      VOLUME  =v                               DECEMBER 15, 1958 - GRAND RAPDIS, MICHIGAN                                  NUMBER 6
/r                                                                        the Throne of God, exactly in the midst of that throne: that
               IMEDITATION  i                                             is the very heart of God!

                                                                             But Mary, the lowly handmaiden of the Lord has a

                                                                          moment in our present text. There are three moments : Jesus'
               THE SON  OF THE HIGHEST                                    mother ; Jesus' Name ; and Jesus' Kingdom.

               "And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou                               + * *-*
               that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed
               art thou among women.
                                                                             Jesus' mother ! The lowly Mary !
          -    And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying,
               and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this           The Holy Ghost gave her a beautiful name : "The mother
               should be.                                                 of my Lord !" See it for yourselves : Luke 1:43.
               And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou         No, we will not join in the Mariolatry of the Roman
               hast found favor with God.
                                                                          Catholic Church. The dictionary says of this term : "The wor-
               And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring
                                                                          ship of Mary, the mother of Christ : an opprobrious term used
               forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be
                                                                          by some Protestants of the veneration of the Virgin by
               great, and shall be called the Soti of the Highest: and

               the Lord God shall give unto Him the.  throne of His       Roman Catholics."

               father David:
                                                                             But we may not fall into the other extreme and be silent
               And He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever;       about the great blessedness which was- her portion.
               and of His kingdom there shall be no end."

                                                        LUKE  1:28-33        She is the most blessed of women.

                                                                             First, a special and a great angel of God was sent to her:
      A few more days hence, and the cheery times of Christ-
                                                                          Gabriel.
mas will again be with us.

                                                                             Second, in his very first word he tells her of a great glad-
      Cheery, and that is right. Even the world around about
                                                                          ne,ss and' joy which is to be her portion. For the fundamental
us has caught the cheeriness and the joy of Christmas, and                meaning of "Hail !" is exactly the notion of joy and gladness.
they have for ages tried to imitate the Church of our God.

There is color, and light, and a kind of joy and singing. Even               Third, the angel expresses the ground for this joy : Mary,

the actors and the actresses of the stage will sing the Christ-           thou art highly graced ; the Lord is with thee ; and, blessed

mas carols ! It is so pitiful ! All through the year they wallow          art thou among women!

in the filth of sin and corruption, but during the "Yuletide"                Fourth, this same angel Gabriel will tell her the content
they will sing beautifully of the Christ-Child.                           of all this joy and gladness: the favour and grace of God

      Christmas time is a time of great joy that shall be to all          that is thy portion is this : Thou shalt conceive in thy womb
people, says the Word of God.                                             the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Jesus Christ, the
                                                                          Son of the Highest shall be thy child. Thou shalt bear Him,.
      However, that "all people" is not to all men head for head          bring Him forth, nurture Him and have Him with thee for
and soul-for soul. It is the "all people of God" !                        a third of a century. Oh, indeed, Mary, thou art the most

      And we will talk a little of one of those people. Not ex-           blessed of women : thou shalt be called the very mother of the

clusively. Oh no.       The main theme will be The Son of the             Lord ! The mystery of Godliness shall take place within thee :

Highest! And that is as it should be. He is set in the midst              the Incarnation of God ! That which shall take place within

of the frame of the Gospel. Paul will know nothing but Jesus.             thee will be the subject for study of all future theologians.

And that is as it should be. Jesus shall occupy the midst of              The whole Church of the living God shall ponder about the

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



     thing that shall take place within thee. And all shall agree:       M~?Z  of sorrows ; I saw His stripes and wounds, and heard

     Mary is `the most favored, the most graced, the most blessed        the drops of blood falling from His wounds beneath the cross
     of all women not only, but of all mortals.                          beam of the accursed tree. But the truth of the Divine God-

                                                                         head on the tree had receded in my consciousness.
                                 * * * *
                                                                             But Jesus is THE SON OF THE HIGHEST!

        And : thou. shalt call His name Jesus.                               It is the Covenant God of Israel Who came to visit His

      There is heavenly melody in that blessed name.                     people.

            What would this world be without the name of Jesus!             Jesus is God who came to do a wonder that transcends
                                                                         my comprehension. Lying there in the manger, He carries
            It has charmed the heart of all the weary pilgrims that      the load of the eternal wrath of God. And only God can
     seek their way to the Paradise of God.                              exhaust the wrath that is everlasting. Jesus is God in human
            It has filled the whole world with melodious joy. The        garb. Justice and righteousness demanded that God be also
     name Jesus, all by itself, is as a heavenly anthem, a strange       man, but God He is.
     melody, which, when once heard, really heard, causes one to             God purchases God there on that tree, and the price is
     forget all the sorrows he ever had. The melody is heard in          God !
     all known languages, among all peoples, within a myriad
     hearts and souls. It has pressed back into their dungeons              It is the real reason for the cheer of Christmas.

     more black thoughts, more doubts, more horrors than there              Jesus means now that I can die in peace, and also live
     are sands on the seashore. It has transformed the poor and          in peace.
     disconsolate and sick at heart until they thought themselves           The greatest horror I know is the question we sang in
     the owners of a world that is fairer than day. The name Jesus       another land and in another time: "HOW  are you able to ap-
     is so beautiful that it has miraculously changed the black          pear righteous before God ?" (Hoe zult  gij rechtvaardig ver-
     hearts of God's elect children into shining sanctuaries of the      schijnen voor God?)
     living God.
                                                                            Not many days ago I said to a sister in the hospital : How
            I remember three little girls singing a song about Jesus,    are the wicked able to live ? And how are they able to die ?
     many, many years ago. I did not go to school yet, so I must         How ca,n  they die ?
     have been very young. The song was.the  well-known: "Daar
     ruischt langs de wolken een lieflijken Naam! Die hemel  en             What must be the sensation to close your eyes in death,
     aarde vereenigt te saam !" And when these three little girls        and at once stand in the presence of God ? What must be the
     (my three sisters) came'to the last stanza, I heard them sing :     sensation to fall into the hands of the living God ? For He
     "Jezus, Jezus, Uw Naam zij eer !" This little boy was               is a consuming fire! If there is no Jesus for us, how bleak,
     thrilled with a strange thrill. That thrill has stayed with me.     how dreadfully poor is our estate ? God's Word calls it to
     And it will stay with me till the moon shall shine no more.         appear naked in His presence.

     And *then  I shall sing that Name unto all eternity. For I shall       But Jesus is a cloak, a covering, a redemption, a salvation,
     see Him face to face, and tell the story : Saved by grace !         a righteousness, a glittering heaven! "Oh, Jesus, in Thee I

        There is no charm like the charm of the name Jesus. It           hide me !"

     has consoled the sick and made them smile of heavenly con-                                   * * * *
     solation ; it has sung courage in the hearts of the miserable ;

     it made dying soldiers die easier when they whispered this             And the third moment is the Kingdom.
     Name ; it visited the prisoner and broke his chains ; it made          "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the
     rthe  slave freer than his master; it led the army of God's sons    Highest : and the Lord God shall give Him the throne of His
     and daughters through the swelling waves and billows of             father David."
     dark Jordan of death. The majestic name of Jesus brings us
     all near to the heart of God !                                         Jesus is King!

                                                                            He is our King: He shall rule us, indeed, He rules us
                                 * * * *                                 now by-His blessed Word and Spirit.

                                                                            David, His father, was but a type, a very weak type. But
        And many years I did not realize that Jesus is really
                                                                         the text, and a thousand other texts, show that David was the
     Jehovah, the Lord of Hosts. I saw Him, and loved Him,
                                                                         strongest and the most beautiful type of all other types. David
.    but as a child and young man. I did not recognize Him as
                                                                         was the man after God's own heart.
     God ! Oh, I knew the dogmas of the Church ; when my

     "Dominee" asked me :        "How many natures are there in              For our King appears very humble. And so was David.

     Christ ?" I would correctly answer : "Two, a human and a            .Though,  he was king of Israel, his psalms picture him as the

     Divine nature," but Jesus was the Christ-child, the suffering       most humble man of all history. David was usually found in


                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D . . B E A R E R                                                                                                             133


the dust and on his knees. That  is the fundamental reason

why he was a man after God's heart. God loves the humble.                               T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

                                                                         Semi-monthly, except monthly during June, July and August
   And no, there is not one like the humble Jesus. No, not
                                                                          Published by the 
one! No, not one!                                                                                        REFORMED FREE  PUBLISHING A~SOCLYITON
                                                                         P. 0. BOX 881, Madison Square Station, Grand Rapids'7, Mich.
   Beloved, that is the reason why God has exalted your                                      Editor - REV. HERMXN  HOEXSEMA

Jesus to be King of all the elect. You all know of His tri-,-            CommunicationS  relative to contents should be addressed to
umphant entry into Jerusalem. Well, listen: "Tell ye the                              Rev. H. Hoeksema, 1139'Franklin  St., S. E.,;
                                                                                                      Grand Rapids 7, Mich.
daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh  unto thee, meek,
                                                                         All matters relative to subscriptions should be addressed to Mr.
and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass !"                G. Pipe, 1463 Ardmore St., S. E., Grand Rapids 7, Mich.

   Have Him ever before thee, beloved! The King in His                   Announcements and Obituaries must be mailed to the above
                                                                         address and will be published at `a fee of $1.00 for eakh  notice.
meekness. You confess that Jesus once shall be crowned in
                                                                         RENEWAL: Unless a dei?nite  request for discontinuance is re-
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glory of an everlasting Kingdom. It is well. But remember                                     Subscription price: $5.00 per year

that He received the Kingdom because of His great humility.              Entered as Second Class matter at Grand Rapids, `Michigan

 AndyouandI?

   We shall never sit on thrones with Him unless you and                                                  C O N T E N T S                                                     I
I have travelled the way of great humility and meekness. If          MEDITATION-
                                                                              Son of the Highest.. ___ _... . . . . . . . . .._._. . . . _.. . . . . . . . 121
*you  would arrive in your throne, you better remember that                          Rev. G. Vos

this King said to you and to me in His state of humiliation:         EDITORIALS-
"Come; take up thy cross and follow Me!" Mark 10:Zlb.                         A n Open Letter .I _..___......_.......................................~  . . .._____.__.. 124

                                                                               Evohltion, Long Periods or Days .__..___......__..__......................                                        124
    Oh yes, Christmas time is a time of cheer, of great joy                   The Three Points _.. ________..__....................................: . ..___..._._.._  125
for the Church of God.                                                               Rev. H. Hoeksema

   But when you visit the stable and look upon the manger            OUR DOCTRINE-
and the Babe, remember the fundamental law of the Kingdom                     The Book of Revelation . . . ..___.._...............................................
                                                                                                                                                                                                  126

                                                                                     Rev. H. Hoeksema
of God : He that humbleth himself shall be exalted !
                                                                     A CLOUD OF WITNESSES-                                            L
   The cheer of your King, His Kingdom and your part                          Abraham's Faith Made Perfect ..,,...________.___...........................                                        128

follows the way of suffering, reproach, and great tribulation                        Rev. B. Woudenberg

for His name's sake.                                                 FROM HOLY WRIT -
                                                                              axposition of Matthew 24 and 25 ( 10) _.___...________~  _.___._._..____  130
   And then the end is glory, and a great salvation !                                Rev. G. Lubbers

                                                             G.V.    IN HIS FEAR -
                                                                               L` . . . And Keep His ~Commandments . . ."... . . ___.... . 132
                                                                                     Rev. J. .A. Heys


                        A n n o u n c e m e n t                      CONTENDING  FOR THE FAITH-
                                                                              The Church and the Sacraments ____............_,__........................  134

                                                                                      Rev. H. Veldman
    Classis East of the Protestant Reformed Churches will
                                                                     THE 
meet the Lord willing on Wednesday, January 7, 1959, at                      VOICE OF OUR FATHFZU -
                                                                              The Canons of Dordrecht .._.___...............................................                                     136

9 A. M. in the Hope Protestant Reformed Church. Con-                                 Rev. H. C. Hoeksema

sistories w_ill please keep this in mind in the appointment of       DECENCY AND ORDER-
                                                                              The     Report      ._._.. .____... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...' ..138
delegates.                                                                           Rev. G. Vanden  Berg
                                   M. SCHIPPER, Stated Clerk
                                                                     ALLAROUNDUS-
                                                                               "To be or not to be" . . .._._____..._...............................................  140

                                                                                     Rev. M. Schipper

              Thou, 0 Christ, art all I want;                        CONTR&JTIONS  -
                                                                              Missionary        Notes       ._ ._. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..142
                Boundless love in thee I find:
                                                                                     Rev. G. Lubbers
              Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
                Heal the sick and lead the blind.                    SPECIAL ARTICLE-
                                                                               Question      Hour      ,. .._... _.___.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
              Just and holy is thy name ;                                            Rev. H. Hoeksema
                I am all unrighteousness;
                                                                     NEWS FROM OUR CHURCHES _,._....___.....................................  :: . .._........  144
              Vile and full of sin I am ;                                            Mr. J. M. Faber                                                                                   .
                Thou art full of truth and grace.

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



Ill Both deny the distinctiveness of the several species which
           E D I T O R I A L S                                     God created on the successive days mentioned in Gen. 1.
                                                                       Both maintain that the several species evolved from one-

                                                                   another during a long period of evolution, whether they sup-
                   AN OPEN LETTER                                  pose that the first beginning of this long process was a
    This letter is addressed to those that left the Protestant     principle of the universe that then evolved under the provi-
Reformed Churches in the recent schism. -Yet not to all of         dence of God, or whether they confess their ignorance in re-
them, but only to those that are still Protestant Reformed,        gard to this beginning.
not only in name as are the schismatics, but in truth ; and            That those who believe in long periods of billions of years
to those that, under the influence of their leaders, were de-      cannot believe in the verbal inspiration of Gen. 1-3 ought to
ceived and now are sorry that they ever left us.                   be evident to `anyone that reads those chapters. Let us study
    I happen to know that there are such. To them, and to          the narrative of creation in Gen. 1 a little more in detail.
them only,` this letter is addressed.
                                                                       In Gen. 1 :l, 2 we read: "In the beginning God created
    The purpose of this letter is not to gain a few members.
                                                                   the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form
In the first place, remember that I always maintained and
                                                                   and void ; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And
still do that the Church of Christ in the world is not de-
                                                                   the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."
pendent on large numbers but solely on the keeping of the
                                                                       What is it to create? The original word seems to mean
truth of the Word of God. And, secondly, we have quite a
                                                                   to cut, to divide, to separate, and then also to bring into
flourishing and complete church-life and we are in no need
                                                                   existence something that never was before. We may say,
of more members. But the purpose of this letter is solely
                                                                   therefore, that to create is that act of the omnipotent God
your own spiritual and ecclesiastical well-being. It intended
                                                                   whereby He called into existence the things that are not as if
to be an encouragement and even a brotherly invitation to
                                                                   they were or whereby He calls things out of nothing or out
return to us.
                                                                   of wholly unfit material. He does this by His Word, which
    I could mention incentives for you to take this step as
                                                                   refers, first of all to the Son of God and then also the
soon as possible. Everybody knows that, not the schismatics,
                                                                   almighty creative Word of God. For thus we read in John
but we are the Protestant Reformed Churches. Everybody
                                                                   1 :l-3 : "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
knows, too, that the schismatics that use our name sail under
                                                                   with God, and the Word. was God. The same was in the be-
a false flag. Besides, what is the present trend and condition
                                                                   ginning with God. All things were made by him ; and with-
of the schismatic churches today ? In one word, as is evident
                                                                   out him was not anything made that was made." Moreover,
from all that they reveal of themselves: they are confused,
                                                                   He creates all things through His Spirit, for already in Gen.
they are at a loss, they know not what to do. Many of them,
                                                                   1 :2 we read: "And the Spirit -of God moved upon the face of
even their leaders, are anxious to join the Christian Reformed
                                                                   the waters."    We may say, that to create is that act of the
Church, if the latter is willing to take them. They are willing
                                                                   triune God whereby He called into existence the whole uni-
also to sign the "Three Points" of 1924 which is the only
                                                                   verse, giving it separate existence apart from His own Being
reason why the Protestant Reformed Churches were estab-
                                                                   and that, too, according to His eternal counsel. Thus we can
lished for we rejected them and were cast out. Besides, they
                                                                   understand that tine term to create in the sense of to divide
rejected that thoroughly Protestant Reformed document "The
                                                                   or to separate may be applied, not only to the separate acts
Declaration of Principles:"
                                                                   of creation on each of the six days as, for instance, on the
   Are you willing to follow your leaders in all this?
                                                                   second day God divided the waters, but also to the original
   Then consider that this letter is not addressed to you.
                                                                   act of creation whereby God called the universe out of noth-
   But if you are not and if you are still Protestant Re-
                                                                   ing. For then to create means that God, according to His
formed in the true sense of the word, I address once more
                                                                   eternal counsel, cut or separated the world from Himself.
this earnest and urgent invitation to you to return in the
                                                                      The question has been asked: how must we understand
proper way to the churches of which you used to be members
                                                                   the words : "In the' beginning God created the heaven and the
and which you left in a time of confusion and deception.
                                                                   earth"? Must these words be applied to the entire chapter as
                                                          H.H.
                                                                   a general heading or to the creation of the chaos that is men-

                                                                   tioned in vs. 2. We will not go into this question here. Cer-
         Evolution, Long Periods, or Days                          tain it is that the chaos is mentioned in vs. 2 : `<and the earth

   To me there is very little difference and, principally,         was without form and void ; and darkness upon the face of

none at all, between the theory of evolution .and the theory       the deep." Some have thought that there was a long period

of long periods of billions of years during which the world        of time between the creation of. this chaos and the rest of

was formed.                                                        creation and that in this way they might be able to defend

   Both deny. the verbal inspiration of Gen. l-3. And the          the theory of long periods on the basis of Scripture. But

moment this is done one must repudiate the inspiration of          this is, evidently, erroneous. In the first place, the so-called

the entire Bible. I propose to prove this presently.               chaos, mentioned in vs. 2, was called into existence immedi-


                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   B,EARER                                                    125


ately by the Word, of God. And why would God leave the              for. providence is no creation.     But the text states very defi-
world in a chaotic state for millions of years without finishing    nitely that the moment God had spoken there was light. Or

 it? In the second place, we read that the Spirit moved or          may we, perhaps, infer that God continued to speak His

 brooded upon the face of the waters, evidently for the purpose     creative Word concerning the light for a billion of years ?

 of engendering life and movement in the chaotic waters. And,       We understand that this is utterly absurd. Besides, what

in close connection with this brooding of the Spirit God            are we to do with the last part of vs. 5 : "And the evening

created the light. We prefer therefore to explain that also         and the morning were the first day." Can the evening and

the creation of the chaos belongs to the first day. Besides,        the morning limit a period of billions years ? We know

even if we should imagine a long period between the creation        better. Hence, I insist that the first day of creation was a

of the chaos and the first day, this could not possibly sup-        day as we know it. And those that maintain the long period

port the theory of long periods for the latter refer exactly        theory ought, at least, be honest enough to confess that they

to the six days of creation.     They are invented, not on the      do not believe the literal inspiration of Gen. 1. Let them

basis of Scripture, but to cater to evolutionistic science.         cater to the science of evolution, but let them not attempt to

    There is, therefore, to say the least, certainly no Scrip-      twist the clear testimony of Scripture into harmony with their

tural support for the theory of long periods of days in Gen.        own theory.

1 :l, 2. But the rest of the creation narrative emphatically            More about this next time, D.V.                         H.H.
contradicts this theory.

    In Gen. 1:3-5  we read : "And God said, Let there be light :

and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good :                           The Three Points
and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called
the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the                As has been said, the Rev. Klooster does not consider
evening and the morning were the first day." We understand,         all the passages quoted by the Synod of .1924  in proof of the
of course, that on the first day God created the light in all       "First Point" equally valid. And he is of the opinion that
its implications, and that, too, in connection with the brooding    "one of the strongest passages" is the text in Luke 6:35,  36
of the Spirit. Material light is the life of matter. Without        in the light of Matt. 5 :44, 45.
light there is nothing but absolute darkness. There is no               Now, in the first place, these passages: suppose that they
movement, no communication. By the brooding of the Spirit           can serve as proof texts for the Kuipdrian theory of "common
life is engendered into that dead and motionless matter, and        grace," they certainly have nothing to do with the Arminian
by the Word of God a certain substance is separated from the        conception of general grace which is also implied in the
rest and this very thin substance so moves, waves and vibrates      "First Point." For although that first of the "Three Points"
that it is light. And this light implies many things such as        speaks of a grace or favor of God which He shows to His
heat which is again the condition of all other life and move-       creatures in general, it certainly falls into the Arminian error
ment, fire, electricity, magnetism, etc. Light is also the means    of general grace when it speaks of the general offer of the
of communication. With the dazzling speed of 156,000 miles          gospel as a proof of the grace of God to all men without dis-
per second it moves against objects in the universe, moves          tinction. To be sure, the gospel deals with saving grace and
back and is reflected, is caught by the eye of animal and man       to maintain that the preaching of the gospel is a manifesta-
and reveals the objects in picture form. Movement, color,           tion of grace to all, without exception, certainly implies that
form, life, - it is all conditioned by the. light.                  God, on His part is willing to save all. Besides, that this is
   All this God created on the first day.                           true is also evident from the. passages that quoted from the
    Now, I ask : Was all this created in a moment of time, or       Confessions as well as from the last three texts from Scrip-
was light in all its implications gradually and very slowly         ture that are supposed to prove the "First Point."
developed from the chaos during a long period of billions of           But about this we will write later.
years ?                                                                Now we will, first of all consider the passages from Scrip-
   The latter is the case according to those that maintain          ture which the Rev. Klooster considers the most valid'proof
the theory of long periods. The former is the plain language        texts for the "First Point," namely, Luke 6:35, 36 and
of the Bible. Hence, I maintain that those that uphold the          Matthew 5 :44, 45. It is to be regretted that the Rev. Kloos-
theory of long periods cannot maintain the inspiration of           ter does not offer an explanation of these passages. If he had,
Gen. 1.                                                             it appears to me that he would have discovered that these
                                                                    texts do not prove the Synod's contention at all.
   Just consider. Vs. 3 states : "And God said, Let there be
                                                                       Synod also offered no explanation. But if it had, it is
light: and there was light." I ask you: was the light there
                                                                    evident that its explanation would have been as follows :
as soon as God had spoken or was it not ? Can the text pos-
sibly mean that God created a principle of light and that it           1. We must love all our enemies, and also the enemies of
took billions of years for that principle to develop? Every         God as they become manifest as such in this world.

one knows better. Besides, if the principle of light developed         2. If we do, we will be children of the Most High and

under the power of the providence of God, it was not created
                                                                                        (Continued on page 131)

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


II                                                                     tioned in this passage.    Besides, we found that the effect of
            O U R   D O C T R I N E   --ii the locusts was spiritual, since they might not `kill men,
                                                                       which is in harmony with the nature of demons. But the

                                                                       effect of this plague is physical, as is indicated by the text
             THE EOOK  OF REVELATION                                   when it informs us that a third part of men must be killed.
                         PART TWO                                      Hence, all that we can say from the outset is this, that these

                         -CHAPTER  V                                   horses and their riders are the symbols of tremendous forces
                      The Sixth Trzwapet                               of destruction. With this general statement is in harmony
                                                                       their fierce appearance, as well as the fact that fire and smoke
                      Revelation 9 :13-21                              and brimstone proceeds out of their mouths. And with this

      If we .would find an answer to the question as to what           also agrees the fact that they kill a third part of men.

sort of plague does this sixth trumpet bring upon the world,              But what destruction is meant here ? In order to find an

and as to how it is historically realized, we must undoubtedly         answer to this question we must study the appearance of these

direct our attention, first of all, to the horses that are pictured    horses and their riders. Essential to this is, first of all, the

in the vision and to their riders. John receives a vision of an        fire and the smoke and the brimstone. They represent the

awful and terrible-looking host of cavalry, two hundred mil-           three plagues. We read in vs. 18: "By these three was the

lion in number and with fearful description. And it is clear           third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and

that this infernal troop of cavalry is the symbol of the plague        by *the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths." We

that is to come. They form the agents that. must accomplish            find, therefore, that three plagues are coming over mankind,

it. True,`we read that the four angels that are bound at the           -plagues that find their symbols in fire and smoke and

great river Euphrates are let loose at the determined hour             brimstone, and that are therefore as closely allied as these

and day and month and year, in order to kill the third part            three symbols. Of what is the fire a symbol in the Bible? We

of men. And from this statement we might receive the im-               find that it symbolizes anger (Ps. 39 :3 ; 57:4; 78:21, etc.),

pression that they, and not the cavalry, were the direct agents        jealousy (Ps. 79 :5; Ezek. 36:5 ; ieph. 1:18),  vengeance

for this destruction. But farther on in the text we read dif-          (Deut. 32 :22 ; Judges 12 :l, etc.). And since the passions of

ferently. There we find that the plague is realized by the             anger, of jealousy, and of vengeance in the unholy sense of

fire and the smoke and the brimstone that proceeds out of the          the word, as evidently they must be taken in the words of

mouth of the infernal horses. And the picture is evidently             our passage, are the root cause of war, we find that fire is

this, that the angels that are bound at the great river Euphra-        also taken time and again in Scripture as the symbol of war.

tes exert their influence as soon as they-are allowed, as soon         Jeremiah, referring to war, prophesied that Jehovah shall

as they are set loose, to set free this tremendous army of             kindle a fire against Jerusalem, Jer. 17 :27; 21:14. And he

horsemen, in order that they may realize the plague. It is             prophesies that He shall kindle a fire against Babylon, again

therefore in the first place-to these horsemen that we have to         referring to war, Jer. 15 :32. In Lamentations 4:ll .we read:

direct our attention, in order to find the character of the            -"The Lord kindled a fire in Zion which hath devoured the

plague.                                                                foundations thereof." And in Amos 1:4 we are told: "But I
      And then we may undoubtedly say that they are not real           will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour

horses. That this is true needs no proof. Their description            the palaces thereof with shouting in the days of battle." If

is such that real horses are out of the question. They are             you add to~this  that the first color of the breastplates of these

horses with heads as of lions and with serpents' tails. And            monstrous horsemen is also that of fire, and add to this that

these tails have heads. And with these tails these horses hurt.        the chief appearance of these monsters is that of the horse,

In a word,`we  have here a combination of the horse and lion           which, as we have seen before, is the symbol of battle and

and the serpent such as makes it impossible to think of real           irresistible onslaught, and add to this, thirdly, that the second

horses. Besides, we read of them that out of their mouths              or red horse, as we have seen in connection with the first four

proceeds fire and smoke and brimstone, which also certainly            seals, is also the symbol of war, then I dare say the implica-

is not true of real horses. And it is through this fire and            tion is plain that the plague of the sixth trumpet, by which

smoke and brimstone that the plagues, through which one-               one-third of men are killed, certainly refers to war.

third part of men are killed, are realized. Nor are they                  The second symbol that is used in connection with the

symbols of real cavalry as such. Again, this is contrary to            sixth trumpet is that of smoke. Again we must turn to

the description that is given of them, especially the fact that        Scripture in order to find the meaning of it. Of course, first

they bring the plagues with the fire and smoke and brimstone           of all, we must take it in connection with the first symbol. It

that proceeds out of their mouths. Nor are there any indica-           is related to the first. The fire is first; but also the smoke

tions in the text that we must understand these horses as              proceeds from the same source, namely, out of the mouths of

symbols of evil spirits. Also this is rather impossible. Of            the lions. And then I would say that the smoke, in connec-

the locusts we read that they came out of the abyss and that           tion with the fire, is the symbol of the desolation and destruc-

an evil angel was their king. Nothing of the kind is men-              tion, and for that reason of the scarcity and famine, that


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                  127


`follow in the wake of war. And this is but its natural result.        namely, that of the sneaky and subtle serpent, which attacks

This too is corroborated by other parts of Scripture. In               unawares, so that no one notices him, like the pestilence.

Isaiah 34 :lO we find a description of the desolation that shall       These serpents are found in the tails of the horses. And

come upon Egypt in the words: "The smoke thereof shall go              lastly, I find this corroborated by the last horse in the first

up forever."    If the red of the fire is symbolic of the heated       four seals. That last horse presents the same color as the

passions of war, the blackness of the smoke is indicative of           brimstone, namely, that of a pale green. And the name of

the desolation and hunger that follow war. Thus we find in             that last horse is Death, mowing away one-fourth part of

Lamentations 4:8 that those who shall perish with hunger               men by all kinds of means, also by the pestilence. And there-

are described in the following words : "Their visage is blacker        fore I feel rather"safe  in maintaining that in this last plague

than coal."     And again, in the same Lamentations of the             we have the symbol of the noisome pestilence. All these

prophet we read that he complains : "Our skin is black like            taken together, as they are symbolized by the fire and the

an oven because of the burning heat of the famine." The                smoke and the brimstone, as well as by the horse and the

blackness of the smoke, therefore, is the symbol of the desola-        lion and the serpent, as they show their resemblance to the

tion following war. It is indicative of scarcity and famine            second, third, and fourth horses of the first four seals, lead

and of destruction in general. This is corroborated further            us to the conclusion that the plagues here pictured are those

by the second color in the breastplates of these monsters,             of war and famine and pestilence. These three cannot be

corresponding to the smoke that proceeds out of the mouths             separated. The one follows from the other. And in their

of the lions. And it is corroborated also by the second main           inner connection they are here pictured `as being together one

feature of these monster-animals, which is that of the lion,           awful monster, with the shape of a horse, a lion's head, and

a picture of ravening hunger that can devour anything. Again           the tail of a serpent, while from these monsters proceed the

it is corroborated by the third horse in the first four seals,         fire and the smoke and the brimstone. Upon this wicked

which is the blackhorse, and which, as we have seen before,            world, steeped in sin, an awful war shall break forth, carry-

is the symbol of scarcity and want. Hence, also here we are            ing hunger and desolation and pestilence in its wake.

safe in saying that the picture is rather strikingly referring            But, so we ask further: what is the special nature of this
to desolation and destruction, to want and famine, as they             war, and what is its special occasion ? For that this is not a
follow in the wake of war.                                             war like other wars, but different in its nature and scope, is

    The third symbol, finally, that is representative of this          plainly indicated in the fact that -by these three one-third of

particular plague is the brimstone, or sulphur, that proceeds          men are killed. That is, as we have explained, more than in

out of the mouths of these monsters. Also here we may re-              any other, ordinary war are killed. Ordinarily only one-

mark that this last plague must again have some connection             fourth of men are killed by war and hunger and all kinds of

with the former two, and, in fact, that there must be some             diseases. But at the time of this war-this  will be increased

kind of causal relationship between them and this particular           to one-third. And therefore we have here a war of special

plague. Hence, the suggestion is not far-fetched at all that           proportions at least. In order to understand this, let me call

we have here the picture of all kinds of pestilences as they           your attention to the fact that in the history of the world,

naturally follow in the wake of war and desolation and                 with its wars  and progress, the main occurrences have been

hunger. This suggestion is confirmed, in the first place, by           played on a very small part of the world's stage. ,From Is-

the nature of the sulphur, which suggests poisoning because            rael this history proceeded to Assyria, from Assyria to

of its gases. But also in the Word of God we find the same             Babylonia, from Babylonia to Persia, from Persia to Greece,

meaning.     .Rather  generally we find sulphur as a symbol of         from Greece to Rome, from the Roman Empire to the na-

desolation in Deuteronomy 29:23, where the desolation that             tions of Europe and America. Always following a westerly

shall come over the land of Israel is described as follows :           direction, the history of the world has limited itself to only

"The whole land thereof is brimstone and salt and a burning,           some of the nations of the world. And still there is a large

that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth                part of men that have never yet played a part in its history

therein."    But more clearly we find a description of this in         although in late years they already appear on its stage. There

Ezekiel 38 :22 : "And I will plead against him with pestilence         is the yellow race, which evidently is just beginning to wake

and with blood. And I will rain upon him and upon his bands            up to an important extent. And there are the nations that

and upon the many people that were with him an overflowing             are living at the four corners of the earth, outside of the pale

rain and great hailstones, fire and brimstone." This is                of civilization, and which in Scripture are known as Gog

prophesied in connection with Gog and Magog, and there-                and Magog. If this relation is clear, then you are prepared to

fore in a somewhat similar connection as in our passage of             understand our contention that here in the sixth trumpet we

Revelation. Most naturally in this passage of Ezekiel the              have the first indication of the waking up of these other na-

brimstone stands as a symbol of the pestilence. Again I find           tions. For our text pictures to us, according to our deepest

this corroborated by the third color in the breastplate of this        conviction, a war which is caused, by the inroads of these

`;cavalry,  which is also that of brimstone. Confirmed it is, also,    numberless nations into the so-called civilized and Christian

jby the last feature in the appearance of these monsters,              nations.                                                  H.H.


 1     2      8                                T H E   STANDAR.D  B E A R E R


                                                                        do not warrant. Abraham's journey, rather than being char-
 [A CLOUD OF WITNESSES / .acterized  by anguish, ought to be recognized as a triumph,
                                                                        a triumph of faith. If the heart of Abraham had been over-

                                                                        burdened with anguish, he would have never left his tent at
                   Abraham's Faith Made Perfect                         Ma&-e.  If Abraham had thought that the. sacrifice of Isaac

                                                                        would conclude Isaac's life upon this earth, he could have
            "W'a~s  not Abraham our fa<the;r ju&ied  by wmks, when      never even prepared to travel to Moriah. But Abraham was
             he ha.d offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
                                                                        confident that though Isaac must die yet he would live again,
             Seest thou how faith wrought w&h  his works, and by
                                                                        and in that strength he went.
             works was faith mude  perfect?
             And the scripture was fulfilled  which saith, Abmham           This does not mean, however, that Abraham's three days
             believed God, a$nd  it was imputed unto him  for right-    of travel from Mamre to Moriah were in every respect easy.
             eousness: a,nd  he was ca,lled the Friend of God."         Abraham was not a perfect man ; and, as long as he was not,
                                                                        there yet remained with him his carnal mind bent on making
                                                    JAMES 2 :21-23      the way of faith difficult. Constantly his sinful flesh must

      Thus far we have considered the command of God to                 have suggested to him that it was too much to expect that

Abraham to sacrifice Isaac from two different points of view.           Isaac should rise again from the dead, that from the beginning

      We considered first the command as such, "Take now thy            of time it had not been heard that anyone who died lived

son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest,  and get thee              again to bring forth seed upon this earth, that he should

into the land of Moriah: and offer him there for a burnt                leave well enough alone and not put the covenant promises

offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of,"          on such precarious ground by sacrificing his son. But always

Gen. 22 :2. An understanding of this command with its im-               his faith was there to answer that it was not for him to call

plications is essential to an understanding of the whole of             into question what the Lord his God had commanded, that

what took place in comlection  with the sacrifice of Isaac. In          what the Lord commands is bound to work for the good of

this command is implied a rich, spiritual truth which God               His covenant, that God is able to do all things and not even

would teach to Abraham. This truth we saw to be that for                death would prevent Him from keeping His promises. In the

the fulfillment of the promises the covenant seed had to be             triumph of this faith, Abraham with Isaac his son made the

offered as a burnt offering before the Lord. The covenant               journey to Moriah.

seed was iin figure and type Isaac ; but in the fulfillment it             That this was actually the faith of Abraham was evidenced

was to be the perfect covenant seed, Jesus Christ.                      when he left his servants with the ass at the bottom of the

      The second aspect which we considered was the reaction            mountain and told them, "Abide ye here with the ass; and

to this command which took place within the mind and heart              I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again

of Abraham. Abraham did not follow the reasoning of earthly             to you," Gen. 22:5. This statement should not be interpreted

wisdom which might conclude, if Isaac had to be slain as a              as having been a deliberate lie or falsehood on the part of

sacrifice, the promise that from Isaac would come a great               Abraham by which he meant to keep the young men in

nation would be.impossible  of fulfillment. Rather following the        ignorance about what was going to happen. At the pinnacle

reasoning of faith he concluded because God had promised to             of faith at which Abraham stood at that time we do not do

raise a seed from Isaac, and because Isaac must be slain upon           him justice if we accuse him of using such deceptive words.

the altar, then it must also be true that God was going to              Rather, we must believe that Abraham expressed that both

raise Isaac from the dead so that the former promise might              he and the lad would return because he was firmly convinced

be fulfilled. In this we saw the great strenght of Abraham's            that although he expected that Isaac would die, he nonethe-

faith which stumbled not even at death, but reached forth               less was firmly assured within his heart that Isaac would be

grasping even the truth of the resurrection from the dead. In           raised from the dead to return with him to the waiting

this he saw in type the death and resurrection which was                servants.

finally and perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ.                           It was while Abraham and Isaac were climbing the

      It was in this strength of faith that Abraham with ,Isaac         mountain together that a very interesting but touching con-

and two young men-servants made his way to mount                        versation took place between them. Isaac knew that his father

Moriah. One is inclined at this point to lay stress upon the            had made very thorough preparations for the sacrifice which

sorrow that burdened the heart of Abraham on this journey               they were to offer, but still there was one very important

as he anticipated the sacrifice of his son. It is easy to imagine       element missing. They had with them wood, fire, and even

that Abraham dreaded to make the trip, and each step of the             a knife, but the most important element of all, a lamb, was

way was for him a torture that grew more painful the closer             missing. Observing this he addressed his father, "My father

he came to Moriah, and each look at his son reminded him                . . . Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for

anew that soon the lad would die at the hand of his own                 a burnt offering?' Gen..22  :7. To this Abraham replied, "My

father. Yet so to place the emphasis is to greatly misrepresent         son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt-offering."

Abraham and to build upon implications that the Scriptures              That this answer of Abraham is beautiful and that it arose


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                 129


from a living faith, one immediately feels. Yet when we try          that are built upon faith. True faith lays hold upon the Word
to enter into it, we find that it is very difficult to understand    of God, and the Word of God demands a life in conformity
exactly what was meant by Abraham with these words.                  with the Will of God. If then faith is truly living, life will
    One's first inclination is to interpret this answer of           conform to that which faith believes. Such works do not ex-
Abraham as somewhat of an evasion. He did not have the               clude faith. Rather, according to James, faith goes with such
courage to tell Isaac of his intentions, and, therefore, he          works, and by such works faith is made perfect.

gave an answer that was not entirely incorrect but which,               The sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham was a work in the

nonetheless, would not make known the hard facts of that             sense of which James speaks. By faith Abraham believed the

which was to happen. In this way Abraham unconsciously               Word of God that for the promise to be realized the covenant

prophesied concerning not only the ram which would be                seed must die as a burnt offering upon the altar. To the mind

caught in the ticket, but also the greater substitute which          of Abraham- the covenant seed was Isaac, and being such

God would eventually provide in Jesus Christ. However,               Isaac was a type foreshadowing Christ. Therefore having

here again one feels that he is compromising the pinnacle of         faith Abraham worked ; he went with Isaac to Moriah; he

faith and understanding which the Scriptures apply to Abra-          brought the lad up the mountain and built an altar; he raised

ham at this point.                                                   the knife to slay him. This work was an -expression of the

    We would rather appeal for an interpretation of this             faith that lived within him. In his works his faith was made

statement to another possible translation. Accordingly this          perfect.

statement should not read, "God will provide . . ." but rather           It was as Abraham stretched forth his hand to slay his
"God is providing to himself a lamb for a burnt offering."           son the voice of the Lord stopped him. "Abraham, Abraham,
This translation gives exact expression to the faith that lived      . . . Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any
within the heart of Abraham. They could build the altar and          thing unto him,>' Gen. 22 :ll, 12. In the mind and determina-
provide the wood but the sacrifice itself, namely Isaac, was         tion of Abraham the act was already co,mpleted  ; and, because
a gift of God. This is an important point if we are to under-        it was a typej  that was all that was'  necessary. As a type, a
stand the typical significance of this whole event. Isaac as         picture of greater things which were yet to come, it had
the sacrificial victim foreshadowing the atoning Christ ap-          served its purpose of instructing and establishing Abraham
pears as God's gift to Abraham, not as Abraham's gift to             in his faith. Isaac could not be the perfect and complete atone-
God. As he brought his son to the altar, he was not thereby          ment for sin because, as Abraham knew and as Isaac himself
giving a gift by which his sin might be covered (the gift of         knew, Isaac was a sinful man ; and a sinful man can never
a man could never be a covering for sin, not even in a typical       be the real atonement for sin. "And Abraham lifted up his
sense) ; rather, he thereby confessed his faith in the atoning       eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a
value of the promised seed which God had given to him.               thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram,

   As they proceeded together up the mountain Abraham                and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his

explained this all to Isaac ; and Isaac also believed. Together      son," Gen. 22 :13. To the mind of Abraham was brought the

in faith father and son came to the summit of the mountain,          truth that another sacrificial victim was to be substituted by

built the altar, and prepared the wood and fire upon it. Then,       the Lord for his son. Isaac could not be the one to die and

while Isaac stood in faithful obedience, Abraham raised the          to be raised again, but eventually God would provide another

knife prepared to- sacrifice his son, a burnt offering of com-       perfect sacrifice which would take the place of Isaac and

plete consecration to God.                                           realize all of the glorious truths which Abraham was brought

    So it is that we may read, "Was not Abraham our                  to see in type.

father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son.            As Abraham and Isaac descended that mountain and re-
upon the altar ?' James 2 21. This passage in James always           turned to their servants, many were the glorious, gospel
seems to present somewhat of a problem to the serious stu-           truths that filled their minds and caused their hearts to over-
dent of,the Bible. This is especially true if we place it over-      flow. Through the means of type and shadow they had seen
against Romans 4 :2,     "For if Abraham were justified by           the truth of the atonement wrought by the covenant seed ;
works, he hath whereof to glory ; but not before God."               they had seen the truth of the resurrection as Isaac the sacri-

    The key to these passages is to be found in the word             fice was in a figure received again from the dead; they had
*"works."    Paul in Romans by the word "works" refers to            seen the truth that this all would be realized in years to come
the works of the law, works performed externally for the             when God would provide the true sacrificial victim to stand
sake of appearance without regard to the internal disposition        in the place of Isaac ; in a figure they saw the Christ. Well
..of the heart. Such works performed without faith can never         does James conclude, "And the scripture was fulfilled which
-be the sufficient means of salvation. This would deny the           saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him
necessity of faith in the children of God which the Scripture        for righteousness : and he. was called the ' Friend of God,"
had always stressed as indispensable. James, however, speaks         James 2 :23.

of works in an entirely different sense. He has in mind .works                                                                 B.W.


130                                             THE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R


                                                                         office and calling where God has placed us as a living member
11 FXOM  H                      O        L      Y         WRlf 11of his church in this world.
                                                                             Hence, the question : who then is the faithful and prudent

                                                                         servant ? !
              Exposition of Matthew 24 and 25
                                                                             And to this question Jesus himself gives us the answer.
                                   X.                                    However, the answer which he gives is really a portraiture of

                                                                         two different  attitzqdes  and actions in one and the same  serv-
                          (Matthew 24:45-51)                             ant! From the viewpoint of the parable they are two hypo-

         It is well to bear in mind that Jesus is still uttering His     ,thetical  cases. The one is the servant as he is portrayed as

great eschatological discourse concerning the time when He               being faithful. The  other as he falls into the temptation oc-

shall return, and concerning the Sign of this return or Parou-           casioned (not caused) by the tarrying of his lord.

sia !                                                                        Thus the parable really confronts us with the concrete

         He had rather prophetically spoken of the sign of His.          calling which is ours and also shows us, as in a mirror, the
return. This we have noticed in our former essays on this                deep workings and temptations of our flesh as it wars against
twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew. Now our Lord will in-                  the Spirit. Jesus is not simply telling us a story but relates a
struct us and warn us concerning the need of readiness which             hypothetical case in order that we might be excited unto
comists  in wa.tchf&tess!  And watchfulness in turn reveals              watchfulness !

itself in our fulfilling the office unto which God has called                We wish to state here and now that we cannot agree with
us, whether this be the special office of minister, elder and            those who would spiritualize the elements in this parable.
deacon, or whether this is the office which is ours by virtue            They then would make the "household" the church, and the
of being a Christian, having the anointing of the Holy Spirit            "servant" the office-bearers in the church, etc. Thus doing
as a living utze+&er  of `Christ and His church !                        the one point of comparison is lost from view, that is, what

         In the parables that follow, in this chapter and in chapter     is called by theologians the "Tertium Comparationis." This
25, the Lord Jesus gives some particulars concerning the                 point of comparison in the "parable" is that even as the
Parousia of Himself, .its unexpected nature, the twofold at-             servant in the hypothetical case is either faithful and prudent
titude of faith and unbelief. And. th& latter is given in order          and thus watchful, or on the other hand "wicked," not per-
that we may rightly examine our hearts whether we walk in                forming his duties, so we are to learn from this what our
the faith or not! It is a profitable word which is here spoken           calling is. Here is exhortation, with confrontation of the
by the Lord. It is profitable for instruction, for reproof, for          word, calling us to watchfulness!

correction, for instruction which is in righteousness : that the             And this confrontation is such, that, when we do not
man of God may be complete, fzt:l-&shed  covtzpletely  unto              heed it, whether we be clothed with one of the special offices
every good work !                                                        in the church, or whether we are simply clothed with the

         The parable to which -we wish to call attention in this         office of believer, we know that we shall not reap the reward.
essay, and concerning which we hope to make a few ex-                    Every man is called to duty in some respect and place in
pository remarks reads as follows : "Who then is the fa.ithful           this world before God toward his fellow-men. For this
and -wiJe servant, whom his lord l&h  set ovw his household,             "servant" stands here in relation to both tables of the law.
to give them their food in due mason? Blessed is that servant,           He stands in relationship to his neighbor and is accountable
whom  his lord when he cometh  shall find sob  doing.  Verily I          to God!

say unto  yo`u, that he will set l&x  over all thati  he laath. But          Thus also this parable is such that, he who has, receives-
if tht evil servant shll  say in his heart, My lord tamieth;             more and has abundance, and he, who has not, from him is
and shall begin to beat his fellow-serva:&s,.  and shalt eat and         taken away even that which he tl&ketk to have. Luke 8:18.
drink with the d,rztnken; the lord of that servant .shL?  come               Let us attempt to analyze this parable just a bit more in
in a. day when he expecteth not, and in a.n  IZO~W  when. he             detail.
knoweth not, and shut2  cti.t him ,asztnd@v, and a.ppoiuLt  his              Notice, first of all, how Jesus portrays the faith&l  and
@vtion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and               pru.dent  servant. Jesus speaks of this servant as one who is
the gnashing of teeth."                                                  simply a bond-servant. The "lord" has absolute right over
         Jesus begins by asking a question in this parable. It is the    him. He belongs to this eaithly lord. Legally -he is his
question : who then is the faithful and wise (prudent) serv-             property. His lord has elevated him to that post, trusting
ant? And this question is asked in view of the preceding                 him to be faithful, assigning a specific duty to him. It is a
verse where he had given the exhortation to the church, to               duty of great responsibility. He must see to it that the mem-
us, to be in a state of spiritual readiness. We must con-                bers of the household of the lord have their food in their
stantly live in a state of watchfulness!                                 season. He can therefore be promoted and demoted at the

         Such watchfulness is only possible by attending to our          discretion of his "lord."


                                           T H E   STAND,ARD  B E A R E R                                                           131


    Such a "servant" is faitlzful  in the same measure that he          Hence, he` shall not be exalted over the entire substance of

putictually  and from the heart, not as eye-service and men;         the lord. He shall be surprised when his lord comes, just as

pleasers, performs his assigned duty. Faithfulness is the one        were the wicked in the days of Noah and the floo&

thing sought for in a servant.    Now it is the part of wisdom          For even as the lord of this evil servant comes he will
for a servant not to act the pafrt  of being lord. That part he      find such a one not "thus doing," so shall it be with all those
must ever "play" !    He cannot become a "lord" in deed and          who do not live in the hope of seeing Christ come in His
in truth. His very legal station is that of a bond-servant. He"      Parousia.
must always simply stand in ofice. That is wisdoin.  How-
ever, the text employs the term "prudence." And prudence                 Such shall be cast into outer darkness. There shall be
is not the same as wisdom. Wisdom sees reality. Prudence             weeping and gnashing of teeth. They shall suffer the tor-
is wisdom applied in a certain situation, dictating a course of      ments of conscience forever where the worm does not die!

action which leads to a good and proper end. The fear of                 On the other hand those who are faithful and prudent

the Lord is, of course, the principle of wisdom.                     shall not be found wanting.

    Such prudence in the case of this hypothetical man in               The truth of this parable is underscored further in the

the.parable  is that he constantly performs his assigned duties.     parables which follow: the Ten Virgins, the Talents and the

If he is faithful he shall need,s be piudent.  One cannot be         Final Judgment.

the latter without the former. Such faithfulness in duties is at        Let us therefore be watchful, fulfilling our calling and
once watchfulness. It is not watchfulness of the -man, who           office faithfully as the angels in heaven fulfill their calling.
does not desire to be "caught" by his lord, but one who is

dutiful  when he comes.                                                                                                           G.L.

    The other  case is that of this same man, in the same

position of being a servant, with the same assigned duties.

He is now presented hypothetically as being an evil servant.                            T H E   T H R E E   P O I N T S

He is at heart bad, injurious. He is self-centered, and will                             (Continued from page 125)
use his office and station without regard of the return of his
                                                                     we will reflect His love, for He also loves all men even His
lord.
                                                                     enemies.
    In his 1aea.d  he is portrayed by Christ as being a bad man.
                                                                        3. This love of God to the wicked and enemies of God
    In his head  he says something. Out of this heart pro-           as well as to the righteous is revealed in the rain and sun-
ceed the things which defile the man, Matt. 15 :19. He is            shine on all men without distinction.
tempted. It is the sad development from lust to conception
to the act, as depicted in James 1:14,  15. For every man               This interpretation, however, is contrary to Scripture.
when he is tempted to evil, is tempted of his own lust, being        For throughout the whole Bible we find the plain testimony
enticed and deceived, and lust having conceived brings forth         that God does not love His enemies but hates them and
sin, and sin when it is finished brings forth death.                 purposes to destroy them. What we read, for instance, in
                                                                     Proverbs 3 :31-35 is the plain teaching of all of Scripture.
    Thus the hypothetical case is presented.                         There we read: "Envy not thou the oppressor, and choose
    His lord delays. This delay is not the cause and reason          none of his ways. For the froward is an abomination to the
for this man saying in his heart what he does. It is simply          Lord: but his secret is wiih  the righteous. The curse of the
the occasion. The deeper reason is the "lusts" in his heart.         Lord is in the house of the wicked : but he blesseth the habita-
It is the lust of the eyes, the lusts of the flesh and the pride     tion of the just. Surely he scoineth  the scorners; but he
of life. The philosophy of this man is: let's sat, drink and be      giveth grace unto the lowly. The wise shall inherit glory ; but
merry for tomorrow we die ! And he puts the day of reckon-           shame shall be the promotion of fools." How then can the
ing, when his lord returns, far from his mind.                       texts quoted from Matthew and Luke possibly teach that God

   Two things he does.                                               loves and gives grace to all that hate him ? Did Christ, per-
                                                                     haps, love the hypocritical Pharisees and Scribes as such, on
   He wholly neglects his calling toward the household. In-
                                                                     whom in Matt. 23 he pronounces an eight-fold woe ? To be
stead of feeding them with his lord's goods as steward of the
                                                                     sure, He loves His enemies, but not as such, but only those
household, he beats them and ill-treats them! He begins to
                                                                     whom the Father gave Him and for whom He shed His life-
smite them. He does not practice the Golden Rule in his
                                                                     blood on the accursed tree.
stewardship. That had been enjoined upon him.

                                                                        But this interpretation is also impossible.
   Then too he begins to eat and drink with the drunken. He
deliberately uses the lord's gifts, wasting his lord's substance.       It is contrary to fact and leads to absurdity.

   This man, of course, is unconverted and a hypocrite !                But about this next time D.V.

   He is not what he pretended to be.                                                                                            H.H.


 1        3        2                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R


                                                                       in-  those churches where Christian discipline is lacking. Oh,
 Ii                     I N   M I S   F E A R                      II they will insist that you believe certain teachings of the
                                                                       church. You must believe this and you must believe that to

                                                                       be a member in good standing in their midst. If you disagree
       II          And Keep His Commandments . . ."                    with them in regard to their views on baptism, on the mil-
          . . .
                                                                       lennium, the' love of God or even their own "prophetic" in-
       That the title above is a partial quotation is evident at       terpretation of events in present current events, they will be
 once.                                                                 deeply grieved and do all in their power to bring you back

       That it is a partial quotation of Ecclesiastes 12 :13 is not    from your "wayward,' walk. Yet that you walk contrary to
 self evident. But to all who know this text, it will be known.        God's law does not seem to be their concern. You can fill
The full text is, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole             the Sabbath with the lusts of the flesh. You can go to early
matter: Fear God and keep His commandments : for this is               morning Mass so that the rest of the day is yours for golf,
the whole duty of man."                                                fishing or any other recreation you simply would not take
                                                                       time off for during the week. You can fill God's Day with
       Now partial quotations are to be frowned upon and not           the things you would not do on the other days because of the
to be advocated. They lend themselves too easily and too               almighty dollar. And nothin'g  will be said or done about it.
quickly to a corruption of the truth in the text, They are             Your sole duty is to fear God (believe the things the church
often quoted for the express purpose of deceiving, of mis-             leaders say about Him) and, of course, give the church
leading and of defending false doctrines. For they are the             financial support. But that is the extent of it. Indeed, you
*results, so often, of the process of cutting off the rest of the      must not murder, steal, lie and rebel against the authorities.
text which would show the error of the teaching in whose               It is better, too, that you do not openly commit adultery. But
defense they have been quoted.                                         these are frowned upon not so much because it is part of the

       And, strange as it may sound, that is exactly why we            sole duty of man to flee these but because these are bad for

have chosen a partial quotation for our title at this writing.         society ! And these must not be viewed in any other way

Only we must bear in mind that we make this partial quota-             than the literal wo.rd of the commandment. You must not

tion as a supplement to the usual partial quotation and to             ask any thing further in the matter. That joining a godless

complete the picture that we may have the truth.                       union which practices the unscriptural principle of might

                                                                       makes right in the strike is violating the fifth commandment
       The words of our title are usually left off; and the text
is so often read as though it simply said that the sole duty.          and eighth must not be investigated. Believe what the
                                                                       church says about the cross, believe that God in. His love
of man is to fear God. And then by fearing God is meant
nothing more than believing, trusting Him, -having faith in            desires to save every man head for head and soul for soul
                                                                       and that you, little creature of the dust that depends entirely
His promises.
                                                                       upon God, can disappoint Him and make His cross worth-
       No, this is not done in the literal sense of the word. You      less ; but never mind asking whether the dance floor and
do not hear people literally denying that we must keep God's           the sexual movies are not also phases of the sin of adultery !
commandments. For you do not hear people declaring that                Believe in the practices of the church and go to do your
to keep His commandments is sinful and forbidden by God.               "evangelism" on the street corner and in prison, on skid
No man who calls himself a Christian openly advocates that             row and in the slum districts. But then rush home to curl up
you and I may worship idols, take God's name in vain, rebel            with Sunday's enlarged section of the "funnies" or spend the
against the authorities, steal, lie and kill. All know that            rest of your time with Hollywood via TV or reading some
even the civil state forbids these latter sins and that wor-           worldly, gripping novel. These are very edifying spiritually !
shipping idols and taking God's name in vain is directly               And these are showing due respect to that great work of God
contrary to all principles of Christianity. No man, no matter          which He accomplished so fully in His Son that there is a
how much emphasis he may place on believing will himself               rest that remaineth for the children of God! Just subscribe
believe that the church member or the world may break the              to the teachings of your church concerning doctrinal matters
second table of the law at will or that he may behave as               in the abstract and without their practical implications ; and
though God never spoke that first table of the law. He may             so drop out the words, ". . . and keep His commandments
deny that there is any need whatsoever for Sabbath observ-             . . . " from your declaration as to the whole duty of man.
ance and that the day is man's to do all he pleases; but he

will never advocate the breaking of the first three com-                  There are other ways !

mandments of that first table of the law.
                                                                          Hold to the truth that all these are wicked, classify these

       Yet you do not need to look very far to find scores upon        works on the Sabbath as Sabbath desecration. Forbid mem-

scores of people who in practice do ignore the phrase which            bership in the godless unions -and in all other worldly or-

forms our title and simply live from the principle that the            ganization for whose godless practices you are responsible as

sole duty of man is to believe. You will find this condition           a member -and .declare  that the dance floor, the movie and


                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEAR*ER                                                      133


 TV entertainment of Hollywood with its immorality is not             agree, have that threefold knowledge of his misery, of his

 for the. confessing child of God. But then do nothing about          redemption and of how to express his gratitude to God. But

 it when the members in the church walk in such wicked                they never get to this last part of this. triple knowledge.

 ways. Do as Eli did. Speak a few, mild reproving words               From the glorious truth of the cross they fall back again

 and then look the other way ! And again you rob Ecclesiastes         into the woes and miseries of their sin. The joy of the cross

 12:13  of the partial quotation that forms our title for this        they lose almost as soon as they mention it.                This

 time. And that is easy to do. Who wants to stir up trouble           misery of man is their forte. And although they con-

 in the church ? Things are going smoothly. And if you touch          fess the wonders of the cross they begin and they end

 this one who, does not keep God's commandments, his father           in man's misery. They never come to the treatment of the

 and mother, his brothers and sisters will rise up in his             knowledge of how to express thankfulness to God. For there-

 defense. And before you know it you have unrest in your              in is treated what God req&re.s  of us in the law. And in-

 church to say the least. Let divorce and union membership            stead of seeing the regenerated, sanctified child of God walk-

 together with membership- in the atheistic lodges be tolerated.      ing in that law in principle, they fall back again into the woe

 Otherwise you are going to suffer loss .of membership. Your          of the misery of not being able to keep that law AT ALL!

 congregation and denomination is going to be less attractive         Not even by God's grace! Though they confess to be their

 and smaller in number in the midst of,the  world. Let this           only comfort that which the Heidelberg Catechism presents

 one or that one .continue  in a sinful walk. Be patient and          in Lord's Day One, namely that they belong to Christ, a

 gentle. For to condemn sin harshly is to cause them to               faithful Saviour Who "assures us that He will make us sin-

 stiffen in resistance to your rebuke. And Lo ! you find that         cerely willing and ready, henceforth to live unto Him," that

 others, seeing your laxity of discipline, begin to walk that         assurance is quickly brushed aside or else the "henceforth"

 way. The flood gates have opened ; and now you cannot                becomes from the day of Christ's return onward. In this

 stop it! So . . . ! Recite a partial quotation and leave out,        life there just is no sincere willingness and readiness to live
 " . . . and keep His commandments." That is the way of               unto Him. For the regenerated child of God in this life his

least resistance. That is the way of least trouble. Just preach       sole duty is to believe. And they leave off, "and keep His

the gospel. Tell all of the love of God, that He hates sin            commandments" because they believe that in no sense of the

but not the sinner. But be sure you step on no toes. That is          word can it be said that the regenerated child of God does

not the gospel. Well, you can tell people, as Eli did to his          do this.

 sons, "It is no good report that I hear." But be sure you go            And yet we have one last consideration for this time.
no further than a few "choice" words of gentle reprimand!
                                                                         Your child came home with his report card. You are
If a member of your church can recite the so-called Apostles'
                                                                      deeply interested in his progress in school. Let us see, What
Creed and say that he believes those cardinal truths~of  Scrip-
                                                                      did he get in arithmetic, spelling, reading, science, geography ?
ture, what else can you in the name of God demand of him?
                                                                      After all the standings in these will determine whether he
And your version, your revised version of Ecclesiastes
                                                                      makes the grade and passes on to a higher grade. Indeed, you
 1.2 :13 reads, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter :
                                                                      will take note that his mark is poor in-deportment. But does
Believe the twelve articles of the `Apostolic Creed' : for this is
                                                                      that bother you MORE than his poor marks in these sub-
the whole duty of man."
                                                                      jects ? Or have you eliminated from his sole duty before God
    There are still other ways !                                      the keeping of His commandments. You want your child to

    Preach the misery of man. Spare no words to paint the             believe in God. And you desire greatly his salvation. But is

most awful picture of man's total depravity. Show as clearly          it simply a salvation from hell's punishment, or is it also from

and as completely as you can his carnality. And you can               wickedness and from a life of transgression of God's law 7

never emphasize it too much. Place the proper emphasis upon              So you see, there is room to say a few things about
man's inherent wickedness. Explain fully Jesus'.  words to            the partial quotation that forms our theme and show that it
the Pharisees : "Ye,are  of your father the devil,' and John the      belongs with the other part: "Fear God." We plan, there-
Baptist's words to them: "0 offspring of vipers (in your              fore, to look more carefully next time at this matter of keep-
translation, generation of vipers) ." And then go on to speak         ing God's commandments in this life.
of the beauty and glory of the cross. With all the power at                                                                    J.A.H.
your command publish the joy of the gospel' of a salvation

full and free through the blood of Christ.

    Well, no, not full and free, but surely free in the sover-

eign grace of our God. Not full, however, because you want               A bulletin quote: Our Lord measures out our sufferings
to soft pedal or omit the santification  that is also freely given
                                                                      in the same sovereign love whereby He measures out our
on the basis of the blood of the cross. Indeed, there are such.
They even insist that the Heidelberg Catechism with its three         spiritual blessings, so that our sufferings always serve His

parts is the true doctrine of the Scriptures. Man must, they          own kind purpose.

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


                                                                        sure, the Word of God has some significance, but -this signif-
II Contending For The Faith                                             icance is merely preliminary and preparatory ; the faith,
                                                                        which is worked through the Word, is nothing else than a

                                                                        historical faith which is insufficient unto salvation and which

            The Church and the Sacraments                      '        must be filled up and completed by the love and the grace
                                                                        of God which are infused into us. And this grace is imparted

  V                                                                     to the sinner only through the sacraments which therefore
       IEWS DURING THE THIRII PERIOD (750-1517 A.D.)-
                                                                        receive their own, independent significance next to the Word
                T H E   S E V E N   S A C R A M E N T S .               of God and certainly far exceed the same in importance. This

                                                                        is certainly contrary to the,Reformed  and Scriptural'concep-
       "Thus, neither is our own justice established as our own         tion which views the sacrament as wholly subordinate to the
as from ourselves; nor is the justice of God ignored or re-             Word of God. All seven sacraments are necessary unto salva-
pudiated: for that justice which is called ours, because that           tion. The administration of these sacraments is solely the
we are justified from its being inherent in us, that same is            task of the clergy, except that of the sacrament of baptism
(the justice) of God, because that it is infused into us of             which, in certain times of special need, may be administered
God, through the merit of Christ. Neither is this to be                 by the laity. This means that Rome teaches and advocates the
omitted, - that although, in the sacred writings, so much is            indispensableness of the Roman hierarchy. There is no salva-
attributed to good works, that Christ promises, that even he            tion possible outside of the church, that is, outside of the
that shall give a. drink of cold water to one of his least ones,        clergy. The ministry of the Word of God is minimized and
shall not lose lais rewagrd;  and the Apostle testifies that, TlLat     relegated to the background, and the importance of the sacra-
which is at pvesent  mm~entary  and light of our trib,ulation,          ments elevated to a prominence which is wholly out. of all
worketh  for US a.bove  `ytzeasuye  e.yceed&gly  a+%  eternal weight    .proportion.
of glory; nevertheless God forbid that a Christian should                   Thirdly, this doctrine of the seven sacraments is a devia-
either trust or glory in himself, and not in the Lord, whose            tion from the teachings of Holy Writ because, according to
bounty towards all men is so great, that he will have the things        Rome, faith is no requirement whatever for the receiving of
which are his own gifts be their merits. And forasmuch as               the sacrament. The grace of God lies as a sanctifying grace,
,in many thgs WE all offend, each one ought to have before              as something material, in the sacrament itself, is imparted
his eyes, as well the severity and judgment, as the mercy and           by an external operation of the sacrament, and merely pre-
goodness (of God) ; neither ought any one to judge himself,             supposes, at the very most, that the adults, to. receive the
even though  he be not conscio~~~s  to himself of any thing;            sacrament, must not positively oppose it by absolute in-
because the whole life of man is to be examined and judged,             fidelity or resistance of the will. The sacrament works
not by the judgment of man, but of God, z&o ZeriZl bring to             physically and magically, and by a power of God which He
light the hidden things of dmkness,  and will make manifest             has imparted to the priest as an instrument in his hand. The
the counsel of the hearts-;  a.nd tlzen  shall every man ha.ve          Council of Trent declared, in Canon VIII of its Seventh Ses-
pfyaise  ~YO`PPZ God, who, as it is written, will render to every       sion, and we quote : "If any one saith that by the said sacra-
1>i.af%  according to his works. After this Catholic doctrine on        ments of the New Law grace is not conferred through the
Justification, which whoso  receiveth not faithfully and firmly         act performed, but that faith alone in the divine promise
can not be justified, it hath seemed good to the holy Synod             suffices for the obtaining of grace: let him be anathema."
to subjoin these canons, that all may know not only what they           The faith which is necessary on the part of adults is merely
ought to hold and follow, but also what to avoid and shun." -           historical faith,' an acceptance of what the Church has set
end of quote. It cannot escape the attention of the reader of           forth (and, incidentally, there is so much of this also in our
these lines how all stress and emphasis is laid upon the works          present day), but the efficacy of the sacrament lies in the
of man. And this grace -of God, we must remember, is be-                sacrament itself and is imparted to the recipient through its
stowed upon man through the external operation of the sacra-            outward administration. And this they declare in spite of the
ments, particularly the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's            clear Word of God as recorded in Romans 3 :25-31, and we
Supper. And it surely must be evident that this grace of                quote :    `Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation
God is almost entirely divorced and separated from the guilt            through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for
of sin and its forgiveness.                                             the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance

       Secondly, this doctrine of the seven sacraments is a devia-      of God ; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness :
tion from the teachings of Holy Writ because it breaks or               that he might be just, and the justifier of him which be-
severs the bond between the sacraments and the Word of                  lieveth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By
God. Rome does not stress the bond between the sacraments               what law? of works ? Nay : but by the law of faith. There-
and the Word of God but between the sacraments and the                  fore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the
Church, and the Church must be understood in the sense of               deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not
the hierarchy, the priesthood. This, too, is evident. To be             also of the Gentiles ? Yes, of the Gentiles also : Seeing it is of


                                              T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                     135


one God,' which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and             for the justification (infused grace, habitualis).  This prepara-
uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the                   tion embraces seven moments, that ,man, helped by the grace

law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."               of God, believes in the Word of God, begins to see that he is

This view of the sacraments, as we shall see later, was uni-             a sinner, receives hope in God's mercy, begins to love Him,

formly rejected by the Reformers. But, as of now, we are                 begins to hate sin, decides to permit himself to be baptized

discussing the sacraments as they constituted the teaching               and to lead a new life, Trid. VI c. 6. Faith does not occupy

of the Church in the years A. D. 750-1517.                               a central place here, but is coordinated with the six other

                                                                         preparations unto justifying grace ; it is therefore nothing
                            BAPTISM                                      else than an agreement with the doctrine of Christendom,

                                                                         that is, of the doctrine of the church and it receives its justi-
    Treating these seven sacraments somewhat in detail, we
                                                                         fying power first through the love, which is imparted when
call attention, first of all, to the sacrament of baptism as it
                                                                         the grace of God is infused ; in itself and taken by itself, it
was taught during these Middle Ages, and therefore by the
                                                                         cannot justify, but it is called justifying faith inasmuch as it
Roman Catholic Church. ) We have already, in past articles,
                                                                         is the first of the above named preparations. If man has thus
called attention to the fact that Baptism was held in high
                                                                         prepared himself and has done what he can . . . . , then God
esteem during the early centuries of the Church of God in
                                                                         cannot refuse him the infused grace. It is true that man has
the New Dispensation. It was not merely considered a rite,
                                                                         not earned this grace through that preparation, inasmuch as
a ceremony, but as a sacrament it was considered efficacious.
                                                                         it far exceeds it in value and worth; but it is reasonable and
Baptism was to the first teachers of the Church of the New
                                                                         fair that God reward him who does his best with the in-
Dispensation not merely a significant symbol, representing to
                                                                         fused grace, This is given him in baptism and it consists in
the senses the internal consecration and renewal of the soul,
                                                                         the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the infusing of supernatural
but an efficacious medium for conveying objectively to be-
                                                                         virtues, the communion with the Divine nature, and it is
lievers the blessing of the gospel, and especially the bene-
                                                                         followed by the forgiveness of sins which constitutes with it
fits of the sacrificial death of Christ.
                                                                         the two parts of justification, Thomas, S. Theol. II 1 qu.
    Rome identifies regeneration with the sacrament of bap-              113. The forgiveness of sins, according to Rome, is there-
tism. Writing on the efficacy of baptism and the Romish and              fore the negative side of the positive renewing of man ; sin
Ritualistic doctrine as to the efficacy of baptism, Hodge, in            is forgiven because.and inasfar as it is blotted out. When
his Outlines of Theology, page 625, writes as follows: "The              man now becomes a partaker of this infused grace in bap-
Romish doctrine, with which the `Tractarian' doctrine es-                tism, then he is indeed able to lose the same through mortal
sentially agrees, is, lst, that baptism confers the merits of            sins, and he must do penance for other sins, not only with
Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost, and therefore (1)                contrition but also with confession and works of satisfaction ;
it cleanses from inherent corruption ; (2) it secures the re-            but he does possess in the infused grace the supernatural
mission of the penalty of sin ; (3) it secures the infusion of           power to perform good works and thereby is able to merit
sanctifying grace ; (4) it unites to Christ ; (5) it impresses           all future grace, yea even everlasting life. For the good
upon the soul an indelible character ; (6) it opens the                  works which he does flow forth out of a supernatural prin-
portals of heaven. Pt. II, Chap. ii., Q. 32-44. 2nd. That the            ciple and are therefore worthy of a supernatural reward.
efficacy of the ordinance is inherent in itself in virtue of the         And from this we can clearly understand just what the
divine institution. Its virtue does not depend either on the             purpose is of Rome in connection with this doctrine of grace."
merit of the officiating minister, nor on that of the recipient,         But, the. Lord willing, we will continue with this quotation
=`btst  in the sacramental action itself as an opzts  operatuvut.  In    of Dr. Bavinck in our following article.
the case of infants, the only condition of its efficiency is the                                                                      H . V .   I
right administration of the ordinance. In the case of adults

`its efficiency  depends upon the additional condition that the

 recipient is not in mortal sin, and does not resist by an op-

posing will. - Dens `De Baptismo,' N. 29." - end of quote.                             GOD OUR HELP AND HOPE

    Dr. Bavinck, in his Dogmatics, writes as follows, III,                              0 God, our help in ages past,
442-444, and we translate: "The Romish doctrine comes                                     Our hope for years to come,
 therefore down to this: the children who are born in the                               Our shelter from the stormy blast,
 church receive in baptism regeneration (justification, infused                           And our eternal home.
 grace), but they, who in later years hear the gospel, receive

 the grace sufficient, which consists in an enlightening of the                         Before the hills in order stood,

 mind and a strengthening of the will by the  Holy Spirit.                                Or earth received her frame,

 Man can reject this grace but he can also acquiesce. If he                             From everlasting Thou art God,

 acquiesces,    then the gratis  excita.ns  becomes cooperating                           To endless years the same.

 grace ; man works or cooperates with it to prepare himself                                                                 Psahn 90 : I., 3

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



   I                                                                           one to Dordrecht and say : "There is our Reformed view con-
  II         The Voice- of Our Fathers II                                      cerning the sins and falls of the saints."
                                                                                   But we may find a further, non-apologetic, significance in
  I'                                                                     `I
                                                                               this article. First of all, it serves to emphasize the tremendous
                   The Canons of Dordrecht                                     contrast presented in Article 3. For the whole article is

                                                                               certainly one.  clear illustration of. the truth that "by reason
                                PART TWO
                                                                               of these remains of indwelling sin, and the temptations of sin
                     EXPOSITION OF THE  CANONS                                 and of the world, those who are converted could not persevere

                      FIFTH AHEAD  OF DOCTRINE                                 in a state of grace, if left to their own strength." And there-
                                                                               fore, as Article 6 will emphasize positively; the present article
               OF THE~PERSEVERANCE  OF THE SAINTS                              certainly emphasizes negatively the tremendous import and

                Article 5. By such enormous sins,  however, they very          unspeakable blessedness of the truth that "God is faithful,
                highly offend God, incur a deadly guilt, grieve the            who having conferred grace, mercifully confirms, and power-
                Holy Spirit, interrupt the exercise of faith, very griev-
                ously wound their consciences, and sometimes lose the          fully preserves them therein, even to the end." What a grace
                sense of God's favor, for a time, until on their returning     it is that preserves such sinners as are described in this fifth
                into the right way of serious repentance, the light of
                God's fatherly countenance again shines upon them.             article! And in the second place, the more clearly we see

                                                                               and acknowledge the truth expressed in this article, the more
         The above translation is not wholly accurate. By "deadly
  guilt" is meant literally "a guilt of death." "God's favor" is               is the comfort of the grace of preservation enhanced for us
  in the original simply "grace." The phrase "for a time" modi-                and the more real and applicable it becomes. For surely, no
  fies only the expression "and sometimes lose the sense of                    child of God can escape the testimony that what is stated in
  grace."    And the last clauses of the article should be trans-              this article is real. Article 5 describes life as we live it and
  lated as follows: "until, having through earnest repentance                  experience it as long as we are in the flesh. It describes some-
  returned into the way of life, God's paternal countenance                    thing which every child of God at one time or another and
  shines upon them again."                                                     in one degree or another experiences. And how awful in
         This article evidently follows in thought very closely                such circumsttices  to have to live by a doctrine which teaches
  upon the preceding article. It is still referring, as the ex-                that the saint must lift himself out of such extfeme  straits !
  pression "by such enormous sins" indicates, to the sins and                  How reassuring for a saint who can fall so deeply to know
  falls of the saints mentioned in Article 4. There it ~8s stated              that it is absolutely certain and irrevocable by the grace of
  that sometimes converts sinfully deviate from the guidance                   God in Christ Jesus "that in my greatest temptations, I may
  bf divine grace, so that they are seduced by and comply with                 be assured, and wholly comfort myself in this, that my Lord
  the lusts of the flesh, and are even drawn into great and                    Jesus Christ, by his inexpressible anguish, pains, terrors, and
  heinous sins. And in connection herewith the fathers cited                   hellish agonies, in which he was plunged during all his suf-
  the lamentable falls of David, of Peter, and of other saints,                ferings, but especially on the cross, hath delivered me from
  described in Holy Scripture. About these "enormous sins"                     the anguish and torments of hell !" Heid.  Cat., Qu. 44. How
  the present article continues to speak. And it is plain that                 comforting to know also with respect to those deep and
  the purpose of the art&le  is to emphasize the reality and                   hopeless falls into sin that the Holy Ghost "is given me . . .
  the very real seriousness of these sins of the saints. Negatively            that he may comfort me and abide with me for ever!"  How
  stated, the article teaches us that the Reformed doctrine of                 blessed it is to know with respect to such enormous sins
  sure perseverance does not in any way minimize `sin. This                    "that I am-and  for ever shall remain, a living memper"  of the
  in itself is important, for, it furnishes us with an answer to               holy catholic church! Heid.  Cat., Qu. 53, 54. Hence, on the
- the calumnies of the Arminians. It was necessary to insert                   one hand, let us by all means not overlook and ignore the
  this article, not because there was any real danger of the                   picture drawn in this article. Nor let us forget the truth
  Reformed believer' denying the seriousness of his sins and                   taught in the last part of the article, namely, that the way
  falls. That is, after all, psychologically and spiritually im-               out of the hopeless morass of despair pictured here is the way
  possible. Nor was it necessary to insert this article because                of earnest repentance. But on the other hand, let us not
  there was any element of truth in the accusation of the Ar-                  divorce this article from the truth taught in this chapter. It
  minians that the Reformed- truth of p&-severance implies a                   is an integral part thereof. And iet  us allow the full light of
  denial of the seriousness of the saints' sins and therefore                  the wonder of perseverance to penetrate our hearts by be-
  leads to spiritual carelessness. But it was necessary because                holding its contrast with the enormity and seriousness of our
  the Arminian charge was false,  and the fathers here state the               sins.
  truth of the matter in order that the mouth of the accuser                       Now let us attend to the contents of the article.

  may be stopped and that everyone may know what is the                            In the first place, the fathers assert that by these enor-

  Reformed view of the sins of those saint% who are surely                     mous sins the saints "very highly offend God." This statement

  preserved by God unto everlasting life and glory. If anyone                  is important for two reasons. First of all, we see that the

  ever brings this charge today, one need only point such an                   entire outlook of this paragraph is theocentric. The very


                                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                  137


     first concern of Reformed doctrine is to stand for the name          Nor will ii do to say that when His saints sin, God has the

     and honor and glory of God. That is also the case with the           same attitude toward them as toward the reprobate, - the

     doctrine of perseverance. And that is in particular the case         attitude. of a severe Judge, Who demands satisfaction for

     in dealing with the truth of perseverance in its relation to         sin. That cannot be : the satisfaction has been made by Christ.

     the sins and falls of the saints. And secondly, just because         But exactly because God loves His people in Christ Jesus,

     we are taught here that the character of the love and grace          He hates and is displeased with their sins. The offense of

     of God in preserving His children unto the end is such that          which this article speaks is the offense of a loving Father !

     it cannot possibly ignore sin, but is highly offended by our         And it is for this reason that the article also emphasizes that

     sins, we can understand that all the rest of this article must       these enormous sins of the saints offend God "very highly."

     needs follow. Hence; let us understand this truth. God is            You ask the question: are the sins of God's people more

     highly offended and displeased by the sins of His children.          offensive than the sins of the ungodly ? And the answer is :

     No, this does not and cannot mean that God alternates be-            by all means ! The saints are those in whom God works the

     tween love and wrath, between blessing and cursing, between          work of His grace. The saints are those who bear the name

     favor and disfavor toward His people. But we `must remem-            of God in the midst of the world. The saints are those who

     ber, in the first place, that God's love and grace toward His        represent the cause of God in the midst of the world. And

     people is always `first of all the love and grace which He has       therefore the sins of the saints, and especially their gross sins

     in Himself and toward Himself as the ever-blessed Triune             and falls, are the occasion that the name of God is blasphemed.

     One. God is in Himself the gracious God because He is the            They are His children. And therefore when they sin, they

     God of all infinite perfections. God is the God of love in           cast reflections upon the name of their Father. When they

     Himself, so that He loves Himself and seeks H.imself  as the         sin, they sin against grace !- We may therefore surely say

     highest and only good. God's love and grace are holy. For            that there is nothing more displeasing to God than the sins

     that very reason the counterpart of God's love is His wrath          of His people.

     against all that is opposed to Him. God's love always reacts             In the second place, the article asserts that by such

     in wrath whenever the object of His love is touched. Hence,          enormous sins the saints incur a deadly guilt. We immedi-

     as truly as the object of God's love is fundamentally always         ately wonder, of course how this assertion can stand in the
     Himself, and as truly as sin - all sin, whether the sin of elect     light of the fact that in the cross the saints are forever and
     or reprobate - assails the object of God's love which is Him-        perfectly justified from all sin, and that by the blood of

     self, so surely is God highly displeased with sin, especially the    Christ they are purged from all sin, both original and actual,
     sin of His people. In the second place, it is the purpose and        whether committed before or after believing.' We probably

     goal of God's grace toward His people in Christ Jesus to make        wonder how this statement can stand in the light of the
     His people gracious and beautiful like Himself, that is, ethic-      fact that the saints are justified from all eternity in the

     ally perfect. Hence, when He reveals that grace through our          counsel of God. In reply, we state, in the first place, that

     Lord Jesus Christ and in His cross, He in the nature of the          whether we can explain this statement or not, we all know

     case reveals it as a grace that is opposed to all sin, that con-     by experience that it is true. On account of our sins we are

     demns and destroys sin. In the third place, God loves His            guilty and feel that we are guilty. Otherwise we would

     people unchangeably, and blesses them with all the blessings         never pray, "Forgive us our debts." In the second place, we

     of grace, but only as they are in Christ Jesus, and therefore,       hasten to add that the statement does not refer to, our ob-

     not as they are by nature, but as He beholds them from               jective position before the bar of God's justice: from this

     eternity in Christ and as He actually makes them in time             point of view we are forever justified. But, in the third place,

     through the operation of that grace. Everything in His people        we must remember : 1) That all these sins are in themselves

D    that is contrary to that power and operation and goal of His         worthy of death. 2) That the saints feel the guilt of their

     grace is displeasing to Him, is the object of His wrath, and         sins before God. 3) That as long as the soul does not get

     must ultimately be destroyed. Certainly the cross reveals this       rid of its burden of sin through confession and the seeking

     truth most clearly. That cross is the highest revelation of          of forgiveness through the blood of Calvary, that soul must

     His love, and at the same time the fiercest revelation of His        carry the burden of guilt. 4) That therefore, in the case of

     wrath, - His wrath not only against the ungodly, reprobate           gross sins for which the saints do not immediately come to

     world, but His wrath against the sins of His elect people.           repentance, sins in which they walk, sins which go uncon-

     Rather than have those sins go unpunished, He has punished           fessed for a time, the result can only be that the saints feel

     the same in His beloved Son. Now the grace that flows                themselves to be in a state of damnation. And when finally

     from Calvary through the operation of the Holy Spirit is             they come to the spiritual consciousness of these sins, the

     exactly of such a kind: opposed to all sin, aiming at the up-        saints can give expression to this very hopeless feeling. In

     rooting and destruction of sin. And therefore, the sin that          fact, we must remember that this is fundamentally true of

     remains in the saints is not ignored by God. Nor will it do          any one of our sins. As long as it goes unconfessed, as long

     simply to say that all those sins are done away and are not          as we do not get rid of it in the prayer for forgiveness, we

     real any more since they are covered by the blood of Christ.         can only feel a deadly guilt,                           H.C.H.


   1 3 8                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R



  I!                                                                       (3) By virtue of the ecclesiastical federation, the Classis
                DiCENCY  and ORDER                               II and Synod have a certain jurisdiction over the local church.
                                                                       (Art. 36) by which each church that belongs to the federation

                                                                       is bound. Classis and Synod have not only the right to ad-
                            The Report                                 vise in the sense that the independents teach but to make de-

        The committee, appointed by the Synod of 1924 to study         cisions that are binding for all who belong to the federation.
  the question whether or not a Classis may depose a Consis-           However, Classis and Synod are not higher ruling-colleges.
   tory, was divided in its report. The first part of that report      The church of Christ knows of only one rule, namely, the
   or the report of that part of the committee that answered           consistory. Higher rule does not exist. Classis  and Synod
   this question in the affirmative appeared in the foregoing          are assemblies of local churches.
  Brticles. The other side now follows:                                    (4) The power administered through Synod and Classis
                                                                       is, therefore, never a power directly given her through Christ
                              REPORT X                                 but it is a derived (afgeleide)  power. The original power is
   "The Synod of the Christian Reformed Church to convene              concealed in the local church. The source of the ecclesiastical
   June, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois.                                   power is with the local church, the derived stream is Classis
   Esteemed and .worthy fathers and brethren :                         and Synod. Therefore, the power of Classis  and Synod is

        With all regrets the Committee appointed by the Synod          never higher power but accumulated power just as two kings

   of 1924 to answer the question, `Can the Classis depose a           have, more power than ons!

   Consistory, (Cf. Acts 1924, pg. 15, 154) could not reach a              (5) Classis and Synod then can never exercise rule over

   much desired agreement. Although on various points there            the local church. Their power rests on this that the local

   was complete harmony in the committee, yet it could not             church, which in ,&self is independent, by entering  the

   succeed in presenting one report. One half of the committee         federation of the church, spontaneously declared to submit

   herewith courteously presents you with the following report.        itself to the decisions of Classis  and Synod insofar as these

        Our report is divided as follows: A. First, a brief discus-    are not in conflict with God's Word and the fundamental

   sion of the Reformed principles touching upon our subject:          principles of the Church Order. It is thus authority of a con-

   B. Next, a discussion of points concerning which there are          federation of churches that mutually agree that the minority

   and there are not differences within the committee with             submits itself to the decisions of the majority because other-

_ reference to the history and the principle authorities of            wise a confederation is impossible.

   Church Polity ; C. Then, a short explanation of Articles of             (6) The power of Classis  and Synod is not an unlimited

   the Church Order that are pertinent here ; D. Finally, our          power but it is naturally limited. The power of the Classis

   decision.                                                           and Synod is more limited than that of the consistory. The

        A. Reformed principles of Church Polity presented in the       local church possesses power to administer the Word and

   form of propositions as follows :                                   sacraments; Classis and Synod does not. The local church

        (1) Each local church is in itself a real and complete         can use the Key-power to excommunicate sinners; Classis

   church with full power. (D.K.O. Art. 84, Netherlands Conf.          and Synod, properly speaking, cannot do this. This afore-

  `Art. 31). There is, therefore, no church or church assembly         named power is inherent in the local church and cannot be

   that can exercise itself over the power of the local church.        transferred any more than a judge can transfer the authority

   The highest power in the church resides in the office bearers       of his office or a man can pass over to his wife his marital

   who in `the Consistory are the represntatives of that power         authority.

   which Christ has given to His church.                                   (7) What power then do Classis  and Synod have ? This

        (2) Yet, this does not mean that a local church must           follows from the ecclesiastical federation. Naturally, no local

   stand independently.    The necessity of fellowship with all        church can independently make decisions for the regulation

   those who belong to Christ's church demands affiliation with        of the ecclesiastical federation for thereby one church would

   other churches. Also the divine right demands this for the          make the law for the others. The ecclesiastical federation

   Scriptures teach that such a federation of churches is proper.      must decide on confessional matters, matters of protest

   (II Cor. 8 and Acts 15). Relative to the manner of this             (grava&n) against her, over rules for the offices of the

   federation, this is never imposed from the top but proceeds         church ; for administering of the Word ; for mutual assem-

   through mutual agreement, from the local church. Historically       blies, for the exercising of discipline and rules for worship.

   this is evident from the fact that the Reformed Churches of         Also she is to judge in differences between churches or in

   the Netherlands are not instituted as one general Reformed          matters pertaining to the churches in common. The broader

   Church with local parts but came into being in each place,          gatherings can also be called upon to judge in matters relating

   separately and in 1563 voluntarily joined together in ecclesi-      to the local church. However, in these cases, it is only pos-

   astical federation. The mutual agreement is then fundamental        sible: (1) Where in the minor assemblies it could not be

   and the ecclesiastical federation rests upon the voluntary          finished (Art. 30, D.IC.0.). Right in this case does not ex-

   compliance of each local church.                                    ceed the right of the. local church because she appealed to


                                          .THE  STANDA.RD  B E A R E R                                                             139


the broader assembly herself. (2) Where there is misad-              Rutgers (Kerkelijk  Adviezevt,  I, Pg. 261) regarding this has

ministration. If office bearers misuse their office to let in        the following : "It also seems to me that the consistory treads

heresy, to oppress the congregation, the other congregations         dangerously toward a certain independentism, holding alone

then have the right to come to the help of such a congregation.      to its own judgments. Thus, for example, the consistory says :

The broader gathering can then send representatives to such          `We can and dare not relieve A. from censure for the Provin-
a local church in order through admonishing them to restore          cial Synod has not convinced us'! As if this last was really

peace (YZ&) as soon as possible. Should this be impossible,          necessary! And as if it is not rather truly necessary that a

*the representatives of the Classis must give orders to have         church submits itself to the judgment of many churches even

the oppressors deposed from their office. And should the             though it may be that she maintains her earlier sentiments.                .

whole consistory be unfaithful, there is nothing more to be          It is a mistake to say that men, in an ecclesiastical manner,

done than that the representatives of the Classis call the           may and must not submit themselves to the judgment of the

faithful members of the congregation to choose other office          brethren, even though they may not be agreed and then may

bearers.                                                             and must act accordingly . . . Men must subject their own

    (8) Does then the Classis  or Synod not have the right to        judgment to that of the brethren (unless in cases for which
carry out the censure or deposition which they advised ? In-         there is an express word of God indicating that censure
deed, the Classis  or Synod can admonish office-bearers -            should not be applied to a certain person). And the re-
complained against before them -and in the event they will           sponsibility is then also for the brethren through whose de-
not listen, decide that they must be deposed. And where this         cision the individual conscience is freed." And on page 213
is a minister, apply censure to-him (Art. 11, D.K.O.) be-            Rutgers says : "Already by itself, in virtue of the ecclesiastical
cause the office of the minister of the Word extends further         bond, a consistory cannot simply lay aside a requested ad-
than the local congregation. Nothing stands in the way of            vice of the Classis  and proceed in its own way." Also then
such apostate ministers to separate themselves with their            when a consistory appeals a decision of the Classis to a
followers and on the ground of a new confession to form a            broader gathering, she may not in the meanwhile, pending
new church. But should they desire to remain in the ec-              the appeal, act contrary to the decision of the Classis but must
clesiastical federation, the broader gathering must declare          let the case rest in status quo.

that they shall not be recognized as office-bearers. Should the         On the other hand, there is also no difference in the com-

local churches recognize them as office-bearers, nevertheless,       mittee concerning the question as to how, in normal times,

in defiance  of the decision of the broader gathering, then this     the Classis  must act with regard to the Con&tories'  own

in effect is a breaking of the ecclesiastical bond of federation.    matters.    All are agreed that then the Classis may not per-

But the deposition of office-bearers insofar as the local            form what belongs to the Consistory. The rights of the local

church is concerned, - the excommunication itself is an act          church must then be maintained without injury even as those

that is carried out through the local church. The broader            of the ecclesiastical federation.

gathering can prescribe the form. of deposition for the local           There also is no diiference  in the committee concerning

church but whether this shall occur, - the act itself is and         the question whether' according to Reformed Church Right

remains an act of the local church since censure, even as the        it is lawful that a Classis sets a rebellious (refractory) con-

administration of the Word and sacraments, is inherently the         sistory outside the denomination. But the other part of the

right of the local church and cannot and may not be trans-           committee want it clearly understood that the final act of ex-

ferred to another body. In case the consistory refuses to carry      pulsion is regarded, not as an act of the rebellious consistory,

out the censure, there remains only this solution left: The          but the act of the Classis  to which it has right. Against this

consistory is declared to stand outside of the federation of         has this part of the committee no objection. If it is maintained

churches.                                                            that a consistory through' her obstinate refusal to comply

   B. The committee has no differences concerning much               with the decision of the broader gathering, actually breaks

that is found in the above recorded position. There is, for          the denominational tie, yet has it not the least objection to

example, no question whether the Classis,  etc. shall have           regard the action of the Classis that follows as the final action

jurisdiction over the consistory and that this jurisdiction          of expulsion. The Classis always has the right according to

signifies more than mere advice which the consistory may             Voetius, "the peace, the brotherhood and special Synodical            .

or may not accept as it sees fit. Voetius speaks of voorschvij-      correspondence" to terminate with such a consistory.

vevt (prem-@ions),  opleggen (impositions). And Art. 31                 The difference lies here.         Whenever the consistory is

says plainly, Wlmtever  may  be a.greed  ztpon  by a majority        guilty of misadministration of the congregation and refuses

vote shall be considered settled and binding unless it be            to subject itself to the decisions of the broader gathering,

proved to conjlict  with the Word of God or z&h the a.rticles        whether then the Classis  has the right to depose the .Con-

of the Clzurclz  Order. Neither is there any difference among        sistory. To this we mean to answer with a firm `NO.' The

the members of the committee with regard to the fact that a          Consistory-is in very fact obliged according to the demands

consistory is obliged to submit to the decisions of the broader      of the ecclesiastical federation to obey the decisions of the

gathering also when the consistory is not agreed thereto.                                 (Continued on page 143)


1 4 0                                        T H E -   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R



                                                                      majority group in his churches that make "to be or not to
               A L L   A R O U N D   U S                              be" a real question. And he seems to align himself with this
                                                                      group, for he writes :

                                                                         "But for many others, I think I may say for most of us,
"To be or not to be.>'                                                this is a real question. It is a question that can be solved only

         On this subject the Rev. H. De Wolf writes in the No-        in the way of prayerful consideration, re-evaluation and

vember 10th issue of Tlas  Refomzsd  Gziardian  which is pub-         honest discussion. We may not permit our likes and dis-

lished by the group that left us in 1953. The title of' his           likes to rule in this matter. We must constantly keep before

editorial, so he informs us, refers to the question concerning        our minds the fact that it is not a mere human organization

the denominational existence of the churches that followed De         or association with which we are concerned but the Church

Wolf in his schism. The question is: Shall that group of              of Jesus Christ. The question does not concern merely us

churches continue as a denomination, or not?                          and others but it concerns our responsibility to Christ. The

         The writer introduces his editorial with the remark "that    question is therefore not what do we'; like but what does

seems to be the question." A little later he tells us what he         Christ require of     in this matter. Not only must our likes
                                                                                         us 

means with that remark. He tells us: "there are people who            and dislikes be dismissed but also our pride must be over-

apparently do not face this question as a real question. To           come. This is not easy.     Our pride is perhaps the greatest

them the matter is simply a church-political question. They           barrier that must be surmounted when it comes to an honest

have already decided that we should `not be' and are im-              consideration of the problems that must be solved. As

patient for a solution with respect to problems that make our         churches we have made history. We have stood alone for a

`being' necessary. For these people the question has assumed          number of years because we believed that this was necessary.

undue proportions and has made it impossible for them to              To terminate our independent existence as a denomination

consider the real question. For them the real question is not         could be hurtful to our pride. We might feel that we are

`to be or not to be' but how `not to be' any longer."                 `losing face.' It is hard for a church that has taken a position

         De Wolf does not say who these people are, whether-they      to honestly reconsider-that position and if need be alter it.

are a minority group among his own people, or those outside           It is much easier, as far as' the factor :of pride is concerned,

his group who are suggesting a settlement of the question "to         to maintain the accepted position and to do everything in

be or not to be."      He is well aware, of course, that we have      one's might to justify it. This, however, is not serving the

on more `than one occasion declared that he and his churches          end of the unity and peace of the church of Christ.

have no right of separate existence. Since he and his                    "The question of `to be or not to be' must be determined

churches have adopted their "conditional" theology, they              only in the light of the will of God. We may not be motiv-

should belong with that denomination that agrees with them.           ated in the consideration of this problem by anything else

If this suggestion is followed they should have no problem,           than the love of Christ and the desire to be of utmost service

no question at all "to be or not to be." The only obstacle            to His glorious Church. What becomes:of  us as a denomina-

they face is whether or not they will be acceptable to that           tion, whether we continue or cease to- exist as an independent

denomination to whom they would be joined. And the re-                denomination, is not important in itself but has relevancy

solving of this problem should not be difficult if De Wolf            only in the light of the above mentioned consideration. If

and his followers are ready to forget about 1924, confess that        we are convinced that we can be of better service to the

they erred seriously when they opposed the doctrine of com-           cause of Christ and His Church by continuing our independ-

mon grace. However, I do not believe that De Wolf refers              ent existence as P. R. Churches, then- we must by all means

to us in the above paragraph, but to a minority group among           continue, even though perhaps for many practical reasons we

his own people. Evidently there are some of his own people            would rather ,not  do so. If, on the other hand, we are con-

who do not take what happened in 1924 seriously. These                vinced that it is for the best of Christ%  Church and that it

people see no difference between the De Wolf group and the            is an act of obedience to His demand for unity that we join

Christian Ref. Church-. They want to go back to the latter            forces with the Christian Reformed Church, then we may not

church pronto, and are becoming a bit impatient with all the          let our own pride or the derision and- riidicule.of  others deter

slow movements of the church-political machinery that must            us from this course of action. We need never be afraid of

be run out before they can get back into the Christian Re-            doing what is right and pleasing to the Lord. Let us fear

formed Church. And we get the impression from De Wolf's               only that through our own-  sinful weakness we may.  fail to

description of them that though they are a minority group             do what Christ demands of us. Let us, above all, strive to

they are.nonetheless  an impetuous entity to be reckoned with.        be honest and to be motivated only by unselfish and pure

They must be putting considerable pressure on the leaders             desires in our consideration of the question that confronts us

in the De Wolf group to hurry the thing along since they              as a denomination.

are getting a bit tired of being a little off-shoot group with           "Whatever the conclusion may be, may God give us the

no reason for a separate denominational existence.                    courage of our convictions and the spiritual fortitude to do

         On the other hand, De. Wolf tells us that there is a         what we believe is pleasing to Him."


                                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B%ARER                                                    141


         When De Wolf says "it is a question of prayerful con-                I thought also I could detect the shades of 1953 and a

      sideration, re-evaluation and honest discussion," he no doubt       few years before in this editorial. Prior to 1953 De Wolf

      has in mind what he wrote in the fore part of his editorial         boldly told his people that they wore Protestant Reformed

      which we did not quote. Among other things he said: "Ide-           on the lapel of their coats. Now he tells them they are

      ally, since there is but one Church, there should be but one        proud and they must humble their pride. Now this would not

      church. One true church and the rest false . . . Practically;       be so offensive if De Wolf had written this only of himself,

     it ~doesn't work out that way . . . . Honesty compels us to face     but I could not blame his people if they would be greatly

3     the fact there is no church that can claim to be true in every      offended when he ascribes this pride to them. Mind you, he

      respect and that there are many churches in which there is          is telling those who apparently hesitate to go back to the

      something that is true and right, although, at the same time,       Christian Reformed Church because they believe they are

      there is also much in them that is false . . . It is this fact      Protestant Reformed that they are proud, and they must first

      that serves to complicate the matter. If the issue could be         be humbled. I'm sure that if I were a member of the group
      decided along idealistic lines, it would be very simple. But        he is addressing I would not take this.

     this is a practical impossibility. We must face the reality of           And this leads me to say to those followers of De Wolf
     denominationalism as an inevitable reality with which we
                                                                          who still believe that the stand they took in 1924 was for
     must reckon as long as the Church of Christ continues in             principle reasons, who therefore believe the doctrine of com-
     this world. In this light the question of to be or not to be will    mon grace to be a serious error, and who, therefore, believe
     always be present . . . It is possible that, while at one time       they are Protestant Reformed, that they should never go
     it was necessary that churches exist separately, time with its       back to the Christian Reformed Church so long as the latter
     change and wealth of experience has erased this necessity.           maintains that error. To take that position is not one of
     This fact alone precludes the right of any church to assume          pride, but of faith.                                              .
     an attitude of indifference to other churches and a refusal

     to honestly consider the right of its own separate existence."           I would also urge this same people to reconsider the

                                                                          position they have taken in 1953 when they since that time
         As to the question "to be or not to be," I confess after         embraced a conditional theolo,T.  Let them consider first .of
     reading De Wolf's editorial that I find no answer proffered          all that it is wholly inconsistent on the one hand to deny
     by De Wolf, i.e., no real answer. There is an answer alright,        common grace and on the other to embrace conditionalism.
     but it is camouflaged. He tells his readers that it is a serious     Essentially there is very little difference between these two,
     question, that there are some of his people who do not take          though, if we may speak of degrees of error, we may say that
     the question seriously, etc., but he offers no solution himself.     the error you now embrace is worse than the error of com-
     He leaves the question hanging in the air. And yet, if you           mon grace.
     read his editorial carefully you feel that he really suggests
     an answer after all. He really tells the majority that they,            Finally, we would urge you to repent of this error, con-
     had better get rid of their pride that makes them hesitate           fess that you erred when you supported De Wolf and others
     and to continue with separate existence. He tells them that          who taught you this error, leave your sin, and return to us.
     time and change and experience very really make it impossible        By the grace of God we never did believe in common grace,
     to remain a separate denomination. He suggests that they             and by that same grace we never did believe in conditional
     may be able to serve the Lord better by joining the Christian        salvation. As you must surely know we have always believed
     Reformed Church. I felt when I read the editorial that De            in particular, sovereign, saving grace ; and that salvation is
     Wolf and others of his group are really faced with a problem.        that work of God in the elect sinner whereby He saves him
     On the one hand, there is a minority group that is continu-          in Christ Jesus unconditionally. We believe that faith is
     ally putting pressure on their leaders to return to the Chris-       God's gift bestowed upon us of pure grace, and the divinely
     tian Reformed Church at once., On the other, there is a              appointed means to apply unto us the salvation merited by
     majority who sense something of the importance of having             Christ Jesus. We believe that saving faith is that power of
     existed separately for over thirty years apparently for prin-        God in us whereby we also consciously appropriate all that
     ciple reasons, and they find it hard to call it quits. And De        is in Christ Jesus as the God of our salvation. We like to
     Wolf feels it is better not to run back to the Christian Re-         believe that there are many among you who have left us
     formed Church with haste, lest he have to leave a number             in the schism of 1953 that still belong with us and should
     of his people behind. He wants them all to go back. So it            return as we suggested above. We do not ask you to humble
     is the part of strategy not to pressure those who hesitate but       your pride because you believe you are Protestant Reformed,
     .give  them time, as he says, to humble their pride. So for          but we pray that God will humble you to confess your sin and
     the time being at least De Wolf is caught in a dilemma,              return to His truth as you know He has given it unto us to
     namely, he wants to do .what  the minority are ready to do,          preserve and to proclaim it. So you will also truly do the
     but he hates to think of leaving the majority of his people          will of Christ.

     behind.                                                                                                                       M S .

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



                                                                         and more evident to the brethren and sisters in Isabel and
                     CONTRlBUilONS                                       Forbes.

                                                                              Eureka Classis is officially committed only to Heidelberg

                                                                         Catechism. These churches do not subscribe formlly  to the
                         Missionary Notes -                              Canons of Dort. And in the actual preaching it is very com-

         There is still the unanswered question as to the doctrinal      mon that even the Heidelberg Catechism is not interpreted
  reason, if any, for severing relationships with the Eureka             according to its own genius and design. More often than not
  Classis on the part of the churches of Isabel and Forbes.              the Heidelberg Catechism is mutilated by a teaching which
         If there be no such doctrinal reason surely, when Rev.          is either Antinomian or Arminian-Pelagian. Thus it was
  Mensch left these churches, they might conveniently have re-           with ministers, who, I myself have heard, and could name.
  turned to the preaching of the ministers of the Eureka Clas-           But I forbear ! I ,have heard but one exception to this rule.
  sis. And, let it be stated, that would also be the more natural             Although H. Mensch did not subscribe to the Canons of
  thing to do. And, further, such would also be their calling!           Dort officially, while a minister in Eureka Classis,  never-
         Now, in truthfulness it must be stated, that, officially in     theless his teaching was motivated by an adherence to the
  the. process of the case of Rev. Mensch, no such doctrinal             Canons while preachin g the truths of Scripture as set forth
  issue became any matter of discussion. The matter was                  in the Heidelberger. Thus his preaching stood forth as being
  rather one in which the Person  of Rev. Mensch was attacked.           specifically Reformed, warring against Arminianism and An-
  And the real issues at stake were beclouded. It was a matter           tinomism. This in no small way stirred the ire of especially
  of the teaclzing  of Mensch.                                           the Antinomists in Eureka Classis,  of both leaders and of the
         At bottom it was a question of. doctrine.                       people. However, this teaching was the balm of Gilead for
         It was the matter of the doctrine of d&&e  predestiwtion        those whose hearts the Lord opened to receive it. The Heidel-
  in the teachings of Mensch !                                           berg Catechism became for them, as never before, a pearl of
         This was crystal clear to the brethren and sisters in Isabel    great price, wherein, the mysteries of faith and godliness are
  and in Forbes.                                                         set forth.
         This fact of what the issue really was in the minds of               This. specifically Reformed preaching had meaning for
  Isabel and Forbes is reflected in the official missive which           these brethren and sisters.
  Isabel sent to the Eureka Classis,  dated August 8, 1957, from              They desired others to hear it. They organized a Ursinus
  which we quote paragraph 2, c. and d.                                  Society. For they felt that Ursinus excelled over Kohlbrugge
         "Classis  Eureka has virtually thus deprived us of the          in his interpretation of the Heidelberg Catechism. This was
  pure preaching of the Word, the gospel of our salvation, as            especially the case in the truths concerning the "old man"
  taught by the Rev. Herman Mensch, and has, therefore, be-              and the `fiew man" in Christ ; it touched the matter of sancti-
  come to us an obstacle in the way of keeping the sabbath as            fication, and, therefore, also of justification in the final anal-
  outlined in Question 103 of the Heidelberg Catechism.                  . ysis ! They learned to see that in Kohlbrugge the "third part"
     " . . . .by depriving us of the services of Rev. Mensch, in         of the Heidelberg Catechism, the matter of "thankfulness"
  withholding financial support, our remaining with Eureka               was explained rather in a negative than in a positive sense.
  Classis will simply mean acceptance of ministers trained in            According to Kohlbrugge (he gives six reasons) the "third
  Semina;ies  which are quasi-Reformed, since these Seminaries           part" was embodied in the catechism as an antidote against
  teach their students the Arminian-Pelagian conception of the           licentiousness ! However, he did not explain it out of salva-
  Gospel. By such preachers we are not willing that our be-              tion itself! Thus does the Heidelberg Catechism, and thus
  loved Rev. Herman Mensch be replaced."                                 did Ursinus ! These brethren and sisters rediscovered the
     Thus the Consistory of Isabel expressed itself.                     teachings of Ursinus and of the Heidelberg Catechism under
     These quotations clearly show, that, even though the                the preaching of Mensch. It was along the "Straight Paths"
  doctrinal issues did not come into clear and bold relief, in           of the teaching of the Protestant Reformed Seminary. This
  the mind of the Consistory, this was the issue at stake, as            Seminary did not need to be requested to give a "course" on
  far as the effect was concerned.                                       the Heidelberg Catechism as did the Westminster Seminary
     And the same may be said for the brethren and sisters in            i          n           1956!
  Forbes. In a document entitled "Reaffirmation Of Loyalty"                   Small wonder that these brethren and sisters were en-
  the brethren expressed "That it is our calling and privilege           thusiastic about the Ursinus Society.

to support you, Rev. H. Mensch, with our gifts and prayers,                   Had not Professor H. Hoeksema written ten volumes on
  to be faithful members under your preaching."                          the Heidelberg Catechism. These writings too were greeted-
     I am assured that this "your preaching" referred to the             with joy in these churches, both as they appeared in these
  doctrinal aspect of the preaching of Mensch.                           books and as they came to manifestation in a strong and
     That there was and is a far-reaching difference between             vigorous preaching and teaching of the Heidelberger.

  the preaching and teaching of H. Mensch and, by far the                     These brethren and sisters saw the kingdom and took it
  majority, of the ministers of Eureka Classis  became more              by force!


                                                                                                                                :.
    They would hold what they have for themselves and for          Protestant Reformed sermon and say in my sermon, "God
their children !                                                   promises to everyone of you salvation, if you believe." I

    At bottom, therefore, it is a matter of doctrine in order      can't even imagine that I could say anything like that. I

that the man of God be thoroughly furnished unto every             never did. I couldn't get it over my tongue. But that doesn't

good work.                                                         mean that that was only a statement, that the rest was all

    Can it be accounted "sinister" to tell others to do as they    right. 0, no. The rest is true too. But the Consistory elicited

have done ?                                                G.L.    those two statements. And so did the Classis condemn them.

                                                                   That's all.

                                                                       Q,uesfion:  Is it true that you walked out of the consistory
                    QUESTION HOUR                                  meeting held on the evening of June 22 ? If so, may we know

    Held, after Address at Hull Mass Meeting                       why ? And is it also true that you urged your elders to walk
                                                                   out with you and have a separate meeting ?
                     J u l y ,   1 9 5 3
                                                                       Answer: No; the latter is not true. The first is true. I
       Questioner: Rev. H: C. Hoeksema                             walked out. We couldn't do anything anymore.. I walked out
       Answers by: Rev. H. Hoeksema                                of the Consistory meeting, and I told them, "I cannot meet

                                                                   with this consistory anymore. You oppose us and block our
                         (Continued)
                                                                   actions all the way through. I cannot work with such a con-
   Question: It is a well known fact that many of our people       sistory."    I left for that reason. But I didn't ask my elders
who stood .with you in 1924 are not ,at all with you today.        to go. That's up to `them. That's all. I did not.
Do you have an explanation for this, and would you say                                     (To be continued)
that all those p,eople  never were Protestant Reformed?

   An&er:  I don't know. I don't know. I don't know
                                                                                        DECENCY AND ORDER
how true that is. I'm not interested in it. I assure you, I
                                                                                        (Continued from page 139)
don't ask you to stand with me. I'm not interested in
                                                                   broader gathering (Art. 31). "Whtever way be agreed-upon
finding out how many are with me. If I stand all
                                                                   by a ytzajority  vote shall be considered settled and b&ding un-
alone, I'll still maintain what I told you tonight. And*
                                                                   less it be proved to conflict z&h the Word of God OY with
you can,be  the judge. I know that there are many that stood
                                                                   `the Articles of the Clzztrch  Order." But should they do not
with nie in 1924 that ought not. to have stood with me. I
                                                                   this, remain unwilling, then no one can force them to do this
know that very well. I know very well that there are many
                                                                   according to Reformed Church Order. The State can force
.in my own congregation that could much better go to the
                                                                   but the church cannot! Also according to the hierarchical
Chr./Ref.  Church today, and could have gone to the Chr.
                                                                   system this can happen but not according to Reformed Church
Ref. Church years ago, than stayed with the Prot. Ref.
                                                                   right. A Classis can depose a minister because she also de;
Churches. I know that. There were some in 1924 that stood
                                                                   tides. with respect to his ordination into the office (Art. 79,
(note here: .a small part is missing due to the fact that the
                                                                   IC.0.). But the union of churches, the joining of the local
recorder had to be changed). How can a Protestant Re-
                                                                   church to the federation of churches, is a voluntary, accepted
formed man be opposed to Protestant Reformed schools ?
                                                                   union and to her remains the right ,to again leave it. When-
How is that possible? I don't know. I can't see it. But
                                                                   ever lawfully appointed office-bearers of a church refuse to
they do. And they insist. And they don't want to hear it
                                                                   submit themselves to the decisions of the broader gatherings
from the pulpit. I say, brethren, if we are not Protestant Re-
                                                                   as they in the (act of) agreement of church, promised to do,
formed, don't stand with me. I don't ask you `to stand with
                                                                   they do ethically wrong, it may be sin before God, but the
me. I `never did. I didn't ask that in 1924. And I didn't
                                                                   communion of churches may not force them to submit to the
ask that of any of you that I ever organized as churches. Here
                                                                   decisions of the broader gathering. No principle of Reformed
in Sioux County. Never did. Don't do it tonight. By all
                                                                   Church Right nor any article of the Church Order (see be-
means, don't do it tonight. I'm not asking for it.
                                                                   low) gives this right. By continual refusal of the consistory
   Qltestiow:  In your first letter to the members of First        `to enact the decisions of the broader gathering, the proper
Church, you speak about two wrong statements by De Wolf.           way for the Classis is to declare that such a consistory has
In later letters much more is added. Isn't that an indication      by this actually broken the ecclesiastical tie of federation and
in itself that you people realize the extreme weakness of your     then on her part "the peace, the brotherhood, and special
case? '                                                            Synodical  correspondence" can be taken up with such an ob-

   &zswer:  0, no. The two statements are the only state-          stinate consistory and the faithful part of the congregation

ments that were elicited from the sermons by the Consistory        called together to choose new office-bearers. Such an ob-

and by the Classis.  That does not mean that the rest of the       stinate consistory then stands with its followers outside of

sermons were all right. Of course not. I cannot even imagine,      the denomination.

I can't even imagine for myself that I could ever preach a                                 (to be continued)             G.V.D.B.


                                                                    ___,
144                                          THE S T A N..D  AIR  D B E,~~R.B-KI.`::,:;.`.::.,               .I


                                                                           ill ; that good progress has been made in their new parrsonage
II NEWS FROM OUR CHURCHES fund which has for its goal $2,000.00 ; that their COIngrega-
                                                                           tion  must be added to the list of those who are enj, lying  a
                  `All  the saints salute thee . . ." PHIL. 4:21     II    series~of sermons on the life of Elijah ; that our radio program

                                                                           is being heard in that area and responses are coming jin from
                                            December 5, 1958               as far away as Vancouver, B.C.

       Our missionary, Rev. Lubbers will conduct services for                 The Western bulletins all call attention to the fztct that
three Sundays in Redlands, since he is working in the areas                they are readying for the 1959 Y. P. Convention.
of Bellflower and San Diego at present. During their vacancy                  Lynden is awarded first prize by this page for tlle most
Redlands  will be served by Rev. Harbach as their moderator.               beautiful bulletin cover. Lithographed pictures of Mount
       From our Year Book we learn that our denomination is                Hood in Mount Hood National Park, and Mount Tczewinot
made up of 2645 men, women and children `found  in 327                     in~Grand  Teton  National Park, no less !

families, served by 19 ministers. Cold statistics 7 No, but a                 Oak Lawn's Young People's Society was host to that of
record of a Gideon's Band, indeed ! Less than three thousand               South Holland, and South Holland's Ladies' Society was
souls in a world of teeming millions. A Gideon's Band to                   host to that of Oak Lawn recently.
fight the battle against those who either undervalue, or deny
                                                                              One sister and three brethren made. public confes ision  of
the truth of God's Sovereignty ! "Ye are the salt of. the earth,
                                                                           faith in Southeast Church, Nov. 30, and they received an
and if the salt has lost its-savor, wherewith shall it be salted?"
                                                                           individual from Creston  lately. Hudsonville received an in-
A contribution from the Radio Committee:                                   dividual from Eastmanville Chr. Ref. Church; ant1 First
  "It may interest our readers to know that at the present                 Church received an individual from, Millwbod          Chr. Ref.
  time the Reformed Witness Hour is aired over seven radio                 Church in Grand Rapids.
  stations. Our program originates from our own radio com-                    Serviceman Homer Teitsma from Southeast expec ts to be
  mittee with our equipment and is presented two or three                  sent to Hawaii in January and come home on furloug ;h next
  weeks later via tape recording at WFUR, Grand Rapids;                    .summer  on his way to Alaska. Homer was pleasant:ly sur-
  KELO,  Sioux Falls ; KBOE, Oskaloosa; KLIR, Denver ;
                                                                           prised  with some forty birthday cards sent by members of
  KPUG, Bellingham, Wash.; WBEV, Beaver Dam, Wis.,                         his congregation. Southeast's other serviceman, Berlson P.
  and WIVI, Virgin Islands. The latest additions were WB-                  Hendricks, is in Fort Leonard Wood, `Missouri.
 EV, KPUG, and WIVI which are supported by the Mis-
  sion Committee along with KBOE. We have our own                             The R.F.P.A. met Dec. 4 at First Church with tlle Rev.
  recording equipment which is operated by the program                     Vos as the speaker for the evening. His topic was          "Our
  committee, and it is estimated that this equipment saves                 Calling to Witness to the Truth in the Office of Be iiever."
  First Church and the Mission Committee recording costs                   The speaker reminded us of our privilege and calling to "be
  up to $2,400.00.  Our committee is made up of thirteen                   ready always to give an answer to every man that askszth  you
  members with a delegation of three men from the con-                     a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" ;
  sistory. The members are Kenneth Bylsma, Lubertha  By-                   and that by the means of Tlze  Standard Bearer we TV lust al-
  kerk,  James Dykstra, Fred Geers, Edward Kooienga,                       ways show the Face of Christ, be it as a savor of li- fe unto
  Charles Kregel, Robert W. Pastoor, Thelma Pastoor,                       life, or a savor of death unto death.

  Clarence Prince, Peter Reitsma, Howard Van Eenenaam,                        The Rev. H. Kuiper was installed in our newest church

  Henry Vander Wal and J. M. Faber. We have no way                         Tuesday evening, Nov. 25. Our Missionary, Rev. Lubbers,

  of contacting you ,personally  as to your reactions to our               presided at the installation ceremony, and preached the ser-

  program.      How about it, folks ? Keep our mailman busy                mon. Rev. Kuiper delivered his inaugural sermon 1Dec. 1,
  over here! Our address is Box 8, Grand Rapids 1, Mich."                  preaching from Isaiah- 14:32.  After the installation :service,

       The young people of Doon held a Singspiration Nov. 30.              the congregation welcomed their new pastor and farnily in
Quite a contingent from Hull arrived to share the evening of-              an informal gathering. Loveland purchased a new parsonage
fellowship around the Word of God as it is found in the                    recently, but as it was not ready for Rev. Kuiper and family
Psalter numbers. Special musical numbers were well re-                     to occupy, they temporarily put up at a motel.

ceived, and the singing was spirited. "Spice" was added                       Our latest bit of news is that Redlands  has extendel d a call

with the singing of a Dutch Psalm which went over quite well..             to the Rev. R. Veldman  from Southeast Church of Grand

       Consistory presidents, if your consistory appoints a clerk          Rapids.

other than recorded in the Year Book, please send us his                      Rev. G. M. Ophoff  experiences that the grace (,f God

name for publicity on this page.                                           sustains him from day to day, even as the Lord is. also giving

 _ From Lynden we learn that Mrs. Harbach spent two                        renewed strength physically.

weeks in Philadelphia to visit her mother who is seriously                            . . . . see you in church.                    J.M.F.


