         VOLUME  xxx1                          FEBRUARY 1.5,  ~~~~--GRA~TD-RAPIDs,  MICHIGAN                              NU~CIBER 10
                                                                               :
                                                                            It happened often in the past, that we pleaded with our
 II           M E D I T A T I O N                                        God and begged of Him to give us "food convenient for us."
                                                                         And we understood that convenient food was after all the
                                                                         best, knowing our frame. \Ve  realized that if we became
                          Blessing God                                   satiated with riches we would be in danger of becoming
                                                                         proud and ask : Who is the Lord ? Would you kindly tell
                  "When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt    me where He is  ? Also what need have I of Him  ? For I
               bless the Lord thy God for the good land which He         really do not need Him.
               hath given thee." Deut. S:lO
        How utterly` dependent are we !                                      No, we did not dare ask for riches. For more than we
        And also : how utterly foolish when the mouth of such a          absolutely need according to His own ordinances for the
 dependent creature "boasteth great things !"                            body and the soul.
        God created all things utterly dependent upon  many                 Neither' did we ask for poverty.
 things, and in the last and constant analysis, dependent  upon              Pbverty is when we receive less than we  have need of
 Him.                                                                    according to these same ordinances.~ A poor man is he that
        According to His ordinances We have a definite neecl of          chatters of the cold and is famished with hunger. When you
 many things at all moments of our existence. Where would                have- too much to die ancl not enough to live. No, we did
 we be but for a little space, a little air, a crust of bread and        not ask for poverty.                                            v.
a little water  ? What misery without any company at all
 of man and beast? How dependent upon the green foliage                     But we desired of the Lord food convenient.
 around about  us,  the blue firmament above and "terra firma"              And He heard  our prayers. Only, He revealed  Hi&elf
 below our feet?                                                         as the God Who is the  .overflowing  Fountain of all good
 Moreover, where would we be but for the everpresent                     things. As He does in nature when the ground is strewn
 providence of God, Who upholdeth, l!xeserveth  LE. as in the            with fruit that will never be eaten, so also with  us :  time
 hollow of His hand ? Constjntly He causes us ~to be ancl to             and again mother would gather the pieces that were left.
 continue to be. He it is Who changeth  foocl into blood &cl             Every day of the blessed year we- ate and ate and ate.
 strength and energy. Continually He walks beside our path-                 When thou art full. We have been full to overflowing.
 way, makes the pathway and keeps our feet from stumbling.               Even the dogs refused the dainty morsels at times and turned
 Before and behind, to the right and the left of us, without             back from overflowing bowls of delicate food.
 and within us, He is working in our behalf. When night is
 dark and &y consciousness has fled: He slumbers not and                    But, Father, we have not always blessed.Thee  when we
 never- sleeps. Also when my time (ah! my time?) draws                   were full. Yes, we did go through the  motio& of blessing
 near, He wakes me every morning and calls  me back to                   Thee,  .but our heart was oftentimes so far away from Thee
 conscious life. He points silently and invisibly to  my"clothing        and Thy blessed virtues !
 and ushers me unto the board where foocl and drink beckon.                  Bathing ourselves in God's wealth, we forgot.  M&e-
                                                                         over, we would sometimes boast great things! For we are
                               *  *  Y                                   so utterly foolish !
                                                                             The wealth of God in food and d;ink,  air and light? space
       And I am full.                                                    and time, with all the goocl gifts that are as a veritable r&n
        Yes, indeed, "when thou  hast eaten and art full, -then          descending upon  us  for years-and years : how they ought to
 thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which               lead us to the blessing of God, the praising of His name and
 He hath given thee'!"                                                   the telling of His wondrous works !


                                                                                                              _-
218                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   - B E A R E R

       But, hark !                                                      To bless, what else is but to sing  "eulogiums"  unto the
       All these things are as nothing compared to the blessings     praise of God? It means that we shall speak a beautiful
of salvation in the L&d Jesus Christ!                                word unto God about God.
       All the earthly things are but for a time. They cannot           And did we ?
nurture the soul and spirit, made in the similitude of God.              Have we continually, holily  and wholly blessed the Lord
       When thou shalt have eaten and art full. Again we' hear       our God when we had eaten and were full ?
the same word, but ah, how different a tone !                           Ah, this is the tragedy of our lives! No, a thousand
       I remember that we also pleaded with God to- give  us         times no, we have not blessed the Lord our God!
convenient food for our souls. We have begged the Lord to                Instead we have murmured and criticised  the Lord our
give  us  a harvest of spiritual blessings in the Beloved. We        God. In the midst of the unspotted  pilrely  white of His
called upon the Living God to give us Himself. "When shall           sanctuary we have besmirched His very dainties with our
I come and appear before God  ?" We longed for the com-              filth and sin and manifold wickedness. Ah, our very right-
munion of love and friendship with the Everblessed One.              eousnesses were as filthy rags before Him and we know it.
We asked Him for the pure and unadulterated preaching of
His Divine Word. We longed for communion of saints and                   And again and again  we have heard His tender voice:
the walk in the light. We prayed that He indeed might                Brethren, these things ought not to be! With our mouths
forgive our transgressions and blot them out in boundless            we have cursed the brother made in the similitude of the
grace. A petition went up to Him for regeneration and cal-           ever-blessed God.
ling, for faith and hope and love for the generation following           Oh! beloved reader, we have sinned grievously. That
so that they might take up the banner of the cross when              is the tragedy of the life of the Christian. It seems I hear
falling away from our feeble and dying hands. "And Thy               again that wailing complaint of Paul, wrung from his breast
glory unto our children  !" We pleaded for Jesus,  Jehovah-          in tears and. sighs : "for to will is present with me : but how
Salvation, for ever.                                                 to perform that which is good I find not." '
       Food, spiritual food convenient for us and our genera-            Do I forget the strivings of the  new^man  in Christ? Do
tions.                                                               I shut mine eyes to the good works in which the Christian
                               * *: :;:                              walks and which were afore prepared that he should walk
                                                                     in them? No, reader, but I see these' works as they are
       And He heard in His Holy heaven.                              leaving me. Certainly these works are good as God has
       And He gave.                                                  prepared them, but when they  lea+e  me, when I have walked
       While the world loved her sin and the godless forgot,         with them and they return unto God to be written down in
while the devils would gather -the poor deluded souls unto           His book of remembrance, they are polluted by the sin that
Violence:  the Lotid gave us the light of His countenance so         is everpresent in my members. Our sins rise up against US
that even the widow and orphan would sing for joy.                   prevailing day by day. God be merciful to me!
       Throughout the blessed year He gave us the Cross.                 Oh, there is only One who is definitely and beautifully
       Its power humbled all our pride  ; and this again and         religious. And that One is Jesus. Listen to Him. He has
again. Powerfully, efficaciously, He humbled us into the             come out of the great tribulation. He comes back from hel-
dust so that the angels heard the cry : Oh God ! Be merciful         lish torment : "I will declare Thy Name  unt6  My brethren:
unto me, the sinner! And they rejoiced when sinners, when            in the midst of the congregation will praise Thee !" Ps. 22 22
we were converted unto God.                                              And He  did.- And He does.
       Its power showed us the love of God that finds its object.        Were it not for His perfect work of blessing` Jehovah,
When we studied the Cross again and again we saw the                 where would we be? In the midst of our tragedy, this is my
everlasting arms of God grasping  us  underseatli  and drawing       comfort: Who maketh intercession for 
us out of the mire of sin and filth unto the beauiy  of holiness.                                                   us.  Unto Him who
                                                                     always heareth the voice of Christ. For His is the perfect
       But best of all, its power showed  us  that God is God        praise.
and that God is good.
       `rhe Cross of Jesus showed                                        And He continues to teach us how to bless Jehovah. And
                                      us  that God loves Himself
an-d the `creature, His  own darling creature, for His own           when we cry and weep : "Ah, that all that is within me might
name's sake. That all these things were to the praise of             praise His holy Name !"~ Then He comes and instructs  us'
His glory. "For Mine own Name's sake I will do it !" And.:           and places the songs of praise, mind you, His songs of praise
"I will not give My honor unto another  !" Oh. blessed               upon our lips  ancl enthuses  us  unto the love of God. What
Jehovah, Thou art Good, eternally, blessedly Good!                   uphill struggle !
                               :i: 4: Q                                                         1: *  $

       When' thou art full.                                              But He is Jehovah-salvation. He has the victory. And
       Then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God !                      He continues to gather and to instruct, until all the saints


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                                                219

shall be liberated from indwelling sin, until this world that
now is shall be transformed into"the  good land."                                          T H E       STANbARD   B E A R E R
   Because there is a  lancl that is fairer than  day and by                  Sew@-monthly, except monthly  dwrkg July and  -Asgust
faith we can see it afar. And whefi  you arrive there, brother,             Published by&e REFORMED FREE PUBLISHING  A%OCI~ION
when you shall stand in body and soul, liberated at the river            P. 0. Box 881, Madison Square Station, Grand Rapids 7,  Micb.
of God . . . . then the elder brother Christ shall sing His                                  Editor   ---REV.  HERMAN  HOEKSEMA
song of praise, blessing Jehovah. And we shall sing the                  Communications r&&e to contents  should be addressed to Rev.
chorus.                                                                  H. Hoeksema, 1139 Franklin St., S. E., Grand Rapids 7, Mich.
  . How unspeakably lovely !                                             All matters relative to subscriptions should be  ad&essed to  Mr..
                                                                         G. Pipe, 1463 Ardmore St., S. E., Grand Rapids 7, Michigan.
   There we shall receive the wish  ani longing of our in-               Announcements and Olbituaries  mu& be mailed to the above
most heart.                                                              .address  and will  Ibe published at a fee of $1.00 for each notice.
                                                          G.V.           RENEWALS  : Unless a definite  request for discontinuance  is re-
                                                                         ceived, it is assumed that tile subscriber wishes the subscription
                                                                         to continue without the forrmality  of a renewal order.
                                                                                   "           Subscripti&  price: $4.00  per year
                                                                           Entered as  Second  Class matter at  Grand  Rajids, Michigan



                                                                                                        C O N T E N T S

                                                                   MEDITATION- .
                                                                             "Blessing God" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
                                                                                   Rev. G. Vos

                                                                   EDITORIqLS-                   _
                                                                             Rok is a Hop&less  Case.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Zo
                                                                             Open Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
                                                                                   Rev. H. Hoeksema

                                                                   As TO BOOKS`-
                                                                             De Triompf der Genlade  in de Theologie  van BarFh..  . . . . .n'l                                            .
                                                                                   Rev: H. Hoeksema

                                                                   OUR  DOCTRINE-
                                                                             The  TI-iple  Knowledge (Part III  - Of Thankfulness): . . .222
                                                                                   Rev. H. Hoeksema

                                                                   FROM HOLY  WRIT-                             I
                                                                             Exposition of ~G&&ans 5 :19-21.  . . .                        ....... . . . . . . . . . . . ,225
                                                                                   Rev. G. Lubbers

                                                                   IN  HIS FEAR-
                                                                             "The Gate is Open". . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......                                              ,227
                                                                                        Rev. J. A. Heys

                                                                   CONTENDING FOR THE  FAITH-
                                                                             Tlhe  Church and the Sacraments.. .                                       . . . . . . . . . . .
                                                                                        Rev, H. Veldman

                                                                   THF, VOICE OF OUR FATHERS-                                  .
                                                                             The Canons of Dopdrecht  (Art. 15)                                                                 .231
                                                                                        Rev.  H. C. Hoeksema

                                                                   DECENCY   ANn  OR DER -
                                                                             "Professors of Theology". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233
                                                                                        Rev. G. Vanden  Berg

                                                                   ALL AROUND  Us-
                                                                             "What Really Happened In Our Churches". . . . . . . . . . . . .23?
                                                                                        Rev. M.  Schipper

                                                                   CONTRIBUTIONS  -                                                                                              _--
                                                                    _        Ho,w Rev. Kok Continues to Operate. . . . .                                                         `Y/j-/
                                                                                                                                                    . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..-
                                                                                   Rev. G. M. Ophoff
                                                                             Kok's "Proselyte" Reports.
                                                                                        John Flikkema  c

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

                                                                          life to the penitent sinner, than, according to Kok, I preach
                E D  .I.. T 0  R. I A  1  S                               that God promises eternal life to the reprobate!
                                                                                     0, indeed, the same gospel is proclaimed to all. But in
                                                                          that gospel God does not promise salvation to every one of
           I
        :  -  ..     J$ok is a `Hopeless Case                             you on condition that you believe.
       The more I read what flows from the pen of Bernard                            But why try to repeat all this.
Kok the more- I actually receive the impression that he is a)                        The intelligent reader has no need of it.
hopeless case.                                                                       The brother to whom Iiok wrote this letter was not for
 As long as a man still reveals an inkling of understanding               a moment deceived. And Kok ? . . . .
of what he is writing or talking about, you can, at least,                           I really believe that it is a hopeless case to make him see
discuss matters with him. But I now must conclude that this               the light.
is no longer the case.                                                                                                                    H.H.
       I?or a `time I actuallv.. thought that the trouble with Kok
was ethical, and that he intentionally distorted and  mis-
quoted me in the hope that his readers would be sufficiently
dense and ignorant simply to accept what he writes in good                           T
faith. Even now, I would not deny that there is an  ele-                   Firs
ment of truth in this impression of him.                                   to a
       Yet, I now begin more and more to believe that  Kok,                          1
in a large measure is honestly dense and ignorant in respect
to most of the things he produces by his pen. Just one in-
stance in proof of this.
       In a private epistle to one of my members,  Kok makes               of
and translates the following quotation from an article of mine             th
in the Stn.ndcwd Bearer:                                                        1
       "God speaks, to him through that gospel. In. His Worcl              a
He calls unto  penitance  and contrition, unto repentance s
and faith. In that Gospel He presents unto him in an un-                   a
mistakably clear manner, the way of sin as the way which                   a
displeases .God, which' incites His terrible wrath; and as the             a
way in which the sinner gathers. unto himself treasures of                w-1
wrath unto- the  `day of vengeance. Moreover He opens in                  frc
that Gospel a way unto the penitent to be reconciled to God, sin
and to return unto the father's heart assuring him that He                tere
will in no wise cast him out and even promises him eternal                 ally
life. No sinner who converts himself shall be able to say                  who
that God has -pleasure in his death. This all is proclaimed                not
in the gospel and is proclaimed unto all `who come under                   grie
the preaching of the Word, without distinction, also to the                          3
reprobate."  I                                                             hea;
       So, I indeed wrote.                                                 case
       Anything wrong with it? Not in my opinion. I could                 forI
literally write the same language today.                                   gal
       Why then, did  Kok make this quotation to the brother
from whom I received the above mentioned letter?                           sai
       Because, according to him, in the above quoted lines I              t
teach the same thing as did  DeWolf  when he preached:                     )
"God promises every one of you that, if you believe, you shall
be saved."                                                                 i
       Only, I make it worse yet. For, in the above quotation,
according to Kok, I "literally `affirm(  s) that God in preach-
ing the gospel to -the reprobate even promises him eternal 1
life  !". The quotation is from Kok's above mentioned letter.
       0  ten4jum7!   0  1+2:ol-es!   Cicero0   wo~~lcl  exclaim.
       When I preach that God promises in the gospel, eternal'


                                               T H E   S T A N D
 -                                                                     A R D   B E A R E R                                                   221

 can be. And even the worldly court has now decided that                 we may  be united in the faith, the angels in  heaven  may
 you are not.                                                            rejoice, and God's name may be glorified.
      (2)    This means that  ever.since  June 23, 1953,  you  had                                The consistory of the First Protestant
 no legal officebearers, and have not now. You have  no                                                     Reformed Church,
`minister and no elders, for they were legally deposed, and                                                   Rev. H. Hoeksema, Pres.
 you have no deacons for they were never elected by the                                                       Rev. C. Hanko, Pres.
 legal congregation and installed by the legal consistory. And                                                Mr.  J.  R/I. Faber, Clerk.
 the worldly court now also `ruled that they- are not office-
 bearers of the First Protestant Reformed Church.                              *Editorial note: It might be added h`ere  that, in 1924, the
                                                                         consistory never deposed its pastor, not any of its elders.
      (3) This means that, ever since June 23,  .1953,  you             This was done in 1953 with  DeWolf  and the elders that
 never had preaching of the Word for the gospel can be                  followed him.
 preached  only by a legally ordained minister;  you  had  noI                                                                         H.H.
 baptism or celebration of the Lord's Supper ; the marriages
 which your deposed minister performs are illegal, and  you
 cannot receive or issue membership papers under the name               II
 of the First Protestant Reformed Church. All this is now                                    AS TO BOOKS
 confirmed by the worldly court.
      (4) Do not say that we  did the same thing in  ther                      De  Triomf   der- Genndc in de  Theologie   van  Karl  Bnrth.
 years  1924-26,  for this is not true. At that time the  con-           (De triumph of grace in the theology of Karl Barth) by Dr.
 sistory also functioned, and continued in their office but not          G. C. Berlhouwer. Publishel by J. H. I<ok?  Kampen,  Neder-
 under the name of Eastern  Ave; Christian Reformed Church.             land, Price f 12.50.
We became a new Church under the name Protesting Chris-                        This is one of the best books on the theology of Karl
 tian Reformed Church which later  i\ras changed to  .Prot-             Barth, from a Reformed viewpoint, I have ever read. It is
 estant Reformed Church.*                                               clear exposition of this theology as well as a rather thorough
      3. Thirdly  tie write`you this letter because reliable re-        criticism of it. Yet, it is not unfair but rather sympathetic.
 ports have it that at your congregational meeting of January           ThGugh he does warn against the danger of this theology,
 5, 1955, it was stated that from your group several overtures,         yet he does not go into the extreme of other criticisms like
 three or four> were sent to us to the e'ffect  that you desired to     Van Til's "The New  R'Iodernism."  It is evident from Dr.
 settle the matter of the property outside of the worldly court.        Berkhouwer's book that he does not agree with Van Til.
 Concerning this we wish to state:                                             The book consists of two parts. After an introduction, it
      a. That this is a gross untruth. Let those that made              offers, first of all an analysis of Barth's theology in which
 this claim produce the evidence. We were simply locked                 the author discusses the Theology of Crisis, and then  thd
 out and to prevent riot we remained out.                               Triumph of creation, of Election, of Reconciliation, of the
      b. That the only overture to this effect came from us.            Future and of Grace in antithesis with Rome. After an
 In our overture we offered that we retain the name Prot-               "intermezzo" the author offers his criticism of Barth's theo-
 estant Reformed Church, that we get possession of the                  logy discussing' the nature of the triumph and its universality,
 archives, that we sell the property and divide the proceeds            the divine and the eschatological triumph, and he concludes
 equally between                                                        with a chapter on "The Triumph and the Kingdom."
                      you  and  us.    This proposition was made
 through our attorney. We never even received an answer.                       This book is certainly worthy of a further discussion, for
      4. Fourthly, we wish to' admonish you, in `the name of            which I have no time  at- present, but which I would like
 the Lord, not to continue any farthe; in this evil way but to          to take  LIP is some future time. In my opinion, it is  also'
 rescind your decision to appeal to the Supreme Court.                  wofthy of a translation into English.
                                                                               I most heartily recommend this book to all that are
      5. Fifthly, many of,  jrou are under the impression that          interested in  infortiiing  themselves about the theology of
 you are indebted to us all the money you collected during              Karl Barth from a Reformed point of view.
 the entire period since June 23, 1953. That is not true. The                                                                          H.H..
 decree of the judge affords  us,  besides the property, all
 money, goods. bank account, bonds, and other property, of
 whatsoever kincl or nature which you noby 1101~1  or possess,"                                      NOTICE
 plus the espens&  of the case in court.                                      The Holland Protestant Reformed Ladies' Society desires
      6. Finally, we feel that many of  you  have  simpljr been         several copies of "Outlines on the Book of Revelations" by
 deceived. Therefore, we pray  youI if  ther& still is the love         Rev. H. Hoeksema. Anyone wishing to  seli or loan some,
 of the Protestant  Reforilled truth in your heart, return to           please write or contact Rev. J. MC Collam, 246  W. 33rd
 us. in the way of repentat?ce and confession, that once more           St., Holland, Michigan.

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

                                                                           it is not in our gifts, in our sacrifices and our offerings ; but
              O U R   D O C T R I N E                                 II it is in our speech, in the word of our mouth, and particularly
                                                                           in our prayers, that God is glorified in the highest sense of
                                                                           the word. And because it is an art, and besides, a holy art,
                 THE TRIPLE KNOWLEDGE '                                    which only the regenerated man can acquire and practice,
                                                                           the Christian will have to become truly efficient in prayer by
          AN EXPOSITION OF  THE HEIDELBERG  CATECEIISM                     practice and experience. Of course, as in every art, so in
                  PART  III  - OF THANKFULNESS                             the holy art of prayer there are underlying principles that
                                                                           control and govern it. And these underlying principles must
                            LORD'S DAY  45                                 be observed by those that are engaged in it. These principles
               Q. 116. Why is prayer necessary for Christians?             can only be derived from the Word of God itself. We must
               A. Because-it is the chief part of thankfulness which       allow ourselves to be instructed only by Scripture, in order
               God requires of us: and also, because God will give         to bring irito practice more consciously and fully the under-
               his grace and Holy Spirit to those  only, who with          lying principles of the holy art of prayer, that thus we may
               sincere desires continually ask them of him, and are
               thankful for them.                                          become more efficient in this spiritual art. It is in the light
                                                                           of Scripture tliat we m&t seek an answer to such questions
               Q. 117. What are the requisites of that prayer, which
               he will hear?                                               as : What is prayer ? To whom do we pray ? For what may
               A. First, that we from the heart pray to the one            we pray ? What is the proper contents of our prayer ? What
               true God only, who hath manifested himself in his           is the proper attitucle in prayer.? But, as I saicl, difficult this
               word, for all things, he hath commanded  ds to ask          subject is, too, because there is perhaps no subject of which
               of him ; secondly, that we rightly and thoroughly           there is so  much  misunderstanding as  on+ this subject of
               know our need and misery, that so we may deeply             prayer. How  often  is prayer which properly is the chief
               humble  ourselves in the presence of his divine,
               majesty; thirdly, that we be fully persuaded that he,       medium for the expression of thankfulness and foi- the glori-
               notwithstanding that we are unworthy of it, will, for       fication of God considered as a means to obtain the fulfill-
               the sake o'f Christ our Lord, certainly hear our prayer,    ment of our own, and that too, of our carnal, desires. How
               as-he has promised us in his word.                          frequently, while it should be the most humble expression of
               Q. 11% What hath God commanded us to ask him?               submission to the will of God, of our Father in heaven, it
               A. All things necessary for soul and body; which            appears to be an attempt to impose our will upon the  Al+
               Christ our Lord has comprised in that prayer he             mighty. And how frejuently. while prayer is properly the
               himself has taught us.                                      seeking of the things  of the kingdom of God and His right-
               Q. 119. What. are the words of that prayer?                 eousness, the seeking of His grace and Holy Spirit, it is
               A. Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be              nothing but the expression of earthly desires. The reason is,
               thy name. Thy Kingdom co,me. Thy will be done on            of course, that we are still largely carnal, and that carnal and
               earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily       earthy things often weigh more heavdy  with 
               bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our                                                            us than-  things
               debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but de-           that are spiritual and heavenly. And therefore, it is ex-
               liver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the       pedient that we always compare our own prayers with that
               power, and the  gldry,  for ever. Amen.                     most perfect prayer which the Lord taught  us to pray. And
                                                                           in our discussion we do well to. follow its lead, as also does
   ..'                          Chapter 1                                  the Heidelberg Catechism.
                      The Necessity of Prayer             *
 All the rest of the Heidelberg Catechism is devoted  to)                     In the present Lord's Day the  Heiclelberg  Catechism
the subject of prayer. To this the present Lord's Day serves               speaks, in the first  pla,ce, of the necessity of prayer, or of
as an introduction.                                                        the need of prayer for a Christian : f`Why is prayer necessary
     We may well understand and realize clearly from tha                   for Christians?" To this question the Heidelberg Catechism
outset that the subject of prayer is very difficult to treat. It           gives a two-foid answer: first, prayer  ;s necessary for a
is difficult, in the first place, because of the very nature of            Christian because it is  the. chief p&-t of thankfulness. It is
the subject itself. And secondly, there is probably not  a                 not in what we do. but in what we speak that God is thankecl
subject about which there is more misunderstanding and                     and adored and glorified in the highest sense of the word.
misapprehension than the subject of prayer.  Prayer  is a                  And secondly, prayer is necessary for Christians; according
holy art. And if we would analyze it and expound some of                   to the Heidelberg Catechsim. because  the grace of God's
its underlying principles, we will have to approach our task               Spirit in Jesus Christ can be received only in the way of
in an attitude of holy reverence. For, as the Heidelberg                   prayer. In Question and Answer 117 the Catechism dis-
Catechism expresses it, it is the highest epsression of grati-             cusses the requisites of all true pray&  : what must character-
tude. It is the highest possible expression of what lives in                                            '
                                                                           ize this holy art of prayer: To this the Catechism answers
the believer's heart by grace. It is not in our good works;                that prayer must be the expression'of the heart. It must not


                                     -(~     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               223

 be mere outward form. We must not merely pray with our             man on the Mount He assures  us:  "Ask. and it shall be
 mouth or with the attitude of the body. But prayer must            given  you  ; seek, and ye shall find  ; knock, and it shall be
 be from the heart. Secondly, prayer must be directed only          opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and
 to the true God. And He is the One that has revealed Him-          he that seeketh findeth ; and to him that knocketh it shall be
 self in His Word. Thirdly, in our prayers, as far as their         opened." Matt. 7 17, S. We are admonished to continue in-
 contents are concerned, we must pray for all things which,         stant in prayer, Rom. 12 :12 ; and to pray without ceasing,
 God has commanded us in His Word: not for all things               I Thess. 5 :17. And, according to James 5 :16, "the effectual
 that may arise in our sinful heart or in our corrupt imagina-      fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." And in
 tion, but only for those things which He Himself in His Word       the prayer which the Lord hath left  IIS  we  find a concrete
 has commanded  us.  In the fourth place and in close  con-         illustration of all the principles that should underlie our
`nection  with the preceding our prayers must be rooted in a        p r a y e r s .
 deep sense of our real need, our spiritual need and our
 misery, lest we become proud in the imagination of our heart           There are, ,of course, different forms of prayer, as well as
 and assume the attitude of the pharisee in the parable. In         different occasions for prayer. Scripture accordingly em-
 prayer we must humble ourselves deeply before the majesty          ploys different terms to express different aspects of this
 of God. And finally `according to the Catechism, and in            holy engagement of the whole soul. In the Old Testament a
 close connection with all the preceding, our prayers must          word is used that denotes the act of exhibiting or esposing
 also be characterized by perfect confidence that although we       one's cause before the Lord. Another term has the same
 are in ourselves unworthy of it, God will nevertheless grant       root in it as the word of  gracc,q and is often translated by
 unto                                                               our English word  mpplicntion.  It denotes the act of in-
          us all that we ask of Him in the name of Jesus Christ
 and according to His Word. In the last two questions and           voking God's favor, grace, pity, or mercy. Still another
 answers of this Lord's Day the Catechism briefly refers, to        word, translated by cry, is used to denote the prayer of him.               i
 the proper contents of our prayer. And it tells                    that is in distress or tribulation, so that he cries to Jehovah
                                                     us  that we
 may pray for all things necessary for soul and body.  But          for help and deliverance from trouble or from the enemy.
 these necessities are comprehended in the prayer which the         Also in the New Testament we  find several words for prayer.
 Lord Himself has taught                                            There is the word that is translated by our English term
                              us.                                   ZUOYship, which vividly expresses the proper attitude of him
    Let  us,  then, first of all, ask. the question in the light    that presents himself before the face of the Most High, the
 of Scripture : what is prayer ,and  how and why is .prayer  the    attitude of deep humility  ancl profound reverence. Other
 highest expression of gratitude before Gocl ?                      terms emphasize such ideas as those of confidence, trust, or
                                                                    of fellowship with  Gocl, or of devotion to the Most High.
    Innumerable passages of Holy Writ speak of prayer, both         The activity of prayer as such is also variously expressed in
 in the Old and in the New Testament. Throughout Scrip-             Scripture. Prayer is called a lifting up of one's soul to God,
 ture we find that the people of God are, a praying` people,        a calling upon the name of the Lord, a seeking of Him or of
 even  .from the earliest times. Without prayer they cannot         His face, a bowing toward His holy place,' an entering into
 and do not live. It is the very breath of their spiritual life.    His sanctuary, a drawing .near unto the Lord, a crying unto
 They cry to Jehovah in their distress. They call upon His          Him from the depths, a pouring out of one's heart before
 name in the day of trouble. They seek His grace and fellow-        Him, a waiting patiently for Him, and even a thirsting and
 ship. They worship and adore Him. They praise Him and              panting of the soul after Him.
 give Him thanks. And they glorify His holy name. Almost
 all  ,the psalms assume the form of prayer and praise. Be-             In the light of all these different Scriptural data, we may
 sides, many other prayers of eminent saints are preserved to       conclude that all true prayer contains the following elements :
 us in Scripture, such as the prayers of Abraham and Moses,         in the first place, it is a holy activity of the entire soul, pro-.
 of David and Solomon, of Isaiah and Hezekiah, of Daniel            ceeding  from the regenerated heart and dominated by the
 and Nehemiah,  pi Elijah and of the  remant  according to          Spirit of Christ. Needless to say, the natural man cannot
 the election of grace, of the church in Jerusalem and of Paul.     pray. He cannot practice this holy art of prayer. It requires
_ And surpassing them -all, both in spiritual beauty and per-       the regenerated child of God, that longs for Him and-seeks
 fection of contents, we have the prayers of the Lord Jesus:        His face. In the second place, it is such an activity of the           I
 His  marvellous  sacerdotal prayer, as recorded in John 17,        believer that brings him consciously into the presence of
 and that profound espression of perfect submission to the          God in the face of Jesus Christ, so that he may enter into
 will of the Father which He uttered in the hour of His agony       His sanctuary, into His tabernacle, have fellowship with
`in  Gethsemane.   Ancl  of course, we have the Lord's Prayer,      Him, and present himself before His face. Thirdly, all true
 the prayer in which He teaches His' people how and for             prayer is always an act of worship whereby the soul prost-
 what to pray. The Lord once spake a parable to teach  us           rates itself before the glory of God's  mfinite  majesty in
 that we should always pray and never faint, even though God        humble reverence. In the fourth place it is the expression of
 is longsuffering over His people.  Lu.  lS:l-S. In the  Ser-       a real sense of our deep need, a need principally of God and

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

of His grace and of a profound longing for Him and for His            thanksgiving ; and pay thy vows unto the Most High : And
fellowship, and at the same time, of the heartfelt desire that        call upon me in the clay of tlrouble:  I will deliver thee, and
He- hear us and grant us what we ask and fulfill our need.            thou shalt glorify  me."  ,qnd the psalmist of Psalm 116,
And finally, true prayer is always the heartfelt assurance and        after he has related how the Lord has redeemed him from
cdnfidence  that He will surely receive us in the name of             the depths of misery and death, asks the question: "What
Jesus Christ our Lord, and that He will give unto us that             shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?"
which we ask of Him,  ,rooted in the consciousness of His             And immediately he answers : "I will take the cup of salva-
great love to  LX  Briefly, prayer is the activity of the be-         tion, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay  my
liever whereby he acknowledges the living God as He has               vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people."
revealed Himself in Christ Jesus as the God of our salva-             But true gratitude is simply the joyful acknowledgement that
tion, as the sole and overflowing fountain of all good, and           God is good. To adore Him as the only fountain of  ali
approaches that fountain with an earnest desire to drink from.        blessings and to espress  this our adoration not only before
its blessed water of life.                                            His face, but also publicly, before all His people and before
                                                                      the whole. creation, that  .is gratitude. Gratitude is the ac-
       In the light of the  .above, we begin to understand why        knowledgement of the fact that He has revealed His great!
the Catechism is undoubtedly correct when it states that              mercy and His unfathomable love in Jesus Christ our Lord,
prayer is the chief part of thankfulness.                             and that we have experienced that love, so that we say:
       The Catechism asks the question why prayer is neces-           "0 give thanks unto the Lord: for he is good:  be&use  his
sary for Christians. And this necessity may be considered             mercy endureth  for ever."
from a two-fold point of view. It may be asked why God                   In this sense prayer is, of course! the chief part of thank-
requires of us to pray, why prayer is our calling in all. our         fulness to God. For prayer means -that we  cl&& from the
life and walk before God. And secondly, the question may              foimtain  and are satisfied. and then acknowledge it and es-
mean: why does a Christian need prayer for himself?                   press it with joy.
                                                                         This, of course, does not exclude good works in the
       .The  -first  `question is answered in the statement of the    proper and Scriptural sense of the word. For also prayer is
Heidelberg Catechism that prayer is the chief expression of           a good work; and. in fact, is the highest good work. The
thankfulness to God.                                                  works of true conversion, repentance, hatred of all sin, joy
       The idea of thankfulness, of gratitude, we have explained      in God, a hearty desire to walk acording  to all the commancl-
in another part of this work on the Heidelberg Catechism.             ments of Gob,  - in these also we express our gratitude to
True gratitude is  never  motivated by the desire to recom-           God. And  besides.  a walk in all  -good works is necessary
pense, to requite, to  re~nunerate,  or to do something in re-        for the exercise of a life in prayer.
turn for the benefits we have received from God. If this                 But, the chief part of thankfulness is not in what we ac-
were the case, it would be foolish to say that prayer is the          complish, not in our acts, but in what we express in prayer.
chief part of thankfulness. For then the emphasis would               This is the most important part of thankfulness. And this
rather fall on good works. But let  us  understand that it is         means that prayer /XW exceilence  is chiefly the acknowledge-
forever impossible to recompense God, to do anything for              ment that God is God. Always it is the recognition of the
Him whatever. Do you approach the fountain in order after             fact that we can never -do anything for Him, or give Him
you have drunken from its delicious refreshment to refill it? anything, but: that all we can do is to acknowledge Him and
God is the fountain. And for the creature He is never any-            give thanks to Him and glorify Him. Prayer as the chief
thing else than the fountain. He is the sole fountain of all          part of thankfulness certainly is not the expression of the
goodness, of all blessing, of all life. Never can you give            desire to receive some earthy or carnal thing from God, but
anything to Him. Never can you add anything to  HiS  ful-             it is the hunger and thirst for God Himself.
ness. Never  &ay  you  live in the vain imagination that  you
can do something for  .Him. This is strongly expressed in                Only in that light can we understand the language of the
Scripture. Thus, fpr instance, we read in Psalm 50  9-15 :            Heidelberg Catechism.
"Hear, 0 my people, and I will speak; 0 Israel, and I will               But, according to the Catechism, this is not the only
testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.  .I will not            reason why prayer is necessary for the Christian. It is not
reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have       only objectively necessary because prayer must -be the ex-
been continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy         pression of thankfulness to God which God requires of us: .
house, nor he-goats out of thy folds. For every beast of the          but it is also subjectively the expression pf a deep neecl. For
forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know          so the Catechism explains, that prayer is necessary "be-
all the fowls" of the mountains: and the ,wild beasts of the          cause Gocf will give his grace and Holy Spirit to those only,
field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee : for         who with sincere desires continually ask them of him, and
the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the            are thankful for them."
flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God                                                                     H.H.


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  -                        ___-

                                                                              he has done, whether it be good or evil. For all must be
                FROM HOLY WRIT                                                made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ.
  I                                                                     `I        You  ask: What are these works, and, wherein are they
                  Exposition of Galatians 5: 19-21                            "manifest?" Then attend to what Paul  his to teach  us  in
         In these verses Paul makes clear to his readers,  thei               these verses concerning this throbbing question !
  churches in Galatia, what our "new ought" is in Christ Jesus                    In the first place, we  sl~o~~lcl  notice very carefully and
  our Lord. We are indeed the free-born sons in Christ, born,                 believingly that these works are "manifest." They are not
  from above, from the heavenly  Jerusalem and therefore wel                  at all "hidden." It is not so that they are not  passed in re-
                             .
  ought to walk also  with our conversation of the heavenly                   view before others to judge of,  nor are they such that we
  Jerusalem. Hence, the very earnest exhortation of Paul                      ourselves are not fully cognizant of them. They stand out
  "only use not your liberty as a strategic point of attack foe               in bold relief, even as being punishable by the  wm-ldly
  the flesh, but rather by lo.ve serve one another."        .                 magistmtes!  The Greeks and the Roman writers on social
       We are indeed not! under IMU!                                          conduct were fully aware of this list of sins and' wrote
       Let                                                                    treatises on them, which today are known in "philosophy" as
               us  then  by all means beware that  lour  walk and life
  and deepest attitude be not such against which there is law.                the "ethics" of the Greek writers and philosophers. It is
  Then to all practical extent we  woulcl be walking as those                 true, this truth they kept down in unrighteousne$s,  but even
  walk who are under law. Such a walk is not that of faith                    so these vices of the flesh were manifest to them also. It
  working by love, revealing itself in the "loving our neighbor               is true their evaluation of them was wholly different than
  as  burselves" which is the  "pleroma,"  the fulfilling of the              that of Christians, but this only proves that they came face
  law.                                                                        to face with these "works of the flesh."
       Let none deceive himself: the Lord is not moc!ced  !        _              And in God's church they too are often manifest. Many
       Hence, to thus walk in this faith  energizecl  by  lovq we             a Minute Book of Consistories in God's church through the
 need a great deal of spiritual self-knowledge. We must be                    ages testifies of this fact. And the godly are sorry for this
 thoroughly acquainted with the great fundamental difference                  fact that these sins are "manifest." For they know and con-
 between the "new man" in us and the "old man" the flesh in                   fess that these things ought not so to be. They so greatly
                                                                              desire to walk by the Holy Spirit so that these sins of the
 us,  which must be crucified. If only we are "spiritual" and
 not                                                                          flesh are not brought to full fruition. And the true saints,
          "fleshif  then we shall sense the things that differ with
 a great spiritual sensitiveness. And this latter must surely                 says Paul,  "have  crucifiecl the flesh with the passions and
 not be lacking-in us !                                                       lusts thereof."
       We believe that an exposition of this battle of the chris-                Paul here gives these sins of the flesh grouping them in
 tian against the flesh is very timely  ; to be forewarned in                 four classes. For convenience's sake we shall follow this or-
 this respect is for the believer to be fore-armed. That is why               der, and call gttention  to the sins here enumerated.one  by one.
 Paul says  .in verse 21 "of which I forewarn  you> even as                      First of all these are the.class  of works of the flesh which
 I did forwarn  you, that they who practice such things shall                 may be called sexual, immoral sins. They are as follows:
 not inlzerit the kingdom of God." Here we have the "warn-                    fcwnicntion, uncleanness and lasciviousness! Fornication.
 ings" of Paul, which the fathers have in mind when they                      properly is the sin of having illicit sexual  relaiiona.  It  is
 speak of the "warnings, threatenings" etc., as we pointed  out               living as married while not in the state of wedlock, or living
 in our former article, February 1 issue.                                     improperly outside of proper wedlock. While "unclean-
       Paul points out the "works of the flesh" here in verse 19.             ness" is sexual and moral uncleanness in whatever form it
 Says he: "Now the works of  the flesh are manifest." That                    may come, in thougths, words and actions and gestures and
 he  sp.eaks here of "works" of the flesh in distinction from                 deeds. Of "lasciviousnessf'  we may remark that it is open and
 "fruits" of the spirit is very suggestive and instructive. It                reckless contempt of propriety, unbridled lust, outrageous,
 calls to mind that these actions which  proceecl from the                    shameless forms of immoral carnality.
 flesh are indeed acts of the mind and of the will of the one                    Such are the sins of the first group. And  upon  these
 who -performs them. They are "works," expressive of the                      sins comes the wrath of God against the children of  clis-
 evil nature of man, as we are, due to the wrath and- curse                   obedience ! Eph. 5 :3-6.
 of sin. They are "works." Yet. they are, as such, works                         The next group are the sins of idolatry. Here we have
 which never in any way are "fruits." They cannot ever be                     the worshipping of dumb idols, placing trust not in the
used by God as acceptable to Him in our "reasonable" serv-                    invisible God, but rather in the things that can be seen.
 ice whereby we prove what is the good, acceptable and per-                   Then there are all kinds of covetousness, trusting in Mam-
 fect will of God. Rom. 12:1, 2. They are such because they                   mon. And in  heathenclom  there is also the sin of trying to
 are as the thorns and thistles in distinction from the wheat                 predict the future by means of witch-craft instead of  lookirig
 and corn of the land. And so this distinction immediately                    to the Word of prophecy. Also these sins are not compatible
 calls to attention that every man must give account of whab                  with faith energized by the love of God.


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        Next Paul cites a rather large class of sins which may              cause Paul to say: when ye bite and devour one another,
 be characterized as personal, spiritual sins ! These sins are              beware lest ye be consumed one of another ! Then there are
 the following : Hqhed, strife, jealozzsies, ozttbwst of anger,             unseemly wranglings in which all  discussions  are impossible.
 plottings, spKt.s, paveties!                                               See "Word Pictures," T. Robertson, Page 72, I Cor. 1  :ll.
        Of each of these we would make a few expository re-                 And when the foundations are thus destroyed what can the
 marks.                                                                     righteous do ? Then the church sings : Because Thy statutes -
        We notice that tha term "hatred" is a general expression            are despised, with overwhelming grief I weep! Compare
 representing all persona.1 avzivtzosities! This is what roughly            Rom. 1  :29, 13  :13; I Cor. 1  :ll, 3  :S, Phil.  1:15. When this
 stands for that which in our day is designated to be "matters              evil enters into the lives of preachers in Paul's day, this
 of personalities." The former expression is far more ex-                   great apostle does not become involved  it: He sees the
 pressive and exact, and it emphasizes the moral integrity,                 things that differ with keen spiritual sensitiveness. `Even
 while the term "personalities" leaves the matter hang in a                 when Christ and .the Gospel are preach&d out of `kivalry,  he
 moral indifference. It shieS  away from the matter of personal             can still `say: Christ is preached and herein I rejoice." Of
 gcziZt  in personalities. It is, therefore,- not the language of           course, Paul ltno%>Ts  that when another Gospel is proclaimed
 Holy Writ. Wherefore let it be remembered: the term                        than he has proclaimed, though he be an angel from heaven,
 means personal animosities!. From these "animosities" all                  that such a one is Anathema. Then Paul is not engaged in
 campaigns of hate spring forth, sometimes with a sanctimoni-               rivalry. He knows no competition between true preachers.
 ous sugar-coating of "love  !" But these are works of `the                 but he does know the difference between true and  filse
 flesh nonetheless. Let  LIS  beware for this "manifest sin."               preachers.
 For it is the first indication, when manifested in the church.                Where such rivalry is, personal animosities and jealousy,
 of using the liberty in Christ as an occasion to `the. flesh. if           you will surely see: outburst of anger. And this is not the
 not worse.                                                                 outburst of the zeal`of a Phinehas, who loves Jehovah's name
        This sin will surely reveal itself in the sin of strife, rivalry    and will cleanse the temple and exercise discipline, but they
 and discord, if not crucified. Hence, Paul cites this sin  as              are the angry outbursts of the flesh! Here are the outbursts
 the next one in the ascending scale of vices in the church,                where there is no accurate account given  of the facts, but aq
 born from personal animosities. For as soon as there is                    anger that roots from the stubborn maintainance of a .wrong
 personal animosity the question is: who will be the greatest,              position, due to fallin,m into ways of error, which stem forth
 and who shall have the last word. The question is then not                 from personal animosities. Such outburst in brochures, and
 to champion the cause of God's truth, but then it is "he                   weekly periodicals are not the manifestation of strength that
 wants me to say that he is a wonderful man, but that I'm not               taketh  in a city, but they are the choking gasps of anger of
 going to say." Whether this is true or not of the real or                  the man who is being strangled by his own sin! The dying
 imaginary opponent, the battle is on. The battle of the                    embers will then burn out and one can then sit in the ruins-
 flesh  again&t all that is holy  ; the battle of rivalry, discord          of his burnt house awaiting its own resurrection.
 and strife. Those who engage in it in a "church battle" will                  Yes, then there can be some more plottings, intrigue and
 be heard to say: "I know I should not have presented the                   conspiracy. Each may then champion his cause as do politici-
 truth of Scripture as I did, but the real question here,is  : who          ans; caballings  there will be a plenty, but honest and forth-
 is going to be boss." And thus those engaging in this rivalry              right approach such as desired and sought by godly and
 rooted in personal animosities scream : personalities,  person-            sane men can not  ~-be found among such. Then there are
 alties. Liberty in Christ is no longer distinguished from                  "splits" and "parties" in which the "sword of divisions" of
 licence.  And this personal enmity works through as doth a                 Christ is not handled with true dignity in Consistory, but
 canker !                                                                   is becomes "below  our dignity" to answer with a word that
     Such rivalry, because it is. rooted in personal animosity              is fitting to those who stand in the office of Christ.
 in which there is not one bit of faith working by love, surely.              Here is Paul's analysis of the works of the flesh.
 progresses to the next step-: it shows itself is a great false                Here is the ascending scale of those who walk in personal
 zeal, which is jenlozuy! Once a rivalist has "stuck his neck _ animosities. Here there-is no walk in liberty. But the word
 out" he has to save his. face. A great deal of zeal comes to               of Jesus remains ti-ue : He that doeth sin is a servant of sin !
manifestation fighting the battle: but it is not fighting the                  But Paul warns They who practice such things will not
 battle of Jehovah God against, Satan, the world and our                    inherit the Kingdom of God. Why? Because they do not
 own flesh.  SLIC&   a one is not on  bended knee, praying to               have the  pre-requisite  act of faith  ? Nay, but because they
 God that he be not led into temptation.  .This prayer has                  are trees on which no fruit appears, for they have not the
 died upon his lips. As big as life he has walked headlong                  Spirit and are none of His. For only the sons are heirs of
 into temptation. He walks in jealousy and with a cruel zeal:               God and joint-heirs with Christ.
 he will not rest till he can claim his victory, while the sad                 Let us be  warnecl seeing the lot of the wicked, lest we
 truth is that he  has not fought the real battle, due to his               fall into the hands of the living God, before whose eyes
 personal  animo$ties.  And these  .things are manifest. They               things are naked <and open.                                 G.L.


                                                      T H E   S T `A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                            227
                                                                                                                                         7
      ll                                                                            expression of our confessing, which formerly also
                      IN HIS FEAR .                                                 seems to have been the conviction of our Mission
                                                                                    Committee (see the booklet published by this com-
                                                                                    mittee : The Protestant Reformed Churches, page 15.
                                The Gate Is Open                                    line 2.) ."
                                                                                 So far the advice of  Chatham  in regard to the  Declar'a-
                                   (Continued)                               tion. It is both interesting and revealing then to look up
            At-this time we will give you the complete advice of what        what those who also -rejected that Declaration and defend
      at one time was called the Protestant Reformed Church of               the literally heretical  statelnents  of Rev. De Wolf wrote in
      Chatham,  Ontario. We say "was called" this because it was             regard to that Declaration. Is it not amazing and revealing
      Protestant Reformed in name alone.                                     that those who defend the statements of Rev. De Wolf also
            We give `you the consistory of that congregation's advice        have no use for the' Declaration  ? So it must be, for the
      concerning the Declaration of Principles -to which all truly           Declaration  ,condemns  Rev. De Wolf's statements and Rev.
      Protestant Reformed people subscribe.- Its advice was to               De Wolf's statements ARE liberated, Arminian conditional
      reject this document and never let it make the walls of our            theology.
      denomination so high that they with their Arminian con-                    We would have you note these lines first of all of Rev.
      ditional theology might not come in and remain in. They                Blankespoor in the Acts of Synod 1951. On page  104 you
      pleaded for an open gate. For they were Protestant Re-                 have the advice of Second Church in Grand Rapids in regard
      formed only in name. The Protestant Reformed truth they, to that Declaration. It is signed by Rev. Blankespoor and
      hated. And every preaching engagement the undersigned had              no doubt is his work which the consistory with a small
      in  Chatham  brought this out more clearly. We may have                majority adopted. At any rate he signed it ancl agrees with
      occasion in the future to relate some of the arguments and             it, while three of his consistory members drew up a minority
      events which revealed this.                                            report in which they advise the very opposite to Synod. On
            At present we are quoting the whole advice again- with           the top of the page  you  read :
      the  esception  of the church political aspect-to show you                 "In the second place we must remember that the Liber-
      how fully those who schismatically left us and who also                ated churches to this day maintain that we fail to fully un-
      rejected the Declaration are in agreement with,the  Liberated          derstand them and therefore misinterpret them. Would it be
      conception of Scripture and the Confessi&s and with them               proper for us" to adopt a `declaration of our views with a
      want an open gate, lowered  wallS.                                     rCpudiation  of theirs as we now understand them ? We don't
            Here then is the advice:                                         think so. If we need a declaration, we should surely give
            "The Consistory of the  Chatham  Protestant  Reformecl           them all the benefit of the doubt."
      Church . . . declares herewith that she  ,has serious grievances          What amazing language !
      against the above mentioned `Declaration', and that:                      If we misunderstand them, it can only be that we ascribe
            A. Church Politically . . . .                                    Arminianism to them when they are not guilty of it. Rev.
            B. Doctrinally :                                                 Blankespoor surely does not mean that the Liberated main-
            1. because she cannot escape the conclusion that the             tain. that we ascribe a more Reformed and Scriptural stand
               `Declaration' is characterized by a onesicled presenta-       to them than their view 2 noteably  Prof. Veenhof's - war-
               tion of the Scriptures and the Confessions.                   rants. The language of this advice of Second Church can only
            2. because according to the Scriptures the promise comes         mean that we must not be too hasty to ascribe Arminianism
               to us also conditionally.                                     to these Liberated.
            3. The promise'seen in that light (of point B, 2) touches           .SYhy then is Rev. Blankespoor so afraid of the Declara-
               all baptized persons also in connection with the sign-        tion? If these Liberated are more soundly Reformed than
               ificance of the Sacraments.                                   we have been willing to concede, why is he so afraid that
            4. The acceptance of this `Declaration' means that the           they will not welcome that truth of the Declaration and say
               principle of Christian liberty is curtailed in the church-    with us that it .is the only possible explanation of the Con-
               es, since members of the church who hold the different        fessions which the Scriptures will allow ?
               conception with regard to the matters mentioned                  And give tlzem  benefit of the doubt?
               above will see themselves bound to an exposition of              There are two things that should not escape our attention.
               the Confessions which they calinot  personally accept         The first is that this document of Second Church was adopted
               accorcling  to the Holy Scriptures.                           AFTER it knew what the  Advice  of  Chatham  was in regard
            5. That through an eventual acceptance of the `Decalra-          to the Declaration. Art. 113 of the Acts of  Syntid, 195.1 re- .
               tion' a new principle would be added. to the confes-          veals that "The advice of Second Church which was not
               sions of our churches.                                        ready at the January  Classis   (Chatham  had hers at that
            C. The Consistory is convinced that the Holy Scriptures1         January  Classis,  J.A.H.) is now read on the floor of  Classis
               and the Three Forms of Unity are sufficient for the           before discussion on the motion fails." The motion that failed



I-


1     j
            228                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       .

            was to reject the Declaration. And the  Classis  referred to         stand the test so that it had to lose the support that made it
            is the February session of Classis  East.                            a majority report.
                   Rev. Blankespoor could say nftcr hearing` Chatham's ad-            But the Protestant Reformed Churches have  always  stood
           vice concerning the Declaration that maybe we do not fully            firtiily  on the principle that Jehovah is God. That is the
            understand them and therefore misinterpret them? How do              teaching of the wiiole Word of God of which you speak in
            jrou interpret that advice of  Chatham,  Rev. Blankespoor ?          your "fine" essay. And your plea for giving the benefit of
            How do you interpret their old claim that the Declaration            the doubt to the  ILiberated in THIS matter shows that you
            will curtail Christian 4iberty  and bind people to a covenant        have departed from that Protestant Reformed stand. -
            conception and conception of the promise which Scripture                  Keecl I reniind you that we do not sacrifice and toil for
            will not allow them to hold ?                                        the spiritual eduaction of our children  -`in Protestant Re-
                   Give them the-benefit of the doubt, when they write like      formed schools because we love our children. We do so be-
            that? Come Rev. Blankespoor;admit it that you too believe            cause we love God!
            this of the Declaration,, that it prevents you from preaching             We do not build walls or tear down denominational walls
            conditional promises, pre-requisites that man must fulfill to        or fail "to build them high to give the benefit of the doubt
            enter the kingdom ! It curtails  YOUI- preaching, does it not?       to man. We do not leave an open gate for Arminianism  be-
                   The second'thing to be remembered is that although Rev.       cause it is our  cluty before God to give what looks  ancl
            Blankespoor  could write this in February about the Liberated        smells like Arminian&m  the benefit of the cloubt.
            and our misinterpretation of their doctrinal stand, in  Jmle              We may give nothing that does not look right the benefit
            almost everyone of the delegates to Synod -if not every one          of the doubt. We do not give men the benefit of the doubt
            of them-stated in the discussion of the Declaration that             over-against God and His truth.
            although they were not in favour  oi the Declaration they did             We must give God the glory.
            not want the Arminian conditional theology of the Liberated.              We must `state the truth as clearly  ancl as forcefully as
            As we quoted before? Rev. Gritters said that he could find           we can whenever the truth is threatened. We may leave no
            plenty of ammunition in the Confession to counteract the             doubt as to what God's Word says.
            statement of Prof. Veenhof  that "God promises His salva-                 Do you not see the fundamental difference between the
            tion to all the children that are born in the covenant, head         Protestant Reformed Churches and between those who left
            for head." At one time he said literally that he did not             these churches  ?
            want the Arminian conditional theology of the Liberated. Is               It is the same fundamental difference. We say : God first.
            Rev. Blankespoor afraid that his own cblleagues  misinterpret        God everything and man nothing. That has alween been the
            the writings of ;he Liberated ? Why was he so slow to see            Reformed position. They say: No, there are times when you
            what they saw?                                                       have to give man the jlenefit  of the doubt. Surely God must
                   Rev.  -Blankespoor  is afraid that zwe misinterpret them ?    be glorified, they will say, but man m&t be considered too.
              Or does he want an open gate, lower walls ?                             Beware. of all this concern for man. If it puts man in
                   We must "give them the benefit of the doubt ?"                front of God and man's prestige and honor, man's being un-
                   0, Rev. Blankespoor, repeatedly by your speech and derstood or misrepresented above the glory of  Gocl in the
            writings you have made so very clear what your colleagues            truth, it is nothing else than modernism and humanism.
            have tried more smoothly to cover up. You have done us                    We give the one brother or even neighbour the benefit
            much good, unwittingly, while doing damage to your own-              of the doubt over against his neighbour but never the neigh-
            cause. Your writing has not been careful enough. And we              bour over against God!
            like to believe that it is because your conscience at-that time           Will Rev. Blankespoor show us how a clear and force-
            would not let you go as far in the way of heresy and schism          ful stand against the Arminian conditional thkology,  which
            as it now does.                                                      has always been in the world, will be harmful to the muse of
             But you strike in this phrase again that fundamental                God? It is easy to show that it will be harmful to the cause
            difference between the Protestant Reformed Churches and              of the Libearted and to the cause of those who wanted  to
            your group that left us in the way of schism and for doctrinal       open the gate to the Liberated.
            reasons.                                                                  We say again, if we do misunderstand and misinterpret
              Rev. Blankespoor, the Church of Jesus Christ is. not  a            them, then the Declaration will be received by them with
           spciety, an organiaztion that must give the benefit of  the           open arms, and they will`subscribe to it.
            doubt -to men. Indeedi  we may not juclge man unheard and                 But Rev. Blankespoor signed this document after know-
            hasten to condemn him witliout a hearing. We gave Rev.               ing what the consistory at Chatham  saicl about the Declara-
           De Wolf, and you his defender,. almost seven days of  OUT             t-ion.
            time. And we did all we.could  to make sure that we did not               Man comes first and has the benefit of the doubt.
            misunderstand De Wolf and you. his follower as to your                    The truth and Gocl's glory is of secondary consideration.
            doctrinal beliefs. And we are now even thankful that there                It fits in with prerequisites.
            was a majority report that tried to defend him but could not                               ('Coutimfcd   011,  /mgc 230)


                                              T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                              229

                                                                      have  thqm always before his eyes. Thus with an act of
11 Contending For The Faith  11 penance  he,closed his life. In the  midst of the terrors of the
                                                                      siege and the despair. of his people he could not suspect what
                                                                      abundant seed he had sown for the future.
          The Church and the Sacraments                                  In the third month of the siege of Hippo, on the 28th of
   VIEWS DURING THE SECOND PERIOD  (300-750 A.D.)                     August, 430, in the seventy-sixth year of his age, in full
                         THE CHURCH                                   p&session of his faculties, and in the presence of many
                                                                      friends and pupils, he passed gently and happily into that
    We concluded our previous article on a sketch of the life         eternity to which he had so long aspired. `"0 how wonder-
of Augustine with the remark that that Church Father be-              ful," wrote he in his Meditations, "how bea+iful and lovely
came unwittingly, the founder of the Augustinian order,               are the dwellings of Thy house, Almighty God ! I burn with
which gave the reformer, Luther, to the world. We may now.            longing to behold Thy beauty in Thy bridal-chamber . . . .
continue with this. sketch.                                           0 Jerusalem, holy city of God, dear bride of Christ, my
    Augustine wore the black dress of the Eastern coenobites,         heart loves thee, my soul has already long  sighecl  for thy
with a cowl and a leathern girdle. He lived almost entirely           beauty ! . . . . The  King of kings Himself is in the midst of
on vegetables, and seasoned the common meal with reading              thee, and His children are within Thy walls. There are the
dr free conversation, in which it was-a  rule that the character      hymning choirs of angels,  the fellowship of heavenly citizens.
.of an absent person should never be touched. He often                `There is the `wedding-feast of all who from this sad earthly
preachecl  five days in succession, sometimes twice a day, ancl       pilgrimage have reached thy joys. There is the far-seeing
set it as the object of his preaching, that all might live with. choir of the prophets ; there the number of the twelve apostles ;'
him, and he with all, in Christ. Wherever he went in Africa           there the triumphant army of innumerable martyrs and holy
he was begged to preach the word of salvation. He faith-              confessors. Full and perfect love there reigns, for God is all
fully administered the external affairs connected with his            in all. They love  ,and praise, they praise and love Him
office, though he found his chief delight in contemplation.           evermore . . . . Blessed, peifectly  and forever blessed, shall
He was specially devoted to the  poor> and, like Ambrose,             I too be, if, when my poor body shall be dissolved-. . . .
upon exigency, caused the church vessels to be melted clown           I may stand before my Ring and God. and see Him in His
to redeem prisoners. But he refused legacies by which in-             glory, as He  Hims&lf hath deigned to promise: `Father, I
justice was done to natural heirs, and commended the  bishop          will that they also whom Thou hast given hiIe be with Me
Aurelius of Carthage  for giving back unasked some property           where I am; that they may behold My glory which I had
which a man had bequeathecl to the church, `when his wife             with Thee before the world was."' This aspiration after the
unexpectedly bore him children.                                       heavenly Jerusalem found grand expression in a hymn which
    Augustine's labors extended far beyond his little diocese.        sings of the glory and grandeur of Paradise, and which is
He was the intellectual head of the North African and the             incorporated in the  ~Meditation of Augustine, and the idea
entire Western church of his time. He took active interest            of which  originatecl  in part with him, though it was not
in all theological and ecclesiastical questions. He was the' brought into poetical form till long afterwards by a certain
champion of the orthodox doctrine against Manichaean,  Don-           Peter  Damiani.
atist., and Pelagian. In him was concentrated the whole
polemic power of the catholicism of the time against heresy              He left no will, for in his voluntary poverty he had no
and schism; and in him it won the victory over them.                  earthly property to dispose of, except his library: this he be-
    In his last  yeais  he took a critical review of his literary     qeathed to the church, and it was fortunately preserved from
productions, and gave them a thorough sifting in his  Re-             the depredations of the Arian barbarians.
tractations. His latest controversial works against the Semi-            Soon after his death Hippo was taken and destroyed by
Pelagians, written in a gentle spirit, date from the same             the  Vandzds.  Africa  ivas lost to the  Remans.  A few decades
,period.  He bore the duties of his office alone till his seventy-    later the whole West-Roman empire fell in  r$ns. The cul-
second year, when his people unanimously elected his friend           mination of the African church was the beginning of its
Heraclius to be his assistant and successor.                          decline. But the work of Augustine could not perish. His
    The evening of his life was troubled by increasing  injirm-       ideas fell like living seed into the soil of Europe,  ancl pro-
ities of body and by the unspeakable wretchedness which the           duced abundant fruits in nations and countries of which he
barbarian Vandals spread over his country in their victori-           had never heard.
ous invasion, destroying cities, villages, and churches, with-           Augustine, the Illan with upturned eye, with pen in the
out mercy, and even besieging the  fortifiecl city of Hippo.          left hand, and a burning heart in the right (as he is usually
Yet he faithfully' persevered in his work. The last ten days          represented) is a philosophical and theological genius of the
of his life he spent in cl&e retirement, in prayers and tears         first order, towering like a pyramid above his age, and
and repeated reading of the penitential Psalms, which he had          looking clown commandingly upon succeeding centuries. He
caused to be'written on'tl~e  wall over his bed, that he might        had a mind uncommonly fertile and deep, bold and soaring :


                                    230                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R , ,
           ,                                                                                                                                                               --.-

                                    and with it, what is better, a heart full of Christian love and      ing frdm itS definite idea, and each completely carried out;
           ,                        humility. He stands of right by the side  bf -the greatest           and this fact proves also how much the one system has that
                                    philosophers of antiquity and of modern times. We meet               is analogous to the other. The one systeni,  like the other, is
                                    him alike on the broad highways ,and the narrow footpaths.           founded upon the idea of freedo?pl,; in both there is a specific
           I                        on the giddy Alpine heights and in the awful depths of               act, by which the entire development of human life is cleter-
                                    speculation, wherever philosophical thinkers before him or           mined  ; and in both this is an act which lies far outside of
                                    after him have trod. As a theologian he is the acknowledged          the temporal consciousness of the individual . . . .
                                    lead&, at least surpassed by no church father, schdlastic,  or          The learning of Augustine was not equal to his genius,
                ,                   reformer. With royal munificence he scattered ideas in               nor as  ektensive  as that of Origen and Eusebius, but still
L1                                  passing, which have set in mighty motion other lands and             considerable for his time ,and superior to that of any of the
                                    later times. He  colnbined  the creative power of Tertullian         Latin fathers, with the single exception of Jerome; He had
                                    with the churchly spirit of Cyprian, the speculative.intellect       received in  the schools of  Madaura  and Carthage a good
                                    of the Greek church with the practical tact of the Latin. He         theoretical and rhetorical preparation for the forum, which
                I                   was a Christian philosopher and a philosophical theologian           stood him in. good stead also in theology. He was familiar
                I                   to the full. It was his need and his delight to wrestle again        with Latin. literature, and was by no means blind to the ex-
                                    and again with the hardest problems of thought, and to:              cellencies of the classics, though he placed them far below'
                                    comprehend to the utmost the divinely revealed  nlatter of           the high& beauty of the Holy Scriptures. The Hortensius
                                    the faith. He always asserted, indeed, the primacy:  al"             of Cicero (a lost work) inspired him  cluring  his  unitiersity
                                    pealing, with theologians before him, to the well-known pas-         course with enthusiasm for philosophy and for the knowl-
                                    sage of  Is&ah  7:9; But to him faith itself was an acting           edge of truth for its own sake; the study of Platonic and
                                    of reason, and from faith to knowledge, therefore, there was         Neo-Platonic works (in the Latin version of the rhetorician
                                    a necessary transition . He constantly looked below the sur-         Victo_rinus)   liindled  in  l$m  ,an  incredib!e  fire  ; though in
                                    face to the hidden motives of actions and to the universal           both -he missed the holy name of Jesus and the cardinal
                                    laws of diverse events The metaphysician and the Christian           virtues of love and humility, and found in them only beauti-
                                    believer coalesced in him. His meditation passes with the            ful ideals without power  to conform him to them. His City
                                    utmost ease into oratory, and his oratory into  medit&ion.           of God, his book on heresies, and other writings, show  ati
                                    With profundity he combined an equal clearness and sharp-            extensive knowledge of ancient philosophy, and history,
                     4              ness of thought. He was an extremely skilful and a success-          sacred and secular. He refers to. the most distinguished per-
                                    ful dialectician, inexhaustible in arguments and in answers          sons of Greece and Rome . . . . But his knowledge of Greek
                                    to the objections of his adversaries.                                ,literature  was mostly derived from Latin translations. With
                                           He had enriched Latin literature with a greater store of      the Greek language, as he himself frankly and modestly con-
      !                             beautiful, original, and pregnant proverbial sayings, than any       fesses, he had, in comparison with Jerome, but a superficial
                                    classic author, or any other tkachei  of the church.                 acquaintance. Hebrew he did not understand at all. Hence,
                                           He had a creative and decisive hand in almost evhy            with all his extraordinary familiarity with the Latin Bible,
                     /
                                    dogma of the church, completing some, and advancing others.          he made many mistakes in exposition. He was rather a
                                    The centre of his system is the FREE REDEEMING                       thinker than a scholar, and depended mainly on his own
                                    G R A C E   O F   G O D   I N   C H R I S T ,   O P E R A T I N G    resources, which were always abundant.
                     I              THROUGH THE ACTUAL, HISTORICAL CHURCH.                                  This concludes our sketch on Augustine as quoted from
                          ,         He is evangelical or,Pauline  in his doctrine of sin and grace,      Philip  Schaff.
                                    but catholic (that is, old-catholic, not Roman Catholic) in                                                                             H.V.
                                    his doctrine of tlie church. The Pauline element comes for-
                                    ward mainly in the Pelagian controversy, the catholic-church-
                                    ly in the Donatist : but each is modified by the other.                                         I N   H I S   F E A R             .
                                       Dr. Baur  i incorrectly makes  freedom  the fundamental                                                                                       D
                                    idea of the Augustinian system (it much better suits the                                 (Corf.fiimxl   fi-01~7   @gc  2 2 8 )
                                    Pelagianj, and founds on this view an ingenious, but only               Man's salvation is first. The glory of God is secondary
                                    half true, comparison between Augustine and Origen. "There           consideration. Man's works and what he must do are on the
                                    is no church teacher of the ancient period, "says he, "who, in       foreground. God's works may be talked about but come at
                                    intellect and in grandeur and consistency` of view, can more         the end and after we have said what man must do.
                          I
                                    justly be placed by the side of Origen than Augustine; none             Beware of +ch a modernistic, humanistic philosophy.
                                    who, with all the difference in individuality and in mode of            Keep the gate closed to it.
                                    thought, so closely resembles him.  .How far both towered               And look for an amalgamation with the Liberated.
                               /    above their times, is most clearly manifest in the very fact            Unless for utilitarian reasons they dare not link up with
                                    that they alone, of all the theologians of the first six cen-        t h e m .
                                    turies. became the creators of distinct systemsj  each proceed-                                                                        J.A.H.

                               ,


                                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                              231

                                                                      tends to illustrate and recommend to us the eternal and un-
         The Voice of Our Fathers                                  /I merited grace of election." It strikes  us  immediately that
                                                                      here we have a statement which presents  reprdbation  as
               The Canons of Doidrecht .                              standing in some respect in the se&ice of election, and there-
                                                                      fore as being subordinate to election. The statement must
                           PART TWO .                                 be carefully analysecl, however. The idea is that- the Scrip-
                 EXPOSITION OF THE CANONS                             tural testimony concerning a sovereign, just, irreprehensible,
                  FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE                              and unchangeable reprobation, that proceeds from God's
                 OF  DIVINE PREDESTINATION                            good pleasure, peculiarly illustrates and recommends, that
                                                                      is, causes to be seen more clearly, magnifies, enhances, the
                    A.r.ticle 15 (continued j                         glory of the grace of election. In the second place, the state-
    It is in the light of what the fathers state as to the at-        ment limits this enhancement of the grace of election to twd
tributes of the decree of reprobation that we must also under-        aspects, nalllely  : the fact that it is etewml, and the fact that
stand \ihat this article states as to the relation between elec-      it is gratuitous (free,  umnerited  j . And in the third place,
tion and reprobation, and, in connection therewith, the pur-          this illustration and recommendation of the eternal and free
pose of the decree of reprobation. Of these two subjects the          grace of election takes place, according to the article, by
Coons surely speak in this 15th Article. In the first place,          contrast.  For it states in this connection that  reprobatidn
they state that the express testimony of Scripture concern-           means "that not all men are elect, but that some certain ones
ing the decree of reprobation "peculiarly tends to illustrate         are not elect, or in the eternal election of `God passed by."
and recommend to us the eternal and unmerited grace of                Hence, the idea is that the eternal ancl gratuitous character
election." This statement plajnly  , declares something con-          of the grace of election stands in a brighter light by reason
cerning both the relation between election and reprobation            of the fact that not all are elect, but that some are passed
and the purpose of reprobation. And as to the reprobation,            by in the elective decree of God. Reprobation strongly em-
the fathers say. in the second place, that the decree of re-          phasizes how completely unmerited the grace of election is.
probation "by no means makes God the author of sin (the               And it at the same time emphasizes that election must be
very thought of which is blasphemy), but declares him to be           from eternity. God might also have sovereignly decreed to
an awful, irreprehensible, and rigtheous judge and avenger            damn and to punish us forever. And therefore it must for-
thereof."                                                             ever be in the consciousness of the elect, and they lllust  for-
   The above -statements are especially interesting because           ever acknowledge that there was no more reason in us than
they touch on a subject that is discussed once- again in our          in the reprobate why God should choose  LX.  Our election
time, and which seems to be an issue peculiarly involved in           is of God alone, out of altogether free grace, according  tcv
the difference between supra and infra in the opinion of              His eternal good pleasure. No flesh may ever glory in His
some. The question is : what is the relation between election         presence. The doctrine of reprobation, therefore, leads the
and reprobation, between the -elect and the reprobate ? Are           elect to humble thanksgiving and complete self-negation be-
they coordinate ? Do election and reprobation stand in every          fore God. And it teaches us to beware of all self-exaltation,
way on a par in the counsel of God ? Or is reprobation sub-           either before God or over against the reprobate. Such is
ordinate to election ? If so, in what respect is it subordinate ?     the view of the fathers with regard to the decree of reproba-
And of course, in close connection with the above subject,            tion. Its spirit certainly imitates that of the apostle Paul,
there is the question as to the purpose of reprobation.               who could, in great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart,
   In answer to some of these questions, we may safely state,         wish himself accursed from Christ for his brethren, his kins-
first of all, that election and reprobation are very much co-         men according to the flesh. Romans 9 :l, ff.
ordinate in respect to their attributes. In fact? we may adcl            When  all this is established, however, we may also note
that this is the position of the Cataons also in so far as they       the following : 1) The maintenance of this view of the
speak on the subject. For both election and reprobation               relation between election and reprobation, and of the purpose
proceed out  of God's eternal good pleasure. And in both              of reprobation, is not the unique property of the infralapsari-
instances it must surely be maintained that the divine good           an view. Supralapsarianism  can very well, and perhaps more
pleasure was "most free, most just, irreprehensible, and un-          strongly, maintain the same truth . It is by no means neces-
changeable." If in any respect one does violence to this truth,       sary to say that God in His counsel elected and reprobated
whatever else he may say about' the question as the relative          men that were already created 2nd fallen, as infra maintains,
rank and the purpose of reprobatibn in the decree of God,             in order to say that reprobation enhances the eternal and
he flaunts Dordrecht. And to oppose Dordrecht is to oppose            undeserved character of the grace of election.  .Confer also
the Reformed faith.                                                   oiu- remarks in this same connection under Article 7. 2j  .It
   With the above established, we may next make some ob-              is' indeed necessary, however, to  lnaintain  an absolutely
servations concerning the opening proposition of this 15th            sovereign and eternal reprobation in order to say that re-
Article, quoted above, namely, that reprobation "peculiarly           probation enhances the glory of eternal and gracious election.


232                                        T,HE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

The contrast which the fathers here posit is not between a        to the decree of reprobation, it must be remembered that
desel-ved  reprobation and an  fmdeserved  election. For the      God's work, both in eternity and in time, serve the purpose
doctrine of a deserved reprobation- would logically require       of revealing and magnifying His  .glorious  virtues. Never-
the doctrine of a deserved election also. But the intention       theless, also here it may be remarked : 1) That the reprobate
of the article is to stress the fact that reprobation is most     evidently are not necessary to reveal God's power and wrath
free, sovereign. And if reprobation is of such a character,       and righteousness. And, 2  j  that these virtues certainly never
that is, determined by God's good pleasure and not by man's       came to's clearer, more definite revelation than at the cross
unworthiness, then election must surely be seen in the same       of Jesus Christ.  Her certainly satisfied the justice and the
light: that is, it is absolutely unconditional, not based upon    righteousness of  Gocl and bore all His wrath. And there-
foreseen faith, entirely gratuitous, gracious, undeserved, and    fore, in this way we still cannot escape the impression that
from eternity. And if it be objected that according to  the       there is arbitrariness in God. We do not have in this way
infra conception of the counsel of God, the Lord reprobates.      a final answer to the question: why reprobation? Nor is it
a fallen and damnable race even as He elects out of a fallen      true that the passage in  Remans   9:21, 22 teaches nothing
and in themselves damnable race, then we must remincl our-        more about the purpose of reprobation. For mark ybu well,
selves that this is a fallen and damnable race "in the divine     this passage plainly teaches that in His dealings with the
counsel." For also infralapsarianism includes. the `fall and      vessels of wrath, God from eternity had His eye fixed in
sin among the sovereign decrees of  ,Go.d Anything else is        mercy and love upon the elect. For He endured  z&lz  ~tzrcl~
not infra, but  Arminian. 3) It is further true that this,        lortgsz@c&g   the vessels of wrath fitted to clestruction. Long-
eternal and undeserved character of the grace of election is      suffering toward whom ? Certainly not toward the vessels of
enhanced as well, on the one hand,' by our own total deprav-      wrath : for they divinely fitted unto destr.uction. He endures
ity and total unworthiness of any of the blessings of salva-      them, forbears with regard to them, because in His  long-
tion. The doctrine of total depravity indeed teaches us that      suffering He wills to make known the riches of His glory
it required an absolutely sovereign and eternal and gratuitous    on the vessels of mercy, afore prepared unto glory.
election to save sinners such as we. And, on the other hand,         In this light we say without reservation, therefore, that
that free and eternal character of the grace of election is       election a'nd reprobation are as to their purpose by no means
manifest most clearly and most greatly magnified by the light     coordinate, but rather that reprobation follows election in
that streams from Calvary's cross. For the cross itself -is.      the' order of the divine clecrees, and  is, subordinate to it.
the revelation of a sovereign love : "Herein is love, not that    And we believe that this. subordination is not incidental and
we loved.God, but that He loved us! and sent His Son to be        arbitrary, but  esse&d.  Further, we  believe,that  when this
the propitiation for our sins." I John 4:lO.                      essential subordination of reprobation to election in the
       And therefore, while we agree that, as the Ccmons here     counsel of God is clearly seen, and we. obtain an essential
teach, reprobation' stands in the service of election-in this     and principal answer to the question why reprobation is
respect, and while we by no means would say that the state-       necessary, we may also maintain in a deeper and more
ment of the Canons  is contrary to the thought of Scripture,      beautiful sense that the decree of reprobation enhances the
we nevertheless say that  .the fathers do not here teach an       eternal and gracious character of divine election.
esseatial  relationship between election and reprobation, do                                                                H.C.H.
not at this point essentially subordinate reprobation to elec-
tion in the counsel of God. Rather do we discover a #rather
arbitrary and incidental relationship maintained in this open-                   Attention, Classis  west!
ing statement of Article 15.                                         Because of Edgerton's Court trial, the classical commit-
       To an extent the same is true of the closing statement     tee found it necessary to postpone the meeting of  Classis
of this article, namely, that the decree of reprobation "de-      West to March 16.
clares him (God) to be an awful, irreprehensible, and right-
eous judg,e  and avenger" of sin. This statement speaks of                                 New Addresses
the .purpose of reprobation, but does not say anything about         Rev. H. H.  Iiuiper,   2s University Place, Redlands, Cal.
the relation of reprobation to election in the counsel of God.       Mr. M Gaastra (Iclerk), 302 W. Lugonia, Redlands, Cal.
And it must certainly -be granted in the light of Scripture          Mr. H. Sawyer (Treasurer), 407 E.  Colton, Redlands,
that when reprobation reaches the goal; its terminus, in the      California.
day of judgment, the day of revelation of the righteous  judg-
men of God, that judgment, as it has its origin in the decree                               IN- MEMORIAM
of reprobation, shall reveal that God is the awful, unblame-         The Consistory of the Fourth Protestant Reformed Church
able, and righteous Judge and Avenger of sin. In fact, the        hereby express its sincere sympathy to Elder John Hager in the
Scriptures go a little further and speak of reprobation as        death of hiss Mother,
serving the purpose of the revelation of God's  zure.tlz and                          MRS. JENNIE HAGER
His  poz&r.   Remans  9  :21, 22. Always, and also in regard         We pray that~ the Word of God .mill be his comfort.


                                                 T H E   STAKDARD   B E A R E R                                                   233

                                                                      sonal contact and instruction such as Jesus gave to his dis-
            DECENCY and ORDER                                         ciples and Paul to his companions.  Ofttimes the leaders
                                                                      of the congregations were chosen simply for their spiritual
                                                                      gifts. Education was not required. Professors of theology
                    Professors of Theology                            were unknown. Even today you still find some people who
    "The  offiice of the professors of theology-is to expound         like to ignore all further development and progress which
the Holy Scriptures and to vindicate sound doctrine against           the church has made and return to these times. What they
heresies and errors." - A r t i c l e   1 8 ,   D.K.O.   i            are obviously ignorant of is `the fact that in those times the
    It is not necessary in this connection to discuss the status      Holy Spirit gave extraordinary gifts and used extraordinary
of professors of theology. We wrote about this in connection          methods to establish the church in the faith. And, as the
`with Art. 2, Vol. 29, pg. 381 of the Standard Bearer. Here           Form for Ordination correctly states : "Because these extra-
we briefly reiterate the following points:                            ordinary methods, however, lasted only as long as the Lord
    1. The reason that our Church Order speaks of the                 judged them to be necessary for the founding of His church
office of Professors of Theology separately from that of the          among the nations, the necessity was soon felt of training
ministers of the Word is due to the influence of Calvin. The          youths and men for the holy ministry under the ordinary
Church Order distinguishes four separate offices in the               dispensation of the Spirit by the regular methods of educa-
church.                                                               tion. And this especially in virtue of what Paul wrote in
    7I Calvin
     .           's view, based on his incorrect interpretation       II Timothy 2  :2, `And the things which thou hast heard
of Ephesians 4 :ll and 12, was that Professors of Theology            from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to
occupy a separate Ecclesiastical Office. Although the  Genevan        faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.' The
Reformer did not deny that there is an intimate relation be-          apostle here points to what he had himself done and what
tween the office of professor and that of minister. he, never-        he required of his disciple Timothy."
theless, kept the two distinct. A Professor of Theology might             For a time this practice prevailed but as the faith of
also be a *minister of the Word but this was not necessary.           the church began to  crystalize  into systematic doctrine  ancl
For various reasons, citecl in, oui former writing, this view         the Canon of Holy Writ demanded a clear interpretation,
of Calvin must be rejected.                                           it `became necessary to establish theological schools. Before
    3. Our view is that the office of Professors of Theology          the end of the second century the debates with the Gnostics
and that of the Minister of the Word `are essentially one.            and pagan philosophers made it clear that the leaders of the
This does not mean, of course, that every minister is a pro-          church must be well-trained in theology and its interpreta-
fessor of theology or even that he has the makings of one.            tion. And, as a matter of practical order, it was utlderstood
I would rather look at the matter this way. The task of the           that what could be accomplished by the individual church or
Professor of Theology belongs to the ministry of the Word             minister only with considerable difficulty could be much more
but is according to its character a special  kincl of ministry        effectively done by the churches collectively with comparative
and is, therefore, assigned to specially gifted and equipped          ease.
ministers who are capable of performing this specialized                  Schools began to spring  up.  The oldest and perhaps
work. In connection with the sixteenth article of our church          most prominent is that of Alexandria. Pantaenus was its
order we discussed the task of the minister of the Word.              first known teacher. Better known `are Clement and Origin
His principal function is to preach the Word. In connection           whose names are also associated with this institution. Later
with that discussion we brought out various ways in which             a school arose in Antioch where many-of the most illustrious
the preaching takes place. Foremost he preaches to the                of the church fathers received their training. Thus did the
congregation in the assembly of public worship. He also               schools of theology have their beginning and today all of
ministers the Word to his catechumens, to the sick, etc. And          the countless denominatinos  of churches have their denomina-
so we understand the task of the ministry to also include             tional and inter-denominational seminaries where professors
those labors that are essential toward preparing men for              are appointed to teach and men are trained for the, ministry.
the ministry. But every minister is not equal unto this                  The task of the professors of theology is to expound the
prodigious task and so it is given unto a certain few who             Holy Scriputres and to vindicate sound doctrine against
make it their special concern. These men are called the               heresies and errors. By the very failure of many professors
Professors of Theology. One minister is called to labor in            to adhere to and fulfill this.calling, many once illustrious and
the ministry of the Worcl in the established church; another          reputable institutions of theology -have reverted from semi-
is  callecl  to engage in missionary and church extension labor  ;    naries into modern day cemetaries.  Heresies are vindicated.
and, still others are called to minister in the theological           Errors are lauded. The truth is rejected and the sciences of
school. It is the task of the latter minister that is defined         men apart from the wisdom of God, are expounded. The
in the eighteenth article of our church order.                        result of all this is that the products from these schools are
   The rise of theological schools was at first a slow process.       trained to fill the churches with vain philosophies and  clamn-
The earliest Christian training was limited to means of per-          able heresies and each succeeding generation, imbibing all

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

 this, reveals itself as more apostate than the preceeding  until    Ordination. Professors are therein further charged : "Seek
 the end of absolute mbdernism  is reached. To ,the selfishly        to explain how they (students) not alone as teachers are to
 ambitious and carnal man this all is very appealing because         instruct but also as pastors are to shepherd the flock of the
 in this way flourishing schools- of world recognition are           Lord. Assist in maintaining order and discipline among the
 easily built wherein men honor each other. with self-made and       disciples, that our Seminary may continue to enjoy the
 flattering titles of vanity. Schools are built on a competitive     respect, the support, the appreciation, the love and the prayer
 basis for recognition with the ungodly world.                       of the Church. Be a good example to the students, that they
        However, we should not `ignore the fact -that history        may not only profit from thy learning, but also find in thee
 shows how true theology has flourished and come to its              a living illustration of the  power  and practice of true god-
 highest development, not in such illustrious institutions, but      l i n e s s . "
 rather in times of struggle and in schools of non-repute. The           "Be engaged in all of this `according to the measure of
 true professors of theology are not set upon a pedestal in the      the gifts God gave, thee, in dependence on the Lord's help
 world and crowned with holiorary titles but are persecuted,         and the light of The Holy Spirit."
 imprisoned, despised and hated of men. They are compelled              May the Lord bless and strengthen our professors who
 to labor under difficult and trying circumstances. The Lord         have rendered the churches an estimable  servict and may He
 Himself oft uses these very circumstances to bring out their        further furnish us with others like  them to fill their place
best labors. We have only to think of the apostle Paul, of           when their days in the militant church are expired !
 Luther, of Calvin, of  Guide  de Breas and a host of others.                                                                        G.v.d.B.
 We may cite a twofold reason for this. On the human side                                           -           -
 it may be said that the theology produced and vindicated by
 faithful men is hated and unacceptable to the world because                                     IN MEMORIAM
 the latter lies in darkness. On the Divine side it may be              The Men's Society of the Hope Protestant Reformed Church
 pointed out that God is pleased always to manifest  ~ His           hereby wishes to express its sincere sympathy to one of its
 wisdom and truth through the base and despised things of            men$ers,  Mr. J. Dykstra, in the loss of his brother,
 this world in order that "no flesh should glory in His prea-                               MR. R. DYKSTRA
 ence."  (I Cor.  1:29) -We need never then be ashamed be-
 cause our Seminary does not rise to world recognition but              May the Lord sustain and strengthen him, and comfort him
 rather rejoice that God has given unto us professors of             with the -blessed assurance that His work is perfect and is done
                                                                     in love to His children.
 theology who would rather vindicate sound doctrine against                                                     Rev. J. A. Hey!,  President
 heresies and errors and be reproached for it ,than  to gain the                                                Mr. G. Korhorn, Secretary
 praises of men. It is a wonderful omen of grace that the
 world scorns our theology.                                                                      IN MEMORIAM
        Our professors are' charged in the Form of Installation         The  C'onsistory  of the First Protestant Reformed Church of
 with the "task of instructing and establishing in the knowl-        Grand Rapids, Michigan, hereby expresses its sincere sympathy
 edge of God's Word, the students who hope once to minister          to elder John Dykstra in the loss of his son,
 in His  church.  They must expound to them the mysteries                                  RICHARD DYKSTRA
 of the faith; caution them in regard to the errors and here-
 sies of the old, but -especially of the new day." It is not so         May the Lord comfort the bereaved with His all-sufficient
 difficult to expose heresies that are centuries old and which       grace that they may  ~know  that all things work together for
                                                                     good to those who are called according to His Sovereign Election.
 the church has always branded as such. More important,                                                         Rev. C. Hanko, President
 however, is it that the heresies of the present day be ex-                                                     John M. Faber, Clerk
 posed and the truth vindicated overagainst them, This is a
 different matter because heresy is- always assuming a more                                      IN  MEMORIAM
 subtil appearance so as to mislead and deceive nlany. Thus.            The Priscilla Society of First Protestant Reformed Church
i.e., the promise of God to all restricted by the condition          hereby expresses heartfelt sympathy to its member, Mrs. John
of faith appears to have such a semblance to the truth "that         Ezinga and family, in the death of their husbaud and father,
he who believes shall be saved" that many are unable to                                    MR. JOHN EZINGA,
 distinquish any difference. Yet, it is per se heretical as our      and to Mrs. Ernest Pluger  in the death of her sister and brother,
professors and others have  tim,e and again clearly shown. Or.
again how many are easily deceiSec1 by                                                  MISS ELIZABETH DYKSTRA
                                           such talk as "subjeot-
ive, experiental, conscious pre-requisites unto salvation  ?"                                            and
                                                                                         MR. RICHARD DYKSTRA
 We can thank God for men who are not lured by such
 duplicity but who faithfully instruct the church in the simple         May the grace of God strengthen and comforts  them in their
truth ,of the Word of God overagainst the lie.                       sorrow.
                                                                                                          Mrs. B. Woudenberg, President
        In conclusion we quote once more from the Form for                                                Mrs. A. .Heemstra,  Secretarl


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                235
                     _ -. -.-_.._.-  --
                                                                    truth from ihe Bible or doesn't give it its proper place in the
            ALL  AkOUND U-S                                         whole of God's revelation and ~manneu of salvation.
                                                                       For proof, think for e%&ple of Anabaptism.  This move-
                                                                    ment shows 
 Wlznt  Rea.lly  Happened In  Owv  Clzwches.                                     us that it is possible to have good motives and a
                                                                    sincere desire to live out  of the whole Word of God and
     In the last three issues of the, Standard Bearer I have        still in time to go astray, foster one or more "pet" notions
 been commenting on an essay of the Rev. J. Blankespoor             and eventually fall by the wayside as far as the gathering
 which appeared in Concordia of December 2, 1954. When              of one church of Christ through the ages is concerned. In
 we began `this series we expected that Concordia would pub-        that same way there. were other mov&nents  in the Nether-
 lish other "fine' `essays that were delivered at the minist&`s     lands, such as that for the Pietists. Think also of the  Bulte-
 conference where Rev. Blankespoor's essay was read. Rev.           ma movement in our country. This movement would project
 Howerzyl really promised that they would be forthcoming.           its slogan of  Premillenialism  into the system of Reformed
 But to date none hgve appeared except the one I have been          truth. And where is the movement today as far as the -Re-.
 criticizing. Perhaps the editor of Concordia has decided that      formed Churches are concerned ? To go much farther from
 they were not such "fine" papers after all . And surely it were    home, think of the sects of the Pharisees and  Sadducees.
 better he did not publish them` if Blankespoor's paper is          Remember how the Bible designates them by merely men-
 a -sample of the rest.                                             tioning their pet ideas and slogans. Think also e.g. of the
     It may become a bit tiresome for the reader to see the         movement of the Jehovah Witnesses, the Mormons, the Men-
 s&e subject in this department over such a long period.            nonites and others. Each one has his pet notion or doctrine
 And I can assure you we also would like to bring our com-          which is almost-equivalent to all of their doctrine or religion.
 ments to a close. However, since most of our readers no               2. A sect is usually a group of people that finds the origin
 longer subscribe to Concordia, we felt that Blankespoor's          of its doctrine in, and is led by one or at the most a few
 essay should be quoted in its entirety, and then shown up          incliviclu,als. They are called the leaders. And their word
 for what it really is. And so, we ask your indulgence a            and teaching often almost becomes the equivalent of the Gos-
 little longer until we'finish this quotation and comment.          pel. The result is that people don't ask first of all what cloes
     In the last issue we quoted Rev. Blankespoor's essay           the Word teach, but what does our leader say. Very striking
 relative to the doctrinal issues involved. He was attempting       it is what we find little or none of this with the Reformation,
 to show that the Three Forms of Unity as the expression of         even with strong men like Luther  ancl Calvin. (The  worcl
 the Word of God was the sole basis upon which the' Re-             "what" is most likely a typographical error. It should be
 formed Churches of the past have stood. We concluded our           "that" - M.S.) It is very, well possible that they didn't see
 quotation with the statements: "This teaches  us  that with        all these dangers, and perhaps they did, but we must thank
 this truth God has gathered and defended the one church of         God that the movement of the Reformation was not sectarian,
 our Savior. And we with our children surely desire to be           but a movement which showed only the exalted Christ as
 found in this one line." Rev. Blankespoor then proceeds            our Lord and teacher as given in the Scriptures. The spirit
 to show us that we have departed from that line, and have          that was found in Corinth, where one said that he was of
 become sectarian, or "have a tendency towards sectarianism."       Paul, another that he was of Apqllos and another that  hi
 Writes he:                                                         was of Cephas and still another that he was of Christ is
     "This thought automatically brings me to the next point,       not only dangerous but definitely erroneous. The leaders
 namely that we want to maintain this truth over against            which God gives .are given only to serve the whole Word of
 sectarianism. What are sects? Surely  one cannot call them         God.
 false churches in every sense of the word. No doubt many              How well Christ realized such dangers  ancl practices is
 sects have many truths of Scripture, and many of God's             evident from His Word in Mark  7 and similar passages.
 people are found in their midst. But this is not the point in      There he speaks of the,Phtirisees  and Jews with their main-
 question. Concerning sects let me say three`things.                tence  of the tradition of the elders, but they lay aside the
     1. The word sect is derived frpm the Greek word airesis,       commandments of God. These traditions of course were the
 which denotes the action of taking or capturing a chosen           interpretations of the great tkachers  ancl rabbis of the church.
 course of thought or action. Of course, the kind of sects we       But practice taught that these traditions of these leaders were
have in mind profess to believe in the Bible, yes the whole         often prized with the same reverence as were the O.T. Scrip-
 Bible. But- they always have a certain banner mdto. a pet          tures, in fact often they were held even higher ancl the com-
 notion or doctrine-by which they swear and this becomes            mandments of the word were laid aside, according- to Christ's
 their slogan. Our Reformed fathres surely weren't sectarian.       own words. What would the movement of the Jehovah Wit-
 They didn't place any pet notion or one truth of Scripture         nesses be without a Rutherford, of Christian Science without
 over against the Roman Catholic Church, but came only with         a Mary Baker Eddy, of Mormonism without a Smith and a
 the whole Word of God. It is' possible to be a strong  pre-        Young, and of the Mennonites without a Simmons  ? The
clestinarian and yet be sectarian, i.e. when one isolates this      answer is that without these leaders and without their teach- '

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

       ings the movements would very soon disappear. Such is               nest time. But in respect to the quotation above I wish now
       sectarianism.                                                       to make several comments.
        3. A sect is usually known for being denunciatory in                 . First of all, I am not too interested in what Rev. Blanke-
       character. It is more negative than positive. It always has         spoor says about a sect. As far as his definition is concerned,
       an "ax to grind" with others. Often this seems to be the            it may pass, though I did notice that he left out an important
       reason for their existence. They are always condemning              element. He no doubt borrowed his definition from Thayer's
       others. Now we naturally must also be negative. The church          Lexion. If he did he failed to say all that Thayer gives as
       must always fight heresy, but she must also build. And the          a definition. Blankespoor says "the word sect is derived
       relation of these two must always be such that the negative         from the Greek word  airesis, which denotes the action of
       serves the positive teachings of all the Scripture, and the         taking or capturing a chosen course of thought or action."
       proportion must be such that the positive surely receives the       Thayer adds : "an opinion varying from the true exposition
       most prominence and emphasis in our teachings.  `The Church         of the Christian faith." Didn't Blankespoor dare to say this
       of Christ doesn't exist because she doesn't agree with other        about us ? He did dare to say what no one else in his group
       religious groups, but simply because she is the church of           has so far dared to say publicly that we "have a  tenclency
       Christ. She has one goal in mind with the Word to build             towards sectarianism." But did he not, dare to say the rest,
       and positively construct.                                           namely. that we have an opinion varying from the true es-
              Christ does- throughout the ages. And He breaks down         position of the Christian faith ? I said, he dared to say more
       the works of the devil to build that one church.                    than anyone else has dared to say publicly. 0, no cloubt there
        _ In the light of such observation I cannot help but think         are others who had the evil thought. of accusing us of being
       that those who have left                                            a sect, even among Blankespoor's colleagues, but I am not
                                    us  have a tendency towards sect-
       arianism, even though possibly most of their members don't          aware that any have dared to publicly. accuse  us of being
       realize this. Naturally we wouldn't begin to compare them           sectarian. Even Blankespoor dare not to do that though he
       with movements like that of the Mormons, etc. But there             came dangerously close to it. Is this perhaps the reason
       may be a similarity between them and other sectarian move-          why Rev. Howerzyl called his essay a "fine" paper?
       ments found in history of the Church in the past., One can't            But notice if you please once more that definition. A
       help but think of the history of the Hackensack group during        sect has "an opinion varying from the true exposition of
       the first part of the 19th century. Neither would we say, of        the Christian faith." I ask the reader: who in the case at
       course, that those who left us are not a church, or that God's      hand is the sect? Who has an opinion that varies, is  clif-
       people are no longer found there. Neither is this the question.     ferent from the true exposition of the Christian faith  ? Is it
       However, when one thinks of the three points mentioned              we, or Blankespoor and his schismatic brethren ? The Clas-
       that are characteristic of sectarianism one can't help but          sis East, by a majority decision has declared that the doctrine
       come to the conclusion that there is a tendency in that direc-      of the Rev. De Wolf, to which Rev. Blankespoor subscribes,
       tion among those who left us. I'm sure each one of                  is per se heretical. That means that it is contrary to Scrip-
                                                                us  can
       make some application. How well we have learned by ex-              ture and our Reformed faith. That makes Blankespoor and
       perience some of these things !                                     those with him a sect doesn't it? Indeed,  Blankespoor`s
                                                                           essay back-fired ! That first of all.
              Over against all evil we desire to employ only one             In the second place, I am particularly interested to know
       weapon, the whole Word of God.  (Iha this  Wo,d we stcr.nnd.        just wherein we have a tendency toward sectarianism. Blan-
       Always in the history of the church ihere has been the danger       kespoor again does not really dare to say what he thinks.
       of doctrines and dogmas, (which of course are necessary),           He finagles a little bit. He says iYe are not a sect in the same
       g,uling   ovel- the Word instead of  sel-virag  the Word. Think     category with the Mormons, Russellites, Mennonites and
       again of Mark 7, Gal. 1 :14 and other passages.                     others. He knew his readers would certainly take objection
          Then there has also always been the danger of following          if he so designated us. These sects are well-known for what
     / men instead of Christ as given in the Word. The basic               they are. So he says we remind him of the Hackensack
       reason for all this .is that we all by nature are so idolatrous,    group. Now he knew that most likely most of the ministers
       and we would see something of that in which we believe.             at the conference, if not all of them, would not know what
       Think of the golden calf. Idolatry is always warned against         he was talking about. Least of all the readers of Concordia.
       in Scripture as being such  a- big sin. Isn't it appealing to       And I have a feeling that Blankespoor himself dicl not know
      human nature to have a visible church rule over us, or some          what he was talking about. If he did he certainly would not
      individual. All of this is tangible to our earthly senses. In-       have accused  us of being like them after living with  us so
      stead of this we have the Word of God only as our guide,             long as he did. If I know my history a little bit, that Hacken-
_     which gives us the invisible Christ. Therefore it is a matter        sack group was known to have had Anabaptistic tendencies.
      `of faith, and faith only." So far for this time Rev. Blanke-        They are probably to be iclentifiecl  with the True Reformecl
      spoor. There is yet the church political viewpoint which he          Dutch Church that in the early part of the 19th century
      treats in this essay: to which I will call attention,  D.V., the     settled in the Eastern States. Is that our tendency  ? To be


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               237
-                                                                                                -~-  -_._
like them? I thought Blankepsoor  et al have with us denied        doubt." And then he goes on to quote the following lines
this for years over against the accusation of some in the          from an article of mine, "But classical decisions are like-
Christian Reformed Church. What is Blankespoor doing               wise purely advisory and not mandatory. It means that the
now? Trying to make a play for the Christian  Reformecl            consistory may reject also classical decisions. This again is
Church  ?     Is he trying to say to them : "Well, brehtren, I     its right, being as it is autonomous . . . . Thus were the clas-
have to confess after all  you  were right when  you  accused      sical decisions mandatory, the  classis would be lording it
the Prot. Ref. Churches of anabaptistic tendencies. I see          over the consistory and thereby destroying its autonomy."
now how wrong I have been ever to defend these churches            (St. Bearer, Vol. 23, pp. 157,  158).
who have always not only denied this accusation but have              But  Mok should have quoted my entire article. But  he.          '
shown in deed how wrong this accusation is." It seems that         refrained deliberately, with a definite purpose in mind, as
is what Blankespoor is saying, for he concludes this para-         I shall presently prove. And that purpose was to present me
graph with the remarks.: "However, when one thinks of              to the readers as teaching in that article that a consistory has
the three points mentioned that are characteristic of sect-        the right to reject classical (synodical)  decisions without the
arianism one can't help but come to the conclusion that            classis having the right to take action of  fl,ny  I&d against
there is a tendency in that direction among those who left         such a consistory, that. in other words, the  classis  stands
us. I'm sure each one of us can make some application. How         absolutely helpless when it sees its decisions trampled by a
well we have'learned by experience some of these things."          consistory . It can do nothing about it except wring its hands.
    Well we have learned a few things too. We learn now            Classis  must continue to seat the delegates of such a  con-
that Blankespoor has really poured out his soul and cries on       sistory. though it refuses to be bound by Classis' decisions.
the shoulder of the Christian Reformed Church his sorrow           Such, according to Kok, is my conception of the autonomy
for ever having been a member with us. But his tear-dimmed         of the local consistory that one comes upon in that article
eyes have made it impossible for him to see that not we but        of mine from which he quotes.
he belongs to a sect, a sect which, according to -Judge Taylor,
is operating illegally, ruthlessly taking over the properties         But Kok is guilty here of grossest deception, - a decep-
that rightfully belong to us.                                      tion that he has been practicing all along also in court as a
    Finally, there is one more thing I must call to your at-       witness under oath . Fact is that in that article of mine from
tention. Blankespoor closes his remarks on the doctrinal is-       which  Rok quotes, I teach the very opposite from what
sues involved without even once talking about the doctrinal        Kok deliberately tells his people that I teach in it. To show
issues. He accuses  us  of following a man or men. He tells        this I reproduce here as much of that article of mine as
us  that  we. have tendency toward sectarianism. He states,        bears upon the matter at hand. I wrote the article in reply
that we have a tendency to place the church and the word of        to three questions that had been put to me by a brother.
man above Scripture. But he doesn't tell  L&T  where we err        resident in Sioux Center, Iowa. The second question I can
doctrinally. In fact he doesn't even attempt to defend the         omit, as it has no bearing-on the matter with which we are
two statements of De Wolf. They are doctrine to be sure.           now occupied.
False doctrine. But Blankespoor says nothing about them. I             1) -Art. 36 (of the Church Order of Dordrecht) : The
got the impression that he wasn't interested in doctrine at        Classis  has the same jurisdiction over the Consistory as the
all. He was just prating. And this he continues to do as we        Particular Synod has over the Classis  and the General Synod
shall see in our final article on this subject next time, D.V.,    over the Particular. What is the character of this jurisdiction?
when we tell you what he thinks about the church-political         the brother asks.
issues.
                                                          M.S.        3)     Art. 79: When Ministers of the Divine Word, El-
                                                                   ders or Deacons, have committed any public, gross _ sin,
                                                                   which is a disgrace to the church or worthy of punishment by
                 CONTRIBUTIONS                                     the authorities the Elders and Deacons shall immediately by
                                                                   preceding sentence of the  `Consistory  thereof and of the
                                                                   nearest church, be suspended or expelled from their office. . ."
           How Rev. Kok Continues to Operate                          a j    Question of the brother : "What remains here of `the
    As again appears from the latest issue of "The Re-             autonomy of the local church?"
formed Guardian" (Jan. 1955)  Kok persists in quoting  us             The brother quotes the rest of  the~article.  It reads, "but
out of connection and thereby persists in misrepresenting our      the Ministers shall only be suspended. Whether these shall
views, what we held, `and taught by the written and spoken         be entirely deposed from office. shall be subject to the judg-
word in the realm of Church Polity:, On page five of the
aforesaid issue of the "Guardian" he writes, "we quote the         ment of the Classis."
following from the writings of Rev.  Ophoff,  which recurs            b) His question, "Who deposes a Minister of the Word,
constantly, making the meaning beyond the shadow of a              the Classis  or the Consistory ?"


23s                                           T H E   S T A N D
 -                                                                     A R D   B E A R E R

       To these questions I replied  as follows:                         Classis  would be lording it over the consistory and thereby
                                                                         destroying its autonomy. But this too is contrary to Art. 84
                             REPLY                                       of the Church Order. For it stands to reason that a number
       "Answering these questions requires that we have a clear          of neighboring churches may no more lord it over a  Con-
 understanding of the proposition that the local church is               sistory than the neighboring church. And what is  Classis
autonomous. That the `local church is autonomous means :                 other  than  an assembly of delegates of a number of local
       "1) That it is a self-governing organization, under               autonomous churches. Certainly the  Classis  is not a  con-
 Christ subject to no legal power other than that of its own             sistory vested with key-power over the local consistory. The
consistory. In the church of Christ legal power or authority             church institute is aiways local. It does not broaden out
 is the right officially to preach the Gospel, dsicipline with           into a classical and synodical church. with the Synod as the
the Scriptures, and excommunicate out of the Christian                   overall consistory. Anyone not laboring under a bias and
church again with the Scriptures. This is  key-power_  a                 thus capable of correctly interpreting the. articles of our
power that was given by Christ to His church;                            Church  .&der and of our Three Forms of Unity will perceive
 "2) That all legal power is  .concentrated  in the  Con-                and readily admit that such a view is glaringly and severely
 sistory and thus not also in  Classis  (Synod).                         anti-reform&d."
       "3) That for each Consistory the sphere of the exercise               Let. me pause here just long enough to ask the readers
 of the legal power is its own congregation only, that is, the           and especially  Kok to pay particular attention to what I
 body of believers by which it was chosen. It cannot be other-           wrote in the paragraph that followed. It is ,this :
 wise, if the local congregation  - each congregation  - is                  "Thi.s all that the classis can do in case its decisions arc
autonomous.  .~                                                          being  refected by the consistory  ,is  to  I-efuse to  ,wceivc  it3
       "In the light of these sentences it is plain how the              delegates  o'yt the classical  mreting   (that  is,?  refuse to sent  I:ts
 brother's questions are to be answered.                                 delega,tes) and thereby sever the denominational he between
       "Answer to question b under 3 : if there is neecl of such         it  n.nd  that consistory. This  the  classis  lrmy  do. This  ,is its
 action, not the Classis  but each Consistory deposes its own            f-ight  - a Aght ~imfilicit  ,in the z~eqi purpose of a number of
 minister only. For 1) to depose officebearers is to exercise            chrclze~  fedesahag  on  the basis of the  Cbturch  Order.  Ces-.
key-power (legal authority)  ; 2) all key-power is concen-               ta,inly   I;lte  consistovy is  a~~.torzo~mo~~s. It  ,is  free to reject  clas-
 trated in the local consistory. Hence, the  Classis  cannot             sicnl  decisions, also decisions  fixing  chssical  assessments,
 exercise this power, as it does not have it. Therefore it can-          z&tout  find&g itself  ltndev  the ,necessity of being penalized
 not depose officebearers.                                               on this  acco,mt  by  depositiovt  by  the  classis. However.,  the
       "Answer to question n under 3 : Art. 79 does not militate         a~utonomy of  the  local  cortgrega,tion does not imply  that the
against the doctrine of the autonomy of the local church ;               con&story  ca:n  persista.ntly reject the decisions of  the major
for the sentence of the neighboring church, consistory, is not assemblies with retention of its Tight to n place in the clm~cl~
mandatory but purely advisory. It means that the other con- fomza.tion.JJ   (Italics now supplied).
 sistory may refuse to adopt and to execute the sentence. It                 Then I went on to say and I quote:
may reject it. This is its right, being, as it is autonomous.                "Finally, the consistory can also abuse.its  autonomy and
 Were the sentence mandatory, the advice-seeking consistory              this is a sin. The consistory commits this sin if its re-
would be compelled to act according to it, or allow itself to            jects the decisions of the major assemblies, including of
be deposed and excommunicated by the neighboring  con-                   course the decisions fixing classical assessments, without
sistory. Thus, were the sentence mandatory, one consistory               being able to prove' even to its own satisfaction that they
would be lording it over another and thereby destroying its              conflict with the Word of God and the articles of the Church
autonomy.                                                                Order. Article 31 of the Church Order therefore requires
       "Now such a lordship of one consistory (church) over              that the consistory allow itself to be bound by classical ancl
another Art.  54 of our Church  Order strictly forbids. "No              synodical decisions unless they can be proved to be in con-
church," so the article reads, "shall in any way lord it over            flict with the Word` of God. This article  ,too can easily be
other churches, no Minister over other Ministers, no Elder -defended with. the Scriptures.                            '
over other Elclers or Deacons." All that the neighboring con-                "Herewith has been answered also the brother's question
sistory may, can do in the event its sentence is not adopted             under 1 j. The jurisdiction that the  %lassis  has over the
and executed is to appeal the case to the  Classis.  And the             consistory can only be that kind of oversight that a Classis,
 Classis  renders judgment. But Classical decisions are like-            organized on the basis of the Church Orcler, may take over
wise purely advisory and not mandatory. What it means is the consistory. It is not an oversight that involves  Classis
that the consistory may reject also classical decisions. This            in the exercise of legal or key-power over the consistory.
again is its right,, being as it is autonomous. Were the                 For, as  .has been shown, all key-power is concentrated in
classical decision mandatory, the consistory would be com-               the consistory. IIence, Art. 36 does not state that the Classis
wfielled   to submit to it or allow itself to be deposed now by the      has the same jurisdiction over the consistory; that the con-
Classis.  Thus were the classical decision mandatory, the                sistory has over the congregation. What then is the character


                                               T H E   STANDARD   B E A R E R                                                        239
  --

 of this oversight of  Classis  over consistory ? It is  adz&~>1           The content of that latest issue of "The Reformed
 in contradistinction to  man.da.fovy.  If the character of this        Guardian" was not published under Kok's name. Yet it is as
 oversight or jurisdiction were ma.nda.tory Classis  would .have        plain as the day that this content is from his pen. What proves
 the right to demand that its decisions be obeyed on pain of            this is the style of the writing, the subject treated and the
 deposition of the recalcitrant consistory. But this right can- ' way the writing was corrupted. It's amazing how Kok per-
 not be that of the  Classis  in that it has not the key-power.         sists in corrupting our articles to deceive his readers with
 Hence, the character of the oversight of Classis  over the con-        regard to us. He should repent of this his sin and forsake .it.
 sistory must necessarily be advisory. What this  Feans has             Let him learn to speak the truth.
 been fully explained. We  ,must consider that it is always                Finally, I am asking him to publish this article of mine-
 a question to whonl the key-power was given, to the consis-            this rebutal-in the "Concordia." For the people that
 tory alone or to the consistory and to the Classis."                   should read it do not read "The Standard Bearer."
        I need quote no more:                                              These remarks can apply of course only to that section
        Now  Kok read this article  too: Yet by  quoting'me  out        of the content signed "The Reformed Guardian Staff." If
 of connection, that is, by his failure to quote the article in         this material is not from Kok's pen so that I make a mistake
 its entirety, he became guilty of telling the  &aders  that it         in naming him as the author, the blame rests solely on the
 teaches the very opposite from what it actually does teach.            staff for not saying who,did write it. And why did not the,
 What I affirm in this piece- see especially the italicized             members of the "staff" affix  tlr& names to this material ?
paragraph - is that, although Classis  may not depose a con-            Were they too ashamed of it 7 They certainly have reasons
 sistory for rejecting its decisions, it does have the right  to        to be. i`ake for example .the following paragraph found on
 expel it from its communion by refusing to seat its delegates.         page 3 (of the "Guardian," of its latest issue) :
 But  Iiok tells his readers that what my article teaches is               "Time and again they (Hoeksema  and Ophoff) warned
 that the Classis  has not the right to do anything at all, that it     the churches against classical hierarchy. They never grew
 finds itself under the necessity of seating the consistory's           weary of emphasizing the autonomy of the local church.
 delegates though it persistantly tramples classical decisions.         They vehemently denied that the local congregation is but
 In this way Iiok falsifies, doing so, I repeat, by quoting me          a subordinate part of a larger organization, and firmly main-
 out of connection.                                                     tained that the consistory is the sole ruling body in the
        That he was consicously and deliberately practicing             Church. Again and again they stressed that  Classis  and
 deceit I shall now prove. Let us read again that brief para-           Synod are broader gatherings, not higher courts; that they
 graph in my article that Iiok quoted (see above), and take             have an advisory voice, no judicatory power; that no Classis
 notice of how he quoted it. The dots that he inserted indicate         or Synod coulcl demand submission, even for a time, to' any
 that he omitted a sentence, - this sentence, "Were the cl&-            of its decisions or declarations, when individuals, .or several
 sicai decisions mandatory, the consistory would be  covlzpelled        consistories considered them contrary to the Word of God
 to submit  ~to it or allow itself  +o be deposed now by the            and the Confessions.`:
 Classis." Certainly  Kok  caniot  deny that his eliminating               Yes indeed we did warn the churches against Classical
 this sentence was done with a purpose. He wanted to use                hierarchy, namely against the conception (and this is the
 that paragraph to prove to his readers that what I all along           real issue that the "Staff" is here covering up j that a Classis
 have been holding and teaching is, that the  Classis  stands           may depose a consistory for rejecting its decisions. Have we
 helpless when the consistory rejects its  decisiqns.  In other         ever ceased warning against this conception ? Are we guilty
 words, Iiok's purpose was to prove to the readers his false            of affirming the opposite in the court of. Judge Taylor?
 contention that, in saying that the  decicions  of  Classis  are       Certainly not. Here too we affirmed that the Classis  has no
 advisor-y and  ,zot  nzasdntoq, I  mea& that the consistory            suc11  power. Never have we ceased proclaiming the autono-
 rejects classical decisions to its heart's content with the clas-      my of the  lo&d church- that is, proclaiming that the local
 sis' standing helpless. This being his purpose, he eliminated          church must not allow itself to be deposed by Classis  ? And
 that sentence. For had he allowed it to stand, he could not            this again is the sole issue here. And have we ceased deny-
 have used the paragraph for that purpose. For then it would            ing that the local congregation is but a subordinate part of
 have been evident that what I mean in saying that the decisi-          a larger congregation  ? On the contrary we continued to
 ons of Classis  are a.dvisoqr   and not .mandator)l  is, that Clas-    maintain it also in court by affirming before the judge that
 sis, seeing that it does not have the key-power, can only              Classis  has not the power to depose a consistory. Did  Iye
 refuse to seat the delegates of the consistory that rejects its        maintain in court before the judge that Classis  (Synod) is a
 decisions but  that it may not depose it. But  Kok did not             higher court, that is, that it has the key-power and that by
 want the readers to know what I meant. For his consuming               virtue thereof it deposes consistories, if need be ?  Kok knows
 ambition nowadays is to prove from our writings that for the           better. But we did maintain in court that the  Classis  has
 sake of the brick \tie repudiated in court what we formerly            jurisdiction over the consistory. Have we ever taught any-
 held and taught. This explains his corrupting my article.              thing else?  Kok knows better. For he has read all my
 Tt explains his failure to quote my article in its entirety.           articles. Thit the Classis  has jurisdiction over the consistory


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  .
  240                                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEARE'R

  is the very teaching of my- article that Kok corrupted in this                   I am sure Rev. Kok will supply us with the quotation if we
       latest issue of the "Guardian." Did we maintain in court                    ask him and in it there is a sentence which I asked' him fo
  that'the  Classis  could devtza:nd submission, that is, depose a.                `repeat. Upon repeating that one sentence and calling at-
       consistory  for  not submitting to its decisions?  (This is the             tention to it the matter was dropped. Yet  a. lot was niacle
       sole and the real issue).  Kok knows better.                                of an article which Rev. Hoeksema wrote, some years ago>
          Let Kok bring into. the clear light of day the real issues               against Professor Volbecla and H. J.  Iiuiper, wherein
  here involved apd then let him prove from our writings and                       Hoeksema takes them to task for comparing the church
  from' the Court Record that for the sake  of. the brick we                       denomination to a wooden barrel. Each church was a Stave
       repudiated all  %hat  tie  %ad ever taught and held in the                  in fhe barrel and' the barrel was held together with three
  matter of' Reforined  Churdh' Polity.  H2 will find that he
                                     .:.;:                                         hoops, namely, Common church drder,  common confession
  catinot.        _                                                                and common liturgy. Overagainst this Hoeksema, accofding
                                                                    G . M . O .    to  Rev:  Kok, maintained that each church was a barrel in
                         . .                                                       itself and was  .therefore  autonomous. Today, said  Rok.
                                                                                   Hoeksema has thrown that overboard and says that the clas-
                       Kok's "Proselyte" Reports                                   sis is the ruling body. So pow he believes in a barrel too.
          The undersigned ind his wife had the privilege to attend                 I asked thk Rev. Kok if he had proof bf this. He asked me if
  the, first meeting held here iti South Holland by those who:                     I had not read Judge Taylor's report. I said that I  hacl
  hold to the doctrines of prerequisite sancl conditionjl  prom-                   read it but that I considered that only the opinion of another
       ises. It is  the&fore  the aim of the undersigned to briefly                and that Judge Taylor was not trying to determine whether
       relate to those who are interested, some of the events concern-             or not, Hoeksema believed in- a barrel or barrels and I fur-
  ing this meeting.                                                                ther asked Rev. Iiok to produce for .us the direct quotations
          It was no secret, as far as I know, that Rev.  Kok was                   fom the court records wherein Hoeksema denies the autono-
  going to hold a meeting for those who were interested                            my of the local church; and wherein he stated that the.classis
  in getting firsthand -information concerning the recent split                    was the ruling body over a congregation, so that it could $li-
  in our churches. Therefore, calling our curiosity interest, my                   hoops around the staves. Well he fumbled in his pocket and
       wife and I decided to attend. After all Rev. Kok had at one                 stated that he did not have them with him. However I told
  time been my missionary-preacher at Manhattan, Montana                           him again that I was sure Hoeksema still believed in barrels
  and it was through his work that I also became a member                          asd-so did I and -that in the future attacks in the "Concordia"
       of the Protestant Reformed Churches. "A Proselyte of                        he should please use actual quotations from the court records.
a mine," Rev. Kok called me at this meeting of Jan. 14, 1955.                          Now for those df you who have the old Standard Bearers
       But the strange-thing about it all is that,  now?  in order to              it will be worth your while to read the article on the barrels.
  follow my former missionary-minister, I will have to return                      Standard Bearer, Vol.  6>  ~.~246.  Hoeksema had `the right
  to some degree from whence I came.                                               idea then and let no man tell you that he' forsook it `now.
          While the Rev. Rok worked in Manhattan he was out-                       He fought for it and still maintains it today. The only
  done by nothing and no one and I had much respect for him.                       trouble is that when this group of barrels met in classical
He was open and always to the  po'int. However, when he                            sessions, one barrel tried to emit a different sound. So that
  returned from the Netherlands, a few years ago, it became                        -barrel  was advised to come with the correct sound, and when
  apparent that there- was something different about him. No                       later again at the classical sessions two barrels came to the
 longer` did he possess the straightforwardness and vigor with                     classical gathering, we seated the barrel which sounded like
  which he used to meet every attack that  was made upon him                       our barrels have always sounded. Pure and simple church
  in the years of 1938 and 1939.                                                   order ! ! ! And Rev.  Kok tries to maintain that this barrel
          To prove this point I would like to take my readers to                   with the strange sound has the right to carry the name of
  the schoolhouse where on January 14, -Rev. Kok And Knott                         Protestant Reformed on its side. That is pure and simple
  were present to-enlighten those of the public who might wish                     nonsense ! !                                        Jbhn   Flikkema!
  to be enlightened. Rev.  Kok gave an informal talk. telling                                                 (to be concluded j,        _
  the people about the sad history of the past few years. (and
  sad it was)  His.main interest seemed to be the fact that.
  acdording  to  Iiok, Judge Taylor's report clearly  provecl  that
  Hoeksema had thrown overboard the autonomy of the local                                    A place for Thy people Thou, Lord, didst prepare,
  church. He emphasized this by quoting Rev. Hoeksema                                        Thy vine deeply rooted rewarded Thy care;
  `from some article out of a Standard Bearer.' Which article                                Its branches like cedars,, majestic and free,
it was, I do not now remember, but it was one which, "he
  did not mean to quote but since he. had it with him and it                                 Spread over the mountains from river to sea.
  just happened to fit in, he would read .it .to us" However,                                                                                 Psalm SO :3


