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

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    I
                             * The Standard Bearer
               Semi-Monthly, except Monthly in July and August                                                                                                                               E D I T O R I A L S
                                                         PubI,ished   B y
                           The Reformed Free Publishing Association
                                                   1131 Sigsbee Street, S.E.                                                                                                       As To Teaching Our Confessions
                                          EDITOR: - Rev. H. Hoeksema.
Contributing Editors: - Rev. G. M. Ophoff, Rev. G.  Vos, Rev.                                                                                                                     We received the following communication :
R. Veldman, Rev. H. Veldman, Rev. H. De Wolf, Rev. B. Kok,
Rev.  d. D. De Jong, Rev. A. Petter, Rev. C. Hanko, Rev. L.                                                                                                                                   CATECHISM SYSTEM, ETC.
Vermeer, Rev.  G. Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev. J. A. Heys,
Rev.  W.  Hofman.                                                                                                                                                                     I have no desire whatever to enter into debate with
     Communications relative to contents should be addressed to                                                                                                                   our brother, Rev. H. Hoeksema, but I feel it my duty
REV. GERRIT VOS,  HudsonviBe,  Michigan.                                                                                                                                          to come back on the issues involved. When first we
     Communications relative to subscription should be addressed                                                                                                                  broached the matter of catechism system, my articles
to MR. J. BOUWMAN, 1131 Sigsbee St., S.E., Grand Rapids 6,                                                                                                                        of that time will bear out that the one thing we  *were
Mich. Announcements and Obituaries must be mailed  to the                                                                                                                         after is this: that our catechumens become acquainted
above address and will be published at a fee of $1.00 for each
notice.                                                                                                                                                                           with our Confessions, I mean, all three of them. And
                                     (Subscription Price $2.50 per year)                                                                                                          we wrote about this with but one aim in mind and that
Entered as Second Class Mail at Grand Rapids,  Michigan.                                                                                                                          is to help build the church upon that only founda-
                                                                                                                                                                                  tion.
L                                                                                                                                                                                     In order that our youth might become acquainted
                                                      C O N T E N T S                                                                                                             with the Three Forms during their catechetical years
MEDITATION-                                                                                                                                                                       we proposed a system of catechism over the years.
     De Belofte Van Vernieuwing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..-......................  -145                                                                     Before we argue about this system it seems to me  a
                      Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                                 there is one thing which must be settled, and that is,
                                                                                                                                                                                  whether our brother agrees that our youth must be
EDITORIAL>S-                                                                                                                                                                      catechized in and thus learn to speak the language
     As To Teaching Our Confessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148                                                   of the Confessions.
     As TO Correspondence With the Churches In The Nether-                                                                                                                            Brother Hoeksema presents us no definite system
     lands .*.......*.................................... * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
                                                                                                                                                                          151     of catechism over the years, hence it is difficult to com-
     Van Boeken . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . ..." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
                                                                                                                                                                          151     pare his and mine.
                     Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                                                                                                                 But the principal thing is whether our youth should
`THE TRIPLE  KNOWLEDGE-                                                                                                                                                           be catechized in the Three Forms of Unity. May Cod
     Exposition Of The Heidelberg Catechism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152                                                                           graciously forbid that we develop either dead little
              ' Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                                                                                                                  intellectualists or dead little historians, but may the
OUR  DOCTRINE-                                                                                                                                                                    truth be developed in the church.
     The Attributes Of God . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  * . . . . . . . . . . 154                           Does our brother agree that our youth should be
                      Rev. H. Veldman                                                                                                                                             catechized in the Three Confessions?
THE DAY OF  SHADOWS-                                                                                                                                                                  If not, may he kindly say so. Then we have some-
     Abner's Break With Saul's House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158                                                      thing definite. If so, will the brother kindly show us
                       Rev. G. M. Ophoff                                                                                                                                          a better system than the one we proposed.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            M. Critters.
STON'S   ZANGEN-
      Liefdevol, Schoon Zwaar Getergd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
                       Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                                                         REPLY:
IN HIS FEAR--                                                                                                                                                                         There are especially two items in the above `com-
      Training For Lie's Calling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163                                       munication that demand attention.
                       Rev. J. A. Heya                                                                                                                                                The first is the rather amazing statement that
FROM HOLY WRIT-                                                                                                                                                                   "brother Hoeksema presents us no definite system of
      The Hope Of The Covenant Mother In The Old Dis-                                                                                                                             catechism over the years. Hence it is difficult to com-
      pensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 pare his and mine." To this I reply: 1) That I hope
                ' Rev.  C.  Hank0                                                                                                                                                 that the brother does not mean to intimate that in all
PERISCOPE-                                                                                                                                                                        the years that I taught catechism I did not follow a
      An Open Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..-...........................................-...  167                                                    system. 2) That the brother can be well. acquainted
              Rev. W. Hofman                                                                                                                                                      with the system I always followed in my catechetical
                                                                                                                                                                                  instruction,  and still would follow if 1 still  superintend-


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       i49

     ed the catechism classes myself. 3) For years I was           his Bible, must feel himself at home in it, must reveal
     teaching catechetics in our Theological School. I know love and desire to search the Holy Scriptures. A con-
     not whether brother Gritters followed that course or tinual incentive for this may not be lacking in the
     not: but, at ,any rate, he should be sufficiently inter- catechism class. Such an incentive the catechete can
     ested in the instruction that is given in.our own Theo- give in different ways. Thus, for instance,- it would
     logical School to be acquainted with the system of cate-      be very good if the catechete would assign every week
     chetical  instruction I there taught for years. And one or more chapters of Scripture that are connected
     rather than individualistically ignoring that system with the teaching material for that particular week
     and following his own way, he should have brought the with the demand that the contents of such a passage
     matter to the attention of classis  and synod, in order to    from Scripture be briefly summarized by the  cate-
     discover whether the churches prefer the system taught chumens.  Or another very efficient and fruitful way
     at our own school or his.                                     would be to propose.different  questions with reference
        The second item is a question, namely: "Does our to various parts,,of  Scripture, in such ,a way that read-
     brother agree that  ,our youth should be catechized in ing of those passages would be necessary to answer
     the Three Confessions (I suppose he  .means the Three the questions. In this the catechete must, of course,
     Forms of Uunity) ?" Now, this question is no less take into consideration the age of the catechumens.
     astounding, seeing the Rev. Gritters is thoroughly               "In the second place, the catechete must take care
     acquainted with my catechetical instruction of former that he points out as much as possible the connection
     years.    But I will answer it nevertheless, in due between the material taught and Holy Writ, in order
     t i m e .                                                     that it may become clear for the catechumen that the
        First of all, let me say that from a historical point instruction is derived from :Scripture and is in' har-.
     of view it is decidedly a step backward not to instruct mony with the Bible. In this way the scholar will
     our covenant children in Biblical history in catechism, not receive the impression that what is taught him is
     but only in doctrine. That was the method followed merely a system of dead dogmatics, but will learn
     long ago, while in later years, especially in Reformed to' bow before the authority of Holy Writ itself.
     churches, it was generally recognized that in  cate-             "In the third place, it is a very good custom to
     ehetical instruction Biblical History must have a place have the catechumens commit certain texts to memory.
     alongside of instruction in doctrine.                         It is, of course, necessary to accustom the catechumen
        Now, as to the proper system of catechetical in- to this from childhood, for if he must still become
     struction, let me quote from the Catechetics which I accustomed to the habit of committing texts to memory
     taught at our Theological School in past years. All when he is sixteen or eighteen years of age, the at-
     our people ought to be interested in what I taught at tempt is often fruitless. One must be careful, how-
     t.he institution in which our young men are trained ever, on the one hand not to assign the class too much,
     for the ministry in our churches, and it may be bene- in order that the weak ones my not be discouraged ;
     ficial for them to read it. I will quote, therefore, from on the other hand, one must not be too afraid to as-
     my manuscript and will translate it rather freely, be- sign a proper portion of memory work. It is, for in-
     cause originally it was given in Dutch.                       stance, not necessary that a child understands every-
        `tin general we may remark that although Scrip- thing he commits to memory. In a child memory de-
     ture is not a text-book for catechumens, it nevertheless      velops first; in a later age comes the reflection. And
     is and must remain the main source of the material            the child commits things easily to memory. The
     for catechetical instruction. The danger is not imagin- catechete, however, must insist that such texts be
     ary that by all the various helps and question books memorized both thoroughly and correctly. He must
     the catechumens are kept aloof from the Word of God memorize them thoroughly, for that which is learned
     itself. Now, it cannot be denied that in the catechism superficially is usually not retained. There are child-
     class the time is lacking to teach directly from the          ren that can commit something to memory in a flash,
     Bible or to read the Bible. Besides, the material of so that they can recite without difficulty in the class,
     Scripture must be so worked over that it can be teach- but who a week later have retained very little or noth-
     ing material .which is properly adapted to the age and        ing of what they learned. Memory work demands
     the development of the child. All the more it is neces- repetition. If, therefore, a child commits certain texts
     sary for the catechete that in his instruction he takes to memory, it is a very good custom to have him recite
     the following into consideration.                             the same texts some weeks later. And these texts
        "First of all, he must direct his instruction to the       must be committed to memory correctly, that is, liter-
     end that he teach the catechumens and give them an ally. The catechete must not permit the scholar to
'    incentive to read the Bible `for themselves at home. reproduce the thoughts of the text in his own words.
     This is in itseif already a very good lesson. The child This is not in accord with proper reverence for the
     of the covenant must be thoroughly acquainted with inspired Word of God.

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

        "Finally, it is beneficial to devote some time to the that have already made confession to enrich and estab-
     discussion of the origin of Holy Writ. However, it is lish them in this confession. Catechism, therefore, is
     not adviseble to trouble the catechumen with the ques-       not the same as a class in dogmatics. The instruction
     tions of higher criticism. Rather must such a discus- must indeed be thoroughly doctrinal, but also, and
-    sion be adapted to imbue the catechumen with child- no less, spiritual and practical. It must be calculated
     like faith and proper reverence for the Word of God.         to place the catechumen before the question whether
        "Now, as concerns the definite material that must and in how far they have a spiritual part in the  bene-
     be taught in the catechism class, the first thing that f!ts of salvation, and must encourage them in the
     demands our attention is Biblical History. Thorough assurance of faith and be a means to teach them to
     knowledge of Biblical History is of great significance.      understand their own spiritual life in the light of
     For the history of salvation itself is revelation. God Scripture as well as their calling to walk as children
     revealed the fulness of His salvation in His covenant of light in the midst of the world.
     in Christ to His people in the way of historical develop-       "Further, it must be said that this instruction
     ment. The catechete, therefore, take care that he            ought to be complete. The catechete take care that
     present sacred history in such a light that it is the        he does not waste his time. At the time when he
     realization and the revelation of the gospel of God makes confession of faith the catechumen ought to
     concerning His Son. In this respect Biblical History         have a total view of all the main tenets of the Re-
     is distinct, and cannot be put on a level with history formed truth. And for this he has very little time
     in general or even with the history of the Church.           at his disposal, that is, one hour a week, and that only
     Secular history is in a certain sense indeed revelation,     for a certain part of the year. Let him therefore not
     but it is not  hisforia  revelationis,  as is indeed the     waste his time by keeping himself and the class busy
     case with Biblical History. Instruction in this Biblical with detailed questions, and rather emphasize that
     History to small children ought to commence with which must weigh heaviest. For this it is not im-
     simple Bible stories without entering into the deeper proper to treat at least once the complete system of
     significance of this history, which the small child can- the truth from a practical-spiritual viewpoint, and
     not comprehend, and without bothering about the his- once from a dogmatic point of view: the first accord-
     torical connection, whether causal, geographic, or ing to the order of the Heidelberg Catechism, the
     chronological.    At a later age one can connect the second according to the order of the Netherland Con-
     different Biblical narrations according to the order fession. It is not advisable, however, to use in this
     of time, and point out the progressive character of instruction the text of the Confession or of the Cate-
     sacred history. Abraham, for instance, is not only a chism itself.          It is, indeed, very excellent that the
     later but also a higher figure from the viewpoint of scholars learn these parts of the confession.               But
     historia  revelation& than Noah ; Moses than Abraham.        usually the catechete will have no success in trying
     And in still a later age the catechete can explain the       to get all his catechumens along in memorizing and
     significance of Biblical History from a spiritual and        studying the Confession and the Catechism. This does
     typological point of view. One take care, however, not mean, however, that by the treatment of the doc-
     that in the discussion of Biblical History he does not trinal material the Confession must be ignored, even
     lose sight of the proper perspective. All facts, dates,      though all the catechumens will not be able to commit
     persons, and institutions are not of equal significance.     it to memory. It is very proper in connection with
     One therefore must not place all things in history on the doctrine that is being treated to fix the attention
     t,he same level, must not demand of a child to commit on our confessions.                        .* :
     to memory an accumulation and mixture of all kinds of           "Also with respect to the instruction in doctrine it
     facts. Main facts must remain main facts, and must must be emphasized that Holy Writ may never be
     appear on the foreground in the treatment of history.        forgotten. The eatechete must indeed cause his cate-
     And the total impression which the scholar receives          chumens to feel that his instruction is in agreement
     of sacred history must remain that God establishes           with the confession, but no less that it is founded on
     His covenant and kingdom and that He realizes His            Holy  -Writ.  It is therefore  t,o be recommended that
     counsel of salvation and reveals it to His. people in        he occasionally assigns some work to his scholars, as
     Christ Jesus.                                                the reading of a certain part of Scripture in connec-
         "Next in order is instruction in doctrine, that is, tion with the lesson, the answering of certain ques-
     iu.the  principals of the Reformed truth as they are tions with indication of the passages of Scripture
     founded on' Holy Writ. And in this instruction we where the answer may be found, and the learning of
     must not lose sight of the proper purpose of  cate-          certain main passages of Scripture as proof texts with
     clietical instruction. The main purpose must always the material that is treated.
     be to lead the seed of the covenant to conscious con-           "F'inally, it may be remarked that in the common
     fession of faith, or by continued instruction for those      catechism class, that is, in the class of those that have


                                  T H E   STANDA.RD  B E A R E R                                                         151

not as yet made confession of faith, not too much time                            Van Boeken
must be wasted in polemics. Of course, some time
must be devoted to this, especially where it concerns       De Boehzn Van Sumu&l,  door Dr. C. J. Goslinga.
some of the main points of doctrine. The catechumen             Uitgever J. H. Kok, Kampen, Nederland.
will, of course, come into contact with those that do          Dit boek is een commentaar op I Samuel, en be-
not agree with our. Reformed truth, with Baptists and       hoort tot de series  "Korte  Verklaring der Heilige
Methodists and Chiliasts, etc. And the catechism must Schrift". In eene "Inleiding" behandelt de schrijver :
certainly enable him to defend himself over against         1. Naam en inhoud; 2. Eenheid en samenstelling;
them.     But in this respect the catechete must use        3. Tekst; en 4. De Chronologie van I Samu8. Qnder  2
discretion and wisdom. It is certainly not to be recom- wil de schrijver blijkbaar de beteekenis van I Samuel
mended that in the common catechism class much in het geheel van de Heilige Schrift aanduiden. Hij
time be wasted to discuss all kinds of erroneous views.     schri jft : "Wanneer  we nu de leidende gedachte van
If there is an opportunity to continue catechism work het geheele geschiedwerk aldus omschrijven, dat het
with those that have already made confession of faith,      ons wil  doen zien de wording en  instelling  van het
there then will be time and opportunity to enter into ware, theocratische koningschap in het volk Israel,
a more detailed discussion of the views of others."         dan meenen we daarmede ook den draad te hebben
                   (to be continued)                        aangegeven, die de onderscheidene zoo uiteenloopende
                                             H. H.          deelen  verbindt".
                                                               De verklaring zelf is grondig en degelijk  uitge-
                                                            werkt. De stijl is zeer helder, en het boek is gemakke-
  As To Correspondence With The                             lijk te volgen voor ieder, die onder ons nog HolIandsch
                                                            lezen kan.
 Churches In The Netherlands                                   Bij des schrijvers verklaring van de waarzegster
    Prof. C. Veenhof was so kind as to send me by           te Endor zet ik een vraagteeken.
                                                                Gaarne beveel ik deze populaire, en tech degelijk
airmail the decisions reached by the Synod of the           uitgewerkte verklaring bij ons Hollandsch lezend  pub-
Reformed Churches under Art. 31 of the Netherlands liek aan. Het geheel beslaat 356 paginas.
concerning correspondence with  our Churches.                                                               H. Ii.
    These decisions were as follows:                                                  * * *  *
    "First: in reply to and in accord with the propo-
sition of the Protestant Reformed Churches, to em- Hoofdlijnen In De  Kerkgeschiedenis,
power the deputies for correspondence with foreign                                          door Ds. S. S. De Graaf.
churches to get into contact with these churches in                  Uitgever J. H. Kok, Kampen, Nederland.
order to prepare a relationship of corresponding                Dit boek, dat we gaarne in stempelband ,(prijs  :
churches.                                                   f.  2.75)) inplaats van ingenaaid (prijs: f. 1.75) zouden
    "Two: that these `deputies in respect to this case hebben willen ontvangen, is een beknopt overzicht van
will have to serve the next general synod with ad-          heel de kerkgeschiedenis vanaf de eerste eeuwen tot
vice.                                                       op heden. Het boek beslaat  slechts  134 bladzijden, en
    "Third: that while awaiting the establishment of i? dus zeer beknopt.
a definite rule the decision whether ministers of the           Dit neemt echter  niet weg, dat het ons een tamelijk
Protestant Reformed Churches shall be permitted to          volledig overzicht geeft van heel de geschiedenis. Het
speak an edifying word in the Reformed Churches             heeft mij verwonderd, dat ds. de Graaf in zoo  be-
in the Netherlands shall be left to the individual          knopten vorm de kerkgeschiedenis kan beschrijven in
churches."                                                  haar hoofdlijnen, en tech interessant kan blijven.
    I wish to thank Prof. Veer&of  for his kind inforni-        Ook dit boek is gemakkelijk te lezen, en verdient
ation.                                                      warme aanbeveling  bij al ons Hollandsch lezend pub-
    From an. accompanying letter of his I receive the       liek.
impression that there was quite a lively discussion on                                                            H .   H .
the floor of the synod in the Netherlands about this                                  *  * *  *
matter, pro and con. But the final outcome was that
these propositions of the committee ad hoc were ac-         Wijsbegeerte En Levenspraktijk,  onder redactie van
cepted by a large majority.                                 Dss. H. J. Spier en J. M. Spier.
    We will look forward eagerly to an interesting                    Uitgever J. H. Kok, Kampen, Nederland.
discussion with the deputies for correspondence con-                       (Prijs: f. 4.90; ingenaaid f. 3.90)
cerning the questions of the covenant and baptism.              Dit boek, dat bestaat uit verschillende  opstellen
                                              H. H.         van verschillende schrijvers heeft ten doe1 om de be-

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

teekenis der "Wijsbegeerte der Wetsidee" voor de that is, takes place through the preaching of the Word,
levenspraktijk aan te toonen. Over de "Wijsbegeerte allow an exception in the case of infants: these are
der Wetsidee" hebben we  jaren   geleden  reeds  ge- regenerated immediately. However, let us note that
schreven. Thans trachten de schrijvers van dit boek either this is true only with those infants that die in
de beteekenis van deze philosophie voor de verschil-          early infancy, or the seed of regeneration is implanted
lende levensspheren  aan  te toonen.                          in all the children that are reborn in early childhood.
       In een inleidend hoofdstuk door ds. J. W.  Tunder- In the former case it would seem rather strange that
man (in  Dachau  door de Nazi's vermoord) wordt de God would make an exception only in respect to the
lezer eenigszins op de hoogte gebracht, met het streven children  that are taken away in infancy. What pos-
der Wijsbegeerte in het algemeen, met het bijzonder sible reason can there be, if God is able to regenerate
karakter  en standpunt der "Wijsbegeerte der  Wets-           some children, why He should wait in the case of others
idee," om eindelijk de vraag te beantwoorden, wat until, they can understand the preaching of the Word
bedoeld wordt met levenspractijk. En in de volgencle to implant in them the seed of regeneration? But if,
hoofdstukken gaat het dan over de beteekenis van on the other .hand,  it is maintained that the seed of
deze nieuwe Wijsbegeerte voor de verschillende  krin- regeneration is implanted in all the children that are,
gen: Kerk, Prediking, Huwelijk, Staat,  Kunst, etc.           reborn in infancy, it may well be regarded as an estab-
       Wie  zich interesseert (zooals ondergeteekende) in lished rule that infants in the line of the covenant are
de "Wijsbegeerte der Wetsidee" schaffe zich dit bock          regenerated before they are able to hear the preaching
aan.                             .                            of the Word ; and in that case there is very little room
                                               H. H.          left for a mediate regeneration.
                         -                                       And this is indeed our view.
                                                                 We. believe that in the line of the covenant, in the
L                                                             Church, the seed of regeneration is implanted in the
                                                              hearts of the children of the covenant in very'infancy.
     THE TRIPLE KNOWLEDGE                                     There are, of course, exceptions. God remains free to
                                                              work His grace in the hearts of His people either in
                                                              infancy or in later years ;, but as a rule their rebirth
An Exposition Of The Heidelberg takes place in earliest childhood.
                                                                 As we said, we do not base our view of immediate
                       Catechism                              regeneration on the presupposition that children are
                                                              regenerated. On the contrary, the conception that re-
                         PART TWO                             generation is an immediate work of the. Holy Spirit,
                                                              independent of the preaching of the Word, is directly
                      LORD'S  D,AY 25                         founded on Scripture.     But just because Scripture
                                                              teaches this truth and presents the rebirth of His
                               4.  i                          people in the narrowest sense of the word, that is, in
          Preaching In The Sphere Of The Covenant.            the sense of the implanting of the seed of regeneration,
                                                              as an immediate work by the Holy Spirit, therefore it is
        That regeneration in the narrowest sense of the       evident that also the littlest infants can receive the
word is immediate and is not effected by the preaching grace of regeneration. And again, because we believe
of the Word but is precedent to the latter we have, I         on the basis of Scripture that regeneration must be
think, abundantly proved to be the true presentation conceived of as an immediate work of the Spirit, and
of this truth in the Bible.                                   because for that very reason the regeneration of in-
        But the same truth appears also to be presupposed fants is possible, therefore we regard it as a common
by the fact of the regeneration of small children, of `r'ule that in the line of the covenant children are re-
little infants.                                               born from infancy.
        Those who insist that regeneration is always ef-         Then we can understand the real significance and
fected through the preaching of the Word really do            operation of the preachi.ng  of the Word in the sphere
not have an explanation of the salvation of little child-     of the Church and in the line of the covenant as a
     ren. According to some, they are not regenerated, for means of grace. Means require conscious reaction.
     regeneration presupposes conscious faith, which can- They are elements which God uses but which we also
     not be present in infants. And therefore they claim      use. Bread is used by God to nourish our bodies, but
     that they must be saved in some other way. Some we eat it. Thus the Holy Spirit uses the preaching of
     even suggest that after death, in heaven, they are no the Word to work faith and to strengthen it, but we
     more infants and are regenerated in  gIory.'  Others,    also use it and are even responsible for the use of the
     however, who also hold that regeneration is mediate,     Word of God. Now, it is only the living that can use


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                         153

means. The dead can neither eat nor drink. And the saying, `Whoso shall offend one of these little ones
spiritually dead do, indeed, react upon the preaching which believe in me'. (Matt.  18 :6). In as much now
ot the Word, but only to reject it. They never come as infants are fit subjects for baptism, they do not
to repentance and faith. To them it is a savour of profane it as the Anabaptists wickedly affirm."
death unto death. But just as the physically living are         Now, in the sphere of the covenant conscious faith
able to use the means God provides for the sustenance and repentance are wrought gradually in little children
of their earthly life, so the spiritually living are capable through the influence of the preaching of the Word.
to use the means which the Holy Spirit provides for             The influence of this preaching and its sphere is,       . .
the working of faith and the development and  upbuild-       of course, not limited to. the official ministry in the
ing of the same.                                             church on Sunday and on the mission field. In the
   Hence, life is first. Regeneration precedes all other wider sense it includes many different spheres of labor.
work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the sinner. There is, for instance, the work of the theological
And in regeneration the Holy Spirit implants the school, where young men are trained for the ministry
power or the faculty of faith, so that potentially the of the Word, where they are taught to exegete Holy
regenerated is a believer, even before he comes to the Writ and to understand the doctrine of the Church,
conscious activity of faith. And that this work of and where the truth is developed and maintained and
regeneration and the implanting of the faculty of defended over against all errors. There is the laborof
faith is usually done in infancy, that is, in the line of preserving and translating as well as of interpreting
the covenant, is the common view of the Reformed             the Bible, a labor that shows its fruit not only in many
theologians. Thus, Ursinus in his Schutboek  writes works on textual criticism, but also in hundreds of
on page 369 (translation by the Rev. G. W. Williard)         commentaries. There is the calling of the Church to
in answer to an objection raised by those who oppose establish and formulate the truth of the Word of God
the truth of infant baptism as follows: "Faith is, in- in her confessions, not only to defend it over against
deed, necessary to the use of baptism with this distinc- opponents and gainsayers, but also to preserve it in
tion. Actual faith is required in adults, and an in- generations. Of all these labors the Church, which
clination to faith in infants. There are, therefore, is the pillar and ground of the truth, and to which
four terms in this syllogism, or there is a fallacy in       the Word of God has been'entrusted, is the subject.
understanding that as spoken particularly, which must And of them all the preaching of the Word as  a'means ,
be understood generally. Those who do not believe, of grace is the very heart.
that is, who have no faith `at all, neither by profession       In the sphere of that Church God in His infinite
nor by inclination, are not to be baptized. But infants wisdom and mercy causes the covenant child to be
born of believing parents have faith as to inclination."' born, and under the infIuence  of the preaching of the
And again he writes: "We also deny the minor propo- Word in this wider sense the child is placed from very
sition;  for infants do believe after their `manner, or infancy.
according to the condition of their age ; they have an          This begins already in the administration of bap-
inclination to faith. Faith is in infants potentially tism, of which we must speak later in detail. But in
and by inclination, although not actually as in adults.      Baptism the Church already exercises the influence
For, as infants born of ungodly parents who are with- of the preaching, of the Word by exacting from the
out the church, have no actual wickedness, but only parents the promise that they will bring up their
an inclination thereto, so those who are born of godly children "in the aforesaid doctrine, or help or cause
parents have no actual holiness, but only an inclination them to be instructed therein, to the utmost of their
to it; not according to nature, but according to the         power." And of this doctrine in which the children
grace of the covenant.     And still further: infants must be instructed the parents are asked to acknow-
have the Holy Ghost, and are regenerated by him.             ledge that it "is contained in the Old and New Testa-
John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost, even ment, and in the Articles of the Christian Faith, and
from his mother's womb, and Jeremiah is said to have         which is taught here in this Christian Church! to be
been sanctified before he came out of the womb. (Luke        the true and perfect doctrine of salvation." Hence,
1:15; Jer. 1:5). If infants now have the Holy Ghost, in accord with this pledge of the parents it is in the
he certainly works in them regeneration, good inclina- covenant home that the influence of the  ,Word.of  God
tions, new desires, and such other things as are neces- is exerted upon thechild first of all. This is continued
sary for their salvation, or he at least supplies them in Sunday School, and presently, through the ministry
with everything that is requisite for their baptism,         of the' Word directly: in catechism, and in the midst
according to the declaration of Peter, `Can any man of the  congregationthrough the preaching. And fur-
forbid water to them who have received the Holy ther, the influence of the preaching of the Word in
Ghost as well as we.' It is for this reason that Christ the sphere of the Church is felt in many other ways,
enumerates little children amongst those that believe, as the reading of the Bible in the home, the  conversa-


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tion of the saints among one another, and the study of        That Eternity is more than "endless time" is surely
Scripture in the various societies that are organized supported by the Word of God. Fact is, this is already
within the church. And once more  it must be empha- true of the passages we quoted in our preceding article,
sized that the very heart of this sphere and influence namely : Ps. 90 :2, John 8 :58, and 2 Pet. 3 $3. We quote
is the preaching of the Word as a means of grace, to- Psi  90  :2 again  :. "Before the mountains were brought
gether with the administration of the sacraments.         forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the
     Now, who shall say at how early an age the Holy world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art
Spirit is able to quicken the seed of regeneration and    God." Notice the words: Thou art God. The same
bring the faculty of faith to a more or less conscious    expression `occurs in John 8  :58 : "Jesus saith unto
activity?                                                 them, Verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was
     Worldly educators realize rather clearly that from I am." And in 2 Pet. 3 :8 we read these remarkable
earliest infancy, yea, from very birth the whole. out- words  : "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one
side world streams in upon the consciousness. of the thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand
child and makes its impression upon that conscious- years, and a- tho.usand years as one day." This last
ness. Hence, modern educators stress the importance passage -from the Scriptures simply emphasizes the
of surrounding the child, even in the cradle, with ob- thought that the laws of time do not apply to the Lord.
jects, sounds, shapes, and colors and smells that `are With Him a thousand years are as one day and a day
calculated to make the most favorable impression. upon is as a thousand years, i.e.: with the Lord there is no
the little infant. Why cannot the Holy Spirit impress time.         However, as we remarked in our preceding
the little child with all the influence of a truly covenant article, the Scriptures also  .employ  other language.
home, the singing of psalms or hymns, the playing I refer particularly to the revelation of the name,
of sacred music, the simple prayer uttered by the Jehovah.  ,God, we read in Holy Writ, is the I AM.
parent at the cradle, the folding of the little hands of He is, as the  Holland_expresses  it, the "Zijnde". He
the infant in prayer at the table in the high-chair, is the Rock, everlastingly" the same. He knows no in-
and many other influences of the Christian home, to crease or decrease, no progress or development. He
bring the faculty of faith into some sort of conscious    lives in an everlasting present, Who knows no past or
activity?                                                 future, Who "from moment unto moment" lives on
     At any rate, it must be admitted that we know        in an everlasting present, Who knows no past or future,
very little of the life of an infant, and it is certain that Who "from moment unto moment" lives an infinity
long before what is usually considered the age of dis- of life and perfection. Time, therefore, is not applic-
cretion there can be a decided influence of the Word able to the Lord. And this lies in the nature of the
of God upon our covenant children.                        case. He is the Creator, is He not? As such, He is
                                                          also the Creator of time.
                                             H. H.                                        He made the moments,
                                                          seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months; years.
                                                          etc. .He is the Almighty Maker of time and therefore
                                                          stands infinitely above that creature which He has
                                                          made.,
                                                            . What is the creature we call "time"?. It is a crea-
             OUR DOCTRINE                                 ture. The Lord created it. Yet we cannot see it, touch
                                                          it, handle it, feel it. Yet, it is there, all around us, in
                                                          a very realistic sense of the word. Time we would
             The Attributes Of God                        define as the necessary mode of existence for the ever
                                                          becoming and developing creature. We cannot notice
                  (INCOMMUNICABLE)                        Time in its progress ; yet, if we look at ourselves a
                                                          year or a few years hence,  we.can  readily discern the
     We concluded our previous article with the re- effects of it upon our features. "Time marches on"
mark `that, negatively, the Eternity of God signifies is a well-known saying. We were infants, became
that He is not limited by the laws of time, and that      children, young men and women, men and women,
this truth is emphasized in the passages which- we and are soon replaced by others who take our place in
quoted in that article. We also made the observation, the changing drama of this world. This is the inevit-
however, that this attribute of the Lord must not be able operation of what we call Time. It is the neces-
identified with time, that it is not merely time as sary mode of existence for the ever becoming and
indefinitely prolonged, forwards and backwards. Even developing creature. "Change" is its watch-word.
as the Infinity of God means more than mere "non-         God, however, is eternalI This means, negatively, that
finiteness", so also the Eternity of God is not to be He is not limited by time. Eternity has been defined
identified with endless time.                             as the virtue of  ,God whereby He possesses the whole


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        155

 of His existence in one- indivisible moment or  ,present. house, save only to burn sacrifice before Him? And
 Positively, however, the eternity of the Lord means in Acts 7 :48-49 we read these words of Stephen : "How-
 much more. That the Lord is eternal also implies beit the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with
 that He continuously lives His infinite and perfect life hands ; as saith the prophet, Heaven is My throne, and
 with perfect and complete consciousness. God's in- earth is My footstool: what house will ye build Me?
 finite life is lived by the Lord perfectly and completely. saith the Lord: or what is the place of My rest?"
 There is in Him no succession of ,events  or moments,           What do we mean by the Transcendency of God?
 no yesterday and today and  tomorrqw,  no  ,past and God's Transcendency or Immensity must not be under-
 present and future. All His life and thoughts and stood. in the local sense of the word. He is not the
 emotions and purposes and acts are without succession,       transcendent God in the sense that He is physically,
 one and inseparable, the same even forever.                  locally above us. That God is exalted above us would
    If then the acts of the Lord are mentioned in Scrip-      signify, then, that between Him and us is this world,
 turs as past, present, and future (God Who is and            the universe, that somehow the Lord "begins" where
 Who. was and Who is to come-Rev. 1:4), this cannot this world ends. God's Transcendency is understood,
 and does not mean that the acts of God are past, pre-        then, in a physical, local, material sense of the word.
 sent, or future in God Himself, but only `in respect  t3     Yhis conception of God's Transcendency, we under-
 His revelation, as they are revealed unto the creature,      stand,. is impossible. The Lord is the Transcendent
 and realized in time. In God everything is  .eternal;        One. And He will ever remain the Transcendent One.
 the event, as revealed unto us, takes place in time, and Also in the eternal realization of the Kingdom of
 is thus past, present, or future, to our observation.        Heaven, when all things shall have been gathered to-
                                                              gether in one and the distinction between heaven and
                  God's Omnipresence.                         earth shall have fallen away, God will remain highly
    God's Omnipresence we define as that virtue or            exalted.
 attribute of God whereby `He is exalted above all space      The Lord is the Transcendent God within and as
 and laws of space and nevertheless completely fills          He is in Himself. If His Omnipresence in the sense
 with His Being as well as His power that space, the          of Immanency refers to God from the aspect of His
 entire universe. It is evident from this  definitim  that relation to His creatures, His Transcendency or Im-
 the Omnipresence of God consists of two parts: God's mensity refers to God as H.e is His own Being. The
 Transcendency, that He is above.all, and His Imman- Transcendency of God implies that He is not subject
 ency, that He is in all things.                              to the laws of space or time, is. never to be identified
    The Lord is,.. first of all, the Transcendent One.        with the creature, anything that He has made, is not
 This truth is taught throughout the Word of ,God and merely locally above us but essentially and absolutely
 especially in passages such as I Kings 8  :27, Isaiah to be distinguished from all the works of His hands,
 66:1-2, Acts  7:48,  49, and II Chron. 2:4-6. We read        is God and He alone, the highly exalted and absolute
 in I Kings 8 :27 : "But will God indeed dwell on the         God, the Incomparable One.
 earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens can-            This Transcendency of God has been zealously main-
 not contain Thee ; how much less this house that I           tained by the Church of all ages, particularly in refu-
 have builded  ?" In Isaiah -66 :l-2 we read : "Thus saith    tation of the error of Pantheism.  - Pantheism (the
 the Lord, The heaven is My throne, and the earth is          word itself means literally: All is God) would have
 My footstool: where is the. house that ye build unto us believe that God is all things. It identifies the Lord
 Me? and where is the place of My rest? For all those with the creature. ,This heresy, we can easily under-
 things hath Mine hand made, and all those things have stand, is the deathblow to all true religion. If ,God be
 been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even      the world and the world be  ,God  the inevitable con-
 to Him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and            clusion must be that we have no God. All we have
 trembleth at My word." In II Chronicles 2 :4-6 this then is a world. And without God there can be no
 same thought is expressed: "Behold, I build an house religion. If there be no God, then there is necessarily
 to the Name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to            no sin ; there is none against whom we can sin. And,
 Him, and to burn before Him sweet incense, and for for the same reason, the consciousness of sin and a life
 the continual shewbread, and for the burnt-offerings of prayer will be impossible. In other words, religion
 morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the is simply impossible.                We, therefore maintain and
' new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the Lord our         confess the #Transcendency of God, that He is God
 God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel. And            alone, infinitely and absolutely exalted above the crea-
 the house which I build is great: for great is our God ture, and distinguished from all the works of His
 above all gods. But who is able to build Him an house, hands.
 seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens  cannot  con-           The Omnipresence of God does not only teach us,
 tain Him? who am I then, that I should build Him an          however, that the Lord is the Transcendent One, -but

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

also that He is Immanent, in all things. This, too,, is from a certain vantage point; He is in heaven and also
taught throughout the Word of God and especially in        in hell, in the godly but also in the ungodly, in the
passages such as Psalm  139:7-10,   ier. 23-24, Acts places of purity but also in the places of impurity.
17 :24-28. We read in Ps. 139 :7-10 : "Whither shall I To be sure, this does not mean that He is equally pre-
go from Thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy sent and present in the same sense in all His creatures.
presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there:      The nature of His indwelling is in harmony with the
if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there. If I nature of His creatures. He does not dwell on earth as
take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the utter- He does in heaven, in animals as He does in man, in
most parts, of the sea : Even there shall Thy hand lead the inorganic as He does in the organic creation, in
me, and Thy right hand shall hold me." In Jeremiah the ungodly as He does in the godly, in the world as
23 :23-24 the prophet writes: "Am I a God at hand,         He does in the Church, in an angel as He does in man
saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide or an animal, in a tree as He does in a flower. Hence,
himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith separation from the Lord is strictly impossible. God
the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the is also in hell. It is true that to be apart from the
Lord."  .And in Acts  17:24-28  we read: "God that         Lord is death, but one can be separated from Him only
made the world and all things therein, seeing that He in an ethical sense of the word ; this ethical separation
is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples       implies that one is the object of His wrath and in-
made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's          dignation, has been separated from His love and com-
hands, as though He needed any thing, seeing He giveth munion and fellowship. Local separation from God,
to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made however, is impossible. The Lord `constitutes hell as
of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the well as heaven. God is in heaven ; the Lord is also in
face of the earth, and hath determined the times before hell. Without God there would be no heaven; without
appointed, and the bonds of their habitation : That they Him there would be no hell. The very presence of God,
should seek the Lord, if haply  they might feel after the awful nearness of the Most High, the seeing of
Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every         Him, face to face only as a consuming Fire, will con-
one of us: For in Him we live, and move; and have stitute hell for the wicked. While in this life and in
our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, this world the ungodly is able to clench his fist, can
For we are also His offspring."                            say in his heart that there is no God, is able to deny
       The Immanency of God is of great importance to the living Lord and teach the theory of evolution, and
the Church of God. We must not have a Deistic con- makes full use of the opportunity to persecute the
ception of God as if He beholds the world from afar,       people of the living God and to destroy His Cause
is, therefore, in remote control, or even that He created and Church. In hell, however, he will be eternally
all things but then has left and still leaves the world confronted by the living Lord as a consuming Fire,
to itself. The world may, then, be likened to an alarm and experience forever and ever the awfulness of his
clock. God wound it up in creation-week and it has unspeakable misery, that he is forever separated from
been running ever since. We must maintain the Im- the love and fellowship of the Lord Whom to know is
manency of God, that He is constantly in all things,       life eternal. To be sure, this separation from the
and in every minutest part of everything. This does Lord's love and communion does not begin for the
not mean, of course, that the Lord is all'things. Space ungodly in hell ; already in this life the Lord is-angry
and time are not merely matters which exist in our with the wicked every day, His eye is upon the godly,
minds, so that we cannot possibly know what the            and~He  is far from those who do iniquity. But, where-
actual reality is (Kant did not deny the reality of        as in this world the ungodly pursue after the things
things but the possibility of our knowledge of them) ; of sin and evil, have the opportunity to seek the lusts
space and time themselves are creatures ; it lies, there- of the flesh and of the eyes, in hell their opportunity
fore, in the nature of the case that God, Who is the to sin will forever be a thing of the past and they will
Creator of all things, is. also the Creator of time and know no other experience than the conscious tasting
space, stands therefore absolutely above them and is of the wrath and indignation of the Lord.              Local
not to be identified with them.                            separation from God is impossible ; God, we under-
       Confessing this attribute of the Lord we do main- stand, will constitute hell as well as heaven.
tain however that all things move and live in God and
have their being in Him. There is essential distinc-                       God's Immutability.
tion between God and the world, but no separation
between Him and His creation or any part of that               God's Immutability or Unchangeableness is that
creation.     God fills the universe, yet is essentially Divine perfection whereby He is the Eternally Per-
distinguished from it. He is not as a captain of his        fect One, in His own Being or Essence, and in all His
ship or a king in his kingdom who rules his kingdom works, and, therefore, is and remains the same con-

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

tinuously  supremely exalted above all things without night") ; changes His purpose (Ex. 32  :lO-14:  "Now
increase or decrease, growth or diminution.                 therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot
    The virtue of the Lord's Immutability follows neces- against them, and that I may consume them: and I
sarily from the fact that God is God and eternally          will make of thee a great nation. And Moses besought
independent and Self-sufhcient.  Any change, we under- the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth Thy wrath
stand, is necessarily a change for the better or the wax hot against Thy people, which Thou hast brought
worse. In either case, the Lord is unchangeable. He forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and
cannot increase or decrease. He cannot increase be- with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians
cause He is the -God of infinite perfections ; and He speak, and say, For mischief did He bring them out,
cannot decrease or diminish because He is the over- to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them
flowing Fount of all good.                                  from the face of the  ,earth?  Turn from Thy fierce
    The truth of God's Immutability is Scriptural. We wrath, and repent of this evil against Thy people.
read in Malachi 3  :6 : "For I am the Lord, I change        Remember, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Thy servants,
not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."          to whom Thou swarest by Thine own Self, and saidst
And in James  I:17 we read : "Every `good gift and          unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of
every perfect gift is from above, and  cometh down heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I
from the Father of lights with Whom is no variable-         give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
ness, neither shadow of turning." Besides these oft- And the Lord repented of the evil which He thought
quoted passages are several others. We read in Ex.          to do unto His people."; Jonah 3 : 10 : "And God saw
3 : 14 : "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM :         their works, that they turned from their evil way;
and He `said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of      and God repented of the evil, that He had said that
Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Or, in Ps. 102:        He would do unto them ; and He did it not."), becomes
26-28 : "They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure : yea,    angry (Numbers 11 :l, 10 : "And.when  the people com-
all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture      plained, it displeased the Lord : and the Lord heard it ;
shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed:          and His anger was kindled ; and the fire of the Lord
But Thou art the same, and Thy years shall have no burnt among them, and consumed them that were in
end. The children of Thy servants shall continue, and the uttermost parts of the camp: Then Moses heard
their seed shall be established before Thee." And in the people weep throughout their families, every man
Isaiah  41~4 the prophet writes: "Who hath wrought in the door of his tent: and the anger of the Lord was
and done it, calling the generations from the begin- kindled greatly ; Moses also. was displeased." ; Psalm
ning? I am the Lord, the first, and with the last ; I am    106:40: "Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled
He." In Romans  1:23 we read: "And changed the              against His people, insomuch that He abhorred His
glory of the uncorruptible (the undersigned under- own inheritance."), lays aside His wrath (Deut. 13 :17 :
scores) God into an image made like to corruptible "And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to
man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping thine hand: that the Lord may turn from the fierce-
things." And the text of Ps. 102:26-28  is quoted by ness of His anger, and shew thee mercy, and have com-
the apostle in the epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 1,       passion upon thee, and multiply thee, as He hath
v e r s e s   1 1 - 1 2 .                                   sworn unto thy fathers ;", II Chron. 12 :12 : "And when
    However, are there not several passages in the he humbled himself, the wrath of the  *Lord turned
Word of God which seem to ascribe change to the             from him, that He would not `destroy him altogether:
Lord? Did not the Lord in the beginning create the and  aIso in Judah things went well.", Jer. 18:8, 10:
heavens and the earth? Did He not therefore change          "If that nation, against whom I have pronounced,
from non-creating to creating,  from a God Who was turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I
no Creator unto a God Who becomes the Maker of all thought to do unto thee. . . . If it do evil in My sight,
things? And is it not true that, from the beginning that it obey not My voice, then I will repent of the
of this world, He lives, as it were, the life of the world good,, wherewith I said I would benefit them."). The
and associates, particularly, with His people, Israel? Lord differs in His attitude toward and dealings with
He comes and He goes, He reveals Himself and hides the godly from His attitude toward and dealings with
Himself, He turns away His face and reveals His face the ungodly.
unto us. He repents Himself of an action taken (Gen.                           (to be continued)
6:6: "And it repented  -the Lord that He had made                                                   H. Veldman.
man on the earth and it grieved Him at His heart'!;                               *  *  *  *
I Samuel 15 :ll : "It repenteth Me that I have set up
Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following       Quite often when a man thinks his mind is getting
Me, and hath not performed My commandments. And broader, it is only his conscience stretching.-Quoted
it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all           in The Banner.

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

                                                              the house of Saul," is immediately followed by the
            `J'HE DAY OF SHADOWS                              notice to the effect that "Saul had a concubine whose
                                                              name was Rizpah. . . ." and by Ishbosheth's reproach-
                                                              ful question. At the same time Abner's doing might
   Abner's Break With Saul's House at once have been connected with far reaching plans
                                                              for himself.    But it is also possible that he acted
                                                              solely from pride and lust as stemming from the
         The last article dealt with Abner's opposition to    imagining that he had a right to the woman on the
  David. Be established Ishbosheth in  IViahanaim  as ground that he was the virtual ruler. The Lord, who
  Icing over all Israel with the exception of Judah. From alone knows the heart, does not lay bare Abner's
  Mahanaim he advanced with an army to Gibeon  in the motives, His sole purpose being to describe for our
  south-western part of Benjamin as purposing' through instruction the wonder of David's elevation to the
  conflict against David to subject Judah also to Ishbo-      throne over all Israel and the agencies by which this
  sheth.      AS we saw, the plan did not materialize.        was accomplished.     It was a wonder, was David's
  Anticipating the attack, David opposed a force under elevation to tlie throne. Why it was this and how as a
  Joab. There was a sore battle in which Abner and his wonder rt foreshadowed the exaltation of Christ whose
  army were beaten. A truce was agreed on, but the type David was, are matters that will be dealt with
  house of Saul remained hostile. The war continued,          at the proper juncture in connection with the subject
  though we read of no more pitched battles. In this          "David, .the Type of Christ".
  prolonged war "David waxed stronger and stronger,              Ishbosheth gave expression to his suspicion by a
  and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker. Ish- question which he put to Abner, "Wherefore hast thou
  bosheth was a weak man devoid of capacity for rule.         gone in into my father's concubine?" It can be ex-
  IIis power diminished. He steadily lost consideration. plained that Abner's wrath kindled and that he was
  David on the other hand grew in prestige. Long ago moved to the core at hearing himself rebuked by  Ish-
  the popular voice had decided in favor of him.              bosheth. That of all men Ishbosheth should be com-
         So was the house of Saul rapidly sinking and dis-    manding him to answer for his deed and answer to
* appearing. But Abner would not have it so. "And it          him, Ishbosheth, the very man whom he had placed
  came to pass, while there was war between the house         on the throne and who ruled by his power and grace!
  of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made him-        It was more than Abner could endure. This was his
  self strong for the house of Saul." As king, Ishbosheth reply, "The head of a dog am I who belongs to Judah?"
  was Abner's creation. The people had not asked for          Doubtless, the sense of this is, "Do I belong to thy
  him, and the text leaves no doubt that he was little        opponents, to the party of the house of Judah,, seeking
  wanted. He was accepted for Abner's sake. The only          thy fall? Am I a man that despicable, a dog's head ?
  strong and influential member of Ishbosheth's party Even today," Abner continues, "I do kindness unto the
  was Abner. And he was bending all his efforts to hold house of Saul thy father, to his brethren and to his
  the northern tribes to Ishbosheth. He strengthened friends, and have not delivered thee into the hands
  himself for Saul's house. Whether his activity was of David ,and yet today thou layest upon me a sin
  connected with love of Saul's house or with ambition concerning this woman ! So do God to Abner, and
  makes little difference. In either case it was carnal.      more also, except, as the Lord hath sworn to David,
  But though carnal, it was activity for Saul's house          even so I do to him ; to cause the kingdom to pass from
  nevertheless ; and Abner wanted it recognized and ap- the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David
  preciated. He wanted himself acknowledged especially over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-
  by Ishbosheth as the virtual ruler with all the rights sheba." (So throughout reads the original text of
  of the actual ruler of the eleven tribes. So he stood        Abner's reply). And Ishbosheth "could not answer
   out in his own mind. This explains what he now did. Abner a word again, because he feared him." For
   Saul had a concubine, Mizpah, the daughter of Aiah.         every word of what he said was true. Where would
   Abner cohabitated with the woman. Whether he used the house of Saul be that very day were it not for
   her as a harlot or made her his wife, the text does not     Abner's sustaining hand? But Ishbosheth might still
   make clear. But be this as it may, Ishbosheth was `ask him to show that his kindness toward Saul's house
   incensed. To him Abner's doing was indicative of a          justified his cohabitating with Rizpah, Saul's concu-
   scheme to capture for himself the throne. Whether bine. But Ishbosheth was silent. He feared Abner-
   Abner's deed did have this significance the text again      feared that he might carry out his threat should he
   does not make clear. Perhaps it must be regarded as withstand him to his face.
   an example of his strengthening himself for Saul's             But the damage had already been done. Abner
   house. This view is not without support in the text. was resolved. And he had sworn. He could not, there-
   The statement, "And Abner made himself strong for fore, reconsider. As the `Lord had done to David, even


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                      159

      so would he do to him. Without a doubt the resolve to eince  he had lawfully won her as his wife. David was
      break with Saul's house had been present in his soul in duty bound to assert his rights to her. She was his
      for some time as connected with the growing convic- wife. Her cohabitating with another man-one  Phal-
      tion that he championed a lost cause, so that now, as tie1 the son of Laish-was unrighteous action; it was
      `zraged by Ishbosheth's reproachful question, he of a a heinous sin punishable by death. David must refuse
     ( sudden flung into his teeth what he had been wanting to have ought to do with Abner should he appear un-
      to tell him long ago. But if Ishbosheth had suspected willing to break up that illicit relation. Besides, how
      hi& of seeking the throne for himself, he now learned could Abner be trusted should he refuse to return
      that he was mistaken. Abner will go over to David. Michal to David, her lawful husband? Thus the re-
      He will do to him what the Lord had sworn. He was auest also served to put to a test Abner's sincerity and
      thoroughly acquainted  wit& the Lord's choice of David    integrity in the matter of his overtures to David.'
      as king. This is clear especially from his communica-     Abner stood the test. "And Ishbosheth sent-he sent
      tions  tq the elders of Israel a short time later. The    Abner-and took her from the man, even from Phaltiel
      source of his knowledge of the Lord's revelations to the son of Laish." That Ishbosheth did not dare re-
      David, must have been Samuel. As was said, though fuse was revealing.            It showed David that he had
     David's private anointing had not been followed by actually been threatened by Abner; it indicated a
      public election by ldt, as it had been in the case of Saul, quarrel and a falling out between the two. This doubt-
      though Samuel had given no  publiCity  to the  tr&s-      less was one of the reasons that David requested also
      action in Bethlehem and to Saul's rejectinn, it soon      Ishbosheth to restore to him Michal, the other reason
      must have become a matter of common knowledge that being that after all he was the king: Phaltiel found
      the Lord had rejected Saul and had sworn truth to it difficult to part with Michal. He "went with her
      David.    For, as was stated, Samuel would not fail along weeping behind her to Bahurim, where Abner
      fully to inform all such who came to him to hear the      commanded him to return." And he returned.
      word of God. The seer would not fail to communicate          The matter of Michal's restoration having been
      his revelations to the "sons of the prophets", the pro- attended to, Abner pursued his aims with unabated
      phetic circles. It must be assumed that through these vigor and zeal. First he communicated with the elders
      circles the promises of God to David were widely          oZ Israel. This was his messdge, "Ye sought for David
      extended.                                                 saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save
         Abner straigb,tway  carried out his threat against my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines,
      Ishbosheth.    He "sent messengers to David on his and out of the hand of all their enemies." The signifi-
      behalf, saying, Whose land? saying also, Make thy cance of these words has already been pointed out.
      league with me, and behold, my hand shall be with They form a striking testimony to the fact that outside
      thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee." There are of: Judah the popular voice had long ago decided
      two explanations of Abner's' question, "Whose land?"
.                                                               in favor of David and that Abner all along had turned
       1) "The land belongs to thee, David". This interpre- a deaf ear to that voice. That the Lord by the hand
      tation agrees with Abner's affirmation in verse 9, "As of David would save His people is nowhere mentioned
      the Lord hath sworn to David, even so do 1 to him." as having been spoken  to David. But it was implied
      2) "The land belongs to me, Abner." This would            in his anointment as king-a fact with which Abner
      seem to be in keeping with the fact that the whole was  we11 acquainted.
      land except Judah still was subject to Abner as the          There now followed a separate negotiation with
      virtual ruler. Only as one who controlled the land Benjamin, "And Abner also spake in the ears of Benja-
      could he invite David to make a covenant wi,th hini and min." The statement, "Ye sought for David in times
      give him the promise, "My hand will be with thee to       past to be king over you," is here lacking. The Benja-
      turn  all Israel to thee." This is the better explanation. mites were Saul's fellow tribesmen. Interest for Ish-
          David's reply, "And he said, Good, I will make a bosheth's throne and corresponding resentment to
      covenant with thee ; only one thing I ask of thee, that David would be strongest in this tribe. Hence, the
      is, thou shalt not see my face except thou comest to      tribe had to be separately dealt with.
      me with Michal, the daughter of Saul, when thou              With these preparatory negotions with the tribes
      comest to see my face." Abner shall not see David's completed, Abner reported to David in Hebron. He
      face except he bring Michal when he comes. It is not came ,with a good message. All the tribes had ex-
      stated that Abner accepted the condition,  but this is pressed their willingness to acknowledge David as
      implied in verses 14-16. David, too, took a hand in their king. Such is the import of the notice, "And
      the matter. He sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in
      son, saying, "Deliver my wife Michal, which I espoused    I3ebron  all that seemed good to Israel and that seemed
      tc me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines." good to the whole house of Benjamin." Confirming
     David's request was just; Michal belonged to him,          Abner's overture by their presence were twenty men,

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

representatives of all Israel, who accompanied Abner            Attention is called to the fact "that it was only
to David and for whom he prepared a feast which after his defeat in battle with Joab, and his gradually
partook of the nature of a league. But the task to           ccnfirmed  recognition of the fact that Ishbosheth was
which Abner was addressed had  .been brought only to wholly unfit for kingly rule and its maintenance in
its initial stages of accomplishment. Much had still         the house of Saul, and in truth the personal insult now
to be done. Abner presented to David his plans in offered him by Tshbosheth-that he suddenly decided
words that betokened a spirit animated by the same to break with the house of Saul and go over to David."
quickness, decision, and determination that had thus But from this it does not necessarily follow that he
far characterized all his procedure. Said he to David, was motivated by carnal ambition ; that his whole
"1 will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my aim was to gain a high and influential position with
lord the king, that they may make a league with thee,        David. It is also possible that, taking notice of Ishbo-
a.nd that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart        sheth's unfitness for kingly rule, he became fully
desirest." `He now was as zealous for David as former- convinced that he was pursuing a wrong and sinful
ly he had been determined in his opposition to him.          course and that the great energy he showed in gaining
He will arise and go-go at once. He wanted David over all Israel to David, as is afterward related, was
installed *as king over Israel as soon as possible. He indeed indicative of true sorrow of heart for his pre-
will assemble aZ.8 Israel (i.e. in its elders and other      vious unbelief. And that the decision to break with
representatives) to David, whom he now calls his lord,       Saul's house was made in a moment of great rage
"that they may make a covenant with thee." They caused by Ishbosheth's reproach does not exclude the
are to solemnly affirm that they receive and will obey possibility that the decision was pure as to its core.
thee as their king given them of God, thou vowing to            Much is made of Abner's pride. His saying to
rule them as the anointed of the Lord through whom David, "To whom belongs the land? make a covenant
as His instrument the Lord Himself will rule over His        with me to turn all Israel to thee," is said to be in
people. "And that thou mayest be king over all that keeping with his proud and haugty nature, as hitherto
thy heart desirest," that is, over the whole people and manifested in his words and conduct. But the fact is
land. Such was the desire of David's heart, which that the whole land except Judah  WCGS subject to Abner.
he had also revealed in his message to the men of            lt was only on this account that he could promise
Jabesh.     "David sent Abner away ; and he went in          David to turn all Israel to him. When his proposal
peace," from David's presence and from the presence had once been accepted, he called David his lord.
of his servants. The notice indicates that Abner was            In fine, it shall have to be conceded that nothing
now regarded as a trusted friend by all, so that no one of what is revealed of Abner renders the view or
molested him in his going. And they did well. For            conjecture that he truly repented untenable. But it is
hc had proved  hunself worthy of their confidence,           another question whether the narrative reveals ele-
       Was  ,4bner  essentially a good man despite his ments of conduct of his that lend support to the view
former antagonism to David? He was, if his change that he did truly repent of his unbelief. We believe
of attitude toward David was fruit worthy of a true that it does. First to be mentioned is his break' with
repentance. It can be shown that nothing of what             Saul's house ; it was complete. Then there was the
is related of him proves absolutely that his change of       energy that he showed in gaining over all Israel to
attitude was not that kind of fruit. First to be con- David. Why may it not have been the expression of a
sidered is Abner's previous antagonism and opposition desire to serve by deeds the true king of Israel? And
to David. It is not stating the matter correctly to say why may he not be credited with yielding obedience
that he "knew David's divine call to be Saul's successor,    unto God in turning from his false course of opposition
and therefore stood in conscious opposition to the to David? Also to be mentioned is his humble sub-
known will of God. What Abner knew is the report             mission to David-he calls him his lord-and the
of David's call. For he nor any one else had witnessed gratious words that he spake to him on the feast.
David's anointing. Abner did not believe this report. "And that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart
That was his sin. For, as was stated, David's suc- desireth. . . ." Thus he spake. May not love for his
cess in arms in his wars with the heathen together new lord have constrained Abner to utter these.words?
with his integrity fully confirmed what was being re-        Beholding David, savoring the true goodness of his
ported of him. But this sin did not put Abner in a heart and spirit, Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
class with those men of whom it is written that it is        May this not have been the experience of Abner on
impossible to renew them again unto repentance,  .see-       that feast? For David had forgiven him and taken
ing that they crucify to themselves the Son of God him into his confidence and, it seems, to his bosom.
afresh, and put him to open shame.-Heb.  6:4. Ab- For when he  received:tidings  of Abner's assasination,
ner's conscious opposition to God was conscious oppo- his grief knew no bounds.
sition to the report of God's will  concernmg  David.                                               G. M. Ophoff.


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                     163

                                                          then, but chiefly in the geography class we deal with
           I N   H I S   F E A R                          God's work in creation as He performed it the first
                                                          six days of this earth's existence and changed it at the
                                                          flood and at the tower of Babel. And we view these
                                                          not only to show the greatness of God and His good-
      Training For Life's Calling                         ness, but chiefly to bring out that fundamental prin-
                                                          ciple of Christian Stewardship.
Training in the Geography  Class.                            We will have to call attention to God's covenant'
   We now come to that important subject of Geo- child that this earth is only temporary, that an end
graphy which must also receive a distinctive treat- comes and a new heavens and earth shall appear.
ment in the schools where God's covenant children         We will then, even as in the history class, call the
are instructed. There only can this subject be treated child's attention to God's purpose with these things
as it should be presented. There only can the royal as well as. with events. But chiefly do we deal in the
priesthood of God's children be trained as citizens of geography class with that which God demands of us
the kingdom of heaven whose calling is, while still       with the tremendous treasure He has given us to
here on earth, to live that heavenly citizenship in employ in His service.
every sphere of this life.                                   Geography then becomes a tremendously important
   This- subject in some respects is quite different subject.            In creation, in all the things which are
from that of history, and yet a close relationship be- treated in the geography class God reveals Himself.
tween the turn of historical events and geography The heavens declare His glory, and `the firmament
cannot escape our attention. Wars are fought, and         showeth forth His handiwork. The lily in the field
history is made in that way, because of the rich re- speaks of His beauty, the sun of His might and wis-
sources to be found in certain sections of this earth.    dom And under the guidance then of a regenerated
The wide ocean between us and Europe-which is also instructor who has also seen ,God  in His Word, geo-
a geographical fact-explains how we escaped the graphy becomes a fascinating and very valuable sub-
devastation of the last world war in our  land,and  how ject.
we now become the nation best fit materially to lead         Before we go any further, we wish to publish that
the world and to be the most powerful nation this which the Rev. Gritters has drawn up in these prin-
earth  .has ever seen. Wars are fought for coal and       ciples according to which the subject ought to be taught
iron  res;?rves,  for rivers and warm water outlets to    in the Christian school. And in the next issue of the
the sea. The outcome of battles, the frontiers of na- Standard Bearer we hope to write a few more lines
tions, under God's decree are determined by the geo-      concerning geography and thereby underscore certain
praphical features of the land where God causes these remarks which appear in these principles. That which
battles to be fought and these nations to settle. In      the Rev. Gritters presents appears below.
many other ways geography and history go hand in
hand. We cannot refrain from pointing out, in ad-                                  Geography
dition to the above, the geographical position of the        1. Geography is a study of the earth, its disposition
land of Canaan, the place where God chose to have His     and its fulness as it belcngs  to God the Lord (Psalm
Son born and to have his Spirit poured out, on  th,e      24 :l ) but as it has been given to the children of men.
eastern side of the vast Mediterranean Sea. How this      (Psalm 115  :16).
furthered the missionary activities of Paul, and made        2. In the study of Geography we are to remember
travel westward so feasible and furthered the spread the following: (a) That great sovereignty of God in
of the Church, we can plainly see.                        dividing the earth among the peoples of the earth
   When teaching geography instead of history we do       (1 Chron. 1:19,-Peleg meaning `divided'; Deut. 32  53;
not suddenly cease to consider the works of men. We Acts 17 :26). Sin has. brought confusion and envy,
will still be dealing with man. He is the chiefest  of and in the judgment God sometimes has the land
,God's earthly creatures. This earth was created for "spew out its inhabitants" (Lev. 18  :28) ; also that
him, its gold, silver, iron, coal, fertile soil and even there are thefts and conquests when each seizes as
the "heavy water" from which the atomic energy is much of that earth as he can, but the earth's disposi-
created are all made for man to use to the glory of tion and array shows us that the hand of the Sover-
God's name.  J Man's  callling as a heavenly citizen      eign God as He originally divided to the nations their
on this earth requires that man be considered in the      habitation.      In this distribution we see infinite wis-
treatment of geography.                             .     dom and mastery (Lordship). (b) Above all we are
   Now we will not be dealing with God's works as to remember that God has given this earth to the child-
He works through man, as we did in the history class.     ren of men for their use and as means wherewith to
Indirectly this may even need to be stressed now and serve Him.


                                 ,
 164                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

   (1) The central viewpoint therefore is raan as he
under God is the responsible Head and King of crea-
tion. This was evident already in Paradise.                            FROM HOLY WRIT
   (2) God presents man with an earth full of God's
riches (Psalm 104 :24). Above all there is an abun-
dance of good (Ps. 104 :14) wherein we see God pro- The .$Iope  Of The Covenant Mother
viding wisely and abundantly. North, South,' East                 In The Old Dispensation
`and West co-ordinate to feed and clothe man. The
earth brings him gold and silver (Job 28 :l, 2) coal,                        (cont. from page 119)
metals, goods and wood. The earth, the sea and what
is under the sea is one mighty vault of riches. A              In our former article we noticed that the hope of
testimony we have here of God's abundant supply.            the believing women in the Old Dispensation centered
   (3') But with all these things God demands of man on the promised Christ. When sin entered into the
wholehearted service. The earth's furnishings im- world God promised salvation through the Seed that
press man with the tremendous responsibility he bears would be born. Fallen mankind lay in the midst of
to be Friend-Servant and Steward to God. Man must death, sold under sin ,with no escape except for that
subdue and have dominion over the earth according promised Seed, the Christ. Out of the natural, carnal
to Genesis 1. This must take place in `love to God.         seed that would be born to our first parents God
As head and king of the earthly creation he must-serve      would take unto Himself a spiritual seed, an elect
God and serve God's cause with all the earth's riches generation, the Church. And in the line of genera-
and abundance. Man however has fallen, and he has tions of this spiritual seed the Christ would be born.
through sin become a thief, a rebel, an exploiter, etc.     Thus the hope of the believing mother was fixed upon
He refuses to serve God although he does lay his hands      that promised Christ. She longed to have a part in
upon the earth's furnishings. Along this way of abuse bringing Him forth and thus see her promise realized.
he stores up his accursed wealth in his Babylon of          She was blessed in bearing children, for therein lay
world-love (Rev. 18 :lO-17)) lays up for himself treas- the. hope of her salvation.
ures of wrath (Romans 2 5) and fills the measure of            We traced that hope as it lived in the hearts of
iniquity until God burns up His earth and works. some of the  ,believing  women, particularly in Eve.
(2 Peter 3:lO)                                              Sarah, Rebekah and Hannah.
   (4) Regenerated man is by God's grace in Christ             But we cannot fail to note that this hope' was al-
once again made king and priest of the Most High God ways accompanied by an intense struggle. Withput  a
and stands right toward God and the earth which he bitter, life-long struggle that hope could never be
studies. Once again he knows his calling how to use realized, even according to the divine purpose.
that earth, with things receives earth's bounties, seeks       The Lord Himself occasions that struggle.          He
the things above, uses it to God's glory and the welfare' creates a twofold seed in the line of the generations of
of his human fellowmen.                                     the human race. He establishes enmity between them,
                                                            and by the way of struggle causes the Christ-Child
   c. Lastly, we must not forget that this earth is         to be born, Who destroys the power of Satan and gives
man's temporal abode.      This earth will finally be His people the eternal victory.
destroyed by fire, when the history of this earth is           We should not fail to note, first of all, that even
done, and God will shake the wicked out of the earth        within the church there is always a reprobate, carnal
and give it to His elect according to His promise:          seed as well as an elect, spiritual seed. There are
"The meek shall inherit the earth."                         always dead branches `in the true Vine as it manifests
                                           J. A. Heys.      itself here on earth. There are still good and bad
                                                            fishes in the net of God's covenant as it sweeps through
                                                            the sea of this. world. There is chaff as  ,well as wheat
                                                            in the harvest as long as it still stands upon the field.
                                                            There is scaffolding as well as the building proper as
                   CLASSIS EAST                             long as God's TempIe is under construction. It is not
                                                            all Israel that is called Israel.
will meet in regular session on January 5, 1949 at the         Secondly,  `it is worthy of note that the natural
Second Protestant Reformed Church of Grand Rapids,          seed is always first and serves to bring forth. the
Michigan, at 9 o'clock A. M. Subsidy requests should spiritual. Even in nature the straw serves to produce
                                                            the kernel of wheat, so that finally the chaff and the
be brought to this meeting.                                 straw are burned, but the wheat is gathered into the
                           D. JONKEFL Stated Clerk.         granary. So also God gathers His Church from the


                                        T H E ,   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       1465

  natural seed that is born in the line of the continued owned as Abraham's heir. For that is what happens.
  generations of believers. And finally we must note After the Lord makes plain to Sarah that she herself
  that the natural, carnal seed is always in  .the ma- shall have a son in her old age, and that Isaac shall
  jority and is always stronger than the spiritual be the promised seed, Sarah becomes increasingly more
  seed; when viewed from the earthly aspect.            The determined that Hagar and her son shall not abide
  carnal element holds the position of power even under their roof. The day even arrives that Abraham
  within the church as it manifests itself here on earth.       is forced to send the bondwoman and her son away
  It always oppresses the spiritual element and seeks emptyhanded.
  to destroy it. It persecutes  $he believers, crucifies the       But before we criticize Sarah we must bear in mind
  Christ, and in every way proudly exalts itself against that Scripture takes her side in the matter. God de-
  the Lord and His Anointed. The heathen rage furious- mands of Abraham that he comply with her wishes,
  ly and the peoples imagine vain things even in the for the son of the bondwamen must not inherit with
  domain of the covenant. For the Lord has placed the son of the free. (Gal. 4). The facts in the case
  enmity between the devil and the woman, between the are these: When Hagar realized that she would bear
  seed of the devil and the seed of the woman, until fin-       Abraham a- son she proudly despised her mistress.
  ally the seed of the woman crushes the head of the            According to her estimation, not Sarah, but she was
  devil to powder, even while he is busy bruising its           the covenant mother, the real wife of Abraham. Had
  heel.                                                         not God privileged her above Sarah? Therefore she
     That is quite evident from the examples we re- was also determined to claim her own child. She
  ferred to in our previous article.                            would never give it up to her mistress. That accounts
     Notice again the exultant cry of the mother of all for her insubordination to Sarah and her fleeing away.
  living when she took up her firstborn son and said,           And that also takes into account the fact that the
  "I have gotten a man of the Lord." We could well              Lord insists that she must return to her mistress and
  imagine that she was bitterly disillusioned when later submit to her until the child is born, for the Lord will
  she realized that this  `son  was' simply a product of see to it that in due time she may claim her own child.
  her own sinful flesh, the seed of the serpent. Cain           Later Hagar even impresses upon Ishmael's mind that
  was the firstborn, and therefore Eve readily built her he is the firstborn, and therefore the rightful heir.
  hopes upon that child. Moreover, he was evidently That is the reason why Ishmael mocks with Isaac, over
  the picture of strength' and comeliness. When Abel whom they make such an undue fuss. The son of the
  was born she calls him `breath', `vanity', for he, must bondwoman, Abraham's natural seed, proudly exalts
  have been a puny child, upon whom was plainly and maintains himself overagainst the child of the
  written the sad results of their fall. Yet according to promise. With the result that God Himself requires
  the will and purpose of God, Cain was the reprobate that the haughty rebel be cast out of the house in which
  seed. That became evident as he grew up under the he has no rightful claim.  ,After  a bitter struggle it
  covenant training of his God-fearing parents. Cain becomes evident to all that the purpose according to
  revealed only animosity overagainst all the evidences election must stand, for "in Isaac shall thy seed be
: of God's grace in the life of Abel. Even Cain's sacri-        called".
  fjce was a wicked product of His own abominable  self-           We can `pass over the struggle in Isaac's family
  righteousness.    Until finally Cain reveals His true with but a few words. Before the twins were ever
  nature by killing Abel, in a vain desire to wipe out born, Isaac and Rebekah were informed that  the* knife
  God's Church. But Cain does serve his purpose. He of divine election and reprobation had cut sharply
  was the firstborn son, and therefore proof of the fact between them. They were even given to u'nderstand
  that God would give them a seed. And at the same that the firstborn, Esau, would have no part in the
  time he opened the way for that true seed as it was           covenant whatsoever. Sovereign election centered upon
  represented in Abel.     Therefore the exuberant joy Jacob; reprobation rested on Esau. Rebekah proves
 of Eve at the birth of her firstborn was certainly not to be able to adjust herself to this awful revelation
  in vain. It did express her hope of the fulfillment of more readily than Isaac. He favors the firstborn and
  the promise of God, even though she had still to learn even plays with the idea that he might still be the
  by sad experience that this hope would be realized            covenant seed. From a purely natural point of view
  only by way of  strugg1.e.                                    it is not difficult for us to place ourselves in his posi-
      Then we have the history of Sarah in connection           tion, since Esau was his own flesh and blood and had
  with the birth of Ishmael from Hagar. Many have a natural appeal besides, so that Isaac did not like to
  regarded Hagtir as a victim of the capricious whims see him perish. Yet Isaac is wrong, and learned to
  of Sarah. In fact, Sarah is often condemned for her realize it only after failing in a final desperate at-
  bitterness toward Ishmael, for demanding that he be tempt to place the blessing upon him. But then he is
  sent  .out..of  the house, and for insisting that he he  dis- also ready to declare blessed him whom  ,God  will bless,

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

   This throws light on the history of Hannah. She evidence of unbelief within the church that many will
also experienced the struggle within her own house- follow the same reasonings as the world and resort
hold. Hannah was barren, so that her husband  El- to the same practices to satisfy the lusts of the flesh
kanah foolishly devised the plot to take Peninnah to        without becoming involved in a family. The carnal
wife, in order that she might serve to bring the joys element within the church is a friend of the world
of the covenant mother into Hannah's life. In this          even in that respect. But the true covenant mother
attempt Elkanah fails miserabbly. For Peninnah is counts herself blessed in receiving children from the
carnal, even as Hannah is deeply spiritual. She readily Lord. In her own small way she is instrumental in
usurps Hannah's place as Elkanah's wife, and scorn-         bringing forth God's church and establishing His
fully mocks with Hannah particularly because she is kingdom. She considers- it only a wonder of divine
able to present Elkanah with children. That drove           grace that she herself may know the Lord. That won-
Hannah to a point where she pours out her soul in der is only enriched `by the fact that she is privileged
prayer to the Lord at Shiloh. It was an ominous             to have children who fear the Lord and walk in His
time. These were the days when there was no king ways. She sees even in that the answer to her prayer
in Israel and every man did that which .was right in "Thy kingdom come."
his own eyes. The carnal seed had the upper hand,              But this hope is never realized without a struggle,
not only in Hannah's home, but even in all Israel, so       also today.    The carnal seed is still always in the
that corruption was `rampant even to the tabernacle majority and lords it over the spiritual seed. It still
at Shiloh. The spiritual seed was being oppressed,          seeks to destroy God's church. Therefore we are called
even threatened with destruction. Therefore she prays, to wage an untiring battle. We must be spiritually
not merely for a child, especially not more carnal seed,    strong, arraying ourselves as the party of the living
but for one who can be a Samuel, and "answered of ,God against the powers of darkness. We must be
the Lord", to cleanse the sanctuary and to preserve         ready at all times to give account of the hope that is
God's church upon the earth. She wants a son whom within us. We must hold firmly to the truth entrusted
she may dedicate as a devoted servant to the Lord all unto us, that no man may take our crown. It is our
the days of his life, that Israel may thus be preserved     calling to pass on to the generations to come the
and that the Christ may come.                               glorious heritage of truth which was  dehvered  over to
       Hannah and the whole church of the old dispensa- us from the fathers. That calls for covenant training
tion saw their hope fulfilled in Mary, the most blessed in the home, in the church, and in the school, based
among women. With her they lift up their voice in           entirely upon the Word of God. And that, I may add,
triumph saying, "For unto us a Child is born, unto. us requires our own school.
a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His           ,The outcome is always safe with God. For we
shoulders: and His name shall be called Wonderful,          shall finally appear before Him with the church of all
Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, ages, saying, "Behold us, Lord and the children which
The Prince of Peace."                                       Thou hast given us, for they are Thine."
       By way of struggle the hope of the believer is          May that hope never grow dim among us.
realized. How could it be otherwise? For God's pro-                                                 C. Hanko.
mise never fails. By a wonder of grace He gathers
His own in the continued line of believers. He trans-
forms natural, carnal, even depraved sons of wrath
into spiritual children of the kingdom of heaven. And                              NQTICE
He sends His own Son into the flesh, conceived by the          We have a number of orders for binding Volume 24
Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary. He is God's of the Standard Bearer. Anyone desiring to have this
Son, yet born in our likeness, son of Eve, son of Sarah, Volume or any other Volume bound, please notify
son of Rebekah, son of Ruth son of Mary; Immanuel,          Mr. John Bouwman, 1131 Sigsbee St., S. E., Grand
God with us ! God proves that nothing is impossible Rapids 6, Michigan, immediately, and return your
with Jehovah our covenant God.                              copies of the Standard Bearer.
       These things are written for our example.                                    The Board of the R. F. P. A.
       This same hope still lives in the hearts of the
believers in the new dispensation. Believing mothers
still exaltingly say with the mother of all living, "I      Where shall we today find the Word of God? Our
have gotten a man of the Lord." We can readily answer is very simple. We find it in the Bible. We
understand that a world steeped in iniquity refuses         do not say in Modernist fashion, that the Bible con-
to be burdened with the anxieties of child-birth and        tains the Word of God.       No, we say in Christian
the trouble of rearing a family. And why bring more Fashion, that the Bible is the Word of God.-J. G.
children into the misery of this world? It is even an Machen, quoted in the Southern Presbyterian Journal,


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                         167

                                                            called attention to the Reformed Witness Hour and
                P E R I S C O P E                           your present series which very nicely ties in with our
                                                            work. It is difficult to determine the extent of the
                                                            listening audience, but at times there is indication that
                                                            it is rather large. Personally, we enjoy the program
                                 Lynden, Washington,        and your messages a great deal since it serves as a
                                 December 13, 1948          real and living connection with "home". We especially
Rev. H. Hoeksema,                                           appreciated your lecture of yesterday, "Who Art Thou
Dear Brother :                                              0 Man?", as being filled with instruction for us all
   There are two matters which I would like to dis-         and a true testimony to the Reformed truth which
cuss  m  this communication. The first concerns our is so lacking.
activity and progress in this field of our Mission en-         We have also been holding worship services each
deavors. Since the work of the extension of our Truth Sunday evening in a small Community church build-
has always been dear to you, I felt you might like ing near Lynden. Thus far, the response has been
to hear from us. But  1" also believe our people are somewhat disappointing.             Apart from the families
interested and, therefore, take this opportunity of who have moved here from our other churches there
serving both purposes in a single letter.                   has been very little interest. Although we appreciate
   Since you were here, almost 20 years ago, many this nucleus to work with, we feel that the first pur-
physical and spiritual `changes have taken place. It pose of `our labor is not to follow those, who have left
is true the same r'eternal"  hills surround us on every our churches or to encourage others to do so, but to
side. And as always they are majestic in their gran-        instruct and witness to those who are without.
deur  .and instructive in their steadfastness. But even        At present we are busy discussing the "three points"
they are not exactly the same, for much of their pro- in our weekly letters ; pointing out their errors and
tective covering of fir and pine has been felled before unscriptural conceptions. These letters reach a large
the woodman's axe to supply the lumber needs of our majority of all the Reformed people in this' community.
modern world. Much more of the valley land had also         During the month of January we hope, the Lord will-
been cleared to make room for the thousands who             ing, to supplement these letters with lectures on the
have moved into this erea from everywhere East; various points. We plan to hold these lectures here in
notably the mid-western states.      Almost all of the Lyliden and the surrounding towns. Though as I
older generation whom you met and who enjoyed your stated above, the results have been rather discouraging
messages from the Word are departed; only a linger- as far as the flesh is concerned, we rest in the know-
ing few remain.                                             ledge that our labor is never in vain in the Lord.
   Especially that last factor indicates, and accounts         The second matter of comment concerns the dis-
for, the spiritual change. An entirely new generation cussion regarding catechism and methods of instruc-
has appeared which knows us not. Having been train-         tion. First of all, I would like to substantiate your
`ed and taught in that which was adopted as Reformed contention, that`catechism as it is being conducted in
and Calvinistic in 1924 many are no longer able to dis- our churches generally, reveals a tendency to indi-
cern the truth. The pleasing aspects of "common vidualism. In fact I would like to add a few thoughts
grace" with its convenient practical  impircations  have    in support of your contention. In my very limited
created lethargy and self-satisfaction. There is little     experience, I have already heard several parents com-
desire to study and discuss when it is discovered that plain of the lack of unity in respect to method and
one must live antithetically. What a great responsi- material.         They  depIored the fact that with every
bility lies at the door of the Church as well as the        change of minister the current system was discarded
individual !                                                and new individual ideas were instituted. I also re-
   All of these factors have made our work slow and         call that when this was discussed recently on the floor
visible progress small; After having become acquaint- of  Classis East and it was suggested that a committee
ed with the field, we sought to establish our selves be appointed to bring a report, it was dropped. And
as Scripturally and Confessionally historically Re- the primary arguments revealed the same individual-
formed: This was accomplished through the distribu- istic tendency of freedom for one's own method and
tion of literature, letters and public advertising ex- course. I, too, find this a sad situation.
pressing our position. In this connection we made              My purpose, then, is to raise a few questions and
wide use of many of your excellent pamphlets and            ask for some needed light. Since I hope, the Lord
found them well-suited to our purpose ; notably such willing, to teach for many years to come, I yould ap-
as "Jesus Saviour and the Evil of Hawking Him";             preciate any suggestions you may have. I realize full-
"The Gospel", etc. In all our literature we have also well that you cannot begin to write a series on Cate-

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

 chetics  but hope you may be able, in your criticism           Bible study, e.g., the excellent works by Marion  School-
 and comment on what follows, to lay down a few land and `Catherine Vos. Now I realize that your con-
 general principles.                                            tention is not for dead history but for a living history
    In the first place, would it be advisable and proper that reveals doctrine. How.ever, I would. ask in view
 for some Consistory to suggest a course of study and           of the preceding, whether it wouldn't be well for the
 ask Classis and Synod to approve it as a guide for all         expression to be `reversed? Instead of historical doc-
 of our Churches? It should be something more definite t.rine teach doctrine with historical support.
 than has been expressed so that all  OP our catechumens           Merely by .way of elucidation I `would like to sug-
 of a given age group are busy with the same material. gest something like the following: for ages 6-8 follow
 Further, that this be planned throughout the years so what is.now containe,d in. Old and New Testament for
 that there would be regularity and unity; eliminating Juniors, with, perhaps, some simplification of lan-
 the changes which come with new ministers or removal guage. :  ,Certainly  on the background sketched* above
 to other of our congregations. In this -way all .pupils the material is not too  ~.difficult,   ,For ages  8-10 use
 and parents as well as ministers and consistories would the Old and New 1Testament  for Seniors, again with a
 have a regular guide.                                          bit of grammatical simplification. Thus the catechu-
    If such a course is feasible and possible would it men would go through,the enti.re  Old and. New Testa-
 be advisable to suggest instruction in doctrine at an          ment course twice and would be receiving someth.ing
 early age? And now I would like to argue a bit. I beyond that he gains elsewhere ; there would be de-
 know you always chided us in school for asking a velopment. At 11 years of age begin with a primary
rquestion  with an argument, but I hope you'll bear with        course in systematic doctrine followed by a primary
 me. You will concede, I think, that it has been some course on the Heidelberg Catechism and then through
 time since you have instructed younger children, at the other Confessions. In the later `teens an advanced
 least formally. As I recall I never had the privilege of course in the Heidelberger and yo.ur "Essentials". If
 your instruction in my early years. If memory serves there is still time left it could be used for special
 correctly, Mr. B. Sevensma  taught us, in Eastern Ave., study, e.g., a course &sing your history of'our Churches
 and later in the store building on Wealthy St. we had as text.. This later could serve admirably not only
 the elders or early students. Though I'm sorry never for instruction in our history and truth, but also'take
 to have had your instruction in my youth I appreciate in briefly, significant points of Church Order, which is
 full well that your various and almost insurmountable so. sadly ,neglected. By the way, wouldn't early instruc-
 labors of those days were of  mere  lasting benefit than tion in the Heidelberg Catechism create greater inter-
 any catechism you could have taught me. But at least est in our reguIar  Catechism preaching?
 it indicates that it must be at least 25' or 30 years since      `Finally, in order to bring out one more point, I too
 you have formally instructed children.                         must confess some guilt in respect to the individualism
  . I think you will also agree, that during, that time you suggest. In my former charge we began teaching
many developments have been made in child training, doctrine to the 10-12  year class. I found I was able
 especially in  ,the Christian School in the field of Bible to maintain better interest by teaching something'
 study. At times  at~almost  amazes one what even first relatively new. Perhaps, this reveals a deficiency on
 graders are taught in this field. Though our own my part in respect to the teaching of history but just
 children do not yet attend school this has been brought. for that reason I would  .appreciate  a few suggestions.
 to my attention through investigation of the work of We have also found, in our present.-work, that the
 my nieces and just recently at an open house sponsored greatest Iack does not lie in a knowledge of Biblical
 by the local P. T. A. here in Lynden. I'm sorry I don't facts but in a clear conception and line of truth  ;
 have definite examples at hand, but remember seeing as well as almost complete ignorance of the contents
 the work of a seven year old in which the doctrines            of the Reformed Confessions.                   _
 of the Atonement, Trinity and Predestination were                 Would you also offer some information' regarding
 brought out in the Bible History instruction she re- instruction in the Netherlands.' I have often heard
 ceived in school. Now apart from the question whether of and aIs0 seen, e.g. the little book by Hellenbroek.
 that is the school's business and whether it is the            Was this used at an early age?
 sphere in which they are called to develop, the fact              We are happy to hear you are continuing to im-
 remains that they have and that our children are re- prove while our prayers continue with yours for added
 ceiving that instruction. If we add to this the instruc- blessing.
 tion the child receives in the home and Sunday School,
 both predominantly historical, we begin to see its scope.                      Yours in the Lord Jesus Christ;
 Besides, by this age, the child is able to read and its
 parents provide it with adequate books for personal                                                   W. Hofman.


                                                                                              is,,      `
V O L U M E   X X V . .  _                                January 15, .1gc49 +- Grand, Rapids, Mich.                                                                     N U M B E R
                                                                                                                       And whosoever will let him come and take the
                                                                                                                    f&t;;-  `& I& freely  f       (,  -,    ;
                                                                                                                       Who are called? `Judging from the two statements
                                                                                                                    above, they are'those  who are athirst, and those who
                                                                                                                    are willing to come and take the water of life freely.
                 `Tab;& The Water' Of Life                                                                             Well, dear reader, there are some common notions
                                                                                                                    about `this beautiful text.
      .
,.                    "And let him that is athi&   borne:  and dbhdsoever                                              There are so-called messengers of the Gospel, bring-
                    will,   let him take' the water of life freely."                                    `.'
                                                         `-y.L,                                                     ing the good tidings, who err grievously. with regard
                                                                         +v. 22 :17.                                to this and like texts.
           "As  ihthk  heart panteth after the `water brooks, so                                                       They picture the abundance of grace: there is
panteth my soul aftere Thee, 0 God !"                                            -                             '    enough for all. And addressing all at all times and
            There, `water ,ancl streams `of living water `are used at all places, they say : All may come ! `Everybody
figuratively to denote that blessed condition  that is is welcome with the Godhead ! God wants all men to
expressed by Asaph : To be near unto God ! And bless- be saved ! ,There are even some otherwise orthodox
ed man is pictured in agony becausehe must  .be with-                                                               churches they dare say: As far as God is concerned
out that blessed water for a season.                                                                                everybody may come ! No, they go ever further: As
            Ever since sin entered into this world, .man ceased far as God is concerned, Be seriously, solemnly and
to be "near unto ,God". Yet he did  n6t thirst: And dell-meaningly  desires the conversion of `everyone who
the reason is clear : his life-eiement changed from!God                                                             ever lived, now lives,  dnd who shall live hereafter.
to the- devil. With the latter he made a very' careful                                                                  It seems as though the present day church has a
covenant.                                                                                     ,'                    very big heart indeed. Even bigger than the heart of
            But when regenerating grace entersthe  heart of ,God..
man, the consciousness of loneliness  .-is awakened : I am                                                              For God has  nevertaught us anything like this.
away; I -am apart from God ! `. And. that &&&ousne'ss                                                                   But the church of today. tiertainly' extends the .invi-
is the reason why the' first experiences `of the Chi-is;                                                            tation,! :: They love to: dwell `on words such'as "whoso-
tian's life are not reasons for joy, but rather for sad- &,i,i, a&. $ivep$on$  &&iry;  etc."`                                                                    :  ;       .     t     ..
ness and unspeakable ,loneliness. That sense -of loneli-                                                               And when men, certain men do not come to take
ness, longing for God, is expressed as "thirst" in the                                                              the water of life freely, they dare say: Man can thwart
Word of God. And that same Word holds out to the                                                                    the counsel of God with regard to themselves.  -
thirsty ones the Water of Life.                                          `. '               ) :.--                      And so they say with regard to our text under con-
            And so we have it in our text : God comes `to the                                                       sideration: Do you not see? Whosoever will let .him
"thirsty" and says to them.: And let him that is athii~st                                                           take the wa'ter of life:!*
come : and whosoever will, let him take the,  wate$$                                                                 -'  A.nd,%h%y  certainly. want to imply that man,' mere
life freely !                                                                                                       man:' has a` free will to choose to t$ke eternal life unto
            A wonderful invitation  !.'                                                                             himselfi They ascribe power to man to lift himself
            W&ogoe~er.!.`.                 L'.                     :                                   i'           from death unto life eternal. For, so they say, the
            Yes, but only those who are willing. `"                                   '  '                          Ifirst impulse to come and' take must be `with man.
            And thereby hangs a wonderful  story.                                     .)                            Hor-iblepdo&rine   !  "  .(-  `-  _.  *
      : `.( Wewill.  meditate, on+hat  story for a~little while.                                                      .And they also teach withregard  to the text, that
           .c                      *  ,`*. *  .._  *"  _           .
                                                   L.                                 ;  ^.,..   _  :.              all men are thirsty for this water. When Jesus calls
Let him that is  athirst  come !                                                                                    the thirsty ones then the very limits of the world of

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

  man is the limit of the Gospel call unto the water of                    No, throughout the Word of God  I  fe calls His own
  life. And we would admit that the Gospel preaching is by name.
  universal, but we will maintain with Scripture that                      I hear the call to the weary, the hungry, the thirsty,
  man by nature does not thirst for God !                           the heavy laden, the willing ones, those that believe,
                            *  *  *  *                              those that follow, etc.
                                                                           He discerns the state of the heart and calls that
         Let him that is athirst  come !                            state by name. He knows all our hearts and the secrets
         That does not mean everyone !                              within. ' He knows the hearts of His sheep for He gave
         Man,~ by nature, will not come, and cannot will to         them that heart which is forever longing for Him and
  come to  i,procure  salvation. Man does not want the              His communion.
  bread and the water  *of life. He cannot desire it,                      And it is also God who takes care of it that every
  and he  does'not  thirst and hunger for it.                       one of those calls is heeded. He says to those eternally
         And my evil and perverse nature of sin and iniquity, blessed human beings : Seek My Face ! And every one
  will never manifest -itself clearer than when brought of them answers : Thy Face, Lord, I will seek !
 , into contact'with  the water and the bread of life, and                 And only then may you begin to emphasize those
  that is Jesus. Then my nature rears itself in wicked words that speak of universality: everyone, yes, but
pride  and,+ godless  ,hatred  against God, and then I              only everyone th& th.irsteth. All, oh yes, all, but all
  crucify Jesus afresh. Such is my nature, and such who believe. Yes, it is for whosoever, but whosoever
  is the nature of all men, without one exception.                  that is willing.
         When. God preaches to men: I command you to                       Is it not plain that all those words are carefully re-
  listen to Me, and to convert yourself, and to walk on stricted by a condition?
  the way of truth and righteousness to My glory ! Then
                                            .                              Here is the water that must be drunk unto life
  man says ; Never I                                                eternal.
         Whosoever will let him come! and man says: I will                 But it is for the thirsty only.
  not come and take the water of life !                                    Here is Christ Jesus the Lord Who is the Fountain
         And the outcome is that his debt is greater before of living waters.
  God, when you preach the Gospel to him, his heart be-                   But He is for those that are willing followers only.
  comes harder, for the Gospel is also a  savour of death                                     *  *  *  *
  unto death,. his condemnation becomes more terrible,
  for he has neglected so great salvation, and God is                      What is thirst, even the thirst of my  .beautiful
  justified when He judges.                                         text?                                               :
         Whosoever is willing let him come !                               It is a need of something.
         And the result will be; if nothing more is said, that             But the character of the figure used implies that
  no one will come to God, and heaven will be empty of              an extreme longing is meant. Thirst is really the
  men.                                                              greatest longing of physical man. If no water is
                            * *  *  *                               forthcoming, the lips grow dry and  e7`er drier, the
                                                                    mouth is parched, the throat is burned, the roof of
         Let him that is  athirst come!                             the mouth will crack, and when prolonged, all the
     ,That is the effectual call.                                   juices of the body are dried up, including the blood,
         God never caIls promiscuously. He does not wish and death, a horrible death follows.
  everyone to come. He never called Pharaoh, Judas,                        That is thirst.
  Bileam, etc.                                                             There pants the hart for living streams of water.
  _' God calls His sheep only, and they come.                              Very expressive figure in the Word of God.
         That truth you will find on a thousand pages of
  the Holy Bible; that is, if you have eyes to see the                     Apply this picture if you will.
  truth.                                                            :      The child of God is regenerated.
         It is unworthy of God when we should present it                   And that means that the love of  ,God is spread
   otherwise than that only the sheep are called to the             abroad in his heart through the Holy Ghost that is
   fold. `Jesus told us very plainly: I give My life for            given unto him. Rom. 5.
   My sheep. And: My sheep hear My voice and they                          And that life of the love of God is God's own cove-
   follow Me!                                                       nant life which He lives in blessed harmony in the
         Unworthy of God ! As though He is ever thwarted Triune Godhead.
   in His counsel! The very thought is blasphemy. Ima-                     Christian is a child of God.
   gine if you can, God standing with abundant grace                       When, however, through some cause or other that
   in His holy hands and millions that refuse to be life ceases to flow smoothly from God, through Christ
   "graced".                                                             and His Spirit into the soul and heart and mind of


                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           171

 the child of God, then he grows thirsty, hungry, weary, Adam and Eve appeared before the face of God out
 heavy laden.                                                      of the concealment of sin.
          And then he sings psalm 42: 0 God I thirst for              And God supplies the spiritual power to come and
 Thee, for Thee -my heart is' yearning! When shall I to take. It is all of God, through God, and to God.
 come Thy gracious Face to see?                                    He has all the glory.
          There is no more poignant longing anywhere than                                   *  * *  lb
 in the heart of the child of God.
          And when God tarries, he dries up in agony and              Come and drink, take the water of life !
 cries with David: My flesh longeth for Thee in a dry                 What is it?
 and thirsty land where no water is ! Attend to the ndive             And again we hear figurative language. Water is
 child of God. Nai've  in the innocence of the childhood a picture, imagery for something else, something spirit-
 that is born of: the Spirit. See: Psalm 44.                       ual, something beautiful beyond compare.
          I thirst for Thee!                                          We shall have to'determine the meaning thereof.
                                *  * *  *                             The time and the space is lacking to quote all the
                                                                   texts that speak of water and water of life, but I bid
 a,       The willing ones are invited to take the water of you read : John 7 :37, 39 ; Isaiah 44 :3 ; Zacheriah 1&l@
  life freely.                                                     and Matthew  5:6.                                    `< .,y.:`:
          On the surface of it, it still sounds as though man         Taking the Word of God in its entirety, in the
 shall be the determining factor in this drinking of the `places quoted and other places, we may sum up and
 water of life.                                                    say that water, and water of life means `the righteous-
          Yes, it seems as if God will have to wait patiently      ness of God in Jesus Christ the Lord such as it is
  for man to make up his mind and will to come and to              imparted to us by His Holy Ghost, that is, the Holy
  take. The Lord will have to wait in bestowing His                Ghost as it was poured'into the church on Pentecost.
  grace until mere man decides he will receive it.                    And still I would  .like to ask: what is it? What
          Does the text say that it is for those that are          does it mean that the righteousness of God is given
  willing?                                                         unto me?
          Yes, but we must find out what the will of man               My brother, it is the most wonderful thing in the
       wills, and, secondly, how the Lord acts with regard         whole universe.
  to that will.                                                        It is this: if you have the righteousness of *God in
          The will of man is set on the earth, men, and sin.       Christ, you do not have to worry about the terrible
       And his will is definitely set against God and His law. Question: How shall I be able to stand. before the
       Read Rom. 8 :7.                                             searching eyes of God in the judgment day.  Right+
          And God does wonders with that will of man. If           eousness that will clothe us like a garment is that
       God wants a certain man to listen to Him, and to take       Jesus is your Saviour and Redeemer. That He wiped
       the water of life freely, He regenerates that man and away all your sins and that He give you the positive
       makes him tractable. And then he becomes willing side of His death in that it will seem. as though you
       to listen. Note Philipp. 2 where  we' read that it is have done all that God ,asked  of you. Righteousness
       God that works in us the to will and the to do according    means good conduct in thought and word and act.
       IX His goodpleasure.                                        When you stand before the judgment  seat'it   will,seem
          Wonderful operation of God !                             as though you in your own person have fulfilled the
                                * *  *  *                          whole law of God.
                                                                       Justified before God. That is your state if you
          And when that is done by God, He bids us "come"          have drunk of the water of life.
' and "take" !                                                         Then God smiles on you for ever and ever.
          Oh yes, God did not choose little machines. The              Justified !
       Christians that are called unto life eternal are moral          It means that my whole life is such that when the              '
       and rational creatures. God works it in us, but then        only norm of goodness is laid alongside of me and
       He begins to play upon the strings of our heart and         my life, that I answer to that norm in wondrous per-
       will and mind.                                              fection.
          He bids us come. He calls us to take. '                      That water is The Lord our Righteousness.
          And that is your part, my brother. That is your              Shall we then not come and drink? Oh yes, and we
       privilege; my sister.                                       receive it free, gratis, freely.       That is the test of
          That is your Christian life on earth.                    sweet humility that is taught you by Jesus!
          You must come and you must take.                             Oh, let us come then and drink ! It spells eternal
          And blessed  .be  ~God, they come and they take.         life!
       Such is the history of the church from the time that                                                       G. Vos.


                                                                                                                                 .


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

                                 The Standard Bearer
              Semi-Monthly, except Monthly in July  and August                                                                                                                 E D I T 0.R I AL S
                                         -  P u b l i s h e d   B y ,
                         The Reformed Free Publishing Association
                                             1131 Sigsbee Street, SE..                                                                                                As TqTeaching Our Confessions
                                     EDITOR: - Rev. H. Hoeksema.
Contributing Editors: - Rev. G. M. Ophoff, Rev. G. Vos, Rev.                                                                                                                       ' (Cont. from page 151)
R. Veldman, Rev. H. Veldman, Rev. H. De Wolf, Rev. B. Kok,
Rev.  J. D. De Jong, Rev. A. Petter, Rev. C. Hanko, Rev. L.                                                                                                            "Under the heading of formal catechetics  I  tkeated
Vermeer,  Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev. J. A. Heys,                                                                                                       the methods and means of teaching catechisni. He%
Rev. W.  Hafman.                                                                                                                                                    attention must be called first of all to the  division%tn
     Communications relative to contents should be addressed to                                                                                                     classes. In the nature of the case this division must
REV. H. HOEKSEMA, 1139 Franklin St., S. E., Grand Rapids,                                                                                                           first and chiefly figure with the different ages of
Michigan.                                                                                                                                                           the catechumens. These ages  ake readily divided into,
     Communications relative to subscription should be addressed
to MR. J. BOUWMAN, 1131. Sigsbee St., S.E., Grand Rapids 6,                                                                                                         three, namely: the age of children from six to twelve
B&h. Announcements and Obituaries must be mailed to the                                                                                                             years; the age of early adolescence; from thirteen to
above address and will be published at a fee of $1.00 for each                                                                                                      sixteen; and the age of later adolescence or of jrouhg
notice.                                                                                                                                                             people of sixteen years and older.
                                 (Subscription Price $2.50 per  yes)  ..                                                                                               "The chief characteristic of the child in the first
Enbered  as Second Class  M.a.il at Grand Rapids,  Michigan.                                                                                                        period is undoubtedly that of receptivity. The soul
                                                                                                                                                                    of  the child is easily receptive for impressions. What
                                                                                                                                                                    his teacher. tells him is usually accepted by the cliilcl
                                                                                                               .;.
                                                                                                                                                                    without qaestion.     His attitude is not critical:  he
                                                                                                                                                                    easily accepts what is taught him. Moreover, in this
                                                                                                                                                                    period memory is usually strongest; just because things
                                                     C O N T E N T S                                                                                                are new for him they easily attract his attention, and
                                                                                                                        .,                                          hence.  they are retained in memory. And finally, in
MEDITATION-                                                                                                                                                         this period the child usually has a lively imagination.
     Take The Water Of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169             It is only toward the close of this period that indepen-
                    Rev. 6. Vos                                                                                                                                     dent judgment is being developed in the child. The
                                                                                                                                                                    catechete therefore uses this period according to the
                                                                                                                                               ,I;
EDITORIALS-                                                                                                                                                         best of his ability. He must not proceed from the
     As To Teaching Our Confessions ........................ ..:............:....172                                                                                false notion that he doesn't have to prepare himself
     -4dvice  To Immigrants ............................................................. .174                                                                      for these- earlier catechism classes. Much tact and
     Once More: Advice to Immigants ........................................... .,176                                                                               discernment..are  demanded, to adapt himself to the
                   Rev. H.  Hoe&ma                                                                                                                                  psychological life of the child. And because the ch.ild
OUR  DOCTRINL                                                                                                                                                       easily accepts what is taught him and does not assume
     The Attributes Of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .;...I77 a critical attitude, the catechete must be very careful
                    Rev. H. Veldman                                                -                                                                                al:d must be conscious of his great responsibility.  This
                                                                                                                                                                    ie true not only in respect to the contents of his instruc-
THE DAY OF  SHADOWS-                                                                                                                                                tion but also for his entire appearance, for the child
     Abner's Assassination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  *..
                                                                                                                                                       181          imitates easily,-especially the smaller child. What
     Our Student-Teacher Club. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184                    the teacher does he will want to do also. His mien,
                    Rev. G. M. Ophoff                                                                                                                               his bearing and gestures, and the entire appearance
                                                                                                                                                                    of the teacher make an impression on him ; and he
STON'S  ZANGEN-                                                                                                                                                     copies his instructor in every respect.  ,411  &he more
     Liefdevol,  Schoon Zwaar Getcrgd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . `;,; . . . . . . . . . . . .186                                           he must be careful and. niust not proceed from the
                    Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                     supposition that his instruction and bearing do noi;
                                                                                                                                                              *'    matter so  ~much in the class of small children. He
IN HIS FEAR---                                                                                                                                                      must also attempt to think himself into the life of the
     Training For Life's Cal&g . . . . . . . . . . . ..*............................... . . . . . . . . . 188
                    Rev. J. A.  Heya                                                                                                                                child and to adapt himself to. it. He must therefore
                                                                                                                                                       ".^          be simple in his instruction and not make a great show
P E R I S C O P E -                                                                                                                                                 of wisdom ; the child does not understand great things.
     Van Kust Tot Kust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..."... 190             Not only must he refrain from giving a dogmatical
            Rev. W. Hofman                                                                                                                        :                 exposition of the Trinity for .a child of `six:years old,
                    _
9                                                                                                                                                                   but he, also must. not speak of hundreds of miles .in


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          173

the discussion of a narrative of Scripture, for the friend and their guide. He must exercise patience
 child does not know what a mile is and also has no           also, if from the midst of a class of catechumens of
 conception of the number 100. He therefore must this age all kinds of questions arise that probably have
 connect himself by the apperceptions of the child. seemingiy nothing to do with the lesson that is being
 He also may make use of the imagination "of a child taught. In the meantime in this period a serious
and render his instruction as concrete as possible. It beginning must be made with the instruction in the
 is also of the greatest importance that he gain the con- fundamental dogmatical truths. It is possible that
 fidence of. the child: this will encourage the pupil to      in the first part of this period the truths are still
open. his childish heart for him ; and .when  the child       viewed from a historical point of view; but neverthe-
 does that, the teacher must be careful `that he does         less, the emphasis must no longer fall on the history
not leave the impression of considering the childish but on the doctrine. The catechete must insist in this
problems of no account. He must much rather take period that the lesson be committed to memory. It is
 into consideration that these childish questions `are also commendable that the catechumens of this age
very serious to the child. He must also be honest in be assigned to do some work at home in connection
 relation to the child, for the latter feels very keenly. with the lesson. The catechete, however, must be
 When he makes a mistake in the treatment of the              careful that he does not demand too much in this
 lesson and the mistake is noticed by the child, the          respect, lest some of the catechumens be'discouraged.
 teacher must not try to save his face by all kinds of           "The last period is that of later adolescence, or
subterfuges, but rather acknowledge his mistake free-
                                                         3    young people of the age of sixteen until the time of
 ly.                                                          making confession of faith. This period is character-
        "The age of the child is easily divided into three    ized by more stability than the former.           In every
periods, and this division is also to be recommended sphere the young people confront the necessity of
as a basis for division into classes, if, namely, the         making a choice, also in respect to the covenant. The
_ number of pupils permits.       In that case the first words of Scripture, `Choose you this day whom ye will
ciass includes the ages of six to eight: the second class serve,' are  ,impressed  more deeply upon their con-
the ages of nine and ten ; and the third class the ages sciousness. The instruction of this period must take
of eleven to thirteen. In these different classes there this into account. It must be indeed chiefly doctrinal
ought to be a gradual ascent from the simple narrative,       instruction, but with a more thorough discussion of
v+-ithout  mention of time or place, in the first. period the various doctrinal problems and with application
to the connected narrative, mentioning `time and place, to practical spiritual life. This period is, of course,
in the second period, and finally to the treatment of closed by the making `of confession of faith.
Biblical History from a somewhat ideal point of view,            "However, it is strongly to be recommended to
with the explanation of the significance of persons,          continue catechism even after confession of faith `has
historical events, types,  et&,  in the third period.         been made, in order that those especially who have a
        The period covering the ages of thirteen to fifteen, desire to learn may have an opportunity for further
 inclusive, is called the period of early adolescence. It development.         Various questions and subjects that
 is a period of transition both from a physical and from cannot be treated in the common catechism class can
a psychological viewpoint. This is true first of all          be discussed in such a special class. Problems that
because this period is the  age' of puberty.  In. this are related' to the church political side of ecclesiastical
period the body  ,of the child grows almost visibly.          1ife;to  the task of officebearers, to liturgical questions,
The arms and legs of the boy and girl in this period          as well as our confessions, the Netherland Confession
sometimes become so long that he does not know what and the Canons, and the forms-especially of Baptism
to do with them. Besides, this period is characterized and the form for the Lord's Supper-offer abundant
by a certain instability. On the one hand, there is           material that is worthy of being treated.
often a certain inclination to act very independently ;          "In catechism it is undoubtedly the best rule to
but on the other hand, there is as yet no stability.          divide :the classes according to the ages of the cate-
The boy and girl in this period are exposed to all            chumens.    These ages will have to be changed, no
kinds of influences. Besides, they are becoming critical.     doubt, according as the classes are larger or smaller ;
The period of early childhood, in which one accepts           but as a rule the ages must determine the size of the
everything on authority, is past. The age of reflec- classes. This is undoubtedly not ideal, and it has been
tion has set in, and the boy or girl begins to judge attempted to let the advancement of the catechumens
somewhat independently. The catechete therefore must determine this matter ; but in actual practice this is
in this period especially be discrete and wise, sympa- very  difficult to be realized. The young people of the
thetic, kind, longsuffering, and steadfast. He must same age in the midst of the congregation feel that
attempt to gain the confidence of these early adoles-         they belong'together and  wiI1 not easily let themselves
tents and be not only their instructor but' also their        be put in a class in which they do not belong according

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

to their age. And therefore practice must dominate Pro_. Ref. Churches. However, also in this second
the. ideal in this respect."                                          article, although the. Rev. Van Raalte does not men-
                 Thus far the quotation from my Catechetics.          tion our churches, he expresses his opinion rather
:                And this quotation may serve at the same time as plainly that he does not think it advisable for the
an'answer to the Rev. Gritters, both in regard to my immigrants to America and Canada to join the Pro-
syst.c  of catechetical instruction apd in regard to my testant Reformed Churches. It is evidently his opinion
n@ho$ of instruction the youth in the knowledge of that the immigrants from the Netherlands, seeing
our confessions.                                                      that they cannot join the Christian Reformed Churches
          ,.y,`.According  to this system I have given catechetical of this country either, stay by themselves and organize,
&&ruction  for over thirty years, and I found it very                 if possible, churches of their own.
satisfactory. We have no need of a new system at all.                    Let me state first of all that the Rev. Van Raalte
My young people I jnstructed  in almost everything of                 was one of the brethren that opposed the synodical
ar,y importance .in the line of Reformed truth, as the                decisions regarding correspondence with the Protest-
reader may judge from the following list of subjects.                 ant Reformed Churches in America. Concerning this
                 1; Three times I went with them  ,very carefully matter I found the following news item in the Gerefor-
and thoroughly through the Canons of Dordrecht, once neerd  Kerkbkid  Voor Overijsel en Gelderlund:
iri  c&!stion  and answer form.                                          "Br. A. Zijlstra rapporteert, dat men in commissie
`,          `i. For the third time I was teaching the Nether-         I  van.mening  is, dat de tegen deze correspondentie  in-
land Confession when I took sick.                                     gebrachte bezwaren van de Particuliere Synode van
           3,:.More  than once I went through the Baptism             Overijsel-Gelderland niet steekhoudend zijn, en beveelt
&ran.                        F.                                       aan om deputaten voor correspondentie met buiten-
                 4. Besides, I went through the form for the ad- landsche kerken op te dragen  deze correspondentie
ministration of the Lord's Supper, the form for  ex-                  voor te bereiden en tot een goed  einde te brengen, en
ccmmunication,  and the form for re-admitting excom- reeds nu de predikanten van die kerken toe te staan.
municated persons.                                                    in onze kerken een stichtelijk woord te spreken.
".:L,; 5. For two years I studied with them the entire                   "Dit rapport met de voorstellen ontmoet een zware
b,ook  of Revelation.                                                 bestrijding, met name van ,Ds. Vi&e, Prof. Holwerda
     .           6. Twice I went through the book of Daniel.          en Ds. Van Raalte.
i .,T. The.,first  three chapters of Genesis we studied                  "Bijzonder Prof.`.Holwerda wijst er op, dat we met
for two or three years.                                               het aanvaarden  .van die correspondentie ondraagbare
                 8. I gave them a popular course in the history of    consequent&s  op ons nemen: wij brengen onze eigen
<doctrine.                                                            mensen in onzekerheid, wij geven de synodocratie  een
"  ,' 9. Besides, I studied with them the Three Points.               stok in de hand om ons te slaan, en we geven de
`:  .lO. And one year I explained to them the. recent                 Christelijk Gereformeerden aanleiding om ons te  vra-
     controversy  in the Netherlands.                                 gen, of we het niet meer voor onze ,rekening  nemen en
                 Always ,I prepared a mimeographed lesson which de formule van 1905 eerlijk hebben gemeend.
,@ey might study and save.                                                "Later wordt het rapport met tal van argumenten
                 But let me emphasize once more in conclusion that verdedigd door Ds. den Boeft en Prof. Schilder, waar-
,& is very essential that our children start with Biblical bij we1 enkele dingen verhelderend werken, maar de
     +tory, and to ignore or discard this is a fundamental bezwaren bij de bestrijders niet weggenomen blijken
error.                                                                te zijn.
                                                                          "Namiddags wordt het debat voortgezet, waarbij
                                                                      Ds. D. Van Dijk het rapport ook aanvalt.
                                                                          "Tenslotte  gaat het naar de commissie terug, opdat
                                                                      ze er zich nader over berade."
!                      Advice To Immigrants                            : In brief this means that the proposed advice of
           .'
                                                                      committee I regarding correspondence with our church-
.., In the  Gereformeerd   k'erkblad   Voor   Overijsel  en es met with strong opposition from some of the mem-
      Gelderlund the Rev. J. Van Raalte from  Neede.writes            ber& of the synod.
     `a-word of advice to immigrants from the Netherlands                In a later number of the same paper we read that
.to Ameri'ca and to Canada especially in two articles,                the conclusions of committee I regarding correspond-
      of  .which  only the second one reached me. I am very c.nce were-adopted by synod, but at the same time we
<sorry that the copy of said paper in which he wrote                  read :
      the first of those articles was not received by me,                 "Een negental leden  der Synode ging deze conclusie
      hecause I have reason to surmise that especially the            te ver. Zij wilden ze iets meer gereserveerd houden,
      first article would have been of interest for us as             en het zo  ~formuleren,  dat de deputaten zouden  onder-


                                    T H E .   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                   175 :

zoeken, of correspondentie met deze kerken geoorloofd sc'hroven  om hun duidelijk te  maken, dat wij geene
en geboden is.                                                     nienwe  kerkformatie zijn, maar de voortzetting van de
   "De synode heeft  echter anders beslist. De tegen- Gereformeerde  Kerken in Nederland, en dat wij be-'
stemmers verzochten aanteekening van hun tegen- geercn de correspondentie voort te zetten.
stemmen in de acta."                                                  "l-let heet nu, dat die brief niet is aangekomen bij
   This means that nine members of synod were ds.  D a n h o f .
opposed to the decisions concerning correspondence                    "Dat is mogelijk, maar het is geene reden  om'de
with our churches. They wanted to change the de- corrcspondentie op te zeggen of te weigeren, want het
cisions in such a way that they would merely have the telegram heeft reeds om voortzetting van de corres-
deputies for correspondence investigate whether. or pondentie gevraagd, maar de Chr. Ger. Kerk wil met.:.
not it is permissible and demanded to have correspond-                "Die. verlangt van ons, dat wij eenen brief schrij-
ence with our churches.                                            ven en daarin om correspondentie met haar vragen.
   And in still another news item in the same paper De Chr. Ger. Kerk wil de oude correspondentie niet
we read:                                    .                      voortzetten, die wil eene nieuwe met ons aanknoopenr
   "Vooraf  worden  de Acta vastgesteld ; daarna wordt W a a r o m ?                                             ,'  I  `.         `-
meegedeeld, dat ds. v. d. Born, ds. Bosscha, .ds. D. van              "Omdat zij ons als eennieuwe  kerkgroep beschouwtr;
Dijk,  Prof.  Holwerda, oud. Pilon ds. van Raalte en als eene groep van scheurmakers. Dat zit daar achter.
ds. Vi&e aanteekening verzoeken dat zij het besluit                   "Zij wil, dat wij door het schrijven van zoo'n brief
inzake de eorrespondentie niet voor vast en bondig zelf zullen erkennen  .dat wij de scheurmakers zijn ge-
houden en  zich voorbehouden dat besluit te  bestrij-
                                      _          "7  ,;,*  ..`.    weest.
den."                                                                 *Want wij  worden  door haar als scheurmakers  be:
   The above seven delegates, therefore, - wanted' it schouwd en behandeld.
recorded in the Acts of Synod that they do not regard                 "Wilt  gij U daarbij- aansluiten?
the decision concerning correspondence with the Pro-                  "Dat beteekent eene  totale verloochening van  het-
testant Reformed Churches as settled and binding and geen gij hier zijt geweest en in volle overtuiging `des
that they intend to combat that decision.                          geloofs hebt gedaan.
   In this light we can understand what the Rev. Van                  "Daarom is dat onmogelijk.
Raalte advises to immigrants in America and Canada.                   "Daarom  willen wij ook met  allen  nadruk er op
I will quote the entire article. He writes as follows :            aandringen : Sluit U niet aan bij deze `kerk' die ons
   "Breeders  en Zusters  !                                        ook uitwerpt, en die op dezelfde wijze camoufleert als
   Er is ook wat veranderd in Amerika: Daar heeft de  pynodale kerken in Nederland.
men de zijde van de synodale  kerken gekozen. Daar                    "Misschien vraagt U, wat U dan naar onze meening
mogen de dominees preeken, die ons hebben geschorst moet doen?
en afgezet, maar de geschorsten en afgezetten  worden               .' "Dat is eenvoudig :
f:r niet toegelaten.                                                  "In gehoorzaamheid -aan Gods Woord Uwen weg
   "Nu poogt men in den laatsten tijd onze menschen gaan, gelijk gij dat in Nederland hebt gedaan; en
daar te vangen op eene andere man&, n.1. door het                  daarbij, als het noodig is, alleen staan.                             ,
verhaal, dat onzerzijds nooit eene aanvrage is gedaan                 "Wil de synode der Chr. Ger. Kerk op haar  be&it
om met de C.G.K. in correspondentie te treden. Ook terugkomen,  en de oude correspondentie voortzetten,
dat is weer eene scheeve voorstelling van de dingen.               dan verandert de zaak.
De ware situatie is deze:                                           "Maar zij heeft reeds tweemaal het bewijs  ge-
   "Wij hebben altijd in correspondentie gestaan met               leverd, dat zij dat niet wil, zoowel in 1947 als in 1948.
de Chr. Ger. Kerk in Amerika. Daa'rom  zou een ver-                   "Daarom is daar onze plaats niet, want zij weert
zonk om de correspondentie op  te nemen dwaas zijn.                Christus getrouwe  khechten  even zoo  goed als de
   "Want dat zou beteekenen, dat  wij ons als een                  `synode' hier heeft gedaan.                                .
nieuwe  kerk aandienden bij de Chr. Ger. Kerk.                        "Wij geven U daarom den raad om als leden van
   "Wij zijn geene nieuwe kerken, maar de Gerefor-                 de Gereformeerde Kerken contact met elkaar te  zoekenl
mqerde Kerken in Nederland, die zonder meer met                    De Kerk van Neede, die ook leden  in Canada  h&ft
de Chr. Ger. Kerk in correspondentie ,staan. Daarom                wonen,  nam daartoe het .initiatief het vorige jaar en
is de Chr. Cer. Kerk door' ons dan ook uitgenoodigd                werd. door; de classis Arnhem aangewezen als `contact-
om afgevaardigden op onze Synode te Groningen te kerk' vour deze classis ; de partic.  synode van Overijsel-
zenden.  Dat is telegrafisch verzocht.                             Gelderland  wees de Kerk van Neede  `aan voor het  op-
   "De Chr. Ger. Kerk heeft geweigerd om afgevaar-                 nemen en bevorderen van contact tusschen d&em@
dig&n te zenden,  met de opmerking, dat . ..men  geene             granten  voor deze beide provincies.
corrcspondentie  met onze Kerken had.                :  '  1::'      3ntusschen is ook in andere provincies deze zaak
   "Daarop  is op 9 Juli 1946 nbg eens een brief ge-               ter h&.%e genomen. Er is' eene particuliere  commissie


1'76                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

in Zuid-Holland, en een kerkelijk Bureau in Utrecht            opposed to correspond with the Protestant Reformed
opgericht, alles met het doel om U in Uwe moeilijke            Churches, they evidently are very desirous- to seek
positie te helpen.                                             correspondence with the Chr. Ref. Church. This is
        "Houd daarom stand in het geloof !                     very evident: in the first place, from the fact that
        "Bouw mee aan de Kerk van Christus en help haar        twice they attempted to establish or to continue such
vergaderen naar het Woord van God en niet naar correspondence with the Chr. Ref. Church ; and second-
menscheninzicht en zondige synodebesluiten.                    ly, from the fact that the Rev. van Raalte writes that
        "Tracht zoo mogelijk daar de Kerk van  Christus        the attitude of the immigrants toward joining the
naar Zijn Woord tot openbaring te brengen in dezen             Chr. Ref. Church in this country may change as soon
geest :                                                        as the attitude of the Chr. Ref. Church in regard to
        " `God van den hemel die zal het ons doen  gelukken correspondence with the Liberated Churches changes.
en wij Zijne knechten zullen ons opmaken en bouwen.'  "        It is clear from all that the Rev. van Raalte writes in
        We have no space in the present issue of the  Stun-    his advice to the immigrants in Canada and also in
dard Bearer to reflect ,upon  this advice of the Rev.          the United States that as soon as the Chr. Ref. Church
van Raalte, but, the Lord willing, we will do so in our        condescends to establish correspondence with the Liber-
next issue, and hope that in the meantime we will              ated Churches the immigrants from the latter may
probably still receive the first installment of this ad- join them.
vice. If we do not receive it, I would kindly ask the             Now, I ask in the hope that the Rev. van Raalte
Rev. van Raalte still to send the copy .to us as soon as will serve me with a well-motivated answer: why is
possible.                                                      this? How must it be explained that he is so opposed
                                                H. H.'         to establish correspondence with the Protestant Re-
                                                               formed Churches, while he, seeks such correspondence
                                                               with the Chr. Ref. Church? I hope that the under-
                                                               lying motive for this difference in attitude with the
  Once More:                                                   Rev. van Raalte is not that our churches are small
                                                               and despised.
              Advice To Immigrants                                Yet, on the other hand, I cannot conceive that this
                                                               difference is a matter of principle with the Rev. van
        Just after I wrote the above article the mailman Raalte. Consider the following :
brought me the copy of  t.he  Gereformeerd   Kerkbhd              First, the Chr. Ref. Church accepts the theory of
voor Overijsel  en Gelderland in which the first install-      presumptive regeneration, at least unofficially. Un-
ment of the advice to immigrants by the Rev. J. van            officially they have repudiated Heyns and his view of
Raalte appeared.        That first article, however, was the covenant. When I say "unofficially", I mean in
extremely disappointing, since we surely expected that the first place that the theory of presumptive regener-
in it the Rev. van Raalte would at least have mentioned ation is taught in the Theological School of the Chris-
our churches. But there is not a word*about  them in it. tian Reformed Church, and in the second place that
He only complains that from the side of the Christian the editor of the Ba.nner openly defends this theory
Reformed Churches in America every attempt is                  and presents it as the doctrine of the Chr. Ref. Church.
made to have the immigrants also from the Liberated            Now, the decision concerning this matter by the synod
Churches join them. This attempt, according to the             of the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands in 1942
Rev. van Raalte, is made under the pretext that the            was one-of the main stumbling blocks over which the
Christian Reformed Churches in America have not people of the Reformed Churches under Art. 31 fell
assumed any position whatever over against the Re- and because of which they liberated themselves in 1944.
formed Churches of the Netherlands under Art. 31.              And on the other hand, although we do not accept
And this he indignantly denies.                                their view of the children of the covenant, we neither
        However, since we as Prot. Ref. Churches are less      hold the view of presumptive regeneration. But we
interested in the controversy which the Rev. van Raalte ask: how can the Rev. van Raalte, if it is a matter of
may have with the Christian Reformed Churches here principle with him, be so desirous to establish cor-
on this point, we do not deem it necessary to quote the respondence with the Chr. Ref. Church?
entire first installment of the advice to immigrants.             Secondly, the Chr. Ref. Church in 1926, at their
        Seeing, however, that we have both articles now in .Synod of Englewood, Chicago, accepted the hierarch-
our possession, we may as well utilize the rest of our ical principle that classis and synod have power and
space in this issue to finish our remarks on this mat-         authority over the local consistories. They therefore
ter.                                                           condemn the interpretation of Art. 31 of the Church
        And then I must in the first place express my sur- Qrder which is maintained by the Liberated Churches.
prise that while the Rev. van Raalte and others are so         On the other hand, we, as  Prot.  Ref. Churches, accept


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                             177

wholeheartedly the principle of the autonomy of the concerned, I have. stated before, and I say it again,
local congregation. But again 1 ask why the Rev. van that we detest Heynsianism; and if the Liberated
Ibaalte is so opposed to seeking  correspondencegwith        Church members in Canada believe the Heynsian view
the  Prot. Ref. Churches, while he deplores the fact of the covenant, they cannot be received as members
that they cannot have corresp.ondence  wtththe Chr. with us unless they are converted. For it is our convic-
Ref, Church in America.                           ."         tion that Heynsianism is not Reformed but Arminian.
    Thirdly, in 1924 the Chr. Ref. Churches accepted            But that does not mean that we like to .be con-
the doctrine of common grace in the well-known Three temptuously ignored.
Points, and it is because we refused to accept this doc-        For his attitude the Rev. van Raalte cannot ofltek*
trine as Reformed. and Biblical that the Chr. Ref. as an excuse that his churches have decided to seek
Church. cast us out from their fellowship.  `But we correspondence with our churches, for he plainly de-
understand, and all that is written recently in the          clared and has his name in the Acta for this declara-
various papers in the Netherlands corroborates it,           tion that he does not consider the decisions reached
that also. the Liberated Churches refuse to accept this by synod cincerning correspondence with our churches
doctrine of common grace. as contained in the Three settled and binding and that he will oppose them.
Points. And again I ask the Rev. van  .Raalte,  if it           To realize this opposition, however, he must not
is a matter of principle with him, why he can so earn- simply be silent and ignore us, but come out in lhe
estly oppose correspondence with our  .Protestant  Ref.      open and state his reasons and motives for his oppi.
Churches and be so desirous of establishing such cor- sition to correspondence with the Protestant Reformcj
respondence with the Chr. Ref. Church.                       Churches.
    Finally, the Rev. van Raalte is well acquainted with        And therefore I earnestly hope that the Rev. van
the fact that the Chr. Ref. Church in America adopted Raalte will write about this matter and that he will
ia 1908 the Conclusions of Utrecht, 1905, which our answer my questions.
churches have never adopted and which the Liberated             In conclusion, let me state that the immigrants f rorn'
Churches in the Old Country have repudiated. But the Netherhmds  in Canada, from Vancouver to Mon-
again, how can the Rev. van Raalte be so enthusiastic treal, generally complain that the preaching of the
t:) seek correspondence with the  C,hr. Ref.  Church,        Christian Reformed ministers is very poor and cer-
Tvhile he is opposed to correspondence with the,.Prct.       tainly not reformed, while they hear a new note,-a
Rd. Churches?                                                Reformed note,-in the preaching of the  minist.ers
    But there is another matter to which I want to call from the Protestant Reformed Churches.
a t t e n t i o n .                                                                                          H. H.
    It is very. ,striking indeed that in the articles of
advice to the immigrants in the United States and
Canada by the Rev. van Raalte not one word is said
about the Prot. Ref. Churches.
    He:i&of course, well acquainted with them. He               "  :  (HJJ$  D'OCTRINE
knows,. besides, that our churches `have been and are                         '
still working in Canada among the immigrants. Yet,
he  completeIy~.ignores   us' and acts  `as if we did not
mist. By implication, of course, he plainly intimates                The Attributes Of God
that ihe immigrants are advised not to ,join the Pro-
testant Reformed Churches  ; but he never even,  mcn-                              (INCOMMUNICABLE)     l
tions  them.                                                    Toward the close of our preceding article we had
    That hurts.                                              begun our discussion with the attributes of God's
    The reason why this hurts is not because we are Immutability. We concluded that article by calling
so eager to increase the membership of our churches attention to several passages from the Word of God
and to become a large denomination. We `are not look- which seem to indicate that the Lord is characterized
ing for anything like that at all. We strive rather to by changeableness in His attribute toward and deal-
keep  our churches as pure as possible,. both in regard ings with the children of men. We noted that Scrip-
to doctrine and life. And as a result we cannot expect ture speaks of the Lord as repenting Himself of an
a remarkable growth, especially not in the miserable action taken, of changing His purpose, of becoming
age in which we live. There are not many that wil! angry, of laying aside His wrath, etc. But there is
accept the pure Reformed'truth,'  and very few in our more.
age will live from the principle of the antithesis and          In the  fulness  of time God comes to us in the
keep their garments clean. And as far as increasing Christ, assumes our flesh and blood, and establishes
our membership from the immigrants in Canada is His dwelling place within the Church by His Spirit;

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

  He `thereupon rejects Israel and takes the Gentiles also gives them the preaching of the gospel, and this
  into His fellowship. And in the lives of His people preaching of the gospel is presented today as a token
  there is a continuous change in the consciousness of of Divine mercy and love toward all the hearers of
  guilt and the forgiveness of sin, of the experiencing the "good, news". Today is the day of salvation, the
  of His wrath and then of His love, of a being for- day of grace, the day of mercy and compassion, the
  saken of Him and then the enjoyment of His presence day when the Lord proclaims His general love to save
  -this. is everywhere substantiated by the Word of and to pardon, the day when the Lord stands with
  God. Yet, on the other hand, Scripture repeatedly His arms extended, offering to all the hearers of the
  emphasizes the truth that Jehovah is ever the same. gospel the salvation in Christ Jesus ; tomorrow it. may
  All, -things may and do change ; but the Lord remains be too late. Today is the day of salvation; tomorrow
  ever' the same-with Him there is no change or may be the day of wrath. Today the Lord is graciously
  shadow of turning; He is Jehovah, the I AM, the First inclined ; tomorrow He may have withdrawn His love
  and. the Last, yet ever the same God. And even as He and grace and reveal Himself exclusively as the God of
  is unchangeable in His Being and essence, so also He wrath and, indignation. Today the Lord loves ; tomor-
  is unchangeable in all His relations to the children of row He may hate. This, we understand, surely pre-
  men. He is not a man that He should lie or the son      sents the Lord as a changeable God, a God  character-
  of .man. that He should repent; He does what He de- ized...by a shadow of turning. This God Who loves
  clares, -He never forsakes His. people, He finishes what today and withdraws His love tomorrow is not ever-
  He, has. once begun.                                    lastingly the same but is changeable and variable in
         How must we understand these passages in the His moods and inclinations. The theory of "Common
  light of the Scriptural truth that the Lord is the Grace" suffers shipwreck also upon the rock of God's
  immutable God? On the one hand, we must bear in Immutability. The Lord is the same, today, tomorrow,
  mind that the realization of God's eternal works occur and forever.
  in time ; and, inasmuch as these works do not affect
  any change .in ,God Himself because as in Him they            The Attributes Of God. (Communicable)
  are exalted above all the laws of space and time and       The communicable attributes of God are those attri-
  are eternally perfect and complete, God remains the butes or virtues of God which, in a creaturely manner,
  Immutable. We have in `time merely the unfolding are reflected in man.           Strictly speaking, so we re-
  of' His eternal thoughts, and they remain ever `the marked in previous articles, all the perfections of the
  same. ,4nd when the Lord, in Christ, assumes our Lord are incommunicable. God is His attributes. God
  flesh  `and. blood, He does not change, for according to cannot be communicated to the creature ; this also
our Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 14, the Son applies to His attributes. Yet, whereas the incom-
  of God, assuming our human nature, is and remains municable perfections of the Lord are to be ascribed
  the true and eternal God. And, although the Scrip-
  ---..~   -.    ._                                       to the Lord alone, man (the child of God) does reflect,
  tures speak of God as repenting Himself, or that- He in a creaturely measure, as a creature, some of the
  apparently changes in His relation to the children of virtues of God, and these are, therefore, called com-
  men, yet this does not signify an actual change in the municable. We must bear in mind that man possesses
  living God Himself, but it merely refers to the realiza- them and reflects them only in a ereaturely  measure.
  tion of His counsel in harmony with the nature and These communicable attributes of the Lord are: Intel-
  condition of the creature.                              lect (Knowledge and wisdom), Will (Righteousness,
         Hence, the Lord is the Immutable One. He is Holiness, Goodness, Justice, Longsuffering, Mercy,
  unchangeable within Himself, in His own Being. He Love, Friendship,  ,Grace,  Lovingkindness), and Power.
  is the God of infinite perfection, the Rock, in Whom
  there. is no change or shadow of turning. He is also                      God's Knowledge.
  the Unchangeable in His attitude toward and in all          The Knowledge of the Lord we define as that
  Ibis dealings with the children of men. His pity does virtue of God whereby He completely fathoms and
  not&become indignation, and He -does not change from knows with perfect consciousness Himself and all His
  an attitude of love into that of wrath. This the "Com- works within and outside Himself. This is thoroughly
  mon Grace" theorists would have us believe. They Scriptural. God knows Himself--"All things are de-
  proclaim that, in this life, the Lord is favorably in- livered unto Me of My Father: and no man knoweth
  clined to the children of men, that He reveals  this the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the
  attitude of pity and compassion in the good things Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son
  which He bestows upon them, such as sunshine, rain, will reveal Him.?,  Matt.  11:27; "No man hath  yeen
  health, bread, etc.     In addition to the many good God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in
  things which the Lord bestows upon all men and also the bosom of the Father, He .hath. declared Him. . , .
  upon the ungodly in His mercy and compassion, He As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father:


                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                     x79
and I lay down My life for the sheep", John  1:18, and reins" ; 1 Kings 8 :39 : "Then hear Thou in heaven
10 :16 ; "But God hath revealed them unto us by .His Thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to
Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the every man according to his ways, whose heart Thou
deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things knowest ; (for Thou, even Thou only knowest the
of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even hearts of all the children of men ;) " Luke 16 :15,: "And
so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit He said unto them, Ye `are they which justify your-
of God", I Cor. 2 :lO-11. But the Lord also knows all selves before me ; but God knoweth your hearts ;  &r
things outside  His own Being. Shall He not hear, that which is highly esteemed among men is abomin;it-
Who hath planted the ear; shall He not see, Who bath tion in the sight of God."; Acts  1:24 : "And they
formed the eye?-Ps. 94 :4. Repeatedly the Scriptnrr>:      prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, Which knowest the
speak of the Lord's knowledge and wisdom-Job  12 : 13 :    hearts of all men, shew whether of these two. Thou
`*With  Him is wisdom and strength, He hath counsel hast chosen:"; Rom. 8  :27: "And He that searcheth
and understanding" ; see also Job  28.:12-28  ;  Pro\..    the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,
8:12ff.; "I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out because He maketh intercession for the saints a&cord-
knowledge of witty inventions. . ." ; Ps. 147  :5 : "Great ing to the will of God."; our thoughts and debibera-
is our Lord, and of great power.: .His ,understandmg       tions, Ps. 139 :2: "Thou knowest my  -downsittingand
is infinite." ; Rom. 11:33,  16 :27: "0 the depth of the mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar
riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! how off" ; Ezek. 11: 5 : "And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon
unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the Lord..:
finding out! . . . To *God only wise, be glory through Thus have ye said, 0 house of Israel : for I know the
Jesus Christ for ever. Amen."; Eph.  3:lO: "To the tllings that come into your mind, every one of. them.,);
intent that now unto the principalities and powers in I Cor.  .3:20: "And again, The Lord knoweth the
heavenly places might be known by the church .the thoughts of the wise, and they are vain."; 1 Thess.
manifold wisdom of God."                                   2:4: "But as we were allowed of God to be put in
   Moreover, this knowledge of God has the entire trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleas-
creature for its object. The eye of the Lord runs to ing men, but God, which trieth our hearts." ; Rev. 2.:23 :
and fro throughout the whole earth, 2 Chron. 6  :9:        "And I will kill her children with death; and all `the
"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout        churches shall know that I am He which searcheth
the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf the reins and hearts : and I will give unto every' one
of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. Herein of you according to your works."; man in his origii
thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth and being and in all his ways, Ps. 139: night and  da&
thou shalt have wars."; everything is known unto Him Ps.  139:11, 12: "If 1 say, Surely the darkness shall
and lies nuked before His  eye, Heb. 4  ~13 : "Neither is cover me ; even the night shall be light about me. `%a,
there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: the darkness hideth not from Thee ; but the' night
but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes shineth as the day: the darkness and the light. are
of Him with Whom we have to do."; the smaltest  and both alike to Thee."; hell and corruption, `Prov.  15.~1%:
least significant,  Matt.  6:8, 32, 10  ~30: "Be not ye "Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much
therefore like unto  ,them:  for your Father knoweth more, then, the hearts of the children of men?"; e&l
what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him. . . . and sin, Ps. 69 ~5: "0 God, Thou knowest my foolish-
For after all these, things do the Gentiles seek: for ness ; and my sins are not hid from Thee."; Jer. 16 i17:
your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of "For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not
all these things. . . . But the very hairs of your hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from
head are all numbered."; the reins and the heart, Jer. mine eyes" ; Jer. 18 :23, 32 :19 : "Yet, Lord, Thou know-
11:20,   x7:9, 10, 20  :12: "But,  0 Lord of hosts, that est all their counsel against me to slay me: forgi.ve
judge& righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from
let me see Thy vengeance on them :  .for unto Thee have thy sight, but let them be overthrown  before+,Tl%%;
I revealed my cause. . . . The heart is deceitful above deal thus with them in the time of Thine anger.&  . .
all things, and desperately wicked : who can know it? Great in counsel, and mighty in work : for Thine  .ey&
I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to gi<e
give every man according to his ways, and according every one according to his ways,  ,and according to the
to the fruit of  his:doings.  . . . But, 0 Lord of hosts, fruit of his doings."    Indeed, everything is known
that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the unto the Lord.                                          f
heart, .let me see Thy vengeance upon them: for unto          To this we may add that the Lord knows ail things,
Thee have I opened my cause."; Ps. 7 :9 : "Oh let the not by perception, not merely by seeing them .before
wickedness  ,of the wicked come to an end; but estab- hand, but eternally. This, too, is abundantly taught
lish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts in the Word of God-Acts 15  :18: "Known unto Gad

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

     are all His works from the beginning of the world."; understanding.`!; Rom.  11:33:  "0 the depth of  thd
     1 Cor. 2:7: "But we speak the wisdom of God in a riches both of  the, wisdom and knowledge of God! how
     mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained unsearchable are..His  judgments and His ways past
     before the world unto our glory."; Romans 8  :29  :          finding out ! )    I
     "For whom He did foreknow, them He also did pre-                The knowledge of God must, of course, be' distin-
     destinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, guished from our knowledge. In the' first place, God
     that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." ; knows all things of Himself and all things are as He
     Eph.  1:4, 5: "According as He hath chosen us in knows them  ; we know the things  .only ' through `per-
     Him before the foundation of the world, that we should ception (waarneming) and revelation. Our knowledge
     be holy and without blame before him-in love: Having of things is determined by the things ; we know the
     predestinated us unto the adoption of children by things only after they exist; their existence precedes
     Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure our knowledge of them. The Lord knows all things
     of His will."; 2 Tim. 1:9 : "Who hath saved. us, and         of Himself and they are as He knows them.             His
     called us with an holy calling, not according to. our knowledge is foreknowledge, goes before in the sense
     works, but according to His own purpose and grace,           that it precedes the things. God does not know them
     which was given us in Christ Jesus before the worid          as they are, but they are as He knows them; God's
     began."                                                      knowledge is a creative, all things-determining know-
        Hence, the knowledge of the Lord is not  subject-         ledge; we know about the things whereas the Lord
     to change or increase (Is.  40:13-14: "Who hath dir- simply knows the : things ; all things exist as the Lord
     ected the Spirit of the Lord, or being His counsellor        creatively has known, conceived of them. We know
     hath taught Him? With whom took He counsel, and because the things exist: but, with respect to the
     who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of Lo&they  exist as and because He sovereignly knew
     judgment, and taught Him in knowledge, and  shewed           them.     And this, we understand, applies to every-
     to Him the way of understanding?"; Rom.  11:34),             thing.    In this sovereign, `creative, all-determining
     is sure and definite (Ps. 139 : l-3 : "0 Lord, Thou hast     sense of the word the Lord knew sin and salvation,
     searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my  down-            the elect and the reprobate, light and darkness, life
     sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my and death, heaven and hell, angels and demons, the
     thought afar off.     Thou compasseth my path and truth and the lie, righteousness and unrighteousness,
     my iying down, and art acquainted with all my ways" :        the love of God and the hatred of Him, every thought
     Heb.  4.13.
            . . "Neither is there any creature that is not and inclination and desire within the heart and- soul
     mamfest  in His sight: but all things are naked  an.d        of  men. Fact is, according to Prov. 16 :l : "The pre-
     opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have tr, parations of the heart in man, and the answer of the
     do.`:), so that all the revelation of God is true (.Tohn     tongue, is from the Lord." God's knowledge, and that
     8.26, 17 :17 : "I have many things to say and to judge with respect to everything, is strictly foreknowledge,
     of ~?n : but He that sent Me is true: and I speak to the also eternally;  `it simply precedes the existence of all
     world those things which I have heard of `Him. `. . . things, never follows upon their existence.
     Sanctify them through Thy truth : Thy word is truth.")          In the second place, the knowledge, of the * Lord
     All the works  of  God  reveal  unto us His wisdom (Ps. must be distinguished from our knowledge. because
     104:24, 136  :5: "0 Lord, how manifold are Thy works! God's knowledge is strictly omniscience, whereas, our
     in wisdom hast Thou made them all: the earth is full knowledge is and ever remains very limited. . . 5We know
     of Thy riches. . . . To Him that by wisdom made only in part. Our knowledge of the things is limited,
     the heavens: for His mercy endureth for ever."; Eph. first of all; to the things of our immediate surround-
     3:lO: `To the intent that now unto the principalities ings ; we know only a little, a very little ,of what is
     and powers in heavenly places might be known by going on in the world wherein we have `a name and
     the church the manifold wisdom of God." ; Rom. 33  :16  :    place. Besides, what we know we know very super-
     "0 the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and ficially. The essence of things, of persons, of events
     knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are His judg- wedo not, cannot see. Many things we learn to know,
     ments, and His ways past finding out  !"), and prompt        if  we, ever learn to know them, long.. after they have
     us unto worship and admiration (Ps. 139 ~17-18 :`"How
a                                                                 happened. God's knowledge, however,. is strictly  .om-
     precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, 0 God ! ho:r         niscience. This applies, first of all, of `course, to Him-
     great is the sum of them! If I should count  the:n.          self. The Lord knows Himself,' His own infinite and
     they are more in number than the sand :' when I awai;e,      eternal Being, perfectly and with complete `conscious-
     I am still with Thee."; Is. 40  :28 :  "Hast'  thou not ness. There is in God no sub-consciousness. But this
     known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God,        omniscient knowledge' of the Lord also applies to `all
     the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth., fainteth    things.. He knows all, the things of today..: He sees
     not, neither is weary? there is no searching of  Hid and knows whatever is going on, throughout the world,


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEARE.R                                             181

in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, and in
the waters under the earth. Nothing is hid from His                     THE DAY OF SHADOWS
sight. Besides, He knows all things in the sense that
He fathoms them, understands them, really  ,+pow;s
them. ,God's knowledge is never superficial ; it is al-                        Abner's Assassination
ways profound and complete. Moreover, God knows
all things in their proper relation to one another; if               Leaving David's presence, Abner went forth to
this were not true, how could `the knowledge of the               gather all Israel unto his new lord as he had vowed.
Lord be perfect and complete? And, finally, Jehovah               He was gone but a little while perhaps when the
knows all things from the beginning until the end of              servants of David and Joab came "from a troop".
time. The  `Lord  enjoys constantly a "bird's eye view",          They had been warring against some enemy of Judah
not only of everything that is happening at the present and brought in a great spoil with them. David was
moment, but also of everything from the beginning still dependent on such raids for his livelihood. For
until the end of time, and this "bird's eye view" of a!1 no arrangements with the people had yet been made
things. is perfect, thorough, complete, so that He has for the support of himself, his household and his
.a11 His works constantly before His eye. This om- army. The text again states that Abner was no longer
niscience of the Lord is taught throughout the Word               with David in Hebron, David having sent him away
of .God, as in: Job 37:16, 1 Sam. 16:7, 1 Chron. 28 :9,           and he having' gone in peace. And when Joab and all
Ps.  139:1-4,  Jer.  17:10,  Deut.  2:7, Job  23:10,  24:23,      the host that was with him arrived, they told Joab,
31:4, Ps. 1:6, 119 :169. We will quote the first three saying, Abner the son of Ner came to David, and
passages : "Dost  thou know the balances of the clouds,           he dismissed him and he went in peace. Hearing,
the wondrous works of Him Which is perfect in know-               Joab was incensed. To his mind David had done fool-
ledge?. . . . But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look no?             ishly. Abner should have been taken captive and
on his countenance, or on the height ,of his stature;             executed.    It could still be done. So Joab came to
because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not                David not to consult with the king, but to take him
as man seeth ; for man looketh on the outward ,appear.            severely to task for allowing Abner to leave his pre-
i  ante,  but the Lord looketh on the heart. . . . . And thou,    sence in peace. Said he to the king, "What hast thou
Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father,                 done? Behold, Abner came to thee ; what is this  that
and serve Him with a perfect heart and.with a willing thou hast sent him away, and he is gone indeed?"
mind: for the-lord searcheth all hearts an'd  under-              The word "indeed" (the rendering of the Hebrew
standeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou absolute infinitive) must not be allowed to escape our
seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou for- notice. It indicates that Joab was in great heat. He
sake Him, He will cast thee off for. ever.,, And in would say, `Verily, he is gone, the rebel. He was only
Ps. 139 :l-4 we read the wellknown words : "0 Lord                too eager to get him from thy presence. Woe unto
Thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest thee, 0 king.' Joab justified in David's hearing his
my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest anxiety and passion and his extreme disgust with his
my thought afar off. Thou compasseth my path and lord. These are his words, "Thou knowest Abner the
my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.               son. of Ner, that he came to open thee," that is, `by
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, 0 Lord,            fair promises and honeyed words to get thee to reveal
Thou knowest it altogether." Indeed whereas our                   to him the secrets of thine heart', "and thus to know
knowledge is and remains very limited, ,the knowledge thy outgoing and thy incoming and to know all that
of the living God is strictly omniscience--He knows               thou art doing," that is, `all thy undertakings, thy
all things, and that in the complete and perfect sense whole course of life'.
of. the word.                                                        Leaving David's presence, Joab sent messengers
                      (to be continued)           '               after Abner, which overtook him at the well of Sireh
                                            H. Veldm&:            perhaps about two and a half miles from Hebron.
                         * *  *  *                                Abner, suspecting no evil, returned with the messen-
                                                                  gers. Doubtless, they had been instructed to say that
        "He goes before thee, 0 my soul !                         they were under David's orders and that he wanted
           Fear not to follow where He leads ;                    one more word with him. When he was returned,
        He knows the strength each task demands:                  Joab was, on. hand. Connected with the gate was a
           He. knows the grace each trial needs."                 space  where, according to the custom of the day, men
                                                                  used to meet for private and public conversation. Joab
 "I.  am the Light  of  the  World,: he  t&at  followeth   Me turned Abner aside to the middle of this space as if
s&all  not walk in darkness, ,but shdl bve:the Light he had need. .of speaking to. him privately out of hear-
of,,Life."--John         8:12.       :'      :         ,: L,      ing of  the'neople,  and there without warning he stabbed

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

him in the abdomen so that he died. That was first             To his account of Joab's deed the narrator at-
degree murder. It was a foul deed to which  only  a         taches the notice, "For the blood of Asahel  his brother."
godless, reprobated man, consumed with ambition,            Here is revealed that Joab sought to justify his doing
would stoop. Doubtless Joab was afraid that he was by an appeal to the command (Deut. 4 :41 sq. ; Josh.
to be superseded by Abner as general in David's 20  :I-9) according to which the  ~intentionul slayer had
army.                                                       to be put to death by the nearest of kin of the victim.
       It was a foul deed, unadulterated murder. This But Abner had not slain Asahel  willingly but in self-
is evident. In view of Abner's previous antagonism,         defence  on the battle field. Hence, the law just alluded
Joab would have been justified in warning David, to exonerated him. Joab's deed was murder. The
cautioning him to be on his guard. But he accused           narrative says as much in the sequel at verse 30, "So
Abner of seeking David's ruin still. But he had no          Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because
right. For the charge was baseless not only but even he had slain their brother  Asahel  at  Gibeon in battle."
refutable. For since their  covenating  together, Abner,    Here the text reveals, too, that Joab had committed
as was stated, had been as zealous for David as that crime with Abishai as his accomplice.
formerly he had been determined in his opposition to           Joab was a godless man. So he continued to revea!
him.       He had returned  Michal to David. He had himself during the rest of his career. Later on he
communicated with the- elders of Israel.        He had murdered Amara by the employment of the same
spoken in the ears of Benjamin. He had reported to kind of treachery, (20  :lO) . At the close of his career
David that all the tribes had expressed their willing- and to his own destruction he joined the party of
ness to acknowledge him as their king. Confirming Adonijah and was slain by order of Solomon as grasp-
his report by their presence were twenty men. Verily,       ing the horns of. the altar.
it was plain that he was already addressed to the task         One of the worst aspects of Joab's crime was that
not of organizing a new revolt against David but of         it brought David under a cloud of suspicion with the
gathering all Israel "unto my lord the king". The people. Every one hearing of it would naturally ask
evidence was there. Joab knew of this. It must be           whether David was ,co-responsible." The nation had
assumed that David had told him all. Yet in the face been brought to the verge of owning him as its king.
of all this evidence to the contrary, Joab insisted that    Should it be allowed to conclude that he had a share
Abner was still the antagonist of yore and thus a in the, deed, his reputation as a lover of righteousness
low character who could not be trusted out of sight and a hater of iniquity would be gone, and *God's believ-
and to whom a covenant meant nothing, a man whose ing people would be lost to him forever. So .when
words "though smoother than butter and softer than          David heard Qf it, his first act was to issue a public
oil", were "drawn swords". Abner's covenanting with declaration to the effect that "I and my  kingdom?
David was only a trick. Such were Joab's accusations. his posterity in the throne-are guiltless before the
But he had failed to substantiate them. He had come Lord forever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
with no facts. Notwithstanding he slew Abner.               Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's
       It might be, of course, that Joab knew Abner to be house ; and let there not faiI from the house of Joab
guilty.     If so, he should have brought him to trial,     one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that lean-
acquainted him with his accusations, produced his evi- eth on a staff, or that falleth  by the sword, or that
dence, and given him opportunity to defend himself. lacketh bread." Was this terrible curse uttered under
But this he failed to do. He simply assassinated Abner the impulse of David's sinful flesh in a moment  ,of
as untried and thus unheard and unconvicted. There unbridled carnal rage?  Qr was it inspired by the
could be but one reason. Joab had not a shred of            Spirit of Christ. The latter, certainly. Joab's re-
evidence to substantiate his charges.      And of this peated treacheries and the judgment of God by which
he was fully aware. He thus slew a man whom he he was finally overtaken-he perished by the sword of
was in duty bound to account innocent.                      Solomon in punishment of his sedition-indicates that
       Thirdly, let us consider how he slew Abner. He       it was prophecy to which David here gave utterance.
slew him by the employment of the basest kind of The curse would pursue also Joab's father's house, im-
treachery.                                                  plying that all its members were wicked and repro
       Finally, who was Joab to set himself up as judge bated men.
over Abner. David was king and judge, not he. And               It was indeed a terrible curse that was here called
David had taken Abner into his confidence and had down upon Joab's head. In terms of a typical lan-
covenanted with him.       That should have ended the guage it exiled him to the desolation of an eternal
matter also for Joab unless he had been able to pro- darkness. And to enlarge his punishment it would
duce evidence that Abner was seeking David's hurt. be made to operate aIso in his father's house in con-
But he had no such evidence. But he wanted Abner nection, certainly, with the wickedness of its members.
out of the way nevertheless.                                To regard this curse as an ebullience  to'David's sinful


                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                     183

  flesh is to put him so far in the shade as to make Abner's sake. His eligy, the tribute he paid Abner,
  it difficult to hold to his essential goodness. God binds us to the view that Abner had won his con-
  put these words of cursing in David's mouth ; and fidence, affection and esteem, and also his forgive-
  he cursed Joab, did David, under the constraint of ness. How else could he have covenanted with him.
  God's Spirit and the righteous wrath that burned True, he went no further than to say that Abner was
  in' his own bosom. This is further corroborated by a great man in Israel. But it cannot be that Abner
  the fact that Joab was not in the least disturbed by seemed to him great only in the sense in which this
  David's imprecations. As often as he reappears on term is applied by the world to the Nepoleons. But
  the pages of Holy Writ it is the same impudent, self- Abner did not confess to David that he had been pur-
  willed; -ambitious, and treacherous Joab that we see.        suing a sinful course. Yet he may have, of course, on
          Having thus awoved and born witness to his  inno-    the feast. Besides, Abner had proved his sincerity.
  .cency  regarding  Joab's crime, David ordered an official And actions, too, speak. They speak as loud, if not
  mourning for Abner in the presence of his corpse.            louder, than words.
  He commanded Joab, even Joab and him in the first                 But there is still the question what David meant
  instance, and the people that were present to "rend by that last tribute which he  payed Abner. Doubtless
~ your clothes, and gird you with sack-cloth, and mourn he was referring in the first instance to Abner's nat-
  before Abner."         The public demonstration of grief ural capacities for leadership which were indeed great
  was followed by the burial  inHebron.  The king fol- as is indicated by his ability to gather all Israel to
  lowed the bier. He "lifted up  hisvoice and wept at David. Abner's influence with the people was truly
  the grave of Abner. *4nd all, the people wept with remarkable. Yet if Abner at the close of his career
  him. And the king  lamented.over  Abner, and said, had not placed his gifts in the service of Christ but
  0, why had Abner to die as a nabal-a godless, worth-         instead had persisted to oppose David, David's char-
  less  fool-dieth?!'      The form of the words of the acterization of him would have to be labeled a pre-
  Hebrew text shows that it was a question that David posterous lie. For the Scriptures do not call an an-
  here put. Abner's horrible and inglorious end mysti- tagonist of Christ a prince and a great man in the
  fied David. "Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet church-Israel was the Church-just because he is
  put into fetters: as a man falleth  before wicked  men- wonderfully well endowed with natural abilities. Holy
  sons of wickedness-so fellest thou." Abner was not           Writ calls such a man an anti-Christ  and not a prince
  o.verpowered   -in combat,. bound and fettered and slain in Israel. In the Scriptures such and similar titles
  by the hand of the captor. He was murdered, assassin- are born only by men who show by their works that
  ated unawares. The end to which he came was that they are friends of Christ and His people. Thus Abner
  to which only worthless fools are made to come. Yet had come to stand out in David`s mind-a prince in
  Abner was not a nabal. Such is here the underlying           Israel, a friend of God's people and a man of true
  thought.       The lamentation had its effect. All the nobility of heart. And, therefore, taking him into
  people wept again over Abner. But David's grief was his confidence, David could. and also did covenant with
  more enduring than that of any of them. The burial him. To David's mind Abner's change of attitude
  was followed by the mourning meal. The people came was the fruit of true repentance. If David in his heart
  to David' to force him to take nourishment. But he had subscribed Joab's accusations against Abner, thus
  vowed  that  he would not eat while it was yet day.          if Abner had stood out in his mind a worthless fool
  These were his words, "So do God to me, and more             still bent on eliminating him as king, all his expres-
  also, if  I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be      sions of grief would have been thoroughly hypocritical.
  down." The  peopIe  took notice and were pleased. The What would we have to think of David, were that true?
  whole conduct of the king pleased all the people. They Besides, how in that case would David have dared to
  absolved him from all blame and gave him their love covenant with Abner? It is plain that what we must
  and confidence. "For all the people and all Israel think of David has everything to do with what  WC:
  understood that day that it was not of the king to allow :David  to think of Abner after his break with
  slay Abner the son of Ner. "Alone with his servants,         Saul's house. Holding to David's integrity of heart
  David, was still occupied with Abner. He paid him is permissable only if we take the stand that David
  this tribute, "`Know ye not that there is a prince and       meant what he said when he  payed to Abner that
  a great man fallen this day in Israel."                      f i n a l   t r i b u t e .
          It..must  not be doubted that David's expressions         Now, of course, we can allow Abner to stand out in
  of grief were genuine. Being an essentially good man David's mind as a prince in the church but at the same
  he would not  .feign  grief:for purely political reasons. time insist that David erred in his judgment of Abner.
  That would have been abominable. Certainly, David ,Then  we say with Joab that Abner at the time of his
  was not that kind of man. Joab's .deed  horrified him.       assassination was stil1 the antagonist of yore, or we
  It moved him to the core. Rlso:his  heart was sad for
     *                                                         say that he broke with the house of Saul solely as

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

     constrained by ambition; or we say that, since God                  (Erdmann rejects the above interpretation of
     only knows the heart, we can do no better than to David's words, "I am this day weak, though anointed
     pass no judgment on Abner at all and thus leave king, etc." He presents the following objections.
     him to God and that this is what David, too, should           "David could not and durst not so express himself.
     have done. But we may and must judge a man by his             It would have been very unwise to acknowledge his
     works. The question is then whether, judging Abner fear and weakness in respect to Joab and Abishai ;
     by his last works, David was justified in holding him nor would it have been true; for he who had conquered
     to be the kind of man that he said he was and evidently Abner, had the power to punish this crime ; such a
     wanted him to be-a prince in Israel. We believe that self-exculpation based on confession of weakness does
     David was justified in holding Abner to be such a man. not at all agree with the courage and fearlessness that
            There is still this question: Should not David have    formed a fundamental trait of David's character."
     brought Joab under the sentence of death and without Erdmann's objections would have weight were it not
     delay have made him pay for his crime with his life.          true that David was in duty bound to put Abner to
     David should have. It was his solemn duty. Had he             death in punishment of his crime. Since this  .was
     performed it he would have provided the people with David's calling, he already by his failure to bring
     the strongest possible proof that he had no part in Joab to trial was acknowledging his fear and weak-
     Joab's deed; and he could have been more sparing              ness in respect to Joab and. Abishai. But Erdmann
     with his tears in public in the presence of Abner's           denies that it was David'e calling to put Joab to death
     corpse. `He could also have afforded to refrain from in punishment of his deed. He even commends David
     eulogizing Abner in the hearing of his servants.  lt          for sparing Joab, saying that he did it because he
     would have been better if he had in view of Abnetis           wished to avoid the appearance for personal avenge.
     history. True, Abner had finally broken with Saul's But if this were true how is David's calling down on
     house. And we like to believe as David evidently liked        Joab and his father's house those dreadful impreca-
     to believe that his motives were right. But it had            tions to be explained? According to Erdmann the
     taken him a long time to bring himself to take that meaning of David's words is this: I am soft, that is,
     step. That is a thing that David should have taken tender-hearted, I, an anointed king. Hence, I pardoned
     into consideration. Not that in his public reactions Abner and took him to my bosom ; .but these sons of
     to Abner's assassination he was not sincere. But if Zuriah are in disposition harder than I. Hence, they
     he had done his duty by Joab it would not have been destroyed Abner, instead of forgiving him as did I,
     necessary for him to go to those extremes in convinc- the king.)                  t
     ing the people that he was  guiltIess  from the blood                                                 G. M. Ophoff.
     of Abner. The pretended slayer of Saul he had prompt-
     ly ordered executed; and likewise the assassinators of
     Ishbobsheth. But about Abner he did nothing except
     to weep and wail in public as justifying his inaction               Our Student-Teacher Club
     by saying that, as a weak young king, he was unable
     to bring a man like Joab to justice and that therefore              The last issue of the S. P. R. E. News carried the
     he had to limit himself to an imprecation and leave following notice,
     the punishment to God. These were his precise words,
     "I am this day weak, though anointed king ; and these                  "This is to introduce the. Student-Teacher
     men the son of Zuriah-Joab and Abishai-be too hard                   Club. The Rev. G. M. Ophoff, co-Chairman ;
     for me ; the Lord  shaIl reward the doer of evil accord-             Mr. H. Hoeksema, co-Chairman ; Miss Ros-
*    ing to his wickedness," (3 :39). David was a man ac-                 etta Carroll, Secretary.
     cording to God's heart. But he, too, was not without                   "The Club meets every Thursday evening
     his many infirmities and evil lust of the flesh. True                in the basement of the First Protestant Re-
     David was young. He was but thirty years old at the            :     formed Church. The co-chairmen are assist-
     time. It is also true that Joab and Abishai were hard,               ed by other ministers who freely contribute
     fierce, and treacherous men. But Joab was: a' man of                 of their time and talent. The student body
     great military ability. n'ithout a doubt he had a Eol-               at present includes one who is already a tea-
     lowing among David's servants and the people at large.               cher, three who hope to ,graduate  from Calvin
     And he must have been older than David. It did require               College in 1949, and others who will graduate
     great courage on the part of the young king to bring                 in succeeding years.
     a man like Joab to justice. But that should not have                  "It is contemplated that the Club will supply
     deterred David. He was king ; and he had the support                 teachers who are qualified to teach Protestant
     of the good element in his kingdom. Besides, he had                  Reformed youth, not only for the Grand Rap-
     God on his side.                                                     ids school-to-be, but also for Redlands, Hope, ?


                                      T ' H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                      185

       and other communities as the need may arise.           stance  that was upon the face of the ground from man
       In behalf of the Club, we take this opportun-          unto beast unto the creeping thing and unto the fowl
       ity to invite all teachers and teachers-to-be          of the heavens were destroyed from the earth: And
       to visit the Club some `Thursday evening and           remained only Noah and that which was with him in
       thus see for themselves the scope and quality          the ark." This is not idiomatic English but so reads
       of the work undertaken by them."                       the original text literally. More was quoted (from the
    "The scope and quality of the work. . . .", The pro-      Gen. Narrative) which is not reproduced here. The
  gram in process of execution at present is formed of italics, of course, are supplied.         I
  subjects such as the following: 1) Creation or Evolu-          If words have meaning, then what is here stated is
  tion ; 2) The days of Genesis I, solar days or periods ; this: 1) That there was a deluge; 2) that the deluge
  3) The Deluge; 4) The Confusion of Tongues; 5) The was universal in the sense of its being destructive of
Egyptian Learning of Moses; 6) The Code of  Ham-              man and animal-every man and every animal from
  murabi ; 7) The fulness of time ; 8) Constantine the        the domesticated animals to the swarming thing upon
  Great; 9) The Reformation, etc. These are some of the earth. All was destroyed with the exception of
  the subjects dealt with in this particular course, the the creatures that went into the ark; 3) the deluge was
  purpose of which is to stimulate implicit faith in the universal in the sense that its waters covered the
  Holy Scriptures.                      L                     earth under the  whole  heaven.
     On our last meeting we were occupied with the               The critics have raised many objections to the
  Deluge in the point of view of its geological signifi- Genesis narrative of the Deluge. They say among
  cance and implications.     We treated the following other things that the idea of a universal flood destruc-
  points : 1) The Genesis Narrative of the Deluge  ;          tive of all Iife is in conflict `with the findings of the
  2) The Genesis Narrative sanctioned `by the Authority geologists. We will go into this. The objections of
  of Christ; 3) An examination of the objections of the       science will be dealt with in the sequel. Let us first
  critics to the Genesis narrative of the Deluge ; 4) The emphasize the following. Christ gave the sanction of
  Testimony of the legends ; 5) The Deluge and the            His authority to the ,Genesis  narrative of the flood.
  speculations of the geologists ; 6) The Deluge and the He did so directly by the words of His own mouth
  fossils; 7) The Deluge and the Glacial Epoch ; 8) The       and through the agency of the  ,apostle  Peter. First
  Deluge and the seasons.                                     the text at Matt. 24:37 and Luke 17:26. The text at
     Here follow a few excerpts from one of the two           Matt. 24 :37-39  reads, "But as the days of Noah were-
  papers that served as a basis for our discussion.           It is Christ speaking here-so shall the coming of the
     1) The Genesis narrative of the Deluge:                  Son of man be. For as in the days that were before
      Gen. 6  :7: ".And the Lord said, I will destroy man the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and
  which I have created from the face of the earth, from given in marriage, until t.he day that Noah entered
  man unto beast, unto the creeping things and the fowl into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and
  of the air."                                                took them all `awayi so -shall also the `coming  of the
     Gen. 7:ll: "And in the year of the six hundredth Son of man be." And in the same vein at Luke 17:26,
  year of the life of Noah, on the month the second, on       27, "And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be
  the seventeenth day of the month, on this day were          in .tli%&%@s  of %&Son  of man. They did eat and they
  opened all the fountains of the great deep and the  Iat-    did drink, they married wives, they were given in
  tees of heaven were opened. And the violent rain was marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and
  upon the earth forty days-and  forty nights."               the flood came and destroyed them all." See further
     Gen. 7:17: "And was the flood forty days upon 2 Peter 3 :3-5 and 1 Peter 3:19-21.
  the earth and increased the waters and lifted up the           Christ believed the Genesis narrative of the Flood.
  ark, and it was high above the earth. And were strong Now we can depend on it that all the the so-called
  the waters and they increased very upon the. earth.         di%culties  that the critics discover in the Genesis nar-
  And the ark walked upon the faces of the waters.            rative'of the Flood were present in the mind of Christ
  And the waters were exceptionally strong upon the but not however as  difllcultles. Consider that his human
  earth, and  u!as  covered every high  mount&n"  which       intellect was superior to any of theirs. And His heart
  was under the whole heavens.       And  fifteen  cubits was free from the prejudices of sin. His spiritual
  from unto upward were strong the  uxiters  and were         insight into the things of God was perfect. By com-
  covered  the  ,unountains. And expired all  flesh,  the mon consent of the critics He was one of the greatest
  creeping thing upon the earth, fowl and cattle and teachers that ever taught. And for us He is the Son
  beast and every swarming thing that swarmed upon of God come into the flesh. Now Christ accepted the
  the earth, and man. Everything  as to which was the Genesis narrative of the Flood as the infallible Scrip-
  breath of life in his nostrils, from  euemth&g  which tures. Nay more, He was the one who wrote that
  was in the dry land, died. And was destroyed all  sub-      narrative in the sense of His being its primary author.
                                                                                                       *

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

The question  t,hen is this: Are we ready to accept de  duivel, de wereld, en het vleesch dat zondig is. En
Christ's own infallible narrative of the  Flood*?  Or ge ontmoet die drie reuzen  elken  dag. En ge moet
are we, going to allow ourselves to be disturbed by the elken dag weeraan strijden. En overwinnen.
speculations of science in conflict with the testimony           En het zwaard des Geestes waarmede ge die dric
of this narrative? It's either the critics or Christ.        Enakskinderen  verslaat  is het Woord Gods.
   Let us add this remark : We are living in a scientific        In den tekst die we bespreken staat, dat zij Gods
age. Men today worship science. The speculations,            Woord niet geloofden. I En een uitvloeisel van zulk
conclusions, and hypotheses, also of the geologists,         ongeloof is, dat zij het beloofde land versmaadden.
are to-day men's Bible. When science goes to speculat-           Dat gaat altijd hand in hand.
ing even about things that it knows nothing about               Als ge Gods Woord niet gelooft, versmaadt ge ook
men stand at attention in reverential awe and imagine den  hemel  der heerlijkheden.
that they listen to the very voice of God and this as            En  als ge Zijn Woord gelooft, waardeert  ge het
willingly ignorant of the fact that what they are allow- Kanaan Gods.
ing themselves to be captivated, fascinated, and in-             De Heere heeft ons beloofd, dat Hij ons in het
fatuated by, is the prating of mere men. These devotees      beloofde land zal brengen. En die belofte doet Hij
of science include, today many Christians. When the gestand van geslachte tot geslachte. Grootvader en
speculations of science clash with the Scriptures they Vader  zijn ons vobrgegaan.  Zij wachten op ons. Want
are sorely troubled in their souls. Let us not be that het Huis Gods in Kanaan moef vol zijn. En ik  ver-
way. Let us grow up spiritually, let us believe in zeker U, dat de kinderen  hen navolgen. Let maar op
Christ. Let us ask God to give us  imphcit faith in Kaleb en Jozua. Ge moet U niet te veel vergapen aan
Christ's scriptures. With that faith in our hearts           die huilende  menigte die neergeworpen wordt in de
we will brand the speculations of science in conflict        woestijn. Let op Kaleb en Jozua. Die twee  mannen
with the Scriptures a lie. We must have that faith           bewijzen  dat zij ware zonen zijn. Zij bewijzen  bet
as teachers in our Protestant Reformed Schools. We door te strijden met het zwaard des Geestes. Zij  herin-
must radiate that faith. It must shine out of our eyes. ueren Israel aan des Heeren Woord.
It must animate from all our speech in the class-room.           Petrus  heeft eens gezegd, dat beide het volk be-
Then we will be instrumentally an influence for good waard wordt en dat de erfenis bewaard wordt.
in the lives of our pupils, and otherwise not.                   Maar dat gaat altijd door het geloof.  Lee&  het
NOTE: This quotation is from the paper submitted maar in zijn eersten zendbrief.
by the undersigned.                                              Ge wordt in de kracht Gods bewaard door het
                                       G. M. Ophoff.         geloof.
                                                                 Dat is Uw zaligheid. Maar dat is ook Uw strijd.
                                                             Uw strijd tegen de Enakskinderen. Uw strijd des
                                                             geloof s.
                                                                 En hier is de troost dergenen die des Heeren Woord
            S I O N ' S   Z A N G E N                        gelooven: Gij zijt meer dan overwinnaars, want Urn
                                                             vijanden moeten  medewerken U ten goede !
                                                                 Hoe zalig is het volk. . . .
                                                                 "Maar zij murmureerden in hunne tenten ; naar de
 Liefdevol, Schoon Zwaar Getergd stem des Heeren hoorden zij niet."
                                                                 Is het niet om doodmoede van  te  worden?
                 (Psalm 106 ; Vifde Deel)                        Telkens maar weer aan de verschrikkelijke zonde
       Het ging in het laatste gedeelte van ons vorige van murmureering tegen God. We lezen in het ver-
artikel  over die reuzen die tusschen ons en het Kavaan      band, dat het volk den Heere tienmaal  verzocht had.
staan.                                                       En daarom zou dan ook niemand van twintig jaren
       0 ja, tusschen ons en dat schoone  land van Kanaan en daarboven het beloofde land  zien, behalve Kaleb en
staat de slagorde van Satan.                                 Jozua die godvreezende mannen  waren.
       Ge wandelt zoo maar niet naar den  hemel. Er is           "Dies hief Hij tegen hen Zijne hand op, zwerende
een gedichtje, dat ik niet geheel en al mij herinner,        dat Hij ze nedervellen zoude in de woestijn, en dat
maar er komt in voor: er moet veel strijds gestreden Hij hun zaad zoude nedervellen onder de heidenen, en
zijn ! En de  idee is, dat die strijd gestreden moet hen verstrooien zoude door de landen."
worden voor dat wij aankomen daarboven bij God.                  Hoe verschrikkelijk is die eed Gods uitgekomen.
Er zijn reuzen, Enakskinderen, op ons pad, dat naar              Ge kunt  dien  eed lezen in Num.  14:28. God is
den hemel  leidt.                                            recht  in al Zijn weg en werk. Dit volk had het er
       Er zijn drie groote reuzen die overwonnen moeten      naar gemaakt. De Heere was des vergevens moede
worden met het zwaard in de hand. En ge kent -hen  :         geworden. Er was  een verkeerde geest in. hen. Zij


1 8 8                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

   Mozes was een zeer zachtmoedig man, maar in                  En  bet Israel der eeuwen heeft gedronken, drinkt
dit geval was hij bitter en toornig geworden. Hij           nog, en zal drinken uit Hem tot in alle eeuwigheid.
was ook zoo lang geplaagd !                                     Een  profeet  heeft eens geschreven, dat er te  Jeru-
   Maar hij zondigde desniettemin.                          zalem een Fontein geopend is tegen de zonde en de
  w Hij had tegen de Rots  moeten spreken. En de o n g e r e c h t i g h e i d .
Rots zou haar water gegeven hebben voor den dorst               En die Fontein is Jezus.
van Israel.                                                     Dat wij  :dan  drinken,   drinken  tot eeuwige  ver-
   Maar Mazes  was kwaad geworden. En hij schreeuw-         f rissching !           ,,
de tegen het volk: "Hoort tech, gij wederspannigen,                                                 .   .     G. Vos.
zullen wij water roor ulieden uit deze steenrots her-                                     .,
voorbregen?"                                                                  `.
   En  toen nam Mozes zijn staf en hij sloeg  twee-
malen tegen de rots.     Het was natuurlijk zijn be- .                                                                   I
doeling, dat er zeker geen water zou komen uit de rots                       IN,  H I S   F E A R
voor deze keer.
   Doch nu toont God Zijn groote goedertierenheid,
want we lezen dit: "en daar kwam veel water uit, zoo
dat de vergadering dronk, en hunne beesten."                       Training For Life's Calling
   Hoe zit dat  tech?
   net antwoord is gemakkelijk, als ge voor de aan- .  TrainGzg In The Geography Class  (cont.)
dacht  houdt, dat Israel Gods volk is. God had. dat             Last time we gave you the principles drawn by the
volk lief, dat wil zeggen, -de uitverkorenen -onder hen,    Rev. Gritters whereby this subject ought to be taught
van eeuwigheid tot eeuwigheid. En daarom zegt God           in the Christian School.             The definition that Rev.
tegen Mozes : "Omdat gijlieden Mij niet geloofd hebt, Gritters gave of Geography is, "Geography is a study
dat gij Mij heiligdet voor de oogen der  kinderen  Is-      of the earth, its disposition and its fulness as- it belongs
raels, daarom  zult gijlieden deze gemeente niet  in- to ,God the Lord (Psalm 24:l) but as it has been,given
brengen in het land, hetwelk Ik hun gegeven heb."           to the children of men. (Psalm 115:16). That is the
   Mozes had God  moeten heiligen voor de  oqgen van. language of faith pointing out to texts in God's Word
bet volk van Israel.                                        where.He  reveals to us the significance of the study
   En  ,God heiligen wil zekerlijk zeggen, dat men of geography. Contrast it a moment with what is
Zijn deugden vertelt. En Mozes had gehandeld in written in the world  in' regard to this subject. We
dit geval naar menschelijke bitterheid. Zijn  gee&          have at hand a geography .book which as far as being
was verbitterd tegen Israel, vanwege hun  murmureer-        comprehensive and having the right intellectual ap-
ing. ` Maar Mozes had moeten  gedenken, dat hij mid-        proa& for youth is concerned leaves little that need
delaar was in des Heeren naam ten overstaan van het be added. But it lacks EVERYTHING that a Chris-
volk Israels, en als zoodanig had hij moeten spreken,       tian school child needs:             The book is written  for
lieflijk spreken tegen de Rots, opdat het water  mocht      seventh and eighth grade children and is entitled,
komen tot verfrissching en  laving.                         "The  WorId at Work".               The author is Wallace W.
    Stelt het U tech eens voor dat -die Rots haar water Atwood, and it is published by Ginn and Com&ny.
in zou houden ?                                             Purely from an. intellectual aspect that title is even
   Hebt ge er op gelet, dat ik het woord Rots met een a well chosen one. It is indeed an interesting approach
hoofdletter schreef? Luistert naar  Paulus, want die to the subject of geography. We can even conceive of
zegt in I Cor.  10, van deze Rots: en de Rots was           a book written by one of our people using that same
Christus.          t                                        title, but surely it would have a different application.
    Als die Rots nu eens haar water inhield?                When the world works-and now there is no ethical
    Dan is er geen verlossing en Iaving  voor het volk      content  to"that  word world here-there are two fac-
Gods.                                            . ,.       tions, the two mentioned in Genesis 3 :15 who work
    En dan wordt God niet geheiligd in Zijn wondere the same soil, the same mines, the same machines, etc. ;
cieugden van liefde en genade.                              yet the one dies so as God's steward and to His glory
    Neen, Mozes zondigde daar. Met Aaron. En                and the other to his own lust -and setting himself up
daarom mochten zij niet  inkomen  in  bet beloofde as lord over God's creation.                     That antithesis is, of
land.                                                       course, entirely lacking in the text books of the world.
    De vervulling is gekomen.                               The Rev.  Gritters  writes this in regard to geography,
    Onze Rots is ook  geslagen.  Maar geslagen door          (see last issue of the Standard Bearer for the com-
God.                                                        plete copy of these principles),  " (1) The central view-
    En die Rotssteen gaf Zijn water.                         point therefore is  man as he under God is the  respon-


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   '                                         189 .

  sible Head and: King of cri3Ztion. This is evident al- is denied and the chronology there presented is brushed
  ready in Paradise." In that sense'we can speak of the aside. So is the truth of God's Word discounted if
  world at work, but the antithesis will have to be not -even considered in contempt when Scripture de-                     ,
  drawn ! And the proper goal of all that work shall clares  that Tubal Cain, the son of wicked Lamech, the
  have to be pointed out! And the fact that GOD                descendent of Cain, was the father of those who work
  WORKS TOO will have to be stressed !                         in brass and iron. How defifinite the child of God
     But to return to what we began to say, in the light of    can be when he believes God's Word! How definite
  the above treatment of this subject in that book men- then too must be the teaching that is given him in
  tioned, we are not surprised to find quite a-different a Christian school ! How definite  it CAN be too!
  definition of geography in this book. We find the fol-          As to the giving of instruction in this subject,
  lowing statements, "Geography`today  is a study of the the Rev. Gritters mentions three things to be remem-
  basic factors essential to the understanding of a civiliz- bered. Briefly they are: (1) The sovereignty of God,
  ation. . . .  ,Geography  has a unique contribution to       (2) Man's stewardship, and (3) The temporary na-
  make in the education by giving to young people of a ture of this present earth. With this we can fully
  nation a world point of view." What a different ap- agree. However, if the Rev. Gritters does not mind,
  proach from that presented by the Rev. Gritters ! It we would rather place the emphasis somewhat differ-
  is not a difference of emphasis. It is the difference        ently. Instead of speaking of these three things as
  of faith in God as the sovereign Lord of all and of          things to remember, we would call the three things
  refusal to recognize Him when dealing with what He to point out, three things to stress in, the geography
  made for His own glory. Not only is the emphasis             class. The teacher must remember these things in
  upon man but only man is recognized! It deals with preparing and delivering her lesson, but she must do
  the young people of r any nation and is `written for         so in order that the childTen  may `see these things.
  their benefit rather than to be written for the Cove-           The sovereignty of God is a `truth of which the
  nant Youth of God's Kingdom and rather than to               beZii?ver never grows weary. Whether it is in the
. serve them in the explanation of their calling as history class, the geography class, the physiology or
_ Stewards of God's vast creation.                             civics class or whether it is from the pulpit on the
    .I .As is characteristic of what is written apart from Sabbath, this is a truth that thrills the elect believer.
  faith, there is nothing definite that can be said in this And why should it not? It is such a fundamental
  work on geography. On page 205, for example, we. principle that it presents us God in all His ' glory in
  read concerning the work of miners. The vagueness the very first of the commandments God gave us. We
  of. unbelief is indicated in these words, "Long ago,         are  first  told that we may have no other gods before
  so far' back in history that no man knows exactly            HIM. There is no god besides Him, and this ONE and
  when or how, somebody picked up a piece of what we           ONLY God forbids any creature to behave to any
  now call metal ; very possibly it was a`piece  of copper.    thing or person so as to ascribe divinity unto it. He
   Soon men. learned that metal, when made into tools is God alone and therefore sovereign, so sovereign
  and spear-points, was much more useful than stone.           that He may forbid all other worship. The earth
  Old records have:been found which indicate that the          with its fulness is His alone. He made it and all
  people of Egypt were using copper four thousand years it contains. Let the child clearly see .that he cannot
  before, Christ."                                             pick up a grain of sand that God did not make "and
      "Later the people who lived about the shores of          does not sovereignly own. Let him learn that early
  the Mediteranean Sea learned with the help of heat,          in life. And let him see it more clearly each time a
   to combine native copper with tin, thus making the new phase of geography is taught. The coal, gold,
  much harder metal which we call bronze." u' For .one silver, iron, copper and other metals are His. But so
  thing, that which this author presents as a &al fact are the trees, the rivers, the crops that grow on the
  is in error and any child in his first catechism classes field in the soil He made and sustains. The fish which
   already will tell you the time when man first began we eat and which produce a livelihood for many are
  to melt or pound metals and used them for tools. Four His. But likewise is He sovereign in `His distribution
  thousand years before Christ there was no Egypt yet.         of these things. Fish are found in only some waters.
   Four thousand years before Christ the world was             Coal is found in its greatest deposits in the lands
  created. In an apparently harmless statement such bordering the eastern and western sides of the north-
  as that above tthe seeds are sown for the theory of          ern Atlantic Oc&n. God- sovereignly put it there for
   evolution although it is not mentioned in so many His own sovereign purpose. Though we ought to see
  wosds. Egypt does not appear until after the flood           the infinite wisdom of God; we ought above all to see
  and after the confusion of tongues which more accur- the infinite sovereignty of God whereby there had to
  ately took place less than two thousand years before be the city of Pittsburgh, just exactly where it stands.
  Christ. In the statement above the truth of Scriptuie        The  .oil fields are just where they should be. Wars

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

must come according to God's counsel, and they must
be fought in definite sections of the world. And where
He sovereignly placed the rich deposits of coal, oil,                         P E R I S C O P E
and even gold and silver determine these things. Con-
sider once how the Ruhr valley in Germany plays such          17an 
an important part even today in peace talks. Then,                     Ku& Tot  Kust,  by Rudolph Van Reest. . . .
too, if you look at a cross section of a coal mine or            About a,week  ago we received this very interesting
even gold and silver mine, or when you look at an and well-written book by the talented Dutch author
open coal mine or copper mine, you see how the miner- who is better known to us as Mr. K. C. Van Spronsen.
als are in veins which do not run parallel with the           Nothing we could say could be more effective to create
ground above as a rule, but on a rather sharp angle.          interest in the book than to quote snatches from it,
The believer who only can recognize God's sovereignty so we will let the book speak for itself. It is a detailed '
also sees His wisdom and goodness in this, and he             account of the author's recent trip to this country.
does not go back billions of years and speak of natural       The promise he made before he left our country, that
phenomenon to explain all this. He knows that he              he would do all in his power to gain recognition for
need but go back to the flood to be reminded that God our Churches in the Netherlands, has been very faith-
then opened the fountains of the deep and made a              fully fulfilled in this volume. His praise for our
new world. He sees how God sovereignly and mightly Churches and their ministry is extensive. We hope
brought  these hidden minerals to the surface for man         that many of our people may procure the volume and
to discover and employ for the realization of His             enjoy it as we did, not only for the personal compli-
counsel. After all God  wanted  them to be discovered.        ments he pays our Churches `but also ,for the keen
He wanted Tubal Cain to start man on this interesting         characterizations and descriptions he gives of life in
career, but He wanted it for the realization of His           the United States. Here follow a few excerpts.
own sovereign counsel.       Man does not just  happen        Dedication. . . .
to discover things. WITHOUT exception, God has                   "To the Rev. H. Hoeksema, pastor of the First
been working in the past both remote and immediate            Protestant Reformed Church of Grand Rapids,  Mich.,
to bting man to these minerals at the right time for          I dedicate this book, in remembrance of the blessed
the realization of what He eternally decreed must             and joyful acquaintance during the beautiful Autumn
take place. There must be nails for the cross of              of the year 1946."
Christ.     There must be a spear to pierce His side.         This Is America. . . .
Tubal Cain must thousands of years in advance pre-
pare the way for the manufacturing of these things.              "Het groepje, dat de gereformeerde beginselen  be-
But God sovereignly brought him into contact with lijdt in Amerika is zo verdwijnend klein, en de dyna-
the iron and brass or copper which he mastered.               miek van het amerikanisme, ook wat het geestelijke
Sovereignly He brought Tubal Cain into contact with           leven betreft, is zo beangstigend sterk. . . .
these and not Seth or Methuselah.                                "Die dynamiek. . . .
       In this connection also the sovereignty of God must       "Daar krijgt ge elk uur van de dag, dat ge in
be maintained in regard to the way in which the               Amerika zijt, mee te maken. Alles beweegt er, alles
human race was and is today distributed over the face         is er in ontwikkeling, in `Sturm und Drang', niemand
of the earth. Unbelief. does not recognize that fact,         heeft tijd, alles heeft haast."
of course, yet God's Word speaks of it. God con-              A Typical Description. . . . There Are Many More of
fused man's speech that it might be realized. God             Our Ministers. . . .       '
prophesied that Esau and his descendants would be                "De eerste indruk, die men van Ds. and mevrouw
away (not as in the English translation) from the             Hoeksema ontvangt is al direkt innemend. Hij is een
fatness of the earth. God sovereignly decides where charmant  gastheer en mevrouw verstaat de kunst, die
man shall settle and what He wants man to do in that trouwens vele Amerikaanse dames bezitten, een gast
locality with the riches or lack of riches of the earth       zich terstond thuis te laten voelen.,
that is found there.                                             "Ds. Hoeksema heeft een korte, gedrongen gestalte,
       So only can we go one step further and can we teach met een scherpe, vierkante intellectuele kop.        Een
in geography the stewardship of man over all this ruige verschijning. maar met een warm, kinderlijk
rich creation of God. More of this we hope to do in teder hart. Het is een groot genoegen deze man nader
the next installment. But this we wish to say now tc leren kennen. Zijn kleine, grijze ogen kunnen- je
in conclusion, that this sovereignty of God is funda-         staalhard aanblikken, wanneer hij het heeft over de
mental; and believing it we are prepared to teach also        zonden binnen en buiten de kerk, maar ze kunnen een
man's great calling in this life in regard to the  things     oogenblik later glanzen van tederheid,  wanneel: hij
which God sovereignly made.                 J. A. Heys.       spreekt over zijn kleine  catechisanten, waarvan  hijt


                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                      191

  miniatuurportretjes heeft. Van sommigen heeft hij which should be conducive to the realization of corres-
  lokjes haar op karton gespeld en daarom heen  !E ?ft hij     pondence with the Protestant Reformed Churches of
  b:oemen  geschilderd en in sierletters de  namel?  der North America.
  kleinen geteekend. Verscheidene van die kartons liet            "In considering this matter the attitude and posi-
  hij .ons zien.                                               tion taken towards the liberation of our Churches
     "Cat is Ds. Hoeksema."                                    by the Prot. Ref. Churches was discussed ; also what
     "Dan  zijn  ei  nag de Protestants  gercformerrde         Rev. Hoeksema has published in America in regard
  Kerken, die in 1924 door de Chr. Ref. Church uitge-          to his theological insight of the Covenant and Prom-
  worpen  zijn.                                                ises of the Covenant. Attention was also given to
     "Over deze kerken, waarmede wij van dichtbij              the conflict, which the Prot. Ref. Churches have waged
  hebben kennis gemaakt,  hopen we  verderop iets meer and do wage since 1924, against Modernism and  Hier-
  te vertellen. Wij' zijn er van overtuigd, dat deze groep archy. In this connection attention was also given
  van kerken de Vrijgemaakte Kerken in Nederland het to the difliculties confronting our emigrants in their
  dichtst nabij komen, vooral door de handhaving van           entrance into the church-life in America.
  het oude gereformeerde kerkrecht, dat in deze kerken-           "In view of all the factors that must be considered
  groep even principieel als door de Vrijgemaakte Ker-         in this matter, Synod finally decides to, as yet, not
  ken in Nederland werd gehandhaafd."                          make any decisions, but requests Committee I to study
     "Bij Ds. Doezema hoorden we voor het eerst een both the report and the conclusions once more, and to
  Prot. Ref. preek en het was we1 zeer opmerkelijk dat consider a possible revision in connection with what
* we hier een geheel ander geluid hoorden dan we ge-           was brought forward in the discussion.
  woon waren  te beluisteren in de kerken van de Chr.             "In one of the future sessions Synod hopes to re-
  Ref. Church. Hier was een diepgaande Schriftexegese turn to this matter."
  en een rijke Christus-prediking, veel minder besmet             From the above it is evident that the first report
  door de amerikaanse oppervlakkigheid dan we elders of Committee I of Pre-advice, which handled the
  gehoord  hadden.  . . . en de geest in deze kerken zo is,    material, was not too favorably received by Synod.
  dat we ons er geheel in thuis gevoelen."                     In the long discussion that follow+1  this first report,
     We could quote a great deal more that is of interest we have heard that especially Dr.  Schilder  and Mr. Van
  and instruction but our space is filled. Perhaps, an-        Spronsen argued nobly in favor of our Churches. It
  other time we will continue. In the meantime get the is also evident, both from the above and' r'rom what
  book and read it. Contact the Rev. B. Kok for further follows, that there was some strong opposition to the
  information.                                                 suggestion of closer contact. The final decisions, taken
                        r)i  *  *  *                           in one of the later sessions of Synod and reported in
                                                               the last Reformatie which was received, are as follows,
  Synodicnl Decisions. . . .                                   again we translate:
     The General Synod of the Reformed Churches of                "Next in order is the revised report of Committee I
  the Netherlands (Art. 31) was held recently in  Amers-       h  respect to the seeking of contact with the Prot. Ref.
  fort. Of special interest to us are the decisions taken      Churches in North America. The reporter, brother A.
  in response to our own Synodical suggestion of possible Zijlstra, reads the report.  .In the discussion it  ap-
  closer contact and relations. From an  early  report in pears that some of the objections are not completely
  De  Reform&e  me  translate the following:                   removed in the revised report and suggested conclu-
     "From the Synod of the  Prot,  Ref. Churches of sions. Also in the following discussion these  objec-
  North America a letter was received in which the tions were not removed to the satisfaction of all. After
  Synod declares to be desirous to seek closer contact an amendment to the third point was made and adopted
  with the Reformed Churches (Art. 31). They further by the Committee the revision was before the meeting
  declare, that the Churches represented at their gather- and the following decisions were adopted:
 ing stand on the basis of Scripture and the Three                "1.: In answer to and in agreement with that which
  Forms of Unity, that they maintain the pure Reformed was proposed in the communication of the Prot.  Ref.
  Church Order, and are adverse to all hierarchy. Should Churches, to empower the deputies for correspondence
  our Synod decide to take steps in the direction of with other Churches, to seek contact with these
  closer contact, they  -then  request that, by means of       Churches; to the end that the way may be prepared to
  our Deputies, we correspond or confer with their the establishment of the relationship of corresponding
  Deputies in order to serve the respective Synods (theirs churches.
  and ours) with advice in the matter of such contact.            "2. That these deputies shall serve the following
     "From the Particular Synod of Utrecht  there were General Synod with advice in this matter.
  proposals and testimonies of consent, in which Synod            "3. That in the meantime, while we wait a definite
 was also given advice to consider to take decisions,          ruling, the question whether the ministers of the
      3


192                                     T H E   STANDAR'D   B E A R E R

Prot. Ref. Churches shall be permitted to speak a word                                                      NOTE OF THANKS
of edification in the Geref. Kerken in Nederland, shall
be left to the discretion and  :freedom  of the local                            We wish to  &ke  this opportunity to thank the
churches."                                                               many from all of our churches who remembered L&
                                                                         with kind expressions and greetings during the past
       It is evident that this last point is somewhat of n holiday season. We  would very much like to write
compromise. Since we expect that  th&e decisions wiil, you each individualljr but that is impossible. It is
undoubtedly, be reviewed by the editor we will make i.c.deed encouraging and heartexiing  to know and hear
no further comment except to express our own ijersorial                  0% your interest in us and our work. Once again our
appreciation and pleasure for these beginnings.                     s
                                                      .                  hearty  thanks and the  same to you all.
                         * *.**                "..                                  .~                      ,The Rev. W. Hofman and family :
          `,                                               `.,                                              The Rev. E. Knott and family.                                                                           ,
i-1 "Common Grace" Mystery????. . . .                      .  ~-                                      `.                                                 ,
       In one issue of The, Banner, that ,of December  11;                                                            -
                                                                           ,.                  ,`.
1.9&we found the following two items. Though when                                         :                                                                                              .'
considered  together they ,Sorm a glaring contradiction,                                               WEDDING                                 .&NNXVERSA.RY                               '                             -'
they must undpubtedl?  be "explained" atid "~,armonr                        ,                                       4.                 ,`.
ized" as a  "mysterji'  of common  ,gra'ce". `H,ence, even                0~ Thursday,  December..30;  our dear  parents
though our littl&`%nds  may not be able to rationaljze
and comprehend such a paradox  iYe must blindly; ac-                                                              JOHN  SIETSTriA
cept that it is possible, that is "faith", it is said.                                                                                 and
                                            ,. .                                  .:,           .c
., _. The first is a~,parti@.,  qpotatioti from. an editorial                                         TENA SIETSTRA (Hoekstra)
.entitled,  "Love Not The World". Here  it is. stated :                  celebrated their Thirtieth Wedding anniversary.
UBut if it is  a. sin against. God to attach too much
value to legitimate things, to set our hearts on  posses-                   We  ire thankful to our Covenant God Who through them
gions, human persons, and, innocent ,pleasures,  how has showered upon `us Christian love and devotion, and given
much more sinful it is to love the impure things of                      us a home where we may know the fear of God.
this evil world: its profane literature,. its lustful                     Our prayer is that thk  Lo& may richly bless them with  His
pleasures, its godless institutions, its evil Customs, its grace in the way that lies a+$, and that in, ail their exper-
human idols. Why should Christians,  tiho are  not                       ie&es they may enjoy that dlessed  peace which is found in the
of the world but of the Father, love or admire' the                      biood  of Christ.
movie stars, .the prize-fighters, the Sabbath-desecrat-                                                           Their grateful children:                                     '
`ing baseball players, the writers of lewd. literature,                                                                           Tillie
the noted preachers. and scholars who scorn the Word                                                                              Mr. and Mrs. Herman Sietstra
of God and the simple faith of the true believer?                                                                                 Reka
They are the enemies of God ; why should we count                                                                                 Mr. and  Nlrs. Martin Sietstra
them as friends or worship them. as heroes? Love                                                                                  Mr. and Mrs. Peter Sietstra                                             '
                                                                                                                                                                                          .                         t
not the world ! If we are lover  of the `world, we .are                                                                         1.            Gram&on.
                                                                                                                                                              1
haters of the Christ."                                                   Boyd&"Iowa
       Turning a few pages we came upon the quarter-
page ad announcing in bold type: Calvin College Thes-                                                                 *                x      7          x
pian Players Present. . . . "I REMEMBER MAMA".
One of the largest public high school auditoriums in
Grand Rapids and three successive nights of the                                                                     IN MEMORIAM
Christmas season (0, the irony of it !) were reserved                     : The English Men's Society of the First Protestant Reformed
t?  accomodate  the anticipated crowds!                                  Church of Grand Rapids,  Mich.,  expresses  its sympathy to our
       so. . . . the smash-hit from New York's stage and fellow member, Mr. Ray De Windt  and family, in the loss' of
the Hollywood production lot could be "enjoyed"  by                      his father and brother,                                                              /     ., ,            '
the "Christian" while  it:was still running in  movie-                                                                                                                                               ;
houses throughout the country !                                                                                   OSCAk  DE. WINDT
       A "common grace mystery"???? A  downright-                                                           BENJAMIN DE  WINDT
                                                                                                                           ,                                         A-'  :                                    n
contradiction ! Which no-one could ever harmonize                                May the Lord comfort:,and  -sustain  the  bereabkd  in  &S&Z
with the Word. of God and the Clhrist-Child  lying in                                                               _.`.                            .                  .
                                                                         sorrow.
a   m a n g e r !                                                                                                                              0.  Vander Woude;  S&y.
                                          W. Hofman,                                                        !       ,.                       A:Van  Tuinen, Pres.  -'

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