                                                                                                                      `.
 VOLUME  XXVIII                       DECEMBER  1, 1951  - GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN                                           NUMBER. 5  ..

                                                                      for it repenteth Me` th& I have made-them:`" And .`-He'
       WEDITATION                                                     did. The flood  came a(nd they were all drowned. .. ,. `.
                                                                       `. Now we know that this will not `happen again, anil
                                                            ;... .    Ge have the rainbow f,or proof. But a far worse flooci
                                                                      is coming, and for the same reason .as in Genes!i,  6 :. a
           Post-Thai,  ksgiving   Thoughts
                              _-
                      _.                                      2%.     flood of fiti& that shall d$troy  the wicked.from t&e &e
             "When thou hast  eaten',and  art full, then  thou.       of'the earth. Jn His ju& &&h,. ihe Lord has reserve<1
          shalt bless the Lord thy  ,God for the  golJd land          unto fir- this world  of burs, atid then the heavens be-'
          which He hath given  the&  Eeware  lest thou forget         ing on fire shall be dissolved, atid'ihe klements s&l1                 -
          not the Lord thy God, in not keeping His command-           melt with fervent heat. And' .&I this because' of the
          merits, and His judgments; and His statutes,- which         godlessness of the wicked. For I ma? safely assure you
          I  commend  thee this day.  Dent.  8:10-11.                 that the Lord is grievously "hurt" because of all the
   Among the flood of voices and musical strains at-                  wickedness that goes on day,aft.Fr  day. And not only
tending the so-called celebration of the national holy-               on Thanksgiving Day but during all the -days of our
                                                                      history. .
day ,of Thanksgiving, I heard a certain man say some-
thing like this: "If ,God were a man He would &rely                      Lest we forget.                         .   .
be offended at the way we profess to have a national
holyday  dedicated to. thanksgiving, and then proceed                                       a'
                                                                                                  n  If?  r?r                       .'
to completely forget Him in eating and drinking. But                        *
now that He is not a man, but God, He must stirely  be                   LeSt we forget.      `, A.    ,         .
hurt." Well, my d@ar reader, that was the understate-.                   Do not think that  we  -cali  quietly quote these
ment of the week. And yet, when I mused awhile ox                     things, .these dreadful things, and then smugly sit by
this 4ast, statement of a "hurt" God, I was reminded                  with pharisaical delight in a self-made righteousness.
of a text in Genesis 6, which-reads: "And God. saw                    These dreadful things have .a message for us. The
that the wickedness of man was great in the earth,                    "hurt"' which was `caused to.. God by- this last holyday
and that every imagination of the thoughts of  his                    ( ?) was not caused by the. out and `but. wicked al&k.
heart was only evil contimially. And it repented the                  There is a measure of co-responsibility. for these`dread-
LoEd that  ,He  had made man on the -earth, and it                    fui.%hings with ~6, the church of "Christ,  "The church is
grieved Him at Hii -heart." Of course, I realize full                 ndt completely holy as' yet, and &he sins' also' in this
well that this certain man did not thinkx$f that kind of              spectacle of Thanksgiving. tAnd the'.:datiger  to `sin on
a,' flhulrt" : his whole speech was in a different strain.            a day like this is not the. &ly"&ie  of'tl& tiyriads o$
Bdt I thqught of it, and it. set me to more, thinging.                dan&e& to sin but threatens'the  chtirch thr&g&out all
And when I noted the following verse in `Genesis 6, I                 of her history. For `proof I  wo&l point  you'  `$6  Ithe
shuddered at this j`hurt" of God at this juncture of                  history of God's covenant people Israel; &d `to the
thelhistory of the world. We know what this "hurt" warnings which  ,God,.  ,sent .to  .her  ,by  h&g'pk;op'hets
of Genesis 6 produced. And if you have forgotten, I                   throughout .a11 of the days of `h&r history., The text:of
,will remind :you. of it, by quoting the foilqwing text :             my postdTh&nksgiving meditation is a case in point.
"And. the ,Lord  said, I will destroy man whom I. have                The Lord knpws `our fram& He knows :that.  nothing
created from the face of the earth  ; both man and human is strange unto :us$ that we are' in&&& to the
beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air ;
                                           -                          same sins' ai the wickbd:  unregenerate world.. `Read. the


,98                                               THE  STAND,ARD  M3:AkEk

&an song of I\jIoses, aid shudder-T Read the fulfillment              a mediocrity of health and well-being. You must have
of- prophecy,  and weep.                                              a little warmth when the thermometer stands at zero
.  3 Israel was about to enter Canaan. And Mostis,' the or low&. You must have a frierid or two that smile
servant of God, gave them Deuteronomy, that is, the                   every time they see you. You must have a little sanity
second $ading of the Law. In it he rehearsed the for@                 lest you rave and rave. Oh there are many things we
years' jqurney through the howling  wildertie&.  And                  must have if we are to live, even if' we are to live for
rehearsing that `journey is tantamoufit to rehearsing                 God. -And God `knows that we' need these things.
the wondrous deeds of Jehovah. Listen to him. `On the                 Jesus said that. I do not mean luxury nor poverty.
one han'd,  .Jehovah had humbled them, proved, them,                  Agur was afraid of both. I mean food convenient .for
add had made them to hunger. But on, the other hand,                  bare life. The barest necessities.
H6 had marvellously saved them: their raiment had                        Well, G@ knows we need theni ; and we knew it,
Got waxed old ; their feet did not swell ; sand He had                and so on Prayer Day we asked for food convenient.
fed them with the bread from heaven, while the flinty                 And what did He dci ? And what is His usual custom?
rock gave water. And God's professed purpose                          He made us full. We ate and we drank-and we became
was to .teach His heritage that man does not live by                  full. And that is the understatement of this medita-
bread alone, but that they must have the Word of                      tion. *After all, I write for those that live with me in
 God. And they were on the w+y to Canaan, the picture                 this good land, the North American Continent. Again
of wondrous well-being. There would be plenty of                      I woul'd ask ; What did Jehovah do? He literally threw
good land, water in abundance,.depths  and valleys and                things at us. He over-loaded us with good things. And
hills ; wheat, barley, wines, figtrees, olives And honey.             we are full: You ought to come in the homes of some
There woulq be no lack, no scarcity. There would be                   of us. And the least have more than the best had in
iron and brass, in short, all their needs would be ful-               other parts of -God's dominion where I lived when .I
filled, and they would be a happy, c`ontented  people.                was a child. I remember how one -boy said. to another
       But, -My peoile, beware!                                       boy : Wonder how it would feel if we could eat as much
                                                                                                         _'
       Lest you forget!                    ,..                        meat as we wanted;
                                                                         Lest we fciqget.           0
                                                                                        -
                            *  *`
                                *-~   t.
               :- _.                 .-                                                      -ik  *  *  *
                                                          .`.    I
       Lest you forget !                                              Lest we forget.
       All such wonderful provision, had a definite pur-                 What did Jehovah do?
 p o s e .                                                               Well, I .told you what He did in ,the realm of the
       My people, said God through Moses, when thou                   earthy.
, hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord                But that is nothing compared to what He did for
 thy IGod for the good land `which He hath given thee.                `our souls,. for our spirits, for  eterility. He gave us
 Beware that thou forget not.                                         Jesus. In these simpie words you have an eternity 01:
       Forget what? This : the Lord thy God !                         bliss such as my poor tongue cannot adequately ex-
       `In other words: when all your needs ire supplied,             press.
 do not .forget  to bless God !                                          He gave us Jesus.
                                                                         All the bread and drink, all the shelter and con-
       And now I know that Israel is no- more. And I tentment of an earthy nattire are *but ,symbols and God
 know also `that .our land is not the land of the text :              intended them to be just that. They are not an end in
 America is"n0-t: the holy land .of yore. But I know this             themselves. And there we strike at the heart of the
too, that there is no fundamental difference  in this                 godlessness of our race, of ourselves. The Bread of Life
 admonition in this year of ouStLord,  nineteeil hundred              is Jesus. And that Bread is for the eternal sustenance
 and fifty one. And I know too that the same danger                   of our souls and of our bodies. Man does not live .bjT
threatens us that `threatened Israel of old.                          bread alone. The main thing is Jesus.
       When thou hast eaten, and- art full.                              Sometimes the Lord breaks the staff of life.
       Refers first of all t; all earthy food drink and, sub-         And in its wake comes hunger, distress; utmost
 stance. -It c&tainly refers to the things that are called            misery, and finally death.
by Agur : food convenient.. Food convepient  is a ,term                  We need that object lesson. To call us from life's
 which applies to all the things which we have need of                dream away to the eternal realities that abide for-
 according to God's own ordinances. You need a little                 ever. And the eternal reality is this: We must have
 oxygen for your lungs. and your blood. YSu must have                 God in order to be happy forever.


                                     TB%   $jt-f'A,$DA$,D   .B&iA&j$k                                                         99

    And so, when-we have eaten and are full in the          He damns them for not thanking Him. That is all
proper sense then we should bless the Lord our #God.        true.' But I ask you: Were they blessed? Are they
    In these few words you have the only purpose of         blessed as you are? Did God-speak His beautiful, words
the universe, both this universe which is now, and the      to you as'He did to that harlot?-
Universe  that,+  coming, the renewed Universe.                What manner of people ou'ght wk to be in holiness
    Here is the purpose of God which He purposed and righteousness.
with Himself: there should be a huge mirror before             ILest we forget.                  I     '
His face wherein He would see His -wonders, His ma-
jesty and  His praises.  -
    And He chose you and He made you to be that                                     A;*  *  A
mirror.  IAnd you may forget the mirrors we have:
they are dead things. I mean a living, sounding,               ILest   w e   forget...`:.-  "
glorifying mirror.                                             Is it possible t6 bless God on Thanksgiving Day,
    And therefore the Lord said: Beware that thou           and  eveu;y d?y  in the  `year?
forget not the Lord thy God !                                  There is a beautiful story in the answer to that
    And, positively, "t&m  thou shalt bless the Lord ,question. It is the story of-God's eternal love in Jesus.
thy ,God !"                                                    My first answer m&t be: no ! It is not possible to
    Lest we forget!                                         bless God.
                                                               Hate you not seen round about you last week dur-
                                                       -    ing the national holyday of Thanksgiving how utterly
                   ,a...                                    impossible it is to bless the Lord?                   .
                                                              Another, a `better question : have you not known
Lest we forget'!                                            from  the beginning of your vain life that you are
    What is it: to bless God?                               absolutely incapable to do any good and inclined to do
    Primarily it is a work of God. He blesses Himself.      all kind of evil?
He bows down to His own beauty.and He blesses Him-             Oh yes, there is a beautiful story about this bless-
self.                                                       ing of God by man.
 But after creating a good thing, He bows down to              And this is the story: when we could not do it any-
that good thing and blesses it. And that means, literal-    more because of our, sin, death and curse, God sent a
ly, to speak beautiful words to that object. And when       Man in the world, and He placed Him before all the
God does that, something happens. When God speaks           commandments, judgments and statutes of God, and
beautiful words to you, then something happens to           He said to this, Man : My pedple haye broken all of
you, then you are blessed, and that means that things       them, and they conti_nue to ,break them, and they have
happen to you, things of salvation. I will give you an      done this breaking in stead of keeping them. go I ask
example. There was a harlot standing behind Jesus.          a twofold work of you : you must keep them ,and you
We do not knpw of one word which that woman spoke,          must remedy the broken commandments in suffering
but we ,know that she wept, and she wept much, ,for         the punishments.
she employed ihe long tresses `of her hair to dry the          And He did.
feet of Jesus. Finally, Jes'us turned Himself about and        He did this for us. He did it in us. And He did it
He spoke wonderful words to her: Thy sins -are for-         through us. And therefore the Word of <God comes to
given. Thy faith hath saved thee ; go in peace ! There      us: Bless the Lord.
you have the blessing wherewith Gbd blesses. They              Awhile ago I said that we must speak beautiful
are ,beautiful  words, and they do something. Ask of        words  .about  ,God to  -cod. `Well the most beautiful
this woman if it did anything to her. She was trans-        words of blessing  of  ,God are not spoken but lived.
formed. I can imagine how she found her way put of          Awhile ago I directed your  wondeL;ing gaze to that
this house of Simon, and along the streets of the city,     woman who was a sinner. At that time I said that she
back to her home. Her heart was bursting with hap-          spoke not one'word. And that is true. But oh how she
piness.                                                     spoke in her deeds !                            .~
    Well, the Lord wants you to bless Him.                     she spoke such wonderfully beautiful, words that
    That is proper thanksgiving.                            Jesus made it a point to call Simon's attention to it.
    That is heaven on. earth.                                  Oh, let us go and do likewise. Let us in the power.
    In one way I can understand that the world does         and the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ live lives of
not thank God. Yes, they are wicked. Yes, they are          true thanksgiving to God.
responsible. Yes, they shall be called to accbunt in the       `And that is living the Lord Jesus Christ.
judgment day. Yes, they shall agree with God when                                                                      G. Vos  '


   I.00                                                                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R


                                   THE STANDARD BEARER                                                                     .:  -E  D  I  a  0  It  I  i  L
                  Semi-monthly, except monthly in `July and August
              Published by  the- Reformed Free Publishing Association
                  Box 124, Station C., Grand Rapids 6, Michigan                                                                            -I-he   &mod of  1951
                                  EDITOR  - Rev. Herman Hoeksema                                                          For .a while' we intend to write as complete a re-
              Communications Relative  to contents should be addressed
              to Rev. H. Hoeksema, 1139 Franklin' St., S. E., Grand                                                   port as possible on the transactions of our lz+st Synod,
              Rapids `7, Michigan.                                                                                    especially on those sessions of Synod that were held
              All matter relative to-subscription should be addressed                                                 from September 26 to IOctober 3.               In these sessions
              to Mr. J.  Bouwman,  1350 Giddings Ave., S. E., Grand                                                   the Declaration of Principles was discussed as to its
              Rapids 7, Michigan. Announcements and Obituaries must
              be mailed to the a.bove  address and will be published at a                                             content: and as to its purpose, and was finally adopted.
              fee  of $1.00 for each notice.                                                                              I do not have in my possession a stenographic re-
              Renewals:- Unless a definite request for discontinuance                                                 port, but I do have a rather lengthy and. accurate re-
              is received, it is assumed that the subscriber wishes the                                               port written in longhand. And since, of course, most
              subscription to continue without the formality of a  re-
         :  newal   o r d e r .                                                                                       of our people could not be present at the sessions of
                              Subscription Price: $3.00 per year                                                      Synod, and since I am certain that they will never-
              Entered as Second Class. m&l at Grand Rapids, Michigan                                                  theless be interested to know not only the formal de-
                                                                                                                      cisions, which can be found in the Acta, but also to
                                                                                                                      Tead about the discus&ions and the debates that were
                                                                                                                      carried on at Synod, so that they can have a complete
                                                                                                                      picture, I will write as accurately and as objectively
                                                                                                                      as possible on the basis of the written report I have
                                                                                                                      i n   m y 'p o s s e s s i o n .               *
                                                                                                                          The `Synod reconvened on September 26. After it was
                                                                                                                      *opened, the  ,delegates  of  Class:s  West were  as:ked to report as
                                                                                                                      to what they had d:ne in regard to-the contents of the Declara-
                                                                                                                .-    tion.  /The  report  w.as that they had referred  several  of the
                                                                                                                      protests against the Declaration that already  appea.red on the
                                                  C'ON?;E-NTS                                                         Agenda to the consistories, and that seeing .tiat their position
                                                                                                                      was that the  D,F,claration  was not  1cg:l;lly  before Synod, they
   MEDITATIO+--                                                         . .  .,                                       had not  entered  into the contents of it.
               Post-ThankSgiving  Thoughts .., . . . . . . . . . . : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97             Soon after th's  t&e Rev. H. Hoeksema  maae  the following
                     Rev. G. Vos
                       -,                                                                                             motion: "I make a motion that Synod declares that the De-
   E                                                                                                                  claration of Principles is the expression. of  the-  Conf.essions
             DITORIALS-                                ,.:
               Th Synod  ,of -1951 _:. .; . . . . . . . . . . . . . ::. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .lOO                with regard to  &me  fundamental  pr.inciples,  as these Confes-
                     Rev. H.  Hoekseina                                                                               sions have always been maIntained  and interpreted by-the Pro-
                                                                     ,. . .                                           testant Reformed  Churches."                            .
        ASTOBOOKS-                                                 .'                       ~.'                          .:The Rev. L. Vermeer asked: "Does  that  motion.  include the
               Lange's Commentary on _ the Holy Scriptures . . .`. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ld9                    atiendmen$s  suggested by  Clas;is  East?" .T.his  question was
               Antithese of Synthese - Dr. C. vm der Wad,  : . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
               Herleefd   V&eden   - Prof.' Dr. A.  Siam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109                     answered  in the affirmative.
   :                 #Rev.'  l? `Hoeksema                                                                                 Thereupon the Rev. J.  Howefzyl  aked:  IWhat is the pur-
                                                                                                                       pose of  this. motion ? I's it not begging the  qnestir.n?  Is  `t
~ T H E  T R I P L E   KNOWLEDGE~                                                                     -               preliminary to something else ? What  relItion,  for instance, is
               An Exposition of the -Heidelberg Catechism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I10                          there between th%; motion and the adv'ce  of Committee I, B?"
                :  ,Rev.  H. Hoeksema                                                 7
                                                                                                                           Here I must needs inform the reader about this
        T'HROTJGH   THE  AGES-                                                                                        report of `Committee I, B. A committee of pre-advice
               The Armi&&  or Remonstrant- Struggle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I12
                      R e v .   G .   M .   `Ophoff                                                                   had been appointed by Synod to present its advice con-
                                                                                                                       cerning the Declaration of Principles. It was a com-
        INHISFEAR-                                "                                 `. .                   D
               Looking to the  Future   (1) . . .:. . ..:. . . . . . .`.  .r . . . . . . . . .  .116                  mittee qf four, consisting of two members from the
                      Rev. H. C. Hoeksema                                                                             delegates of Classis West and `two members from the
        F                                                                                                              delegates of  Classis East. This committee could nci;
             ROM HOLY  WRIT-
               Exposition of John 8:1-11.. . . . . ,.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $. . . . . ,117                   agree, and therefore presented a split report. The re-
                      Re,v. G. C. Lubbers ._ .:                                                                        port `of Committee I A, which consisted of the dele-
        PBFUSCOPE-                                                        /                                            gates from Classis West, advised Synod not to adopt
                The Synod of. 1951 (cont.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119     the Declaration on the basis that it was not legally be-
                             R     e    v         .                J           .      uowerzyl
                                             :                                                                         sore  [Synod.  This was the thrust of the overture: to
                                                                                                                       Synad from the Consistory of  gur congregation in


                 t                                                                  1


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R .   .   -                                           101

 Bellflower, California.' However, the Synod in June                    which we organized congregations in the past of those who  *
 had already declared that the Declaration was legal, or                came to us from the Christian .Reformed  Churches.
 rather, had rejected the stand, of Bellflower's overture                   2.  /The  Declaration is legally before Synod.
that it was illegal by a vote' of nine to seven. This                       a. The Mission Committee had-the right to come to the last
 really eliminated the necessity of discussing the report               Synod  wit.h its request.
                                                                            (1) It, and  1.t alone, functions in. the organization of new
 of Committee I, B, that is, the report of the other half               ccngregations:                           ..__
 of the same committee of pre-advice, to which the Rev.                     (2) Considering the' Declaration as n.o `fourth F&m or--In-
 Howerzyl refers in his question, because that part of                  terpretaticn (as above) we must maintain that the Mission
 the report defended the legality of the Declaration of                 Committee is the only body  that could come  w:th the request
 Principles. But for the sake of completeness, I will                   which it presented to the last Synod.      It could not come to      *
                                                                        Synod from a local consistory.  -
 quote that report. Here it follows.                                        b. It certainly is now legally before this  presentSynod.
    Two of the members of our committee having agreed that                 (1) Several  consistor.es  have over&red Synod to adopt it
 Synod ought to be advised to adopt the Overture of Bellflower          for the Mission Committee's use.
 the undersigned members of the committee, wish to state that               (2) It has now come into being not only as  ,requested  by
 it is their opinion, that Synod should rather be advised to `adopt     the only body that &Id request it of the. Synod, but now from
 the Declaration on the basis of the six grounds included in            the very bottom, consistory,  Classis  to Synod-local  iongrega-
 Fuller Ave.`s advice and including ,a11 the amendments and the         tions are urging Synod to adopt  1.t and to heed  to- the request
 Preamble suggested by  Classis East's `overture.                       of the Mission Committee.
    We cannot agree with the statement in Bellflower's overture             From this it is evident that Committee I, B, ad-                           .
 that the Declaration is an interpretaticn  of the Confessions and      vised Synod to adopt the Declaration ,on the basis `of
 that :t came into being in an improper way. Concerning these
 two statements we. have the following to say:                          the six grounds adduced by the First Protestanf"RRe-
    1. The  Declaraton  is not an interpretation of-the Confes-         formed Church- of Grand Rapids, l)!tichigan, and in-
 sions or a Fourth Form but simply a Declaration of the  prin-          cluding all the amendments and the preamble sug-
 tiiples  according to which our Mission  Cummittee  is instructed      gested by Classis East. The rest of the report all con.
 to labor in  .organizing  new congregations. See the Preamble-         terns the legality of the Declaration of Principles,
 suggested by  Classis   .East on page 42 (bottom).                     which had already. been decided by `Synod. It wo,ulcl
    a. To draw up a document and in. it refer to the Confes-
 sions does not necessar:ly  brand it as an omcial  interpretation      be a mistake, therefore, to -enter  into that matter once
 whitch must be si,gned  together with confessions as b.elonging  to    more.                                                 a
                                                                                                            :
 Our Confessions.                                                           To the (question of the Rev. Howerzyl, what was
    (1) A professor of Theology, for example, might be sus-             the purpose of the motion presented by the Rev. H.
 pended from his office for teaching false doctrine. The  corn--        Hoeksema, the latter answered as follows: .,,
 mXtee which advises Synod to do so might quote freely from
`the Confessions to show that he has departed from them in his             The matter of the motion is certainly preliminary to sonie-
 teachings; `When Synod adopts this advice and makes it her             th:tig else, namely, to the adopt'on of the Declaration of Prin-
 own, that does not make this document an official  interpreta-         ciples as a form for the organization of churches, to be used.
 ticn  .of the  ConfessIons  on the level with  ,our Confessions.       by the Mission  CommIttee  and the Missionary. But' before we
    (2) `Since 1924 we have been interpreti@  the Confessions ins       adopt this, it is certainly necessary that we declare as Synod
 a very definite way, and in11950 our Mission Committee was not         that the Declaration of` Principles is the expression of the Con-
 rebuked by Synod for  writng to an individual: "We do not              fess&  .with regard to  son& fundamental principles, as these
 hesitate to express that the Word of God and the Three Forms           Confessions have always been maintained and interpreted by
 of Unity, as Interpreted by us over against the theory of Com-         the  Protesta& Reformed Churches: If this  motioa  is not.
 mon  ,Grace  and also the theory of General Grace as  expness&J        adopted;then  the adoption of the Declaration. as a form `for the
 in the Three Points of 1924 are binding in our Churches." See          Mission  Comm&ee  is not  <necessary  any more. Besides, this
 Acts of Synod page 115. This statement by the  MissIon  Com-           motion has the same snbstance  as the first point' of the grounds         '
 mittee  was  not an official Declaration af interpretation of the      of  Chssis East's overture. This ground reads as follows: `The
 Confessions.         And we would remind Synod that the Mission        Declaration of Principles is based  fourquarely  on our Three
 Committee came  w:th its request for a form because it was             Forms of Unity and Ion the Baptism Form! It has been alleged
 sti"uggln:g with this  pr.oblem  of dealing with those who also        by,  s:me,  wIthout  any proof, that the Declaration-represents a
 claim to have and to maintain the Three Forms of Unity and             private theological opinion.  But,nothing  could be farther from
 w.ho  desired to join our churches.                                    the troth. .It consists almost exclusively of quotations from the
    (3) We must not therefore hasten to call every document             Confes+ns. Essentially it is nothing else than the Three Fo&ms
 that deals  w'th  doctrinal matters and which quotes the Con-          of Unity as they have always been read and understo0d.b.y  the
 fessions as an official Interpretation which Synod has no right        Protestant Reformed Churches. The Declaration offers. nothing
 to compose.                                                            new.' The motion therefore certainly is not begging the  ques-
    b. The very form of the  Decl.aration  indicates that it is         `tion. The question of the truth  <as  &nfessed by  .our churches
 nothing more than a document  :n which we state the `principles        on the basis of the Three Forms of Un:ty is certainly most im-
 according to which' our churches always organized  congrega-           portant. And  thereforeFthe  question whether this Synod will
`tions in the plst and according to which we propose to do so in        express agreement with the Declaration as an expression of the
 the future  as we  appro$h those from' other denominations, than       Confession is paramount.. It is t> me more' important than'the
 those  :amongst  whom we labored  :n the past. Therefore the           adopt',on `of the' Declaration of Principles  as- a form for the
 document begins  historicall~y  with the principles  aocording  to     Mission Committee. And in answer to the question. of the Rev.


                                                                                                                         .
102                                 _    ..THti        Sil'4NDAR.D                 k.ZAAR.&
                              _.

Vermeer, whether my motion  includ,es  the amendments sug-              that implies too, to my mind, that in the future the Three Forms
gested ,by Classis East, I would say that this forenoon a motion        of Unity will nevertheless have to be interpreted :n the light of
was adopted to read the whole Declaration, including the                this Declaration.
amendments. And  s:nce it has been read with these amendments           `The Rev. G. M. Ophoff: What the Rev. Howerzyl just said
this morning, it stsnds to reason that my motion includes them.         is undoubtedly correct. But what of it? If this Declaration is
                                                                        nothing but the  express:on  of the truth of our  Coufessions,
       And now I will quote-the discussion on this matte1               what can ,possibly  be the objection? The question before  us is
conducted on the floor -of the Synod from the written                    exactly th s: is the  Declaration  the truth of the Confessions,
report as I have it .before k+.
                               . . ;                                    yes or no ? If it is not, let us prove it. But if it is, `don't we
                                                                        want `that truth ?
The Rev. L. Vermeer: Rev. H. .Hoekema-  says that if this                The-Rev.  M. Gritters: If this motion is a part of a series
motion is passed, then we  -have adopted the first ground of             of other  motons that are to follow, then we should certainly
Cleasis  East's overture. Butif. this is ,true,  it seems to me that    .reject it. We do not know what else is coming. If we are to
in that case we have adopted the whole thing. Then he Declara-          be of any service to the church in the future, we must  make-
tion itself has. been adopted.  .,                                      things very plain. Also,  if'we  are to be of any service to oth-
   Rev. H.  Hoeksema:  The remark of "the Rev. L. Vermeer is             ers, for instance, to the Liberated, we should emphasze  which
not quite correct. This motion simply.means  that we as Synod           fundamental principles. are meant. That faith is the hand of the
agree on the truth of the Declaration,-,that  is, we express that       soul .is a fundamental principle. Another  fundamental principle
the Declaration is the expression of the Confessions with re-           is: `Whosoever  bel:eveth  shall have everlasting life.' We must
gard to some fundamental prnciples, as these Confessions have thenefore definitely state what -fundamental principles are
always been maintained and, interpreted by the Protestant Re-           meant.
formed Churches. /The  question is now simply, whether this is              Rev. R.  Veldman:     I can see what the Rev. J. Howerzyl
true, or not. If this motion is, passed, another mot?on  will still     meant. And perhaps we want to avoid this; that is, to make of
be needed for its adopt'on as a form for the Mission Committee          the Declaration a certain Fourth Form of a confessional nature.
and for the Missionary.                                                 Is it not possible thongh, that together we say that this is the
   Rev. L. Vermeer.: That is a part  of*the  truth., But it is           truth, regardless of the question whether we want to adopt it
also true that when we have adopted ths first point of Classis          for the use of the Mission Committee. If we can agree that
East's overture, we will have to adopt the rest of it also, and          this is the truth, then we do not have to talk about that any-
we will have to say that `it will safeguard our churches against         more. If we cannot agree on this, it is no use to talk any f.urth-
`the influence of those who claim that they adhere to the Re-            er. But if we  do, we can  stmply discuss whether we want the
formed Confessions but do not.' The question is whether this-            Declaration to be adopted as a form for the organization. of
applies to the people of our  churohes  also.  Classis  West said        churches, to be used by the Mission CommIttee.
that we agree `with the main thrust of the Declaration. But WI?
did not go into the contents of the Declaration of determine                The Rev. G. M. Ophoff: In reply to the Rev. M. Gritters, 1
whether it  is really the  expres,sion  of the Confessions.              want to state that the Declaration plainly state.s  what matters
   Rev.`J. Howerzyl: Does not this motion broaden the scope              this motion treats. There can be no question about the prin-
of the whole matter? It seems to me that the Declaration is              ciples involved. rThat the prom:se is unconditional and only for
pr,esented as a form for  the organization of congregations.             the elect-those, are the chief fundamental principles which are
Doesn't this motion rather make it a Fourth Form of. a confes-           mentioned in the Declaration.      And exactly these principles
sional nature ?                                                         must be  enunc:ated.  There are, of  course,  still other truths be-
   Rev. G. M. Ophoff:  ..I cannot understand the objections of           sides those which are mentioned ,by the Rev. Gritters. Such a
some `against this motion. Even if we do express  In this mo-            principle, for instance, is- the truth of the Trinity. But was it
tion that we .adopt the contents of the Declaration, what of it? --necessary to say someth'ng about this for the Mission. Com-
The simple question  1s whether  thk Declaration is the expression       mittee ? The  Declaraton  is certainly'not vague, but very spe-
of the truth of the Confessions. And if it is, do we not dare t3         cific and clear. Everybody can understand it. Let the Rev.
adopt this ? If we all agree that the Declaration is in stigreement      Gritters make clear where it is ambiguous or vague.
with  the Connfessions, and that it is the expression of-the Con-           The Rev. L.. Vermeer :    The Rev. Ophoff states that it is
fessions as we hav.e  always taught it in our churches; what can         one of. t.he ma'n principles of the Declaration that the promise
possibly be the objection against this motion?                           is unconditional., But according to the Rev. Ophoff, we may
 : Rev. H. H.: In aniwer  to the Rev. J. Howerzyl I would say            also speak of conditional promises. I can quote him in regard
that it would probably be true that if-th?s  motion is passed, we        to this from the Standard  Bearer.  This  certa:nly  is one in-
adopt a certain  form of a confessional nature for our churches,         stance of' vagueness and ambiguity. Let the Rev. Ophoff ex-
if this motion stood alone. But as soon as we adopt the main             plain.
thing, that is, if we adopt the  mot:`on that this is to be used            Rev. G. M. Ophoff: I would ask the Rev. Vermeer whether
for the Mission Committee and the Missionary .in the organiza-           he really reads the  Standard Bearer.  If he does, he certainly
tion of churches,  th-Ys whole objection falls away. If we adopt         must be acquainted with the fact that I used the expression
the preamble suggested, by  Classis  East, this Declaration can          conditional  promis.es  twenty-five years ago. At that time I was
never  %be used instead of the Confession or even along side of the     just out of  `the  Christia,n  Reformed Churches. Besides, at that
Confiesions.  T.he Confessions remain the only basis on  whi&            time the question was an entirely different one, which must not
we as churches stand. For instance, the Declaration, if we adopt         be forgotten. Moreover, he must not overlook the fact, or for-
it as .a form for the organization of churches, can never be used        get to mention, that I publcly  confessed my error in the same
to depose  mi&ters, elders, or deacons.        ,                         Standard Bearer. What right, then, does he have, after I con-
   Rev. J. Howerzyl:~' If this motion' is passed in its present          fessed my' error, to throw this up at me ? Besides, although it
form, then regardless of, subsequent action, this statement              is. true that the question concerning the promise has been ac-
stands that  th:s-  motion  declares.  It `means that we say that        centuated since we came into contact  w:th the Liberated, the
this Declaration says nothing  mores  than the Confession, And           Liberated have nothing to do with this motion. The question  be-


                                             THE:        B;3'
                                                                ANjj*AB                 jzjB&RjTj&





fore us is simply whether the Declaration-5 the truth as  ex-           pression of the Confessions as these have always been main-
pressed in the  Confessyons.  If it is not,,, let those that oppose     tained and interpreted by the Protestant Reformed Churches.
the Declaration show it.                                  j_            The question is  whet.her we shall declare this. And the neces-
   The Rev. J. Howerzyl: I read in this motion, `that the De.-          sity of this Declaration has not been proved to me yet. If
claraton of Principles is the expression of the Confessions             this Declaration is the same as the Confessions, it is not neces-
with regard to some fundamental principles, as these Confes-            sary. In this motion we express more than that this is a form
sions have always been maintained and interpreted by the Pro-           for the organization of churches, to be used by the  MissI,on
testant Reformed Churches.' Now, after 1924 it was still pos-           Committee. This motion goes farther than the .advice of Corn-
sible for Ophoff to write as he did, and speak of  condItiona           mittee I, B.
promises. How then can he say these Confession: were always                Re'Y. H. H.:          Mr. Chairman, in the first place, I publicly
interpreted as in this Declaration ?                                    repudiate the  nsinuation  as if in the last  twenty-s.even  years
   The Rev. G. M. Ophoff: Principally twenty-five years ago.  I         `I wrote or taught anything contrary to that which is express-
taught  nothng  else than  -what I  tesch today. Even then I did        ed in the Declaration. I wrote volumes. And I dare say that  -
not defend a general promise to all. I was. defending the truth         principally I never chlanged.  I always taught and preached the
of a particular promise, that is only for the elect. Only, we           very  ,same  thing I preach today. It  is-true+that  when the sub-
were accused of preaching only to the elect. And therefore I            ject of  coaditions  was not  pressng,  I used the term. But I can
showed that we' can present the gospel of a particular promise          prove to you by quotations from the  Stfandard.  Bearer  that in
to all. I never said that God promised all men something. It            .the same breath and in the same connection I ,emphasized  that
is true that I used the term conditional promise, but only in the       the promise is unconditional. In the  second  place, I  mai&&
sense that the promise is particular, while the preaching of the        that if w,e do not dare to-.adopt.  this Declaration, then we cer-
gospel .is general. The essence of what I then wrote is the             tainly should .go back to the Christian Reformed ,Churohes  and
s+me as what I teach today.                                             apologize for what we d1.d in 1924, when we rejected the First
   The Rev. G. Vos: I can" easily defend the fa,ct that the, Rev.       Point of the three. The Rev. Howerzyl's contention is not car-
G. M. Ophoff and the Rev. H. H. used this -terminology of a             rect. If we ,adopt the Declaration, there must be grounds upon
conditonal  promise, while at the same time they were teaching          which we adopt it. Therefore we must discuss the contents of
and advocating what this  Declaraton  expresses.       Even when        this  Declaraticn'before  we ever adopt it. We must discuss the
they spoke of conditional prom::ses, they were certainly not de-        quest'on whether' this Declaration is really the truth as con-
fending the Heynsian  or Liberated theology, terminology. They          tained in the Confessions. I  can, also move that we adopt  the-
defended what we defend today, even though they used  this              first ground of Fuller  :Avenue's  Consistory, and  you. really
termin.ology.  In -our school they taught us exactly the truth          have the same thing. Let us therefore enter into the discussion
which the Declaration states, even though they used this term,          of the `contents of the. Declaration. We cannot discuss it, by
conlditional  promise,' and in a later connection admitted that it      walking around it, as we do now. But we must talk about it.                  "
was  `a blunder which they committed in quoting Calvin. The                The Rev. G. M. Ophoff: The  `Rev. Howerzyl  Says- that if  I
content of the word con:dition  with them never had the content         we adopt this Declaration, we have a Fourth Form. -Now that
the Lib.erated give to :t today. `All the benefits of the covenant      is absolutely impossible if the Declaration is the Confessions,
are  un,conditionally  bestowed,' is. what we had to memorize           or is the expression of the Confessions. And I maintain that it
even when we were in school.                                            is. It does not set forth one truth of which the Confessions do
   T,he Rev. R.  Veldman:  I do no like the way this  discuss:on        not speak. Nor can you find one statement in the Declaration
is going. We do not have to determine or define what the Rev.           that is in conflict with the Confessions. And therefore, it `is
H. H. and the Rev. Ophoff said. Let us discuss  t.he motion.            impossible that it can be a Fourth Form.                         :.
Let the brethren that oppose the Declaration show that it  i,s             {The  Rev. M. Gri,tters:.~`I  still say that I  cannot'vote  for this
not the truth of the Confessions.       Let them point- out exact       w:thodt   knowiang  what is to follow when it  is.,`passed.     I know
s.tatenlents  of what is and what was not always taught in our          that when we say'that we always confessed this, that never-
churches. What is wrong with the  Declaratiion?  That is the            theless we had a different `idea of the promise land a different
question. Show us that it is not the truth. Let us  d~scuss"what  is    approach to it. I be'gSyn:od that if we. are to `be of any service
the contents of the Declaration, ,and not what is in the Stand-         to our churches, that we should define Heynsianism and these
ard Bearer.                                                             fundamental principles that are referred to in the motion. It
   The Rev. J. Howerzyl: T.his is `nevertheless a new ap-               is true that our Confessions condemn the term conditions. But
proach, and begging the quest:on; The question is whether we            they speak of conditions only with relation to election, and not
will  declare this, not whether it is the truth.                                         ../     ,.
                                                                        i,n  relat:on  to the promise.
   The Rev. G.  lYL  Ophod:      How can we possibly adopt a               Rev. H.  I-I.:        Mr. Chairman, this last remark of the Rev.
thing without talking about it, without  discussng  it? Can we          Gritters evidently enters into the contents of  th,e motion.  Of  :
talk about adopting it before we say whether we agree with              that',I  am. glad. And, I will show the Rev.  Gritters'that  he is
its contents ?                                                          mistaken `when he says that according to the. Confessions the
   The Rev. L. Vermeer: We always believed and confessed                promise can also  .be conditional and when he denies that the
that all our salvation is only from God. And on this point we           Confessions say anything about  condit:ons   in  relati.on  to the
are just as `strong as ever. But there were other statements            prom&e or about  e:nditional  promises. I will take time to
made, especially since Dr. Schilder was here, when conditional          show this particular p&iple  .that  the promise is unconditional
promises were mentioned. I maintain that this Declaration is            from the Confessions.
not what we have always .express.ed and confessed.                        I first `of all refer you  to.-thee  Baptism Form.            In:,  the
   The Rev. J. Howerzyl:       The Rev. G. M.  Ophoff  suggests         Baptism Form we read of the promise, in the strongest possible
that I mean to vote on the thing `without  dixccussing  it.     My      language. For `there we read. repeatedly that  baptis,m  wit-
point is that you have first of all the question concerning the         nes&&..and:  sealeth.  It  witnesseth  and sealeth unto, us the
first ground of Fuller Avenue's overture, and again the ques-           washing `a+%$  of our sins through-3esus  -Christ. God the Father
tion of  .declaring  that the Declaration of Principles' is `the ex- ' witnesseth   .arid sealeth  untdcits  that He  `doth make an eternal


        104                                           T H E   STANDAR'D  BEAR%R

        covenant of grace with us. The Son sealeth unto us that He                   not  Icorrect. Our fathers clearly maintained that the  applica-
        doth wash us in His blood from all our sins. And the Holy                         tion of salvation is just as divine and unconditional as election
        Ghost assures us that He will dwell in us. This, therefore, is               itself. For this I refer you to Canons II, 8, an  art)cle of the
        the  seileil   promise of God. Now the question is: to whom in                    confession which is  .also quoted in the Declaration. There we
        this Baptism Form  does  the personal pronoun us refer? Does                 read : `For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious
        it refer to all the baptized children,, head for head, and `soul                  will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and
        for soul ?. Does God witness and seal and assure with an oath                     saving efficacy of the  most  prec:ous death of his Son should
        to  ,everyone  baptized that He washes away his sins, etc? Or                     extend to `all the elect; .for bestowing upon them alone the gift
     must we consider the church elect as speaking here, and that                         of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salva-
        the us refers to belevers and their spiritual seed, as found in              tion: that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood
        the line of continued generations ? I claim that  th:ls is the only          of the  ~I\Jss,'   where,by  he confirmed the new  covenas&  should
        way in  w.h:ch  you can possibly -read the Baptism Form in-                       effec;tually  redeem out of every people,  tLbe,  nation, and
        telligently. The question in the first part of the Baptism Form                   language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity
        is: what does God do ? and not: what do , we do ? God the                         chosen to salvation, and given to him by the. Father; that he
        Father. witnesseth and sealeth unto us that He establishes an                     should confer upon them faith,  which together with all the
        eternal covenant of grace with us, that He adopts us for His                      other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit he purchased for them
        children and heirs, that He will provide us with every good                       by his death; should purge them from all sin, both  orig:nal
        things, and avert all evil or turn it to our profit. Would you' and actual, whether committed before or after believing; and
        say that God the Father witnesseth and  seals this promise to                     having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should  ::t
        all the baptized children. Then, and then only, can. you say                      last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the en-
        that- the promise is for all that. are  bapt:zed. But this is im-            joyment of glory  In his own presence forever.`.  N~ow  does this
        possible. For what God promises, what He witnesses and                            article of the confession speak only of election? The main sub-
        seals, He certainly does perform. And He does not perform                    ject of `this chapter of the Canons i$ `The Death of Christ, and
        this upon every baptized child. God the Son in baptism wit-                  the Redemption of Men Thereby.' The subjwt ,of election, pure
        nesses and seals that Be doth wash us in His blood, that He                       and simple, was treated in the first chapter. But in Canons II;
        incoraorates   us  into the fellowship of His death and  resurrec-   /  S we have the presentation of the counsel of God in its execu-
        tion,-so  that we are freed from  all our sins and' accounted               `tion, that is, the appKcation  of the blessings of salvation. And
       righteous before God. Again I ask: does He seal this promise                       this capapplication  of salvation, that is, of the promise, is, aco3rd-
        unto every baptized child? And  ,again  I remind you that what                    ing to this article, only for the elect.        Only upon them is
        God promises He .fufills. Through baptism the Holy Ghost as-                      bestowed the gift of  justfying  faith, in order to bring them
        sures us that He will dwell in us.  Th:s is  imp,ortant. There is                 infallibly to salvation. Only the elect are actually redeemed,
        no  possiblity  of the realization of the promise except through                  according to the purpose of God. Only upon them are bestowed
     - the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit,  .therefore,  belongs to the                     811 the gifts of the- Holy Spirit, according to-the same purpose,
        promise of God. Without the Holy  Spirit there is no promise.                     --Ihe gifts. which Christ purchased for them by His death.
        If.;God  promises us His-Spirit, He promises us all the blessings                 Only them He purges from all sin. Only them He preserves
        of salvation.  If He does not promise the- Spirit, He promises us                 f,a'thfully  to the end, and leads them. to the enjoyment of glory
       *noth:ng,  And now will anyone of us maintain that the promise                     in God's presence forever. Surely, according  to the Canons,
       `of the Holy Spirit is con,ditional?  You all remember that when                   election is unconditional. But the unconditionality of salvation
       Dr. Schilder was here, in our  conferen,ces  with him I defended                   does not refer only to election,`but  also to the application of all
        thirteen propositions on the \covenant  and on the promise. They                  the blessings of  salvat:on  to the  elefct only. And therefore also
        can still be found  in'the  Standar,d  Bearer.  At that time Dr.                  in this article of the confession the promise of God is sure, and
        Schilder presented his view and attempted to prove that funda-                    for the elect,  anad unconditional."
        mentally we agreed. The difference between us was rather a
        .difference  of terminology;  ,`not of. principle. You  ,a11 remember                 In the middle of my speech we had recess. And
        that .as far as the, term' `condition is concerned, he made the                   after recess I continued as follows:                  _
       illustration of a man that,  certsnly must fulfill the condition                      Before recess I was showing that the promises of God are
        of sowing, if he is to expe6.t  a harvest, with this illustration we              always unconditional and only. for the elect, according to the
        @an, ,of course, all agree. But in the matter of salvation a man                  Confea@ons.    The subject with which the Declaration deals is
        can do ab;olutely  nothing,' He kannot  sow to expect a harvest.                  only the `question concerning the unconditionality of the
        He  ,can only do worse than nothing. For he can only refuse,                      promise, which the Rev, Gritters disputes. We must remember
        reject salvation. It  `.s only the grace of the  Spi,rif that `can                that we are deal'ng here with the Confessims,  and with nothing
        possibly change him. And therefore I claim that if the promise                    else. Our Confessions certainly are not,' and cannot be, in dis-
        &es not' include the Shirit,  it includes nothing. But according                  pute among us. I certainly may proceed from the assumption
        to. the Baptism Form, the;prom%e  of God includes the Spirit.                     that the Confessions are Scriptural. This I do not have to
        The Spirit will dwell in us and apply all that we have in Christ                  prove. Anyone that has an objection against the Confessions
        to  `us, `the washing away of our sins, and the daily renewing                    mu:t present a gravamen  :n the  aegular  way.  Nor need we
        of our lives, till we shall finally be presented without spot  or                 have a discussion here of conditions in general. That is indeed
        wr:nkle  among the assembly of the elect in life eternal.' And                    a very intereating subject, and a matter w.hich  we can certainly
.       sinye the promise of the Holy Spirit is an essential element,                     discuss sometime. But that is not the question here, and  at
     . , and `since the gift  cf the Holy Spirit is not conditioned upon                  present, before this Synod. Here the. question is simply wheth-
        anything man can do, the -promise  is necessarily unconditional:
        .,                                                                                er  the' promise is ever conditional, and is ever for anyone but
              In the second place,  .I  .want to call attention to  `the  state-          the elect. And that the promise is -absolutely unconditional and
        ment of the Rev. Gritters that  the  ConfessYons  speak of  condi-                for the elect. alone I was showing, and  now will continue to
        ions. only with a view to election.- Election is unconditional.                   show from our Three Forms  .of Unity.
        But the promise may be  condition.al.  Now this' certainly is               4,       When you are dealing with the question of the promise of


                                                  `ii?HE  %J?ANI)ARD   B E A R E R -                                                               105

God, you are naturally dealing wXh the sacraments: for these                 `us', the same as in  Aa-ticle 33. And by these pronouns again
are' signs ,and seals cf the pnomise.  We need not be surprised,             believers and their spiritual fseed  are essentially referred  to as
therefore, that the sacraments have been in ,d@mte  throughout               the subject: `We believe and confess . . . We are received into
the ages of the church. The baptists and  anabaptists  reject                the church of God. Baptism serves  .as a testimony to us,  that
infant baptism. What really lies back of this objection to in-               He will forever be our gracious  -God  and Father". And thus it
fant baptism ? Ess&ntially  this objection concerns the question             is  thnoughout  the  ar'cX:e. It is also  eddent from the same
of unconditional salvation. The promise of God cannot be con-                article  that0  the promise is `not conceived as a mere objective               .
ditional for infants, for they  I'c,annot   ,accept  conditions. Hence,      bequest, but that' it include? all the blessings ,of salvation, as
they reject infant baptism, and must limit the sacrament of                  `a,ppljed  to us by the Holy Spirit.. For  ,baptism  &nifies  `to us,
baptilsm  only to the adults. The crux of the matter therefore               that as water wash&h  .away  the filth of the body, when poured
:s whether the -promise of God is conditional. In a way this is.             upon it, and is seen on the body of the baptized, when sprinkled
also true of the sacrament of communion. Also  in regard to                  upon him;  ICD doth the  blood.  of  ,Christ,  by the power of the
this sacrament the question was. always ,and still is whether it             Holy Ghost, internally  sp:rinkle  the soul, cleanse it from its
wx a  ~sign  and `seal of grace.        O                                    s:ns, and negenerate us from children of wrath, unto children
                                                                             of  `God'. Again,  o little further in the same  .article,  Xt is' said
   Now let us turn once more to the  Confessitoms,  to  f%nd out             that baptism signifies  a& seals to us that `our. Lord giveth
whether they  spezk-of   con&tions  only with regard to election,            t,hat which is sigmfied'by the sacrament, namely, the gifts and
and whether they also .do not clearly teach. that the promise of             invisible grace;  w,ashing,  tleansing  (and  m.rupging  our souls from
God is  unamditional.  I refer you to the Belgic  Confession,                all filth and' unrighteousness; renewing  &r  `*hearts,,  and, filling
Articles 33-35. Let us pay particular attention to the pro-                  them with all comfort; giv:ng us a true assurance-  of hisFat&
nouns "we' and `us' -And `our'.. The question. is whether these              erly goodness; putting on us- the new .man,  and putting off the
pronouns refer to the believing church and its  IspXtual  `seed,~            old  man with all  :his deeds'. It  Is plain from all this that ac-
or whether they can  pos,sibly refer also to the carnal seed.                cording to our Confession, baptism does not merely signify an
Article 33 of the Belgic Confession speaks  1of the sacraments               objective bequest to all the children that are born under the
in  gen.eral,  and of them it is  s.aid: `We *believe, that  oluir           dispensation of the covenant, but that it includes the promise of
gralcious .God, on account of our -weakness and infirmities :hath            the Holy Spirit and the appl'cation  of all the blessings of salva-
ordained  :the  ,sacraments  for us, thereby to  `seal unto  sus his         tion, subjectively, to Iall the spiritual seed of the covenant. And
promises,  ,and to be pledges iof the good will and grace of God             therefore  agdn, also from this  ,article, it is-very evident that
toward us, `and a1s.o to nourish .and  strengthen our faith; which           the promise is not contional.
he hath joined to the Word of the gospel, the better to present
to our senses, both that  w.hich  he signifies to us by his Word,               And once more the same is- true of Article 35,:which  .speaks
and that whi,ch  he. works inwardly in our hearts, thereby assnr-            of the Holy Supper of our Lord -Jesus Christ.. i Again, the same
ing amd  confirming in us the salvation which he imparts to us.              pensonal pronouns are used, and in them the  referenqe  is the
For they are visible [signs  and seals of an inward -and invisible           same as in the preceding arti&les,  that is, to belsevers  and their
thing, by  means_Jvhereof  God worketh  Irn us by the power of               spiritual seed. It speaks of those that are already regenerated.
the Holy  ,Ghost'.  It is plain. from the language of this entire            The sacrament of holy  oommunion   ils designed to seal and
article that the personal pronouns  nefer to t:he believing church.          ,signify to us the nourishing  I& our spiritual life: `Christ, that
and its spiritual seed,  als it organically  -appears in the  -line of       he might represent unto us this spiritual and  .heavenly  bread,
con,tinued  generations. It is: also plain that in this article  the"        hath instituted an` earthly  .and  tisible bread, as a sacrament
promise `i,s not a me.re objective bequest, without subjective ap-           of his body, amd  w&  `as a  sacrametit  of his blood, to testify
pliciation.  Thins  wo.uld  make it an, ,offer to all the seed, spiritual    by them unto us, that,.  .as certainly as we receive and hold
and carnal. But a seal is by no means the same as an offer. It               this  sacramet  in our hands,  and- eat and drink the same with
is rather man oath of <God that He will fulfill the promise to-la11          our mouths, by wh:ch our life isafterwards  n.ourished, we also'
that are  unsder  the seal. Besides, that the promise  Is not a do `as certainly receive by faith- (wh'ch  is the.hand and mouth of
mere objective  .bequest,  but that it implies the subjective ap-            our soul) the true body and blood of Christ our only Savior in
plication, and therefore concerns surely only the elect, is evi-             our souls, for the support $02 our spiritual life'. .And  again, that
dent from the fact that  ,also  this article includes the Holy               also  th:s sacrament signs and seals unto us, not only the ob-
Spir$t  in the promise. Always the promise includes the promise              jective bequest, but also the subjective application of  ,a11 the
of the Holy Spirit. And certainly the Bsly Spirit cannot be con-             blessings of salvation to believers is plain from the following:
dit'oned. That t.his is the meaning of the article is-evident from           `Now, as it  Is certain and beyond all doubt, that Jesus  Chr&t
the fact that it speaks of imparting the salvation to  us: The               hath not enjoined to us the use of his  saclram,ents.  in  va:n, so
sacraments signify `that which he works inwardly in our                      be works in us .a11 that he represents to us by these holy signs,
hearts, thereby assuring- and confirming in us the  !salvat:on               though the manner surpasses our understanding, and cannot be
whi,ch  he imparts to us'. Note; the article does not say that God           comprehended by us as the operations of the Holy Ghost are
off,ers  salv?tiizn,   `nor  that He merely objectively bequeathes           bidden and  incomprehens&le'.  And once  more,..a little further
salvation, but that God imparts salvation to us. Besides, that               in the article we read: `This feast is .a spiritual ta.ble, at w.hich
the promise of the Holy  Sp'rit  and the application of all the              Christ communicates himself with all  h:s benefits to' us, and
blessings  -of  .salvstion  are included in the promise of. God is           gives  ws there to enjoy both himself, and the merits of his suf-  -
evident from the sentence that follows:  `RX they  `are visible              ferings and death, nourishing, strengthening and comforting
 signs  a.nd seals of an inward and  inm:sible  thing,  .by means            our poor comfortless souls` by the eatng of his flesh, quicken-
whereof  `God   work&h  in us by the  .power of the Holy `Ghost'.            ing  ,and refreshing them by the drinking of hiis blood'. All.this
The Holy Ghost is included in the promise of  ,God, and there-               denotes far more than  `an objective bequest. It  in&rdes  the
fore it must needs  ,be  nnconditaonal.                                      promise of the ~Holy Ghost. And therefore,1 say once more that
    All these elements are also plainly expi%ased  in Article 34,            the promise- is unconditional. In fact, that the promi'se  is only
 which speaks of  Boly Baptism.              In the first place; in this     for  the-`,eIect,   accorditig to the  Belgic  ~Cotifess'ion,  and certainly
article too we have naturally the pronouns  :`we' and `our' and              not for the hypocrites.,and  the carnal seed, is also evident from


   1 0 6                                          T H E :   ST.AN.DARti  BEA&ER                                                                   -
   the following quotations `Further, though the  seraments  are               to any such accusation. Let us take our time, ,and go through it
   connected  w:;th  the thing signified, aevertheless both  tare not          thoroughly.
   received by all men: the ungodly indeed seceives  the sacrament                  Rev. H. Hoeksema: I am  Iin favor of the motion to  d&uss
   to  hiis condemnation, but he  ldoth not receive the truth of the           it seriatim. And after we have discussed a point, lve can make
   sacrament. As  Jud.as, and Simon the sorcerer, both indeed                  a motion to a&pt  that point which was under discussion.
   received the sacrament, but not Christ, who was signified by                     Rev. J. Howerzyl:           Does this  :mply that Synod will  nn.o
   it, of whom  bel!evers:only  are made partakers'.  ~                        l;nger   (decide  whether it is a Confession or a Fourth Form, or
     I think  for the time being I `have said enough to repudiate              not? There are many truths which I hold,  ,but that does not
   the Istatement that according to our Confegsions the term con-              mean that I want.n;;w  to, declare ,them in a certain form.
  ditions is condemned only in regard  to'the  idoctrine of election.              Rev. L.  Doez_ema:  I am against the original motion. I feel
   Always the promise is presented as unconditional, and is for                that we have to allow for all the doubtrs that have arisen about
   the elect salone.  A conditional promise is no prom%+.  if if were          the formulatlon,of this Declaration. I am ready to declare that
   only for the fact that the gift of the Holy Spirit cannot  pas;             the Declaration expresses" the essential thrust of the  Co&es-
   sibly be conditioned by anything that man can do. Somehow or                Fion  in (regard t;s certain fundamental principles. But we have
   other there is always a tendency in the' church to depart from              no need of any  ,added   statementcs   ,about  the Confessions  whic,h
   this truth.  Hut let us remember- that a  condXiona1  pnomise               we already have. I repeat that we should  gd  thl:ough  the
   presupposes conditional  elect:on.  And that is  Arminian.  There-          Agenda, to gather all the material the consistories have pre-
   fore,  wie must maintain  -our Confessions, which always main-              sented, in the form' of  object:ons  to the `Declaration.        These
   tain that the  prom)se of  AGod  is surely fulfilled, that it  is  `ap      shpuld be treated, and nothing more.  &d after such a treat-
   oath of God  &ch is meant on.ly  for the elect, and that there-             ment, we ,gay be  ,able to decide whether or not we will, adopt
   E:re it is  uncondi6ional.                                                  the Declaration.
      N. Yonker: We are  &ally  getting into the subject-matter                    Rev. H. H.: My idea  [was  to go through the Declaration
_ of the Declaration, aand  therefolre  are discussing the contents  of        point by point from the viewpoint of the question  whethm  or
   the motion that is  b.efore  the house. But why  cannot  we treat           not it 1s in harmony with the C%mfess+on.s.  This after all is the
   the  w.hole  Declaration, on the basis of this motion, seriatim,            Fhief  question. After this has been decided,. we can determine'
   and  discusis  the  Declarat&m  point by point. I make  `an amend-          whether we will adopt  it or not.
   ment to the motion that we so do.                                               De  Viies:           A large  pa&,  of" the Declaration is the Con-
      Rev. L. Doezema: There is  `a good deal of  materjal  on  the            fessions. And we certainly do not  ,have to  ,dec:`de or try to
   Agenda which is sent in by  the- consistories, and which deal               decide about the Confessions,  &J  we?.  :
   with the contents of the Declaration. I would like to start out
   66th a  discussi;on  qf this material.                                          Rev. L. Doezema: We have a difficulty here, because of the
      Rev. L. Vermeer: I cannot see why all this  ds necessary.                original motion. The Rev. Hoeksema gave  *a speech in which
   Let us stick to the  motion of the  Rev.  H. Hoeksema, which is             he expressed other ideas than those which are in this docum+t.
   before Synod.                                                               We  must heat only what the consistories sent in. I am not
      N. Yonker: This is undoubtedly necessary, because in the                 inteyested  in changing any formulation, because I  `am  xot in
   material  wh%l the Rev. Doezema mentions some objected to                   favor of formulating anything.. And I cannot agree  with this
   the contents of the Declaration. But when my motion is                      formulation, `although I once more state that I can declare that
   adopted, we naturally also enter. into the contents  I of those             f am in favor of the  g.senti.al  thrust of this Declaration.
   objections.                                                                 R e v .   H .   H . :      To my mind, if we do not  agree with the
    Rev. G. M.  Ophoff; Mr. Chairman: I' like this amendment,                  fiormulation,  then we certainly cannot agree with the contents
  -fop it means that we enter into  the  d.iscuss:on of the  emtents           of the  DeElarat1cm.  You  cannot possibly  4separate  the  termino-
   of  the  Declaration  in detail. If there is something in the               I;;gy' from' the contents. If  this is: the position of the Rev. L.
   Declaration that is not  corrdct  or that  is  amb&uous,  let us            ,Doezema,  he is ih duty bound-to make another formulation, i:
   discuss it on the floor of the Synod, and let us go over it to-             which he clearly expresses what, according to his conviction, is
   gether:                                                                     the main thrust of the Declaration..
      Rev. R.  Velldman: The  motioh which is offered  `by Mr. N.                   Finally, at the- close ,of the Wednesday afternoon
   Yonker i;s treally  n:rit an amendment, but it a substitute mot?on.         session, the motion was adopted to discuss the .De-
      Rev. H. H.: Well, let us call it a substitute motion.. It                claratioll-  seriatim, to determine whether it is in
  makes  no difference to me. There  certahily  can never be any
   objection to a  thorough  discussion. And if there  `are any er-            harmony w'ith the Confessions. Jt was also decided to
  rors  i,n the  Declaration,  they should be corrected. But let us            put all the material of the Agenda that has reference
  have them then. We are  ,certainly  not  defgnding any  pessonal.            to the Dkclaration in the form .of objections, etc., in
   or private  the;ological   viewIs. But  it is a question of the Con-        the hands of Committee I, to collate ,a11 that material
  fession. And I  %hink  it is very good that we take our  t:me,,              for a better discussion. After this the Synod closed
  &yen  if it is  ndcessary  to meet all next week.                            its session with prayer and thanksgiving.
      J. Faber: All this is very well,  but I don't  see why,  it. is
  necessary.  Nb one  ,has ever  de'nied   jret that the  Declarat?on.   is         After the Thursday morning sessipn  was opened
  `the truth of the  Confe.&ions.  If anyone maintains that the                with the proper devotional exercises, a discussion en-
  contents of the' Declarati;m   aie not in harmony  with the Con-             sued on the floor of the Synod that interfered for a
  fessions, let him  $?j, so, and let  him tell us where  it departs           while with  the- order of the day. This  discussion7
frpm  the Three Forms of Unity. And then we  cati  ,$feat these                which certainl$,had notJ&g  to dq with the discussion
  departures. To my mind that would be  suffic:ent.   `.                       of the contents'of the Declaration, but which occupied
    ~  F. Yonker: Let &not rush.  IT& Synod. of  1950  has been
  -accused .of rushing the matter of the Declaration .through,  and            tilost of the morning sessibn, ran as follows:.
  passing it in  cme evening  ses&n.-  Let us not expose  r$rselves                Rev.  J. Howerzyl:           Before we  prooeed,  I wish to inform


                                             I
                           , .


                                                 TH%  ST*ND*RD   :  B@,ABER                                 .                                    Ito1
                                 ,'                                                                                       _.     -.
 Synod that I still stand on my recorded vote against the legal-            is decided by the  maj'ority vote is settled and binding in our
 ity of the  Declarat:,on.  My stand is that the Declaration is not         churches. That is the Church Order. And it  i:s certainly  h'is
 legally before Synod. How, then,  ,is it possible for me now to            obli'gatii;n  to submit, unless he wants to separate himself from
 enter into .the discussion of its contents ? I want the Synod to           the Syn.od.  Either he leaves the Synod, or he promises that he
 know that if I do enter into  such a  .discussion,  that does not          &ides by the majority vote and works along with us. If he
 mean that I have changed my mind about the  legality  of the               w&hes  to leave, let his  salternate  take  b:s  pkace.  And even if
.Declaration.  And, if presently a motion is made to declare                all the delegates that take the same stand as the Rev. Hewer-,
 that. the ,c,ontents of the Declaration are the expression of our          zyl, and their  sec,undi,  refuse to work along with us, we  `as a
 Confession,  I will have to vote against such a  ,motion.  I want          Synod.will  still continue. We must finish our mandate. In the
 the Synod to understand this.                                              secoad place, I wish to call the attemion  to Synod that the Rev.
     Rev. H. Hoeksema: Mr.  Chairmanj  if this is the stand of              Howerzyl now says that it is pos:sble .for him to enter into the
 the Rev. Howerzyl, if he still insists that the Declaration Is not         discussion of the contents of the Declaration. Hut ,a little while
 legally. before Synod, in spite of our former decision to the              a'go he said that if `a motion was presented to express that the
 o>ntrary,  he should not vote at all. Just because he is of the            .Declaration   .s the truth. of  the. Confessions, he would vote
 convicton that the Declaration is not legal, he certainly can-             aga:nst  it. He would have to vote No to such a motion ,because
not Iregister  a negative vote on the motion that the Declaration           of his. stand on the legality of  this  do@unent.  Now  I' propose
 is the expression of the Confessions. He may  n.ot obstruct                to make .a moM;n every time'when  a point has been discussed,
 Synod. In that case he simply cannot vote-  at:all.                        to declare that that particular part of the Declaration is the ex-
Rev. G. M. Ophoff: That is exactly my stand.., If  I&h is                   pression of the Confessions. If the Rev. Howerzyl votes No on
 the position of  `the Rev. Howerzyl, he has no moral  right to             such a motion, I want the Synod to understand that this is im-
 vote. Not only that, but he should even keep himself out of the            possible on the basis of his recorded vote concerning the
 discussion.  Aand this is true for all the  ,other brethren too, if        legality.
 they are not willing to recognize the will of the majority of                 Rev. J. Howerzyl: It is possible that I said that I would
 Synod that  Ialready   exj?ressed  itself on the legality of the De-       vote against a motion expressing that the Declaration is the
 claration.                                                                 truth of the Confessions. If so, I misspoke myself. I meant
     Rev. R.  Veldnian:    This is  `a very unreasonable' stand for         only that I would vote against adopting the Declaration as a
 the Rev. Howerzyl to take. The Synod has already decided on                fsrm for the Mission Committee. It stands to reason that
 the legality `of the Declaration by Ia majority vote. .It is plain-        when we 5discuss  the question as to whether this is: in harmony
 ly out of order to come back on this  decisiosn.  When will the            with the Confessions, I can discu,a
                                                                                                                 =`- with the Synod, if the Synod
 brethren  beg:n  to decide that the Declaration is legal? How              give me permission.
 can they put themselves up against the de&ion  of Synod that               Rev. R.  Veldman:  I would like to have the Rev. J.  How,er-
 has been taken by a majority  vote ?  _  -                                 zyl .see that there is nothing he can vote against as far as the
:    Rev. G. M. Ophoff: The Synod is a deliberative body. Mo-               eJntents of the Declaration is concerned  .on the basis of his
 tions  .are made,  ,and votes are taken. Now  lit stands to reason         stand ag$nst  the legality. The Rev. van Weelden was not here
 that in regard to any decision there may be a majority and a               in June, when the legality-was decided. He-might think that
 minority. But it'is  aocording to the Church Order that the                .the Declaration was illegally'before Synod. But may  .he vote
 n&ority must submit to the majority, If  3 cannot agree, and               against its being the truth on that basis ? Synod  decided that
 if moreover it refuses to submit to the majority It shuts itself           it`was legal. May he now say that it is not?
 out.                                                                                                                                       1
     D. Langeland: I can, understand that the Rev. J. Howerzyl               * J. Faber: Mr. Chairman, this whole discussion is.entirely
 takes this stand. [But I' cannot understand why he cannot w3.h             out of  larder. Let  us return to the order of the day.
 UJ discuss the question whether the Declaration is. the truth of              Rev. G. M. Ophoff: The Rev. J. Howerzyl should see that
 the Confessions. He can-always app,eal  to the next Synod about            h:s mind would be closed to all arguments because of his stand
 its legality.                                                              in re the legality of the Declaration. If he thinks that in spi',e
     Rev. R. Veldman: We cannot possibly  condu'ct Synod this               of the decision of last June the Declaration  iIs not legally be-
*way;  It was in answer to an overture from  Classis  West that             fore Synod, what right has he  to vote. at all,  if he does not
 the legality was  d&cussed  and  dec.ided  upon.         May we now        even 1:sten  to our arguments ?          _
 simply disregard what Synod decided ?                                         Rev. J. van Weelden:         We may distinguish between the
     The Rev. J. Howerzyl: I still  lstand  on the basis of my              legality and the. necessity of the Declaration.  .Synod decided
 recorded vote that the entire matter of the  .Declaration  is il-          that the Declaration was legally before Synod. It was not the
 legal. If you grant me the right on that basis to discuss the              Rev. de Boer that decided it, but Synod did. Now we  fcan bow
 contents of the  Declaraton with you,  1.  ain  willing. But I  Ido        to this  8decis&,  `and  debate the question nevertheless  of the
not want to leave the impression that I bow to the mote of the              necessity of the Declaration.
 majoriy. I do not. I am still convinced- that it is illegal.                  Rev. L.. Doezema: I believe,. Mr. .Chairman, that this Synod
     Rev. G. M. Ophoff: Suppose it appears after discussion on              has been doing things. wrong from the  be&ning.  The Rev. J.
 the floor  of the Synod that the Declaration is the' truth las ex-         Howe~zyl  has then right to refuse to enter into the question of
 pressed  In the  ConfesZons.          . Is it possible that the Rev. J.    whether this is the truth of the Confessions. I want to remind . .
 Howerzyl's stand on the legality can be ,a reason why :he vote;            Synod that it merely treated the report of Commitee I, A, in
 against, it being the truth of the Confessions ?                           part. There ,were  many remarks and .arguments in, re the ques-
     Rev.  J. Howerzyl: I mean, Mr. Chairman, ,when  you decide             tion of the legality of the Declaration. But Synod did not
 whether  it'should be adopted as a form, I will have to vote               make a written report in `correct. ecclesiastical style, and
 against it.                                                                formulate  its `arguments in favor of the legality. Since Synod
     Rev. H. Hoeksema: `First  `of all, Mr. Chairman, I must                failed  to do this, `we have, trouble. The trouble of not being
 state that i,n my opinion the stand of the Rev.. J. Howerzyl is            convinced. And therefore we are afraid to, discuss the k,ontents
 revolutionary. .On the next Synod he may protest. But here he              of the  b&&ration.  We. have  a- right to  refuse.to  discuss this
must certainly bow before the  $11 of the  m'ajority.  For what             point.  Per.sonally  I  am not all  f&aid to enter  .&to  ti;%  `&6UuS-

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

 `sion of the contents. But nevertheless, sin&  the Synod did not             Rev.' G. M. Ophoff:       The Reverends J. Howerzyl and L.
 o?nvince  us in the proper ecclesiastical way  about- the legality        Doezema maintain that they have nothing to reply to,  sirice
 of the Declaration, it  -s  difllcult  for us to enter into  s&r a        Syno'd  failed to  ,motivate  its decision regarding the  legality   lof
 discussion.                                                               the Declaration. But is that true ? It emphatically is not. We
    Rev. R. Veldman: I move that we proceed to the order of                argued on this question for two' daays. And every conceivable
: the day.                                                                 argument was advanced -against the legality. And these argu-
                                                                           ments were plainly shown to be without grounds.
    Rev. H.  Hoeksema:        Mr. Chairman, I feel that we cannot             Rev. J. Hywerzyl:      I have to live with my  conscieitice.  And
 let this matter pass. This stand of not being  wilhng  to bow             to my mind a recorded vote means that I state I do not agree
 before the  ,decisim  of the major-ty of the Synod-is principally         with the majority and  ma%tain  my stand.
 the beginning of a schism. Mr.~ `Chairman, if the brethren, can
 no longer discuss with us,  and decide on  such important matters            Rev.  J. van W.eelden: Perhaps we will get somewhere if
 by majority vote asp the contents of th:s .De`claration,  I feel, that    we get to the preamble of the Declaration.
 there'%  8. principal' separation. Now  letus not have an ec-                Rev. G. M. Ophoff f The argument of the Rev. J. Howerzyl
 clesiastical fight. I have  seen.  too much of that. But if the           is beside `the point. He virtually said that because of his stand
 brethren feel that they cannot agree with us, let  us,` separate          on the legality,  h:s mind is closed. In that case, he cannot go
%n all  ,bnotherly  love,. and let them  lea.ve our Protestant Re-         <along  with us in  discu,ssin.g  whether this Declaration is the
 formed Churches, if they do not want to submit to the vote of             truth of the Confessions.
 the major.ty.  I feel, Mr. Chairman, that during this entire ses-            9. Faber: If we follow the method proposed by the Rev.
 sion they have obstructed the proper progress of the  ~work  of           Ilowerzyl, all our former decisions have no strength, .and make
 Synod. And I do not like  t&be played for a fool. How can we              no difference whataoever. Then all our w;rk is vain. Why vote
_ ever labor together  thi,s way? The question is not simply               then? On  thi,s ground, Mr. Chairman: we cannot proceed. It
 w.hether  they  can  discu.ss  with us on the contents of the  De-        i; the duty of the chair to admonish these brethren for ob-
 r&ration,  but whether or not t,hejr can vote on the motion as to         structing the work of the Synod, and to. declare that their posi-
 whether the' De&laratim   <is the  expressIon  of the Confessions.        Lion is schismatic.
 This~is  not only a delberative'body;. it is also legislative. Synod         N. Kunz: I cannot see that there is such a great problem
 is not a debating club,  w.thout  offering and decidng  upon mo-          here. If I had voted  again'st the legality of the Declaration, I
 tions. All the delegates have promised that they will  .discusls          certainly could still discuss whether or not  the-  Declarations  is
 and  deci,de   with,  us on all matters that legally come before          the truth expressed in the Confessions.
 .&nod,  and that they will bow before the majority. It is im-                Rev. G.- Vos : A, moment ago the Rev. H. Hoeksema said
 moral to  refuse  to, vote.  Nor/is  it true,' w.hat  the Rev. L.         that these brethren play us a  foal. I must  censure-  that  !re-
 .Doezema  said, as if we did not motivate our decision on the             mark. That may be  his  op%qn,  but he must not express it. I
 legality. In all our discussions, as he well knows, we based              do not want to believe that they  ,do that, either to him or to
 our  argtunents~on  the Church Order. Besides,  ,in the report of         the Synod.
 Committee I, B; it is black on white, and also in the grounds of
 the overture of  C1ass.s  East.  .`-                                         D. Langeland : I do not think that these brethren are try-
                                                                           ing to obstruct the work of the  Synod,  and I think that they
    Rev. L.  Doezenm:        The' Rev.  H..Hoeksema  says that it is       can certainly  di,scuss  with us whether this is the. truth of the
 black on  lvhite  in the report of Committee I, B, why the De-            Confession, whatever  ,stand  they may take on the  legality  of
 claration is considered to be legal. My point is that we never            the  Declarati,on
 got up b> this report. ,We treated the report of Committee I, A,             Rev. R.  `Veldm~an:    We  cann:ot  and we may not make our
 up to point 2, and then voted that the Declaration is legally be-         personal  `convictions the basis for our  acti!ns over against
 fore Synod. I asked Synod three  t:mes to put the grounds of              synodical decisions. We must always abide  ,by the majority.
 that decision in writing, but the Synod paid no attention. to me.            The Rev. L. Doezema: Elder J. Faber said that the  cha:r
   `Rev. J. van  Wee&den:      I think that w,e havethe  wrong thing       should declare us obstructionists and  !s,chismatic.  If the chair
 on the table. We  `iaght  to have the report of Committee I, B.           does not do that, then Mr. Faber should  make  a motion  ,tha$
 We have no mandate to decide whether this is the truth of the             Symd do so.
-Confess:ons.                                                                 J. Faber: I will gladly withdraw. that remark,. if only they
    Rev. G. Vos: There seems to be a great deal of  maisunder-             will impede the progress of Synod no longer,  ,and we proceed
 stand ng in regard to procedure. The brethren forget that the             to the order of the day.
 point of the legali.ty  has been decided, and is now finished. We           Rev. L. Doezema: I did not  3rsist  upon this. As  fa as  I
 cannot discuss that matter  a.gain.  It is simply out of order.           am concerned, we  ,tan proceed  Twith  the order of the  day; But
 When  the brethren  re,corded their vote; against the  legal.ity  of      there were some here that maintained that ,we did nothave  the
 the Declaration, that matter  w.as  finshed.   An.d we do not go.         right to  discu,ss  and to vote.
 back now to decide once :again  whether or not it is legal. That             Rev. G. M. Ophoff: Now the brethren say: Let us proceed.
 is, that can not be brought up at the pres:ent  Synod.. The only          But how can they ? It seems to me that they will proceed with
 way to discuss the question of. the bgality  once`again  .is to go        closed minds and will not allow *themselves to be convinced or
 through  eansistory,  ;classis, and then to the  (synod  of 1952.
 T.hese brethren have freed  the& conscience by  resording  their          influenced by any arguments that m:ght be  aadvanced.
 negative vote. Now they must keep still  abqut it. The Rev. J.               W.  .de  Vries: Would it not be better  D> table this until
 van Weelden `says that it is wrong to enter into the question as          the next Synod ?
 to whether this is the truth of the Confessions, because we have             Rev. G.  Vosi. That- is impossible. That  ,certainly  would be
 no mandate to do so. That, however,, is plainly  an, error. We            illegal. For we have a mandate to finish the question concern-
 do have a mandate. It comes from Classis  East, who mandated              ing the Declaration  of Principles.
 us to do th:s and to. state that the Declaration is the truth as             A. motion now prevails to proceed -to the order of the day.
 expressed in the Confessions.                                                Point I of the .Declaration  is now read and discussed. Im-

                                                                                                                                            -
                                                                                    4.


                                                     TH.E  S T A N D A R D   %EARER                                                                                   109  I/
 mgdiately a motion is made that the  synod   declare that Point                  fers. the typical-Messianic view of this book of Ho1.y
 I `of the De&ration is  .the express-on of the  Ooafessioes' with                Writ. With-this we can agree.
 regard to some fundamental  principlels, as these Confessions
 have always .been maintained.and  interpreted by the Protestant                           Heartily  recommehded.                                           H. H.
 Reformed `Churches.                                                      .
    An  fobjection  is read from the  materbal collated  *by Com-                                 *                                   -$/3
 mittee I from the Agenda of  Syn:od.  The  albjection  concerns                  ANTIIIXEBE   iO,F  SXNTHESE   doo,r  Dr.  \C. van der Waal.
 the  :ntroduction.  to the Declaration, which reads: `T.he Pro-                        Uitgever Jo Boersma. Enschede,  Ne.derlan,d.  Prijs f 10.50.
 testant Refornied  Churches stand on the basias~  of Scripture as
 the infallible Word of  `God, and the Three Forms of Unity.                               Het neemt moed' om alleen te staan. Het vereischt
 Moreover, they accept the liturgical  f'srms used in the public                  aok moed, den geestelijken moed des geloofs., om ecu
 worship of our churches, such as the ;Baptism Form,  et alii,  as,               lans te brdken voor  -de antithese tegenover de synthese.
 confessons of a minor o?der.' The question was raised what is                    En het  vereischt  denzelfden moed om temidden van  _
 meant by these  confkssions  of a minor order,  &d what is
 meant by the expressi'm  et atlii.  This matter was discussed.                   allerlei oecumenische  bewegingen  onzer eeuw den
    Rev. H. H.: These -minor. confessLon?have  always been ac-                    nadruk tti leggen op de handhaving van onze defini-
 cepted in the Reformed Churches. It is compulsory for all the                    tieve belijdenischriften.
 ministers in the Reformed churches to use them. -We may not                             ,Dit doet Dr.*VanderWaal  in Anti&es& of Synthese.
 depart from them or  chamge  them. Any  <objection   ,against' the                        Ofschoon ik het  misschien  niet in  sille opzichten
 c,ntentiJ of  `any of these forms, Baptism,  Ex-c~mm~unication,                  Eens zou wezen met den schrijver, tech ben ik het met
 etc., must appear at Synod. Hence, they are often called confes-
 sions of a m.inor  order.                 I                                      de strekking van dit boek geheel eens. Het `is uit mijn
    Rev.  J, Howerzyl:             How  far does et-  rali  ,go ?  Does   that    hart gegrepen. Ik hoop, dat het, niet alleen in Neder.-
 mean the Ma&age  Form to,J?  I make a motion that we strike                      landj maar oqk hi&r, voorzoover we bet Nederlandsch
 out et alii, and ennumerate  the specific forms.                                 nog maohtig  zijn, vee! gelezen zal worden.
    T.he motion carries.  '                                                                get bock beschrijft en heoordeelt  de wort$s en Brie
                          (to be  contilimed)                                     groei der oecumenische beweging.
                                                                H. H.                      Het is grondig gedocumenteerd. Taal en stijl zijn
                                                                                  glashelder, zoodat ieder, die nog Hollandsch verstaai,
                                                                                  het lezen kan. En men behoeftanooit  te vragen, waar
                                                                                  de schrijver heen wil.
                                                                                           Hartelijk aanbefrolen.                                          H.        H.          =
                        ._'
                                    ,2,                                           &G&2-
                  As  To  timks                                                   &-.& -`.                   _. . . .                 6\3t/3
                                                                                  @a
                                                                                  HERLEEFD  ,VERLEDEN  door Prof. Dr. A. Sizoo.  Uitgever
 LANGE'S COMMENTARY ON  !!2HE  H&Y SCRIPTURES;.                                     j. H. Kok, n.v. Kampen, Nederland. Prijs  f 7.50.
  PROVERIBS-SONG.  OF SOLOMON. Published by Zondervan
  Publishing House,. Grand Rap:ds, Mich.  Price $3.95. I                                 Dit is niet zdozeer een belangrijk als we1 een aardig
                                                                                  `en interessant boek, een boek, dat iemand des avonds
    Also this volume of Lange's Commentary I have                                 in de  woonkamer  misschien  aan zijn  vrouw;  of  voor
 examined, and I heartily recommend to our readers for zichzelf zal  willen doorlezen. Ofschoon de  schrijvei
its scholarly as well as for its conservative and spirit- zelf ongetwijfeld studie aan dit werk heeft  besteed,
ual approach to the Holy Scriptures. The B&elzu~e~~k                              vereischt het voor den lezer niet zijn "thinking cap"
that bears the name of Lange ranks among the out-                                 cm het te lezen.
standing commentaries of all t'imes.                                                     Het boek biedt allerlei  sohetsen  uit  l&t  leveri van
    The present volume` of Lange's Commentary was                                 de  Qude  werkld uit den tijd van ongeveer 250  jarel-,                                             .-
originally written by Dr. Otto  Ziickler, a German voor en na Christus. De materie is geha,ald uit brie-.
theologian of the nineteenth century. The American veil van heel gewone nienschen uit die d,agen. Die brie-
edition has beeti much enriched by cc$ious notes.                                 ven wokden door Dr. Sizoo vertaald weergegeven,  met
    We agree with the doctrinal notes' on the eighth gewoonlijk  eenige   verklaritig  van Dr. Sizoo er bij.                                                                                -
chapter of Proverbs when they state that this chapter.                            Daaruit leeren we dan iets te weten van h&t huwelijks-
rtifers   not so  much to the  ,eternal generation of  the leyfn, -het &hoolleven,  het maatschappelijk  leven, het
Word as to t&e foreshadowing of &ie New Testament fa&ili&ven,  het godsdienstig leven, etc. van de ou&
Logos.. According to the  author  the book of  Ec- wereld van tweeduizend jaren geleden.
clesiastes is not to be attributed to Solomon as its Au-                            Taal en stijl  biedeq gemakkelijke leesstof.
tor, but dates from a later period. This I regard, to                                   Wie dus eens niet een. studieboek, maar .een inter:
say  tlie  leabt,  as very dubious.                 As to the  Song  of           essant boek wil  lezen, schaffe  zich dit  werk van Dr.
                                                                                         .,                        .:..
`Solomon, `Dr. Z6ckler  rejects the allegorical as well as                        Sizso  aan., .
                                                                                                       3                   ::....-
tlie profane erotic method" of interpretatidn,  and tire..                                                                                      -
                                                                                                             ~.
                                                                                                I . ":. ,:-..n -
                                                                                                  __  _.  .-                                         _.    .H.W..  ..:
                                                                                           ._                                                                .              i


                                                        T`Bg     ST*ND*RD        BEAkIE'R         `_
           116
`.                                    -
                                                                         names. And therefore its preaching must needs  ' be
             THE  TRIPLE  KNOWLEDGE                                      geizeral. Nevertheless, in this general preaching of
                                                                         the gospel the heirs of the promise must be called by
                                                                         their spiritual name, in order tliat they may know
           An  Exposition'  Of  The  Heidelberg that the sure .mercies of David are for them. ' Under
                                 Gate&i&                                 `and through the preaching of the gospel God gives
                                                                         them a new name, a spiritual name, by which they
                                   PART TWO                              may know that He intends the promise for them. Ob-
                                                                         jectively, they are the elect. But according to their
                         Of  M a n 's   R e d e m p t i o n              spiritual name, wrought by the Holy Spirit of promise
                              LORD'S DAY  XXX1                           in their hearts, they are the believers. And believers
                                           :                             are those that sincerely repent of their sins; They are
                                                3  :                     the  weary and heavy laden, those that  himger  and
                      The Preaching of the Promise (cont.)               thirst after righteousness, the poor in spirit, they
                                                                         that mourn, the  con'crite.  and broken-hearted, they
              It follows that preaching of the gospel must needs         that have learned to place all their hope and expecta-
           be such that ,it points very d$?nitely  to those for whom     tion only `in the blood .of Jesus Christ their- Lqrd, Who
           tile promise is intended, and that it excludes those          Ioved them and died for them and was raised for their
           $hat have no part in it. This is' evidently the .meaning      justification.  ,They are  t&ose  L that  principglly are
           of Question 84 and its answer. For thus, and thus             crucified unto the world, and the world to them. They
           only, can the kingdom of heaven be opened and shut            have an earnest desire to walk in all good  works, and
           by the preaching of the gospel. To all and every be-          manifest this in their lives. They fulfill their part or'
           liever,  becording to  this,  a.nswer of the Heidelberg       the covenant of  ~God, and  walk in new obedience,
           Catechism, the preaching of the gospel declares and           cleaving to the one `God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
           publicly' testifies that "whenever they receive the           trusting in Him, and loving Him with all their hearts,
           promise  of the  gospel by a true faith, all their sins       with all their souls, with all their mind, and with all
           are really forgiven them of God,  f.or the sake of
e                                                                        their st;ength ; forsaking the world, crucifying their
           Christ's merits." But by that same preaching of the           old gature, and walking in a new and holy life. To
           gospel, it is also declared and .testified--"to all wnbe-     those the kingdom of heaven is opened by the preach-
           lievers, and such as do not sincerely repent, that they       ing of the gospel. To them the promise of God is Yea
           stand exposed to the wrath of God, and eternal con-           and Amen. They shall never- be ashamed. They shall
           ,demnation, so long as they are unconverted," And ac-         be. kept in the power of God unto salvation, ready to
           cording to tha+ testimony of the gospel God will judge        be revealed in the last time. But qn the other. hand,
           them both in tllis life and in the life to come.              that same preaching of the gospel shuts the kingdom
                  Thus, and thus only, can the preaching of  the         of heaven to all unbelievers. They too have a name of
           gospel be a key-power, t,o open and to shut the king-         their own. They are not filled `with sorrow after God,
           dom of heaven.  x                                             and pever  repent of their sin. They love the darkness
                  A gospel for all is a gospel for none. It,may sooth    rather than the light, and refuse t? be converted to
           $he conscience of the wicked, and send, hiti to hell          ,God. `To those the preaching of the gospel proclaims
           with an imagined, hope. It will not comfort the elect,        that they stand exposed to the wrath of God and to
           for the -simple reason that such preaching does not           eternal condemnaiion.  They are outside of the king-
           mention them ,definitely as heirs of the prdmise. The         dom of God. _
           gospel, therefore, must be so preached that it very              The question that finally' must be asked and an:
           definitely declares to the heirs of the promise Ohat it       swered is: how can the preaching of the Word be ef-
           is for them.                                                  fective unto the opentng and shutting of tbi kingdom
                  To be sure, the particular- gospel must be  pm-        of heaven'?
           claimed to all that hear the gospel externally. This is          MY answer is, briefly: because it is Chdst that
           true, partly because we do not know who the elect are,        speaks through the preaching.
           and therefore it ?s impossible to preach to them only.           As we have said before, Christ, and He only, has
           And secondly, it must be preached to all, also because        the key-power. He only opens and no man shuts; and
           it ?s the will of God that even the reprobate shall he&       He only shuts and no man opens.
           the gospel of salvation by sway of faith and repent-             This implies, in the fir& place, that preaching is
 ante, in order  +h& sin may  appear to be sin indeed,                   the declaration of the promise w$t% authority.  Christ
           and that they may be without excuse. The gospel does          is always principally the preacher. He alone speaks
           "ot mention the elect and reprobatate  by their natural       with authority, But this authority ,GhrisK has  `deli..
      I

                                                                                                                                s-


                                     THE           ST-AtiDARD                 BEARRR                              xi1

gated to the church through the apost2es.  Therefore,        uilto life. And who  `is  .sufficient. for these things?'
the, church also through its official ministry speaks        II` Cor.  2:16-16.  And  thepefore  he also adds in the
with authority, and proclaims the gospel qf God on           next vers_e : "For we are not as many, tihich corrupt
the authority of Jesus Christ our Lord. It is certainly      the word of CGod: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in
not the calling of every individual Christian to preach      the sight of God speak we ,in Christ." Thus, and thus
the gospel, though he is ind!ed a witness. Preaching         only, is the preaching of the gospel a key-power to
is always  the proclamation of, the gospel with au-          open the kingdom of heaven to all that believe and re-
thority; One word  used in the original- to denote           pent, and to shut that same king4om to all unbelievers
preaching means. to speak as a heT*ald. The preacher,        and wicked, that never repent of their sins. The for-
therefore, must deliver -his message, and must strict1.y     mer are saved, and they know it. The latter are
adh&re to it. He must.deliver it with authority, and be      damned, and through the preaching .of the Word re-
able t9 say, ".Thus saith the Lord." He must clearly         ceive the testimony of their damnation `in their own
leave the impression that the audience is under obliga-      conscience,
tion to hear and to do tee Word that is. preached. All        Thus the preaching of the gospel has a salutary
the `hearers are obliged to bow before that Word, just       effect upon the church of Christ in the world.
because it is the authorit&ve Word of `Christ.        No       `, It has the effect that it excludes the unbelievers
false show of humility, nor fear of men may keep the         that do not` sincerely .repent. It excludes the wicked
preacher from addressing his aitdience  with authority,      that are without: for it is not probable,that  with such
provided he brings the Word of Christ, and nothing           definite preaching they will ever join the church v$ible
else. No word of man has any authority whatsoever.           on earth. And it also excludes the carnal seed, the un-
But the Word of Christ is binding, binding upon the          believers and impenitent that ar'e within the church.
consciences of all that hear, whether they receive Ithe      These u&ally separate themselves from the church
Word and obey, or whether they reject it and rebel.          visible that is characterized by such pure and definite
And because the Word that is preached .comes  with           preaching of the gospel. `They become enemies of the
the authority' of Christ Himself, therefore :the preach- church of Christ and of the peop!e  o$ God. They mani-
ing of the gospel is a key, to open the kingdom of           fest themselves. as those that are of antichrist, ac-
heaven to everyone  th&t believes, and to shut' thai;.       coyding to the words of the  ap&tle John in I  Johll
same kingdom tq all that do not sincerely repent.            2 :18-19 :. "Little children, it is the last time: and as
   Seconclly, it .must not be forgotten; that preaching      ye have heapd that antichrist shall come, even now are       `.
of the gospel is not only authoritative, but it is also a    there many antichrists ; -whereby w;e know that it is
Word of power, and therefore, efficacious. We must           the last time. They went out from US, but they `were
emphasize once more that the real preachel' is Christ        not of us ; for if they had been of us, they would no
?!!Iimself, unto- Whom is given all power in heaven and      doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that
on earth. It is He that speaks, the Word of God. And         they.~might  be made manifest that they vc'ere not all
that Word "is quick, and powerful, and sharped  than         of us." And even though they are hypocrites, and re-
any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing           main in the church visible for a time, as tares among
asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and malr-      the wheat;, they can never escape the power and au-
row, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of       thority  ,of the pure and definite preaching of the
the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not         gospel. For God through Christ binds on their con-
manifest in his sight: but ~$1 things are naked and          science that. they have no place in the kingdom of
opened unto the eyes of him. with whom we have to            heaven: And, on the other hand, such preaching of
do." Heb. 4:12-13. Through the preaching it pleases          the gospel includes the true heirs of, the promise and
God, through ChiYst, the, exalted L&d, the Chief Pro-        of the kingdom of God. For through the  pre&hing
phet of God, Who alone gathers His- church, to sped;         they hear the powerful voice of the Good Shepeerd,
to His people unto salvation. And to all that do not         calling His own sheep by name, And they follow Him.
sincerely repent, the hypocrites @eluded, that sa&           And. Hk gives them eternal life. They hear through
Christ with His same powerful Word speaks unto               i;his pure and definite preaching the voice of Jesus say,
damnation. It is because of this powerful and effica-        "Come unto me, and rest."` They are strengthened in
cious W&d of ,God that the apostle can write: "Now           their faith that they belong to Him Who died  foti
thanks be,u.nto.  God, which always causes us to triumph     them and rose again. They are quickened in their love _
in Christ,,  and  qaketh manifest the savour of his          of God, in the love wherewith He loved them through
knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God          Jesus- Christ their Lord, and therefore, in the love
a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and        wherewith they love Him  w?th  alI' their heart and  0
in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of         mind ,and soul and strength. Ahd thejr are confirmed
death unto death; and to the other the savour of life        in the hope that maketh not ashamed, because the  !OVQ.
                                                                                                    J.


112'             *                                    THl$  STANDARD  BEAR.,E%

of `God is shed abroad in their hearts, the hope of the                       be in suffcient agreement with God's Word,
eternal, incorrupt$ble, and tindefilable  inhelit&nce,  that                  to reveal the same, where it belongs, in order
fadeth not away. And as by the pure and definite                              that it may be investigated according to the
preaching of the holy gospel those that are within the                        rule of God's Word. But that they wan* the
church visible on earth are confirmed and strengthened                        Forms  of Unity in the Reformed Churches
in their faith, so by that same preaching the kingdom                         revised, .and ask to be freed from the obliga-
of -heaven is opened that are ,without.  They too are                         tion of subscribing the Forms, before they
called by the Word of Christ. And being called, they                          have pbinted out that there is something that
join themselves to the true .chsrch  in- the world. Thus                      does not agree sufficiently with God's word-
the preaching of the gospel as a key-power, to open                           that can only serve to foster all manner of
and  shut  thq,kingdom of God, is indeed very bene-                           &rife and cause unrest. This opens the door
ficial to `the church of Christ in the world.                                 to all kinds of false teachings.
                                                 _         H. H.               In this way there can be no stability in
                                                                              the churches. The .papists wilfupbraid us for
                                                                              our lack of firmness in doctrine, and the
                                            1                                 Academy will fall into ,disrepute  and be disl
                /.,                        q   ; --- _
                                -:                                            pised.  We gladly admit with Dr. Ursinus that
                      ,  .,                                                   writings postulated by men are not to be held
         =;            ___                                                    for writings that as such merit  faith, yet we
                                                                              share his view that we must be on our guard
   TH'kOU-GH-  THE  AGES                                                      against too great liberties, because changing
                                                                         -    the doctrine of the church can lead to schisms
                                                                              and give numberless off&nces. The' ministers
                                      L                             %
    The.. A~~+~an or--Remonstrant  Struggk                                    sin with reckless boldness, if they spread-
                                                                              and if the rulers allow, to be spread-among
    The  fpllti~w&g' is a  transla;tion  of the rest-of the
                      .,  I.                                                  the churches opinions that milikate  against
Gontra-Remonstr&on  of the  Calvini@.                                         the accepted dbctrine before they have been
         What is. wanted is that all those who urge '                         investigated by their brethren and been gen-
     Revigion, just because. they have something                              erally approved. Had the Remonstrants inA
     against. the Confession, .be allowed to sit as                           deed but acted accopding  to the admonition of
     judge over their own objections. It is  being                            this celebrated theologian (Ursinus) , we
     contented that all'the ministers be freed from                           would have preserved. r.est and unity in our
     the tie wherewith they themselves voluntarily                            churches.  What makes it that some of our'
     binded themselves to the Cpnf,essions. Already                           churches are so divided, that. some do not de-.
     the result is that several-ministers have be-                            sire to hear their ministers and eat. with them
     gun to reveal themselves a/s being addicted to                           the Lord's supper? The reason-is that even
     sentiments that differ from those that have                              the common man ,notices` that some: ministers
     thus  fara been taught in the Reformed                                   preach differently- than until now 55. has al-
     Churches. How then can -they say that they                               ways been the custom to teach ,in the Re-
     axe`.unjustly being suspected of  se?king  a-                            formed Churches, yea, even differently than
     change in the doctrine? How is  this to be                               they themselves were tio& to teach.
     harmonized with what is being said here in                                 If the Remonstrants desire that your Noble
     this full gathering of your Noble Lords,                                 Lords take  them under your protection
     namely that we must not look at what `has                                against church censure, they: thereby .show
     been taught in this Land but at what is going                            that. they do not. desire to submit themselves
     to be taught in the future. If anyone thinks                             to the judgment of the Refo;rmed Churches,
     that something has been taught .against God's                            though through appeal they may turn to the
     word, let him reveal the same in `a general                              broader .gatherings in case they feel teem-
     meet&g of the churches ; there it belongs cer-                           selves aggrieved by the censure of the smaller
     tainly. No one on this account will be accused                           gatherings.. But if in this way they decline
     of faithlessness -or purgery, providing he is                            and reject all.judgment of .the churches, with
     subject to the general judgment of the                                   what show of right can they lay claim to being
     churches.  FOY; if one subscribes the Forms,                             ministers- in the .R&form6d Churches? .If -on
     he is not on that accoun$.Jorbidden; if he finds                         the contrary they woul&$andidly  make known
     something in the Forms that he thinks not to                             their  ,. objections to their  -Consistories  and


                I                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                               11s
                                           -    -
      1 +sses, doubtless satisfactipn  could be given                              mlsrbruiken   t e n   dekmaiitel   h-mmer op:vnieu,   zod is het  hoog-
       them from God's Word;  or otherwise they                                    noodig, dat Gods  Keik om te beter vrede en eenigheid te
        could convince their fellow brethren that  .:                              houden, over den rechten zin van Gods Woord eenige algemeene
                                                                                   Pxmulieren  van  eenigheid   .bezit,   ,waarzan  alle kewkedienaars
        their  objectiolls   `rep&e on grounds  solidi':                           met onderteekening  z$n  verbonden.   Zbrgelij'k   is het, zulk een
        enough, `Therefore we cannot by any means<; .:                             algemeene  belijdenfs  der Kerk in twijfel te  trekken  en.  daar-
 )      approve that the:Remonstrants  have submit- `-:                            .over  te disputeeren; dat brengt  schade   aan `de kerk en  Ieidt
        ted to your Noble Lord;s certain points .ihat                              tot verdrukking der waarheid. Die  vruchi  speurt men ook in
        they have never  communic&ed.~.to:   any Con-                         .    deze Landen,-waar  men zonder nood Revisie verzocht heeft en
                                                                                   daardoor de  geme,ene  leer der Geformeerde Kerken  `heeft
        sistory or Classis, and that .they:  by the* au-                           ~verdacht  gemaakt!  1nd:en in Catechismus of  Confessie  iets is,
        thority. of your Noble Lords want .to compel                               dat den woorde  G1:ds  contrarieert  of daarmeede niet genoeg
        their brethren nbt alone to bear them in their                             overeenkomt, niemand onzer is zoo onverstandig, dat hij  piet
        views but also to maintain future ministers                                zou toesbaan,  da! Gods .Woord de eenige regelmaat is, waaraan
        who share their views in the hope that finally                             alle leering moet  worden beproefd, maar  dez:dve  zou eerst
                                                                                   mdeten aangewezen zijn en  d+. is  tist op den  :hu:digen  dag
        their views will" prevail in the Reformed  `I                              nooit geschied, hoewel de Remonstranten  daartoe menigmaal
        churches of these Lands.                                                   gelast  en' verzocht zijn geworden. Men  wil,  dat zij, die de
              As to  the  pbints of doctrine, when they  .:                        Revisie drijven, omdat ze  :,ets hebben tegen de formulieren,
         (the Remonstrants) s&t forth sdme teachings                               zelven zullen oordeelen over  h& eeigen  b,edenken.  Men drijft,
        and say that among us almost nothing is be-                                d?t alle predikanten in `t  land.-ontslagen.  zullen zijn van de
        ing preached but these points, we find that                                verbintenis, waarmee  -ze  zich  vrijwill&  aan de  Formuliehren
                                                                          "        van eenigheid hebben verbonden.  UX  dezqn vodrslag is reeds
        therein they act unjustly and  .not in good                                gevolgd,  dat verscheidene  predckanten  begonnen iijn  zich te
        faith, since they begin'with the h&h point of                              op.enbaren   als andere gevoelens te hebben dan tot. nog toe  fn
      predestination, which  -:is preached in' our                                 de: Gereformeerde` Kerken geleerd zijn. Hoe  kunnen.  ze dan
        churches with moderation and caution  -only                                zeggen, dat ze ten onrechte  verdacht   worden  van  veran,dering
        to bring  out. that the grace  of. God is un-  .:                          in de leer  te zoeken? Hoe  komt dat .overeeG  met wat door een
                                                                                   hunner  hier in de  voile vergadering  Uwer   Edel  *Mogenden
        merited and to take  .away all human merit  -                              gezegd is, "dat men niet moet  zien~  !~p wat tot nog toe geleerd
        and worth; they ascribe to us things that we.                              is in den Lande,  doch  hoe men voortaan zal  leeren.:' Meent
        never though to concede much less`to preach.                       ..      iemand, da% tegen Gods Woord i&s geleerd is, hij geve dat aar?
        The articles that, according to %hem, contain.                             `in een  alegellieene   vegadering  der Kerken; daar  tech  behooyt
        their se&ments, are equivocably  written and                               het.  Niemand  zal hierover van  ontiouw  of  meineedigheid.
                                                                                   beschu&lgd   wxden,  mits hij  zich  aan  het gemeene  6ordeel  der
        doubtful as to their manner ,of speaking; in                               Kerken  onderwerpe; want al heeft iemand de  Formuli.eren
       part they are in conflict with God's word:                                  onderteekend, zoo- wordt hem daarom niet verboden, zoo hij
                                                                                   hierop-   iets in de  Schrift  vond, dat hem docht,  niet genoeg te
      :`The Contra-Remonstration, coming to us directly                            aocordeeren  met Gods Woord, cm dit te openbaren en het ter
from the pen of `the Father's of JIoY't,' is of incalculable' overweging. te bieden, waar het behoort, om naar den  regel
value as source material for' the subject thjt is being                            van Gods Woord onderzocht te  worden.
treated in tl;lis series of .articles. I( therefore include                           Maar dat men de Gemeene Formulieren van eenygheid  in de
in this  a&icle  also the original  Holland text.                                  Geformeerde Kerken wil gerevideerd hebben en van hare  onder-
                                                                      The.
original of the above section reads 1                                              teekenl'ng oatslagen zijn, voor en aleer men aangewezen heeft,
                                                                                   dat er iets in is, `t welk met Gods Wooed niet genoeg overeen-
      Edel      Welgeborene,        Mogende;    -Hoogwijze,    Gebiedende          komt, dat kan sleclyts  dienen om allerhande twist te berokkenen
Heeren!                                                                            en.  onrust  te  verwekke;! Dit biedt een open deur om allerlei
D       e "onderzchreven,  gecommitteerden uit de  Classen   om te                 nieuwe  leeringen   op de baan te brepgen.  -
treden in conferentie met  een:ge   :Mededienaren   i*n het  Evan-                    Zdo kan er geen vastheid zijn in  on&e Kerken. De  papisten-
gelie" antwoorden 3p de beweeringen  der Remonstranten aldus :                     zullen ons  ongeistadigheid  in de leer verwijten en de Academic
Dat de Remonstranten meenen tot  het  .gerucht, dat ze naar                        zal wegens hi2re  onvastheid in de leer in verachting komen en
.eenige  verandering  .in the leer  staan; geen aanleiding gegeven                 geschuwd  worden.  Wij bekennen gaarne met Doctor Ursinus,
hebben,  dxarin   qijn ze  grootelijks   "vera.buseerd". Waaruit                   dat  schriften,  bij  .menschen  gesteld,  nie`t zijn te houden  yoor
anders zijn de  onrus,ten  gerezen, dan  daar&  dat  eetige  kerk-                 schriften die uit  zich zelven geloof  meriteeren,   doch oordeelen
edienaren hun  bijzbndere'  opinien,  drijven tegen  `t gemeen                     ook met hem, dat  men.zich  wachten moet voor te groote vrij-.
gevcelen der Kerk, en dat ze hun gevoelen noo{t.  ron,d en open                    heid,.  want uit verandering  in. de kerkleer kunnen scheur:ngen
hebben  willen   ve'rklaren,  veel min  `zieh `t  oordeei   dir kerken             volgen en worden tallooze  ergenissen gegeven. Zoo- zondigei dap
onderwerpen.  ,Niet enkel  daarcloor.  dat ze -de  Revisie drijven                 de leeraars met  lichvaardige  stoutigheid, als zij  verbreiden-
van Catech:smus  en Confessie,  hebben Te zich suspect gemaakt,                    gelijk ook de  RegeerdeTs  met  slappigheid zondigen, als zij
tiaar vooral omdat ze' zich laten verluiden, iets nieuws te heb-                   laten verbre'den-onder de gemeenten opinien,  strijdig  tegen
ben  doch dit  lop geen  enkele  kerkelijke,  v,ergad&ing hebben                   de aangenomen leer, voor en  aleer ze door hunne broederen
verklaard. Oak. dezerzijds `wordt erkend,  ,dat de  belijdenis-                    ondei+zocht  zijn en gemeene bewilligen- hebben verworven. Had-
schriften  in  aLitoritelt  en waardighied  .niet vergeleken mogen                 den de Remonstranten  tech naar deze  Germaning  van  den
worden.:*)ij,.de   .Heilige Schrift; hij `dqet  hun onrecht  &an .die  dit         vern$arden   Godgeleerde  gedaan, wij  z2uden rust en eenigheid
anders vo?rstelt.  . . Dach  ; aangezjen  alle
                     `..'     `.                     s&ten   .Gbds   .W~oord       in.  ,onze  K!.rken  hebben behouden. Waaruit tech  apruit bet __ op,


                                    4
 114                                          T H E   S~TANDARD   E.&ARER                                            _ _.    ._  ._
 dat somige kerken,  zeer verdeeld zijn,.  dat eenigen hunne predi-        with the doctrine contained in these creeds. Yet at the
 ken?cen  niet begeeren te  hooren   n&h  met hen het Avondmaal            same time -they requested their government to order
 des Heeren te houden, dan daaruit, dat ook de gemeene man                 the Confession and the Catechism revised, and in the
 bemerkt, dat sommige predikanten anders leeren  dan men, tot
 nag  toe  gewonn   is" in  de  Gereformeerde Kerken te  leeren,  ja       mean time to free the teaching ministry from the
 ook anders dan zij vrdeger zelven geleerd  hebb,en.                       obligation to adhere to these creeds in their exposi-
    Als voorts de Remonstranten begeeren door Uwe Edel                     tions of the Scriptures, and all this on the ground that
 Mogenden in  protectie  `genomen te  worden tegen  ' Kerkelijke           there were errors in these credal- documents ; so they
 censure, daarmede betoonen ze, dat ze z:ch aan  bet oordeel  der          said, yet they refused to state what these errors were
 Gereformeerde Kerken niet  be,geeren  te  onderwerpen,  terwijl           and requested their government to do their bidding--
 ze  zich bezwaard vindende in de censure  van-.  mindere  verga-
 deringen, door appel hun toevlucht tot  meerdere   Kerkelijke             change the adopted creeds of the churches-without
 vergaderingen mogen nemen. Maar als zij  alzbo  alle Kerkelijk            compelling them to state what these errors were and to
 oordeel  decline&en  en  verwerpen, met welken schijn van secht           prove them. They claimed for themselves the right
 kunnen ze z:ch dan uitgeven voor leeraars der Gereformeerde               to a name and place in the communion of Reformed
 Kerken  ?,  Indien  ze daarintegen hun bedenkingen  -rondweg              churches though they circumvented its assemblies-
 openbaarden  aan hunne Kerkeraden of  Classen,  zou hun  wel-
 licht  satisfactie gegeven kunnen  worden  uit Gods  Woord, of            consistory,  classis and synod-and directed all their
 anders konden zij hunne  medebroederen  van de  -gegrondhied              appeals to their government.
 hunner  bezwacen  overtuigen. Daarom kunnen wij het ook                      Such is the testimony of the Contra-remonstration,
 geenszins goedkeuren,  <dat de Remonstranten  aan  uwe Edel               definitely of that section cited `above. What a testi-
 Mogenden hebben overgegeven eenige punten, d:e ze nooit aan               mony !
 eenigen Kerkeraad  `of  Classe  hebben medegedeeld, en dat ze
 door autoriteit der Hooge  lOverhe:,d  hunne broederen  willen               Yet they were real pious people, were the Re-
 dwingen om  niet alleen hen in hunne gevoelens. te dulden, maar           monstrants.      They offered touching prayers full of
 ook den aankomenden predikanten, die met hen in eenzelvde                 feeling And, as was remarked, they were always and
 gevoelen staan, de  handen op te leggen, op hope; dat hun                 forever shouting: love ! love ! love !     $And they em-
 gevoelen eindelijk  de overhand zal krijgen in de Ger,eformeerde          phasized human responsibility and laid great stress on
 Kerken dezer Landen.
    Wat nu belangt de stukken der leer, al,s zij ,eenige  leeringen        godly walk of life, placing it-godly walk--far above
 v;orstellen  die zij zeggen, dat bij ons  gedreven-   ,worden,            purity of  .-doctrine "rechtzinnigheid". And they were
 daarin kunnen wij .niet bevinden dat zij oprecht en te goeder             zealous. exponents of "free investigation", too, and of
 trouw  gehan.deld  hebben, dewijl zij  beginnen  met het hooge            tolerance. (But. they were not tolerant). But what
 punt der  predestinatie, waarvan in onze Kerken matig en                  they lacked, with all their mety and broadmindedness
 voorzichtig  ljleegt  gesproken  te  worden,   alleen  tot  aanw:jzing
 van Gods onvardiende genade en tot wegneming  van' alle                   and vaunted tolerance is honesty and righteousness
 menschelijke  verdiensten en waardigheid; ze dichten ens  dingen          and love of the truth. .They deified the human will.
 toe, die wij  nooX gedacht hebben  toe te  stemmen,  veel minder          This comes out so clearly in that Contra-Remonstra-
,, te  leeren.  De artikelen,  waarin  ze zeggen, dat hun gevoelen         tion of the Calvinists.
 verVat  is; zijn dubbelzinnig  gesfeld  en met een twijfelachtige            Having set forth their grievances against the man-
manier van spreken; ten deel strijden ze met Gods Woord.                   ner of-doing of the Remonstrants, the Calvinists go on
     As was stated, the Contra-Remonstration is.of in-                     in their Contra-remonstration to inform their govern-
 estimable value as source material.               For the author          ment how the Gospel is being preached in the churches
 and- the signatories of this document. were contem-                       by the orthodox. This they do in `7 articles or proposi-
 poraries of the Remonstrants. They ,lived with these                      tions that as translated read as follows.
 people. With their `own eyes. they saw them in action
 and they heard them talk with their own ears. What                                  Inour churches the Gospel is being preach-
 we therefore have in this document is the testimony                           ed as follows :        - '
 of eye- and ear-witnesses. And what a t,estimony  it is!                            I. Seeing that the whole human race is
 Let us take notice.         The Remonstrants were openly                      fallen in Adam and thereby is so depraved
 teaching their heresies by the spoken and written                             that all men are conceived and born in sin and
 word, but in language so equivocable that no one could                        are-thereby children of wrath, who lie dead in
base any charge on anything they said. When asked                              their sins, so that of themselves they have no
 clearly to state their views on the meeting of a lawful                       more power uprightly to turn to God and be-
 synod they refused and continued to conceal their rea.1.                      lieve in Christ than a dead man has power
 sentiments in dark sentences. Though they corrupted                           to raise himself from the dead-God draws
 the official doctrine of the churches they insisted that                      and saves out of that fall and that damnation
 they were. reformed,. even more so than their, op-                            .a certain.number  of men whom in His eternal
 ponents, for, as. they had it, the views of the Calvinists                    and unchangeable counsel from sheer loving-
 militated against the Confession and the Catechism                            kindness and according to the good pleasure
 implying that their sentiments-were in full agreement                      of His will He elected for the  purpose, of


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                  115

         saving them through Christ; and in His                                      Dat Hij tot dien einde .hun  gegeven heeft z:jn eeniggeboren
         righteous judgment passing by the others and                    Zoon, dien Hij in den  kruisdood heeft  overgegeven  om zijne
        letting them lie in .their sins.                                 uitverkorenen zalig te  maken,  zoodat, hoewel  Christus lijden
                                                                         abs  dat ven den eeniggeborenen  eens-wez:gen  Zone Gods  ge-`-
       Alzoo  in Adam het  gansche menschelijke geslacht is ge-.         noegzaam is tot betaling van  aller  menschen zonde, dit  noch-
vallen  en daardoor zoo verdorven, dat alle menschen in zonde            tans volgeos,  Gods r-sad en besluit d&en in de uitverkorenen en
ontvangen en  gebbren   worden  en daardoor  kinderen  des  tolorns       ware gelovigen  zijn kracht  heeft  b3t verzoening en vergeving
z'jn, die dood liggen in hunne zonden, zoodat ze niet meer               der zonden.
vermogen hebben uit  iich zelyen om  zich oprecht tot God te
bekeeren en in  Christus  te gelooven, dan een  .dood mensch                             V. That moreover God the Lord to this
vermogen heeft  `om  zich zelven-van de dooden op te wekken;                           end has His Gospel preached and that  ex--
dat  %od uit dien val en die verdoemenis trekt  en verlost  een                        ternally  the Holy Spirit through this preach-
zeker   getal menschen, die hij in  z'jn eeuwigen en .onverander-
lijken raad uit loutere goedertierenheid naar het welbehagen                         ing and internally by a particular grace
van zijn wil, uitverkoren heeft om hen door  Chri:stus  zalig te                       works with such  eff,icacy in the hearts of
maken;  de anderen dollr zijn rechtvaard'g oordeel voorbijgaande                       the elect of- God, that He enlightens their
en latende liggen in hunne zisnden.                                                   .mind and changes and renews their will, re-
           II. That not only adults  -who believe in                                   moving their stony heart and giving them a
         Christ and moreover walk worthy of the                                        heart of flesh in this manner that thereby
      . . ,Gospel  are to be regarded as elect children                                they receive not merely power to be able to
         but also children of' the covenant so long as                          t      convert themselves and to be able to believe
         they do not indeed prove the contrary, and                                    but also do actually convert themselves and
       - `that therefore believing parents, if their chil-                             believe.           _
         dren die in their infancy, have no `cause to                                Dat voorts tot dit einde. God de Heere z:jn heilig evangelie
         doubt the. salvation of their children.                         laat prediken en dat de Heilige  Geest  uitwendig door die
       Dat  voo,r  Gods uitverkoren  kinderen  te houden zijn niet       prediking en inwendig door een bijzondere genade zoo krachtig
allen-de  volwasaenen, die in Christus  gelooven en voorts waar-         werkt in de  harten  der uitverkorenen -Gods, dat Hij  .hun   ver-
                                                                         stand verlicht, hun  wil- verahdert en  vernieuwt, wegnemende het
diglijk het  Evangelie wandelen, maar  -olok   kinderen  des  Ver-
bonds,  zoolang  ze metterdaad niet het tegendeel bewijzen en            steenen  hart en gevende een vleeschen hart,  tn zulker voege,
                                                                         dat zij daardoor  n'et   allen   macht  ontvangen  om  zich te  kunnen
dat hierom geloovige  ouders,  als hunne  kinderen  in  bun   kinds-     `-bekeeren  en te kunnen gelooven, maar ook met ter daad en
heid  `k-omen  te  sterven,  geen  oorzaak  hebben om te  twljfelen      gewilliglijk   zich bekeeren en gelooven.
asn hunner  kinderen  zaligheid.                                          --
        - III. That God' in this  .election  had no                                  The' remaining two propositions (VI"and VII) will -
         respect to the faith and conversion of His                      appear in the article to follow.
         elect nor to the right use of His `gifts .as to                             All the translations in these series of articles are
         caz&ses of His -election, but that He on the                    by the undersigned.
         contrary in His eternal and unchangeable.                                                                               `G.  M. Ophoff
         counsel purposed and resolved to bestow
         faith and steadfastness in godliness and in
         this way to save them whom according to, <His                                                    IN MEMORIAM
         good pleasure he chose unto salvation.                                      The  Men's  Society of the Manhattan Protestant Reformed
       Dat God  in heze verkiezing niet heeft gezien op het geloof       Church hereby wishes to express its sincere sympathy to one of
of bekeering zijner uitverkorenen, noch  op ge,b,ruik zijner gaven        its members, Mr. Pierre Hoekema,  in the loss isf his hfant son,
als op  odrzaken   der  verk:ezing,   maar dat Hij ter  contrarie  in                               .-         Keith Alvin                 '
zijn eeuwigen `en  onverandel<jken   rasd voorgenomen en  .b.e-                      May the God of all comfort give grace to say: "The Lord
sloten heeft, dengenen, die Hij naar zijn  lvelbehagen  ter               hath given,`the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of
zaligheid verkoren heeft, het geloof en de volstandigheid in             the Lord."
de godzaligheid te verleenen en  alzoo   zal:g te  maken.                                                                   Rev:  P. Vis, Pres.
                                                                                                                           , H. Leep, Sec'y.
           IV. `That to this end He gave  them  His
`.       only begotten Son, whom He delivered up to                                  The Mary-Martha Society of the Manhattan Protestant Re-
         the death of the cross to save His elect, so                    formed Church  heseby  wishes to express its sincere sympathy
                                                                          to one 3:f its members, Mrs. Pierre Hoekema, in the loss of her
         that, though the sufferings of Christ as that                    infant son,  *
         of the only begotten and co-essential Son of                                                          Keith ( Alvin,
         God is sufficient to expiate the sin of all men, -              who passed away two days after birth.
         this nevertheless has, according to God's                                   May the Lord. sustain and strengthen her, and comfort her
         counsel and decree, its saving efficacy only in                 with the blessed assurance that His  .>vork  is perfect and is
                                                                          done  `n love to His children.
         the elect and true believers -unto redemption                                                                   - Rev. P. Vis, Pres.       .
         and pardon of `sins,          -                                                                                    NW. D. Scbipper, Sec'y.


        1 1 6                             i    ~~II.s*ANDA~~D   ~~GARR.'E;'R~
.                       `.                                                a proper movement, founded .on..right.  principles,. It
         `.  I  N  ;H:I:S  -F'E  A  R  .  . cannot die. And because I proceed,from  the premise,
                                                                          I. will in these articles try to contribute something .to
                                                                          the health and growth of the movement.
                                                                            The reader: will bear in mind, however, that these
           .`.    Lookin;   T o   T h e   F u t u r e
                                                           3.             are the ,writings of one who, though formerly an active
                                   (1)                           `,  :    participant in this field to an `extent, now is not activc-
                                                                          ly connected with a Protestant Reformed school socie-
        Introduction                                                      ty, school board, or school. In parentheses I may say:
           By "future" in. the' above caption I refer to the              this is sad, but true. I therefore ,am writing not from
        future of our own schools and of the whole movement               present experience, but from the vantage point of
        for Protestant Reformed: education.                               distant observation. I call it a "vantage point':  be/
          And the presupposition of these articles is that ii,            cause though perhaps I' might write `differently if I
        is not wrong; .but wise,.to  look to the-future. True, we         were "`in the woods", yet from a distance one has the
        must, not be anxious about the future. But it is cer- advantage that he can see the !woods and not merely
        tainly the part of wisdom to lay plans, to set goals,             the trees. If at, times, however, it seems to you who
        and to evaluate and determine our present activity or             see the trees that it might be more advantageous to see
        inactivity in the light of the plans laid and the goals           the trees, please bear in mind that I am not among the
        set. No more than we `should be sluggards in ,our daily           trees, but outside of them.
        work and in regard to providing for our physical                      This leads me to another point. The intention. of
        needs, no more should- we be sluggards.with a view to             these articles `is not destructive and derogatory of the
        providing for our educational system and its needs. _             work of our present schools, school boards, school
     ..,. "`L Another presupposition of these articles is that we         teachers, and school societies. If at times they touch
        &.ust.  speak not merely of the future of our own                 on any failures and shortcomings of those aforemen-
        schools, as. so many individual and independent OP-               tioned, you will bear in. mind <hat my purpose is not
        ganizations, but that we undeniably deal with a move-             to tear down,. but to build up;. not to emphasize fail-
        ?neh.t, a  .`iiation-wide  and denomination-wide move-            ures, but to remedy them ; not to harm, but to help.
        ment. I say "undeniably", because, while it is true               And if at times I am  mistaken-nihil   izumanum
        that every school society is and should be autonomous             alienum  mihi` est.  And I am subject to correction,
      - and does and should conduct its own affairs, yet, when            w i t h   p r o o f .
        several similar societies "and schools arise, with h a                I believe that the treatment of this subject is quite
        similar foundation, governed by `similar principles,              proper for more than one reason. In the, first place, our
        having like jdeals, and like goals, and having common             schools and school movement are young. `They-face a
        problems, `you have basically a movement. The fact is             period of growth, the most crucial period of their ex-
        self-evident. This touches already on one of the                  istence. Our schools-societies, boards,.  teachingstaRs
        phases of the "future" about which I expect to write,             -face many problems. And the infant movement has
        but nevertheless I .want to ,say that we should recog-            a good start, because the principle is sound. But it is
        nize this  ,fact as having: .a strong bearing, on our             essential that the infant shall grow .up. properlyi,  with
      future. That movement is a reality, a simple fact. And              a straight back and soundness of-bones., And it is the
        n.o amount of reasoning or denial can remove it.                  duty of the present to see to this. In the second place,
        Furthermore, `that movement, I am confident, is pres-             the danger is not unreal, I have found, that we are in-
        ent in embryonic form not only there, where actual                clined to be complacent  arid self-satisfied, once  .;we
        societies exist and schools have been instituted, but  ev-        have founded a school. To point with pardonable pride
        erywhere.it is present where there are Protestant Re-             to a school building with `-the name, "Protestant Re-
       formed parents and Prptestant  Reformed children, as               formed" chiseled on the corner stone 01: over the door-
        well as friends and adherents of Protestant Reformed              way, and then to rest on your laurels is a danger. Or
        education who do not fall in the category of parents              to watch your little `ones leave the house; lunch-pail
        and childulen. Hence, while these articles concern more           under arm, on their way to that new school for which
        particularly those who already are active in the move-            you have. long labored and sacrificed; with the at-
        ment, they are not meant for them only.                           titude that now your duty is done, is a pit-fall. When
            A further premise of these articles is -that' this the school has been built and opened ,and the overt act
        movement for Protestant Reformed education is here                of separation from the existing Christian schools has
        to stay. It is not a passing fantasy or "fad, but a               been accomplished, the biggest task is still ahead. We
        permanent movement:a movement with a future. T                    should realize this; not be to self&atisfied- and`com-
        am confident of that, because I am confident that it is           place&  and figure with the reality  that"al1  three-


                                        T H E   .STANDaRD  BEARER,                                                                                  .1-13
                                                                         1'
societies, boards, and staffs-still  face-. a gigantic task    ture, is this. I would like' to  .invite  .anything in the
and must put- t:heir shoulders to the wheel.                   way of comment, suggestions, informatjon,.,or-any  oth-
    With a view to this we have set ourselves a three-         er pertinent material on this subject from--either ;our
fold task in this gresent series of articles. :                school boards or teachers. You may contribute...either
    In the first place, we would like to take cognizance -privately  `or for publication. How about it? :: ._ . . . . -: ;.
of some of the problems and tasks confronting us. f                                               .H.  C: Hoeksema` .:  .::
had a  .mathematics teacher who drilled into us the                                                 .:                         "
                                                                                                                                    .'
                                                                                                                                                     :  a
good rule that before we tried to solve a problem, wc                                                      .             ::                        '  ,_,:
should see  it.`.. That rule holds good not only for                           --- pJ                      :     `;      `;.`.               :       .":i
mathematics, but for .any problem. This we shall at-                                                               ,           .`
                                                                                                                                    ..
tempt to.do first, then. And I think we may remind                                                                                    _`.
ourselves from the .outset  that. two kinds of problems                                                          :i,,                        _`:`I
face us, in this movement, `namely, immediate and long-
range. ,Of the former there are always many in a new           -F  R  (-j  M  `
                                                                                    )j  0  .L'  y  (  @f.h.  pp;;
movement-so many, in fact, that ,we tend to lose from                                                             `.
view the long-range problems. That tendency is .un,-
derstandable. But at the same time we must combat                              Exposition  of  Jo,Rn'  S:Lli                   ::                   ,I",
it. For the trouble is that if these long-range problems
are not kept in view, we, become short-sighted. Long-              The ;Scripture:passage  to which we will call a&n-
range. problems must not be neglected, ,but they must          tion in this essay is too long to quote in' full in `v&v
.be treated exactly as their nature demands, that is,' of the space at our disposal. Then too this l&,&sage. is
from a long range. If we fail to do this .and assume           a familiar one to the average reader-`of  the `I'he Stan&                                      .
an attitude of short-sightedness, the. result will be that     ard Bearer. It will hardly be necessary `to quote.  it `m
`suddenly at some future day .these problems will loom         full. We will limit  our quotation to  -the.  verses~~245,
large upon the horizon, at a time when they  either            where we the following:  "And  ?he  !&&des'7'&&
must be treated by emergency measures or `else are             Phayises  bjring a woman taken ir.? a&&~~~ &cL'having
beyond  .all. treatment. On' the other hand, we must cer- `set her in `the micl.$, they say unto `@&a, T.&h&r; this
tainly follow the rule of "first.things first". .We cannot     woman hath been taken in adultery, jn &ie .ie"ry `&t.
neglect the immediate and pressing problems. in favor          Now in the law Moses  commatickd  &' i~`~~o+i~`.&&`:
of the long-range problems. Moreover, I believe thaf;! what then sayest thou of hey? And thii `thezj~skci try-
in most cases there is a rather close relation. between        ing him, that they might have whereof ti &+&jH&i-"'
                                                                                                                                                     -:.
the  TWO  types of problems.. Our schools face some                Concerning this passage of H.oly ,Writ' there .hab
problems which, of course, are only peculiar to a &w           been a great deal of discussion. In the.s&call&l  low&
school. Some of the immediate problems which thev              criticism, or text-criticism the question.&  whether tl&
face, however, will .confront  them repeatedly. and be- passage recorded here in the Gospel of John was r&&y
gin to weary them,, unless they ,take thi &ngira,nge           written by John himself) and, therefore, found in. `the
view. With this in mind I' will .try.,te.  emphasize es-       original Manuscript. Those who claim that it was. not
pecially some of the long-range .problems,; trying not. found in the original document from John's hand a&,
to be  too"impatient of their  solutio&.  ++.                  in the main, of the opinion that.' a copyist. co.pied; ;it
   In the second place, I will. try to evaluate what is        from the `Gospel written, by the evangelist Luke. The
being done or what has. already been@ccomplished in            reasons adduced for this text-criticism :is. that this
regard to these problems. `This is.natural;ly important        passage does not at all fit in -this style,, plan', `frame.-
for the future for the simple reason that we must              work and purpose of the Gospel of John ; that .the `v&y
proceed from our  "givens".                                    words and grammatical phrases are not those  .of `John,
                                                                                                                          ,,  _.
   And finally, .I .will try. to make some constructive        but that it is the style of Luke.  :`..                                 .,
suggestions for a ,cours.e  of action with a view to the          We will not weary the reader any further with this
solution of these problems. `~.                                matter of text-criticism, for it does not afford us a bit
   In conclusion, I have two. mor.e remarks.                   of fruit in the end whether we determine this quesion
   First of all, `1 think we- must' bear in mind that          or not. We do not wish to fall in the class of, those .whp
many of the problems which we hope to mention are              busy themselves with the letter of the Scripture .with.                                             X
interrelated. For example, what I call the "teacher            out understanding its great and glorious glad:tidi,ngs
problem", is very. closely connected with the "text-book ,of salvation in Christ Jesus. For.  :  certainly,  :this
problem", The -teacher  problem and the, teacher-train-        passage  is a unique part of the. Gospelrstory.  concern-
ing pr,ob!em are likewise. inseparably connected. : :          ing the great grace and truth that  :have  `.become:  a
   ,$n$.~y ~~qx@ ~~qna&, which. is of .a different na- reality$hrodgh  Jesus Christ;' our Lord;.; c.: .: .,I. .!. -; L -j:


                         -               -


118                                    T-HE  STANDARD  BEARER

       It is  &he conviction of the writer of these lines        tween Jesus and those following Him.' And if he
that this unique passage of John 8 :l-11 does not first          should say: do not stone her they would have an air-
of all intend to have all attention here focused on this         tight-case against Jews, that He was at variance with
wretched woman taken in adultery, in the, very act.              the expr&sed command of Moses that a. woman taken
The subject in this passage is not first of all this worn-       in `adultery should be stoned.  `Lev.  20  :lO ; Deut.
an. Nor must tie think that the subject here in I&               22 :22-24.
hypocricy of Scribes and Pharisees. It is true this is a            And the Pharisees who were forever attempting, to
part of the picture, but these Pharisees and Scribes             esablish their own righteousness by their works of
are not the central figures in this picture.                     law concurred with these Scribes; surely here was a
       W h a t   t h e n ?                                       woman who was from every viewpoint guilty accord-
       We believe the central and all-controlling thought        ing to the letter of the law; she is- a woman who is
iri this portion of Holy Writ is:        The greatness of        taboo in. the circle of these Pharisees.
Jestis, the Son  of  God  in  the flesh, when compared              They h&e a perfect case here in this woman ; why
with the relative greatness  of  Moses.                          she is taken in the very act ! Eye-witness they had been
   `The key toward understanding the  &ire Gospel ac-            of this folly in Israel. And it must fbti removed out of
cording to John is given us in John 1:16-17 where we the land ! Thus spoke Moses. It is written in Leviticus
read:  I  `%or  of  His  fulness have we all  received, and      2.0.  ,The Scribes knew the passage from memory and
grace  for  grace. `For the law was given through                the Pharisees had painfully kept themselves'from such
Moses; grace and truth became through Jesus Christ" an act, at least in public ! But come now Jesus : what
This is the clear and lucid word, in the light of which          sayest thou? 0, how persistent self-righteousness can
we must also interpret the Scripture passage here in             be! These men keep on asking Jesus, and that too be-~
que,&ion.  The Scribes and Pharisees  cont&$ with fore a large number of people whose size seems to be
Jesus tempting Him and say: Moses in the law com-                steadily growing in numbers. All the while this worn-
.man&ed us to stone such: but what sayest thou of herd           an stands here in their midst; shall WC say that .here
       The cbntrast is : `Moses and thou !                       was a snickering laugh and there the plagueing of an
       But the contrast is not correctly -drawn as' it is        accusing conscience? But not yet in these men does
:diawn  by the Holy Spirit `Himself, and neither is this         conscience accuse ; they persist : .Come Jesus : -what
dontrast here made out of pure motives.                          sayest thou of the woman?
       The motive is: to tempt .Jesus in order to bring a           Are these men ~perturbed  that great folly has been
form&l  accusation $gainst Him before the Sanhedrin, `committed in Israel? No "such as these" may weil
the seventy rulers in Jerusalem !             For had not the    continue in their folly, if only  Jesus may be  con-
temple-police returned, on-the day prior to the day in.          denined-  and .put out of Israel as an imposter, a con-
which this matter here in question took place, empty-            tradictor of MoSes,  a false teacher!
handed? Had they not said : Never a m.an. spake as this              But who can stand before the presense of the Lord,
man speaks! Atid were these evil Jews not verily at              Jesus? Who can stand before Hiin as He stoops down
their *wits end? Ah, how desperate and frustrated                and writes in the sand.? Yes,, but wait till He rises and
man must be who opposes this' Cornerstone of the                 answers to their persistent questioning: He of you
temple of the living God. And so in their desperation            that is with.out sin let Him cast the first stpne?
they must play out Moses and Christ, denying both ;                  Did these ,men hear correctly? Moses i? right ac-
now they will prove that they err knowing neither the            cording to Jesus. They are"told  to execute Moses, some-
Scriptures nor the power of God. They will now be                thing which had not been done for a long while? And
caught in their own craftiness; they will now be pin-            this must be doge by them without their own hands
ned tightly between the horns of their own dilernma.             full of blood-guiltiness, fornication ; without any con-
       Moses commanded that such be, stoned by us ; what         sciousness of sin before `a holy God who  throtigh
sayest thou of her?"                                             Moses has said: Cursed is he who doth not remain in
       Seemingly this is a `very cleverly plit proposititin.     all that is written in the book of the law to perform
It is one of the wiles of the Devil, concerning whose            it! Ah, how that law begins to buin in the conscience
purpose our Lord is not ignorant, n&y not even in this           of these men. The law says : Cursed is he who does not
generation of vipers.. For thus these Scribes, who               remain in all t&at is. zoritten  in the book of the law *
know the p&w (and we can well imagine them stand-                perform `it. --Come now. you Scribes with your Scrolls
irsg with thi Sacred Scroll of Leviticus and Deutero-            ie your hand, and strongest Pharisee ; see if ye can
nomy under their arms) must have. reasoned : if he               countenace the whote 111111, in every last jot and tittlel
says: ,stone this woman, execute Moses, then He will                 This Jesus  is's0 relentless. No, Moses' law is relent-
raise public sentiment against Himself and then, thea            less. `This law requires perfection. And  Mqses  la;<:
would have cast a wedge, a& they fooliohly  reason, be- says : the mm that cfoeth the same `shall live by it.


                                      `$%.~           STAti~Aktl                  B@ARa-`R.                            119

Ram.* 10 :,5 ; Le?. 18 :5. Here must be the full measure          Neither do I ! I have come to fulf3 the l&w and the
or we perish under the wrath of God revealed from               prophets. Moses' law will receive its own. Grace and
h.eaven  against all unrighteousness and ungod!iness  oi:       truth become-through me. Go and sin no more. Drink
men- who keep the truth down in unrighteousness. But            out of my fullness from the never ending stream? of
since they want the law they ,must have the full nieas-         mercy and grace and ye shall f?.nd  rest for your souls.
ure. -FOP works is truly works. Ah, now they @and in               Great is Moses, a servant in the house of (God ;
the flame of God's holiness ; and all the self-righteous:       faithful he was. But he could not bring you into the
ness of the Pharisee melts like wax before the holiness         land of Canaan. I am the Son, the Builder of the house,
of God's law given thrbtigh Moses!                              the end of the law for righteousness to every. one be-
   Jesus writes on the ground.                        ...       l i e v i n g , !
   But He has administered the Wosd  and it is effec-                                                   G. Lubbers
tive. God is opening the books of their conscience.
(,4nd they are deeply conscious that they stand con-
demned before `God. And that too from the eldest to
the youngest? Has God forgotten about this woman's
sin in this awful moment? Ah, simply wait a bit ; her
turn will come ,presently.  But these men are convicted                   PERISCOPE'                                          .
by their conscience and stand condemned before the
tribunal of God !
   He that is without sin cast the first stone!                             The Synod of  1951- (cont.)
   0 Moses, Moses, who can execute thee? Who tail
give the full measure that is required by the ltiw given           Synod then rettirns to the'discussion of the motion
through thee?                   .                               t6, declare point II is the expression of the  Confes-
   But Jesus demands the full measurk: All must be              s'ions etc., and during this discussion the morning ses:
without sin., and unless this is done none can live and         sion is brought to a close.
wrath shall come upon Israel's folly, and all go dew             After a.long' discussion in the afternoon session an
into silence of captivity in Babylon! Before thy sight          amendment is offered as follows : "There are conditions
Lord, no man is justified ; 0, enter not `into judgment         in God's Word, the confrontation of God's demand
with thy servants !                                             which God annexes to the promise in order to bring
   But must Mos& not be fulfilled? .This woman still            put clearly I%is vliconditional  grace and mercy as well
stands here in the midst of the people. Must not he,            as His just wra%h and man's inability to fulfill.them."
who is without sin, cast the stones? ,O God; the dil&m-            Synod decides to give the author of the above rno?
ma `is so terrifying ! Moses has said: that such we             tion time to submit the confessional grounds for his
must stone. Lord we cannot cleanse the land, we can-            motion. Synod decides ,to- adjourn ,until Tuesday morn-
not remove folly out' of Israel, for we all perish .under       itig to give such time.
the just demands of thy law. Moses must be fulfilled;           .The confessional proof, for the  -above motion, -is
what sayest thou Lord Jesus,                                    offered in the Tuesday morning sessioli.  As a remark
   And now,' 0 marvel, He goes' and stands in the               on the motion Rev. Hoeksema gives a slightly differ&i;
dilemma ; and when He stands in this dilemma then the           form  of. the  above  amen.dment, omitting the word
law is fulfilled. The stones `are cast `; they are cast! All    "condition" but keeping the essential th>ust and re-
the stones ,are cast by God from His holy pavillion of          marks further that his proof is strikingly almost the
the Holy of Holies ; for God is in His holy temple ; let        same as that offered by Rev. Doezema. This remark
all the earth be silent: For the stolles  are about to be       with its proof is later inserted, as an amendment un-
cast, all t&e stones upon all the publicans and sinners,        der point III.
the harlots and adulterers ! Yes, upon you and me they             Synod returns to the discussion of the amendment
are about to fall!                                              and its proof. The amendment is put to a vote. The
   Throw the stones Jesus, for thou canst say: Who              vote is, a tie. The amendment fails.
of you can convict me of sin. But Jesus says: 1 want               A substitute for the whole motion as amended is
the full Moses ; the full measure bf all the stones. How-       nowe,  offesed : "That Synod expresses that there is
ever, I did not come-to throw the stones, but to come           nothing essentially objectionable to the Declaration
under all the execution of- the righteous judgments of          Point II." `An amendment is immediately offered, "Be-
God, to pick up and ,carry &way the sins of my people.          cause it is the truth expressed in p,p~ Confessions."
   Woman, where are these thine accusers  ; has no one          Once again the amendment is; carried- *aby a vote of 9
-accused thee?                                                  to 7 and the motion as amended is carri"d by a siightlJi
   Nay, Zord !                                                  larger majdrity.               B                      ;. .
                                                                                                                 `.  I


                                                                                                                      .  ..1
                                            T H E   .s-TANDAR'
                                                                         D  B E A R E R
         ".  -  :^ : I', :  .:.:  .: .                _,.                                                        .
         :. :- Synod beginsato  read the material relevsint to point' elders and deacons: called  by the congregation  and
         III, and during this. reading the morning session `is therefore. ,by' God." This amendment carries. Tht
     c l o s e d .             .'                                        amended motion. carries and Synod adopts  roint.~.I`\'
               After dinriei'. tlie. motion is made that. "Bynod de-     as amended.
D        clare that point III of the Declaration as amended b;{               Synod now takes  up the matter of the use 02 th;:
         ClBssis:  East,. is, the expression of the Three Forms of       declaration. We shall not weary OUT readers.by gibing
         Unity, with regard to certain- fundamental principies,          all the m&ions and amendments but the final `action
         as  t.hese~, Confessions have always been  niaintainecl         was as follows: "Synod  adtipts this  Declartition  OY
        and           i&erpreted by the- Protestant Reformed             Principles to be used only by., the. Mission Committee
         Churches.`?`.  :                                                and the Missionaries for the organizati,on  of .prospec-
            I An amendment comes to elide point III B- 2 which tive churches on the basis of Scripture  hnd the Con-'
         reads, "That when He so fulfills His promise and                fessions  as. these have always been maintained in the
         establishes His covenant, the elect are not mere stocks         Prbtestant  .Ref ornied Churches and as these have been
         and blocks, but obliged and willing to fulfill their part       further explained in regard  %o certain principles in
         of the -covenant, to love the Lord their #God with all          the Declaration." This motion is adopted.. Although
         t$eir h&art arid mind and soul and strength, to forsake         more voted against the adoption' of ,this motion. only
         the world, toLcr&ify  their old nature, and ;to walk- in        Revs.  Doezema,  Howerzyl and Van Weelden ask to
         a'new'-and  holy .life," and to insert instead, "The sure- have their negative votes. on this motion recorded.
         promise of God which He realizes in us as rational and              Synod also decides to use the subskance of the above
        moral creatures not- only makes it .impossible  that .we         motion as a Preamble to the Declaration.
         should' not bring-forth fruits of thankfulness but also             Synod, next decided to give the Committee for Cor-,
         confronts us with the obligaticn of love, to walk in-a          respondence permission to. make their report at the
      new and,holy life, and constantly to watch unto pray- next Synod;                                         I . .
         er. All those who are not thus disposed, who do not                 iSynod now takes up the .letter  from the `Canadian
         repent but walk in sin, are the objects of His just             Reformed Churches.  In.  the discussion  jrt becomes
        wrath.. and, excluded from the Kingdom of Heaven.. evident that during the, Synodical recess this letter
       Grounds: (1) Baptism Form Part 3, (2) Form for  0, has been mislaid and cannot be logated.  It is there-
         the Lord's Supper-Third part beginning with  "all fore decided that -the Stated Clerk  .write  these
         those", up to "But this is not designed." ,( 3) Heidel-         Churches expressing our regret +hat the missive .was
         berg Catechism, Question 64, 84, 116; Canons 3 and' lost and  ,,kindly  yequesting  a duplicate which, shall
         4:12, 16,.  17.;.3 and 4  B:9,  5:14; Belgic  .Confessior-      then be handed to the. Committee for Correspondence
      Article 24. And further to amend by adding the to be answered by. them.
         amendmefit  niade by  Classis East as follows :  "`lhat            Rev. Vos, the President .of Synod extends a wqrd.
         the preaching comes to  all, and  ,that God seriously           of appreciation and commendation and confidence  tfi
         commands to faith and  repentance,  and that to all             0u.r. missionary, Rev.-  Cammenga,  in the name of
        -tho& who.  coine and believe He promises life and Synod.                         He also speaks a:,few .words  .of thanks and
         p e a c e : ` . '                                 .I    :.      farewell. to the members of. Synod..
               The> amendment to elide the former apd to insert              After .this. Syn?d sings the doxology an!- Rev. V.os
         the last two Guoted  paragraphs carries. The whole of           returns thanks to God.                                                 J.  Howerzyl   I
         point III as amended is then carried..                                                                 ~ElxBo                                                 :
             Synod riOw turns to poiilt IV; CA. mdtion is made to                   .'
         adopt point IV- AX amendment is. ma& to elide A' 1                                                     IN MEMORIAN
         and .2 under Ip. This deals with the aetioh of the Re-            Op den  morgen  van 13 Nov. 1951, behaagde  het onzen  getrouwen  Verbonds
         formed Churches  in. Netherlands making binding                 God  om tot z&h.  te nemen   onze  dierbare man, Vader  en  groonkder,                             _,
                                                                                                              .ANDREW  BRUMMEi
         decisions without giving opportunity. to;.protest  and          in den ouderdom  van 63 jaar.
         deposing officers in the church and ,ouu' disapproval of          ,Ofschoon.wij   ons  verlies  zeer   gevoelen,   behoeven  we  evenwel  niet te  treuren
         their .action. Synod rightly felt that we .could not sit        als de genen die geen hope hebben. Openbaring 14  vers   13.
                                                                                               :                                 De bedroefde familie,           .,
         in judgment. over thprn without having the, case be-                                                                        Mrs. Andrew Brummel
         fore. us,  .and this amendment to elide  was carried.                                 ;'                                . . Mr. and Mrs..&   Br$nmel
                                                                                                                                    MF;and  Mrs. JGhi;  B&me1
         Syfiod f.urther: decided to amend this point IV by add-                   `
                                                                                     .'
                                                                                                     .,,.        ,.:`
                                                                                                                          ..         Mr. and Ma. Joe  Brummel
         ing.. the f @lowing : "For proof we refer to Nether- . .  `  .`,  :. `,  1 .:-,,  ."  j ;-                                  Mr. and Mrs. D. Vander  Schaaf
                                                                                                                                 `1'  kr.`&d   Mri G. Brummel
         lands. Confession, `Art. 31; Church -Qrder,  Article 36,                                                               `-.  .'  Mrj'and   Mrs:R.  B&&e1
         onl;b ,,the- consistory has authority: QY~T the local., con-                                                                e n   17  Klienkindeten,   benevens
                                                                                                                                    zijn   bejaarde   m&der
         gregation  ; Article 84  ; Form for the  Insta!l&ion, of        Hull, Iowa


