death of Christ, so that God declares us right- fear.
        cous  before our own consciousness.    It means, secondly,        3. This service `of God is possible only by grace.
        that we are sanctified in'christ to walk in newness of By nature we are rebellious enemies of God, servants .
        iife.                                                         `of sin.  .Rom.   7:25.  `,But  :God turns us from the dead
               4. The result is that we bring forth living works works of sin unto His service. He calls us to the holy
        which God works in us "to serve the living God." This office of believers, as prophets to tell His praises, as
        service involves our whole lives, even as by nature we priests to consecrate ourselves to Him in love; as kings
        constantly serve sin, thus we also serve God with our to use all things to His glory. `To serve Him according
        whole,lives  and all our being through the operation of       to our calling .does  not mean that we perform a few
        the Spirit within us.                                         special works of mercy or evangelizing, but it consists
               And finally, we should consider for a moment the in a consecrated life, a daily crucifying of the old man
        passage in Hebrews 12:28, "Wherefore we receiving of sin and, a putting on of the new man unto the glory
        a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace,' of God in every sphere of life; wherever ,God places
        whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence us and in whatever He gives us to do.
      and godly fear".                                     ~-             4. Therefore it is a unique privilege to be a servant
               I. The expression "let us have grace" should be of God. It means that God has called and ordained us
        translated as "`let us be grateful," or, "let us exercise from eternity. Isaiah 44  :l, 2. (Jacob is God's ser-
       .gratitude,"- which is the  correct  translation of the vant, and Israel He has chosen). Therefore we are
     original Greek. The idea of the text is,  thatthe hope also God's fellow workers. I Cor. 3 :8 A.V. Not in the
        of the unshakeable kingdom which is eternal in the sense, as it is so often mistakening interpreted, that  we.
        heavens should arouse us to true gratitude before God. are co-workers together with IGod,. working hand in
               2. This gratitude manifests itself in worshipping hand with Him, under a common `yoke with Christ.
        Him. It is therefore a willing service. It is joy to That is forever impossible. But each believer receives
      * do His will.                                                  his own personal place and calling in the office  of.
7                         We serve the Lord with gladness ; -we
        come into-His presence with singing. Psalm 100:2.             believers, so that we are co-workers together, co-
               3. It includes reverence and godly fear. God  .is workers called of God unto the work He has given us
        gracious and merciful, slow' to anger and plenteous in to do. `By grace we take Christ's yoke upon us, only to
        compassion.      But our God is also a' consuming fire. discover that.His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.
        `From the fire of His' wrath He has delivered us in Matt. 11:29, 30.
        His mercy, unto a kingdom that .stands immoveable in              Even in heaven this will still be our privilege.
        the heavens. .These present things must pass away, A privilege, not to sit idle, but to be busy every mo-
        but tlnat kingdom will never pass away. Should we ment in the service of God. Rev. `7:15, "Therefore are
        .then not be thankful, filled with gratitude, reverence they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and
        and fear before Him?                                          night in. His temple : and He that sitteth on the throne
                                                                      shall dwell among them." This will be our highest
          4. This worship is always. acceptable to God. How blessednesst  `Rev. 22.33; "And there shall be no more
       could it be otherwise? It is the work  .of His grace curse: but the throne of <God and of the Lamb shall
     w i t h i n   u s . It is the manifestation of true gratitude be in it ; andHis servants shall serve Him." Hallelujah.
        before Him.                                              /                                              C. Hanko. .
                                                                                         ,
                                                                              t


                                     THE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                       GJ                  479

                                                             denomination. The existing congregations have great-
               P'ERISCOPE                                    ly increased in number and many mission posts have
                                                             been established and new fields opened as more men
                                                             are `called to labor. The United Church is also becom-
 Mission  Activitzj . . . .                                  ing actively interested in this immigration. It is-very
                                                             strong and large in the Province of Ontario ; number-
    During the months of April and May the Rev. J. ing over a million souls there. The United Church
 De Jong `and, the undersigned spent approximately of Canada is a heterogeneous union of various Pro-
four weeks in the Province of Ontario, Canada. The testant groups which was formulated in 1925. Their
 purpose was to make a rather thorough investigation labor amongst the Holland immigrants is somewhat
 to determine the possibility of working -amongst  the handicapped by the language problem since it is a
 Holland immigrants there. Both  Classis East and completely English speaking Church; Apparently the
 West, .as well as several individuals, had contacted the United Church has contact with the Hervormde Church
 filission Committee suggesting such an investigation in the Netherlands for. a letter which had been sent to
 and urging that `we as Churches labor in Canada, if many of  ,the immigrants stated that confessionally
 at all possible. At this time we wou1.d like'to present the Hervormde people would find a home in the United
 some of our findings and `conclusions since these have      Church and that a certain Ds. Smits from the Her-
 motivated the .Mission  Committee, in conjunction with vormde Church in .the Netherlands would be working-
 the calhng Church, to begin work in Canada amongst, in the interest of the .United Church in Canada for a
 .the immigrants.                                            period of about 6 months. It was stated that he would
     There are several thousand Holland immigrants call on the immigrants' and also hold several services
 already established in Canada and during the course in the Holland language.)
                                                                  i  -
 of this year about 10,000 more are expected to arrive.         Among those with a sound Reformed background,
 Most of these are settled in the Province of Ontario, some from both the Synodalen and Vrijgemaakten
 although the other Provinces also absorb some; notably,     realize and admit that they do not receive in the preach-
 Manitoba and British Columbia. Our investigation            ing what they did in the Netherlands and `are not com-
 covered only the Province of Ontario and of that only pletely satisfied with present Church life from that
 a portion. It is evident, therefore, that we contacted point of view. It is a question, however, whether they
 comparatively few of the, immigrants, although we would break away from the established groups since
 believe, a representative group. ZGenerally  these immi- they have been well received and treated by the estab-
 grants are scattered, except for concentrations around lished groups and hence feel somewhat `obligated, while
 such cities as Sarnia, Chatham, Ritchener,  St. Cather- also enjoying`the contacts of the larger groups through
 ines and a few lesser groups. There is still much mov- -the Sunday services and society meetings. Added to
 ing about amongst them and a generally unsettled con- this is the fact of the relationship. and contact of the
 dition prevails. Many of the immigrants also realize established Churches in Cangda with- the Netherlands.
 that if they are to maintain ,their  Reformed character Hence, many membership papers are received directly'
 they will have to concentrate in greater numbers in from the Netherlands to an established group in Cana-.
 various centers ; this they also hope and expect to do.     da.  ~There  is also a close relationship and- contact
     The great majority of the immigrants are of Re- between the Immigration Societies, both'in the Nether-
 formed persuasion coming from the Hervormde and lands and this country, and the Churches.. These are
 Gereformeerde (both Synodaal and Vrijgemaakt)               all factors to consider but seem not to be overwhelming.
  Churches. We found sound convictions amongst those There seems to be no reason why we could not operate
 who call themselves Orthodox Hervormde as well as in much the same way ; though on a smaller scale.
 among the Synodalen and Vrijgemaakten. ,Generally              Amongst some of the Liberated brethren there
 we were best received and able $0 speak most freely
 with the Liberated brethren  ; `many of whom had seems to be the tendency to desire a separation, also
 heard of                                                    in Canada, along the lines of the dispute in the Nether-
              us and were interested in knowing more of
 our history and position. .These families are also scat-    lands. This is a danger which would be enlarged if we
  tered with not more than 3 or 4 in any one center.         should enter the, field and, since we would appeal to all
  Some of these  Lbiberated  brethren have not joined those who love the Reformed truth, would have to be
 themselves to any -established Church in Canada and guarded against; This same danger is seen and real-
  are very desirous that we should labor there. (Note : ized by the Christian Reformed Church and warned
  We refer here especially to the Christian Reformed against at every opportunity. In all our contacts we
  Church and the United Church of Canada. The former, emphasized that we are neither Synodaal nor Vrij-
 having been established in Canada, is laboring diligent- gemaakt but Protestant Reformed and would expect
 ly to give the immigrants a Church .home  within their so to labor and establish ourselves.


      480.' .                 `                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   .-..

         That there is a field in Canada and that this field to cooperate by alternately assisting with the work
      is increasing should be evident. But- that there are iu- Canada through laboring in the field there. This
      also  .many problems is evident. These problems. are decision is an attempt to meet the language problem
      mostly of a physical nature .and could, perhaps, to a                in this field. The decision was limited to ministers in
      great extent, be overcome, if we were once established : i-, is vicinity in an endeavour to decrease expenses and
      in Canada. The greatest-of these is the fact of the                  also because it  is' expected to be but a temporary
      scattering of the. immigrants' and the unsettled situa- ; mca.sure\  It is hoped, that if the Canadian field should
      lion amongst them. It appears that a great deal could                prove successful, `ways and means may be found to
"be done, to aid those interested, in moving towards call a Holland speaking man for this field. 3. It was
      centers, by men in Canada. It is also evident that this lcJ:t to the discretion of. the missionaries whether or
      effort "would have to be limited, at first at least, to two          not they should begi-n the work in Lyirden  together.
      Y* three centers not too far apart. It would be physic.              If so, the Rev. Hofman is to,accompany the Rev. Knott
      ally imlJossible for us as Churches to work in any,more              there for a period of approximately six weeks before
      widely scattered areas. Much of this ground work beginning the work in Canada. Due to the relative
      would have to be done and it should-not be expected, inexperience of Rev. Knott and Rev: Hofman's knowl-
      therefore, that Churches could be organized in the edge of Lynden it was felt that this might be the wiser
      very near future but that our beginnings would be course. Since Rev. Knott felt this rather strongly the
      small. Perhaps, at times only "houses" could be served. general sentiment of the Mission Committee and call-
      But we also feel that we have a calling to witness to                ing consistory was that the undersigned should ac-
      our truth though it be but in a small way.                           `company Rev. `Knott to Lynden to begin the work
       b, Since our visit to Canada. and due also to the there. .
* notices which appeared in De. Ref ormatie, many letters
      have been received requesting information and advice.
      Through much correspondence which has been carried                      The' Knott family plans to leave for Washington
      on several interested families in `Canada, and in the                during the first week in August. Undersigned will
      Netherlands from those expecting to enter Canada, follow by train a week or two later and after getting
      have asked us to serve them. Though this represents
      but a small fraction among the immigrants. it is felt0 the work started there will return for his family and
                                                                           seek to take up residenc.e  in Canada to work there.
      we `should heed this call. It shquld be borne in mind
      that, since we as Churches are not first of all interested Many problems and difficulties have been faced, and, in
                                                                           a measure,. met. by these arrangements. We realize
      in numbers but rather in gathering those of true Re-
      formed persuasion, we need not expect great things that many problems still lie unsolved. Both mission-
                                                                           aries will, undoubtedly, labor `under severe difficulties
      in Canada or anywhere. else.                    We also feel rather and handicaps. We earnestly request the prayers and
      strongly that a work in Cana'da should have the whole- Cooperation of all our people in our labors.
      hearted support of our leaders and people and the
      Churches in their various activities. Thus'with God's                                                            _ W. Hofman.
      blessing and by His grace we may be enabled .to wit-
      ness to the Truth He has entrusted to our care ; and
      the issues are in His direction..                                                                   .
                                                                                                 IN MEMORIAM
                             1:     $    4:    :i:
                                               `
                                               .
                                                                               It pleased the  Lord in His `great wisdom to suddenly remove
         This material was treated by the Mission  `Corn-                  from us on June 30th, our beloved mother and grandmother,
      mittee in conjunction with the calling consistory and
      finally by our ;Synod. As was reported previously the                                  MRS. BERT STEIGENGA
      Synod decided that we should- labor in, Lynden, Wash- at the age  qf 60 years.
      ington and also make provision to continue the work.                     We are comforted .that  our loss is her gain. "For we know
      begun in Canada.                                                     that if our earthly- house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we
 1       The Mission Committee and calling consistory met have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal
      several times to discuss and deliberate upon ways and in the  heaxns."
      means of carrying  ,out this advice of Synod.: After.
      much discussion' the following was' adopted: i. -That                                             Mr.  and`Mrs. Peter Steigenga
      the Rev. E. Knott should- take up residence .in the.                                              Mr.-and Mrs. Joe Steigenga           `.
      Lynden area and labor there-while the Rev. W .Hofman                                              Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pastoor
      should reside- in Canada and begin the- work there.                                               Mr. and Mrs. Edw. Van Wesep
      2.  :That the Holland speaking ministers of Grand                               -.                Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ophoff
      Rapids and vicinity and their `consistories be .asked                                          f li grandchildren _.            ,Z.


