      `VOLUME XXXVI                            FEBRUARY 1, 1960 - GBAND RAPIDS,.MICHIGAN                                     NUMBER 9

                                                                               And I know that I have skipped very much of all those
               'M  E   D 1  T A   TI.0 N                                    things. Who shall make the correct catalog?
II                                                                   I-4       Look at the extent.,

                                                                               He loadeth us ! In the Dutch we read :. He oveP4oadeth
                        BLESS THE LORD
                                                                            us ! It was one of the .most  loved of our psalmbook.

                "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with                Oh yes, He loadeth. us, yowz.  YOTK! Yom means day. And

                 ben,efits,  even the God of ow sa.lvatiout.  Selah. HP     that's the way the Holy Ghost penned this down for us:
                 tlmt is our God is ths God of salvation; and z&o           God overloadeth us with all the dainties of life day day! A
                 God the Lord belong the issues from  deaths."              great abundance which is new every morning!

                                                   PSALM 68:19,  20            Every day is like every other day. No matter where

      The context of my text will be found in verse 18: "Thou               you look, or in what age, or among what peoples : yovv~  yam,
hast ascended on high. Thou hast led captivity captive : Thou               the same thing !. A great flood of good things comes down
hast received gifts for men ; yea, for the rebellious also, that            from heaven upon the children-of men.

the Lord God might dwell among them."                                          Listen to James : Every good gift and every perfect gift

      What wealth of truth is stored `up in that one solitary               is from above, and cometh  down from the Father of lights,
v e r s e !                                                                 with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
                                                                            James 1 :17.
      You find in it the full Gospel: the ascension of Christ;
His cross; His Pentecost for the rebellious; and the realiza-                  Or listen to the Psalmist in Psalm 107:7,  15, 21, 31, four
tion of God's eternal Covenant!                                             times no less, "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His-
                                                                            goodness, and for His wonderful works to' the children of
      That is the reason why .my verses might be called, the
                                                                            men !"
call to bless God !
                                                                               It's all the same story.
                              * * *. *                                         Beloved readers; can you not see that the mouth of the

                                                                            whole world will be stopped when we finally will see the
      Why should we bless His Name ?                                        greatness and the extent of what God has been doing through-

      Listen to the text: Who daily loadeth us with benefits !              out all the ages of history?

      Where shall we begin, and where shall we end ?                           Attend to this : the entire catalog such as I gave to you

                                                                            at the beginning .of this little talk, and infinitely more, is a
      There is-no end to its catalog-. Let us see :
                                                                            GIFT! I wish I could write those words in diamonds!
      There is the whole world before your wondering eye.
                                                                               You have nothing of yourself. You merit nothing of your-
There is life, air, space, the earth and its .fulness,  there is
                                                                            self; You can gain nothing at all. From second to second,
fire and water, clothing, food, and drink, with all manner of
                                                                            all is fully given to you. You cannot even think anything as
deliciousness, there is shelter, sleep, and safety. There are
                                                                            of yourdelf. And that is true whether. you are an elect or
the hosts of friends and relatives, among them the sweet ties
                                                                            a reprobate, whether you are a babe in the cradle or the
of father, mother, brother and sister, there is honor, dignity,
                                                                            rarest and wisest of God's creatures: It is true of Moses as
name and position. And there is favor with man. There is
                                                                            well as of. Judas, of Abraham and of Lot, of David and of
success, comfort and peace. There is your reputation among
                                                                            DoBg !
the children of men. There is' your mind, heart and body

with its proper proportions.                                                   Daily loadeth He us with His benefits.


                                                                                                                                                -.

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


   But our poet has much more in mind than the over-load             and they fornicated, they sang and they made music, they

of God's good gifts. Primarily he is thinking of salvation.          laughed and they danced for long, long decades.

                                                                        Here is. the point: Heman  with all his misery was a
   And that brings to mind something which beggars
                                                                     deeply happy man. And those great of the earth were very
description.
                                                                     unhappy. And the difference is in the grace of God which
   You may stand in the very center of the shower of God's           the one had, and the other missed.
good gifts so that you are full of good things, surrounded
                                                                        Read the first line ' of Heman's  dark and dreary psalm,
by good things, pursued by good' things, and still be un-
                                                                     and wonder.
speakably miserable.
                                                                        Here it is : "0 Lord God of my salvation !"
       Gifts as such do not make us happy.
                                                                        That's the difference.
       If you have the sum total of all good gifts, -or, as Jesus
                                                                        Heman  had grace, and that grace worked salvation, even
would say, if you `gain the whole world(  !) and lose your
                                                                     through tears and suffering all the day long. He is happy in
own soul, what profit would all these riches be?
                                                                     heaven at this moment.
   In order to have any of God's good gifts benefit you, you            Belshazar had no grace, but was cursed all the day long.
have to have the grace of God.                                       He is weeping right now in hell.

   The mistake of our poor brethren was that they thought              Look at Jesus !

that .gifts as such make a man happy. They saw grace in                 There He goes with the cross on His neck. Listen to
the gift. They identified the gift and the grace of Jehovah.         the crowd, the mob, the laughter and mockery !

   And that is a sad mistake.                                           But Jehovah said in the halls of the inapproachable light:

   Return to the list I made at the beginning. Look at them          I love Thee, My Son !

all, and note that you may be very miserable with all of                Grace is the power of God working salvation in me.

them, or with any of them. To have the list in toto or in                Sometimes through the sunshine and the laughter, but
part does not assure you that God is in love with you.               sometimes through the darkness and the somberness of the

       Or turn the whole business around : suppose that you see      dungeon.

a man such as Heman,  the -Ezrahite. I do not think you                 "Some subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, ob-

will do it, but you should stop right here and first read            tained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the

Psalm 88 in full. There is a man who was pursued by                  violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weak-

misery and sorrow from his early youth to the very moment            ness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to

when he composed this psalm. It's the darkest psalm out              flight the armies of the aliens, women received their dead

bf the whole book. There ,surely  is nothing like it, either in      raised to life again !"

the book of psalms or in any other book of Holy Scripture.              Yes, sometimes heaven smiles at us, and we smile in great
Read it. Read it often. Sing it, meditate on it. It is won-          thanksgiving.
derful for you.                                                         But sometimes "we were tortured, not accepting deliver-

   Here is a man who is seemingly passed by of God. And              ance, that they might obtain a better resurrection : and others

it seems as though everything is united against him. Usually         had trial of cruel mockings  and scourgings,  yea, moreover of

we hear the dark dirge at the beginning of a psalm, followed         bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn

`by his story of help, in order to finish with the song of           asunder, were tempted, were slain with .the sword: they

praise and glory to God.                                             wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute,

                                                                     afflicted, tormented ; (of whom the world was not worthy)
       Not in psahm 88. The end is dark and dreary. Read it!         they wandered in deserts and mountains, and in dens and

   All the things I mentioned at the beginning were also             caves of the earth"

Heman's  portion, but all was soured in his very mouth. `All             One kind of people, namely, the graced of the Lord. But
things seemed to be arrayed against him.                             some experienced that grace in the sunshine, and the others

       Listen ! I will quote the worst of all the verses : "I am     in the shadow.

afflicted and ready to die front my youth asp!" Do you note             But whether you walk with God in the light of day or in

that the darkness and suffering of Heman  was nof a mere             the darkness of the tombs, you have by His grace the salva-

momentary thing, a passing fancy, or a. temporary affliction.        tion of God.

0 no.                                                                    Gifts -are wonderful, but if you have grace with those

       Now look at the.great  kings and emperors of that same        gifts, you have salvation.

world who would bask themselves in the good things of life               Gifts are wonderful, but if you lack grace with those

all  the day long. They ate and they. drank, and. they whored        gifts, you had better start to cry and weep.


                                               T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                                                                                                              195



   Let us see:

                                                                                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
   If you have grade with your gifts, you recognize the
                                                                              Se&monthly, except monthly during June, .July  and August
Giver. That first.                                                                 Published by the R.m?o&  FREE PUBLISHING ASSOCXATION
   If you have grace with the gifts, whether they are gifts                   P. 0. Box 881, Madison Square Station, Grand Rapids 7, Mich.

in the darkness or in the light, they lead you to salvation, to                                                Editor - REV. IGmaq HOEKSEMA
God.                                                                          Communications relative to contents should be addressed to
                                                                                                  Rev. H. Hoeksema, 1139 Frankhn  St., S. E.,
   And that salvation is really this : the whole new world                                                                      Grand Rapids 7, Mich.

of God's good pleasure. It means that you have a place in                     All matters relative to subscriptions should  be addressed to Mr.
                                                                                                     James Dykstra, 1326 W. Butler Ave., S. E.
the new world, and there you shall stand unto all eternity                                                                 Grand Rapids 7, Michigan
singing the praises of God.                                                   Announcements and Obituaries must be mailed to the above
                                                                              address and will  be published at a fee of $2.00 for each notice.
   Salvation means that the breach of Adam's sin and cor-
                                                                              R
ruption is healed forevermore.                                                 ENEWAL: Unless  a de&rite  request for discontinuance is re-'
                                                                              ,ceived  it is assumed that the subscriber wishes the subscription
                                                                              to continue without the formality of a renewal order.
   It means that Jesus paid for your sin, and that He                                                            Subscription price: $5.00 per year
renewed your life as the eagle's.                                              Entered as Second C.?uss matter at Grand Rapids, Michigan

   It means that you are elevated from the earthly Paradise

to the heavenly Paradise of God.

                                                                                                                                     C O N T E N T S
   It means that you are brought to the bosom of God.
                                                                         IMEDITATION-
   To speak in the style of the psalm, it means that the                            Bless the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Lord opened the door of death, and beckoned you from out                                        Rev. G. Vos

of that awful chasm.                                                     Enrronnus-

   Thereupon He led you forth into the light of His love.                            A s To Being Protestant Reformed..., . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
                                                                                                 Rev. H. Hoeksema.
   And you are walking to the heaven of heavens.

                                                                 G.V.    OUR DOCTRINE  -
                                                                                     The Book of Revelation . . . . . . . . . ..___..___.................................. ..I...198

                                                                                                 Rev. H. Hoeksema

           AN OUTPOURING OF SORROW                                       A CLOUD OF WITNESSES-
           Lord, the God of my salvation,                                            Joseph and Potiphar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .." . . . . . . . . 201
                                                                                                 Rev. B. Woudenberg
              Day and night I cry to Thee ;

           Let my prayer now find acceptance,               d            FROM HOLY WRIT-
              In Thy mercy answer me.                                                Exposition of Remans                                           14,         15 (13) __._...........: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
                                                                                                Rev. G. Lubbers
           Full of troubles and affliction,

              Nigh to death my soul is brought,                          IN HIS FEAR -
           Helpless, like one cast forever                                           Punishment                       or Praise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .._.......................................... 205

              From Thy care and from Thy thought.                                               Rev. J. A. Heys


           Unto Thee with hands uplifted                                 CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH-
              Daily I direct my cry ;                                                The Church and  the Sacraments .._................_........................ 207
                                                                                                 Rev. H. Veldman
         , Hear, 0 Lord, my supplication,

              Hear and save me e'er I die.                               THE VOICE OF OUR FATHERS -
           Wilt Thou wait to show'Thy wonders                                        The Canons of Dordrecht  __...............__.....................................
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   209

                                                                                                Rev. H. C. Hoeksema
              And Thy mercy to the dead ?

           Let me live to tell Thy praises,                              FEATURE ARTICLE-
              By Thy loving-kindness led.                                            Calvin and the Buming~of  Servetus . . . . . . . . . .._..._.......................  211

                                                                                                 Rev. R. Veldman
           Friend and lover are departed,

              Dark and lonely is my way ;                                ALL AROUND US-
                                                                                     "Taxation and the Churches". . ..____.  _. ._. ..___ _.___..  ,214
           Lord, be Thou my friend and helper,                   '                   Still  Religion Be an Issue in the 1960 Elections?  ..__.._  :..214
              Still to Thee, 0 Lord; I pray.                                         Another Attempt to Unite the Liberated and Synodicals....Blfj
           Lord, the God of my salvation,                                            Correction and Instruction.. . ._._____  .._..._  . . . ..215

              Day and night I cry to Thee ;                                                      Rev. M. Schipper

           Let my prayer now find acceptance,
                                                                         N
              In Thy mercy answer me.                                     EWS FROM OUR CHURCHES.....................................................~.......                                                                                   216
                                                                                      M r .   J .   M .   F a b e r
                                                 Psahn 88:1,  3, 5

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


                                                                        many ; but as of one, And to. thy seed, which is Christ."
                E'.D I T 0.R I A L S r                                  It is evident that, if Christ is the very essence of the promise,
                                                                        all the blessings of salvation are included in the same promise.

                                                                        Hence, the Bible speaks of the promise of the Holy Ghost,
              As To Being Protestant Reformed                           that is, the Spirit of Christ that applies all the blessings of

                                                                        salvation to us. It speaks of the promise of the life that now
      We were discussing the very important idea of the COV-            is and that which is to come, I Tim. 4 :8; and of the life
   enant.
                                                                        eternal ; of the promise of his coming, II Pe. 3 :4; of the
      And in this connection we naturally came across the               promise to `enter into his rest, Heb. 4 :l ; of the promise
   idea of the promise which is closely related with that of the        that Abraham should be heir of the world, Rom. .4:13. It
   covenant. In fact, as we saw the last time, Heyns identihes          speaks, moreover, of the Holy Spirit of promise, Eph. 1 :13 ;
   the two. About this idea of the promise we must still say a          of the children of the promise, Rom. 9 18; and of the heirs
   few words, especially in comparison with the so-called "well-        of the promise. All these passages abundantly show that
   meaning offer of grace and salvation" which we Protestant            the promise is, indeed, all-comprehensive and that it includes
   Reformed people repudiate.                                           all the blessings of salvation.
      The promise of God is certainly no well-meaning offer                Beautiful in this connection is especially Heb. 6:13-M
  `of salvation to all that hear the gospel.                            For this passage emphasizes that the promise of God is ab-

      The Scriptures often speak of the promise. In fact, the           solutely sure to all the heirs of the promise and that it will

   promise of God is the chief contents of the gospel. The two          be realized unto them without fail. For there we read: "For

   are `often virtually identified. Thus it is, for instance, in        when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear

   Gal. 3 :8: "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would             by no greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely blessing I

   justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel        will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. For

   unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed."         men verily swear by the greater : and an oath for confirmation

   This last clause is, as you understand, simply the promise to        is to them the end of all strife. Wherein God; willing to

   Abraham and to his seed. The gospel, therefore, is the same          shew more abundantly unto the heirs of the promise the

   as the promise. The same is true of Acts 13 :32,  33 : "And          immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That'

   we declare unto you glad tidings (or : we'preach the gospel),        by two immutable things, wherein it was impossible for

   how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God            God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have

   hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he raised    fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us." Notice

   up Jesus again ; as it is also written in the second psalm,          that in this passage (1) The promise of God is absolutely

 _ Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." From                sure and unconditional ; (2) The two immutable things of

   these words it is evident : (1) that the promise is the chief        which., the text speaks are the oath of God and the immutabil-

   contents of the gospel ; (2) That the central realization of         ity of His counsel ; (3) The promise is sure, therefore, not

   the promise is the resurrection of Jesus Christ ; (3) That           for all men, but only for the elect, the heirs of the promise.

   this is also the promise in the second psalm. Sufficient                How, in the light of all this, even Reformed men can

   evidence there is in the passages that the gospel and the'           speak of the promise as a general offer of grace and salvation,

   promise are virtually identified.                                    as is also adopted in the "First Point" of 1924, and add

          Sometimes the Bible speaks of the promise, at other           to it that it is well-meant on the part of God, I cannot

   times it speaks of the promises. But always .it refers to the        understand. It is true that the Synod of 1924 appealed to

 - same promise.     When it uses the singular, it denotes that         the Canons of,Dordrecht to sustain their notion of a well-

   the promise is the resurrection of Jesus Christ ; (3) That           meant offer of salvation. But, in the first place, the Canons

   promises in the plural, it wishes to express the manifold            never speak of a general promise for all men but only of

   grace of God `revealed therein. Thus, in the epistle to the          the general preaching of the same. For thus we read in

   Hebrews we read that the saints of fhe old dispensation had          Canons II, 5: "Moreover the promise of the gospel is that

   not yet received the promises but had seen them afar oi`f            whosoever believeth-  in Christ crucified, shall not perish but

   and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the           have everlasting life. This promise, together with the com-

   earth. But in the same chapter the author speaks of the              `mand  to repent and believe, ought to be declared and pub-

   promise (singular) : "And these all, having received a good          lished to all nations and to all persons promiscuously and

   report, received not the promise: God having provided some           without distinction, to whom God out of his good pleasure

. better thing for us, that they without us should not be               sends the gospel." Notice that (1) The promise is presented

   made perfect."                                                       here, not as general, but as particular: it is for those that

          This promise is all-comprehensive. It includes all the        believe in Christ crucified, which certainly is not all men ;

   blessings of salvation. Centrally, the promise is Christ. For        (2) That this particular promise must be preached generally,

   thus we read in Gal. 3 :16: "Now  to Abraham and his seed            to all men without distinction; -(3) That the Canons add

   were the promises made. He saith not,, And to seeds, as of           that even the general preaching of this particular promise is


                                               T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                    197


directed, not by men, but by God. There is, therefore, in             saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves : it is the

this part of the Canons, no well-meant offer of grace and             gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For

salvation whatever. And, in the second place, it is true that         we are "his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good

Canons III, 9 uses the term "offered" in the following                works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk
words : "It is not the fault of the gospel, nor of Christ offered     ,in them."                                              0

therein." But it is also-evident that, in these words, the term             That is Scriptural and nothing else.

offer is used, not in the modern sense, but in the sense of                And a well-meant offer of grace and salvation, can never
original Latin offere,  meaning to #resent.  In the preaching of      be harmonized with the Word of God.
the gospel, Christ is, `indeed, presented to .a11 men.                      But, in the second place, such a' well-meant offer of salva-
     .But why is it so important to insist that the promise of        tion on the part of God also presupposes the will and ability
God is particular and may not be changed into a general               on the part of everyone that hears the- gospel to accept the
well-meant offer of grace and salvation ? The reason is               o f f e r .
simply that the former is Scriptural, as we have shown, and                If I offer an excellent meal to one whose stomach is full
the latter is not; the former is Reformed, the latter is Ar-          of cancer, am I not mocking the poor man ? If I `play an
minian.  The term well-meant offer on the part of God                 excellent and beautiful piece of music for one that is stone
presupposes, in the first place, that God, as' far as He is           deaf, is not my performance ridiculous ? If I show some
concerned, is willing to save all men, at least in as far as          beautiful pictures to a man that is totally blind, am I not
the gospel is preached to them. And this is neither Reformed          f o o l i s h   ?
nor Scriptural. Reformed is, what the. Canons teach in II,                 Well, the natural man is stone deaf and totally blind
7: "But as many as truly believe, and are delivered from              spiritually. He cannot spiritually hear and see.
sin and destruction through the death of Christ, are in-                   You object that, nevertheless, the gospel must be preached
debted for this benefit solely to the grace of God, given to          to such men that cannot hear? I admit. And this is possible
them in Christ from everlasting, and not to any merit of              because, although they are spiritually deaf, they can hear
their own."         And especially in Art. 8 of the same chapter :
                                                                      with their natural ear and understand with their natural mind.
"For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious                But if God does not open their ears spiritually.and  spiritually
will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and
                                                                      enlighten their minds, they can never receive Christ and the
saving efficacy of'the  most precious death of his Son should
                                                                      promise of the gospel.
extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the
                                                                            Now, suppose that you preach the well-meaning offer
gift of justifying faith, thereby to -bring them infallibly to
                                                                      of grace and salvation. Then you say in your sermon : "God,
salvation: that is, it was the will of ,God,  that Christ by the
                                                                      on His part, offers everyone of you eternal life if you, on
blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant,
                                                                      your part, only come to Christ and believe." Does not
should effectually -redeem out of every people, tribe, nation,"
                                                                      this well-meant offer on the part of God presuppose the will
and language, all those, and those only, who were from
                                                                      and ability on the part of man to accept the offer ?         -
eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father ;
that he should confer upon them faith, which together with                 But this is not Reformed or Scriptural.

all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased                As far as our Reformed Confessions are concerned, I

for them by his death ; should purge them from all sin, both          refer you to Canons III, IV, 3 : "Therefore all men are con-

original and actual,         whether committed before or after        ceived in sin, and by nature children of wrath, incapable of

believing; and having faithfully preserved to the end, should         saving good, prone to evil, dead in sin, and in bondage there-

at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the            to, and without the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit,

enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever."                      they are neither able nor willing to return to God, to

                                                                      reform the depravity of their nature, nor dispose themselves
     That is Reformed and nothing else is as far as the
preaching of the gospel and the promise of God is concerned.          to reformation."
     And this is quite contrary to the notion of a well-meant              That is Reformed.

offer of grace to all men.                                                 But the same is true of Scripture.

     This is also the teaching of Scripture.                               In John 6:37  we read: "All that the Father giveth me

     Thus, for instance, in the well-known passage of Rom.            shall come to me ; and him that cometh  to me. I will in no
8 :29, 30: "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predes-             wise cast out."      And in vs. 44 of the same chapter: "No
tinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might         man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me
be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he                draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."

did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called,                 I could quote much more, but let this be sufficient.

them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also                It ought to be clear that the notion of a well-meant offer

g l o r i f i e d . "                                                 of grace and salvation is neither Scriptural nor Reformed.

     Or, to quote just one more passage. "For by grace are ye                                                                      H.H.
                                0


  i98                                          T H E   - S T - A N D A R D   B E A R E R


                                                                       and philosophy and all religion shall be united into one
            OUR.DOCTRl'NE                                        II    science and one philosophy and one religion. There shall be
                                                                       no more difference .of  opinion. Just as politically the world.

                                                                       shall be one, so it shall be one intellectually and religiously.
           0 THE BOOK.  OF REVELATION .'                               They shall all have the same ideas about things. They shall

                                                                       all admire the same science. They shall all have the same
                             PART TWO
                                                                       religion. There will be a new religion. Already we hear of

                        C                                              it in our own time. And that new religion shall embrace
                          HAPTER ELEVEN

                                                                       all things ; it shall be universal. All creeds and all denomina-
                   The Beast ottt of the Earth                         tions and all sects shall be blended and united into one,

                                                                       so that there shall be no more strife and. ecclesiastical con-
                       Revelation 13 :ll-18
                                                                       tention.    It shall have a universal creed, laying down the

     And if we compare this with what we find `in the words            precepts and principles for every sphere of life. It shall

  of the passage we are now discussing, we shall find that this        lay down rules for our individual life, just as the Chris-

  is actually his character. In the. first place, his very appear-     tian religion. It. shall lay down the principles for our home

  ance is deceiving. He looks like a lamb, and one would               life, just as the Christian religion does. It shall reveal

  receive the impression, therefore, that he is in some way            principles for the life of society and for the life of nations.

  affiliated with Christ, the great Prophet, and that the              It shall lay down the rules for religious life in particular, tell

  words he speaks are the words of Christ. But he speaks like          all men how they must worship and what they must

  the dragon, that is, he derives the contents of his prophecy         worship. It shall be a. new system of thought and religion,

  and teaching not from Christ, but from the devil, from hell          with a new creed, universal in its scope, and, at the same

  itself. He is a prophet. He speaks for someone else. But             time, with a new god. That new god will be the beast, the

  the one for whom he speaks.is  the first beast, who exercises        great world-power, whom all shall admire and worship and

all the authority of the- devil and received it from him. In           for whom all shall erect an image, in order that they may

  his presence. and in behalf of him he speaks and exercises           worship the same. And thus it is also plain that the first

  his authority. In his sight and in his behalf he does his            beast has need of the second. The universal world-power,

  great signs and wonders. For him he persuades men to                 being based upon the unity and voluntary submission of all,

  establish an entire worship, and erect an image.        And he       has need of the power of false prophecy, of this universal
  makes that all that refuse the image are killed. In a word,          science and religion. For the moment men shall begin to

  this prophet persuades men to kill the saints of the Most            differ principally in regard ,to their religion and worship the

  Israel. Elijah stood. before Jehovah; this prophet stands for        disintegration of the world-power shall have begun. The

  the opponent of Jehovah.     Elijah spoke the truth of God ;         second  beast must serve the first, is indispensable to the first.
  this prophet speaks the lie of the dragon. Elijah persuaded          The world-power has need of false science and philosophy

  men to break down the image of Baa1  and serve and wor-              and religion to maintain his authority and the integrity and

  ship the true God ; this prophet persuades men to forsake            unity of his kingdom.

  Jehovah and make an image for the first beast and the                    If we understand this, it. is not very difficult to com-
  dragon. Elijah persuaded men to kill the priests of Baa1  ;          prehend the action of the second beast. In the first place, we
  this prophet persuades men to kill the saints of. the Most           read in the text that he doeth great things, signs and
 `High.                                                                wonders, and that it is exactly through these that he suc-
     How must we conceive of the realization of the second             ceeds in gaining men for his cause and deceiving them.
  beast in history ? In order to answer this question I would          Nat&-ally a prophet must do signs and wonders. These must
  say, in the first place, that the beast as a whole does not          establish his prophetic authority, the truth of the things he
  represent a single person, a single individual. I know, there        speaks. So it was with Moses before Pharaoh, and at the
  are interpreters who urge this very strongly ; but it is not         same time with the magi of the king. They performed signs
  necessary to maintain this, nor is it very probably the inter-       and wonders to impress the authority with which they ap-
pretation. We found in explanation of the first beast that it          peared. So it was with Elijah on Carmel,  with Christ as a
  did not simply refer to an individual king or emperor or             prophet, with the appearance of the apostles in the midst of
 governor, but just as much to the kingdom or world-power              the heathen world. They all performed signs and wonders in
  under the sway of that government. And the same must                 order that these might corroborate the truth of their mes-
 be borne in mind here. I do not think it impossible that in           sage. So it is also in the antichristian world-power. This
the future some great philosopher will Brise that will domi-           second beast performs signs and wonders. So it was foretold
 nate almost any intellectual movement of his time, so that            already by Daniel the prophet. The Antichrist will perform
 all others follow him. But this beast does not represent a            marvelous things. So it is prophesied by Christ Himself:
 single individual, but rather all the power of false philosophy       "For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and
 and science and religion combined. In the future all science          shall show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if
                                                                                                           a


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               199


possible, even the elect." Matt. 24:24. So it was also fore:       word. At all events, some sign, some ensign, some device,

told by the apostle Paul, who predicted that the man-of sin        representing this universal world-power will be conceived of

should manifest himself in .great  signs and wonders. And          and made and distributed all through the dominion of Anti-

thus we find it in the words of ,our text. The second beast,       christ, that they may pay divine honor to it and worship the

the false prophet, the power of this false philosophy and          beast. Before that emblem of the universal -world-power  all

science and reiigion, shall, do .things  that will astonish the    men shall bow down. Still greater things this false prophet

world and that will cause all men to flock to him, to listen       is allowed to perform. He gives to that image a spirit, a

to his prophecy, and to worship the beast. What shall this         breath of life. Also this cannot be definitely explained with

power do? There are interpreters that take it all in the           a view to its realization. How this universal idol shall speak,

literal sense of the word and that claim that this second          I know not. But that is of minor importance. We know the

beast represents a person that will actually perform miracles.     purpose of it all. The text tells us that this image is given

We are not inclined that way. All that is necessary is- to         a breath of life in order that it may speak and that those who

assume that this great power will do things that will cor-         do not worship the image may be killed. There are still saints

roborate his teachings, and thus establish the universal king-     of the Most High on earth ; the remnant of the seed of the

dom. He will not only talk, but he will show that he can           woman is still there. They are not yet taken to heaven. And

do things in hamlony  with the message he brings. He will          they, of course, refuse to go along with all this beautiful and

apply his science and philosophy and show that man is ex-          worldwide movement. They refuse to adopt the philosophy

tremely powerful. He will bring fire from heaven. Why not ?        of the second beast. They refuse to wonder at its great signs.

Through the power of electricity man has already done great        They refuse to adopt its religion. They refuse to worship the

things. In' the future he may actually be able to extract the      beast and the dragon. And therefore they cannot be tolerated.

fire from the clouds of heaven and bring it down in the            They must be discovered, so that this great universal king-

sight of all men. He will provide men with all the com-            dom may be rid of them. And therefore an image must be

modities and all the conveniences and pleasures modern             made, some universal ensign. And that universal ensign

science can invent, so that they can fly through the air           must, be displayed everywhere. Wherever you turn you can

without danger, speak with their fellow men in the remotest        see it in this kingdom of the Antichrist, and all humbly bow

corner of this great kingdom without trouble, enter into the       down before it or in some way pay it divine honor. But the

bowels of the earth and plow through the depths of the sea.        saints of the Most High refuse to worship the idol. And thus

It is that false philosophy that will discover all the powers      itsspeaks.  The universal insignia is the means through which

of creation and bring them into use, so that all men shall         it becomes evident who do not worship the beast, so that they
                                                                            .
wonder at the great things it does. And wondering at its           may be killed. Distinction, separation, `must- now be made

action, they shall follow him and believe his message and          between the seed of the woman and the followers and wor-

obey his command.                                                  shippers of the beast. And this universal idol must serve as

   This is evidently the sole, ultimate purpose of these signs     the means through which the distinction is realized.

and wonders, that men may believe and follow the beast.               In close connection with this idea is the idea of the sign.

For we read in the words of our text that by these he so           When by means of the image distinction is made between the

deceives men that they make an image of the beast. Notice          followers ,of the beast and those that refuse to worship' him,

that this false prophet does `not  make the image, but that        the faithful followers receive a sign. Of little importance it

under his influence, speaking for the beast and performing         is for us at present to determine exactly in what this sign

signs and wonders in his name, inen  make such an image.           shall consist. It may be that the kingdom shall literally

This image is, of course, a representation of the beast itself,    provide for some brand or badge or button which the beast's

so that whosoever worships the image worships the beast, and       faithful followers shall be allowed to wear and with which

who worships the beast worships the dragon. Exactly of             they shall be allowed to appear in modem society. In our

what this image shall consist we do not know at present. The       age of badges and buttons this idea is not far-fetched.' But

idea of an image through which the world-power is wor-             it also may be that this is all symbolism, to denote that there

shipped is nothing strange. The emperors of the Roman              shall be a visible difference in the manifestation of the

Empire had such images made, through which they were               followers of the beast and the followers of Christ. Certain it

worshipped as gods. And to come to more recent times, in           is that the difference shall be there and that the difference

the French Revolution we well know how images of, the              shall be very plain.    The false prophet, the power of false

great leaders of that revolution were made and worshipped,         science and philosophy and religion, shall see to it that the

how men -paid religious worship to the images of liberty,          distinction is very public and evident to all, so that only his

equality, and fraternity that were made, and how in the            followers may share in:the  blessings of this great kingdom.

Notre Dame of Paris the goddess of reason was actuahy              Just as only followers of Christ, baptized in His name and

worshipped by the great of France. And therefore, there            confessing Him, faithfully, shall share in the blessings of the

would be nothing strange if in these latter days there would       kingdom Christ will establish, so also the followers of the

be once more such idol-worship in the literal sense of the         beast shall only reap the benefits of this universal world-


200                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D .   `BEAR.ER


kingdom. The rest, that do not wear the mark of the beast,           been impressed upon his followers, so that also they may be

shall be excluded, shall be boycotted in `every respect. They        distinguished as his subjects. And that name is the same as

shall not be able to buy or to sell; Of course, all things are       is expressed in the number Six hundred sixty-six. Now what

under control of the first beast, of this great and universal        is the meaning of this number?

world-power. The very necessities of life are in his power.            Six is the number of the creature in all its fulness. In

And he can surely allow or prevent to buy and sell according         six days God created the world ; and in six days creation

to his good pleasure.     The saints of Christ, that do not          was completed. The fulness of creation has come to realiza-

worship the image, that refuse to receive the mark of the            tion in six days. :But the full week is not expressed in the

beast, shall not be able to do business, shall not be able `to       six, but in the number seven. The seventh day is the day

live along with that great society, `shall not be able to buy        of consecration and adoration of God, on which the creature

the necessities ,of  life. They shall be outcasts, mocked at,        was to lift itself from the sphere of the mundane and con-

held in derision, thrust aside, ousted from society, and killed.     secrate himself to the Creator. On the seventh day man was

They shall be terrible days. More terrible shall they be than        to bring the glory of all God's work to Him. It was hallowed.

any form of persecution the. children of God have ever ex-           But the seven is lacking in the six. And therefore it speaks

perienced. There shall be no place for them on earth. They           of the fulness of creation and all the powers of creation, but

shall be left without a helper on earth. So terrible shall these     without God and without the service and glory of God. The

days be that, in the first place, many shall fall ,that appeared     world with all its fulness,' with all its powers, but without

to be children of the Most High, and that, in the second             God, under the influence of sin, - that is the symbolism of           -

place, the very elect would not be able to resist, were it not       the number six. Ten, as we have had occasion to notice

for the fact that the days are shortened.                            more than once, is the number that denotes a complete

    Finally, we must still discuss the name of this great            measure of anything according to the decree of God, whether

beast which all its worshippers bear on their foreheads or           it be a measure of time, or power, or -development; or any-

in their right hand. We read: "Here is wisdom. Let him               thing else. Now notice that Six hundred sixty-six is six,

that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for           plus ten times six, plus ten times ten times six. Ten times

it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred             six would denote the world and all its fulness, without God,

threescore and six." Many and varied are the interpretations         developed according to the measure of God's plan. And ten

given of this number; and we shall not tire your attention by        times ten times six denotes that same development in the

enumerating them all. A very favorite interpretation is that         highest degree, coming to its fullest consummation. And

which is given by an old church father, Irenaeus, and ac-            therefore the idea is not so difficult. God has created a

cepted by many of our own time. The interpretation is as             world, in order that this world should glorify. Him and be

follows. The letters of the Greek alphabet were used as              consecrated to Him. But that world tore itself loose from

numbers.    If this is taken as the basis of the interpretation,     Him, refused to glorify Him.; and man now developed the

we find that the letters in the word Lateinos,  or Latin, to-        kingdom of the world without God. God allows that kingdom

gether give us the number 666, And therefore the name of             of the world to develop to its full extent. Although man has

the beast as it is spelled by this number is Latin, and denotes      fallen away from Him, He nevertheless allows him to exer-

the kingdom of the Latins, or of the Roman Empire. But               cise dominion over the earthly creation and to bring to light

even this interpretation we cannot possibly accept as true.          all the hidden powers and talents of creation to their fullest

For, in the first place, however ingenious it may be, it is          degree. And that kingdom we have in this antichristian

nevertheless more or less arbitrary. On this basis I can also        beast. These beasts-represent the highest development of the

construe other names that are just as suitable, that also            sovereignty of man apart from God, developing all the powers

amount to the number 666, but that simply are formed by a            of creation without God and under the devil. It is the

different arrangement of the same letters. But in the second         climax of development of the man of sin. It is the kingdom

place, notice'that our text does not say, "Here is a riddle ; let    of man, of the creature, without God, without the seven. And

him that is bright solve it," but plainly states: "Here is           therefore his number is Six hundred sixty-six, the number of

wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number             man indeed.                                                   H.H.

of the beast." And therefore we must have something dif-

ferent. And, in the third place, we should not lose sight of
the fact that the numbers in Revelation have symbolical sig-                                 IN MEMORIAM

nificance and that they stand also in this case for a higher            The Southwest Protestant Reformed Men's Society extends its

spiritual reality.                                                   sympathy to its fellow member, Mr. Richard Kooiker, in the death
                                                                     of his wife,
    Let us then notice, in the first place, that the-mark of the                        MRS. RICHARD KOOIKER

beast, the number of his name, the number of the beast, and             May our Heavenly Father sustain them in their hour of sorrow.
the name of the beast all denote identically the same thing.         "The Lord bath given, arzd  the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be

The beast has a name. And the name in Scripture always               th.e  name of the Lord." Job 1%.
                                                                                                         Rev. M. `Schipper,  President
denotes character and being. The name of this beast has                                                  Mr. Isaac Kuiper,  Secretary


                                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   - B E A R E R                                                201


                                                                          must have been the times when his heart cried out, as have
  11 A CLO'UD OF WITNESSES 11 many'others  in moments of faltering courage, "Verily I have
                                                                          cleansed my heart in vain, land washed my hands in in-

                                                                          nocency, for all the day long have I been plagued, and
                      Joseph and Potiphar                                 chastened every morning" (P.s. 73 :13,14). Such are times

                                                                          too heavy for man's strength to bear, and only the grace of
                    And the Lord was with Joseph, artd  he was a
                prosperous man; and he was in the house of hii            God can make one stand. That grace was with Joseph and
     \          mmter the EgJlptiun.                                      through it all he stood.

                    And his master  saw that the Lord was with              Joseph was sold at last to Potiphar, and there too the
                him., and that the Lord made all that he did              grace of God continued to uphold him. Potiphar was a
                prosper in his hand.                                      holder of large possessions .and acquired many slaves to

                    And Joseph found grace in his sight, artd he          labor within his household. In his house many temptations
                served l&a;  and he made l&m  overseer over his           began to array themselves against Joseph. He was far from
                house, and all that he had  he put into his hand . . :    the land of Canaan, and there was little reason to expect
                    And Joseph's master took him, and putt him            ever to see his father's house again. His religion and his
                into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners
                                                                          God were unknown to all and the. tenets of his faith un-
                were bound: and he was there in the prison.
                                                                          familiar. The temptation was always there to lay aside that
                                            GENESIS  39:2-4  AND 20
                                                                          which made him different and to adapt himself to the ways

     With a grieving heart Joseph watched his brothers re-                of the land. Human wisdom always presents that as the

  ceive from the Ishmaelites twenty pieces of silver, the price           best way to gain general acceptance. But Joseph stood fast

  for his life, so that he might be carried as a slave into the           in his faith. He was far removed from his brothers in God's

  land of Egypt. Many tears must have blurred his vision as               covenant, but the Lord Himself he considered to be close.'

  he took his last parting glimpse of the land which his fathers          Loneliness fled `as he was satisfied to find his only real

  had learned to love as their promised inheritance from God.             fellowship of life with his God. Laying aside all bitterness

. He was yet very far from the discernment with which in                  and resentment, he labored as unto his God and not for

  later years he would comfort his brothers concerning this               acceptance among men. With all diligence he applied himself

  transaction, "Ye thought evil against me ; but God meant it             to even the lowliest duty that was given into his `hands.

  unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much             Soon the distinctiveness of Joseph became evident, for all

  people alive."     God was beginning to unfold in the life of           of the work prospered unusually in his hand. Neither was

  Joseph one of His wonderful and amazing plans of redemp-                he. one to take the glory of it all for himself. Openly he con-

  tion,. infinite in wisdom and grace. Through Joseph person-             fessed that the prosperity of all that he did could be

  ally God was going to save Jacob and his children, not just             accredited only to his God. Every occasion that availed itself

  from a famine in the land of Canaan, but from the tempta-               he used to testify of his faith. It was not long before even

  tions of a, people whom they did not have the strength to               Potiphar knew of the distinctiveness of this newly acquired

  resist. In Egypt and Goshen He would set them aside by                  slave and the professed reason for it. Although Potiphar

  themselves for over 400 years that they might. grow up into             himself was a wicked and idolatrous man, he could not but

  a great and separate nation. Through this all God was                   acknowledge Joseph's integrity and diligence, and the extra-

  preparing the setting for one of the greatest types of salva-           ordinary prosperity that came from all that he did. The

  tion the old dispensation would ever know, when He would                testimony of Joseph was evidently true that God in heaven

  call His chosen people out of bondage and with a wonder of              was with him in all that he did.

  grace bring them to `their promised inheritance. But Joseph                Potiphar was not one to let an opportunity such as that
  was young, inexperienced and human. His mind could not                  pass by. He tried putting more important matters in Joseph's
  foresee the way of. God, nor begin to disc.ern  even the least          hand, and they too were made to prosper. More and more
  of these plans of God. All that Joseph could see was the                as Joseph grew older matters of greater importance were
 hatred of his brothers and the coldhearted avarice of the                intrusted to him. Each time they were handled properly
  Ishmeelites. The only comfort. for him was to believe what              with honesty and thoroughness. The whole of Potiphar's
  he could not see; the goodness and love of his God.                     household began to fall under the influence of Joseph. One

          Faith and trust in God were all that Joseph had as he           promotion after another followed from the hand of his

  was carried away into Egypt. Everything stood in contrast               master. Broader and broader grew Joseph's sphere of in-

  with his prior experiences. Before he had been the favored              fluence and greater became the effect of his blessing. Finally

  son of his father's household, pampered and clothed in elegant          the- time came when Joseph received the highest position in

  robes. Now-he was little more than a piece of merchandise               Potiphar's household. He was made overseer over all that

  to be placed on the block and sold to the highest bidder. It            Potiphar owned. The servants and slaves were placed under

  was sufficient to try the faith of the most mature believer, to         Joseph's direction ; the wealth was left for him to. direct; the

  say nothing of a lad barely come to years of discretion. Many           lands were for. him to manage ; and the blessing of God's hand


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                                 _                                   -   -      -    -


  rested upon it all. For Joseph's sake it all was made to         in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice ; and

  prosper. Through this means God was preparing Joseph to          it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and

  the day when he would be given the rule over all of the land     cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got

  of Egypt. The purpose of God was directing his life each         him out." It was a desperate attempt to convince the servants

  step of the way.                                                 that Joseph was evil. She was not content just to lie about

         As Joseph was being promoted in the house of Potiphar,    him, but included deprecating references to his nationality

  he was also growing to maturity both physically and spiritu-     and the implication that now all of the women of the house-

  ally. Physically his body came into the strength of manhood,     hold were .in danger. She hesitated not even to say that the

  and the beauty of his mother Rachel could be seen in him.        fault was ultimately her husband's for bringing Joseph there

  We are told, "Joseph was a goodly person, and well fav-          as if his wickedness was self-evident. To all this the servants

  oured."     There are only two other men in Scripture, David     remained singularly unresponsive. Undoubtedly they were

  and Absalom, whose physical appearances are so. described        aware of Joseph's integrity and equally much of her evil in-

  as being beautiful. Joseph was a handsome and attractive         clinations. But none dared to question her statement for she

 man. But spiritually he was also strong and filled with grace.    was the mistress of the house.

  He was wholly dedicated to living in harmony with the will          Potiphar's wife next waited for the return of her husband.

  bf his God.                                                      When he came she showed him Joseph's garment and told

     Potiphar's wife was an Egyptian, and the Egyptians were       him her story.         "The Hebrew servant which thou hast

 notedly immoral people. Being a woman of sin, she was             brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me ; and it came

 constantly looking for an object after which to lust. When        to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his

 Joseph first came into their home he scarcely received from       garment'with me, and fled out." In response to this we are

 her even passing notice ; but as he blossomed into manhood        told that Potiphar became very angry. That a man would

 and, `receiving her husband's confidence, arose more and          become angry after hearing a story such as his wife related,

 more to prominence in their household, she began to be            .we  can of course understand very easily. Nonetheless there

 attracted to him. First it was merely passing attempts to         seemed to be also a mitigating force at work. Perhaps he

 attract his attention ; next- it was plotted efforts to place     realized that such an event was not apt to to happen with-

 herself in his way ; soon it was outwardly seductive ap-          out the active participation of his wife, especially when the

 proaches. To this all: the righteous soul of Joseph was com-      man was one `of Joseph's integrity. But he could not take

 pletely unresponsive. This only made her all the more deter-      the word of a Hebrew servant overagainst his Egyptian wife.

 mined, until she came to Joseph with an open invitation to        This much he could do, however, instead of exacting from

 adultery. To this he could not remain indifferent. Although       Joseph the usual punishment for such a crime, the death

 she was mistress of the. household and in a position to do        penalty, he sufficed to put him in the king's prison, a prison

 him much harm, he was bold to reprimand her. Three reasons        over which he had direct control as captain of the king's

 he gave to point out the wickedness of her suggestion. First,     guard.

he was but a slave in his master's house. His master had              Once again Joseph was brought into affliction due to

 given him many privileges, and he would not betray his            the .fact  that others were wicked and he was righteous.

 master's confidence by doing the one thing that `was not          Especially at first his suffering in prison was very severe. We

 allowed. Secondly, and more important, was the fact that          read in Psalm 105, "He sent a man before them, even Joseph,

 she was Potiphar's wife and he would not defile their mar-        who was sold for a servant : whose feet they hurt with fetter :

 riage relationship. But finally, and most important, adultery     he was laid in iron."     It was a hard way that the Lord laid

 was forbidden of God and he could not disobey the Lord.           before Joseph. For the second time he was brought into

     But Potiphar's wife was a wicked woman with no feeling        extreme suffering through no fault of his own. The Lord

 lor the reasoning of the righteous. Joseph's refusal made her     was purging and building him unto a yet greater -task. He

 all the more determined. "Day by day," we read, she re-           was tasting deeply of the truth that "whom the Lord loveth

 newed her invitation. To this Joseph remained determinedly        he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth"

 resistant and even avoided appearing in her presence. Finally,    ( H e b .   12:6).                                       B.W.

 however, there came a day when Joseph's duties brought him
 into the house and, either by coincidence or by her subtle                  Lord, let thy day of power be known,
 planning, she. was there alone. Taking hold of his outer                     Thy people be confessed ;
 garment, she sought to force herself upon him. Feeling `the                 Eager and valiant-priests each one
 need for immediate and drastic action, Joseph slipped from                    In holy garments dressed.

 his coat and leaving it behind fled from the house. Foiled                  Countless they shine as dews from heaven
 in this her boldest attempt, her lust for Joseph turned into                  When eastern skies grow bright -
 furious hatred. Immediately she cried out with a loud                       More glorious than those dews are given
 voice summoning the other servants. "See," she said, "he                      Sparkling in morning light.
 hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us ; he came                                                     George Rawson,  1876


                                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           203


                                                                        donia and Achaia where Christ had not been preached, Paul
II         F R O M   H O L Y   W R I T                            II    could not leave for Rome where the gospel was, evidently,
                                                                        known.                                T.
                                                                           Here we have some strong motives in considering where
                Exposition of Romans 14. 15                             to labor. Certainly where one is mtost  needed! Surely here
                                X    I    I    I                        are motives also for the preacher today. Present sta.tus quo,        ,

                         ( R o m a n s   1 5   : 2 2 - 2 9 )            ease, comfort, surroundings, nearness of family do not enter

      We will now continue with our exposition of the last sec-         in. Also here the rule is : no one. has left father, mother,
tion of Romans 15. We noticed in the,former  essay of this              brother, sister, who has not received an hundredfold in this
section that this is really the close of the letter of Paul to          life and in the life to come. What a glorious rule whereby to
the Romans. Paul is motivated only by the love of Christ in             live is here laid down by Paul. Surely we cannot today
these labors, and by the consciousness of his exalted calling           preach where the name of Christ has not been named. I
unto the office of apostleship.                                         remember distinctly that twenty-five years ago I took a

      In this closing section Paul connects his purpose and             call, one out of three, because, as a brother in the church put
plan to visit the saints at Rome with the over-all aim of him-          it, "the need is so great." I have never regretted that decision.
self to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been                 May the Lord grant our ministers grace to live according to

named. It is in view of this great aim of the apostle. that             the principle : where the need is greatest! Then there is the

he also intends to preach the gospel in Spain.                          glory of challenge in the name of Christ.

      We believe it in the interest of clarity to quote this entire        Paul is not fickle!

section which yet remains in this Chapter 15, and which we                 Elsewhere he says: with me nay is not yea. II Cor. 1 :lS.

now will discuss, to wit, the verses 22-29. It reads as follows :          But now the objective situation has changed. The gospel

`VVheYefore  also I wa.s  hindered these vzany times from corn-         had been fulfilled from Jerusalem, and round about even unto

ing  unto you: but now h&&g  no more any pla.ce  in these               Illyricum. The work is finished here as far as Paul is con-

regions, and -hming  these muzny years a longing to COPPUT              cerned, that is, when measured by the rule cited above. Now

unto you, whensoever  I go unto Spain (for I hope to see. you           he can come as far as the rule is concerned even to see the

in WZY joztmey,  and be brought on Amy  wiy thitherward by              saints at Rome. For now he will go and preach Christ even

you,  if first im somze mteasure I shull have been satisfied with       in Spain. This too he will do according to the rule to preac'h

yaw company) but now I say, I go unto Jerusalem, m&aister-              the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. The visit

ing unto  the saints.    For it hath been the good pleasure of          to Rome is thus subservient to the great work of the apostle.

Macedonia and Achaia to mzake  a. certain contribution fog              What unity of purpose! What great zeal and love herein

the poor amzong  the saints that are at Jevztsalem.  Yea, ,it           manifested ! Here we see what can be done, by a man of like

bath  been their good pleasztre;  and their  debtors they are.          passions as we, when Christ strengthens!

For if the gentiles have been ytza*de  partakers of their spirituul        When the Romans see this great over-all plan of Paul

things, they owe it to them a"lso to m&ister ,unto them+  in            they shall also the better understand the hindrance of which

carnal things. When therefore I have accom.plished  this, and           Paul speaks more` than once in this letter. Romans 1 :lO,

have sealed to theme this @it, I will go on by you into Spain.          11, 13.

And I know that, when I co%me ,unto  you, I shall colme  in the           However, Paul cannot immediately come to Rome

fulness  of the bles.&g  of Christ."                                    on the way to Spain. He must first go to Jerusalem once

      Paul says that he was "hindered" these many times to              more. He goes there to m&&ter  to the saints. It is the great

come to the believers, the church at Rome in the past. What             unity of both Jew and Gentile that Paul has in mind. The

hindered him was not geography, or any peculiar machina-                middle-wall of partition has been broken down. Judaizers

tions of evil men or of Satan. It was the fact that all Paul's          may seek to oppose Paul and seek to maintain this wall, and

work took time. And Paul could not be everywhere at once.               some weak brethren in the church at Jerusalem may not

Certain work simply had to wait. And Paul did not proceed               trust Paul's labors among the Gentiles, so Paul will seek to

in an arbitrary way.' The rule for Paul was to preach Christ            "seal the fruit" of his labors also in Jerusalem. Both Jews and

and the gospel where Christ had not yet been named ! Thus               Gentiles must see in the "fruit" of Paul's labors the "fulfil-

he executes his apostleship to the Gentiles as stated in                ment"  of the gospel. (See former essay.) And thus all will

Isaiah 52 :15 : ". . . and they who have not heard shall                need to exc1ai.m : "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable

understand."     Hence, this method of preaching was a prin-            gift." II Cor. 9:15. There must be no schism in the body of

ciple of the Scripture and not some human strategy.                     Christ. We have noticed this in connection with the matters

      Repeatedly Paul had thought of the brethren in Rome.              of "adiaphora"  in the earlier essays in this series. Both Jew

But always the objective fact of the multitude of labors, ac-           and Gentile must be one. For it is not first the Jew and

cording to the rule just, cited from Isaiah 53:15, simply               then the Gentile, but it is first the Jew ,and also the Greek.

stared Paul in the face. And as long as the objective facts             Both are at, one table of Christ, whether in far-off Macedonia

were such `that there were still places in Asia Minor, Mace-            or in Jerusalem!

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


           Is it not wonderful that Paul may report that they of            Paul does not have any illusions about the prejudices of

Macedonia and of Achaia thought zvell  (it was their good               the Jews and about the Judaizers in the church at Jerusalem.

    pleasure) to take up a collection for the poor saints in            He follows the rule therefore of: Olga  et Z&bovu!  Pray and

    Jerusalem. There seems to have been more than one dearth            work is `the order of the day. For Paul requests the inter-

    in the land of Palestine. See Acts 11:27-30.  That such a           cessory prayers of the Romans in his behalf.  It is true:

    dearth -was  actually in Jerusalem certainly was not by             they are neither givers nor receivers of this gift to the saints

    chance. That too was of the Lord, who gathers, defends and          in Jerusalem. However, they can direct their fervent prayers

    preserves to himself his church. And it must surely also            to God for Paul in this journey, that he may be delivered

    serve that purpose. It must become the great occasion for           from those who are disobedient to the gospel. Of this we

    the d,emonstration  of the principle of the unity of the church,    hope to see more in our next essay.

    and for the dispensation of God wherein they who have                   Meanwhile Paul looks forward with great and earnest
    abundance have nothing too much, and they who have little           expectation to his \coming to Rome. He had already inti-
    have no lack. II Cor. 8 :15, Ex. 16 :18.                            mated at the beginning of this letter that he looked forward

       Possibly there is here a very subtle, yet needed, sugges-        toward coming to the Romans, "in order that I might have

    tion to the Roman church to emulate this ,example  of the           some fwit in you also as in the rest of the Gentiles." Rom.
    Macedonian  and Achaian churches. At any rate what must             1 :13b. Now Paul underscores that he is confident that he will

    "be sealed," sealed in the minds of the Jerusalem saints, is        come in "th,e  fulness of the blessedness of Christ." Christ

    that this money collected for them at this time is more than        will work great blessing through his work there, he is con-

    some social security money, more than relief from some              fident. The full store of blessings Christ will give these

    phil&hropic  agency. It must'be "sealed" in their mind and          saints also.

    heart that this is the "fruit" .of  grace. It is more  $an mere        Little, however, did the apostle know under what circum-
    gift. What Paul says in Phil. 4:17: "Not that I seek for the        stances he would indeed be delivered from the hands of dis-
    gift; but I seek for the frwit  that increaseth to your account"    obedient men ; that this would entail bondage. It was along
    is here to the point. .Is it not in the fruit that the tree is      the way to Jerusalem that he became more and more aware
    known ? And if this is fruit which proceeds out of faith which      of this turn of events in the providence of God. In Acts
    works by love, is this then not evidence that these brethren        20:22, 23 we read that Paul says to the elders of Ephesus,
    in Europe-land, Macedonia and Achaia, also are ingrafted            "And now behold I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem,
    into Christ by a true and living faith ?                            not knowing the things that shall befall me there : save that

       Thus Paul would seal this fruit in the poor saints at            the Holy Spirit testifieth unto me in every city, saying that

  Jerusalem.                                                            bonds and afflictions abide me. But I hold not my life dear

       And  thus there will be a do&e  harvest as Paul expressed        unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the
    this very articulately in II Corinthians 9 :12: "For the min-       ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify
    istration of this service not only filleth up the measure of        of the gospel of the grace of God." And, again, in Acts
                                                                        21 :8-13  we read of the prophecy of the four daughttrs of
   the &nts of the saints, but aboundeth also through many
   thanksgivings unto God."                                             Agabus concerning Paul, do we not? Briefly this is stated
                                                                        in. verse 11 : ". . . thus saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the
       When once the saints in Jerusalem se:: this help from            Jews at Jkrusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and
   the churches in Europe (the Gentiles) in its proper ' light,         shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles."
   as the fruit of faith, they will see that this is a just reward         Verily, thus the subsequent history of Paul was.
   of grace of God to them. For this is then a return of their
   own liberal sowing (II Cor. 9:9). For the Gentiles had                  It is not known from the Scriptures whether Paul ever
   received the spiritual things from the Jews. Salvation is out        went to Spain. The argument out of silence (ex silentio) is
                                                                        the weakest there is. We shall not try to determine where
    of the Jews. John 4:22. It is simply the truth that having,
   cast their bread upon the waters the Lord caused them to             so many have fallen into the pitfall of speculation. We rest
   find it .after many days.                                            content with what we know.
                                                                           Paul came to Rome. It is a very, very meaningful phrase
       Small wonder that Paul made so much of this collection
                                                                        that we read in ActS  26:16:  "And when we entered into
    of the Gentile churches, and that.  he so jealously and
                                                                        Rome, Paul was suffered to abide by himself with t&e soldier
    scrupulously guarded it. That is why we read of the
                                                                        that guarded him."
   various men who accompanied Paul in bringing these col-
                                                                           How different from Paul's long-time desire!
   lections to Jerusalem. Do we not read of these collections in
    II Cor. 8 and 9. Does Paul here not develop that cla&ic                Was there a measure of disappointment? In the home of
   gem on "giving" in the church.. I once preached two serm&s           Phillip  in Caesaria it ,had been  said: "The will of the Lord
   on these chapters and the testimony of some in the congrega-         be done." Acts 21:14b.

   tion was : for the first time in our life we have seen the              And : Our .disappointment  is God's appointment!

    Scriptural and spiritual motive of giving!                                                                                    `G.L.


                                            T H E   ST.ANDARD   B E A R E R                                                  2 0 5


                                                                  dangerous thing and to be done oh, so sparingly and ccre-
                 I N   HIS.  F E A R                              fully. God is pleased, so the argument runs, to create us in
                                                                  Christ unto good works `which He has before ordained that

                                                                  we should walk in them. By His grace- His people can in-
                      Punishment or Praise                        deed do things that are praiseworthy. And  when they do,

    There are times when the question arises, Shall we punish     we may thank them for what they have done in our behalf.
for the evil. or shall we praise for the ,good?  Shall we en-     But be oh, so very careful not to speak a word of praise in
courage the backward child by speaking. a word of praise          connection with that expression of thankfulness. If you have

for what he has accomplished, or shall we call his attention      enjoyed the sermon preached ; if you have been comforted by
again to his failings and make him suffer his punishment ?        the sick call ; if you have enjoyed the song sung ; if you &ave

Will we arrive at our desired goal with that  child by the        been edified by the pap&  read ; if you have been lifted by the

encouraging praise or by making him understand and never          prayer offered in your behalf, render your praise and thanks-

forget that to fail brings' punishment ?                          giving unto God, but be sure that the man through whom

                                                                  He performed this work is excluded when you express how
    That question and that problem arises in other  spheres
                                                                  much you have been benefited. After all, so the argument
than in the instruction of the child as well. All in authority
                                                                  still runs, he is a sinful man and you will only make him
at one time or another, to one degree or an&her  have been
                                                                  conceited and proud. You may freely criticize &very  move
placed before this question. And down through the ages
                                                                  he makes. You may be as emotional as you like about his
there have been different schools of thought in regard to
                                                                  faults. You should as quickly as possible rise up in protest
t h i s   m a t t e r .
                                                                  to everything that does not look right to you ; and he must
    There are those who take the stand .that at no `time and      be told as soon as possible and in no uncertain terms. You
in no way is tian ever to be praised for anything. Punish         may not keep still, and a word of condemnation may not be
him when he does wrong ; but you will seldom find a pl.ace        kept back. You have no obligation to encourage him. You
where a word of praise is fitting. This stand you will never          0
                                                                  must  be very phlegmatic, sluggish and unmoved as far as
find in the world. The world is always lavish with its praise.    letting him,know  that he has benefited you in any way. You
In the world'the performer is loudly applauded by the clap-       do not owe him anything like that. But be quick when you
ping of hands. In f&t it is considered impolite and lacking in    do praise him for his excellent paper in Men's society, for
culture not to give some little token of applause at least.       his firm stand over against the lie, for his liberality and good-
And at times the clapping, the shouting and even whistling        ness to the poor, be sure at the very same time  to remind
can be measured in miputes. Great ovations are given to           him that he is a sinner and also has serious shortcomings.
men for their achievements. Indeed there are times when           Still better, when he has done a praiseworthy thing, speak
some will boo the performer and even hurl overripe fruit and      that praise to others rather than to this man, and let the
the like at him. But these things are frowned upon by the         doer of this good. deed hear only indirectly that you think
"cultured and refined" ; and these same "uncouth" displayers      that his work was excellent. There is a little room for praise
of their dislike and contempt will be equally demonstrative       but it must be handled far mo;e  carefully than criticism.
and outspoken in their praise of that of which they approve.      Criticism will not cause him to become proud and conceited ;
They may boo iome,  but they will never deny that there is        but praise always turns a man's head, and then instead of
room for praise upon men for their deeds and achievements.        continuing in his good way, you will encourage him to de-
    It is in the church that you will find those who take the     part into that evil way of pride.
stand that never, no never is there a time or place for praise
                                                                     That  there is an element of truth in this we will not deny.
to be spoken to a man. After all, does not the church teach
                                                                  One can'siand  a whole lot more praise than another. So, too,
that all are sinners, all are conceived and born in sin ?
                                                                  one cap $&d  a whole lot more of adverse criticism than
"There is none that doeth good," Psalm 14:1,  the last part.
                                                                  another. It `is likewise true that we do wrong when we in-
"There is none righteous, no not one: There is none thaE
                                                                  vite and promote pride ,whether  that be in the office bearer
understandeth, there is none that seeketh  after God. They
                                                                  in the church, the common member or even our children. But
are all gone out of the way, they are together become  un-
                                                                  then we should also present our adverse criticisms with the
profitable: there is none that doeth good, no not one," Rom.
                                                                  same care and caution. For usually the man who cannot
3 :lO-12. In light of this how can we praise man? What is
                                                                  receive praise without becoming puffed up is the type that
there in him for which we .could  in truth praise him ? God we
                                                                  cannot receive adverse criticism without falling into deep
can praise.     He only is worthy of praise, and Him we must
                                                                  discouragement, And above all we shoG1i-l  tie careful and
praise for all that which He is and for all that which He
                                                                  honest with ourselves and be sure that it is not `our pride
does. Our song should be, "Praise God from Whom all
                                                                  that moves us to criticize and our conceit that urges us not
blessings flow."
                                                                  to praise the man to his face.
    Then there are those who take the stand that there are

a fe.w instances when we may praise man but it is a very             Then again there  is the other extreme which would dis-           -


  206                                         T H E   STA,NDARD'   B E A R E R


  card all or at least most of the .punishment.  It does not           essentiai part of our preaching. However, this does not rule

  advbcate  lavish praise or even continual praise, but it avoids      out the fact that our approach to the unconverted can be

  as much as possible all discipline either of the child or of         just as effective when instead of proclaiming the love of God

  the wayward member in the church. This view would retain             for His people we proclaim His unchangeable wrath against

  discipline for the extreme cases, that is, when the matter           sin. Instead of singing His praises for His love as our

  gets so glaringly evil that it embarrasses not to discipline, but    medns  of approach to the unbeliever, we can come with the

  it insists that you keep hands off when the sin is first             pronouncement of His furious wrath upon sin, and then we

  practiced. Make  no mention of it to the man, or else if you         can proclaim Christ as the sin-bearer Who suffered the wcath

  must say something because he injured you, be sure at the            of God for our sins.

  same time to praise him for some good thing he has done so              Let us consider that in Scripture this approach- is re-

  that the sting of the mentioning of his evil is taken away.          peatedly used. Jonah was sent to Nineveh not to announce

  Thk idea behind it is that by being  "nice" to the man you are       the love of ,God for all men, nor even the love of God for

far more apt to win the man to your way of thinking than               His people in Christ. Joriah did not want to go to Nineveh

  if you rebuke him and show him the error of his way. Never           and speak  of God's love. And'even when God brought him

  mind calling his attention `to the error. Call his attcnticn  to     there in that wonderful way of the storm, the journey in

  the good he has done and encourage him to keep that up.              the fish's belly  and by being deposited safely on the land, he

  Then the evils will fall away as he practices the good .in           preached his sermon without any interest. knd the content

  order to continue to receive your praise. This, essentially,         of his message was God's wrath upon sin and judgment.

  is also the principle upon which well nigh all missionary               So you see, the problem is there. Shall we speak God's

  activity in this day is based. Go tell the heathen that God          iraise  or shall we speak of His wrath on the mission field?

  loves him. Sing to him of the love of God. Picture to him            Shall we do both evenly? Shall the one or the &her  be our

  God in all His mercy, love, tender compassion and kindness.          method of approach ? And in the sphere of discipline the

  You will win this heathen's heart by flooding him with such          problem is also present and viewed differently : Shall we seek

  tender thoughts of God. After this you can begin  to sieak           to get better behaviour and a return from a sinful way by

  about sin in general, and maybe in due time of the specific          sweet words and by an assertion that we love that wayward

  sins of that.  man, but begin with the love of God and let it        individual because God loves him, or shall we speak plainly,

  continually echo through all your instruction to that heathen        mince no words and show as clearly atid  strongly as possible

  (or, unconverted fellow citizen).                                    the evil of the way ? More. simply stated, Is it true that

         Now we do not, of course, intend or desire to deny or         "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar"?

  minimize to any degree that love of God and its beauty and           That is, is-it true that the fact that you can catch more flies

  wonder. Any "preaching of the gospel" which ignores and              with honey than with vinegar  applicable to the matter of

  denies that lovk  of God for His people is no preachitig  of         discipline ? Punishment or praise? Which is the way of the

  the gospel. The whole of the good news of the gospel centers         fear of the Lord ? Which is the wise way 7 Of these things

  in and revolves around that love of God. That you must               we would have more to say, D.V., next time.

  preach to fallen man or you do not speak God's language.                                                                     J.A.H.

  We do deny, of course, that you may `say to every man

  that you meet that God loves him. That certainly is not true               IMMORTALITY AND RESURRECTION
  at all! God so loved the world that He gave His only be-
                                                                                  I keep before me still
  gotten Son is absolutely true. But note that the text speaks
                                                                                    The Lord Whom I have  proved ;
  of the world and not the eal'th.  The devil belongs to the
                                                                                  At my right hand He guards from ill,
  world, though he is not an earthly creatul'e.  Dare we say
                                                                                    And  I shall not be moved.
  that God so loved also the devil that He gave His only be-
                                                                                  My heart is glad and blest,
  gotten Son? And how will we explain Jesus' words, "I p?%y
                                                                                    My soul its joy shall tell ;
  not for the world, but for them which Thou has given me ;
                                                                                  And, lo, my flesh in hope shall rest,
  for they are thine" ? `To explain it in such a way that God
                                                                                    And still in safety dwell.
  becomes a changeable God definitely is unscriptural and an

  insult to the Immutable Jehovah. God does not lose His -love                    My soul in death's dark pit          j

  for these after they show that they spurn His love. Were He                        Shall not be left by Thee ;

  such a God Who could change or be changed by the actions                        Corruption Thou wilt not permit

  of men, what Bssurance  have we that even in the New                              Thy holy one tb see.

  Jerusalem we will not cause Him to change and cast ui out                     Life's pathway Thou wilt show,

  of the glory to which we have attained ? And how can we                           To Thy right hand wilt guide,

  trust anything which He says, if .He is a God Who can                           Where streams of pleasure ever flow,

  change ? Nay, `He is unchangeable in His love, and off that                       And boundless joys abide.

  unchangeable love we may sing, and it is and must be an                                                              ,Psalrn 16:2, 3


                                              T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                 207


Ir                                                            -11    tions, `* artd  the Epistles "the  apostolical traditions." In that
11 Contkding  For The Faith 11 age of the Church the distinction between the written and
I'                                                                   unwritten word had not yet been distinctly made. But as
                                                               `I
                                                                     controversies arose, and disputants on both sides of all

                                                                     questions appealed to "tradition," i.e. to what they had
           The Church and the Sacraments
                                                                     been taught; and when it was found tfiat  these traditions

                                                                     differed, one church saying their teachers had always taught
          THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION                                the one thing, and another that theirs had.  taught them the

                    VIEWS ON THE CHURCH                              opposite, it was felt that there should be some common and
                                                                     authoritative standard. Hence the wisest and best of the

      We concluded our preceding article with the remark that        fathers insisted on abiding by the written word, and receiv-
the main principles of the Reformation are usually considered        ing nothing as of divine authority not contained therein. In
td be two, namely the formal and the material principle. And         this, however, it must be confessed they were not always con-
we planned, the L&d willing, to look at these two principles         sistent. Whenever prescription, usage, or conviction founded '
in this article.                                                     on unwritten evidence, was available against an adversary,
      We shall now call attention first of all to thg formal         they did not hesitate to make the most of it. During all the
principle. When we speak of the formal principle we mean             early centuries, therefore, the distinction between Scripture
that the Reformers acknqwledged  only one source of author-          and tradition was not so `sharply drawn as it has been since
ity: the Holy Scripture.      Maintaining this principle they        the controversies between Romanists and Protestants, and
stood opposed to Roman Catholic&m, False Mysticism (Qua-             especially since the decisions of the Council of Trent.

kers, Anabaptists,  etc.), and to Rationalism.
                                                                                      T R I D E N T I N E   D O C T R I N E
      First of all, the Reformers took a stand which was

directly opposed to the stand of the Roman Catholic Church.              That Council (the council of Trent ; and "tridentine doc-

The Roman Catholic Church acknowledged, besides the                  trine" refers to the doctrine as set forth by the Council of

Word of God, also tradition as a source of authority. On             Trent. - H.V.), and the Latin Church as a body, teach on

this subject of tradition Hodge, in his Systematic Theology,         this- subject, - (1) That Christ and His Apostles taught

.Vol. I, 108-110, writes as follows :                                many things which `were not committed to writing, i.e., not

      "The word traditiori (paradosis) means, (1) The art            redorded in the Sacred Scriptures. (2) That these instruc-

of delivering over from one to another. (2) The thing de-            tions have been faithfully transmitted, and preserved in the

livered or communicated. In the New. Testament it is used            Church. (3) That they constitute, a part of the rule of faith

(a) For instructions delivered from some to others, without          for.all  believers.

reference to the mode of delivery, whether it be or8lly  or by           From extracts taken from the acts of the Council and

writing; as in II Thess. 2 :15, "Hold the traditions which ye        also from excerpts of the writings of Bellarmin and Petrus a

have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle ;" "With-          Soto,  it appears; 1. That these traditions are called unwritten

draw yourself from every brother that walketh disorderly,            because they are not contained in the Scriptures. They are,

and not after the tradition which he received of us." (b) For        for the most part, now to be found in the works of the

the oral instructions of the fathers handed down from genera-        Fathers, decisions of councils, ecclesiastical constitutions, and

tion, but not contained in the Scriptures, and yet regarded          rescripts of the Popes.

as authoritative. In this sense our Lord so frequently speaks            2. The office of tradition is `to convey a knowledge of

of "the traditions of the Pharisees." (c) In Gal. 1:14,  where       doctrine, precepts, and institutions not contained `in Scrip-

Paul speaks of his zeal for the traditions of his fathers, it        ture ; and also to serve as a guide to the proper understand-          .
may include both the written and unwritten instructions              ing of what is therein written. Tradition, therefore, in the

which he had received. `What he was so zealous about, was            Church of Rome, is both the supplement and interpretation

the whole system of Judaism as he had been taught it.                of the written word.

      In the early Church the word was used in this wide                 3. The authority due to tradition is the same as that

sense. Appeal was constantly made to "the traditions," i.e.,         which belongs to the Scriptures. Both are' to be .received

the instructions which the churches had received. It was             "pari  pietatis affedtu,  et reverentia." Both are derived .from

only certain churches at first which had any of the written          the same source ; both are received through the same channel ;

instructions of the Apostles. And it was .not until the end          and both are authenticated by the same witness. This author-

of the first century that the writings of the Evangelists and        ity, however, belongs properly only to traditions regarded

Apostles were collected, and formed. i&o a canon, or rule            as divine or apostolical. Those termed ecclesiastical are of

of faith. And when the books of the- New  Testament had              less importance, relating to rites and usages. Still for them
                                         I
been collected, the fathers spoke of them as containing the          is claimed an authority virtually divine, as they are enjoined

traditions, i.e., the in&uctions  derived fro&'  Christ and His      by 8. church which claims to h&e been endowed by Christ

Apostles. They called the Gospels .Yhe  eva@elical  tradi-           with full power to ordain rites and ceremonies.

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


      4. The criteria by t?rhich to distinguish between true and      John ; the Acts of the Apostles written' by Luke the Evan-

 false traditions, are either antiquity and catholicity, or the       gelist ; fourteen epistles of Paul the apostle, (one) to the

 testimony of the extant Church. Sometimes the one,, and              Romans, two to the Corinthians, (one) to the Galatians, to

 sometimes the other is urged. The Council of Trent gives             the Ephesians, to the Philippians, to the Colossians, two to

 the former; so does Bellai-min, and so do the majority of            the Thessalonians, two to Tiqothy,  (one)  to Titus, to Phile-

 Romish theologians. This is the famous rule established by           mon, to the Hebrews ; two of Peter the apostle, three of John

 Vincent of Lerins in the fifth century, "quod semper, quod           the apostle, one of the apostle James, one of Jude the apostle,

ubique, quod ab omnibus."        On all occasions, however,, the      and the Apocalypse of Jbhn  the Apo,stle.

 ultimate ahpeal  is to the decision of the Church. Whatever             But if any one receive not, as sacred and canonical, the
 the Church declares to be a part of the revelation committed         said books entire with all their parts, as they have been used
 to her, is to be received as of divine authority, at the peril       to be read in the Catholic Church, and as they are contained
 of salvatidn."  - end of quote of Hodge.                             in the old Latin Vulgate edition; and knowingly and deliber-

      This Tridentine doctrine, the doctrine as expressed- and        ately contemn  the traditions aforesaid; let him be anathema.

 set forth by the Council of Trent, is set forth by this Council      Let all, therefore, understand, in what order, and in what
 in its fourth session, April 8, 1546, under the heading :            manner, the said Synod, after having laid the foundation of

 Decree Concerning The Canonical Scriptures, and we quote:            the Confession of faith, will proceed, and what testimonies

 "The sacred and holy, oecumenical,  and general Synod of             and authorities it will mainly use in confirming dogmas, and
 Trent, - lawfully assembled in the  Holy Ghost, the same             in restoring morals in the Church.

 three legates of the Apostolic See presiding therein, -keep-
                                                                         Decree Concegrning  the Edition,' And the Use; of the
 ing this always in view, that, errors being removed, the
                                                                         Sacred Books.
 purity itself  of the Gospel be'preserved in the Church ; which

 (Gospel), before promised through the prophets in the holy            , Morkover, the same sacred and holy Synod, -consider-
 Scriptures, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, first             ing that no small utility may accrue to the Church of God, if
 promulgated with His own mouth, and then commanded *to               it be made known which out of all the Latin editions, now in
 be preached by His Apostles to every creature, as the foun-          circulation, of the sacred books, is to be held as authentic, -
 tain of all, both saving truth, and moral discipline ; and           ordains and declares, that the said old and Vulgate edition,

 seeing clearly that this truth and discipline are contained in       which, by the lengthened usage of so many ages, has been

 the written books, and the unwritten traditions which, re-           approved of in the Church, be, in public lectures, disput$ions,

 ceived  by the Apostles from the mouth of Christ himself, or         sermons, and expositions, held as authentic ; and that no one

 from the ,Apostles  themselves; the Holy Ghost dictating,            is to dare, or presume to reject it under any pretext what-

 have come down even unto us, transmitted as it were from             ever.

 hand to hand : (the Synod) following the examples of the                Furthermore, in order to restrain petulant spirits, it de-

 orthodox Fathers, receives and venerates with an equal affec-        trees,  that no one, relying on his own skill, shall, -in mat-

 tion of piety and reverence, all the books both of the Old and       ters of faith, and of morals pertaining to the edification of

 of the New Testament-seeing that one God is the author               Christian doctrine, -wresting the sacred Scripture to his

 of both  - as also the said traditions, as well those appertail-     own senses, presume to interpret the said sacred- Scripture

 ing to faith as to mbrals,  as having been dictated, either by       contrary to that sense which holy mother Church, -whose

 Christ's own word of mouth, or by the Holy qhost,  and               it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the

 preserved in the Cathdlic  Church by a continuous succession.        holy Scriptures, - hath held and doth hold ; or even con-

 "    And .it Las  thought it meet that a list of the sacred books    trary  to the unanimous consent of the Fathers ; even though

 be inserted in fhis decree, lest a doubt may arise in any one's      such interpretations were never (intended) to be at any time

 mind, which are the books that are received by this Synod.           published. Contraveners  shall be made known by their Or-

 They are set down here below : of the Old Testament: ihe.            dinaries, and be punished with the' penalties by law estab-

 five basks  of Moses, to wit, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus.            lished." -end of Quote from the Acts of the Council of

 Numbers, Deuteronomy ; Josue;  Judges, Ruth, four books of           Trent.                                                      H.V.
 Kings, two of Paralipomenon, the first book -of Estras, and

 the second which is entitled Nehemias ; Tobias,  Judith, -Es-

 ther, Job, the Davidical Psalter, consisting of a hundred and                                  I N   MEMORIAki

 fifty psglms  ; the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Canticle of Can-
                                                                         The Radio- Committee of the First Prot&tant  Reformed Church
 ticles, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Isaias, Jeremias, with Baruch; r wishes to express its sincere sympathy to one of its members, Mr.
 Ezechiel, Danial; the twelve minor prophets, to wit, Osee,           Peter Reitsma, in the death of his sister,
 Joel, Amos,     Abdias, Jonas, Micheas, Nahum, Habacue,                                    MISS ALICE REITSMA
 Sophonias, Aggaeus, Zacharias, Malachias; two books of the
                                                                         May he and his family find comfort in the promise of Jesus, "In
 Machabees, the first and the second. Of the New Testament :
                                                                      my Father's house are many mansions: . . . I go to:prepare a place
 the four Gospels, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and              for you." - John 14:2.


                                                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                   209


                                                                                                                 involvement with the doctrine as such. We tend to become

            The Voice of Our Fathers                                                                             so preoccupied with the doctrine as such and with the ex-
                                                                                                           /I position and understanding of it that we overlook the fact
                                                                                                                 that these are very really matters of our faith and of our

                       The Ctkons  of Dordrecht                                                                  confession. Hence, it is very proper that this .be expressed
                                                                                                                 at the conclusion of the chapter. The Heidelberg Catechim,

                                          PART Two                                                               due to its very subjective approach, does this constantly. And
                                                                                                                 the NetCterland  Confe&on  begins its articles with "We be-

                           E                                                                                     lieve . . ." The Cunons,  in the body  of each chapter, simply
                                XPOSITION OF THE CANONS
                                                                                                                 set forth the truth objectively, in order, at the conclusion, to

                           FIFTH `HEAD OF DOCTRINE                                                               affirm that the truth set forth is a matter of the faith of the

                                                                                                                 church. In the second place, and in close connection with the
                OF THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
                                                                                                                 preceding, it is evident that the outlook of the Canons  is in-

                 Article 15. The carnal mind is unable to comprehend                                             tensely spiritual, and that the battle for the truth here set forth

            this doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, and the                                             is considered as a spiritual battle. It is not simply a question

                 certainty thereof; which God hath most abundantly                                               of what you believe over against what I believe, a question
                 revealed in his Word, for the glory of his name, and                                            of. one opinion over against another, both opinions being
                 the consolation of pious souls, and which he impresses
                                                                                                                 equally -valid and allowable. It is not a question of one
                 upon the hearts of the faithful. Satan abhors it; the
                 world ridicules it; the ignorant and hypocrite abuse, and                                       church against another, but one that concerns the faith of the
                 heretics oppose it;. but the spouse of Christ bath always                                       holy catholic church. It is not a subordinate point of doctrine,

                 most tenderly loved and constantly defended it, as an                                           about which there is room'for difference of opinion and ex-
                 inestimable treasure; and God, against whom neither                                             change of views within the framework of the church's con-
                 counsel nor strength can prevail, will dispose her -to                                          fession. It is not a matter of theological bickering and hair-
                 continue this conduct to the end, Now, to this one God,
                 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; be honor and glory, for-                                          splitting, which ought not to be allowed to be the occasion
                 ever. AMEN.                                                                                     of separation. But it is a question of the truth of God over

                                                                                                                 against the lie of Satan, involving a battle of the flesh against
 T h e   a b o v e   t r a n s l a t i o n   i s   i n a c c u r a t e   i n   m o r e   t h a n   o n e
                                                                                                                 the spirit, and necessitating defense over against erring
respect both as to its language and its emphasis. And we can
                                                                                                                 spirits, heretics. It is, therefore, to the church, the bride of
best offer our corrections by giving our version  of the entire
                                                                                                                 Christ, a tenderly loved treasure .of inestimable price, part
article.
                                                                                                                 of the heritage of the truth, the.gospel  of her salvation. In
              T h i s   d o c t r i n e   c o n c e r n i n g   t h e   p e r s e v e r a n c e   o f   t h e    the third place, the article bespeaks a believing optimism, or
              saints and believers, and the certainty thereof,, which                                            confidence, that this truth shall stand- in spite of all opposi-
              God, unto the glory of his own  name and the con-                                                  tion, that the church shall be -faithful to it, and that too,
              solation of pious souls, has most abundantly-revealed                                              because God Himself will maintain the cause of the truth
              in his word and impresses upon the hearts of the                                                   through His church. And finally, as every creed worthy of
              faithful, the flesh does not comprehend, Satan                                                     the name must, this confession ends in God, as is plain from
              hates, the world ridicules, the unskilled' and the                                                 the doxology in this article. After all, the matter of utmost
              hypocrites seize in abuse, and erring spirits oppose.                                              concern `in the faith and confession of the church is not
              But the bride of Christ has always loved it as a                                                   merely her own salvation, but the honor and glory of her
              treasure of inestimable price, and has steadfastly                                                 God. For its sake the church must stand fast in the faith
              defended it; and God, against whom neither counsel                                                 regardless of any other consideration. And antithetically, with
              can avail nor strength prevail, will take care that                                                rejection of every Goh-dishonoring error, the church must
              she does so further. To,this  God, Father, Son, and                                                persevere in the confession of the truth for the sake of the
              Holy Spirit, be the honor a& glory forever. Amen.                                                  glory of God's name, no matter what may betide.

    It is evident that this article is of a somewhat different
nature than the preceding paragraphs of this Fifth Head of                                                          In connection with the above, let us study a little more
Doctrine. A similar article is found at the conclusion of                                                        in detail the contents of this last article.     .

each chapter of the `Canons.  In this article no new aspect

of the truth is set forth and explained ; rather does the                                                            First of all, the article calls attention to the subject under

article form a conclusion to the entire chapter., And it is a                                                    discussion, and that too, in a way which serves to explain

very fitting conclusion, and one to which we do well to take                                                     both the opposition of the enemies of this truth and the

heed. For in it there are several instructive elements. In the                                                   zealous cherishing and-defense of this doctrine by the faith-

first place, it becomes evident that the entire doctrine of the                                                  ful. Notice, in `the first place, that it speaks of .thk  doctrine,

perseverance of the saints, and the certainty thereof, is a                                                      referring to all the preceding articles of the Fifth ,Heacl  of

confession of f&lz. This' may be easily overlooked in our                                                        Doctrine, and including not only the truth of perseverance as


  210.                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   .BEARER


  such but also the truth of the certainty of perseverance. In             and power of man. One might be, inclined to say that here

  this connection the article mentions the "saints and believers,"         at last, in the matter of persevering in the salvation once

  not, of course, as two different classes, nor, to beg sure, in           obtained, there is room for some small element of man's

contradistinction from the elect, but in order to emphasize                work ! But no ! The door is shut completely on anything of

  two things.: 1) That it is historically the saints who are               man. It is all of God! And therefore the opposition to this

  preserved ; and, 2) That it is the conscious believers who               truth is severe and strong.

  enjoy the certainty of perseverance. In the second place, the
                                                                                Quite properly the `fathers begin by mentioning that the
  article points out both the objective and subjective .ground
                                                                           flesh cannot receive or comprehend this truth. This does
  of this confession. Objectively, God has revealed this doc-
                                                                           not mean, of course, that the truth of perseverance is so in-
  trine most abundantly in His own Word. This is always the
                                                                           volved and complex that it cannot be naturally understood.
  solid ground of the church's confession : God's own revelation.
                                                                           But it means that there is no spiritual receptivity in the
  And subjectively, this truth is impressed upon the hearts of
                                                                           heart of the natural man for this doctrine. The natural man
  the faithful. In the third place, the article speaks of the
                                                                           cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God. And it is
  purpose of this doctrine, namely, the glory of God's own
                                                                           fitting that this is first stated because it puts the saints on a
  name, and the consolation of pious souls. The glory of God's
                                                                           line with all others as far as their natural state and condition
  ,own  name is involved because the perseverance of the saints,
                                                                           is concerned. The fathers do not boast here of the fact that
  and the certainty thereof, is from beginning to end the work             thej comprehend this doctrine while others do not. No, it
  of absolutely sovereign grace. This goes a long way toward
                                                                           is not of the flesh, not of man whatsoever. And therefore the
  explaining the opposition to this truth that is mentioned
                                                                           believers have no reason to exalt themselves conceitedly above
  later in the article.. And that this truth is for the consolation
                                                                           those who oppose this truth. Secondly, they note that Satan,
  of pious souls is quite obvious. It means the certainty of
                                                                           the adversary, who always seeks to destroy God's cause in
  their everlasting salvation and glory, and that too, as a &er-
                                                                           the world, hates this doctrine. Of -course!  This doctrine,
  tainty which is their assurance in this present time. This too
                                                                           above all others, means that he can never succeed in his
  explains the opposition to *his doctrine : the enemy seeks to
                                                                           opposition. And besides, if only he can deprive the saints of
  deprive God's people of their consolation. And it also ex-
                                                                           the certainty of their perseverance, he has them in his
  plains why the church has always tenderly loved this truth,
                                                                           dlutches  and can make them capitulate in the face of persecu-
  and defended it steadfastly. It is especially this truth of
                                                                           tion and suffering. Small wonder that Satan hates it. And
  perseverance,    and the assurance thereof, that is so very
                                                                           because it speaks of a certainty and a hope that is other-
  precious to the saints in times of trial and persecution. As
                                                                           worldly and that is from a carnal viewpoint absolutely futile,
  a previous article has stated, "If the elect of God were de-
                                                                           the world (Satan's` subjects) ridicules it. How futile, they
  prived of this solid comfort . `. . they would be of all men
                                                                           say, to hold to such a doctrine when it is evident that the
  the most miserable."
                                                                           saints go down to defeat and suffer the loss of all ! And

                                                                           finally,, the unskilled and the hypocrites abuse it. For they
      Secondly, the article speaks rather in .detail  of the oppo-         find in it an occasion to be careless and profane. But this too
  -sition against this doctrine.    In fact, it is rather striking that    is opposition. It is the attempt of Satan to discredit this doc-
  the article adds phrase upon phrase in speaking of this op-              trine and bring ill-repute upon it. All this belongs to the
  position, and speaks of it more than at the conclusion of `the           fierce opposition which the faithful church must face when
  other chapters. Perhaps we may mention two facts to -ex-                 she confesses this truth.
  plain this somewhat. First of all, the Arminian attack against

  this doctrine was more insidious, in a way, than against                      But can this opposition succeed ? Never ! This very doc-

  the other truths involved. And, in the second place, it is in            trine is the guarantee of it. Hence, first of all, the bride of

  the very nature of this doctrine that the enemy would seek               Christ has always held this doctrine dear, loved it tenderly,
  to destroy it and deprive the church of it. We may indeed                esteemed it a ,precious  treasure, and defended it steadfastly.
  say that if the enemy could. deprive the church of this doc-             Never was there a time when the faithful church let go of this
  trine of perseverance and its comfort, he would have' the                truth. .And never shall there be! For God Himself, Who
  battle won. For then it would be impossible for the church
                                                                           preserves His church to the very end, the God.against  Whom
  to persevere any longer. She would have neither the ground
                                                                           neither counsel nor strength can prevail, shall see to it that
  nor the incentive to persevere. And from a theological view-
                                                                           His church, no matter how small a remnant she may b.ecome,
  point we may explain this opposition from the fact that in a
  way the absolute sovereignty. of divine grace comes into its             will continue to love and defend this doctrine. The outcome
  sharpest focus in this truth. What I mean is this. The Re-               i s   c e r t a i n .

  formed doctrine of perseverance emphasizes strongly that                 And the issue is inevitable: "To this God, Father, Son,
  even after the elect have been redeemed and delivered,                   and Holy Ghost, be the honor and the,glory  forever ! Amen."
  chosen and atoned for and converted, even then it is still a

  matter of pure, sovereign grace, and not -at all of the will                                                                      H.C.H.


                                             T H E   SiTANDARD   B E A R E R                                                      211


   CALiINANDTHEBURNINCOFSERVETUS                                      a priest, student of law and of theology as well. Like Calvin,

                                                                      Servetus-too was a brilliant scholar and highly educated, far
     The name `of Michael Servetus is best' known, by friend          .ahead  of the age wherein he lived. He was a theologian,
 and foe of Calvinism, not for his intellectual prowess and           philosopher, geographer, physician, scientist, astronomer and
 scientific accomplishments, nor even for the diabolical here-        astrologer, -and more or less he excelled in all. He is still
 sies which he fathered and propagated, but for his execution         known today for his research and conclusions in the field of
 near Geneva at the hand, more or.less,  of our own illustrious
                                                                      the circulation of the blood. He had a br<oad knowledge of
 John Calvin.    For four centuries now the latter's disciples
                                                                      Latin, Greek and Hebrew and spoke Spamsh, French and
 have been apologizing for this affair.and  struggling to present     Italian fluently. In addition, he was highly familiar with the
 it in the best possible light, - more,<- perhaps, than the facts     Bible and the writings of the church fathers. In short, Ser-
 in the case call for. During the same time his enemies have          vetus  was a most formidable adversary.
 been pointing to this incident, with relish, to demonstrate

 Calvin's monstrous character and doctrine and to cast a dark            Servetus was born in the year 15 11 at Trudela, in Navarre,

 shadow on the memory of this man of God.                             Spain, but spent little of his life in his own native land. At

                                                                      the early age of 18 he already came to the beliefs that later
     It may be well that we be reminded at once of the fact,          cost him his life. At the age of 20 Servetus published his
 that had Servetus not' escaped' from prison, under strange           first book, wherein he set forth the heresies .enumerated
 circumstances, this same' execution would have taken place           above. The Protestant leaders considered this book one piece
 pnly months before in Vienne, France, at the hands of the            of blasphemy and Luther, Melanchthon, Bullinger, Zwingli,
 Roman Catholic Church. As it was he was sentenced to                 etc. all opposed it. So did the Roman Catholic Church and
 death and, since the man himself had eluded them, burned             the Supreme Council of the Spanish Inquisition ordered the
 in effigy. The Roman Catholic Church, therefore, would not           heretic returned to Spain for trial and inevitable execution.
 want to cast the first stone at Calvin.                              Servetus was at a loss to know what to do. The whole world

     That Servetus was a heretic of the worst sort, one who           was against him. Finally, however, the difficulty was re-

 ridiculed and viciously attacked some of the most funda-             solved by the simple device of changing his name to Michel

 mental doctrines of our historic Christian faith, is beyond          de Villanovenus, after the town of his birth, Villaneuve. For

 question. His denial of original sin, infant baptism, predesti-      the next several years he lived in peace in the French town

 nation, sovereign grace and many other doctrines merely be-          of Vienne. He edited books on various subjects; labored and

 longed to his lesser evils., His most vicious and shameless          lectured extensively ; practiced medicine and contributed sig-

 attacks were reserved for the blessed and most vital truth of        nificantly to medical science. No one suspected who this

 the `Holy Trinity. God is not three .Persons  in one divine          model citizen, "devout" Catholic and brilliant scholar really

 Essence. That only makes Him a three-headed monster.                 was.

 Christ and the Holy Spirit were not divine persons. Jesus               Finally and inevitably, however, his true identity came
 was a mere man, not the eternal Son of God. The son of the           to light. At Vienne Servetus wrote another book. He was
 eternal God, yes! So are we all.' The eternal Son of God,            now approaching the age of 35. In this book he reiterated
 no ! While the flames are beating about his body we hear             all his previous heresies and maintained that all Christianity
 him cry out, "Jesus, thou son of the eternal God, have mercy         which existed previously was corrupt, that the Reformation
 on me !"    Even in that late hour Fare1 wanted him to say:          was unchristian, and that all who differed from his views
  "Eternal Son of God." Rather than do so, he died on the             were damned. For some reason he sent a manuscript to John
 stake. The Holy Spirit is not a divine person either; only           Calvin. Perhaps this was intended as an act of defiance. The
 the power and influence of the one-personal God. All Trini-          two had corresponded much during that period, but the atti-
 tarians are simply "tritheists  and atheists." Their God is a        tude of Servetus was consistently hostile and insulting. What
 three-parted, divided, composite God, Who is no God at all           Calvin thought of this forthcoming book is evident from this
 - merely three idols of Satan. He could not have been a              excerpt from a'letter to his friend Farel, I`Servetus  has just
 greater blasphemer.                                                  sent me, together with his letter, a long volume of his rav-

     What are some of the facts in the &se? ,Who  was Michael         ings. If I, consent, he will come here, but I will not give my

  Servetus and what, in brief, was his history? For some of           word, for should he come, if my authority is of any avail, I

the data I am indebted to Thea B. Van Halsema, whose                  will not suffer him to get out alive." Six years later this

  recent publication, "This Was John Calvin" I would like to          book was published under the initials M.S.V. (Michel Ser-

  recommend for your instruction and edification. Written in          vetus  Villanovenus) .

  popular and fascinating style, you will find it most interesting        To make a rather long story short, the true identity of this
  and informative.                                                    so-called Villanovenus finally became known to the Roman

     Michael Servetus was not unlike Calvin in several re-            Catholic Church. He was arrested and condemned. In April

  spects. Like Calvin, he was a man of medium size, thin and          15.53. he was imprisoned to await his sentence. Servetus,

  pale. Like Calvin he was the son of a notary, the brother of        however, escaped. It might be'more  accurate to say that he

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


 was permitted to escape to guard the archbishop and other          burned, bearing this inscription: "As reverent and grateful

 noted friends in the Catholic Church against further em-           sons of Calvin, our great Reformer, repudiating his mistake,

 barrassment, since these had for years been. his dear friends.     which was the mistake of his age, and according to the true

 In spite of his escape, however, the city court of Vienne sen-     principles of the Reformation and the Gospel, holding fast

 tenced Servetus to death and burned him in effigy.                 to freedom of conscience, we erect this monument of recon-

                                                                    ciliation on this 27th of October, 1903." That date marked
     Four. months later the heretic made his appearance in
                                                                    the 350th anniversary of this tragic incident.
 Geneva, the city where Calvin lived and labored. Just what it

 was that induced him to go there no one know.s.  Perhaps it            However, that Calvin "ordered" the death penalty, as the

 was because he had heard that Calvin was having his troubles       World Book Encyclopedia tells us, may be more than anyone

 in Geneva and that his foes were working for his expulsion.        is able to prove. `It is most doubtful that Calvin's influence

 Perhaps it was because he hoped to find support for his here-      in Geneva at the time of Servetus? death was equal to the

 sies among the Libertines of that city. Perhaps it was out of      giving of such an order on his part. It was not great enough

 sheer curiosity.                                                   to change the form of death from burning to beheading. Is

                                                                    it likely, then, that it was great enough to order the death
    -This turned out to be his fatal mistake. Arriving at
                                                                    sentence itself? There was a time when Calvin's power in
Geneva on a Sunday, Servetus too attended church, the
                                                                    Geneva was virtually unlimited. At the time of the trial and
 church where Calvin was the preacher. The latter was ad-
                                                                    conviction of Servetus this was by no means the case. He
 vised of the heretic's presence and at once requested the
                                                                    found himself in the throes of a great struggle against the
 council to arrest him. Calvin himself drew up a document of
                                                                    Libertines. There were many in the Little Council, the
.~ 38 accusations, which he presented to the Little Council of
                                                                    court that had the fate of the heretic in its hands, that hated
 Geneva, before which the heresy trial took place, and which
                                                                    Calvin and were sympathetic toward Servetus. In fact, `it
 he defended with all his tremendous power and conviction.
                                                                    seemed entirely possible that Servetus would be freed to
 After some two and a half months of argumentation, -and with
                                                                    propagate his damnable heresies at will. All this was plainly
 no little difficulty, Servetus was finally condemned and sen-
                                                                    reflected, too, in the attitude of Servetus himself. In spite of
 tented  to death by burning. Calvin pleaded with the Little
                                                                    being confined to a filthy<prison,  his spirits were high.. When
 Council to substitute beheading for burning, but to no avail.
                                                                    offered the choice of returning to Vienne for trial or remain-
 Also, he visited the heretic in his cell and begged him to
                                                                    ing in Geneva he did not hesitate to choose the latter, relying
 repent. This, too, was to no avail. On the 27th of October,
                                                                    as he did on the support of the Libertines. He became so
  1553, Michael Servetus died on the stake.
                                                                    bold and defiant as to demand that Calvin himself be tried
     What shall we say about all this ? In our answer to this       for heresy and that his possessions be confiscated and given
 question we must seek to be honest. We may not make Calvin         to him.
 less guilty than he was. By the same token, we may not make
                                                                        What finally turned the tide against Servetus was the
 him more guilty than he was. If it is wrong. to minimize, it
                                                                    decision of the Little Council to seek advice from the
 is no less wrong to exaggerate.
                                                                    churches and councils of other Swiss cities. This action was
     That Calvin took an extremely active part in the trial of      taken contrary to the advice of Calvin and in the hope and
  Servetus, no one should want to deny. Consumed with zeal          expectation that the replies of these cities would be mild
 for the house of ,God and the cause of His truth, it was he        enough to enable them to free Servetus. However, what was
 who requested the council to arrest Servetus, who drew up          intended to help the heretic actually proved to be his undoing.
 the articles of indictment from the heretic's own writings,        One church and council after ,another  condemned Servetus
 and who defended these accusations when he faced his ad-           and insisted that his blasphemies should be stopped. In our
 versary before the Genevan  court.                                 city, replied Berne, the penalty would be death by fire. This

                                                                    handcuffed the Little Council and they saw no other course
     That Calvin favored and hoped for a `death sentence is
 another fact, that cannot well be denied. It is true that he       open to them than to pass the sentence of death.

 pleaded for decapitation rather than the torturous death of            What remains, therefore, is Calvin? active part in the

 the stake, but this only proves that he agreed with the penalty    trial of Servetus and his acquiescence to the death sentence.

 as such. In a book written to defend his conduct in the case       And what shall we say about this?

 of Michael Servetus we find these words from the pen of
                                                                        Looking back from our 20th century vantage point we
 Calvin : "Whoever shall now contend that it is unjust to put
                                                                    could wish this incident had never taken place, and that the
 heretics and blasphemers to death will knowingly and willing-
                                                                    great Reformer had been even farther ahead of his age than
 ly incur their very guilt."    For this, then, Calvin will have
                                                                    he already was. Hindsight is. always so much better than
 to be held responsible, even though this implies responsibility
                                                                    foresight.
 for not being farther ahead of his own -age than he already

 was. If there were no more, this would be sufficient to justify        However, certain things should not be forgotten. . Other

 the monument now standing on the spot where Servetus was           Protestant leaders als,o approved the death sentence for


                                            T H E  STAN'DARD   B E A R E R                                                             213


heretics like Servetus, even a man as mild-mannered as                             z     Notice for Classis  West

Melanchthon, who wrote : "The church of Christ will be grate-
                                                                         Classis  West of the Protestant Reformed Churches will
ful to you. Your government has proceeded in the death of
                                                                      convene, the Lord willing, in Oak Lawn, Illinois, on .Wed-
this blasphemer according to all laws." Calvin lived in a'

different day than ours, a day when men were of the un-               nesday, March 16, 1960, at 9 :00 a. m.

alterable conviction that heretics and others should be prose-           The consistories are reminded of the rule that all matters
cuted by law, even unto death. Some were banished from
                                                                      for the classical agenda must be in the hands of the Stated
the cities i where they lived. Others were imprisoned or
                                                                      Clerk not later than 30 days before the date of Classis.
pu,nished  in other ways.    The Libertine, Jacob Gruet, who

wrote that all Christendom was a fable, that Christ was only             Anyone needing lodging is requested to write to Rev. G.
a deceiver, and that heaven and hell were but figments of the         Vanden  Berg, 9402 South 53rd Court, Oak Lawn, Illinois.
imagination, was beheaded in 1547. Another was banished
for `denying Calvin's doctrine of predestination. And so it                                           REV. H. VELDMAN,  Stated Clerk

went in those days. With this Calvin was agreed. He did                                               817 Webster St.

not believe in state rule over the church ; nor did he believe                                        Redlands, California.

in the rule of the church over the state. But he did believe
                                                                        <.-
that the magistrate had the calling to enforce .the first table of
the law as well as the second, and he did. believe that those                                    IN MEMORIAM

who propagated damnable heresies and thereby would lead.                 The Mr. and  Mrs. Society of the Southwest Protestant Reformed
whole masses astray should be punished to the fullest extent.         Church extends its sincere sympathy to our fellow members, Mr. and
Remember, too, that Servetus himself maintained this same             Mrs. Dick Kooiker in the loss of their mother,

principle. He sought to have Calvin imprisoned for heresy                                   MRS. RICHARD KOOIKER

"until the trial be decided by his death or mine." Remember
                                                                         The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the ever-
above all, that Calvin was a man, who fought like a lion for          lasting arms. Deut. 33:27.
the cause, of his God and labored without consideration of                                                  Rev. M. Schipper,  President

gain or personal safety for the truth he loved. What the Rev.                                               Mrs. Don Letterman,  Secretary

Ophoff wrote in one of his articles is so true: "Calvin was

the kind of a man, who would have gone through with
                                                                                           OUR GLORIOUS KING
Servetus' case, though the latter had been his very son."
                                                             R.V.                 I will extol Thee, 0 my, God,
                                                                                        And praise Thee, 0 my King ;

                                                                                  Yea, every day and evermore

                                                                                        Thy praises I will sing.

                                                                                  Great is the Lord, our mighty God,
                      Announcement                                                      And greatly to be praised;

    The Hope Protestant Reformed Christian School will be                         His greatness is unsearchable,
                                                                                        Above all glory raised.           -,
in need of teachers for grades 2, 3,. 4, and 5, 6 and 7, .for

the school year 1960-1961.                                                        Each generation to the next

                                                                                        Shall testimony bear,
                       Contact Mr. D. Meulenberg                                  And to Thy praise, from age to &ge,
                                1743 Moelker, S. W.                                     Thy wondrous acts declare.
                               Grand Rapids 4, Michigan                           Upon Thy glorious majesty

                               AR 6-3742                                                And honor I will dwell,

                                                                                  And all Thy grand and gloriaus  works

                                                                                        And all Thy greatness fell.,


                                                                                  Thy mighty acts and terrible
                              Notice                                                    Shall men with awe confess ;

                                                                                   Of Thy great goodness they shall sing,
    All Synodical  and Classical, announcements will be pub-
                                                                                        And phfect'righteousness.
lished free of charge. All other announcements, In Mema-
                                                                                   Most gracious and compassionate
riam, Anniversaries, Meetings, .etc., should be accompanied by                          Is God Who reigns above ;
$2.00 fee, and should be sent to J. Dykstra, 1326 W. Butler                        His wrath is ever slow to rise;

Ave., S. E., Grand Rapids 7, Michigan.                                                  Unbounded is His love.

                                            The R.F.P.A. Board                                                                  Psalm 145

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


  Ii                                                                          will Religion Be an Issue in the 1960 Elections?
                ALL'  ARO.UND   U                            S                 --j
                                                                               This question has been raised recently in many papers,

                                                                              religious and secular, and the answers expressed aye both

                                                                              affirmative and negative. The greatest concern seems to be

                                                                              with respect to the office of the presidency. Will the next

                                                                              president of the United States be a Catholic or a Protestant?
        Qzristianity  Today, January 4, 1960 issue, presents an               The reason for all the concern is occasioned by the possibili'ty  '
   editorial under the above title. The editor is reflecting on               that the young, vivacious, and popular senator from Massa-
   the response an article appearing in an earlier issuk  of Ckris-           chusetts, who is a Catholic, may have his hat in the ring.
   tipzity  Today evoked in which a certain Dr. Eugene Carson                         It has been for many ye&s  a poiitical  proverb "as Maine
   Blake advocated "the repeal of exemptions which enable                     goes, so goes the nation." This year, however, as one com-
   churches to engage tax-free in unrelated business activities               mentator expresses it, the slogan may-be "as New Hampshire
   and to compete. unfairly with commercial firms," and "vol-                 votes in the March 8 primary, so wiii  go the election." Sen-
   untary contributions by the churches graduated annually from               ator John Kennedy, strong Democratic candidate f&-"pres-
   one per cent to 10 per cent of the estimated real estate tax               ident  and a Catholic, is on the ballot in that primary. New
   on their properties, in order to share the public's tax burdens            Hampshire has 2.5 registered Republicans for each registered
   now often accelerated by extensive church property holdings."              Democrat. The commentator. continues, "If Kennedy nar-

         The editor reports that the warning sounded by Dr.                   ,rows  this spread by drawing a heavy Democratic vote, his

   Blake "that exploitation of tax exemption may lead ultimately              followers will claim a potent voter appeal for their candidate."

   to `revolutionary expropriation of church properties' achieved                     US. News and World Report of January 25, 1960, has

   considerable notice in religious and secular papers, and that              quite a bit to say on the subject. It reports on a poll that

   Dr. Blake's proposal "for full taxation of profits from un-                was made of 10,947 ministers of the United Presbyterian

related business activities,"       received "virtually unanimous             Church in the U.S.A. to whom a questionnaire was sent. The

   support."                                                                  following statements with their  response express their feeling :

         It appears both from the writing of Dr. `Blake and the                       "1. The religious affiliation of a presidential .candidate
   reflections by the editor of Christianity Today that there are             is irrelevant - To this, 57 clergymen agreed ; 875 disagreed.

   churches, and the editor believes chiefly Roman Catholic                           "2. A Protestant minister might support a Roman Cath-

   Churches, which are exploiting the tax-exemption for `tin-                 olic candidate if the candidate gave assurance he would

   related business. Again, there are business corporations '                 uphold the principle and practice of separation of church and

   which "have been turned over to church organizations with                  state - To this 469 agreed ; 445 disagreed.

   the apparent objective of evading Federal taxes." The feel-                 "3. A Protestant minister should not vote for a Roman
   ing is expressed that "it is unfair to levy up to 52 per cent              Catholic candidate under any circumsta&es  -To this state-
   Federal corporate tax against business firms while competi-                ment, 379 ministers agreed; 301 disagreed."
 tive church owned efforts are tax-exempt. For example,                               The above quote shows that religion is a relevant matter
   "Loyola University, New Orleans, operates a radib  and                     in the choi.ce of a president.
   television station at such ta%  advantage over commercial com-
                                                                                      In the same is&e of the magazine above referred to,
   p e t i t o r s . "
                                                                              appkars another. article the purpose of which is to show that
         The editor, however, note: with al&-in  that if the Federal          the matter of religion is a deciding factor in elections to
   government should change its policy to eliminate the exemp-                public office.
   tion for churches, many smaller and innocent churches are                          The case of the election of a governor in Louisiana re-

   going to be hurt, in fact, they will not be.able  to continue.             cently is reflected on with facts and figures. The two con-
   Moreover, he notes that such a change presents the grave                   testants in that race were Mayor de Lesseps S. Morrison of

   danger of giving way to statism. And then, of course, our                  New Orleans, a Roman Catholic, and a former Governor,
   highly cherished ecclesiastical freedom would be gone.                     James H. Davis, a Protestant ; both were- Democrats.

         Our personal feeling is that if there are churches violating                 The .figures  show that Morrison, the Roman Catholic,

   the tax-exemption law, the government has a perfect right                  carried all of the 15 counties in which there was a majority

   to penalize them. But by the same token that the government                of Catholic voters, and he carried only 7 of the 49 counties

   must wield its sword, let the innocent be protected. We agree              in which there was less than a majority bf Catholic voters.

   with Dr. Blake that the churches which.  are in business to                And of the 7 counties which were predominantly Protestant

   make money, whether the business be real estate or any                     which he carried there were definite political reason? for

   other business, they should be subject to the tax law, the                 winning.       The reporter is convinced as the Democrats in

   same as any other commercial business. That is only fair. It               Louisiana' were convinced, that Davis won the election 02

 only go.es to show how far the nominal church has departed                   the religious issue.

   from her divinely given calling and purpose.                                       The article further suggests that the Democratic party


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   BE.AR:ER                                               215


 in the U.S. will probably think twice before taking a chance       1947 to 1950there  was considerable attraction of the Liber-

 on'a candidate whose religious back-ground may well be the        ated group to our Protestant Reformed `Churches. This at-

 deciding factor in the presidential election.                     traction was `greatly enhanced by the efforts of the late Dr.

    Rev. Gerrit Hoeksema, writing in The Banner of January         K. Schilder. Until we learned of the essential'doctrinal dif-

 1, 1960 on the question : "A Catholic for President?' does        ferences between us and them, we admit considerable attrac-

 not hesitate to express his conviction that the answer must       tion to the Liberated -group. We believed, and still do, that

 .be : No ! His main argument seems to be that "Protestantism      they were mistreated church politically by the Synod of the

 has been throughout history a much truer and firmer de-           Gereformeerde Kerken as our leaders were similarly mis-

 fender of religious and political liberty than the Roman          treated by the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church and

 Catholic Church."                                                 local Classes in 1924 to 1926. It stands to reason that where

    From all the above mentioned opinions, it appears that         there are those who have been aggrieved by the same kind

 religion will be an issue in the forthcoming election of 1960     of ill treatment that they will be attracted to each other.

 if the candidates proposed will be Roman Catholic. At any         Since 1950, however, it has become plainly evident that

 rate, the undersigned, who is neither a Democrat nor "a           though we could perhaps agree on church-political matters,

 Roman Catholic, .has already made up his`  mind to vote for       there was no living in the same house with them on doc-

 the nominee `who is both Republican and Protestant.               trinal matters.

 A@her Attemp  To Unite The Liberated And Synodicals                  -Our  personal feeling is that the two churches in the

    Dr. R. Danhof gives the first of two articles in The Ban-      Netherlands will never get together unless one or both of

 nep  of January 15, 1960 on the subject: "Renewed Attempt         them agrees to forget entirely the past and to erase the dif-    1

 at Merger in the Netherlands."                                    ferences between them on both scores, doctrine and `church

    He relates the history that caused the split in 1942 in        polity. As we see the situation from here, the union looks

 which the late Doctors Schilder and Greydanus and their fol-      hopeless.

 lowers were deposed and separated .from  the `Reformed
                                                                   Correction and Instruction
 Church of the Netherlands. Since that time there have been

 two separate groups : the Gereformeerden or Synodalen, and            We are indebted to a reader of The Standard  Be.arer  and

 Gereformeerde Kerken onderhoudende Artikel 31 also called         a member of the Christian Reformed Church for the correc-

The Liberated Churches of the Netherlands.                         tion of a statement we made in our article of January 15th

    Dr. Danhof notes that since that split there have been         under the title "More Debate Respecting Infallibility," and

 several attempts made to heal it, but to no avail. Reconcilia-    for enlightenment as to the religious background of a certain

 tion has been made in certain localities, but no settlement of    -Rev. Francis E. Mahaffy concerning whose article in Ckris-

 differences on a denominational scale.                            kian Econovnics  we gave a rather lengthy quote in the same

    According to him, the Synod of the Gereformeerde Ker-          issue of the S. B. above referred to.

 ken of 1959 in Utrecht has made another attempt to heal the           The statement the brother sought to correct was the fol-

 breach by appointing delegates to contact the Liberated group     lowing: "This debate had its occasion in the publication of

 "to bring them back into the fold." Dr. Danhof reports that       two articles appearing in a publication of Calvin Seminary

 the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands sought advice in         `called .%romata  in ,which  a student, now a minister in the

 regard to the Dutch ecclesiastical difficulties at the Ecu-       Christian Reformed Church, posited views on inspiration

 menical Synod held in 1946 in Grand Rapids, but that Synod        which evoked considerable comment and criticism."        The

 did not help. And the delegate from the Christian Reformed        brother informs us that we are in error on one point. The

 Church of America to that Synod gave out the information          student is not a minister in the Christian Reformed Church,

 that the Christian Reformed Synod of 1946 "did not desire         but is still in the Seminary in his Middler year. We are

 its delegates to the Ecumenical Synod to take part in this        happy to make this correction.

 matter."                                                              As to the identity of Rev.  Mahaffy, particularly his

    It would stand to reason that the Christian Reformed           religious background, my informant tells me that he is of the

 Church would assume a "lay hands off)'  policy, because they      Orthodox Presbyterian Church. I'm glad to know the church

 had already placed themselves in the precarious position of       he is affiliated with, and perhaps our readers will.be  happy

 jumping in the frying pan or to the fire. They would              to know this too. But really it doesn't make any difference

 maintain the friendly and sisterly relation of long standing      to me what church the Reverend comes from or represents ;

 with the Gereformeerde Kerken (Synodicals), while at the          if he speaks the truth The Standm-d  Bearer will compliment

 same time they were busy swallowing up the Dutch immi-            him. If he doesn't, The Standard Bearer will tell all its

 grants from the Liberated Churches into their own church          readers about it.

 which came to this country or to Canada. It would not do              Once more, we thank the brother for his criticism and

 for the Christian Reformed Church, to show partiality to          information, and we invite him to call again when he thinks

 either group.                                                     it is necessary, or even when he doesn't. We are pleased that

    Many of our readers will recall how that in the .years         he reads The  St&dard  Bearer.                          M S .


                                                                                                                        r -,-
2     1     6                                - -   TH-E STANDAR'D   B E A R E R   ~


                                                                                     Church for their excellent catering-services was-received for

       NEW~,FdOAkOUiCHl.iRCHES-                                                      information.
                                                                                        The Questions of Article 41 of the Church Order were
                     "All the saints  salute thee . . ." PHIL. 4:21            /I    asked and answered satisfactorily.

                                                                                        Classis  decided to meet next-time on the 6th of April,
                                                     Jan. 20; 1960
                                                                                     D.V., in `Hope Church.                              0
      The- Congregation of Edgerton  extended. a call to Rev.                           The chairman made a few appropriate closing remarks,
B. Woudenberg; Rev. C. Hanko received the call from Hull:                            and Rev. G. Vos closed the meeting with thanksgiving to
-Randolph, chose Rev. H. Hanko from a trio which also in-                                                              M. SCHIPPER, Stated Clerk
cluded the Revs. G. Vanden  Berg and M. Schipper.
                                                                                      The Deacons' Conference was scheduled for January 22
     REPORT OF CLASSIS  EAST held January 6, 1960                                    at Hudsonville. The speaker, the Rev. G. Vos, was to speak
                 at First Church, Grand Rapids, Mich.                                on the topic, -"What  are the fundamental requirements of a
      Rev. B. Woudenberg, chairman. of the October Classisl_                         deacon."
led in devotions. All the churches were represented by two
delegates except Grand Haven which had only one delegate                                Holland's congregation is announcing the completion of
                                                                       - ".
present.                                                                             the purchase `of a parsonage to house their new minister's
      Rev. C. Hanko, following order of rotation, led this                           family. It is located at 111 E. 22nd St., Holland, Mich.

session of Classis.                                                                     "Saved By Grace" was the title of the hymn sung at the
       Most of the matters before Classis  were of a routine                         Jan. 14th meeting of the Hope Prot. Ref. School Circle. The

`nature.                                                                             thirty-nine members present sang that hymn "in memory of
      Randolph and Grand Haven asked for classical appoint-                          our beloved sister in.the  Lord, principal of our Hope School,
, ments, and the following schedule was adopted :                                    Miss Alice'  Reitsma, who was called to her eternal home in
       RANDOLPH - Jan. 17, M. Schipper; Jan.- 24, open;                              the early morning hours on Dec. 21, 1959." The program
Jan. 31, R. Veldman; Feb. 7, open; Feb. 14, B: Woudenberg;                           sheet handed out at the meeting was headed with this text
Feb. 21, open; Feb. 28, H. Hanko ; Mar. 6, C. Hanko ; Mar.                           from Rev. 14:13: "Blessed are the dead which die in the
 13, open ; Mar. 20, G. Lanting ; Mar. 27, open ; April 3,                           Lord from henceforth ; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may
G. Vos ; April 10, A. Mulder.                                                        rest from their labors ; and their works do follow them."
       GRAND HAVEN L. Jan. 17, open; Jan. 24, C. Hanko;                                 From Hope's bulletin, announcing a collection to be taken
Jan. 31, G. Lanting ; Feb. 7, open ; Feb. 14, G. Vos ; Feb.-21,                      to help Lynden pay for their parsonage: "We who have
open ; Feb. 28, M. Schipper ; Mar. 6, A. Mulder ; Mar. 13,                           property of our own ought to help our fellow saints who have
open ; Mar. 20, ,R. Veldman ; Mar. 27, B. Woudenberg ; April                         not, especially when it is difficult for them to pay for such
3, H. Hanko ; April 10, open.                                                        large projects. In this way we reveal the unity of faith and
       Classis  also treated the following subsidy requests: Cres-                   love."
ton $2500, Grand Haven (with minister) $3200, Holland,
$3200, Kalamazoo $3900. Classis  granted these requests and                              Prof. H. C. Hoeksema spoke on the after recess program
advised the Synod of 1960 also .to grant them.                                       ,of the Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Society of First-Church, Jan. 20.
       A brother addressed a letter to Classis  against his con-                     The subject of his talk was "Teaching ,Our  Children To
sistory which Classis  declared was not legally there since no                       Pray." We understand that the Professor had given that
 copy of same was given to his consistory and also because his                       talk previously to the Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Society.

 consistory had no time to treat his protest.                                            From Lynden's`  bulletin, the Sunday that Lord's Day 45

       Rev. B. Woudenberg was appointed counselor for the                            was' treated : " Nothing is revealed to us to be expected from

 church at Grand Haven whose minister, Rev. G. Lanting,                              the Lord for which we-are not likewise enjoined to pray; so

 had accepted the call to Holland.                                                   true it is that prayer digs out those treasures which the

       Classis  elected the following ministers and elders as dele-                  Gospel of the Lord discovers to our faith." (Calvin)

 gates to the forthcoming Synod: Ministers: Priwzi,  Revs.                               We note ,from the `bulletins that many of our churches
 G. Vos, M. Schipper, H. Hoeksema, C. Hanko. Seccztndi,                              have issued their 1960 Church Directories; the first one to
 Revs. H. Hanko, B. Woudenberg, G. Lanting, R. Veldman.                              reach us was from Doon's  pastor; that directory also in-
 Elders: Prinzi,  H. G. Kuiper, H. Meulenberg, A. Langerak,.- ,-clud_es,,in  its last pages the birthday and wedding anniver-
 H. Zwak. Sel-zwzdi,  G. Pipe, J. Lanning, M. Swart, A. Talsma.                      saries of the members of the congregation.
       Rev. C. Hanko was chosenprimus  delegate ad examina
                                                                                         Finally, this comforting passage from Holy Writ, "There
 and Rev. A. Mulder secundus delegate. The terms of primus
                                                                                     are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel
 delegate Rev. M, Schipper and secundus Rev. C. Hank& had
                                                                                     of the Lord, that shall stand." Prov. ,19:21.
 expired,

       The report of the committee to thank the ladies of First                          . . . . see you in church.                           J.M.F.


