     VOLUME  xmv                                NOVEMBER 1, 1958 - GRAND RAPID&.MICHIGAN                                           NUMBER  3


                                                                                 in Christ, and so God does not see their sin anymore. In-
             M E D I-T A-T I C) N                                                deed the Scripture tells us that He "hath not beheld iniquity
                                                                                 in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel . . . "

                                                                                 Numbers 23 :.2la. Theologians call that unspeakable blessing
              DWELLING WITH THE LORD                                        "justification from everlasting." In harmony with another

              "The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath sur-             Scripture which is the ground for it, or, rather, the Fountain :
              prised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with               "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love . . ." Jer. 31:
              the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with ever-
            : lasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and                 3a. And the ground is Jesus Christ's vicarious suffering;
              speaketh.  `uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of op-           death and resurrection.
              pressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes,

              that stoppsth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth            That's the first reason God's elect people are called             '
              his eyes from seeing evil; he shall dwell on high: his
              place of defence  shall be the munitions of rocks: bread           "saints."
              shall be gi,ven him; his waters shall be sure. Thine eyes
                                                                                    And the second reason is that they have a certain "saint-
              shall see the King in His  beauty: they shall behold the

              land that is very  far ofl.  And the inhabitant shall not          liness" in the very depth of their hearts. Paul speaks of that
             say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be              when he says: "For I delight in the law of God after the
              forgiven their iniquity."            ISAIAH 33:14-17;  24
                                                                                 "inward" man, Rom. 7 :22 ; and also : "for to will is present
    This plaintive cry you do not find  in the world. A world-
                                                                                 with me . . ." (that is, to will the good) Ram.  7:18b.
ling will never say: Who can dwell with a God who  is ever-                 r

lasting burning ? When they talk al&it hell they are mock-                          And that event, producing such "will" and "delight," is

ing. Hell, this ; and hell, that ! They do not take hell seri-                   called by theologians : "regeneration and conversion."

ously. The first word I heard, addressing a policeman, was:                         And the sinners of my text are neither justified nor re-
Hell ! I don't know what you are talking about ! I talked the                    generated.
King's English, having spent a year there, and this Brook-                          And they prove that'by also being "hypocrites."         That's
lynite could not catch my brogue.                                                the name the text gives them.

   No, this speech is found in the church.                                          Now it is true that every living child of God is somewhat

   They are the "sinners" and the "hypocrites" in Zion who                       of a hypocrite, but they are that in spite of their inmost

say: Who can dwell with the devouring fire and continual                         heart. They are not hypocrites to the extent that they must

burnings of Jehovah ? In plain words : who can dwell with a                      be denominated by that awful name.

God who casts untold millions in an everlasting hell ?                              A hypocrite is a man with a mask on his natural face. He

   Sinners ?                                                                     is not what he seems to be.

   Aren't we all ?                                                                  Note that these sinnners live in Zion, and that is the

   Yes, we are all sinners, but this is a peculiar kind of                       Church of Jesus Christ, both in the Old and in the New

sinners.                                                                         Testament.

   They are the sinners that were never visited by the Day-                         When these sinners and hypocrites come in contact with

spring from on High. They are those who are satisfied to                         the God of Israel they begin at once to complain : they can-

be and remain sinners.                                                           not live with Him, for they see the Devouring Fire, and the

   I remember a voice of the past, making a difference be-                       Con,tinual  Burnings.    In other words, they hear of His

tween the "GODLESS UNGODLY," and the "CON-                                       righteous anger and indignation over all the unrighteous-

VERTED UNGODLY." A few of you will remember.                                     nesses of man.

   God's elect people, although they are still sinners, are                         And so they will not dwell with Him,,

called "saints," and that for two reasons : 1) they are saints                      BLIP  this is the awful irony of God : He will not let them


50                                          TJ3E  .STANDARD   B E . A R E R


dwell with Him. Neither indeed can they. As far as that                with and in the devil, his angels and the reprobate in hell

goes : they are right!                                                 constitutes their very hell. God's presence makes hell what

                                                                      it  i s .
                            *    8 * *                                     The wicked at their demise fall into the hands of God.

                                                                       When they die they see at once the very face of God, and
      What then ?
                                                                      that Face tells them terrible things. They rather are crushed
      Who can dwell with Him who created a place for the
                                                                      by the mountains than to look at that Face of God and the
devil, the false prophet and for those who bear his mark,
                                                                      wrath of the Lamb. It will be their last prayer: "And said
and are characterized by his number?
                                                                      to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the
      The text gives the answer : negatively : 1) those that
                                                                      -.face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath-
despise gain of oppression; 2) those that despise bribery at
                                                                      of the Lamb !" Rev. 6 :16.
the expense of judgment ;' 3) those' that despise bloodguilti-
                                                                           And so, mere presence with God is not the same as
ness ; 4) those that despise evil. And positively : 1)' those
                                                                      "dwelling with God.!'
that walk in righteousness ; and 2) those that have the speech
                                                                           To dwell with God is the Covenant idea. You dwell where
of uprightnesses.
                                                                      you feel at home, where you share the "gezelligheid," the
      A walk in righteousnesses (the plural of intensity) is a
                                                                      sociability of family life.
walk that is good. When such a walk is laid alongside of the
                                                                           A weak shadow you find everywhere on earth.
law of God it harmonizes with the law and with God (which
                                                                          Your dwelling is where you live, where you feel at home.
is really the same thing)`.
                                                                           There you let your hair down. You take your familiar
      For righteousness is. the state and condition where a man
                                                                      seat, and you glance with a smile at the wife and kiddies.
or an angel is in harmony with the Highest Good and that
                                                                      There everything breathes harmony and peace. When it
is God.
                                                                      gets toward evening time, you hurry to get HOME !
      Quite naturally then such a person can dwell with God.
                                                                           Jesus loved to talk about the House of My Father.
      And the speech of uprightnesses is a speech where your
                                                                           Even the text where He speaks of the glory which He
mouth and your heart agree. Contrary to a speech with a
                                                                      had with the Father from everlasting.
smile on your face and a heart that is lying, that is cursing
                                                                           The Triune inhabits such a Home, and its name is Eter-
while your face, words and smile are sweet.
                                                                      nity, or, The inapproachable Light.
      People that answer to the above description shall see the
                                                                           And God has from eternity visualized that Home full of
King in His beauty, and that is Jesus. And His beauty is
                                                                      children who would look like the Only Son He had ere the
something to sing about. When the poet said: I will sing
                                                                      world began. They are the children of God whom "He pre-
of my Redeemer! he was outlining an eternity of hallelujahs
                                                                      destinated to be conformed to the image of His Son . . ."
in heaven. His beauty is so great that John fell as dead at
                                                                      Rom. 8 :29b.
His feet when he saw Him on the isie  of Patmos.
                                                                          And so there are certain blessed beings who are to dwell
      Paul is one of those most blessed people, for he said : "But
                                                                      with God.
we see Jesus crowned with glory and honour !" Heb. 2:9.
                                                                          They are the justified and the regenerated of whom I
Therefore a little of that vision we'have  now already. And
                                                                      spoke earlier.
if that vision is so powerful that men and women and chil-
                                                                           I know, I know . . . you are going to say: But how can
dren have died for it, what shall be the vision when we see
                                                                      they dwell with Him, since they also have so much of the
Him in Glory ?
                                                                      sinner and the hypocrite in them ?
      Moreover, those people, that is,. the righteous and the up-
                                                                          You will ask: Is it not true that they do not always re-
right shall see the land that is very far off. I think at this
                                                                      fuse, despise the gain, the bribe, the bloodguiltiness, the evil ?
moment of a line in a song: "the land that is fairer than
                                                                      You will add, and that is heavier still: and how 1ittl.e they
clay !" Of course, that means the heaven of heaven, cleansed,
                                                                      show of the righteousnesses and the uprightnesses in walk
purified, renewed, recreated at the end of the ages.
                                                                      and speech ?

                            *    * * *                                    The answer is the Gospel of God.

                                                                           ONE, AND ONE ONLY MAN has been found who
      All such beauties are the sum total of "dwelling with           answers to the description of my text. And that One is the
God."                                                                 Man Jesus.

      What constitutes dwelling with God?                                 Do you remember that I said a little while ago that

      It is not mere being with God.                                  righteousness is really to be good and to do good ? Well, of

      No, for the devil and his angels will forever be with God.      this Jesus it is said that He. went about the country do+

      God is everywhere. If I would make my bed in hell : Thou        good. And He called Himself:  the Good Shepherd.

art there ! Do you remember that text? God is in the devil,                Man, angels and devils proclaimed Him good.

even as He is in everything,                                               Even the devil himself. For when this devil incarnated

      The dreadful truth is that the very presence of God near,       himself in Judas, this unhappy man said of Jesus : I have


                                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEAR.ER                                                                                                                                                                               5 1



shed the innocent blood! Thcise  are the sorrotis of Judas

unto all eternity.                                                                           T H E   S.TAlVDARD   B E A R E R

   And God said of this Good Man: This is My beloved                           Semi-ponth&  except monihly  during June, July and August

Son !                                                                           Published by the REF&&E~  FREE PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION
                                                                               P. 0. Box 881, Madison SC&are  Station, Grand Rapids `7, Mi6h.
    Oh yes, Jesus fits the specifications of the man who may
                                                                                                 Editor - F&Y.  HERMAN.  HOEKSEMA
dwell with God. In fact, it is one of the great, if not the
                                                                               Communications .relative .io `contents should be addressed to
greatest, of all theological problems: the incarnation. Is it                             Rev. H. Hoeksema, 1139 Franklin St., S. E.,
not true that from His very conception God dwelled in His                                                      Grand Rapids 7, Mich.

manhood ? At one time He would say : I am so thirsty ! And                     All matters relative to subscriptions should be .addressed  to Mr.
                                                                               G. Pipe, 1463 Ardmore St., S. E., Grand Rapids 7, Mich.
at another time : Your sins are forgiven thee !
                                                                               Announcements and Qb&aries  must be mailed to the above
    Now then, if you have this Jesus in your heart through                     address and will  be published at a fee of $1.00 for each notice.

the unspeakable boon of regeneration, you now already dwell                    `RENEWAL: Unless a definite request for discontinuance is re-
                                                                               ceived it is assumed that &e subscriber wishes the subscription
with God. And you will dwell with Him everlastingly in                         to continue without the fotiality  of a renewal order.
that "land that is very far off."
                                                                                                  Subscriptioti  price: $5.00 per year
    Brethren ! your happiness here is fragmentary and fraught
                                                                               Entered as Second Class matter at Grand Rapids, &fichigan
with much unhappiness, because of sin.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    -
    Sisters ! here you sufler  sickness of which the text speaks.

It is the sickness of sin, and oppression in your heart be-                                                         COtiTENTS

cause of sin.                                                             MEDITATION -

    But in heaven, when you dwell perfectly with God, you                          Dwelling With The Lord . . . . . . . . ..____........................... .._. ,._._..._  4'3
                                                                                          Rev. G. Vos
will never say again' : I am sick ! because you will have for-

giveness from all your iniquity !                                         EDITORIALS -

                                                                 G.V.              Trouble      About            Nigeria.. __ __ ..___  ._ .._ _.___  . . ._ _. . . . . __.. ._ . ..52
                                                                                          Rev. H. Hoeksenia


                                                                         OUR DOCTRINE-

                                                                                   The Book        of Revelation.. .._ __ ..__ ..:... .._ 54

                                                                                          Rev. H. Hoeksema

               Eastern Men's League Meeting                               A CLOUD OF WITNESSES -

                                 Speaker:                                          Commanded To Offer Up Isaac . . .._.................................... I. __.. 37
                                                                                          Rev. B. Woudenberg
         :.         -REV.   H E R M A N   H A N K 0
                                                                          FROM HOLY WRIT -

                                  Topic: --                                        Exposition of Matthew 24 and 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . .._____......................... 59

                                                                                          Rev. G. Lubbers
               "THE R-ELATION BETWEEN GOD'S

 SOVEREIGNTV   A N D   M A N ' S   R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y "          CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH -
                                                                                   The Church and the Sacraments .__............_.._...........................  61

                                  T i m e :                                               Rev. H. Veklman


         Thursday evening, November 13 at 8 :00 o'clock                   THE VOICE OF OUR FATHERS -

                                                                                   The Canons of Dordrecht..  . .._. ___ ._ .._. . .._..._.._...  ..63
                                 Place:                                                   Rev. H. C. Hoeksema

                Southwest Protestant Reformed Church                      DECENCY AND ORDER -

                       Grand Rapids, Michigan                                      The    Report      . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
                                                                                          Rev: G. Vanden  Berg
                                                          THE BOARD

                                                                          ALL AROUND us -

                                                                                   Theologians and the Moon _________.__......................................,..... 67

                                                                                          R e v .   M .   Schipper


                                                                          CONTRD~DTION~  -
                               IN MEMORIAM
                                                                                   Missionary       Notes                .__....  . . . . . . . . . ..,___._:  . . . .._. 69

   The Protestant Reformed Men's Chorus of the Protestant Re-                             Rev. G. Lubbers

formed Churches of Grand Rapids,. hereby wishes to express its
sincere sympathy to one of its members, Mr. Henry Meulenberg,             SPECIAL ARTICLE -
in the loss of his brother,                                                        Question      Hour            ___ __. _._ .._... . ..I . . . . .._ . . . . .__....  . . ..___..  70

                                                                                          Rev. H. Hoeksema
                      RICHARD MEULENBERG.

                                                                          N
   May our covenant God comfort the bereaved in their sorrow.              EWS FROM OUR CH~RCHES......................................................~.........~~
                                                                                          Mr. J. M. Faber
                                               C. Jonker, President

                                               Art Doctor, Secretary


 52                                         T    H    E         STAND.ARD  BEARE.R



                                                                       evidently erroneous. Suppose that a Synod passes a resolu-
  1
               EDITORIAL$                                           II tion to condemn all denominationalism, are the following
I i                                                                    Synods morally bound to honor such a resolution ? Or sup-

                                                                       pose that a Synod denies the Reformed truth of predestina-
                   Trouble About Nigeria                               tion and adopts Arminianism ? Must all the succeeding

                                                                       Synods consider themselves morally bound to abide by this
       Thus far we quoted the decision of the last Christian Re-
                                                                       decision ? The very opposite is true as anyone will admit.
formed Synod in regard to the TCNN (Theological College
                                                                       Hence, the first ground for the decision of the last Christian
of Northern Nigeria), and we also criticized that decision in
                                                                       Ref. Synod to l&t  Dr. Boer continue to teach in the TCNN is,
general from a principal viewpoint.
                                                                       evidently, beside or rather contrary to the truth. Succeeding
       We still wish to discuss that decision and criticize it         Synods are morally bound to disavow and repudiate. wrong
somewhat in detail.                                                    decisions of former Synods. The decision to let Dr. Boer

       In many respects this is a very strange decision and un-        teach in the TCNN was certainly wrong and,-  therefore, the

worthy of a synodical  gathering. I surmise that the reason            last Synod of the Christian Reformed Church was morally

for this must be found in the fact that, although the majority         bound to repudiate that decision.

of the Synod was in favor of continuing Dr. Boer as profes-                The second ground of Synod to continue to let Dr. Boer
sor in the TCNN, that majority certainly was not very large.           teach in the TCNN is equally untrue. It refers to the urgency
There was a strong minority that insisted that Christian Re-           of the situation in Nigeria.    I suppose that by this the Synod
formed Church would initiate its own theological training in           refers to the fact that there is need for the training of native
Nigeria. And not only this, but there were sever21  protests           missiqnaries  in Nigeria and, perhaps, also to the fact that
from the churches voicing their opposition against allowing            some students of the Benue and Tiv churches are already
Dr. Boer to continue teaching in the TCNN. Of- course, this            being trained in the TCNN. But if this is meant by the
should not have motivated- Synod to make such a strange                urgency of the situation in Nigeria, the second ground of
decision if it were convinced that it were principally correct.        Synod of the resolution to let Dr. Boer continue to teach
If that had been the-case, Synod should simply have decided            in the TCNN is just as fallacious as the first. How can a
to continue Dr. Boer as professor in the TCNN on the                   situation in the churches or on the mission field be ever `so
ground that, on the mission field it is perfectly proper to            urgent as to make it necessary to support or condone false
support a mixed theological training of missionaries. That             doctrine. And this the last Synod certaialy  did by continuing
would have settled the matter regardless of a strong opposi-           Dr. Boer as professor in the TCNN as we have shown in
tion minority and regardless of the consequences, regardless           our previous editorial on .this  subject. Besides, there was
even of a possible split in the Christian Reformed Church.             before Synod the advice of the minority report of the com-
But Synod, evidently, did not have the courage of its convic-          mittee of pre-advice on this matter which recommended not
tion. And the result is the strange decision of which I spoke          only that Synod should reject the request of the Board of
already.                                                               Foreign Missions to participate in the program for united

       Now, why is this decision so strange and one that is un-        theological training in Northern Nigeria, but also to help the

worthy of a Synod ?                                                    churches there to establish a theological school of their own.

                                                                       This certainly would have met the urgency of the' situation
       The following are my reasons for this opinion :
                                                                       in a much better way. But this advice was rejected by Synod
       1. The main decision of Synod, is that it continues Dr.         by a vote ,of sixty to forty-five !
Boer as professor in the TCNN. But on what grounds is this
decision reached? Was this very important matter decided                  Another strange- element in the decision of the last Synod
on principal grounds. Were the groimds, for instance, that             in regard to the situation in Nigeria and the TCNN is that
the TCNN is perfectly sound and that the training which the            they first decided to continue Dr. Boer as professor in that
students receive in that school is expected to be Reformed ?           seminary and afterward added a decision to appoint a com-
Not at all. The grounds for this very important decision               imittee  to investigate the matter: "That a stud; committee
were the following :                                                   be constituted of nine members (in which both the minority'
                                                                       and the majority opinions are represented), in consultation
       `<a. Former Synods have committed the Church up to              with the Nigerian General Conference, to define and clarify
this point, and we are morally bound to honor this commit-
                                                                       certain matters which follow, and that tillear  cut recommenda-
ment.
                                                                       tions be made to the Synod of 1959 on these matters :" (the
       "b. The present commitment satisfies the urgency of the         matters referred to follow).
situation."
                                                                          Now, I ask whether it is not very strange and unworthy
       What to say about these grounds?                                of any ecclesiastical -body that they first make a decision and

       The first, namely, that Synod is `morally bound to honor        after that investigate whether that decision is correct? This

the decisions of former Synods in regard to the TCNN, is               certainly is always wrong but it certainly is such in respect to


                                                                                   r



                                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                       53


such an important matter as a professorship of one of their               that the books of the Old and New Testament are the only

own missionaries in the TCNN. I cannot understand why the                 Word of God and whether he will reject all doctrine repug-

Synod did not postpone the whole  matter until it had been                nant thereto, but also whether he believes the doctrinal stand-

thoroughly investigated. What the Synod may expect in 1959                ards of the Christian Reformed Church to be the truest ex-

from the committee of investigation that was appointed is                 pression of the doctrine of salvation. The latter element is

not a clear-cut recommendation, but again a majority and                  omitted at the ordination of a missionary. The missionary is

minority opinion. This is my prediction which is based on                 asked only whether he believes that the books of the Old

the fact that at the last Synod the opinions were sharply and             and New Testament are the only Word of God and the

strongly divided as well as on the fact that, in the committee            perfect doctrine of salvation, and whether he rejects all doc-

appointed, both the minority and majority opinions are rep-               trines repugnant thereto. Nothing is said about the Stand-

resented.                                                                 ards of the Church.


     Let us also consider for a moment some of the "certain,                  Was this:perhaps,  intentional ? Did those that composed
matters"       which the committee appointed by Synod must                the Form of the Ordination of Missionaries proceed from
"define and clarify."          One of them, in fact, the first one is:    the opinion that it was not as necessary for the missionaries
"The implications of our ordination vows with respect to                  to subscribe to the Standards of the Church as it is for the
missionaries who  serve in a united theological enteyprise."              professors ? I do not know. But I hardly can conceive of

     I could not help but wonder why this matter was intro-               the possibility that the omission was not intentional. This

duced at Synod as it evidently was. Naturally, I consulted                seems especially true in the light of the fact that also the
the "Form of Ordination of Missionaries" that is used in                  Formula of Subscription omits any mention of missionaries.

our churches and I believe also in the Christian Reformed                 There we read:       "We, the undersigned, Professors of the

Church. And I discovered a, rather striking difference be-                Christian Reformed Church, Ministers of the Gospel, Elders

tween the vows a professor of theology is required to make                and Deacons of the Christian Reformed Church of _.._____.._....  :..

at his ordination and those that a missionary (and also, by               of the Classis    of _.__.  ___ _, _. _, _, do hereby sincerely and in

the way, a minister) makes. I will refer only to the difference           good conscience before the Lord, declare by this, our sub-
between the questions asked of both, the professor and the                scription, that we heartily believe and are persuaded that all

missionary (or the minister) when they are to be ordained.                the articles and points of doctrine, contained in the Confes-
The questions asked of a professor that is to be ordained are             sion and Catechism, together with the explanation of some

t h e   f o l l o w i n g :                                               points of the aforesaid doctrine, made by the National Synod

                                                                          of Dordrecht, 1618-19, do fully agree with the Word of
     "First. I ask thee, dost thou feel in thy heart that  thou
                                                                          God."
art lawfully called of God's Church and therefore `of God

himself to this office ? ' (This question is virtually the same              Also here no mention is made of missionaries.

as that asked of a missionary or minister at his ordination.)
                                                                             Was this, perhaps, the reason why the investigation com-
    "Secondly. Dost thou believe the books of the Old and                 mittee must report on the implication of "our ordination
New Testament to be the only Word of God? Dost thou                       vows with respect to missionaries who serve in a united
reject all doctrines repugnant thereto, and dost thou accept              theological enterprise" ?
the doctrinal standards of the Christian Reformed Church as
the truest expression of the doctrine of salvation? (Here we                 I do not know, for I was not present at the sessions of
find a rather important difference with regard to the ques-               the Christian Reformed Synod where this matter was dis-
tions asked of a missionary at his ordination.)                           cussed. But it seems to me this is highly probable. Why
                                                                          otherwise speak of the orclination  vows of the missionaries in
     "Thirdly. Dost thou promise faithfully to discharge thy              connection with their teaching in the TCNN?
office according to the same doctrine as above described, and

to adorn it with a godly life ?                                              Dr. Boer can alway  insist that he never promised to teach

                                                                          according to the Three Forms of Unity as missionary, btit
     "Fourthly. Dost thou promise to submit thyself, in case
                                                                          that he vowed only to maintain the doctrines contained in
thou shouldest become delinquent, either in life or doctrine,
                                                                          the Old and New Testament as the only Word of God; For
to the ordinance of the Church, and if necessary, to Church
                                                                          this reason it is legal for him to teach in a general and united
discipline ?" (The last two questions are also the same in the
                                                                          theological seminary.
Form of Or&nation of Missionaries, except that they are

combined into one question.)                                                 But if this should be the case, as it probably is, the

    The difference, therefore, is in the second question.                 matter becomes more serious still.

    And to my mind, this difference is a rather important                    But about this next time, D.V.

one. In the second question, quoted above, the professor
                                                                                                                                         H.H.
that is to be ordained is asked, not only whether he believes

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



                                                                         Much has been made of this eagle, and people have speculated
          O U R   DOCTRINmE  _; as to what this eagle might be. Some reach the conclusion
 -                                                                  c    that `it is a member of the church triumphant that has al-

                                                                         ready been taken to heaven, according to these interpreters,
           THE BOOK OF REVELATION                                        before these trumpets are sounded. We, on our part, cannot

                           P A R T   T W O                               attach special significance to the identity of this eagle. We
                                                                         rather accept that it merely belongs to the symbolism of the

                              C H A P T E R  V                           entire scene that John, before the last three trumpets are

                                                                         sounded, beholds this eagle, the bird with its penetrating
                  The Locusts Out of the Abyss
                                                                         look, flying in mid-heaven and calling, "Woe, woe, woe, for

                         Revelation 9 :1-U                               them that dwell on the earth." In the meantime, it indicates
                                                                         that we may expect that the three trumpets that are still to

            1. And the f&h angel sounded, and I saw a star fall          sound will bring events that are quite different from those
           from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the          that are revealed thus far. The element of vengeance and
           key of the bottomless pit.                                    suffering in them will be more pronounced. They will be

           2. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose          most plainly visible as the day draws near that the Lord
           a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace;      shall return in His final appearance. They indicate that the
           and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of
                                                                         world gradually becomes ripe for judgment. Accordingly we
           the smoke of the pit.
                                                                         expect too that it will be more difficult to point out the exact
           3. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the           historical realization of these last trumpets, seeing that they
           earth: and unto them  was given power, as the scorpions       point to events that must for the most part still be fulfilled
           of the earth have power.
                                                                         in the future.
           4. And it was commanded them that they should not                Our text speaks of the locusts out of the abyss. First of
           hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing,
           neither any tree; but only those men which have not           all, we note that as the fifth angel sounds, John beholds a
           the seal of God in their foreheads.                           star fallen from heaven. It will be well to call your attention

                                                                         from the outset to two things: in the first place, to the fact
           5.     And to them it was given that they should not kill
           them, but that they should be tormented five months:          that this star does not fall from heaven at the moment when
           and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion,           John hears the sound of the fifth trumpet. He does not say
           when, he striketh a man.                                      that he saw a star falling from heaven, but simply that his

           6. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall          eye beholds a star that had already fallen from heaven at the
           not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee    moment when the trumpet sounds. John merely beholds that
           from them.                                                    star now, though the star had been cast out of heaven before.

           7.     And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses    He beholds it at this particular moment because at the sound
           prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it           of the fifth trumpet that star begins to operate. This brings
           were crowns like gold, and their faces were as. the faces     us to our second remark, namely, that this star is surely no
           of men.
                                                                         star in the literal sense of the word, for the simple reason
           8.     And they had hair as the hair of women, and their      that the things that are told us of this star cannot be true
           teeth were as the teeth of lions.                             of one of the heavenly luminaries that shine in the firma-

           9. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates         ment of heaven. In the first place, it would already be an

           of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound        inconceivability that a star would fall from heaven and simply
           of chariots of many horses running to battle.                 lie on the earth without any further effect. But above all, it

                                                                         would be impossible to maintain that this is a real star in
           10. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there
           were stings in their tails: and their power was to, hurt      the light of the fact that the star acts like a person with in-
           men five months.                                              tellect and will. We read of this strange star that the key of

                                                                         the pit of the abyss was given him, and that as the key was
           11.     And they had a king over them, which is the angel
           of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew               received by him, he went and opened the pit of the abyss.
           tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his           Whoever may be represented by this star, therefore, so much
           name Apollyon.                                                is certain from the outset, that it is not a real heavenly

           12.                                                           luminary, but some being that is able to receive and under-
                   One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes
           more hereafter.                                               stand commands and to act accordingly. In harmony with

                                                                         what follows in the text, the supposition is not without

   In verse 13 of the preceding chapter we have a little                 grounds, as we shall see, that this star represents no one

intermittent scene. An eagle flies in mid-heaven and an-                 else but Satan himself. He is called in the Word of God the

nounces a three-fold woe upon them that dwell on the earth               prince of the powers of the air, Eph. 2 :2, the prince of the

by reason of the voices of the trumpets that are still to sound.         demons, Mk. 3 :22. Of him the Savior speaks in language


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   `BEARE'R                                                    5 5


remarkably similar to this passage, namely, that He saw           these locusts have their power of destruction in their tails

him fallen as lightning out of heaven, Lk. 10 :18. And as we      instead of in their mouth. And in the second place, it is also

hope to see presently, it is in that very capacity that he        strange that they do not touch the grass or the crops or the

occurs also in the words of this particular. passage.             trees or any green thing. Thirdly, it is peculiar that their

   This star, this prince of the devils, - or as he appears       power is limited to men, and that to those that have not the

here, this prince of the abyss, -opens the pit of the abyss.      seal of God on their foreheads. And fourthly, it is also

The picture here given is that the abyss is a place beneath       peculiar that they may not kill these men, but merely torture

the surface of the earth, evidently widening according as it      them, so that life becomes an awful burden to those that
extends deeper below the surface, and therefore narrowest at      are struck by the locusts.

the top, until it narrows down to a simple shaft, or, as it is       In answer to the question who these locusts are, we may

called in our passage, a pit. This pit is locked, indicating      limit the field of our investigation in two ways. In the first

that for the inhabitants it forms a prison from which they        place, we may deem it an established fact that they are not

cannot at will escape. -Nor is it thus, that they can attain      real locusts. We have always emphasized that in the Book

their freedom merely at the command of their prince, the          of Revelation the text always plainly indicates whether we

star. For evidently, according to the words of the passage        must take a certain passage literally or in the symbolical

we are now discussing, he dopes not hold the key of this          sense of the word. And surely, in this case the text is suf-

abyss. It is not in his power. But it is given to him. In         ficiently clear to make us feel safe in asserting that real

ordinary circumstances he does not have this key ; but it is      locusts are out of the question. In the first place, of course,

now given to him. And therewith he receives the power, and        there is their description. True, as we have already said,

also the liberty evidently, to open the abyss over which he       real locusts might be described in terms of a strong imagina-

is prince. He does so. And the result is terrible. Out of this    tion as horses running to battle, because indeed the locust

abyss issues forth, in the first place, a terrible cloud of       resembles the horse, especially as to the shape of its head,

smoke, darkening the sun and the air. And out of the smoke        and also because in the second chapter of Joel we find a

gradually a tremendous host of locusts becomes visible. Of        somewhat similar description. But it is not true that the

locusts we read several times in Holy Writ. They are,             locust also has the face as of a man, that it possesses teeth

whether literally or symbo,lically,  the harb,inger$  of the      like the teeth of a lion, that it has hair, like the hair of

judgments of the Lord. So we read of them as constituting         women, and that it has a tail like that of a scorpion, in

one of the ten plagues that fell on the' land of Egypt by         which its terrible power lies. But there are clearer indica-

reason of its stubborn resistance and oppression of the people    tions that Scripture does not intend to have us think here of

of God. Thus we also read of a plague of locusts that             real locusts. First of all, we must call your attention to

threatened the people of Israel in the second chapter, of the     #their  origin. They arise from the abyss, over which Satan is

prophecy of Joel. And a plague they certainly were. In the        king, And they have as a king another angel, whose name

eastern countries an army of these locusts would sweep over       is Abaddon, or Apollyon, the first of which is Hebrew, and

an entire country that was rich in vegetation and leave no        the second Greek. Both of these names mean "Destroyer."

green thing behind it. But these locusts that are mentioned       Ordinary locusts surely do not have their dwelling-place in

here are of a very peculiar description. In general, indeed,      the abyss, whatever that abyss may be. Besides, their work

their description is somewhat derived from the general ap-        is entirely different from that of ordinary locusts. They do

pearance of the locust. But nevertheless, their appearance is     not touch the grass and the trees or any green thing. But

entirely peculiar. They are in shape like horses that are         that is exactly what the locust devours. In an inconceivably

prepared for war. Crowns of gold, or at least something           short time the locust knows how to make a barren desert out

that makes one think of crowns of gold, they wear on their        of the most fruitful country, abounding in vegetation. These

heads. And they are protected with breastplates as it were        locusts, on the other hand, touch only men, and touch them

of iron. Their faces are as the faces of men. And they have       not with their mouth but with their tails. And they cause

long hair, as the hair of women. But in contrast again with       these men to suffer the most fearful agony, pain comparable

this human and even feminine appearance, they show teeth          only to the pain caused by the sting of a scorpion, which, as

as the teeth of lions, and tails like the tails of scorpions.     travellers assure us, is well-nigh unbearable. All these things,

They come in orderly array, with a king by the name of            therefore, establish it beyond a shadow of doubt that we

Abaddon, or Apollyon, at their head. And as they pass, the        would violate the purpose of the text if still we would

sound of their wings makes one think of a tremendous army,        maintain that they were real locusts. No, they are not real

with horses and chariots, rushing for war. Thus is .their         locusts, but they must be taken as symbols of something else.

description. And still more strange is their monstrous power.     That they are described as monstrous locusts, infernal in

One might think perhaps that their description is merely .an      their appearance and in their power, is merely because the

overdrawn picture of the imagination though the general           locust actually constitutes one of the scourges wherewith the

traits of the ordinary locust are maintained. But this cannot     Lord visits the earth in His judgments.

be said of their power. In the first place, it is strange that       Besides, and in the second place, we may also from the


56.                                         T H E   STA.NDARD   B E A R E R


outset discard the interpretation that finds in these locusts       Lord Jesus Christ, when we shall judge them with Him.

the symbol of an army of men. This explanation constitutes          Satan still goeth about like a roaring lion. And also the evil

indeed one of the favorite interpretations, especially of those     spirits, direct subjects of his kingdom, are not confined to

interpreters that explain the Book of Revelation as being           the place of their eternal torture. It may safely be said,

historically and successively fulfilled in the course of time.      therefore, of all these evil angels that although they have

These locusts, so they say, are the symbols of the hordes of        been cast out of heaven and no more enjoy the light of life

the Mohammedans that flooded parts of Asia, North Africa,           in the presence of the Holy One, - which, of course, would

and Southern Europe in the seventh and eighth centuries of          be impossible, -yet they have not received their `final

our era. In detail these interpreters find in the description       sentence, and still must be made sudject  to their eternal

given of these locusts the picture of these Saracens as they        punishment. In other words, in the literal sense of the word

rose from the East and swept the entire northern part of            the devil and his angels are not yet in hell. Where then are

Africa, as well as the southern part of Europe, constituting        they? It seems to us that Scripture makes a distinction. Also

an awful scourge upon the countries they conquered. But             the lot of these fallen angels is not the same for all, and

there are elements in the words of our text which simply            according to their different state they accomplish a different

make such an interpretation an impossibility, - elements            purpose in the economy of the present dispensation. In the

which I find that these interpreters simply ignore and over-        first place, we read of evil spirits roaming about in desert

look. First of all, what does it mean that these locusts have       places or being bound by the river Euphrates. In the second

their power in their tails ? That seems to constitute an es-        place, we learn from Scripture that there are a number of

sential element in the passage we are now discussing. Yet           these evil spirits in aerial places, -perhaps the main army

this cannot be sufficiently explained on the supposition that       of them, Satan included. Paul calls the devil the "prince of

they are the symbols of the Moslem army, or, in fact, of            the power of the air," Eph:  2 :2. And he warns the Ephe-

any army of human beings.        Still more, the text makes the     sians that they shall put on the whole armor of God: "For

important statement that the people who have the seal of            our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the

God on their foreheads must be left untouched. But was it           principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers

not especially against the Christians that the fury of the          of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in

Mohammedans raged ? Or can it be said of any army in the            aerial places." Eph. 4:12.  They seem to be at the disposal

world that they ever make a distinction between the people          of Satan continually and constantly fight the battle with him

of God and the people of the world, and refuse to do the            against the realization of the kingdom of Christ. But in

former any hurt? Still more: these locusts receive the com-         distinction from these devils, or demons, in the air there is

mand that they may not kill, but simply hurt men for five           another division of the army of Satan. ,They  are in the abyss.

months. Granted now, for a moment, that it is permissible           They are shut up. They do not have the liberty to roam

to take these five months in the symbolical sense, every day        about, except on special occasions. At the time of Jesus'

of them constituting one year, so that the entire period might      public ministry, for instance, we find mention of one legion

be calculated as being one hundred fifty years, was it ever         of them. And when they are cast out, they beseech the Lord

beheld of an army, - that of the Moslems surely not ex-             that He may not send them back into the abyss. Peter also

cluded, - that they did not kill, but merely hurt the enemy ?       speaks of angels that have sinned and that have been com-

Surely, all these objections,-facts so plainly and so em-           mitted unto pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.

phatically mentioned in the passage, V are simply insur-            II Peter 2 :4. And Jude, verse 6, makes mention of "angels

mountable. These .locusts  are not the symbol of an army of         that kept not their own principality, but left their proper

men.                                                                habitation," which "he hath kept in everlasting bonds under

       Both these possibilities being ruled out, there is pracl     darkness unto the judgment of the great day." And of these

tically but one possibility left. And that .one is indeed in        latter evil spirits our text also makes mention. It tells us

harmony with the entire passage, as well as with the Scrip-         of them that they are in the pit. And the smoke that issues

tures in general, namely, that these locusts form an infernal       out of the abyss as it is opened evidently speaks to us of the

army of demons let loose by Satan for a certain definite            fact that their proper habitation, the sphere in which they

purpose. We know from the Word of God that Satan was                exist, is darkness.    It tells us that the pit of this abyss is

not the only person that fell in the spiritual world, but that      locked, so that they cannot issue forth from it at will. And

with him a veritable host of angels fell away from God into         since even the-  prince of this abyss must receive the key, it

rebellion. We know not how many of the angels fell with             also tells us that these evil spirits are ultimately at the dis-

their prince ; nor is this important. But we certainly receive      posal of Christ. They cannot leave their prison except at

the impression that there were indeed thousands upon thou-          His bidding. They cannot perform their infernal purposes

sands that fell with Satan. Now what became of these evil           except when He deems it the proper time. Then He blows

angels 1 Plain it is that they have not yet received their final    the trumpet and hands the key of the abyss to the prince,

judgment and punishment. Also the angel- world is still to          that he may let his armies go forth to battle.

be judged, and shall not be judged until the great day of our                                                             H . H .


                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               57


                                                                      Abraham and commanded, "Take now thy son, thine only
 11 A CLOUD OF WITNESSES jl son Isaac, whom thou lovest  . . . and offer him . . . for a burnt
                                                                      offering," Gen. 22 :2. The words seem almost cruel in their

                                                                      formulation. Each phrase seems designed to penetrate deep

                Commanded To Offer Up Isaac                           into the soul of Abraham, each word to cut at his heart like
                                                                      a knife. The command is built up phrase upon phrase and
         "Take sow thy son, tlzirze  only son Isam, whowz thou        word upon word to accentuate the dearness of the price that

         lovest,  and get thee into the land of Moriah;  md ofel-     will have to be paid if Abraham is to live in obedience. They

         him  tlzePe  for a bwnt offering  upon one of the wtozoz-    are words made to pierce, sting, and gnaw at the heart of a

         tains which I will tell thee of." G                          father that loves his child. God would have Abraham realize
                                                EN. 22 :2.
                                                                      from the very beginning the immensity of the trial that he is

     Many  are the moments in the life of every child of God          to undergo.

 when he stands at the point of decision. Before him lies the            "Take now thy son . . . and offer him." These words in
 way of the world; and his whole natural self urges him to            themselves were sufficient to touch the inmost feelings of
 follow that way to the satisfaction of his natural desires;          Abraham's heart. It was his own son to whom they referred.
  while within him there is a small principle of new life that        Difficult enough would the command have been had it re-
 tells him not to do so, for it is not the way of the Lord. Be-       ferred to just any child, the son of one of his servants, or
  fore him lies the way of the Lord ; and his inmost heart tells      even the son of a stranger. But the command referred to his
 him to follow that way as the way of true joy and peace ; but        own son, flesh of his flesh and blood of his blood. The son
 the old man of sin insists that it is useless and will come          toward whom all of his natural affection went. out with

 to no avail. Then the decision must be made. He can follow           fatherly love. That  son he must take and with his own hands
 the dictates of his flesh and gain carnal satisfaction for the       slay before the altar.
 momtnt. Or, he can deprive his flesh of its natural desire
                                                                         "Take now . . . thy only son." These words reached
 and live in peace with God.
                                                                      even deeper into the feelings of Abraham, for Isaac was his
     In Hebrews 11:17 we read, "By faith Abraham, when he             only son. Indeed, `Abraham did have another son, but Ish-
 was tried . . .,`I and it means that God brought Abraham to          mael was only a son according to the flesh. He had come
 just such a position. It is a very factual teaching of Scrip-        forth only because of the weakness and doubt of Abraham
 ture that God often places His people before trials ; He actu-       and Sarah. Moreover, although Abraham had spent many
 ally sets them before temptations. God gives to His people           years treating and instructing Ishmael as a covenant seed, he
 commands which, if they are to follow, they have to deny             had always refused to live before the face of God. Between -
 themselves ; anc,l there, is nothing more difficult for m&n  to      Abraham and Ishmael there had never existed that beautiful
 do than to deny himself. It may mean that he has to deprive          relationship of covenant father and son sharing and rejoicing
 himself of his nature's fondest desires. It may mean that he         together in the many. graces of God. In the vocabulary of
 has to give himself over to suffering, and pain of the severest      God he was not a son at all. Rather, according to the com-
  sort. It may mean that he has to perform some deed repulsive        mand of God he had been cast out as unworthy of being a
 to his whole natural being. `And yet the command stands and          spiritual heir of Abraham. With Isaac it had been different.
  the alternative can not be escaped. One may listen to his           He was the son of Sarah whose very birth had been a miracle
jl flesh: but in so doing he disobeys and sins against his God.       wrought by the power of faith. Many hid been the hours,
  He may give his flesh over to hardship; but so he walks in          weeks, and even years that Abraham had spent in joy raising
  obedience.                                                          that son in the fear of the Lord. How rich had been his

     These trials God brings to His people for a very explicit        joy as he saw that simple, childlike faith laying hold on the

 purpose.       Ii must `not be thought that God brings trials to     truth of the promise and exulting in it with his father. He

  His people for the purpose of discovering whether they have         was the only covenapt  seed which. Abraham had ever had

 faith or how great their faith may be. In His omniscience,           so as to share with him the riches of covenant communion

 this He surely knows, Rather God recognizes His people,              and life, a true spiritual son. That son he must now slay

 which are of this earth, as being in need of spiritual instruc-      upon the altar.

 tion and growth. The trials which He sends to covenant                  "Take . . . Isaac."    Isaac was the name given the child
  children are always specifically designed so that, although         by God ; it meant laughter. It recalled to Abraham's mind
 they may involve hardship and suffering, they will Serve to          the years and decades spent by him and Sarah waiting for
  their further instruction in righteousness.                         that son. Long had been their waiting, anxiously spent; and

     Among the many trials which God throughout the ages              time had crept by ; and still the son had not come. And they

 has sent to His people, it is difficult to iniagine  any of >hose    had become even more anxious because God had told them

  sent to mere man more difficult than that to which Abraham          that all of the promised blessings rested directly upon their

  was subjected. This trial began when God appeared to tempt          seed. The promised land, the life to come, the favor of God,

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


their rjghteousness,  the realization of the covenant, all          It was offered by the child of God who was deeply moved
depended on the promised seed, and the seed did not come.           by the conviction of sin and the consciousness of his own

They had grown weary in their waiting and had laughed,              unworthiness until he cried out like the publican, "God be

both he and Sarah, when God repeated the promise. There-            merciful to me, a sinner."     Such a person would shed the

fore the son was to be called Isaac to remind them of their         blood of the sacrificial victim as a covering for his sin, and he

doubt. But that laughter of doubt had dissipated into the           would burn the body of the victim upon the altar to sym-

strength of renewed faith called forth by the word of God ;         bolize his own willingness and desire to be completely con-

and the faith had blossomed forth in a new laughter of joy          secrated and devoted to his God.

when at last the child was born. He was a son born in their            That Abraham was such a person, who felt his own un-
old age to fill all of their parental desires, and even more a      worthiness and need for consecration, we may be sure. He
covenant son through whom ail of the promises could be              is called by Scripture the father of all believers and spiritual
made real. He could remember the words of Sarah: "God               consciousness and the conviction of sin were very real, to
hath made me laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with           him at all times, As through the years he grew in knowl-
me . . . Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah               edge and in faith, he grew also :in the awareness of his own
should have given children suck ? for I have born him a             iniquity, so that he pleaded upon the name of the, Lord that
son in his old age," Gen. 2i :6, 7. ,That  `son Isaac, he, Abra-    his sins might be forgiven him and his guilt be washed away.
ham, must lay on the altar and slay..                               It was the heart-cry of his life.

      "Take now thy son . . whom thou lovest."  Hoq true               Thus it was that God issued to Abraham this painful
it was that he loved that son, and Sarah tod. They loved him        and hard command. He would .teach  Abraham a rich truth
as the son of their own flesh. They loved him as their only son.    about salvation. There is' on!y  one way of salvation, and that
They loved him as the son of their old age. They loved              is that the promised seed must die. The blood of bulls and
him the more as the covenant son upon whom all of their             goats could never satisfy the justice of God. Neither was it
spiritual hopes depended. All of the loje  of Abraham and           sufficient merely that the promised seed was born. The
Sarah were focused on that child ; and that child Abraham           promised seed was born exactly for that purpose that it
must take and slay.                                                 again might. die, the complete and perfect offering for sin.

      One feels that he can hardly appreciate the struggle          So only is salvation possible.

which must have swelled within the bosom of Abraham as                 Abraham had within him a small feeling of the dearness
this almost impossible command fell upon his ears. It is a          of the promised seed. Through all the years God had pre-
hard thing for a father to witness the death of his son.            pared him so that he might haSe  a very strong love for his
Normally it is to be expected that the son will far outlive his     covenant son. Then God told him that the price for sin is
father, and to have this order reversed seems painfully un-         so great that only the life of that dear son, the proinised
natural. Even more pathetic is the experience of a father           seed, could suffice. That was i the purpose and lesson of
who even accidentally has had a part in the cause of that           God's command.
death. But what can be compared to the heartache of one
                                                                        In a figure God was actually telling Abraham about
who is cotllmanded  to stretch forth his hand and slay his
                                                                    Christ. As he was commanded fo offer his own dear son,
own son? What  we must be careful of, however, is that we
                                                                    he gained a small idea of the great price which must needs
do not begin to think that the sole purpose of God in this
                                                                    be paid for sin. It reflected the day when the final realization
command was to give Abraham something extremely diffi-
                                                                    of the promised seed, the very Son of God, would be offered
cult to do. God is not a despot who finds joy in giving His
                                                                    as the most precious price to c&er the sins of many.
children trials that are painfully hard to perform. Neither

is the ultimate beauty of this event to be found merely in the         The most amazing-fact is that we may finally read, "By

fact that Abraham was willing to subject his own feelings           faith Abraham when he was tried, offered up Isaac," Heb.

for the sake of obedience to his God. The ways of the Lord          11:17. He stagger.ed not at the-promise even when it meant

are far richer than that.                                           the life of his only son. He believed God, and that faith was

                                                                    imputed to him for righteousness.       Coming to hinl  in a
      The command of God to Abraham was, "Take now thy
                                                                    figure, it was the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
son . . . and offer him . . . for a burnt offering." A burnt

offering was a particular type of offering with a very specific                                                               B.W.

significance.    In that offering after the blood `of the victim

was shed the body was placed upon the altar and burned

until completely consumed.      Such a sacrifice was made, not
                                                                                For Thy Name's sake .hear  Thou me,
by one who had transgressed, some particular precept of
                                                                                   For Thy mercy, Lord, I wait;
God's law, but rather, by one who, having sought faithfully
to walk in righteousness before the face of God, nonetheless                    Pardon my iniquity,

felt that he had come far short of the good and perfect life.                      For my sin is very great.


                                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                            59


I/                                                                  down in unrightetitisness  by which he becom& inexcusable
           F R O M   H:OLY  W R I T                                 before God." He does not "learn" the parable of the fig tree,
                                                                    since these matters are foolishness to him. But to us, who

                                                                    believe, they are the power aid the wisdom of God.
            Exposition of Matthew  24 and 25                            Now, what the natural man cannot do, we are instructed

                                                                    to do by the Lord, the chief prophet, who makes known unto
                                V I I I .
                                                                    US the secret counsel of God concerning our redemption, even

                        (Matthe&  24 :32-`36)                       by the parable of the fig tree. And what do we then learn?

                                                                    We learn that even as the fig tree's tender shoots and leaves
      The text here reads as follows: "Now fro%14 the fig tree      proclaim that summer is nigh, so also do "all these things"
learn her parable: wlzept  laei- branch  is now become tender,      tell us that Christ is nigh, as the Lord of glory, coming in
and putteth  forth iti leaves, ye know that the summer  is          His Kingdom, yea, that He standeth  before the door! And
nigh; even so ye also, wh,en  ye see all these things, know         "learning" this from the fig tree does not simply mean: learn
that he is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto yo'u,         purely intellectually, but refers to the spiritual taking it to
This generation she2t not pa.ss away>  till all these things be     heart so that we lift up our heads in the hope of the eternal
accoutiplished.  Hea.ven  and earth shall pass away, but my         morning to enter into the eternal state, and thus ever be
words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth         with the Lord !
no one, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but
                                                                        It is noteworthy that, in the Greek text, it is emphatically
the Father only."
                                                                    pointed out that "ye" shall learn this lesson. A distinction
      In this portion of Matth<w  24 the Lord Jesus tells us to     is made here between "ye" and "this generation." Just as
"learn" the parable of the fig tree. There is something in'         the former alone, the elect, will hear the trump of God and
the nature of this fig tree which has in it a pa,rable!  There      be gathered from the four corners of the earth, so also here
is here an expressed comparison and not simply an implied           this lesson is to be learned by the children of God. In
coiqparison.     It is here expressed by Jesus just what the        learning this we learn a "mystery" of the kingdom through
comparison is.     In general wk can say, that all things happen     God's medium of revelation, the fig tree, and that, too, in
in parables. Thus Jesus says in Mark 4 :ll, "And he said            the light of Jesus' prophetic word.
unto them, unto you is giveri  the mystery of the kingdom of
                                                                        In the light of this word there is much in our day for the
God: but unto them that are without, all things are done
                                                                    enlightened child of God whereof to take notice. We have
 (come to pass) in pa.ra.bles!`r  These parables happen day by
                                                                    but to notice the stepping up of global life, global wars and
day. The sower always again goes forth to sow the seed,
                                                                    policies. We hear more than ever of wars and rumors of
and always and again the seed falls on soil that is by the
                                                                     wars. And mari  boasts great things, performing signs from
way. stony, full of thistles, and on good ground. Matthew
                                                                    heaven.` Does he not dream of traveling to the moon and the
 13 :3-9'.  The reason for this  type of revelation is that the
                                                                    planets ? Does he not have his satellites in the heavens ? !
children of the Kingdom niay  know the Mysteries of the
                                                                    And .is there not a great increase in religion, while godless-
Kingdom of God, the secrets of the Lord with His friends,
                                                                    ness is on the increase 7 And will not presently the very
and that those who are without, whose hearing is not mingled
                                                                     "heavens be shaken" ? Will not man attempt to imitate God's
with faith, may emphatically hear and not understand, may
                                                                    works, as did Jannes and Jambres of old in Egypt. Do not
emphatically see and yet not perceive the mysteries of the
                                                                    all things indicate that we are fast approaching the time
kingdom.
                                                                    when all things are ripe for the consummation of the age ?

      Thtis  it is also with the parable of the fig tree.               To the enlightened Christian this c?n mean only one

                                                                    ihing.  He hears the footsteps of Christ in history. He is
      God created the fig tree in such a way that it has in it
                                                                    approaching. Behold, he cometh  quickly. His reward is
the speech of the Creator.       God made the fig tree in such a
                                                                    with Him! Maranatha, Jesus comes!
way that it is most emphatically a harbinger of the summer.

Most trees first have leaves- and then the blossoms and the             Such is the lesson in the parable of the fig tree.

fruit. However, we are told that the fig tree has this peculiar-        In verse 34 Jesus adds a solemn word of assurance that
ity, that first the fruit is seek  on the tree. When the "branch    all these things shall be fulfilled. The counsel of God shall
is tender" one already sees the fruit, and afterwards the           stand. The church, the elect, shall surely be gathered. And
leaves. This is a sure harbinger of the summer. It has in it a       "this generation shall not pass away" till this all has come
created parable. A parable that every natural man can under-
                                                                    to pass.
stand since he has "natural light" ! Howbeit, the natural man

cannot connect this phenomenon, in the fig tree, with the               There are some interpreters who insist that "this genera-

Parousia of Christ. The natural man does not know God               tion" refers to the then living generation in the days of Jesus,

through the medium of revelation, ilie created things, but has      *and  that Jesus refers to the "Jews" and to the destruction

simply "some knowledge of God" which, even so, "he keeps            of Jerusalem and the temple. Others interpret the "this

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


   generation" in an expanded sense. This generation (genea)               On this point Jesus is very explicit and makes a most
   then has the meaning of "race" or family of people. It refers       solemn utterance. We notice the three classes who do not

   then to a certain kind (genos) of people. This generation are       know the day and the hour.      In the first place Jesus says
   then the unbelievers who "shall pass away." However, their          that "no one" knoweth the day or the hour. This implies that

   final passing away from the scene of history will not take          anyone who-thinks or presumes to have further information

   place till the time when the Son of Man returns in the con-         on this point of "time when" does not speak according to

   summation of the ages.       Mockers or scoffers would refer        the prophetic word unto which we shall give heed as unto

   "this generation" to the generation of Jesus' day and then          a light shining in a dark place. He lives by arithmetic com-

   insist that, since all these things did not come to pass during    putation and soothsaying and not by the faith in the more

   that time, Jesus' word does not stand.                             sure word of prophecy, II Peter 1:19. In the second place,

         And we may and must trust this word of the Lord Jesus.       Jesus most solemnly assures us that the angels in heaven do

   We must not pervert this "dark saying" to our own destruc-         not know either. They only know the mystery of godliness

   tion as do the wicked with all of the Scriptures. Rather we        through. the church. Only in the church do they behold with

   are placed here in the either-or (entweder-oder) by Jesus.         rapt attention the things of the sufferings of Christ and the

   Either His word passes away, does not come to pass, and            glory to follow. And, thirdly, let it not be overlooked that

   then He is in the class of the false prophets, or the heavens      both the evangelists Matthew and Mark tell us that "neither

   and the earth pass away, and then Jesus' word stands and           the Son" knoweth this hour, or the day! This should not

  He is a true prophet. For that will be the last sign. When          perplex US!  It should rather be a greater deterrent for us

  heaven and earth pass away' all will need to say : "We know         not to pry into,that  which God does not will -because of the

  that thou art a teacher come from God, for no one can do            very pedagogical purpose with the saints-to disclose even

  these signs which thou doest except God be with him," John          to the Son. It is an element in the mystery that is not

  3 :2. Here Jesus by implication applies to Himself the acid         made known.

  test of the credentials of a true prophet. Only that prophet's          That the "Son" does not know certainly means that the

  credential is good whose predictions come to pass. The              Son in human nature does not know. Here we have a case

  others must be stoned and put out of the land, Deut. 13 :1-S.       of Communication of attributes (Communicatio  idiomatum) .

  Let the mockers, therefore, scoff and mock, walking after           The per.son  of the Son, in his human consciousness does not

  their own lusts. Let them say: where is the promise of His          "know" this point on the agendum  of God. If he does not

  coming! Let them wilfully forget about the destruction of           know, he who is the chief prophet, revealing to us the secret

  the earth in the days of Noah! This earth shall be destroyed        counsel of God concerning our redemption, what presump-

  by fire, being reserved against the day of judgment, II Peter       tion is it on the part of men to say that they know. It is a

  3 :l-7. We know that God is longsuffering toward us, to-            strong commentary on human sinful inquisitiveness when

  ward his own elect people, not willing that any should perish,      men still pretend to be able to search out this :path of the

  but that they all should come to the knowledge of the truth,        Almighty !

  II Peter 3 :9.                                                          Hence, we are called not unto a searching out of the

         Hence, we trust this word of the Lord.                       secret ways of the Lord, but rather to obey His word in holy

         We `are glad about this either-or. Either heaven' and        and obedient expectancy !
  earth pass away, and we get a new heaven and new earth                 The Lord Jesus himself will give further instruction. of
  in the Parousia, or Jesus is a false prophet. We will, how-         this "watchfulness" which shall be ours, in the sequence of
  ever, abide by the "Amen" of His word. For He is the                this chapter !
  Amen, the faithful and true witness of God, the `beginning             His word shall stand also in respect to the liwdztiorz  of
  of the creation of God, and, therefore, through the "birth:         the revelation of God and its pedagogical purpose with the
  pangs" of the world's judgments also the "end" of the crea-         believers, This word shall ever be the rock of offence upon
  tion of God.                                                        which unbelievers stumble and fall into destruction.
                                                                                                                                   G.L.
     Do you ask "when" shall these things be ? You mean :

  what will be the date, the day and the hour on OUY  calendar

  and clock? That God has not made known to us. It is a

  "secret" which shall be revealed only when it comes to ,pass.
                                                                                    NOTICE: ACTS OF SYNOD
  Noah did not know the exact hour and day of the beginning

  of the flood either until it was told him. So it is also in this       The Acts of the 1958 Synod of the Protestant Reformed,

case of the final return of Christ upon the clouds. We are            Churches of America are now available. Obtain your copy

  to live in a lively hope and are to have the loins of `our mind     either from the minister or clerk of your church or send

  girt up in sober expectancy, I Peter 1:13. And, therefore,          your order to undersigned. The price is $1.00.

  we are to be certain that the Son'of  man shall return, but                               Rev. G. Vanden  Berg, Stated Clerk

  we are not to know that day or the hour, that we may be-                                         9402 South 53rd Court

  watchful unto prayer, Matthew 24:42.                                                             Oak Lawn, Illinois         .


                                               T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               6 1


II                                                                   have for these indulgences when the money to procure them
           C&tending For The Faith                                1 was used for such purposes?
                                                                         It was under such circumstances that Wyclif came signif-

                                                                     icantly to the fore. He was found among those to whom the
            The Church and the Sacraments
                                               . .                   thought of the secularization of the ecclesiastical properties

                                                                     in England was welcome. He advocated that the Church
      Vr~ws  DURING THE THIRD PERIOD (750-1517 A.D.)
                                                                     should renounce its temporal dominion. He deplored the

                THE.!%JPREMACY  OF THE POPE                          wealth of the Church and advocated a return of the Church
                                                                     to the poverty which characterized the Church at the time
            REFORMERS BEFORE THE REFORMATION                         of Christ and.the  apostles. This forerunner of the Reforma-

                      J O H N   W Y C L I F                          tion was unrelenting in his attacks upon the papacy and the

                                                                     entire hierarchy of his time. Year in and year out these
      Whatever has thus far been written on the rise and de-         attacks became sharper, and finally the reformer identified
cline of the papacy clearly reveals the importance of the            the pope with -the anti-Christ.
position of the pope of Rome and his decline in power.
                                                                        John Wyclif also contended that the Bible ought to be the
Before we proceed with the doctrine of. the sacraments and
                                                                     common possession of all Christians. However, the Bible was
of transubstantiation in particular during this period, we
                                                                     written only in Latin and could not be read by the common
wish to make a few remarks about the reformers before the
                                                                     people. Wyclif, therefore, set himself to the task of trans-
Reformation.
                                                                     lating the Bible out of the Latin into the English language

      The decline of the papacy and of the power of the pope         of his people. While it is not possible to determine exactly

in England was inaugurated by John Wyclif, a forerunner of           the part which he had in the translation, there can be no

the Reformation, and also called the Morning Star of the             doubt that the inception was due to his initiative, and that

Reformation. He was also known, at the time of his death,            the successful carrying out of the project was due to his

in England and in Bohemia, as the Evangelical doctor. He            leadership.

was born about the year 1324 and died of paralysis at the
                                                                        Another task to which Wyclif gave himself was preaching
close of the year 1384. The reason why he was not more suc-
                                                                     and the care of souls, or the sheep of the Lord, himself toiling
cessful in limiting the power of the pope in England was
                                                                    as a preacher to the people and as their teacher. Whereas it
because he practically stood alone. John. Wyclif's remains
                                                                    was his desire to do away with the existing hierarchy, he
found no quiet in the grave.    The Council of Constance, on
                                                                    put in its place "poor priests" who lived in poverty and
May 4, 1415 declared him a stiff-necked heretic and placed
                                                                    preached the gospel to the people. These priests, as itinerant
him under the ban of the Church. His books were burned
                                                                    preachers, spread abroad among the people the teachings of
and also his bones which were exhumed from his grave.
                                                                    Wyclif. Two by two they went barefoot, clad in long dark-
      There were social and economic conditions in England          red robes and carrying a staff in their hand, this latter having
which served as a background for the rise of John Wyclif.           symbolic reference to their pastoral calling, and passed from
The age of feudalism (in our country the slaves were the            place to place' preaching the sovereignty of God. It is also
property of their masters; in the Middle Ages the serfs be-         worthy of note that Wyclif formulated in twelve short sen-
longed to the land and were transferred from one property           tences his conception of the Lord's Supper. His followers
to another even as the property was transferred from one            were known as Lollards.
owner to another) was coming to an end. Men began to ask
whether the lords were greater folk than they. And they                 John Wyclif, of course, was condemned by the Church as
began to claim that all men came from the same father and           a heretic. After his death his books' were burned and his
mother, Adam and Eve.                                               bones exhumed, burned, and scattered abroad. A law was
                                                                    passed which condemned heretics to be burned. Many of the
      These social and economic uprisings and disturbances          Lollards perished in the flames. However, his teachings
exerted a tremendous influence upon the Church. It is said          could not be destroyed, and their seed was implanted in other
that one-third of the property of the realm was owned by the        parts of Europe. The movement of John Huss in Bohemia
Church. A movement to limit the power of the bishops and            was certainly a result of John Wyclif and his teachings, and
to demand spirituality and efficiency in the clergy began to        it led to the further decline of the papacy at Rome.
grown in strength. Besides, the mass of the clergy had little

learning. And the prelates lived in abundance in luxury. The
                                                                                             JOHN  HUSS.
clergy were a constant drain upon the incomes of the com-

mon people. And to this we may add that indulgences were                John HUSS, the famous reformer of Bohemia, was born

being granted to procure aid for the building of churches, the      approximately in 1369, about one hundred and fifty years

erection of buildings, the filling up of muddy roads and for        before Martin Luther nailed the ninety-five theses to the

other public improvements. What respect could the people            church door of Wittenberg. He was an ardent disciple and


62                                       T H E   S.TANDARD   B E A R E R



follower of John Wyclif, possessed and studied the writings        Wyclif's views `on the sacraments, but this is not at all sure.

and views of the English Reformer, and championed the              It is certain that the soil had been well prepared forthis  doc-

cause of the Reformation long before the German reformer           trine in Bohemia, the doctrine of the sacraments as advocated

appeared upon the scene. The teachings of John Wyclif were         by John Wyclif.

more firmly rooted and imbedded  in the native land of John            That which led to the final trial and condemnation of
Huss than in the land of England. The parents of John HUS.S        HUSS at Constance was the matter of indulgences. We must
were Caechs  and in narrow circumstances.        Like Martin       remember that it was the time of the Great or Papal Schism,
Luther, he had to earn his living by singing and performing        which lasted from 1375 to 1417.. For many years the popes
hulllble  services in the Church. He felt inclined toward the      had had their residence in Avignon, France. The Italians,
priesthood and studied at Prague. He became a priest in            of course, were greatly dissatisfied with this state. of affairs.
1400 and in 1402 he was appointed rector of the philosophical      They wanted the pope to live in Rome. This led to an open
faculty. In 1402 he was also appointed preacher of the Beth-       break between the Italian and French peoples of the Roman
lehem Church in Prague. His inclination toward ecclesil            Catholic Church. Each elected its own pope. Now there were
astical reforms was awakened by his acquaintance with the          two popes: John XXIII in Avignon and Gregory XII in
writings of John Wyclif.                                           Rome. Later a council deposed both popes and elected a third
      Huss was popular in his native land of Bohemia. His          man to be the pope: Alexander V. However, neither of the
preaching met with a hearty response among both the com-           two deposed popes .would  give up his office. The result was
mon people and the nobility. Throngs were attracted by his         that now there were three popes. At last, in 1417, another
preaching. Huss himself wrote in 1410 that wherever he             man became pope and the three who claimed to be the pope
made his appearance in city or town, village or castle, the        relinquished their claim to the office.
people flocked together in crowds, and this in spite of the
                                                                       John XXIII was experiencing great difficulty in warding
clergy. He was an outstanding advocate of Wyclif and his
                                                                   off the challenge and claims of Gregory XII. In the meantime
views. However, one may well wonder whether all this sup-
                                                                   the teachings of Wyclif had been declared heretical and his
port, especially among the nobility, was prompted by the
                                                                   writings destroyed in the land of Bohemia. Huss, however,
Spirit of God. We know, for example, that the Lord used
                                                                   continued to preach and became increasingly bolder in his
this mass support of Luther by the masses of the German
                                                                   denunciation and condemnation of the Church. And now John
people to preserve the life of the German reformer and the
                                                                   XXIII, because of his difficulties, sought support in his
cause of the Reformation in Germany. We must bear in
                                                                   struggle with Gregory XII. Unto that end he offered in-
mind that the`  Roman Catholic Church exercised a strangle
                                                                   dulgences to all who would rally around him. An indulgence
hold, upon the lives of the people from practically every point
                                                                   was a `document which the Church issued to the penitent, as-
of view.    The taxation of the masses by the Church was
                                                                   suring the penitent that he had received forgiveness through
particularly offensive and the masses resented this interfer-
                                                                   the payment of money. And now John XXIII offered such
ence of the Roman Catholic Church. This may also have been
                                                                   indulgences to all who would rally to his support. Huss ob-
true in the land of Bohemia.
                                                                   jected to these indulgences strenuously, although in the past
      It is evident from the teachings of John Huss that he
                                                                   he had had no objection to them. He objected and protested
was a true forerunner of the Reformation. His learning was
                                                                   against the practice by means of the spoken and written word.
not of a universal range; it was limited mainly to what he
                                                                   He declared that no pope or bishop has a right to take up
learned through the writings of Wycliff. His book on the
                                                                   the sword in the Name of the Church, and that .man  obtains
Church and on the power of the pope contains the essence of
                                                                   forgiveness of his sins only by real repentance and-not  for-
the doctrine of Huss. According to it, the Church is not that
                                                                   money.      Papal bulls were issued against him and his fol-
hierarchy which is generally designated as Church ; the
                                                                   lowers. Some who called these indulgences a fraud were
Church is the entire body of those who have been predestina-
                                                                   beheaded. But John Huss continued to preach and to con-
ted from eternity unto salvation. HUSS,  therefore, maintained
                                                                   demn the Church.                                                  H.V.
and emphasized the doctrine of election. Christ is the Head

of this Church and not the pope. It is no article of faith that

one must obey the pope to be saved. Neither external mem-

bership in the Church nor churchly offices and dignities are                                  IN MEMORIAM

a surety that the persons in question are members of the              The Men's Society of the First Protestant Reformed Church  of

Church in the true sense of the word. He distinguished be-         Grand Rapids, Mich.,  hereby wishes to e`xpress  its heartfelt sym-

tween a being Zrt the Church and a being of the Church. What       pathy to its president, Mr. Henry Meulenberg, in the loss of his
he says in his sermons on the corruption of the Church, the        brother,
                                                                                       R I C H A R D   M E U L E N B E R G
clergy and monks, and on the duties of external, temporal
                                                                      May the God of all grace comfort the bereaved and sustain them
powers, etc., he has taken almost literally from Wyclif. Wyclif
                                                                   in their sorrow.
deplored the power and influence which the Church exercised                                                 A. Blyenberg, Vice President
in temporal and secular affairs. He claims not to have shared                                               S. Beiboer, Secretary


                                               T H E   S T A N D A R D   - B E A R E R                                              63


                                                                      world of lust is created -by wicked men. That world of lust

         The Voice of Our Fathers                                     appeals to auf sinful flesh, to the "remains of indwelling sin"
                                                                      that are in us. And it stands in direct opposition to the good

                                                                      and acceptable and holy will of God. The small beginning
                The Canons of Dordrecht                               of the new obedience finds  nothing in this whole world to

                                PART TWO                              appeal to it and to support it. But the large remains of in-
                                                                      -dwelling sin in us `find everything to strengthen it and to
                 EXPOSITION OF THE CANONS                             nourish its voracious and lustful appetite. And thirdly, there

                      F                                               is the world of "wicked men." The world of the ungodly,
                      IFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE

                                                                      with all its power and influence, its wisdom and wealth, not
           OF THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS                          only has the power to deceive and to allure the Christian by

                           Article 3 (continued)                      offering him its riches and its pleasures, its name and its

                                                                      vainglory. But it has the power to threaten him, to cause
   The fathers mention in this article three causes for the           him suffering, to persecute him to the death. And while,
inability of the converted Christian to persevere in that grace
                                                                      according to the principle of the new life, the Christian is not
of conversion, namely: the remains of indwelling sin, the             attracted by the siren-call of that world nor frightened by its
attacks of the world, and the attacks of Satan.                       threats of' suffering and death, yet, according to the flesh, he
   As to the first, we can be brief. The preceding articles of        still hankers after all that the world has to offer and he
this chapter have already dealt with this subject of the old          fears its enmity. In the midst of this world the Christian
nature of the Christian, We need no't repeat'what  is stated          must live. In fact, it is God's will not that the Christian
in those articles.                                                    should withdraw, but that he should be "in the world, though

   But the fathers here mention two other factors. And                not of the world."    Again, in view of the fact that he has

concerning these we must offer a few words of explanation.            only a small beginning, while all the rest of him is flesh, the

   There is, in the first place, the world. To this world be-         Christian, if left to himself, could never survive. His own
                                                                                                                   . .
longs, first of all, the world of sensible and visible things,        strength is far too small to overcome such mighty enemies.

the things of this present time. These things are in them-               In the second place, the article speaks of the attacks of

selves not evil. But the things that are seeri  are temporal, are     Satan. These attacks of Satan are real.. Make no mistake

of the earth, are no end in themselves. To seek them is               about that. Perhaps we often form some hazy conception

wrong. To set our hearts on them, rather than on the things           about Satan and his host, and far too theoretically concede

that are above, is a great evil. Now to our flesh belongs the         the reality of this enemy and his operations. But Satan is

element that we are still of the earth, earthy. We are bound          the prince of this world, who in the spiritual, ethical sense of

with a thousand ties to this present earth and this present           the word has this world in his coptrol, ready to do his bid-

world with all its relationships. And tihile there is nothing         ding. He can work either directly upon the mind and heart

sinful as such in that earthiness and in those earthly relation-      of the child of God, or he can employ the whole world to do

ships and that earthly life,  yet when those earthy things,           his bidding. Behind every temptation, every struggle, every

with their great attraction, become- an end in themselves,            persecution, every threat, every alluring offer of the world is

and when they become a barrier, preventing us from seek-              the devil. He is both a powerful and a deceitful enemy. And

ing the things that -are above, they become our enemy. And            do not forget, all his operations are aimed not at the world,

many a child of God can only with great difficulty let go final-      which he has already in his camp, but  at the child of God.

ly of this present life in order to enter his heavenly and eternal    He is acquainted with the weaknesses of the people of God.

home. So wrapped up in the things of this present time                He knows how to attack them at their weakest point. The

does he become that he would surely succumb to the attrac-            one he will atttack  through his lust for wealth ; the other he

tions of this present world if left to his own strength. He           will strike through his peculiar weakness for the pleasures

has only a small beginning of the .new life. And that small           of the world ; still another he will deceive through his strong

beginning is the beginning of the-life of heaven ; it is from         desire for vainglory.    He never misses an opportunity to

above. But all the rest in that child of God is not from above;       attack the Christian in his weakest moments ,and when he

it is of the earth, earthy. And if he were left to himself, the       least expects it.

earthy in him would surely overwhelm and s&ff out that                   Thus, there is a triple alliance against the Christian.

small beginning of the heavenly. Secondly, that world in-             There is the devil. There is the world. And these two have

cludes the world in its evil sense, the world of created things       a mighty enemy within the gate, the flesh of the Christian

as they have been subjected to the principle of sin. This is          himself. How foolish for anyone to imagine that the Chris-

the world of "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye,         tian, once. supplied with the grace of conversion, could ever

and the pride of life," of which the apostle7ohn speaks. The          persevere in that grace, could ever continue in the fellowship

whole world of created things is subjected to and put to the          of Christ, could ever maintain the bond.of faith between him-

use of the principle of enmity against God, so that an entire         self and Christ, if left to himself. The moment the current


   64 -                                       T H E    S T A N D A R D   .BEP;RER


   of divine grace would cease to flow sovereignly, unilaterally,                       Article 4. Although the weakness of the flesh cannot
                                                                                        prevail 
   from God through Christ to the Christian, at that moment the                                     against the power of God, who co&s  and
                                                                                        preserves true believers in a state of grace, yet con-
   Christian could no more stand in the grace of cOnversion,                            verts are not always so influenced and actuated by the
   but would surely fall back .into the hopeless darkness of sin                        Spirit of God, as not in some particular instances sin-
                                                                                        fully to deviate from the guidance of divine grace, so
   and condemnation.                                                                    as to be seduced by, and comply with the lusts of the

         But God is faithful.                                                           flesh; they must, therefore, be constant in watching and
                                                                                        prayer, that they be not led into temptation. When
         God's faithfulness means fundamentally that He is un-                          these are neglected, they are not only liable to be drawn
   changeably true to Himself. He cannot deny Himself. And                              into great and heinous sins, by Satan, the world and
                                                                                        the flesh, but sometimes by the righteous permission of
   therefore He is true to His own purpose and to His own                               God actually fall into these evils. This, the lamentable
   work. And the converted Christian is God's workmanship ;                             fall of David, Peter and other saints described in Holy
                                                                                        Scripture, demonstrates.
   he is the work of God's grace. Therefore God cannot forsake
                                                                           The above tralislation  is not accurate in all respects. We
   His people. He cannot for His own name's sake forsake the
                                                                       offer our own translation below, and the reader can compare
   work of His grace as it is represented in and principally ac-
                                                                       it with the accepted English version of our Psalter.
   complished in His people. And hence it is true: He that has

   begun a good work in you shall surely perfect it unto the day                        Although, however, that power of God which co&s
                                                                                        and preserves the true believers in grace is greater than
   of Jesus Christ.                                                                     that it can be overcome by the flesh, nevertheless the
        That work of God whereby He preserves His saints aud                            converted are not always thus actuated and influenced
   perfects them unto the day of Jesus Christ is powe+l.  He                            by God so that they are not able in certain particular
                                                                                        actions to draw back, by their own fault, from the
   is the Almighty. This means that the same irresistible power                         guidance of grace, and to be seduced by the lusts of

   which first wrought in them the grace of conversion continues                        the flesh,  and to comply with these. Therefore they
                                                                                        themselves must constantly watch and pray, lest they
   to work in them, to work through and to advance until the                            be led into temptation. When they do not do this, not

   final victory. It means that the power of the three-fold                             only are they able to be clrawn  away by the flesh, the
                                                                                        world, and Satan, into even grave and atrocious sins,
   enemy, -the devil, the world, and our own flesh, - is ab-                            but even by the just permission of God are sometimes

   solutely subject to and must stand in the service of the work                        drawn away. This the melancholy falls of David, of
                                                                                        Peter, and of other saints, described in Holy Scripture,
   of His grace.                                                                        demonstrate.

        The preserving work of God is to the md. The honor and             The following points are worthy of note in this transla-

   glory of God's own name are at stake in that work. As surely        tion :

   as God is faithful to Himself, so surely is He faithful to His          1) It correctly makes the subject of the first part of this
   people. God's grace is not such that at times it is given and       article the-power of God.
   at other times taken away. Where the Lord once makes His                2) It correctly emphasizes that when the believers deviate
   abode, there He continues to dwell with the dominion of His         from the guidance of divine grace, they do so through their
   Spirit and grace. Whatever may be said about the falls of           own fault. The article means to emphasize this, and not
   -the  Christian, God never totally removes His grace from the       merely to say that believers sinfully deviate.
s a i n t .
                                                                           3) It correctly pictures the danger  of neglecting to watch
        And finally, that work of God is %zerc$uZ.  This surely em-
                                                                       and pray. The accepted translation does not bring this out
   phasizes that God's people are not-worthy of being preserved
                                                                       pro$`erly. The original uses the same term in both parts of
   in themselves. They are unfaithful a thousand times over.
                                                                       this sentence, "to be drawn away."                   Ana  the article states:
   But God's faithfulness does not at all depend on their un-
                                                                       "Not only are they ,nble to be drawn away . . . ., but some-
   faithfulness. He is merciful. The work of His grace is such
                                                                       times they .a.ye drawn away by the ju~!t permission of God."
   that He exactly purposes to deliver them out of their present
   misery, in which is included their unfaithfulness and inability         Our discussion of this important article must wait until
   to stand if left to themselves, and to make them perfectly          next time, D.V.
   blessed with Himself. And therefore He confirms them,                                                                                                H.C.H.

   establishes them, in the grace once conferred. No, He does

   not simply by an immediate operation cause them successfully

  to resist all their enemies from within and from without. But
   He preserves and confirms the work of His grace in them,                                             IN MEMORIAM

  and confirms them in that grace. And He does that always                The Mary-Martha Society of the ,Protestant  Reformed Church,

  in such a way that the little principle of the new life can          of Redlands, California, extends its sincere sympathy to Mrs. Adrian
                                                                       A. Van Meeterq,  in the loss of her brother; and to Mrs. John
  never perish, can never be taken away from them.                     Feenstra and Mrs. Charles Van Meeteren, in the loss of their uncle,
        Such is the perseverance of the saints. The explanation,
                                                                                               J O H N   E .   HASPER
  the key, is'the  preserving grace of our merciful God. We are
                                                                          May our Heavenly Father comfort and sustain the bereaved m
  kept im the power of God through faith unto the salvation
                                                                       their sorrow.
  ready to be revealed in the last time.                                                                            Rev. H. H. ,Kuiper,  President
                                 * * t *                                                                            M r s .   H .   S a w y e r ,   S e c r e t a r y


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R .                                                 65


                                                                    on earth. Christ has given His power to no one, not to the

             DECENCY and ORDER                                      churc,h,  n,or  to the office-bearers. His power stands above
                                                                    the chur& and above the office-bearers. In our Church Order,

                                                                    Articles 1 and 2, the office in the church is called a sevvice
                         The Report                                  (dienst), i.e., a dedicated work-sphere in the service of the

    In our last article we made mention of the report of the        King of the church, by whose power and through whom it is

committee of pre-advice, submitted to the Synod of the Chris-       given. The authority of the office lies not in the church nor

tian Reformed Church in 1926, and dealing with the matter           in the persons of the office-bearers but alone in the con-

of Classical jurisdiction or authority `(Art. 36). This report      fomkty  of the acts of the office-bearers with the revealed

was the fruit of the dommittee's labor over a double report         will of Christ. The office is a service of Christ, the exe-

by a study committee that could not arrive at agreement in          cuting of His will. In case an official action is not in agree-

its conclusions. It was finally in consequence of the report        ment with the will of Christ, it has then no real authority.

of the committee of pre-advice that the Synod acted, up-            (Church Order, Art. 31.)

holding Classis  Grand Rapids West in its action of deposing            (2) The Relation of the Ch,umh  and the Office-bearers
the Consistories of Kalamazoo and Hope.                                      (Consistory)

    All of these reports are rather lengthy. They appear in             The church is not a society which chooses a government

the Agendum and Acts of Synod, 1928, in the Holland                 (bestuur) which it charges to carry out that which the so-

language. Because of this the present English-speaking              ciety decides. In Reformed Denominations, inherent (in-

generation is unacquainted with their contents. We will, there-     klevende) authority does not reside in the church so that she

fore, attempt to freely translate these reports for the benefit     can appoint office-bearers to whom she gives the mandate to

of our readers. Any corrections in translation will be grate-       execute her will. Neither does she have a working (be-

fully acknowledged. Here follows the report of the study            dienende) authority so that she herself can make ecclesiastical

committee which consists of two parts :                             (kerkrechtelijk) decisions and execute them. Nowhere does

                                                                    Scripture or our Church Order teach that the church is an
                          Report IX                                 ecclesiastical (kerkrechtelijk) body and that Christ has com-

  Does a Clazsis  have  the right to depose ,a Consistory?          missioned her with working power to cen&re and excom-
                                                                    municate members or office-bearers. This right does not lie
    "TO this question a negative answer can be given, if a
                                                                    in the w~ewtbmship but in the oflice which Christ, through the
Classis  is truly considered as a higher rule, with a higher
                                                                    apostles, has instituted in the church. Regarding the rights
power, seemingly autdcratic  and impe?-ative,  as the Classes of
                                                                    and duties of the church as a whole, the office-bearers are i-ep-
the collegialistic Netherlands Reformed Church. But in Re-
                                                                    resentatives of the church (Church Order, Article 11). Yet,
formed Church circles. the Classes do not bear such a character.
                                                                    not in the sense that they receive the office as a charge of
The answer to this question depends on, the character of the
                                                                    the church. The office is an ordination of Christ in the church
local church and that of the broader gatherings in their
                                                                    and has not arisen oztt of the church. The office-bearers are
reciprocal relation. V$e  must proceed from our C1turch  Order
                                                                    servants of Christ. They work for Christ in the behalf of the
and this we must explain according to Reformed princifiles
                                                                    church and not for the church in the behalf of Christ.
which form its basis.

                                                                       The church has a twofold task with respect to the
                               I.                                   office-bearers, Firstly, they have the right to elect from a
    (1) The general and main principle is that Chkst  is the        duo determined by the consistory. By this they do not put
King, Law-giver aged Ruler of the chz~ch. Article 28, D.K.O.        him in office but approve or choose the person for the office.

   He has instituted her. She is his possession. He alone           Then follows the ca.lEng  to the office through the office-

has sovereign power over her. He alone rules over the church        bearers (consistory) and the ordinatio?z  of office through the

jure suo.    Therefore,, in the church His will alone applies       minister of the Word. And this occurs not for the church

which He. has revealed through His apostles in the New              but for Christ. First, through the calling and approbation the

Testament. This is the law for the church The Church Order          person elected by the church receives the official qualification

is no law but an arrangement of rules concerning the manner         (bevoegdheid). Thus the church works along as a means

in which the church, according to the demand of Christ, must        toward the election of the person who, on the part of Christ,

act. All that is taken up in our Church Order must be ex-           is placed in office through the office-bearers. There is thus,

plained from the main principle that Christ is the King of the      not in the Romish sense but in the Reformed sense, a con-

Church. The whole content of this report is determined by           tinuity of office-bearers in the church.

this main principle.                                                   Secondly, every member of the church has the right and

   In Christ alone lies the power over the church. Since            the duty to judge, according to the Holy Scriptures and the

Christ is exalted in heaven, He Himself rules as actually over      accompanying Confessions and Church Order, the work and

His Church as when He was physically present in His church          life of the office-bearers because the church in the New

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


Testament is a mature church since she, on the day of Pente-             churches with respect to all that belongs to their common

cost, received the goly  Spirit by whom she can consciously              labors.,

judge. We can add yet to this that the church can withdraw               -_ %vei-y  consistory is officially independent with respect to
from a departing (afwijkende) consistory when the latter                 all the labor of the local church which she alone can perform.
persists. Yet this lies outside the question of this report.             However, sometimes there arise matters in the local church

      In relation to that question, the principal matter of this         which the consistory cannot finish alone and there are also

second point is that the church is not an ecclesiastical (kerk-          those" things which belong to the churches in common and

rechtelijk) body and thus cannot depose office-bearers (con-             that the consistory alone may not handle.

sistory) . From the main thought - Who puts into office can                  With a view to the question which we in this report must
alone depose from office-it follows that Christ's office-                answer, we let the latter rest and speak only of the former,
bearers can be deposed from office only by Christ.                       namely, cases in the local church which the consistoi-y  alone

      We refer here to Articles 4 and 22 of the Church Order             cannot finish. In the Church Order, Article 79, such cases

where the election of ministers, elders and deacons is treated.          are mentioned. According to this article a cons&pry alone

Further, to the form of the call-letter for ministers, in our            may not depose an elder or deacon except with the assistance

church as well as in the Reformed Churches of the Nether-                (medewerking)  of a neighboring consistory. In this case the

lands. The form in the Netherlands speaks loudly . . . `The              latter has the right to mutually decide.

consistory . . . . at present-lawfully assembled . . . . noting              Article 79 states further that a double consistory has the

the result of the election . . . . has seen fit to call, as it calls,    right to suspend a minister but whether he will be deposed

by these . . . .' And, finally, according to the Forms used for          altogether from office shall depend on the judgment of the

Excommunication and Readmittance, we find this : `There-                 Classis  with the advice of the Synodical  deputies (Art. 11,

fore we, ministers and rulers of the church of God, here                 D.K.O.).

gathered in the name and authority of our Lord Jmus  Christ,                 The Church Order in Articles 30 and 31 teaches the
declare . . . .'                                                         limitation of the authority of the local church in:

      (3) The Power of the Comistory                                         ( 1) cases in the church or in the consistory which cannot

                                                                         be finished by the consistory alpne ;
      Whenever the question comes up in a consistory whether
censure is to be applied to a member or office-bearer, no Re-                (2) cases which belong to the churches of the tiroader
                                                                         gathering in common ;
formed Consistory gives consideration to calling a congrega-

tional meeting or seeking the advice of the congregation                     (3 j cases which come to the Classis  through the appeal of

about this. Each consistory knows that this is a purely of&              members of the church or of members of the consistory.

cial  matter thaf belongs to the consistory (Articles 76-79,                 From all this it follows: First, that the authority of'the

D.K.O.).                                                                 consistory is not adequate (voldoende) and independent in

                                                                         various cases in the local church ; secondly, that these cases,
      The authority of the office-bearers, i.e., of the consistory,
                                                                         namely, those that belong to the churches in common, are
is the only ruling power in the local church as well as in the
                                                                         related to differences concerning doctrine and life, and are
churches in unity of denomination. There is, according to
                                                                         connected with the discipline and, therefore, are ecclesiastical
our Riformed conception, no other ruling authority in the
                                                                         (`kerkrechtelijk)  in character: thirdly, that to the Classis  is
church, neither lower .nor higher. With this in view the con-
                                                                         given the ecclesiastical (kerkrechtelijk) authority to pass
sistory of the local church is sometimes called autonomous.
                                                                         judgment over the differences of doctrine and life."
Against this many objections are raised because the word
                                                                                               (to be continued)                  G.V.D.B.
autonomy literally denotes that one is absolutely independent

and a law-giver unto himself. In this literal sense the term                Note b$ the editor. The above article was sent to me for
cannot be used with reference to the local church or con-                the Oct. 1 issue, but was overlooked by me. I `am very
sistory. If men use this term to express that each local church          sorry for the mistake and apologize. The reader should read
is an &dependent  (zelfstandig) manifestation of the body of             the above article, therefore, befpre the one printed in the
Christ, there B not objection, but if men want to thereby                Oct. 15 issue.                                              H.H.
say that every local church and consistory is wholly inde-

pendent and stands separate from the other churches and con-

sistories,  this would be in conflict with the conception o$ our                     ATTENTION CONSISTORIES!
Church Order in Article 36.
                                                                             Several copies of the Acts of Synod have been given out

      In Article 84 it is said against Rome that all churches            on consignment. Will the Consistories make a serious effort

and all office-bearers are equal (gelijk) so that one may not            to dispose of them and send the money or unsold copies to

lord it over the other, Yet the Church  Order does not deny              REV,. C. HANK0 in Classis  East and undersigned in

in this article that the church in an ecclesiastical manner (in          Classis  West.                           Stated Clerk

kerkrechtelijke  zinj can arid must work together with other                                                      REV. G. VANDEN  BERG


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                 G7


                                                                         Oscar Cullmann, professor at the Sorbonne: "The scien-

           A L L   AROUND  U S                                       tific attempt, as such, a legitimate means of exploration, will
                                                                II neither remove us from nor will it draw LIS nearer to God.
                                                                     But it will remind the Christian of the cosmic reach of his
Theologians and the Moon.                                            faith: the work of Christ mediator of all creation, concerns

   Christianity Today, a rather young but popular religious          the entire universe. That faith will inspire the solution of
periodical, has sent a questionnaire to 25 distinguished leaders,    the ethical problems."

most of them theologians, the purpose of which was to deter-            Frank E. Gaebelein, headmaster, The Stony Brook School :
mine their reaction to the latest attempt of science to hit the      "Exploration of space should lead men closer to the only
moon. In the October 13th issue of this paper the report of          true God, who created not only this planet but also the
their findings is given. Our readers may find it interesting         whole universe. But it cannot do this unless man remains
to know what these men have to say about this subject. We            humble before the living God. If man, who brought ruin to
give you herewith their remarks :                                    the earth )through  the rebellion of sin, malces  such achieve-

   Karl Barth, professor, University of Basel: "What about           ments as lunar exploration and space travel an occasion for
the prospect .of a shot to the moon? See Psalms 139 :7-10.           self-exaltation, he will inevitably be subject to God's greater
(`Whither shall I go from thy Spirit ? or whither shall I flee       judgment upon his pride. The redeeming work of Christ has
from thy presence ? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art             infinite and universal implications. Because it reveals the
there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I        very heart of God, it stands above. the material universe.
take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost            God's love for man through Christ, who upholds all things
parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy         by the word of His power, is eternal and therefore beyond
right hand shall hold me' AV) . For the rest : take it easy !"       revision through any kind of scientific advance."

Andrew W. Blackwood, professor emeritus, Princeton                      John H. Gerstner, professor, Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological
Theological Seminary : "The shot to the moon calls atten-            Seminary: "I cannot become excited theologically about a
tion to Psalm 8, which sings about man's insignificance com-         landing on the moon, but I am quite interested in it as a

pared with the moon, and his majesty as `little less than            possible relief -for the earth's population, weather observa-

God' RSV. Once I preached about the hydrogen bomb. Now               tory, missile base, and so forth. It seems to me that its ex-
I think a minister should preach from the Bible, as an ex-           ploration draws us neither closer nor further from God and
pert, and not preach science, as an amateur."                        has no implication for, the state of man's depravity, except

                                                                     that it illustrates once again that fallen men can be very able
   F. F. Bruce, professor, The University, Sheffield : " `The        scientists.    I see nothing more sinister in the discovery of
works.of  the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have       the moon than in the discovery of America."
pleasure therein' (Ps. 111:2, AV). The more that men dis-

cover about the universe of God, the more cause they have              Carl F. H. Henry, professor (on leave), Fuller Theolog-

for admiring his wisdom and power. National prestige and             ical Seminary, and editor of this magazine: "Fallen man

the like, however, are unworthy motives for exploring crea-          vaunts his genius and power `to disguise his moral nakecl-

tion, as compared with doing `it to the glory of the Creator."       ness and spiritual bankruptcy. He shoots to the moon much

                                                                     in the spirit of proud Lucifer exalting himself against God.
    Emil Brunner, professor, University of Zurich: "A shot           In fact, in the Bible, Satan is prince of the power of the air.
to the moon has significance only as the latest achievement          To bend the universe to God's purpose is man's divinely-
of science. The improportionate interest in it shows mankind         given task. As sinner he exploits the universe instead; he
confusing means and ends and overrating the importance of            reaches for infinity to vaunt his own glory."
technological achievement. While science manifests men's

God-given dominance over nature, the course of its develop-              W. Boyd Hunt, professor, Southwestern Baptist The-

ment shows its incapability of integrating it into the oneness       ological Seminary : "Man is not to fear science (Matt. 10:

of human life according to its divine destiny."                      2s). Rather, science under God, is man's (Gen. 1:26-28))  to

                                                                     use or to abuse. Something would be wrong with Christians
    Gordon H. Clark, professor, Butler University: "The at-          if professing atheists were to permanently out-think and out-
tempt to shoot the moon has no more religious significance           invent them. If man can get to the moon, reverent faith says
than any other great scientific advance. To suppose so is on         that the time is wasting. And it also says, let the glory be
a level with interpreting the Apocalypse by the morning              God's, who made man, and who made him hungry to know
newspaper. God's first command to Adam contained the                 truth, and who made truth so vast and all-challenging."
injunction to subdue nature.     Shooting the moon, therefore,

is a divinely appointed task. Unfortunately, however, the                Dirk Jellema,  professor, Case Institute of Technology :

ungodly are generally reputed to have obeyed this command-           "The success or failure of current moon shots has no religious

ment more successfully than devout Christians have."                 implication. Man's coming conquest of space (and note that



                                                                                               :


6     8                                      T H E   STANDA'RD               B E A R E R


God made him to `have dominion' - Ps. 8 6, AV) will have              `who makes all things work together for good. to those who in

no effect on his basic problems, his religious problems; which        Christ. Jesus love and serve him."

are unaffected by his space-time location. Man may someday                Reinhold Niebuhr, professor, Union Theological Semi-
rule the galaxy ; if so, he will still need a Saviour."               nary : "I am baffled by the concern +bout the theological

     W. Harry Jellema, professor, Calvin College: "Always             significance of a shot to the moon, particularly when we are

the problem for the Christian moralist has been to lead men           living in the nuclear age and the conscience of the whole

in the path of wisdom ; and wisdom for man is to know and             world is troubled about another aspect of modern technical

to use himself and his world so as to grow in knowledge and           achievements, namely, the destructive possibility of nuclear

love  of God in Christ. For Christian ethics and theology,            weapons."

therefore, I see no more of a problem in current researches in
                                                                          Harold John Ockenga, president of the board of direc-
outer space that?; was occasioned by invention and use of the
                                                                      tors, Fuller Theological Seminary : "Nothing in Scripture
telescope. No more of a problem ; essentially no new problem ;
                                                                      precludes the possibility of interplanetary space travel. Let
very much the same problem as always."
                                                                      us evangelicals  not be provincial. But should fallen man suc-

     Clyde S. Kilby,  professor, Wheaton  College : "Christians       ceed in projecting himself to the moon or any other planet,

can rest in the perfect assurance that planetary or even in-          he will inject his sin, his hate, his violence, into the new

terstellar exploration will make no essential difference in           sphere. This only intensifies the Gospel task and Christian

the rationale of their position,    Since the Creator is of neces-    responsibility. Space travel may well be a ,fulfillment  of

sity larger than His creation, and since He sovereignly oc-           Acts 2 :19  and Luke 21 :25, which prophesy recognizable

cupies all space and all time, Christians should joyfully en-         signs in the sun, moon and stars before the second coming

courage every honest investigation of the universe. They              of the Lord. For the first time in history, these may be ful-

should l?e of all people the least provincial."                       filled."

     Harold B. Kuhn, professor, Asbury  Theological Semi-                 William Childs Robinson, professor, Columbia Theolog-
nary : "The  results of space explorations may be largely in          ical Seminary :    `I "Seventy-seven Seconds - Multi-million
one of two directions. They may lead men again to ponder              Dollar Failure.' That is the record of the first U.S. effort
the words of the Psalmist, `When I consider . . . the moon            to fire a rocket to the moon. This multi-million dollar ex-
and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that            periment is, of course, paid for by increasing the debt limit
thou art mindful of him ?' (Ps. S :3-4, AV) . In other words,         and cheapening the dollar. That is, everyone in the co.untry
today's explorations could point the way to a new recogni-            paid for the expensive failure. At about the same time two
tion of both the majesty and the condescension of God. Or,            submarines cross from the Pacific to the Atlantic under the
such achievements could serve to bolster man's pride in his           polar ice-cap. God gave the earth fo man, but He did not
own wisdom and ability, and to revive Swinburne's super-              give man dominion over the moon: Why not use the marve-
ficial, `Glory to man in the highest !' "                             lous skills of science for this world and leave the sun and

     C. S. Lewis, professor, Cambridge University: "I . . . fear      the moon and the stars to the fingers of the Almighty."

the practical, not the theoretical, problems which will arise
                                                                          Space does not allow us to quote the reactions of six
if ever we meet rational creatures which are not human.
                                                                      others who answered the questionnaire. This symposium was
Against them we shall, if we can, commit all the crimes we
                                                                      conducted evidetitly  by mail. The thought came to us, how
have already committed against creatures certainly human
                                                                      interesting it might be if we could hear all 25 learned men
but differing from us in features and pigmentation y and ,the
                                                                      conduct a panel discussion 6n the subject. There would be,
starry heavens will become an object to which gobd men can
                                                                      no doubt, considerable debate,
look up only with feelings of intolerable guilt, agonized pity
                                                                          As to our own thoughts on the subject, we are inclined
&cl burning shame."
                                                                      to go along with Andrew Blackwood, who said: "Now I

 .a J. Theodore Meuller, professor, Condordia Seminary:               think a minister should preach from-the  Bible, as an expert,

"So far as our modern helpful and terrifying inventions are           and not preach science, as an amateur." Whatever we would

concerned, the Christian believer views them all as made by           say about the scientific attempts to hit the moon would be too

God's gracious permission and according to his direction,             amateurish. On the other hand, one need not be an expert

`replenish the earth, and subdue it' (Gen. 1 :28,  AV), in            with the Bible to know that all attempts on the part of de-

order ultimately to serve his glory, the spread  of his gospel        praved humanity to discover the wonders of God's universe

to bring in the elect, and the proclamation of his second             cannot be motivated-by the urge to glorify the Creator, but

coming as our Lord foretold this (Mitt.  24). To the un-              only the desire to glorify man. We are reminded of the world

righteous, who glory in their pride, they are tokens of divine        of Jabal  and Jubal which fast made itself ripe for judgment,.

wrath, but to the believers in Christ they are both a com-            and of Noah, who looked for the rest of the new world "and
fort and an admonition to trust in the divine Word and to             became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."

submit themselves absolutely to their loving father in heaven,                                                                 M.S.


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                  69


                                                                   faith, they simply rushed on, trampling their Church Order
                 CONTRIBUTIONS                                     under foot !

                                                                        4. Eureka Classis  had a dilemma with the Rev. Mensch.

                                                                   Rev. Mensch was a duly installed minister in two churches,
                     Missionary Notes                              both members of (we say: resorting in) Eureka Classis.

    In the latest "Acts of the Eureka Classis"  `of 1958, 4Sth     And, according to their own strange practice, if -Rev. Mensch

Amlual  Session, we read the following paragraph, "The Hope        had no longer been a minister in either church he would still

`Church of Isabel, having received substantial financial aid       be a member of Classis  in the sense that Rev. E. Buehrer is

from Classis  in the past, which could no more be granted, in-     a member of Classis.  The latter is even a member of the
formed. Classis  that it resolved to withdraw from membership      Judiciary Committee !            Leola wished to get rid of `Rev.

in Classis."                                                       Mensch, that is, all except the faithful who are now the
                                                                   Ebenezer Reformed Church at Forbes, But Isabel maintained
    It is not clear whether the phrase "having received sub-
                                                                   its minister, Rev. H. Mensch. However, she was too -small
stantial financial aid from, Classis  in the past" was intended
                                                                   to mai,ntain  a minister without support.
by the Rev. D. E. Bosnia  to be the ground why Isabel left
                                                                       Now here was the dilemma of Eureka Classis. (A dilem-
Classis  Eureka in July 27, 1957. (See below.) Possibly he
                                                                   ma is a perplexing predicament. j
means to tell the readers (members of Classis,  you must
                                                                       1. They did not wish to in any way give financial aid to
know !) that Isabel left because the financial aid could no
                                                                   a church which would keep Rev. Mensch. Individual minis-
mwe be gmnted!  There had come to an end the possibility
                                                                   ters told Rev. Mensch to get out, both in rude and sanctimo-
of giving further aid to Isabel !
                                                                   nious tones. I have copies of those letters. Mensch must go !
    Now the reader must know the following facts:
                                                                       2. They did not wish to decide that they refused to give
    1. On Feb. 1, 1957, the Rev. D. E. Bosma acknowledged          support to Isabel, for for such a decision, should this not
a letter from the Isabel consistory of their request for           appear too capricious, they would need to give grounds.
$2,000.00  support. (This was at a time when the matter of         They could not very well urge the grounds which the Exe-
Rev. Mensch's deposition from office at Leola was still pend-      cutive Committee alleged in the Leola case against Mensch,
ing with the Classis  to be held in May, 1957, at Hosmer, S.D.     for had they not told Isabel that it was none of their concern
And the Rev. h/Iensch  was preaching at this time for some         what happened to Rev. Mensch in Leola. Not to measure
25-30 souls in Leola in his house at Leola and was a duly          with two measures they had to keep hands off Isabel and her
installed minister at Isabel. [In June 1956.1  Hence, the          minister.
request of Isabel for support.) In this letter Bosnia  informed        What to do in this dilemma where one is concerned about
the consistory as follows : "At its meeting on Feb. 1, 1957,       the cummin but not about the weightier matters ?
your Executive Committee (this "your" is technically er-               They decided to simply hold the ball till the clock ran out !
roneous, G.L.) considered the above request, and it was                They "tabled" the matter!
moved, seconded, and carried that your request be tabled               They boldly faced the difficulty and passed on to the next
until the next annual meeting of Eureka Classis."                  point on the agenda!

   2. Isabel's Consistory was evidently not satisfied with this        Meanwhile Isabel could not pay their pastor.* They

decision and must have so informed the Executive Committee         would have to tell Rev. Mensch to go. Had not I<. J. Stuebbe

for on March 29, 1957, the Rev. D. E. Bosnia  (there are no        told Rev. Mensch virtually to go, both on the floor of Classis

signatures of Rev. Stockmeier, elders Henry G. Hieb and H.         and in a private letter. The thumb-screws were turned down.

D. Opp on this letter) informed the Consistory of Isabel that          However, Isabel refused to bow to this form of tyranny

it abode by its decision to "table" this matter and refer it to    and told Eureka Classis  ". . . it was decided by majority vote

the annual session of Classis  at Hosmer, S.D.                     to sever all ties and affiliation with the Eureka Classis  of the

   3. That at the Classis  held in Hosmer (Session of Clas-        Reformed Church in the United States."

sis !) this matter was once more "tabled." For how long?               We shall, D.V., publish this entire missive from the

We read in the Acts of Eureka Classis,  "The request of the        Isabel Consistory to the Eureka Classis  in the next issue of

Isabel Charge, (should be congregation, G.L.) for $2,000.00        The Starzda.l,d  Bearer  under "Missionary Notes."

support was tabled."    And Classis  did not remove it from            Once more it appears that the Rev. Bosma did not write

the table!                                                         the entire truth and that what he did write was not entirely

   The reader has, of course, noticed that technically the         true when he wrote, "The Hope Church of Isabel, having re-

Executive Committee did not "table" the matter. They took          ceived substantial aid from Classis  in the past, &tick cot4.!tl

a decision! They decided to refer this weighty matter of the       no more be gmrzted,  informed Classis  that it resolved to with-

mint, anise and cummin  to the highest council, the Annual         draw from membership in Classis"!

Session of Classis,  while in the case of the Rev. Mensch (a           There is a book of remembrance before the face of God !

far weightier matter !) they did not "table" but, forgetting                                                                   G.L.
                                                                   -~-
about the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy and
                                                                   *More will be said about this at the proper time.

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


                     QUESTION HOUR                                   the true Protestant Reformed truth, and that you -claim to
                                                                     be the president of the legal consistory of First Church, why
      Held after Address at Hull Mass Meeting                        then  do, you and your followers hold sabbath day meetings

                            July, 1953                               in the Chr. High Building and also call a mass denomina-
                                                                     tional meeting in Grand Rapids to defend you.  and your

         Questioner: Rev. H. C. Hoeksema                             cause 7 And why must your son of Doon give the leadership

         Answers  by: Rev. H. Hoeksema                               to causing the schismatic action amongst the Prot. Ref.
                                                                     Churches of the West, organizin g a secret society, and calling
                           (Continued)                               this meeting here in Hull to defend you and your cause,

      Question: The third question is this : If you are convinced    thereby disrupting the churches of Jesus Christ 7

that you and your consistory are the legal consistory of the         -:    Speaker:  I'd like to have my son answer that question.
First Church, why all this hasty propaganda action?                   (Laughter).

      Am-me,-:  This is not a hasty propaganda action. Not at              Cha&tan:  I?m  glad to do that, that is, the second part,
all. This is merely, - 0, you know very well what it is ;            the part that concerns me. The other part Rev. Hoeksema
don't ask such questions. This hasty ? This would have been          wilf tinswer,  my father. V&y strange that the question is
hasty, that's true, if it had been a matter of `the pure local        directed to him concerning his son. I suppose my father
consistory, and `the pure local church, and nothing else. But        means, "He is of age; ask him." And I'm willing to answer.
you know, as well as I know, that that is not true. "Dit              In the first place, our committee, as is very plain for anyone
muisje gaat een staart  hebben."  You know that as well as           who read the letters we sent out, is not causing-any schis-
I do. All our actions in recent years have pointed in that           matic action in the churches. Our purpose was stated in the
direction. Why is it that when any question of importance             letter, and the purpose of our committee, which we hope to
comes up in our synods, the vote is always 8 to 8, Classis            organize permanently, was also stated. Anyone can consult
West against Classis  East 1 Why ? I like to know. That's a           that. Our purpose is simply. to maintain the Prot. Ref.
terrible situation, but it's so nevertheless. Why is it, please ?     truth. And we formed a free society, -first of 211  a free
You know as well as I do that this is not a purely local              committee, and we hope to form a free society in the nature
question. I can tell you other things that happened already           of the R.F.P.A., the Reformed Free Publishing Association,
by us, but I won't tnentioq  them now. I don't want to men-          to further that work. In the second place, our society, or
tion names.    But I could do so. But I assure you that this          committee, is not secret, as is very plain from the fact that
is not a hasty propaganda action. This action, this meeting,         all our doings we published. We published them in the bul-
was merely organized in order to acquaint you with the               letins, and we published them in the letters. And all our
truth., The` rest, - 0 yes, I. almost forgot that. If you             doings are public here tonight as well. There's nothing secret
want to read, read The  Standard Bea.rer.  I understand that          about it. The only thing is : the arrangements for a meeting
many especially in the West have refused. The Standard                of this nature had to be made by some committee. And
Bear-er  subscription. Shame on you ! Don't you want to              finally, -1 want to make this statement, `that if anyone claims
know the truth anymore ? The Standard Beayer  is always              that I, as president of the committee pro tern, or any of the
open for your criticism, if you want to. You can write as            members of the committee, are causing schismatic action in
much as you want to. But by all means, read as m&h  as
                                                                     the churches, and thereby disrupting the churches of Jesus
you can. And then judge. I thank you:                                 Christ, - serious Jharge, - if anyone claims that, your call-

      Qzhestiox:  One more question from this questioner : Must       ing is,    once more, to protest to my consi.story  or to the

we help to depose all ministers and members who do not                consistory of any of the men involved. That's your calling.

agree with the illegal deposition of the Rev. De Wolf and             Thank you. The other part is for the speak&: Upon the

his consistory ?                                                      basis that you, Rev. Hoeksema, have the true Protestant Re-

      .4nswer:  That is the same question that I've answered a       formed truth, and that you claim to be the president of the
little while ago. If you do not agree,. by all means protest in      legal consistory of First Church, why then do you and your
a legal way. I would like to see that. I like to see that. Don't      followers hold ,sabbath  day meetings in the Chr. High
come here with general statements that you don't agree,              Building and also call a mass denominational meeting in
and then let me answer questions. What you must do is                 Grand Rapid,s  to defend you and your cause ?

this : send a protest to your consistory. Or if you `are a con-            Speaker answe&g:  Again, I don't like that question. I
sistory member, send a protest, and let it appear at Classis          don't like the wording of it. The question is : upon the basis
in September. Then it will go to Synod. If you are con-              ~that  you, Rev. Hoeksema, have the true Prot. Ref. truth, and
vinced that the action against the Rev. De Wolf and my                that you claim to be the president of the legal consistory of
consistory is illegal, by all means that's your duty. And then       the First Church . . . . Do you not have-the Prot. Ref. truth ?
we can answer the question. Not now.                                  Is that what you mean ? Do I have the Prot. Ref. truth? Is

      Question,: Upon the basis that you, .Rev. Hoeksema, have        that it? Is that the insinuation? I have the Prot. Ref. truth?


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   '                                                71


I don't .think  so. You shouldn't . . . YOU should have the          questioner himself wants it. Rev. H. Hoeksema, I want to

Prot. Ref. truth, not I. That in the first place. In the second      ask you this. In 1924 I heard you say time and again : Never

place; I claim to be the president of the legal consistory of        no hierarchy again. What did you mean for you as yourself.

the First Prot. Ref. Church ? I & ; one of them, Hanko is            Or did you think of the church of Christ? If that is what

the other one. I am ; not, I claim. I claim nothing. I claim         you meant, I cannot see how you can do what you done

nothing. I assure you that Classis  East in its next meeting         with the Rev. De Wolf and his consistory. If this is not

will accept me as president, together with the Rev. Hanko,           hierarchy, then I am at a loss to know what it is.

as president of the legal consistory. Without any questidn.              Answer:  Well, I suppose you are. Because that is not
No question about it. There's no question about that at all.         hierarchy. Hierarchy is rule of the Consistory from the top
I don't claim anything. Why should I ? I don't care about            clown.    When Synod rules over the classis, and the classis
that anyway. I don't care to be president over anything at           rules over the consistory, then you have hierarchy. This is
all. That's not my claim, nor my strife. Why do you and              not the case here. The consistory ruled throughout, with  the
your followers . `. . . Why don't you say: why does your con-        advice of the classis, -advice, not rule. I thank you.     -
gregation,? I hive no followers. You and your followers ?
That's an insult to my congregation. You shouldn't word                  Qztestion:  The Rev. H. Hoeksema. Judge not that ye be
a question like that. You mean: why I and my congregation            not judged. For with what judgment ye judge ye shall be
meet at fhe Christian High ? I explained that to you, didn't         judged. And with what measure ye mete it shall be measured
I ? Not because we don't have the building, but because we           to you again. Matt. 7:1, 2. In the aforementioned text the
don't want to fight. Want to hear that? I have that here             command of God is expressed. With due respect to this
somewhere.' I have that decision here. I don't know whether          command of God, the question arises in my mind how you,
I can find it. Here it is. I have it here, written out: "When        Rev. Hoeksema, can make such slanderous and ridiculous
the enclosed letter was written (this is a letter to the con-        statements concerning a fellow officebearer and brother in
gregation) your consistory planned to occupy their rightftil         Christ, namely, the Rev. De Wolf. If claiming that the Rev.
place on the pulpit of First Church. Notice was given to the         De Wolf is not a Christian and calling him a heathen and a
disciplined officebearers of our intention, in order to avoid        rotten and incurable character is not judging, I am of the
confusion' and discord in the divine worship next Sunday.            opinion that the Bible is being interpreted to suit each man
We had hoped that some peaceful settlement might be made             as he chose, regardless of original meaning. "Behold how
until proper disposition of the property is made. However,           good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together
to our request we received the following reply: `We cannot           in unity." Ps. 133, vs. 1.

possibly recognize your schismatic action and your illogical            Answer: I'm not guilty. I'm not guilty. Not guilty of
(illegal.?) suspension and deposition of officebearers. And          any of <those  charges. I did not say that Rev. De Wolf was
therefore -cannot concede you the right to hold meetings in          not a Christian. I did not say that he was a rotten member,
our midst. We therefore notify you that we will occupy the           etc., etc. I didn't say anything of the kind. I judge not the
buildings' until the proper disposition of the building is made.'    Rev. De Wolf. I judged not his heart. I judge his doctrine.
W.S.  The Consistory of the First Prot. Ref. Church. Since it        And I judge not his doctrine. The consistory did, and the
is evident from the above reply that we are defiantly and            classis did. And only on the basis of the truth do brethren
illegally cast out of our own place of worship, it would be          dwell in unity, and no other basis. I thank you.
necessary for us to resort to the law to occupy the building

next Sunday. But rather than do that, we would heed the                 Question: Why make a protest against statements which

word of the `Apostle Paul in I Cor. 6:1, 7b, "Dare any of            Rev. De Wolf denies ? Is that not calling him a liar ? Who

you having a matter against another go to law before the             is right?

unjust and not before the saints ? Why do you not rather                Answer: No protest was made against any statement that
take wrong  ? why do you not rather suffer yourselves to be          Rev. De Wolf denied. That's not true. The statements which
defrauded ?" That is the answer to your question. That was           were protested against officially at the consistory and at the
sent to our people. And, the mass meeting ? Yes, the mass            classis were admitted by the Rev. De Wolf.
meeting was the same mass meeting that was here. Had we
no right as a legal consistory to explain to our own people                                 (To be continued)

what. is going on in our own congregation? That's what we

did last Monday night, a week ago Monday. And to our

people in' Grand Rapids, whoever would be interested, of                            THE PATHS OF THE' LORD

course..                                                                          Grace and truth shall mark the way       -

    Question: This question is signed, but I'm not going to                         Where the Lord His own will lead,
mention the name. I'm not requiring the names on any of                           If His word they still obey,

the questions, and I won?  mention this one, unless the                             Alid  His testimonies heed.


  7a i                                 _.           THE STANDARD BEARE.<  --. `- -

                                                                            tended ,their  divine services.        Homer is stationed in San

                                                                            Diego. How wonderful to be so far from home, but still able

                                                                            to worship in one of our own churches !
                      "`All the saints snlztte  thee . . .I' PHIL. 4 :21
                                                                            D O   Y O U   K N O W   .   .   .

                                                  October 20, 1958          thcrt, Rev. Herman Hanko teaches Church History in our
                                                                              S e m i n a r y   ?
      Loveland has extended a call to Rev. H. Kuiper of Red-
                                                                            thnk>  Rev. C. Hanko regularly attends Rev. Hoeksema's
  lands to be their pastor.        May the Lord of His Church give                    Dogmatics class in seminary, helping with, and learn-
  Loveland the man of His choice in His time.                                         ing from the discussion ?
      In most of our churches the nominations for office bearers
  have been announced. Let                                                  tk:rf.  a young couple from one of our Mr. and Mrs. Societies
                                     us realize our calling to function               gradually realized that they were not prepared for the
  in the Office of Believers in the church by casting our ballots
                                                                                      society Bible discussion ? Reason : too many regular
  when called upon to give our approbation to these nomina-
                                                                                      T.V. programs to be watched. Result: they sold their
  tions.
                                                                                      T.V. set at a financial loss and at a spiritual gain?
      It .has  been reported that Rev. Ophoff's  doctor is amazed
  at the progress made by the Reverend. He predicts that his                that,  all of the church bulletins we receive give progress
                                                                                      reports in the illness of our beloved G.M.O.?
  patient may again work for the denomination in the not too
  d i s t a n t   f u t u r e .                                             that, each family is assessed for the printing of the Acts' of
                                                                                      Synod, and that for a dollar more you can own your
      The Second Annual Deacons' Conference was heid in
                                                                                      own ?
  Creston Church this week. Twenty-four men were present,
  including five local ministers.            All but ,one of the area       thnt, the men of Southwest church take turns doing the
                                                                                      janitor work, which should squelch the saying that a
  churches were represented.           Rev. C: Hank0  ,presided,  and                 janitor cannot please everyone - who would dare cam-A
  Rev. B. Woudenberg  was the speaker. His topic was, "Shall                          plain ?
  we support such institutions as the Bethany  Home ?" The
                                                                            ZCJ~~,  the secretaries of our Men's and Ladies' Societies must
  consensus of opinion was that, although we can not sub-
                                                                                      keep reminding church members to join them?
  -scribe to all of their policies, we can make use of their

  facilities, and therefore ought to support them. The meeting                  The Southwest Mr. and Mrs. Society has reached a de-

  was so well received that it was decided to meet twice a                  cision to meet every week instead of alternate weeks. That's

year, and Hope will be the host in the Spring meeting.                      a good sign!

      The Hope P.T.A. held their annual meeting Oct. i0. Rev.                   From Southeast we learn that the Young People's So-

  Vos was the speaker, admonishing the parents to "teach them               ciety meets Sunday afternoons. Rev. Veldman has again

  diligently to thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou              started a catechism class for those who wish to prepare for

  sittest  in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and              confession of faith.

  when thou liest down, and when thou risest  up  . . ." It is                  Our total church membership remains quite constant.

  reported that the parents went home with a thought provok-                There is the usual moving about, and, Hope seems to have

  ing message.                                                              been greatest gainer.         Doon lost a family to Hudsonville,

      Good news from Grand Haven! The congregation is                       Southeast transferred a family to First, a family and an

  growing from within and has now reached the point where                   individual to Hope. Besides, Hope received a mother and

  they could organize a Sunday School Society. Their first                  five children from Holland, an individual from a Christian

  Sunday School session was held with seventeen children en-                Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, and an individual from

  rolled, divided into three classes.           Congratulations, Grand      the Rock Valley Neth. Ref. Church in Iowa.

  Haven !                                                                       Hull is having a little trouble at present due to losing a

      The men and. women of Grand Haven combined their                      meeting place for the catechism classes. They will-hold classes

  societies into an Adult Bible Society. They have chosen the               temporarily in the basement of the parsonage until a suitable

  Book of Acts as the text for study this year.                             place can be found. Meetings had been conducted in the Town

      Doon  is- installing two gas furnaces in the church, one              Hall, which is being torn down in the name of progress.

 for each floor. Bottled gas will ,be  utilized until the promised              An excerpt from Oaklawn's bulletin: "Men, your duty is

  natural gas is available.                                                 also your God-given privilege to meet with us Monday eve-

      Some of our churches that have no Sunday School never-                nings.     We not only have a responsibility to God, but we owe

theless  provide "Our Guide" for the children of the con-                   it to one another to busy ourselves in these things of God's

  gregation.     Does your consistory provide the Sunday School             kingdom for mutual edification." Apply that to your own

  paper for your children ?                                                 societies, substituting the proper names in their places, and

      From the golden west (Redlands) we learn that.Homer                   we can all heed this admonition of Rev. Vanden  Berg.

  Teitsma, a serviceman from Southeast, Grand Rapids, at-                                  . . . . see you in church.                  J.M.F.


