      VOLUME XXXVI                              FEBRUARY  15, 1960 - GRAND  RAPIDS,  MICHIGAN                             NmmmlO



                                                                          eternally good. There is no darkness in Him whose name is
II          M E D I T A T I O N                                           the Light!
                                                                            What does this mean 7

                                                                             It means that God is wholly light, truth, righteousness,
                      0 TASTE AND SEE
                                                                          holiness, purity, love, grace, mercy, life. It means that there

                                                                          is not even the shadow of anything that is evil or dark.           -
              "0 taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed k

               the man that trusteth  in Him.."                              Now we know that the curse of God is right around and

                                                                          within the creature. And yet, there is such wondrous testi-
      This psalm witnesseth to the most anguished portion of              mony of His goodness!
David's life. He was fleeing before the face of Saul. He
                                                                             His goodness crowns the seasons, His footsteps drop
was warned by his bosom friend Jonathan, and arriving at
                                                                          fatness, even ,after  the fall. The last time I talked with you
the friendly territory of Nob and the priest Ahimelech, he
                                                                          I had occasion to call your attention to the veritable chorus
and his party were quickened by the holy bread of the Lord.
                                                                          of voices in creation, all -telling the same story: God is so
Receiving the mighty sword of Goliath, he sped away to
                                                                          inexpressibly good !
king Achis in G&h. And there he had to act the crazy man

in order to escape with his life.                                            No, beloved reader, you and I do not see this constantly,

                                                                          otherwise you and I would do nothing but sing and praise
      Listen to the psalm itself : it will tell you of all his anguish
                                                                          and adore Him who is the song of the angels and of souls
and distress.    "All my fears ; out of all my troubles ; broken,
                                                                          of men made perfect.
heart and contrite spirit; this poor man cried and the Lord

heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles ; He keepeth                We forget.

all his bones: not one of them is broken." All expressions,                  We are too busy altogether with ourselves and those
telling us of the sad plight' of David's soul.                            whom we love and hate. We are altogether too busy with

      By the way : the last of these expressions tells us also            things and not with God.

of the suffering of Jesus which was lived before by His                      The other day I thought : here I am eating. How delicious
shadow in the Old Testament.                                              is the taste of all this food and drink. And lo and behold: I

      But all of the expressions tell of the troubles of the church       eat and swallow, and my food is gone into the darkness of the

of Jesus Christ. First it is Jesus ; then of David ; and also             inside of my body. But God goes with it all, and He con-

of us the church of God.                                                  tinues to work within me so that every particle will do its             '

                                                                          work for me. I say : Well, this was an excellent meal ! And
      And yet : never fear !
                                                                          for quite a while the languor of my body is a message that
      Harken  to this : `-`The angel of the Lord encampeth round          all went well inside! I am strengthened and will presently
about them that fear Him, and .delivereth  them !"                        rest and sleep.

      Which causeth the same .David to be our teacher today:
                                                                             And why?
"0  taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man

that trusteth in Him."                                                       Because God is so wonderfully good! He worked and
                                                                          worked within me so that my strength was renewed like
                                * * * *                                   the eagle.

      God is good!                                                           But I forgot.
                                                                               3.
                                                                               I... .'
      Apart from the creature : God is good, is essentially,                 Thousand .dangers-.  are around and within me from

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


moment to moment. But the Angel of the Lord encampeth                  Sure, sure, sure . . . .

around me, and I am blest. Thousands of the dangers I                  But remember that you must say more, and otherwise
was not even aware of. But my Father cares .and  is very           you are lying.
busy about me.
                                                                       He loves the sinner that is justified in the blood of Jesus
       Is He not good ?                                            Christ.

                                8 + * *                                He loves the sinner that is justified from all eternity.

                                                                       All the rest are cordially and eternally hated by God.
   But what shall I say of that goodness which appertains
to spiritual, glorious, eternal and heavenly life ? What shall         You must belong to the bundle of the living, to the elect,

I say of that?             I                                       to'those who are written in the book of life which is written
                                                                   from before the foundation of the world, to the happy throng
   Let us stand together before the cross of Golgotha, and
                                                                   that are engraved in the palm of the hand of Jehovah.
then talk of His goodness!

                                                                       Listen to Jesus :     "Thine they were, and Thou gavest
   God saw me in my blood: filthy, corrupt, dead, utterly
                                                                   them Me !"
miserable, and on the way to everlasting damnation: a child

of wrath.                                                              Yes, then you are so wonderfully blest.

   And from the quiet wakes of eternity He said : I love you !         But there is more.

I `love you so much that I will go to hell for you, so that            You will never say: 0 taste and see that the Lord is
you may go to heaven !                                             good! until you are regenerated, converted, and thus have

   He said everlastingly: you will not have anything to do         faith !

with Me ; you will send messengers after Me, saying : I will           You may be an elect, but the life of election has not been
not have Him to be my King ! But I will love you never-            given to you, that is, as yet. It will come ; it is bound to
theless. My love is an eternal thing, a blessed thing. And         come, but until it is experienced, you will never be over-
it is unchangeable.                                                whehned  within you because of that marvellous goodness

   When you will curse and swear, and tell everyone within         of Jehovah.

hearing : I know not the Man ! Then I will pray for you.               But when it comes you will understand David. And an
And later I will say to you: Lovest  thou Me?-                     echo from the Word of God will sound within you. You will

   You will grow to be eighty years old on the wicked earth,       begin to sing.

and every day you will sin against Me, and forget Me, and                                        *    * * *
at night you will come to Me weeping for shame and con-

fusion. But I will never cast you off. I will always open              See, taste and trust !

My arms and receive you again and again and again.                     Man is the image of God.

   I see now always the glorious place I have prepared for           And it is peculiar to the image that it is utterly dependent
you in My heaven: you are kept for that place, even as that        upon the original. Think of your shadow, or of your reflec-
place is kept for you. You cannot miss going to heaven.            tion in the mirror.

   What think ye, my dear .friends,  of that kind of goodness ?        God's image will be your food and drink, your very

   What think ye of a God who will cry and groan in your           existence. Listen to a song: I will be satisfied with Thy

hell, compressing, an eternity of the fiery lake within a few      i m a g e !

years, so that you might sing sweetly and be thrilled forever?         Slowly on I begin to see a little of this truth: it is heaven

   Are you'  ready to say with David: 0 taste and see that         just to see God! Isn't that what Jesus said? Blessed are

the Lord is good ! ?                                               the pure in heart for they shall see God ?

                                * * * *                                Come and see! Oh, when your eyes are opened and your
                                                                   ears opened, you will see the goodness of God. You will see

                                                                   Him wherever you look or wherever you turn. Everywhere
   Who is there to experience such bliss ?
                                                                   you will see the Angel of God who is encamped around
   Well, that depends on your state and condition.                 about you. Remember the prophet and that little boy servant

   Your state must be such that according to the decree of         of his ? And those.mighty hosts in the sky, sent by Almighty
Divine Justice you are innocent. You know, the love of God         God to defend His poor people ?

is the bond that binds the perfect together.                           And so it is ever with us. Even when you least expect

                                                                   them.
   Oh yes, I know that there are hymns which say: God

loves the sinner! Or : Jesus loves the sinner!                         Oh yes, all things work together for your good!


I                                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D                   B E A R E R                                                                                                                    219
        And the proof of it is in the love of. God which is spread

     abroad in your heart.                                                                                    T H E   STAN.DARD   B E A R E R

                                                                                    Se+monthly, except monthly during June, July and August
        Taste !
                                                                                        Published by the REFORMED  From PUBLLSHING  ASSOCIATION
        That is the blessed experience of God's love in your                        P. 0. Box 881, Madison Square Station, Grand Rapids 7, Mich.

     spiritztal taste ol'gans,  as our beloved Professor Ophoff used                                                Editor - REV. HERMAN HOEKSEMA

     to call them. And he was right.                                                Communications relative to contents should be addressed to

        The very heart of Jehovah comes and begins to live                                              Rev. H. Hoeksema, 1139 Franklin St., S. E.,
                                                                                                                                 Grand Rapids 7, Mich.
     within you in your deepest heart. I assure you that you will
                                                                                    Ail  matters relative to subscriptions should be addressed to Mr.
     know it when King Jesus lives into your heart. You taste                                                James Dykstra, 1326 W. Butler Ave., S. E.

     then that God is so utterly good!                                                                                      Grand Rapids 7, Michigan
                                                                                    Announcements and Obituaries must be mailed to the above
        Trust !                                                                     address and wiII  be published at a fee of $2.00 for each notice.

        What does that mean?                                                      ,RENEWAL: Unless a definite request for discontinuance is re-
                                                                                    ceived it is assumed that the subscriber wishes .the subscription
        It means that you build your whole life on Him. You                         to continue without the formality of a renewal order.

     may not understand His calendar, His order of the day, His                                                     Subscription price: $5.09 per year

     crosses and visitations. It may very well be.                                     Entered as Second Class matter at Grand Rapids, Michigan

        But when all is dark, and there are so many enemies to

     plague you ; when. the SUN hides behind the clouds, and the

     storms arise in all their destructive forces: then you say:                                                                     C O N T E N T S

     The Lord `is my Shepherd! I shall not want.                              MEDITATION  -
                                                                                             0 Taste and See __._.,_.,.._.._._.....................................................                                          217
        At such times you take your fond place in the shadow of                                        Rev. G. Vos
     His Cross.

        At such times you sing :. I will hide me in Thee, until               EDrroRIALS  -
                                                                                             A s To Being Protestant Reformed . . 220
     the storm is past.
                                                                                                       Rev. H. Hoeksema

        That is trust.
                                * * * 4                                       OUR DOC~E  -

                                                                                             The Book of Revelation _.........................................................  223
        And that makes for great blessedness.                                                          Rev. H. Hoeksema

        To be blest is to be full of that which you really need.              A cLouD OF WITNESSES  _
                                                                                                        

     And such estate answers to our creation., and our recreation.
                                                                                             Joseph           in      Prison __....... . . . . . . . . 226

        It means to be full of God.                                                                    Rev. B. Woudenberg

        Small wonder then that the end of all things preach to                FRoM  HoLY WRIT-
                                                                                                         

     us that God shall be all and in all. God be forever blessed !                           Exposition of Romans 14, 15 (14) _......_.................................. 223

                                                                      G.V.                             Rev. G. Lubbers



                                                                              IN HIS FEAR  -
                              IN MEMORIAM
                                                                                             Punishment                 or Praise             ( 2) . . . . . .______ __....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

        The Mr. and Mrs. Society of the Hope Protestant Reformed                                       Rev. J. A. Heys

     Church of Grand Rapids expresses its sincere sympathy to our, mem-

     bers, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Terpstra, in the loss of his father            CONTENDING  FOR THE  Fm -

                                                                                             The Church and the Sacraments ____._...._................................. 232
                           MR. JOHN TERPSTRA
                                                                                                       Rev. H. Veldman                                            .

        May the God of all grace give the comforting knowledge that all

     His doings are for the good of His own.                                  THE VOICE OF OUR FATHERS.-

                                                                                             The Canons of Dordrecht . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
                                         Rev. H. Hanko, President                                      Rev. H. C. Hoeksema

                                          Mrs. R. Kooienga, Secretary

                                                                              DECENCY  AND ORDER  -

                                                                                             Ecclesiastical                   Censure              ..___.__  ___._.  __ .._. _..... . . 236

                              IN MEMORIAM                                                              Rev. G. Vanden  Berg

        The consistory of the Redlands  Hope Protestant Reformed Church

     wishes to express its heartfelt sympathy to one of its fellow            ALL AROtiD  US -

     members, Edwin Critters, in the recent death of his mother,                             "Why            Jews Remain Jews". . ._. ._. ___._ _._  __ .__  ._. __....._...  . ,238

                                                                                             "Is Anti-Semitism                        Also Anti-Christian?". . _. . . ,239

                           MRS. ANNE GRITTERS                                                          Rev. M. Schipper

        "`And we know that all things work together for good to them
                                                                              NEWS FROM OUR CF~URCHES  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
     that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

     Romans 8:28.                                                                                      Mr. J. M. Faber

                                             Rev. H. Veldman, President

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


                                                                                                     Blankespoor before the following questions, to which his
`Ii               E D 1-T 0 R I A L S                                                               answer was negative.
                                                                                                       "1. That we ask the Rev. Blankespoor to declare that

                                                                                                     the action of Classis  East whereby they seated the Rev.
                As To Being Protestant Reformed                                                      C. Hanko and elder G. Bylsma as the legal delegates from

       I cannot refrain from acquainting our readers with a                                         the Consistory of the First Prot. Ref. Church of Grand

 protest that was sent by those that call -themselves the con-                                       Rapids, Michigan was not schismatic.

 sistory of the Orthodox Protestant Reformed Church. I                                                 "2. That he will consider the above-mentioned action

 publish this protest because its contents are quite Protestant                                      of Classis  settled and binding, and, therefore, will con-

 Reformed as far as' it goes.                        Perhaps, this is the reason for                 sider the above mentioned delegates from the First Prot-

 the postscript at the end of this document.                                                         estant Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan, the

       The protest is meant for the schismatic Synod. I under-                                       legal delegates, so that he can work with them at the

 stand that it has already been before their classis in January,                                    sessions of Classis, until he, at the next meeting of

 that, however, the discussion about it was not finished and                                        Classis, has proved from the Word of God and the Church

 that, therefore, it will be brought up again at a special meet-                                    Order that they are not the legal delegates.
 ing of classis in February.                                                                           "3. That in case he refuses thus to declare himself, he

       I' will first publish the entire protest- and, at the end,                                   has violated the Church Order, forfeited, by his own
 m a k e   a   f e w   r e m a r k s .                                                              action, the right to be seated as delegate from the Con-
       Here, then, follows the protest:                                                             sistory of the Second Prot. Ref. Church of Grand Rapids,

                                                                                                    Michigan, to Classis East."
                    I .   H I S T O R I C A L   B A C K G R O U N D                                 Furthermore, the majority of the Rev. Blankespoor's con-

 1.    When was the Second Prot. Ref. Church of Grand Rapids                                        sistory supported him in this negative answer, and thus,

       reorganized ?                                                                                by the same token, became schismatic. Hence, they were

       It was never reorganized: for the consistory always'con-                                     legally unseated and ousted from Classis  East.

       tinued through the deacons Engelsma and Swart. It is                                         How can you further show that Blankespoor and his con-

       true that according to Art. 38 of the Church Order, when                                     sistory members were schismatic ?

       a consistory is to be constituted for the first time or anew,                                In the first place, by their refusal to abide by the decision

       this shall not take place except with the advice of                                          of Classis, even with the right of protest and appeal. They

       Classis.  However, the Second Prot. Ref. Church of Grand                                     lost all right of appeal, nor did they ever attempt to ap-

       Rapids was not constituted anew.                                                             peal to Synod.

 2. -What took place, then ?                                                                        And in the second place, by the fact that the Rev. Blanke-

       A meeting was called of the congregation by the con-                                         spoor and his elders and others that agreed with their

       sistory as it then existed,. to elect additional, elders and                                 schismatic action organized an independent; classis,  in

       deacons. This meeting was presided over, at the request                                      which he was associated with the schismatic De Wolf.

       of the consistory, by the Rev. H. Hoeksema. This took                                        Can you prove this from the Church Order?

       place on.. . _. .., 1953, and was approved by                                                Yes: cf. Articles 31, 36, 84.

       Classis  East of the Protestant Reformed Churches at the                                     Is there further proof?

       meeting. of . . . . . . ..__..__..........__.____...__......_____..      At this meeting     Yes, for the Rev. Blankespoor et al are associated with

       `the Consistory of the Second Protestant Reformed Church                                     the Rev. De Wolf and his group in an independent synod.

       of Grand Rapids was ..duly  represented by delegates re-                                     At synod they are supposed to express agreement, accord-

       ceived by the Classis.  .                                                                    ing to the Public Declaration of Agreement, which reads

 3.    Why did this action become necessary ?                                                       as follows :

       Because the Rev. Blankespoor and the majority of his                                          "All the congregations of these churches believe all the

       consistory became schismatic.                                                                books of the Old and of the New Testaments to be the

 4. What do you mean by schism and schismatic ?                                                     Word of God, and confess as the true expression of their

       Schism is departure .in principle and/or practice from the                                   faith the Thirty-seven Articles of the Confession of the

 "`- `standards of the church of which one is a member, thus                                        Reformed Churches of the Netherlands, formulated by

       creating a deviating group ; which action is judged and                                      the Synod of 1618-19, together with the Heidelberg Cate-

       condemned as such by a proper ecclesiastical assembly.                                       chism and the Canons of the Dordrecht Synod against

       Accordingly, a schismatic is one who is properly found                                       the Remonstrants (Arminians) .

  `guilty of such action.                                                                            "In conformity with the belief of all these congregations,

 5. Why do you say that Rev. Blankespoor and the consistory                                         we,, as members of their Synod, declare that from the

       members that followed him were schismatic.?                                       :.         heart we feel and believe, that all the articles. and ex-

       Because at the meeting of Classis  East of the Prot. Ref.                                    pressions of doctrine, contained in the three above named

        Churches, Oct. 6-9, 1953, Classis  decided to put the Rev,                                  confessions; jointly called the Three Forms of Unity, in

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


   all respects agree with the Word of God, whence we                3. Do Blankespoor and his consistory meet with this re-

   reject all doctrines repugnant thereto; that we desire to            quirement ?

   conform all our actions to them, agreeably to the accepted           No; because they agree with and support the schismatic,

   Church Order of Dordrecht, 1618-19, and desire to re-                Rev. De Wolf and his elders, who according to the deci-

   ceive into our church communion everyone that agrees                 sion of the First Prot. Ref. Church of Grand Rapids,

   to our confession."     Church Order, page 63.                       Mich.,  and of Classis  East of the Prot. Ref. Churches

   However, De Wolf, with whom ,Blankespoor  was and is                 were in disharmony with the confessions and violated the
   associated in this synod, had already been declared by               Church Order.

   Classis  East to be out of conformity with the confessions        4. Can those that organized as a new Classis  East of the

   mentioned in this' Agreement. Hence, their synod was                 Prot. Ref. Churches after they were ousted from the

  and is an independent synod, and not the Synod of the                 proper Classis  East be considered as belonging to the

   Prot. Ref. Churches.                                                 Synod of the Prot. Ref. Churches ?

9. Is there more proof?             '                                   No, for all their actions reveal that they disagree with
                                                                        the confessions of the Prot. Ref. Churches and that they
   Yes, we can refer you to the Formula of Subscription,
                                                                        violate the Church Order.
   the last paragraph of which reads as follows :
   "And further, if at any time the consistory, classis? or          5. But do they not claim, together with the schismatic Clas-
   synod, upon sufficient grounds of suspicion and to pre-              sis West, to constitute the Synod of the Prot. Ref.
. serve the uniformity and purity of doctrine, may deem                 Churches proper ?

   it proper to require of us a further explanation of our              They do, but wrongly so. For :

   sentiments respecting any particular article of the Con-             1) The Rev. De Wolf and his would-be consistory had
   fession of Faith, the Catechism, or the explanation of the              locked the doors of the building in which the Synod
   National Synod, we do hereby promise to be always will-                 of 1953 in its continued session of March 10, 1954,
   ing and ready to comply with such requisition, under                    was supposed to meet to several of the delegates to
   the penalty above, mentioned, reserving for ourselves,                  that Synod.
   however, the right of an appeal, whenever we shall be-               2) The same would-be consistory had ousted the The-
   lieve ourselves aggrieved by the sentence of the consistory,            ological School, which is a synodical institution, from
   the classis,  or the synod, and until a decision is made upon           the building of the First Church, in whose basement
   such an appeal; we will acquiesce in the determination                  the school always had met. They gave notice of this
   and judgment already passed."                                           in the following communication to the Rev. Geo.
   Now remember that the Rev. De Wolf was schismatic,                      Lubbers, Sec'y of the Theological School Comm.:
   and was already condemned as such, together with several                "In re your request for our reaction to the use of our
   of his elders, by Classis  East, and that .he was suspended             building for Theological School purposes, the con-
   and his elders deposed by the Consistory of the First                   sistory decided that whereas two of the faculty of our
   Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Nevertheless, the                     school are considered by us to be schismatic, we can-
  Rev. Blankespoor took their side at the meeting of the                   not grant the use of said building as long as said
   October session of Classis  East, of the P. R. Churches                 faculty members are retained." W.S. Consistory, 1st
    (Oct. 6-g), refused to abide by the decision of Classis,               Prot. Ref. Church, S. De Young, clerk. Remember
   according to which De Wolf and his elders were ousted                   that these faculty members were the Revs. G. M.
   from `the Classis, and never attempted even to appeal.                  Ophoff and H. Hoeksema, who had been maintained

                                                                           officially not only by the Theol. School Co';;lmittee,
                   II. CHURCH ORDER
                                                                           but also by Classis  East of the Prot. Ref. Churches.
   That the Prot. Ref. Churches have the presbyterian form              3) Already on March 6, 1954, before the meeting of said
of church government is plain from the Church Order, Ar-                   Synod, Classis  West had sent a communication to
ticles 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 36, 53,58, 62, 68,.76, 79, 84.          Classis  East in which they declared the following:

                                                                           "By your separatistic action it has become impossible
                I I I .   T H E   L E G A L   S Y N O D
                                                                           for us to meet with you synodically and to show you
1. How is the Synod of the Prot. Ref. Churches constituted?                your error."    In another communication, sent by the
   It is constituted of 8 delegates (4 ministers and 4 elders)             same Classis  West, this time to the Synod of the Prot.
   from each of the two classes, East and West, of the I'. R.              Ref. Churches, dated March 5, 1954, they write to us
   Churches.                                                               as follows : "From a notice in the last Sta.ndard Bearer

2. Who must now be considered to be the true and legal                     it .has come to our attention that you purpose to hold

   Synod of the Prot. Ref. Churches ?                                      an alleged synodical meeting on March 10 in the

   Only those that adhere to the confessions of the Prot.                  Fourth Church instead of meeting with us in the

   Ref. Churches and to the Church Order of Dordrecht.                     Fuller Ave. Church as decided by Synod.


222                                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B:EARER


          "We come to you brethren, deeply deploring this ac-                                        Classis  East of the Prot. Ref. Churches. Besides:

          tion of yours, and informing you that, since you have                                  1) Only they had delegates both from ,Classis  East

          terminated all deliberation, to go your own independ-                                      a n d   Classis   W e s t .   F o r   M r .   J o h n   Dotter   w a s   a n

          ent way, you lose, all right to call yourselves and to                                     original alternate delegate to the Synod from Classis

          function as synod of the Prot. Ref. Churches. (DKO.                                        West, which no one had ever protested.

          30 and 31) . Hence, we also inform you brethren that                                   2) Not only so, but at the meeting of the continued
          we and not you have the right to meet as Synod."                                           Synod in March, 1954, at Fourth Church, meeting
          Remember that this same Classis  West supported and                                        there because the building of First Church had been
          maintained throughout the schismatic Rev. De Wolf                                          closed to several of the delegates of the Synod, the
          and his schismatic consistory, that had been suspended                                     roll was properly called, and no one of the schismatics
          and deposed by the Consistory of the First P. R.                                           responded.
          Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and that had been
                                                                                                 3) Finally, we must not forget that the First Church
          condemned by Classis  East.
                                                                                                     was the calling church, and that it had properly issued
       4) Their own record shows that at their would-be synod                                        a call to Synod in The Standard Bearer, in. which
  ,       only the eight original delegates of Classis West                                          such announcements are always made.
          (which had already .declared  itself as supporting the

          schismatic De Wolf) plus 1 alternate delegate from
                                                                                                 Remarks.
          Classis  East, Mr. S. Bouma, appeared. But this Mr.
          S. Bouma had already been ousted from Classis  East                                    1. The reader will agree with me that the above is a
                                                                                             thoroughly Protestant Reformed document. When you read
          and was already member of a new and schismatic
          Classis  East.                                                                     this, you cannot help but wonder why, in 1953, the s&is-
                                                                                             matics left the Protestant Reformed Churches. And when a
       5) Acqording  to Article 315 of the Acts of their so-called
                                                                                             split has once become a fact, history teaches us very plainly
          Synod of March 10, 1954 (cf. page 341) they allowed
                                                                                             that it is well-nigh impossible to heal the breach. Of course,-
          the Rev. De Wolf, who was declared to be outside of
                                                                                             we are very willing to receive them back again but only on
          the Prot. Ref. Churches to present them with informa-
                                                                                             the basis of confession of their sin. It is impossible for us
          tion about their newly organized Classis  East, to which
                                                                                             simply to se-unite as churches for we may not recognize them
          De Wolf, Knott, Kok, and Blankespoor belonged.
                                                                                             as such. Hence, we must ask them to confess their sin and
          According to the same Article 315, they also gave
                                                                                             thus return to us.
          these ministers "opportunity to formally express in
                                                                                                 2. You may have noticed that I wrote above this docu-
          -writing" the grounds for their action of setting up a
                                                                                             ment that it is Protestant Reformed "as far as it goes." This
          new Classis  East. This, of course, was impossible,
                                                                                             means, of course, that it does not go quite far enough. I
          illegal, and schismatic. Synod could only recognize the
                                                                                             have in mind now especially the conditional Theology of De
          original and proper Classis  East. In the same Acts,
                                                                                             Wolf C.S. Do they still agree with this ? It seems almost
          Article 346, they appointed Blankespoor on a com-
                                                                                             impossible in view of the fact that they deny the "Three
          mittee, even though' they had testimony from these
                                                                                             Points" and the well-meant offer of grace and salvation. With
          men themselves in their "Declaration of Continuation"
                                                                                             this a conditional promise certainly does not agree. Yet, on
          that he had been ousted from Classis  East, and even
                                                                                             the other hand, they still maintain De Wolf and that seems
          though no protest against this action of Classis  East
                                                                                             to mean that they also agree with his heretical preaching as
          had been delivered to synod. Besides, throughout their
                                                                                             it was concentrated in the two well-known statements that
          Acts (cf. Articles 312, 315, 322) this would-be Synod
                                                                                             were condemned by Classis  East. Those statements, as you
          s i m p l y   r e f e r s   t o   t h e   sehismatics   a s   Classis   E a s t
                                                                                             will remember were : 1. "God promises to everyone of you
          throughout.
                                                                                             eternal life, if you believe" ; and 2. "Faith is a prerequisite
       6) Besides, ever since 1953-54 the so-called Classis  West
                                                                                             to enter the kingdom of heaven." No Protestant Reformed
          and the schismatic Classis  East have met together in
                                                                                             person can possibly agree with this conditional theology. And
         synodical  sessions under the name of Prot. Ref.
                                                                                             so, the question : do- the authors of the document still main-
          Churches, to which they have no right whatever, al-
                                                                                             tain this ?
          though the Superior Court of Grand Rapids and the
                                                                                                 3. The statement that the De Wolf's signature does not
          Supreme Court of the State of Michigan. has denied
                                                                                             mean that he agrees is as ambiguous as many of his state-
          the Rev. De Wolf'and his consistory the right to the
                                                                                             ments I have heard of him in the past. One can make most
          name of Prot. Ref. Church.
                                                                                             anything of it. And, therefore, I prefer to make nothing of

6. Who, then, is the legal Synod ?                                                           it. The only thing I will say is that, personally, I would not

          The legal Synod are those that maintain the confes-                                sign any document if my signature had to be ambiguous,

         sions of the Prot. Ref. Churches and adhere to the                                  negative, and without any meaning.

          Church Order, as was maintained throughout by                                                                                                                  H.H.


                                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   .BEARER,                                            223


                                                                            The Book of Revelation .,is full of happy and striking
          O U R   D O C T R I N E                                        contrasts that cannot but keep the interest alive even from
                                                                         a natural point of view. This phenomenon is but natural,

                                                                        and can easily be explained from the subject matter itself.

           THE BOOK OF, REVELATION                                       Revelation deals with the mightiest contrast that ever

                                                                        existed, the contrast between .the kingdom of light and the
                           P A R T   T W O                              kingdom of darkness, principally between God and the devil,

                                                                        and shows the opposition and enmity of the devil against
                    C H A P T E R   E L E V E N                          God and the power and authority of the Almighty maintain-

                                                                        ing itself over against this enmity of the dragon in actual
                   The  Bkast out of thei Earth                         conflidt. It is the prophetic record .of the' great battle of the

                                                                        ages on the part of the devil against the Almighty for the
                        Revelation 13 :ll-18
                                                                        possession of the kingdoms of the world. And for that

                                                                        reason it is but natural that time and again we meet with
   Such, I feel persuaded, is the meaning of this chapter.
If we have spiritual understanding, we must count the                   tremendous contrasts in this book. We meet with the
number of the beast. You may see him rise before your very              contrast between the dragon and the woman, between the
eyes in the world of today. Hence, we must watch and pray,              dragon and the Lamb, between the Lamb and the beast,
                                                                        between the Christ and the Antichrist, between the church
that we may not fall into temptation. We must be faithful
                                                                        and the world.
unto the end. But it is not our calling to -resist the coming

of the beast i for that is impossible. You cannot prevent his               For the same reason we also found repeatedly that a

coming. But what ,we must do is watch. Here is the patience             dark and frightfully horrible picture was immediately fol-
of the saints. Here is wisdom. We must know how he will                 lowed by one of light and joy and glory. So we found it,
come, that .we may recognize his coming and be faithful even            for instance, in chapter 7.    In chapter 6 we studied the

unto the end. God grant that we may be found watching in                picture of the time immediately before the last judgment at
that day, so that we may not be allured by all the beauty and           the opening of the sixth seal. Dark and terrible that picture

fascination and Christian appearance and strength and stabil-           was indeed. Heaven and earth were shaken, and the foimda-

ity of that world-kingdom and by the signs and wonders of               tions of all existence seemed to` be removed. Earthquakes

the false prophet, but that we may remain faithful even unto            and thunders and darkness were the signs that accompanied

the very end, so that no one may take our crown.                        this terrible incident. And the great and small of the world

                                                                        hid themselves and cried to the rocks and mountains to

                                                                        cover them. And the question was asked, in near despair:

                        C H A P T E R   T W E L V E                     "Who shall stand ?' But that dark picture was followed

                                                                        immediately by the joyous one in chapter 7, ,where  we read

                   The  La.vxb On Moztnt  Zion                          of the one hundred forty-four thousand that were sealed and

                                                                        secure- in the midst of tribulation, and of the innumerable

                        Revelation 14 : l-5                             multitude before the throne in glory. The same contrast

                                                                        exists between chapters 9 and 10: In the ninth .chapter we

                                                                        studied the fifth and sixth trumpets, the first and second
           1.    And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount
                                                                        woes. There we read of the terrible locusts out of the abyss
           Sian;  and with him an hundred forty and four thousand,

           having his Father's name written in their foreheads.         and how they tortured' men, and of the awful horsemen sent

                                                                        by the angels that were let loose by the Euphrates and
           2. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of
                                                                        killing one-third of men. And also that horrible picture
           many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and
                                                                        is followed by a hopeful and joyous one in chapter 10, where
           I heard the voice of harpers harping with their haqs:

                                                                        we read of the mighty angel standing with his feet on the
           3. And they sung as it were a new song before the            earth and the sea and swearing by Him. that liveth  forever
           throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and
                                                                        and ever that there should be no more delay.
          no man could learn that song but the hundred and
          forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from'               And the same phenomenon is met with once more in our

          the earth.                                                    chapter. In chapter 13 we found the picture of the world-

                                                                        power, of Antichrist; of the man of sin in the full develop-
          4.     These are they which were not defiled with wcmen;
                                                                        ment of his power and authority. We found that it was a
          for they are virgins. These are they which follow the
          Lamb whithersoever he goeth.  These were ' redeemed           universal kingdom, having sway over all nations and over

          from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and            all things in the universe. We found that all the people

          to the Lamb.                                                  followed this beast, were delighted over him, worshipped him

                                                                        because of the instigation of the power of false prophecy as
          5. And in their mouth was found no guile: for .they
          are without fault before the throne of God.                   pictured in the second beast. We found that an image was

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


 erected for the beast, so that by means of this image it might     the beast for a. real beast, the horns for real horns, the

 become plain who would .worship  the beast and.  who would         heads for real heads. No one misunderstood the picture there.

not. We found further that to all that worshipped the beast         And this is also true of the picture in the present passage.

a sign was given, and that only those that received this sign       What right have we to change the method of interpretation

 and could show this sign are participants of the blessings of      all of a sudden, without any indication in the text. On the

 this kingdom, all the rest being excluded, so that the people      contrary, also the text brings us to the same conclusion. In

 of God could neither buy nor sell, could not procure where-        the first place, John does not begin to say, "Then shall

 with to clothe or feed themselves. In short, it was a horrible     Christ appear on Mt. Sion."     But he merely states that he

picture of hell and Satan and Antichrist in all their power,        saw the.Lamb on Mt. Sion with His people; The two visions,

a picture of affliction and tribulation for the people of God.      of chapter 13 and the present chapter, belong together. -John

And now in `the chapter before us we have once more a               by no means conveys the idea that the Lamb was not on

picture of the opposite side, a picture of the power that           Mt. Sion when the beast established his kingdom, but far

opposes this world-kingdom and its king, and therefore at           rather that He was there all the time. In all the confusion

the same time a picture of joy and salvation and glory for          of the nations during this entire period that Antichrist

God's people. That is characteristic of the entire chapter, and     seemingly reigns supreme, the Lamb is on Mt. Sion, calm.

that is also the purpose of the picture we are now studying         and majestic, surrounded by His people, the one hundred

in the present passage.                                             forty-four thousand. John sees another vision, but a vision

    Let us once more impress upon your mind the very evi-           that belongs to the one of chapter 13, and that is its counter-

dent fact that in this portion we have a continuation of the        part. This is plain also from the very language employed.

symbolism begun in chapter 13. The fact that this has been          Christ is denoted as the Lamb, which, however familiar, is

overlooked has led to the gravest errors in the interpretation      nevertheless symbolic language. `His people are described as

of this `chapter and especially of the portion we are now dis-      the one hundred forty-four thousand, as those that are not

cussing.    It has led many interpreters to read this portion,      defiled with women ; for they are virgins. And a wonderful

wholly or in part, as if we merely had a historical record of       song is heard from heaven, which they alone can learn. In

the future in this chapter.    They read then as if John said:      short, the entire passage gives us immediately the impres-
"Then, at that time, shall Jesus appear on Mt. Sion, and            sion that here we have once more symbolism in the highest

He shall gather all His people in glory round about Him, in         sense of the word, and that as such it must be interpreted.

order to. save them to the full and wreak vengeance upon               It may -be well, before we explain this beautiful picture

the enemy." And naturally in that case the mistake is also          in detail, to ascertain the purpose of the whole. Why is this

made to take Mt. Sion in the literal sense of the word and          picture here inserted ? In the first place, let us remark that

to maintain that in the days of Antichrist Jesus shall appear       it cannot escape our attention what .a tremendous contrast

on Mt. Sion as the defender of His people and the opponent          this portion forms with the preceding vision of the beast.

of the beast. And thus we come into conflict with the general       The reference to that chapter by way of contrast is very

revelation of Scripture, which assures us time and again that       evident. There we have the picture of the beast lording

the Lord shall come on the clouds of heaven in the day of           it supremely over all ; here we have the vision of the Lamb

judgment. In that case also the angels in heaven are taken          on Mt. Sion, standing majestic and in authority as the King

in the most literal sense of the word, and it is maintained         and protector of His people. There we have the vision

that in the day of Antichrist `angels shall send a warning, a       especially of the thousands and millions that worship the

last warning, to the people on ,earth, in order to bring them       beast and his image ; here we have the picture, of the one

to the fear of Jehovah's name and to proclaim to them the           hundred forty-four thousand that belong to the Lamb. There

impending judgment. And again, by doing so we come into             we found that the followers of'the beast and his worshippers

conflict with the entire trend of Scripture, which teaches us       receive his sign on their right hand or on their foreheads;

that Moses and the prophets are sufficient, and that if people      here we find that also the people of .the Lamb have a sign,

refuse to believe them, even the dead rising from the grave         the name of the Lamb and of the Father. There we learned

would have no effect whatever upon them. From the literal           how only the followers of the beast were supreme and blest

point of view we can never understand this passage, nor             and happy, controlling the entire `world ; here we learn that

from the point of ,view that confuses the literal and symbolical    .only the one hundred forty-four thousand can learn the

interpretations. And therefore it must be clear to us that          song of glory and of joy that is heard from heaven. There

John does not write history, that he does not even directly         we found that the followers of the Lamb were. threatened

prophesy in the sense of foretelling future events, but that        with destruction and woe, so that they could `not buy or

he speaks in highly symbolic language. After the dark vision        sell ; the present picture is full of woe and destruction to

of the beast and his kingdom, he now receives a brig,ht  vision     the followers of the beast and Babylon: In a word, the same

of the Lamb,  and His `people. And all is symbolism. That           condition of things, the same state of affairs is described.

this is true is plain from the context. In. the preceding           In both visions we read of the beast and the Lamb. In both

chapter we had symbolism pure and simple. No one mistook            visions we read of the worshipping of both. But the cliffer-


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEAR.E`R                                                      225


ence  is that in chapter 13 we find the cause of the Lamb and        have already mentioned, there are some who take it in the

His people apparently lost, while  in this chapter we find Him       literal sense of the, word, not as a symbol but as the literal

as the victor. In chapter 13 we found the people of God in           Mt. Sion in Jerusalem, and then explain that Christ during

distress; here we find them in security and in all glory. In         the days of Antichrist shall stand on that mount. But the

a word, in chapter 13 the kingdom of .Antichrist  is described       symbolic nature of the entii-e  passage, as we have already

from its own pqint  of view, and therefore as victorious;            observed, is against this interpretation. It will not .do to

in this chapter the entire state of things is viewed in the          separate on& element from all the rest and to explain it in

light of heaven and of God's decree, and the Lamb therefore          the literal sense of the word. There are others who main-

is victorious after all. The contrast reminds us of Elisha           tain that Sion is heavenly. Jerusalem. But this is impos-

and his servant at `Dothan.  The Syrians were provoked by            sible because of the context. We read that as the Lamb

the work of the prophet, and therefore were seeking his              stands with His people on Mt. Sion, a voice is heard from

soul. And in the morning, as the `servant of Elisha woke up          heaven,  clearly indicating that Mt. Sion is on earth. Still

in Dothan, he found th&t  the city was surrounded by foes on         others claim that  Mt. .Sion is the symbol of the church in-

all sides, and that escape was impossible. The servant of            visible, on earth. And also this is perfectly allowable as

the prophet, looking at this whole affair from the natural           such, for Mt. Sion appears in Scripture as .the church of

point of view, is, perplexed, is in distress. He despairs and        Christ. Only the contents of this passage are all against

looks upon his master as a lost -man. But the prophet                this interpretation. If Mt. Sion is the church, what then

prays that the eyes of his servant may be opened, so that            must we make of the one hundred forty-four thousand? They

he may be able to see the -entire  situation in its full reality.    are evidently the church of the living God in Christ Jesus

And now the servant beholds that on their side is a mightier         our Lord. But if they are, then Mt. Sion cannot mean the

host than on the side of the enemy. The whole mountain is            same thing. And therefore, we feel compelled to discard all

filled with chariots and horses of fire round  about them. So        these interpretations and to look for something else. '

is the relation here. Antichrist is supreme. He lords it over
all the world and over all things. It seems as if nothing                    Mt., Sion in. the literal sense was originally the hill in
can check his power and authority. The devil has finally             the city of Jerusalem on which was built the stronghold, the
gained the victory. The people of God `are in distress. From         citadel, of the city. It was this citadei  that was captured from
the natural point of view, from the point of. view of visible        the Jebusites  by David and that became the stronghold of
things, it would seem as if the cause of the Lamb and His            David. Later that same name was often applied to the
people were a lost cause. But there is another side, a spiritual     temple-hill, on which Jehovah dwelt among His people. And
side, to this entire economy of things. And when the light of        again,     it is not infrequently referred to as including the
heaven falls on the scene, and the eyes of the people of God         entire city of Jerusalem, the city of God. And therefdre, in
through faith are opened, they see that the Lamb is standing         the symbolical sense of the word we may say that Sion im-
on Mt. Sion in calm majesty, and that His people are safe            plies two things. In. the first place, it is the center of God's
in His protection. The kingdom of Antichrist, - so the vision        power, the stronghbld  from which Jehovah rules over and
tells us, - apparently so safe and secure, is doomed to              defends His people. And in the second place, it is also the
destruction. For the Lamb stands on Mt. Sion ready to                hill of His presence, on which He dwells among His people.
consume His enemies. The people of God, - so the vision              Yet we think that we will never be able to explain this
tells us, - apparently in distress and defeat, shall have the        symbolism if we take the Lamb and Mt. Sion Separately
victory. For they are with the victorious Lamb, and follow           and explain them individually first, in order then to bring
Him whithersoever He goeth. Chapter 14 sheds the light               them together. On the contrary, the Lamb standing on Mt.
of heaven upon the kingdom of Antichrist.                            Sion constitutes one symbol, and they must be taken to-
                                                                     gether, as belonging tog&her from the very outset. And then
   If this .is clear, it will not be difficult to understand the     it is our conviction that the expression must be explained
meaning of this entire picture in detail. With the Lamb we           in the light of Psalm 2 :l-9, a psalm that is so often referred
are already acquainted, and we need not determine His                to in the Book of Revklation  but never more plainly than in
identity at all. He is the Christ, and especially from the           chapters 13 and' 14. If we turn to this psalm, we will find
point of view of having accomplished the will of the Father          that verses l-3 give us the exact picture in a few brief
to inherit the kingdom. Christ is the Anointed of God. And           expressions of Revelation 13. We read : "Why do the heathen
it is the will of the Father to give Him the kingdom of the          rage,  and the people imagine a vain thing ? the kings of the
whole world. But in order to receive the kingdom He had              earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together,
to redeeni it by His blood and fulfill the will of the Triune        against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us
God. In that capacity He stands here, as the Lamb, and, as           break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from
we know from other passages, as thk  Lamb that was slain..           us."     Could you find a more exact picture of what is told
There is no controversy about the identity of ;the Lamb.             us in Revelatiqn 13 ?
But different it is with regard to Mt. Sion. Interpreters

differ widely when they come to `explain this figure. As we                                                                      H.H.





                                                                                                       .


226                                               T H E   `STANDA.RD   B E A R E R



                                                                            was actually promoted to positions of authority. We must
11 A CLOUD OF WITNESSES 11 not forget, however, that this did not take place immediately.
                                                                            There were months and maybe even yeaks  of menial work

                                                                            which .came  first. Born in a family of covenant-friendship
                             Joseph in Prison                               with the Lord God of heaven and earth, Joseph was required

                                                                            to perform the most lowly tasks of an Egyptian prison. Nor
                    And Joseplks  master took him,  and put him into
                    the prison .-. .                                        did he consider himself above it. With the humility that.
                                                                            becomes the children of God, he faithfully and diligently did
                    But  the Loyd  was wit!%  Joseph,, and shewed him       also this  work, content to be the very least. The Lord's
                    vseycy,  and gave I&ti  favour  in the sight of the
                    keeper of the @ison.           G                        blessing was with him also in these lowly duties  and gradu-
                                                        ENESIS 39:20, 21
                                                                            ally he was promoted to more important work. As in the

       The beauty of Joseph's years in prison is best character-            house of Potiphar, he was finally given authority over others

ized by these words of the apostle Peter, "For what glory                   and the sphere of his authority continued to increase until

is it, if,' when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take              under the prison-keeper he had complete control over all

it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye                of the prisoners.

take it patiently, that is acceptable with God,' (I Peter 2 :20).               An interesting insight into the person of Joseph is

Joseph had lived a Godly life. This was true already in his                 provided when he found one day two of the prisoners, the

youth when he was ye$ in his father's house. Not as though                  imprisoned .b.utler  and baker of the king, with sad faces

he was without sin ; it is not likely that he showed no signs               sitting in their cell. Joseph had known much sorrow in his

of youthful pride and arrogance under the favoritism of his                 life and had been humbled very low, but he had not forgotten

father; but through it all he did show that he was sorry for                how to be kind. His concern was with each of the prisoners

his sin and desired to do what was right: In this he far                    which were under him, and as much as possible he was

surpassed his brothers who gave themselves repeatedly to                    ready to help them in their needs. He was quick to notice

follow the `ways of iniquity. Because  Joseph was more                      the despondency of these two men and to inquire as to its

righteous than they, they hated him and sold him as a slave                 cause. To show love and kindness to his neighbors was a

into Egypt. Joseph had done good and he suffered for it,                    principle of his life.

but still he bore it patiently. A slave in Potiphar's house,                    The butler and the baker had both been officers  in the

he continued to follow righteousness. Faithful in his duties,               king's household. In the palace very eltiborate  arrangements

the blessing of God rested upon him and he prospered. But                   were made for every meal and these two `men had been in
his antagonism toward sin could not be kept hidden. He                      charge of their respective departments. The exact reason for
refused to engage in sin with Potiphar's wife ; she became                  their being thrown in prison we do not know. It has often
angry and for vengeance had him cast into  prison. He. was                  been speculated that there had possibly been intrigue in the

laid in irons and his feet they hurt with fetters (Ps. 105 :18) ;           court with an attempt to poison the king. Both the chief

that was the fruit of his faithfulness. What could be more                  butler and baker being suspect, they were cast into prison

discouraging 7 Did not his flesh cry out in rebellion? Was                  until it could be determined which one was actually guilty.

he not tempted to grumble and complain against the injustice                This* is quite possible. However, considering the despotic

of it all? Still, we meet him there in prison, patiently bearing            nature which often characterized. ancient kings, it is perhaps

also this burden, content in the way of his God. In Joseph                  equally possible +hat  through the negligence of someone, bad

we see the strength and beauty of a Godly life. Even -by                    food had been served to the king resulting in a case of

the fetters of a prison it ,could not be dimmed.                            indigestion. Angered by this the king might have had very

       It was not long before also the keeper  of the prison                few scruples against throwing the `two men responsible for

recognized the distinctive virtue of Joseph's life. Even the                his food into prison and in the end even requiring one of

irons and fetters, of the king's prison could not make him                  their lives..

appear a wicked man. The day came when he was released                          One night while in prison each of these two men re-

fr.om.his  bond??. We:  do not know how the justice of Egypt                ceived a dream. We. have no reason to believe, of course,
;.:... .`.... `.
allowed for this. Perhaps Potiphar, whd was the captain of                  that dreams were more rare in that day than now. Nor could

the king's guard and therefore the highest authority over the               it be considered.%n  uncommon phenomenon that two men

prison, became more convinced of, Joseph's innocence and                    should  have a. dream `in the `same  night. Nevertheless, the

allowed for this lightening of his septence.  Perhaps another               dreams which the butler and the .baker  had that night were

succeeded him in office who bore no antagonism toward                       different. They were special dreams.. The dreams of these

Joseph. Maybe the keeper of the prison was able to do it                    men had `been controlled by God in, such a. way that they

on his o&n authority. In any case God, Who rules  the                       Could  be used to make known:the  future unto them. They

hearts of men; provided that Joseph should receive this                     were special .revelations  from God:.  .M,oreover,  these men

greater freedom. Nor did it stop with that. T&e prison-                     realized that it was so. There `was, of course, +he  ~general

keeper's confidence in Jbseph  continued to increase until he               superstition of that day which tended. to ascribe `special  sig-


                                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                      227


 nificance to every dream ; but this was more than that. Most                 dream and his own, was now anxious to relate his dream

 of the average dreams they passed by with hardly a second                    to Joseph.    "I also was in my dream," he offered, "and,

 thought. These dreams continued to bother them. When                         behold, I had three white baskets on my head: and in the

 they awoke in the morning it was with the feeling weighing                   uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for

 upon their minds that what they had seen in the night                        Pharaoh ; arid the birds did eat them out of the basket upon

 could not be lightly passed by. The more they thought upon                   my head." It is not surprising that the baker was encouraged

 it the stronger that feeling became. But try as they would,                  by the interpretation of the butler's dream for there were

 they could .not tell what the meaning was. Neither was                       definite. similarities between it and his own. In the first

 it possible for them to go to the professional interpreters                  place the number three figured prominently in the dream, and

 of that day who made a practice of spinning fanciful in-                     in the second place he was represented also' as performing

terpretations around the dreams that were related to them,                    his former duties. What the baker, in his eagerness over-

 in much the same way that many professional psychologists                    looked was the fact that he was frustrated in his work ; the

 do today. Thus these men `were troubled. With downcast                       birds of the heaven interfered and he was powerless to drive

 faces they sat musing each one over that which he had                        them away. To Joseph fell the difficult task of relating the

 dreamed.                                                                     interpretation.    "The three baskets `are three days : yet within

    Joseph,    coming upon      these men, inquired of them,                  thr'ee  day?  shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and
 "Wherefore look ye so sadly to day?' When they replied that                  shall hang thee on a tree ; and the birds shall eat thy flesh

 they had dreamed dreams but had no interpreter, he said                      from off thee."

 further, "Do riot interpretations belong to God 7 tell me them,                    The three days passed and it was Pharaoh's birthday. In
 I pray you."      One thing is of special significance in this               celebration he prepared a great feast for his servants, even
 statement, that is, his ready reference to God. We are  led                  calling the butler and baker from the prison. Just'as Joseph
 to conclude that Joseph talked very openly about his God.                    had interpreted, the butler was restored to his former posi-
 Though in a strange land and among a people that knew not                    tion, and the baker was hanged. Whether Pharaoh had found
 the Lord, he expressed himself very freely. Nor was he                       the butler to be innocent and the baker guilty of some mis-
 afraid to speak of his God as being sovereign over all the                   deed, or whether he was merely driven by the whims of his
 earth, the God Who rules the hearts of men and ultimately                    fancy, we do not know. This much was established before
 produces the dreams that come to them in the night. He                       the minds of both Joseph and the butler, the dreams and
 only knows the purpose and sig+icance of every thought                       interpretations which God had sent were true. That was the
 that passes through the minds of men whether sleeping or                     important point which had to be established.
 awake. In essence Joseph told them just that.
                                                                                    Before the butler left the prison, however, in fact im-
    The butler was the first to make reply. His readines?  to
                                                                              mediately after Joseph related to him the interpretation bf
 speak may tie11  have been, because his conscience was more
                                                                              his dream, Joseph made of him a request : "Think.on  me when
 free in regard to the matter for which they were in prison.
                                                                              it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee,
 He related his dream thus : "In my dream, behol,& a vine was
                                                                              unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring
 before me ; and in the vine were three branches : and it was
                                                                              me out `of this house : for indeed I was stolen away out of
 as thou&h  it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the
                                                                              the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing
 clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes : and Pharaoh's
                                                                              that they should put me into the dungeon." To this request
 cup was in my hand : and I took the grapes, and pressed them
                                                                              the butler readily agreed. hot only did he feel grateful to
 in Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand."
                                                                              Joseph for interpreting the dream, but he was also quite sure
 It was a dream as could be expected from a man of his oc-
                                                                              of Joseph's innocence. His promise to Joseph was sure.
 cupation, but it also bore the mark of the unusual. As though
 in a matter of a few moments, the butler saw a vine sprout,                        The days. following the butler's release from prison were
 blossom and bring forth grapes which not only ripened                        undoubtedly filled with eager anticipation for Joseph. Surely
 immediately but which could be pressed out by him into                       the butler would not forget his promise, and the cause of

 wine fully seasoned and ready for the lips of Pharaoh. The                   Joseph was just. Soon he could expect to be released as a

 Lord immediately revealed to Joseph the meaning of this.                     free man and would be able to make his way bgck  to his
 The three branches represented three days ; the rapid produc-                family in Canaan. .Perhaps  then, even the dl'eams  of his
 tion of wine represented prosperity; `and  in the dream The                  childhood which seemed impossible of fulfillment in Egypt,

 butler was evidently performing his usual `&ties. "Yet  within               might still come to pass.
                                                                                                     ,.
 three days,,`,    interpreted Joseph,    "shall Pharaoh lift *up                   But the butler was a natural man and as such unreliable.

 thine head, and restore thee unto thy place,:. and. thou shalt
                                                        ., ,..i.              Procrastination and forgetfulness soon set in. Even more the
 deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after  thefo:mer  manner
                                                             . ..".,          plan of God was biding its proper time. Yet two years of
 when thou wast his butler."                         `_.'          k( , `.
                                          :..                .,     : .,      trial in patience had to pass for Joseph before it would be

     The baker, encouraged by the :promise'  of Qe:Bufler'.4                  fulfi!led:
 dream, and recognizing certain similarities. ~bet~~&`&.  dthat               `_                                                          B.W.

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


                                                                        For prayer is not a'means  to persuade God to do our bidding,
            FWCUM  HOLY  W R I T                                        but it is the chief part of thankfulness to God, in which we
I'I                     ,                                          II acknowledge that he is God, and that all things are so in
                                                                        His hand that the very .devils  themselves cannot so much- as

                  Exposition of Womans'  14, 15                         move, except by God's decree and providence.

                                                                            Thus it is also here in this passage under consideration.
                                   X    I    V

                                                                            Paul would have the believers at Rome "strive to-
                        (Romans 15 :30-33)                              gether" with him in his behalf in their prayers to God.

       In this conclusion to the great letter, this masterfully            The term "strive together" is a composite verb: sun-

inspired treatise of Paul, we have a very beautiful recapitula-         agoonizoo.    The term "agoonizoo"      means : to enter a con-

tion of Paul's purpose and longing to come and preach the               test; contend in the gymnastic games (I Cor. 9 :25). It is
Gospel also in Rome. We have taken note of the rule ac-                 used of contending with adversaries, fight. John 18 ~36.

cording to which Paul labored. He always labored where                  Jesus employs this term here before Pilate when He says,
none ,had  preached the Gospel before him. This occasioned              "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of
that Paul could not up till this time come to Rome.         He had      this world, then would my servants fight, (eegoonizonto)
been prevented many times.                                              that I should not be delivered to the Jews ; but now is my

       Now it seems that, judging by this rule of Paul's labors,        kingdom not from hence."        And thus the term is further
&nd if all things are equal, Paul will be able to come to Rome,         used figuratively: to contend, to struggle with difficulties
if and when he passes through en route to Spain. There is,              and dangers, antagonistic to the Gospel. See Col. 1:29 where
however, as we have seen, still the matter of the collections           the term is used and closely associated with much "labor."

which were given by the churches in Macedonia and Achaia                   In Hebrews 12 :4 it is employed in the matter of "striving
which must be "sealed to the saints" in Jerusalem.                      against" sin.    See further Jude 3.            h

       How keenly Paul is aware of the difficulties with which             It is remarkable that Paul would employ. such a term of
his path is strewn, even in the bringing of the gifts to                "striving," fighting, a contest, and enjoin this upon the
Jerusalem, appears from the last three verses of Romans 15.             saints in Rome. Their prayers are to be in the nature of a
These difficulties are not only because of the enemies with-            "contest."    The question is : against whom ? And the answer
out, the Jews at Jerusalem.        Paul also foresees the difficulty    is: really not against flesh and blood, but against principal-
that -the very gifts themselves will not be interpreted as              ities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
being the "fruit" of grace.. Should the latter be the case              world, against the world-usurpers in high places. And this
Paul would not "seal this f&t (karpon) unto them."                      comes to. manifestation indeed in flesh and blood. These

       What utter dependency Paul here exhibits upon God and            wicked powers of the demon-world come to manifestation in
His Christ !                                                            men and women, in flesh and blood! And Paul "strives" in
                                                                        his prayers with God against these powers in flesh and blood.
       On the other hand we also see here the truth of the mat-
                                                                        And these. enemies of the Cross are either inside or outside
ter that God grants us what we need upon our prayers. In
                                                                        of the church. They are the avowed enemies of the Cross,
this case the question may well arise whether God heard and
                                                                        outside of the church, and they are the "flesh" in the church,
answered Paul's prayer,, so that what Paul longs to perform
                                                                        which will not wholly live from the principle that the
is fulfilled !
                                                                        middle-wall of the partition :has been broken down by the
       But we are anticipating.                                         blood of Jesus on the Cross.

       Let us read the text as given in the verses 30-33. It               Such is the stage, the arena in which Paul battles.
reads as follows : crATow  I beseech you, brethren, by our Lord
                                                                           And in this battle the saints in Rome are to join him.
Jesus Cczluist,  and by the love of the Spirit, that ye strive

together with me i~z your prayers to God for me; that I ma,y               Paul wrestles with God that He be delivered in the

be delivered from them that are disobedient in, Jude, altd              providence of God from these enemies of the Cross who seek

that my- m&&ration  zvhich I have for Jerusalewb  gp$ay  be             his life ; and he "beseeches". the saints at Rome to join him

acceptable to the saints; that I may come unto you in joy               in this "battle" against the powers of Judaism in Jerusalem.

through the will of God, and together with you find rest.                  The apostle cites a twofold motivation for this injunction
Now the God of peace be with you all."                                  that they join him in this battle in prayer.

       We must not ever say that "`prayer changes things"! We              The first is the more objective and comprehensive motive.

are promised that whatsoever we ask in Christ's NAME it                 It is all that "our Lord, Jesus Christ" stands for. Is he not

will be given unto us. And what does not belong to that                 "Lord" of the living and of the dead ? And has He not prom-

Name is withheld from us. We do not know how to pray                    ised, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the

as we ought as far as the details of our life are concerned.            world"? Is this fact that Christ is Lord, at the right hand of


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEA.RER                                                   2 2 9 '


God, not the most powerful "motive" to wrestle in prayer            of II Thess. 3 :l, 2. "Finally, brethren, pray -for us, that the

for Paul. Is the Lord not able powerfully to deliver and            word of the Lord may run and be glorified, even as also it is

pluck Paul out of the hands of these evil Jews? The Romans          with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable

certainly cannot counter that it is useless to pray. For is not,    and evil men: for all have not faith."

ours the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ? It is                   We may, therefore, safely state that God did answer the
"through" this Christ, and' the impulses that He gives to           "wrestlings" of Paul in prayer for his deliverance, only it
prayer, that Paul pleads with the saints to strive with him.        would be in keeping with the prediction of God as ,already
That is the more objective side, motivation.                        given to Paul when he was called to the ministry, and "Jesus

   The other is the more subjective motivation. It is the           Christ was revealed in him." Do we not read in Acts

motive of the "love of `the Spirit." The terms here indicate,       9 :15,  16, "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he

evidently, the "love shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit        is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the

which he hath given us." Romans 5 :5. The Spirit takes the          Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will

love which is in Christ as `in the Head of the church, and          show him how many things he must suffer for my name's

works this love in our hearts as living members of the              sake."      Yes, his prayer is heard ; he is delivered ! However,

church. This is the love which energizes faith. Gal. 5 :6.          yet in his whole career, he will learn how many things there

And thus this faith, which is rooted in the love wrought            are in this divine list of sufferings. He shall learn this by

by the Holy Spirit, wrestles with God` together with Paul           degrees and by experience. Just a glance at the catalogue

in Paul's behalf.                                                   of woes which Paul endured shows the unique manner of

                                                                    God's deliverance out of afflictions by causing him to pass
   Hence, both the objective and subjective motivations.
                                                                    throztgh  them !
   The one is based upon and rooted in the other!
                                                                     And it is also clear that the. latter part of this prayer
   Two things they must request from God in this battle
                                                                    was heard by the Lord. The collections taken by them of
in prayer.
                                                                    Macedonia and. Achaia were well-received. They were re-
   In the first place, they must pray that Paul be "delivered"      ceived as the "fruit" of the love of God, shed abroad in
from those who are disobedient among the Jews. These                the hearts of the Gentile Christians. Do we not read in Acts
were men who had heard the Gospel, and who would not                21:17  : "And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren
allow themselves to be persuaded by it. They wilfully               received us gladly." ,Thus  writes Luke, the historian.
rejected it. The term "disobedient" is a very strong term.
                                                                        The "God of peace" had, indeed, done marvelous things.
It is not the same as "not yet believing"! It refers to
                                                                    In Christ, who is our peace, the.middle  wall of the partition
those who perish in their sins. Notice, too, that Paul does
                                                                    had been removed. Both are now made one new man in the
not pray that such "disobedient" be given repentance. Nay,
                                                                    Spirit. Jew and Gentile together are one. With one voice
these are they whose "eyes are shut, and whose ,ears are
                                                                    they praise God. In Acts 21:19, 20 we read: "And when
heavy." They are those "who hear, indeed, but understand
                                                                    he (Paul) had saluted them, he rehearsed one by one the
not, and who see, indeed, but perceive not." And in their
                                                                    things which God had wrought among the Gentiles through
blindness they are full of zeal for the "law", yet -not ac-
                                                                    his  ministry. And, they, when they heard it, glorified
cording to knowledge. Compare Isaiah 6:9, 10; Matthew
                                                                    God . . ."
13 :14, 15; John 12:40;  Acts 28:26,  27. Does not John

say in Chapter 12 :39,  40, "For this cause they could not              Paul may now enter upon a new and different era of his

believe, for that Isaiah said again: He hath blinded their          work ; he will be bound, yet the Word of God is not bound.

eyes and hardened their heart; lest they should see with
                                                                        Years later, Paul may write jubilantly: "Now I would
their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and should turn
                                                                    have you know, brethren, that the things which have hap-
and I should heal them"?
                                                                    pened unto me have fallen out rather unto the progress of the

   From these Paul desires to be "delivered." This prayer           Gospel, so that my bonds became manifest in Christ through-

was answered. We read of this in Acts 21~27-36  of these            out the whole pretorian guard, and ,to all the rest . . ."

disobedient Jews and of the providential deliverance of             Phil. 1 :12,  13.

Paul by the Roman Chief Captain *and  his soldiers and
                                                                        Thus the "God of Peace" went before Paul in his quiet
centurions.    It was through much political maneuvering on
                                                                    majesty. And the Word of Jesus is fulfilled: "Lo, I am
the part of those in power, that Paul was nevertheless
                                                                    with you always, even to the end (consummation) of the
"protected" from the wrath and fury of the Jews. It was a
                                                                    world."
long road of imprisonment. Paul would be "a prisoner in the

Lord."    And some of the great parts of the Bible come to              Forsooth: the gates of hell cannot prevail against the

us from Paul's pen during that time of his life. How wondrous       church !

are the ways of God ! Paul often refers to these enemies who

would kill him, and prays God that .he be'protected.  Think                                                                      G.L.

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


                                                                     do not punish the adult or the child with the rod of wood
 Ii              I`N H'IS  F E A R                                   or metal. .And when we use the -word punishment we use it
                                                                     in the covenant sphere and therefore have in mind chastise-

                                                                     ment, corrective punishment, methods used and practices
                    Punishment or Praise?                            -employed to-seek to bring to sorrow of sin and repentance

                                                                     with a return to a walk in righteousness. In that light the
                                 (2)                                 rebukes in these seven letters to the seven churches are

        Last time we introduced the matter to which we would         punishment inflicted by the mouth, by the written and spoken
 call your attention and presented three ways in which the           word. And therefore in the very same letters wherein the
 question as to whether we ought to punish or praise, in             church is punished by rebukes, she is also praised by Jesus
 order to obtain orderly and righteous deportment, is an-            Himself.

 swered. .We noted that to some all praise is out of the ques-          We have other examples of this praise to men which

 tion because man can do nothing truly good, and because sin         Jesus uttered. He was .not  afraid to say to the Canaanitish

 may never go unpunished. We also called your attention to           woman herself and to her face, "0 woman, great is thy faith :

 the stand of others that, since man, by God's grace, can do         be it unto thee even as.thou wilt"' Matthew 15 ~28.  And to

 some things that are good even in God's sight, there is room        His followers He said of the Centurion, "Verily I say unto

 for praise, but it must be done very carefully, lest we move        you, I have not, found so great faith, no not in Israel," Mat-

 to conceit and pride and so to a cessation of that good for         thew 8 :lO. Certainly we may conclude that Scripture does

 which we praise.      We also pointed out the other extreme         not forbid the speaking of a word of praise to men, does

 wherein punishment and criticism are almost entirely dis-           not teach us that all praise uttered of and unto men is in

 carded until the .evil  becomes of great magnitude: t,he soft       itself sinful and to be condemned. Our problem remains,

 approach gets you farther than the stern (sometimes erro-           therefore, and whether we are to inflict punishment,, or

 neously called, the big&stick)  approach.                           whether we` are to speak a word of praise, will have to be

        Now as to the matter of there being no room at all to        determined by other considerations. Praise of men is not
 praise a man and that to praise a child can only have the evil      to be discarded and avoided as an evil thing. As a word of
 result that you spoil him, we would call your attention to          encouragement it has a definite and worthy place in our
                                                                     lives as children of God.
 several passages of Holy Writ that clearly set forth the

 praise of a child of God as proper and at times very beneficial.       We might point out in this connection that for us to

We may find this literally stated in the very same epistle           utter this praise to man properly our hearts must be filled

wherein Paul rebukes very severely for, false doctrine and           with praise to God. In fact our praise of men must be praise

 an evil walk. We have in mind Paul's first epistle to the           to God. We must not praise and thank man and also praise

 Corinthians wherein the church is severely' rebuked for her         and thank God. We must praise and thank God and also

 defilement of the table of the Lord in her celebration, or          praise and thank man. We must praise God for that in man

 rather corruption, of the Lord's Supper, and for her heretical      for which we can praise him. It is only in the power, wisdom

 views concerning the resurrection of the dead. To this same         and grace of God that a. man, is able to do anything praise-

 church the apostle writes, "Now I praise you, brethren, that        worthy. We have nothing that we have not received ; and'

 ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as           therefore we must praise Him first of all from Whom these

 I delivered them to you," I Corinthians 1l:Z. And this is in        gifts, abilities and opportunities come. This does not mean

 the same chapter wherein he also wrote in verse 17, "Now            that when we express a word of praise to our fellowmen we

 in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come      must also give literal expression to praise to God. But it

 together not for the better, but for the worse."                    does mean that to praise man properly and with God's ap-

        If more proof is needed we can refer to the seven letters    proval our hearts must be and are swelling `with praise to
 to the seven churches in chapters two and three of the Book         God. It means that the good we see in man, we see as God's
 of Revelation. In these letters we come across several pas-         work for which He deserves our praise.

 sages wherein Jesus Himself tells John to write words of               As far as that "soft approach" is concerned which favors

 praise to the churches as well as rebukes. And let it be under-     only praise. and reserves punishment (discipline) only after

 stood and stated here that when we speak of punishment or           the sin has grown to alarming proportions, we would say

 praise we classify. rebukes, adverse criticism, Christian dis-      that this view is not substantiated by the Scriptures. The

 cipline in the form of barring from the sacraments and even         very expression, "big-stick stuff" seveals  an unspiritual ap-

 excommunication from the church of God as punishment,               proach to the whole matter. The saints whose lives Bnd con-

 We are not simply thinking of using the rod upon the dis-           fessions are recorded on the pages of Holy Writ do not reveal

 obedient child, but at present are busy with the general            such sentiment at all. It is to be understood that some men

 principle and- practice as applied to adults as well as children    desire that "soft approach" since it allows them to practice

 and in the church as well as in the home. In the church you         evil and be immune to discipline, to correction and turning

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


 from their kvil ways. To cover up, to plead for such an               that man can be more exacting about the proper observance

 attitude towards sin in the church or among our children in           of God's ordinances than God Himself is. Granted we can

 the school or home this attitude is called the way of love.           get a man who smiles upon some ways of unrighteousness,

 But it is not so, and the Scriptures do not -designate it as          granted we can find one who is "broadminded," who will

 such. Listen to the Psalmist who sings of God's love, good-           tolerate spiritual carelessness and even laugh with us in

 ness and mercy unto him, ". . . . Thy rod and Thy staff               wickedness, granted we can find one who will talk sweetly

 they comfort me," Psalm 23 :4. The rod and the staff in               to us when we talk wickedly and will utter never a word of

 this Shepherd-Psalm refer to the instruments through which            criticism' of our waywardness,' have we pleased God? Have

 the sheep were kept in the safety of the fold and led to green        we gotten Him to smile also upon our ways ? Will He be

 pastures and unto refreshing waters. It was the means where-          Lore broadminded and less narrow-minded because some

 by the sheep were kept from rushing to their own ruin. For            inen  are that way ? Refugal  to punish our children or even

 the rebellious it was "big-stick stuff"; and these above all          rebuke them, refusal to warn, discipline and condemn in

 knew what the rod and staff were used for by personal                 clear and unmistakable words in the church will not promote

 experience. These were the ones who feared it and therefore           a healthy spiritual condition in the home or in the church ;

 wanted it eliminated. And by the "soft approach" they meant           and these will definitely displease the holy and jealous God

 freedom to, walk in sin and still not be bothered by discipline,      before Whom only perfection c8n stand. .The watchmen upon

 not even by admonitidns and rebukes. Not so the psalmist.             the walls of Zion are warned in no uncertain terms by God

 He knows that he is prone to hate  God as he is by nature.            Himself  to blow the trumpet loudly and clearly with the

 He knows that in his. flesh dwelleth  no good thing. He               statement that the blood of those who are taken away in

 knows that while he walks in sin, he can have no confidence           their iniquity when the watchman did not warn with his

 of being a child of the light. He knows that by their fruits          trumpet "his blood will I require at the watchman's hand,"

 ye shall know them and that as long as the fruit he sees              Ezekiel 33 :6b. Let us not deceive ourselves into thinking

 in his life is wickedness, he cannot have the assurance that          that by escaping the rebuke and warning of men, we also

 he belongs to Christ. He knows too that only the straight             escape the indignation of God. Let ALL things be d&se

 way, the way of God's law leads to heavenly glory, and that           decently and in order, and let rebuke and discipline be- ap-

 those who walk in sin and enjoy sin have no part in God's             preciated.

! kingdom. But he desired a place there, and he would walk
                                                                          Punishment to correct there must he. Praise for the good
 in the light. Therefore he appreciates the fact that God
                                                                       God .enables  us to perform is proper and ,often tends to
. places in His Church the rod and the staff, the "big-stick"
                                                                       necessary encouragement. The question remains, however,
 to keep him in the narrow way and in the confidence that
                                                                       when shall we punish ?, And when shall we praise ? How
the Lord is his shepherd. He finds comfort in the fact that
                                                                       shall that punishment be administered and how is praise
 when he departs into ways of evil, God will bring him back
                                                                       properly uttered ? Of this matter we would say more, D.V.,
 by the rod and the staff. He does not want the soft touch.
                                                                       the next time. In ,His fear we want to know. And in His
 He does not want men to praise him while he walks in evil,
                                                                       fear we want to punish and praise.
 does npt want men to i-espect him and have him for their
                                                                                                                            J . A . H .
 hero when he walks in darkness. No, it makes him feel safe

 to know that there is punishment, there is discipline in his

 church, there are watchmen upon the walls of Zion who

 mean business and sound. the trumpet loudly and clearly to

 warn of destruction and ruin. And he does not want to be                             Notice for Classis  West
a left until his sin has grown to frightening proportions, so

 that even'the world talks about it. He wants it.to be nipped             Classis  West of the Protestant Reformed -Churches will
 in the .bud. He finds comfort in the fact that God will not
                                                                       convene, the Lord willing, in Oak Lawn, Illinois, on Wed-
 tolerate it in his church, that his officebearers are faithful to
                                                                       nesday, March 16, 1960, at 9 :00 a. ti.
 their calling. Those who delight in a way fhat leads awa)

 from God may call it "big-stick stuff," but he calls it the              The consistories are reminded of the rule that all matters

 grace and mercy of `God. For it is also on the basis of this          for the classical agenda must be in the hands of the Stated
 fact that he can say, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow         Clerk not later than 30 days before the date of Classis.
 me all the days of my life: and I shall dwell in the house of

 the Lord forever."    And with the psalmist in Psalm 119 :67`            Anyone needing lodging is requested to write to Rev. G.

 and 71 he says, "Before I was afflicted, I went astray: but           Vanden  Berg, 9402 South 53rd Court, Oak Lawn, Illinois.
 now have I kept Thy word. It is good for me that I have.
 been afflicted: that I might learn Thy statutes."                                                 REV. H. VELDMAN,  Stated  Clerk

    And above &ll,  the whole criticism of discipline that calls                                   817 Webster St.

 it "big stick stuff)'  is rooted wholly in the tintenable position                                Redlands, California.


     232                                                   T H E   S T A N D - A R - D   .BE-ARER


                                                                                universal belief of the Church, declared by the sacred Synod
             Contending For The Faith                                      -    of Trent, is contained in the written books and unwritten
                                                                          .     traditions which have come down to us, having been received
                                                                                by the Apostles from the mouth of Christ himself; or from

                 The Church and the Sacrqments                                  the Apostles themselves, by the dictation of the Holy Spirit,
                                                                                have been transmitted, as it were, from hand to hand. And

                                                                                these books of the Old and New Testament are to be received
                THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION
                                                                                as sacred and canonical, in their integrity, with all their parts,

                      VIEWS ON THE CHURCH                                       as they are enumerated in the decree of the said Council,

                                                                                and are contained in the ancient Latin edition of the Vulgate.

                         F O R M A L   P R I N C I P L E                        These the Church holds to be sacred and canonical, not

                                                                                because, having been carefully composed by mere human
                                  ( c o n t i n u e d )                         inductry, they were afterwards approved by her authority,

                                                                                nor merely because they  contain revelation, with no admix-
            In our preceding article we remarked that the main prin-            ture of error; but because, having been written by the in-
     ciples of the Reformation are usually to be considered to be               spiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author,
     two, namely the formal and the material principle. When                    and have been delivered as such to the Church herself.
     we speak of the formal principle we mean that the Reformers                   And as the things which the holy Synod of Trent decreed
     acknowledged only one source of authority: the Holy Scrip-                 for the good of souls concerning the interpretation of Divine
     tures. Maintaining this principle they stood opposed to the                Scripture, in order to curb rebellious spirits, have been
     views of Roman Catholicism, False Mysticism, and Rational-                 wrongly explained `by some, we, renewing the said decree,
     ism. So, the Reformers took a stand, first of all, which was               declare this to be their sense, that, in matters of faith and
     directly opposed to that of Roman Catholicism. The Roman                   morals, appertaining to the building up of Christian doctrine,
     Catholic Church acknowledged, besides the Word of God,                     that is to be held as the true sense of Holy Scripture which
     also tradition as a source of authority. And in our preceding              our' holy Mother Church hath held and holds, to whom it
.    article we quoted from the Systematic Theology of Hodge                    belongs to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the
     and also from the Decrees of the Council of Trent.                         Holy Scripture: and therefore that it is permitted to no one
        We now wish to quote one more passage from the dogmatic                 to interpret the Sacred Scripture contrary to this sense, nor,
     decrees of the Roman Catholic Church. Chapter 2 of the                     likewise, contrary to the unanimous consent of the Fathers."
     Dogmatic Decrees of the Vatican Council, on the subject of                 - end of quote from the Vatican Decrees.
     Revelation, reads as follows : "The same holy Mother                           In these quotations it is evident that the'Roman  Catholic

     Church holds and teaches .that God, the beginning and end                  Church has decreed that one must "receive and venerate

     of all things, may be certainly known by the natural light of              with an equal affection of piety and reverence all the books
     human reason, by means of created things ; `for the invisible              of the old and of the New Testament, as also the, said
     things of him from the creation of the world are clearly                   traditions, as well those appertaining to faith and to morals,
     .seen, being understood by the things that are made,' but that             as having been dictated, either by Christ's own word of
     it pleased his wisdom and bounty to reveal himself, and the                mouth, or by the Holy Ghost, and preserved in the Catholic
     eternal decrees of his will, to mankind by another and a                   Church by a continuous succession." And in these quotations
     supernatural way: as the Apostle says, `God, having spoken                 the Roman Catholic Church has also decreed that no one
     on diverse occasions, and many ways, in times past, to the                 may presume to interpret the said sacred Scriptures con-
     Fathers by the Prophets; last of all, in these days, hath                  trary to that sense which holy mother Church has held and
     spoken to us by his Son.'                                                  does hold. In fact, no one has the right to interpret the

            It is to be ascribed to this divine revelation, that such           Scriptures contrary to the unanimous consent of the Fathers.

     truths among things divine as of themselves are not beyond                     Before we offer our remarks on this doctrine of Tradition

     human reason, can, even in the present condition of man-                   as set forth by the Roman Catholic Church, we wish to ob-

     kind, be known by every one with facility, with firm as-                   serve that the Protestants rejected everything as having

     surance, and with no admixture of error. This, however,                    authority except the Word of God. This doctrine, as setting

     is not the reason why revelation is to be called absolutely                forth the authority of the Holy Scriptures and that this

     necessary ;    but because God of his infinite goodness has                authority belongs to them exclusively, is also -clearly ex-

     ordained man to` a supernatural end, viz., to be sharer of                 pressed in our Confession of Faith or the Thirty-Seven Ar-

     divine blessings, which utterly exceed the intelligence of the             ticles, in the articles 5-7, which we now quote as follows:

     human mind ; for `eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither                "V.-FROM WHENCE DO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

     hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath                DERIVE THEIR DIGNITY AND AUTHORITY. - We

     prepared for them that love him.'                                          receive all these books, and these only, as holy and canonical,

            Further, this supernatural revelation, according to the             for the regulation, foundation, and confirmation of our faith ;
                                                                                                                                         .


                                                     T    H    E         S    T    A    N    D    A     R    D         B    E    A    R    E    R          233


believing without any doubt, all things contained in them,                              "On this subject Romanists'agree  with Protestants, (1) In

not so much because theChurch  receives and approves them                               teaching the plenary inspiration and consequent infallible au-

as such, but more especially because the Holy Ghost wit-                                thority of the sacred writings. Of these writings the Council

nesseth in our hearts, that they are from God, whereby they                             of Trent says that God is their author, and that they were

carry the evidence in themselves. For the very blind are                                written by the dictation of the Holy Spirit. (2) They agree

able to perceive that the things foretold in them are fulfilling.                       with us in receiving into the sacred canon all the books which

(Notice, please, how this article places the emphasis upon                              we regard as of divine authority.

the witness of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and not upon                                    Romanists differ from Protestants in regard to the Scrip-

any act of the Church to receive and approve them as such ;                             tures, - 1. In receiving into the canon certain books which

notice, too, that, according to this article, the very blind                            Protestants do not admit to be inspired, namely: Tobit,

are able to perceive that the things in the Word of God are                             Judith, Sirach, parts of the Maccabees (the Third Book of

true. We must remember that the Roman Catholic Church                                   Maccabees, however, is not included in the Vulgate), Baruch,

declares that the laity, the common people, are not able of                             the Hymn of the Three Children, Susanna, and Be1  and the

themselves to read and understand the Scriptures - H.V.)                                Dragon. These books are not all included by name in the

V I .   - T H E   D I F F E R E N C E   B E T W E E N   T H E   C A N O N -             list given by the Council of Trent. Several of them are parts

ICAL AND APOCRYPHAL BOOKS. - We distinguish                                             of the books there enumerated. Thus, the Hymn of the Three

those sacred books from the apocryphal, viz. : the third and                            Children, Susanna, and Be1  and the Dragon, appear as parts

fourth book of Esdras, the books of Tobias,  Judith, Wisdom,                            of the book of Daniel. Some modern theologians of the

Jesus Syrach, Baruch, the appendix to the book of- Esther,                              Romish Church refer all the apocryphal books to what they

the Song of the three Children in the-  Furnace, the history of                         call -"The Second Canon," and admit that they are not of

Susannah, of Bell and the Dragon, the prayer of Manasses,                               equal authority with those belonging to the First Canon.

and the two books of the Maccabees. All of which the                                    The Council of Trent, however, makes no such distinction.

Church may read and take instruction from, so far as they                               2. A second point of difference is that Romanist deny, and

agree with the canonical books ; but they are far from having                           Protestants affirm, the completeness of the sticred  Scriptures.

such power and efficacy, as that we may from their testimony                            That is, Protestants maintain that all the extant super-

confirm any point of faith, or of the Christian religion ; much                         natural revelations of God, which constitute the rule of faith

less detract from the authority of the other sacred books.                              to his Church, are contained in his written word. Romanists,

V I I .   - T H E   S U F F I C I E N C Y   O F   T H E   H O L Y   S C R I P -         on the other hand, hold that some doctrines which all Chris-

TURES, TO BE THE ONLY RULE OF FAITH. - We                                               tians are bound to believe, are only imperfectly revealed in

believe that those Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of                            the Scriptures ; that others are only obscurely intimated ; and

God, and that whatsoever man ought to believe, unto salva-                              that others are not therein contained at all . . . but what the

tion, is sufficiently taught therein. For, since the whole                              doctrines are, which are thus imperfectly revealed in the

manner of worship, which God requires of us, is written in                              Scriptures, or merely implied, or entirely omitted, has never

them at large, it is unlawful for any one, though an apostle,                           been authoritatively decided by the Church of Rome. The

to teach otherwise than we are now taught in the Holy                                   theologians of that Church, with more or less unanimity,

Scriptures; nay, though it were an angel from heaven, as                                refer to one or the other of these classes the following doc-

the apostle Paul saith. For, since it is forbidden, to add                              trines :       (1.) The canon of Scripture. (2.) The inspiration

unto or take anything from the Word of God, it doth thereby                             of the sacred writers. (3.) The full doctrine of the Trinity.

evidently appear, that the doctrine thereof is most perfect                             (4.) The personality and. divinity of the Holy Spirit. (5.)

and complete in all respects. Neither do we consider of                                 Infant baptism. (6.) The observance of Sunday as the

equal value any writings of men, however holy these men                                 Christian Sabbath. (7.) The threefold orders of the ministry.

may have been, with those divine Scriptures, nor ought `we                              (S.) The government of the Church by bishops. (9.) The

to consider custom, or the great multitude, or antiquity, or                            perpetuity of the apostleship. (10.) The grace of orders.

succession of times and persons, *or councils, decrees or                               (11.) The sacrificial nature of the Eucharist.               (12.) The

statutes, as of equal value with the truth of God, for the                              seven sacraments. (13.) Purgatory. It lies in the interests of

truth is above all ; for all men are of themselves liars, and                           the advocates of tradition to depreciate the Scriptures and

more vain than vanity itself. Therefore, we reject with all our                         to show how much the Church would lose if she had no

hearts, whatsoever doth not. agree with this infallible rule,                           other source of knowledge of divine truth but the written

which the apostles have taught us, saying, Try the spirits                              word. Tradition is always represented by Romanists as not

whether they are of God. Likewise, if there come any unto                               only the interpreter, but the complement of the Scriptures.

you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your                             The Bible, therefore, is, according to the Church of Rome,

house." - end of quote.                                                                 incomplete. It does not contain all the Church is bound to

    On the question of the Roman Catholic doctrine con-                                 believe,; nor are the doctrines which it does contain, therein

cerning the Scriptures, as also involving Tradition, Hodge                              fully or clearly made known." - end of quote of Hodge.

writes as follows in his Systematic Theology, I, 104-106:                                                                                                H.V.

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


                                                                                              ing to the King James Version, as throughout our Canons.
           The-Voice of Our Fathers                                                           In this article there are some minor variations which the
                                                                                              reader may discover for himself by comparison.


               The Canons of Dordrecht                                                            With this fifth chapter of our Canons we have again a
                                                                                              rather thorough treatment of the errors concerning the doc-

                                  PART Two                                                    trine of perseverance `that are to be rejected. And we may

                                                                                              add : an enlightening and highly. necessary expose of those

                     EXPOSITION OF THB CANONS                                                 errors, and'that  too, for more than one reason. In the first

                                                                                              place, especially in regard to this doctrine- of perseverance
                    FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE
                                                                                              the Arminians were somewhat vague, and in the Fifth Article

             OF THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS                                                of the Remonstrance, at least, they left the impression that

                                                                                              they were themselves undecided and wanted to leave it an
                   R E J E C T I O N .   O F   E R R O R S
                                                                                              open question. There they wrote, with the typical craft of

       (The true doctrine having been explained, the Synod                                    heretics, as follows : "But whether they are capable, through
                                                                                              negligence, of forsaking again the first beginnings of their
                    rejects the errors of those:)
                                                                                              life in Christ, of again returning to this present evil world,

                                                                                              of turning away from the holy doctrine which was delivered
             Article 1. Who tea&:  T h a t   t h e   p e r s e v e r a n c e   o f   t h e
                                                                                              them, of losing a good conscience, of becoming devoid of
             true believers is not a fruit of election, or a gift of

                                                                                              grace, that must be more particularly determined out of the
              God, gamed by the death of Christ, but a condition of

                                                                                              Holy Scripture, before we ourselves can teach it with the
             de new covenant, which (as they declare) man before

                                                                                              full persuasion of our minds." That leaves a rather nice
             his decisive election and justiilcation  must fulilll  through

                                                                                              impression at first sight. They had questions. They wanted
             his free will. For `the Holy Scripture testicles  that this

                                                                                              to be objective about the matter and determine it more
             follows out of election, and is given the elect in virtue

                                                                                              particularly out of the Holy Scripture. And genuine ques-
              of the death, the resurrection and intercession of Christ:

                                                                                              tions are, of course, all right. They are to be commended
              "`But the elect obtained it and the rest were hardened,"

                                                                                              And they are to be answered patiently with a view to con-
             Rom. 11:7. Lilcewise: "He that spared not his own Son,

                                                                                              vincing the questioning .soul. Moreover, if a man has ques-
             but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also

                                                                                              tions,    the only proper place to turn with such ques-
             with him freely give us all things? Who shall lay any-

                                                                                              tions is the Holy Scripture. There he will surely find `the
             thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justi-

             fieth;  who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that                       right answers. But it must be remembered, first of all, that

                                                                                              the Arminians, that is, the Arminian leaders .and  Arminian
              died, yea rather, that was' raised from the dead, who is

              at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession                          clergy, did not have questions in that sense of the word at

                                                                                              all. They had arguments which they deceitfully raised in
             for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"

                                                                                              question-form, - arguments with which they intended to
             Rom. 8:32-35.

                                                                                              overthrow the established Reformed doctrine of the persever-

   Concerning the translation we have the following com-                                      ance of the saints and with which they meant to raise doubts

ments: 1) The expression "true believers" is in the original                                  in the minds of the people. For they saw very well that

"the truly faithful." 2) The term "fruit" is literally "effect"                               if they could only succeed to raise doubts in the minds of

or "consequence," and could better be rendered literally in                                   the ordinary members of the church, they had the proper soil

this case in order to emphasize the cause-and-effect relation-                                in which to plant the seeds of their heresy. Secondly, it must

ship between election and perseverance. 3) The parenthetical                                  be remembered that'even though the doctrine of persever-

expression "(as they declare)" is correctly rendered in the                                   ance was at the time of the Arminian controversy set forth

Dutch, and should be in English,. " (as they speak) ." More-                                  in detail in our Reformed confessions-something which was

over, in our English version it is in the wrong position. It                                  done in our Canom  at the occasion of the Arminian controv-
belongs with the peculiar Arminian expression, "decisive                                      ersy - nevertheless it was not at all true that the doctrine of

election and justification," in order to emphasize that the                                   perseverance was not confessionally established and that this

latter is not the speech of the fathers but of the Arminians.                                 still remained to be done on the basis -of the Scriptures. That

4) In the sentence, "For the Holy Scripture testifies that                                    doctrine was indeed contained in both the Catechism and the

this follows . . . .," the term "this" could for the sake of                                  Netherland Confession. It was confessionally not a question-

clarity better be rendered by "it" or by "this perseverance."                                 able item of the truth. But the Arminians, purposely ignor-

As it stands in our accepted version the reference is not                                     ing the confessions, present it as an open question, one that

clear. 5) Although in this case the translation of the Scrip-                                 still had to be determined in the light of Scripture. In the

ture passages given in the article is more acceptable, yet                                    third place, while it is entirely possible that the "inex-

for the sake of consistency the `texts should be given accord-                                perienced'! might have genuine questions even concerning the


                                              T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                 235


 adopted and established doctrines of the Reformed faith, it           sin in .tb.e believer, and proceed to emphasize the inability of

 was certainly out of place for the leaders and the clergy, who        the saints to persevere if left to themselves. They then devote

 were supposed to .be,  as it were, "instructors of babes," to         two articles to the reality of sin in the believer, to the danger

 have such questions. They are supposed to be founded in               of his succumbing to temptation, and to the spiritual conse-

 the truth and firmly committed to the fundamental doctrines           quences of the believers' sins. And finally, in Articles 6 to 8

 of the church. If they are not, they have no'business occupy-         they treat the truth of perseverance as such.- In this negative

 ing a position of leadership and instruction. Then they should        section, however, the approach is much more direct. Im-

 be sitting in the pew and in the catechism class, still learn-        mediately in this first article the fundamental difference be-

 ing. And therefore, we should always beware of leaders,               tween the Reformed- and Arminian views of perseverance is

 pastors, teachers, who have "questions" as to the fundamental         set forth. They clash with the Arminians head-on. The

 doctrines of the church. Those questions usually turn out to          Reformed view is that election is the cause of perseverance:

 be challenges of the doctrines already confessionally adopted         the perseverance of the true believers is an effect of election.

 and accepted by the church. That is why all office-bearers            The Arminian view is that perseverance is the cause of

 are required to swear in the Formula of Subscription: "And            election: the perseverance of the true believers is the con-

 if hereafter any difficulties or different sentiments respecting      dition of their decisive election. ;Cind  it is through this

 the aforesaid doctrines should arise in our minds, we promise         rejection of errors, therefore, that the sharp difference be-

 that we will neither publicly nor privately propose, teach, or        tween the Reformed truth and the Arminian. heresy is set

 defend the same, either by preaching or writing, until we             forth clearly and that thus the positive truth stands out in

 have first revealed such sentiments to the consistory, classis        clearer light.

 and synod, that the same may be there examined, being
 ready always cheerfully to submit to the judgment of the                  Secondly, we may notice again that the fathers reply to
 consistory, classis  and synod, under the penalty in case of          the Arminian errors throughout this section by quoting
 refusal to be, by that very fact, suspended from our office."         Scripture. As we have bad occasion to note before, this is
 This is an extremely stringent regulation, but it is absolutely       due to the fact that the Arminians themselves refused to be
 indispensable to preserve the uniformity and purity of doc-           bound by the confessions and appealed directly to Scripture.
 trine in the church.                                                  The fathers meet them on their own ground and defend the
                                                                       truth of the confessions on the basis of Scripture. This is
    But to return more directly to the matter of the necessity         proper, of course. Creeds are not infallible; Scripture is.
 of this rejection of errors in the fifth chapter, we may say          And therefore the Holy Scriptures are the supreme court of
 that it is especially true in regard to the doctrine of persever-     appeal. for our creeds. In this connection we may observe
 ance that it is necessary clearly to distinguish between truth        too that in most cases the fathers reply to the Arminians by
 and error. This is due to the peculiar nature of this doctrine,       the simple quotation of Scripture. They do not find it
 and due to the fact that it is in a way easier to complicate          necessary'to engage in a lengthy exposition of the passages
 this doctrine and involve it in all kinds of apparent difficulties    quoted. The simple word of Scripture is clear enough in
 and problems which make it appear to be an untenable doc-             itself to gainsay the various errors rejected. And it will
 trine. This is not to say that the doctrine of perseverance is        surprise you how true this is in general of all heresies. This
 a difficult and involved doctrine as such. On the contrary, it        does not mean that the exposition of Holy Writ is unneces-
 is very simple. The core of it is : God sovereignly preserves         sary -and that it is not beneficial. But it does ,indeed  mean
 His elect. But because it is especially here that one deals           that the truth is essentially simple and clear, and that it is
 with the saints as conscious, thinking, willing, active crea-         clearly and simply set forth in the Scriptures. In most
 tures, active participants in the, grace of Christ Jesus, and         cases it can be shown that heresy literally opposes the Scrip-
 because it is especially in regard to this doctrine that one          t u r e s .
 is confronted by the action and reaction between the flesh

 and the spirit, the old and the new nature of the Christian;              With this in mind we may study this last section of our

 it is especially easy to lead one into a veritable labyrinth          Cafto,ts. We have devoted a good deal of attention to these

 of speculations and difficulties in regard to this doctrine until     matters in order to emphasize once again the importance and

 one finally begins to fed that the only proper way out of             the vaiue of the Rejection of Errors, a distinctive feature of
 those difficulties is the Arminiaa  way. For this reason it is        our Canons. This is necessary in times such as ours when
 indeed good and necessary that our fathers set forth the              there is a growing loathing to call attention to error, and,
 Arminian errors and expose them for what they are worth.              along with that loathing, a false emphasis on areas of agree-

    We may notice in this connection, first of all, that the           ment and similarity. Our fathers considered a Rejection of

 approach in this negative section of the Fifth Head is some-          Errors necessary. If tie listen to the "Voice of our Fathers,"
 what different than in the positive section. In the latter the        we will be of a like mind.
fathers approached the truth of perseverance rather gradu-

 ally. They begin with the fact of the indwelling remnants of                                                                   H.C.H.

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


                                                                                  We like to believe that such progress has been made so that
            DECENCY and ORDER                                                     there will be no future need for using these things but this
                                                                                  can only be based on a false assumption that the causes of or

                                                                                  reasons for misconduct and misbehavior are only ignorance.

    "At the close of the classical and other major assemblies,                    We may perhaps pride ourselves in that we have come to
 censzhre  shall be exercised over those, who in the meeting                      know more and are, therefore, better but history has shown
 have done sow<ething worthy of punishment, 01 who have                           again and again that we may not rely on mere assumptions
 scomed the admonition of the minor assemblies.."                                 and certainly not when those assumptions are false to begin
                                       - A                                        with. As long as evil exists, provisions such as these, dealing
                                              R T I C L E  4 3 ,   D . K . O .

                                                                                  with the administration of censure up.on  misdeeds, will have

                  Ecclesiastical Censure                                          to be retained and on occasion used. Furthermore, it is far
                                                                                  better to have these provisions and not to need them than
    "And furthermore, with this the Synod was. concluded ;                        to have a circumstance arise in which they are needed and
 and the .censure  being held, nothing was found (God be                          then not to have them.
 praised!) to be worthy of punishment, but all things took                           Distinction must be made between the various kinds of
 place with edification and peace, and thus the actions were                      censure mentioned in our Church Order. Besides that cen-
 concluded with thanksgiving to God."                                             sure that is mentioned in Scripture and in which believers

    The above words record, the concluding minute of the                          are enjoined to rrad*nonisJz  one another" (Rom. 15 :14), the

 Particular Synod of Alkmaar in 1593. They indicate not                           Church Order speaks of the official censure and discipline of

 only that the fact that it was something of special note that                    the church which is to be administered toward those who in

 a Synod was held in which there was no reason or occasion                        doctrine and life depart from the Word of God. This is

 to administer censure but also that in those years the provi-                    treated in Articles 71 through 78. Following this the Church

 sion of Article 43 of our present Church Order was very                          Order also speaks of the censure of office bearers who, be-

 much needed. The reason for this was obviously to be                             cause of public, gross sins, must be suspended or deposed

 found in the fact that during the post-reformation era-many                      from their respective offices. This we find in the 79th and

 of the uneducated were admitted to the services of the                           80th Articles. In Article 81 we have the provision of

 churches. They knew very little, if anything at all, concern-                    mutual censure of office bearers preceding each celebration

 ing proper decorum and as a result order and-decency fre-                        of the Lord's Supper and generally referred to as "censura

 quently were not maintained in the classical and synodical                       moye'Mz."    Finally, in Article 35 provision is made whereby

' meetings. There was need for some provision by which a                          the president of ecclesiastical assemblies is empowered to

 special censure could be applied to those who were the                           exercise censure or discipline upon those who are captious or

 cause of disorder and disturbances in these meetings. Op-                        vehement in speaking.

 portunity, therefore, under the provisions of this article was                      From all these forms of censure that which is mentioned

 given to the assembly to exercise a sort of mutual censure at                    in Article 43 must be kept distinct. The following elements

 the close of each gathering. This was generally done im-                         must be kept in mind in this connection:

 mediately after the delegates from all the churches had been                         First of all, it (censure) is something that is to be exer-
 asked the questions of Article 41.                                               cised "at the close of the ecclesiastical meeting." It cannot

    The provisions of Article 43 are hardly ever used any                         come up at any time during the meeting, as for example,

 more today. Momma  and Van Dellen  remark in The                                 may be the case in connection with the censure of Article 35.

 Chwch  Order-  Co+nmentary,    "We may note with gratitude                       It does not arise out of a concrete case as would be the case

 that we have really outgrown the need of Article 43, at least                    with matters of Articles 79 and SO. It is not something that

 as far as its first provision is concerned." We surmise that                     has been treated thoroughly by the Consistory first and then

 this sentiment may have also had something to. do with the                       presented to either Classis or Synod for advice or judgment.

 fact that this article does not appear in any form in the                        It is entirely a genera.1 censure for which time and opportun-

 Christian Reformed proposed revision of the Church Order.                        ity is arranged following the asking of the questions of Article

 The feeling is that this article has outgrown its usefulness.                    41 (also a form of censure), after all the business of the

 Seldom do we witness such gross misconduct or misbehavior                        meeting has been transacted.        ,

 in our ecclesiastical assemblies that this censure is'necessary                     Secondly, it is not stated in the article who shall exercise
 and in such instances where it might appear, it is generally                     this censure. The conclusion, therefore, is warranted that
 taken care of under the provisions of another article in the                     this `is to be done by the entire assembly. Opportunity must
 Church Order.                                                                    be given to all the delegates to express whether they have

    However, there certainly is no harm in retaining a provi-                     any reason that censure ought to be applied to any fellow-

 sion such as this in the Church Order and there is a real                        member for misconduct during the meetings of the assembly.

 danger that the church may suffer serious loss by eliding it.                    And, if such should be the case, the entire assembly would


                                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                          237


have to judge the matter and decide by majority vote whether                                rebuke. If the matter is serious enough that the major as-

to administer that censure.                                                                 sembly by motion censures, it must also be ready to follow
                                                                                                                            /
    Thirdly, the censure pf this article is limited to the                                  that action through.

conduct of the members during the meeting. It does not                                         As to the second possibility mentioned, we would rule

cover "doctrine and life" in general as these are covered by                                that out because the Classis  and Synod do not possess that

other forms of Christian discipline mentioned above. The                                    authority. The authority to suspend and depose from oflice

phrase in the article %ho in the meeting" must be applied                                   lies with the consistory and, further, even if this power did

to both of the following clauses: "have done something                                      belong to the major assemblies, it would not be used with-

worthy of p~uniskment"  and "Jave scorned the admonition of                                 out preceding labor in behalf of the offending brother.

the winor  assemblies." thus, for example, if a member of' a                                   As to the third possibility, it may be pointed out- that
consistory who.scorned  the admonitions of that body were                                   two things enter in here. First, there is the question whether
delegated to the Classis, he could not be censured under the                                the offending brother will apologize and confess the wrong
provisions of this article for that offense. He would have to                               for which he is being censured. If he does the matter can be
be treated and censured by the Consistory under different                                   dropped. If he does not, further action would necessarily
provisions,       If, however, during the meeting of the Classis                            follow to bring him to repentance. Secondly, just what the
itself, he openly scorned the admonitions of the consistory,                                nature of this action would be would depend somewhat on
the provisions of censure in this article would apply. This is,                             the seriousness of the offense committed. As we stated,
therefore, a limited censure and should occasion arise where                                however, if it is serious enough to require ecclesiastical cen-
this  would be used, the assembly must keep this in mind                                    sure and there is no repentance, it would seem that almost
when judging a given case.                                                                  without exception the matter would have to go to the con-
     Finally, the reasons given for the application of this                                 sistory for further treatment. It would then .be up to the
censure are two. First, `%onduct  worthy of punishvute@"  and                               consistory to decide. what further steps are needed to bring
secondly, Crscorning the ad*zonition  of the minor assemblies."                             the brother to sorrow and repentance of his misdeeds.
A s   t o   t h e   f i r s t ,   t h e   t e r m   punishment   r e f e r s   t o   ec-
                                                                                                                                                   G.V.d.B.
clyiastical  punishment in distinction from civil p.unishment.

It refers to disorderliness and misconduct as a delegate by

which  the proceedings of the meeting are disturbed. Such

things might not be touchable by civil punishment but they

certainly are worthy of ecclesiastical censure. Both of, these                                                      Announcement
reasons touch upon the matter of maintaining good order

and decency in ecclesiastical assemblies. This cannot be                                       The Hope Protestant Reformed Christian School will be

maintained when delegates are either unruly or when they                                    in need of teachers for grades 2, 3, 4, and 5, 6 and 7, for
scorn admonitions of minor assemblies. Whereas Christ has                                   the school year 1960-1961.
`ordered that all things. shall be done decently and in good
order in His church, the disturbance of this order is censur-                                                       Contact Mr. D. Meulenberg

able sin.                                                                                                                   1743 Moelker, S. W.

     In' conclusion we must still ask the question : "Of what                                                               Grand Rapids 4, Michigan

does this censure consist?'                                                                                                 A R   6 - 3 7 4 2

     Is this to be regarded simply as a brotherly admonition

inflicted by the assembly upon the offender and upon which

-no subsequent action is to take place ? Or, must we think of

this in such a way that if the occasion arises where the                                                                  Notice
Classis  or Synod passes such censure upon a member of the

assembly that this is in effect a decree of suspension from                                    Whereas the Protestant Reformed School Society of

office ? A third possibility is that the major assembly in a                                Loveland, Colorado, hopes, in the near future, to open its
matter of this nature would follow its action with a report                                 ow-n  school, the Board would like to contact any and all
of the offense to the consistory of which the offender is a
                                                                                            teachers or teachers-to-be who would be interested. This in
member and this would imply that the consistory would take
any further necessary action in treating the brother.                                       order to gain and give information as to all known details

     As to the first of these possibilities, the matter is not as                           to date.

 simple as that. This might be the case with regard to the                                                           Contact :
censure of Article 35 which is imposed by the president of                                                                          Gilbert R. Griess

the assembly but in Article 43 it is the entire body that                                                                           Route 1, Box 2%

 censures and this is more serious. than to be dropped with a                                                                       Loveland, Colorado

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


                                                                      special role as the moral teachers of the nations. When
               ALL  A R O U N D   U S                                 Messiah comes, restoration will come to the Jews, and
                                                                      through the Jews to the world. Until then, Jews inust  surely

                                                                      remain Jews !"
  "Why Jews Remain Jews"
                                                                         Non-Orthodox Jews, those known as Conservative or

         The Chktian  Herald of February, 1960, ,presents  an         Reform, the writer contends, "do not accept the idea of a

  interesting article written by Dr. Stuart E. Rosenberg, Rabbi       personal Messiah at all, they can hardly be expected to be

 of Beth Tzedec Congregation, Toronto, Ontario, on the sub-           attracted to the Christian Messiah. Instead, they speak of a

 ject in quotation marks above.                                       `Messianic Age' yet to come. They believe that, in fact, the

         Our impression is that the author mocks with every           Jewish Messiah idea never centered in the personality of the
 attempt on the part of Christianity to convert the Jew. Ac-          man, who was a convenient symbol of earthly authority, but
  cordingly, the Orthodox Jew will parry every question the           rather upon the qualities of moral leadership which would
  Christian missionary will fling at him with an answer well          be experienced in the `Days of the Messiah.' "

  documented in his tradition.                                           Dr. Rosenberg `points out that "the unique values of

                                                                      Jewish messianism- that which sets Judaism apart and
         For instance, the Christian $11 propose that the Messiah
                                                                      makes its viewpoint distinctive - is the forward-thrust of
  the Christian believes in was a `Jew and thus appeal is made
                                                                      its ethical optimism. Most people long for the Golden Age
  to have the Jew recognize that Jesus is his own kinsman
                                                                      of the past; Jews, alone, have set their faces toward the
  according to the flesh. The Jew will retort with the question :
                                                                      Golden Age yet to be - not outside of history, but within it !
  Which Messiah ? Is he Isaiahs "human, flesh-and-blood king
                                                                      The Kingdom of God- which Jews have understood to be
  of the Jew&  ? Or Paul's New Testament version of the Old
                                                                      an earthly kingdom, not some abstract, theological dominion
  Testament, Messiah ?"     The Jew has no respect for the latter
                                                                      - they,have  equated with the Messianic Age. Warlessness
  because this Messiah had claims of identity with divinity. The
                                                                      is its chief hallmark. Where, then, is the Messiah, they ask?
  Orthodox Jew informs you that they have a law which for-
                                                                      Man has not yet earned a Golden Age, they answer. But
  bids the worshipping of any other than the one true God. If
                                                                      they are certain that he can-and will."
  Paul's Messiah is divine they will have nothing of him.

                                                                          Because of the position described in the above paragraph,
         "Above all else, the Messiah, for Jews, came to mean-a
                                                                      the Jews are not interested in a life after death, but in the
  sy&bol of a righteous leader who would direct his people in
                                                                      perfection of the life they now have on the earth. They
  justice to lead the world to peace. Surely, as far as they'are
                                                                      are never satisfied with the achievements of the past oi
  concerned, the Messianic times which Christians claimed to
                                                                      present. Their attainments to the perfection of work accord-
  have arrived with the coming of Jesus, have not brought
                                                                      ing to the `Law must reach still greater heights of perfection
  peace to the people of Israel: Far from it. Jews have suffered
                                                                      before the stage is set for the coniing  of Messiah. The Jew
  at the hands of some devout Christians in the past -men
                                                                      knows of no "Dark Ages," and his "ceaseless spiritual energy
who rationalized their unethical behavior toward Jews by
                                                                      may not `be unrelated to still another fundamental barrier
  conveniently loaditig  upon .their  victims the divine blame of
                                                                      to Jewish conversion.    Jews do recognize `crisis' in their
  not accepting Jesus. (At times it has even appeared that
                                                                      world-view, but not the crisis created by the forbidding face
  some people who were not quite sure if Jesus even lived,
                                                                      of death. The crisis which Jews understand is the crisis
  were most certain that the Jews had killed him !) This kind
                                                                      which results from an ztnfulfilled  life. This is what motivates
 of religious thinking could surely not succeed in drawing
                                                                      the Jew to seek ethical solutions rather than to leap away
 Jewish people closer to Christianity."
                                                                      from life in the name of faith. Why, Jews ask, create addi-
     The author further contends that Orthodox Jews "still            tional anxieties by constantly confronting man with the
 believe in the advent of a personal Messiah, they see him as         burden of original sin and `the mistery  of the unfathomable
 a man- `King of Israel'  - who will come, first of all, to           world to come ? In the words of Dr. Abba Hillel Silver,
 restore Israel as a `light unto the nations.' Indeed, so strongly    Jews prefer to train their efforts tipon men's `needless and
  do they emphasize the primacy of a religious restoration that       profligate waste of their limited years, the unassayed tasks,
 many of them do not even recognize the establishment of the          the locked opportunities, the talents withering in disuse, and
  State of. Israel as an important event in the religious histdry     all the summoning but untrodden ways of mind and soul
 of the Jews. Some see the longings for political sovereignty         which give rise to men's spiritual malaise and deep-rooted
 and national normalcy- which the State of Israel represents          and undefined sorrows of their lives . . . Whatever is in-
 ---as a diversion from the real task confronting Jews."              herent, universal atid  inevitable in the race of man does not

         "Jews, they maintain, can only be restored religiously-      constitute a crisis.'

 not politically - and this can not come about unless and until          "The crisis of our time, and of all time, Jews say, is

 all Jews become better Jews ; they must observe the Law of           essentially moral and not theological. Thus, Jews have no

  God as revealed in Scripture, thus becoming worthy of their         urgent need to convert `to a point of view, which, in their


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               239


judgment, does not offer them better answers to the prob-           enshrines without a deep and sympathetic understanding of

lems of human life than those they already possess."                Judaism.

    Finally, Dr. Rosenberg presents the argument why Jews               "By the same token, a blind spot for Judaism and its

will not be converted, and that rests on the fact that the          religious values will leave one blind to the deepest meaning

Jew has given up his missionary zeal. At the beginning of           of the New Testament and the religion it sets forth . . .

the Christian era, he believed in controversy, also in zeal-        For many centuries the relation between Christianity and

ously imposing his views on others, especially those con-           Judaism has been enveloped in a fog of misunderstanding,

verted to Christianity., He is not - igterested  in religious       m&representation, and controversy. Until quite recently,

rivalry any longer.                                                 most theological writers have taken a wholly negative view

    "Jews who wish to remain Jews say to their Christian            of the parent religion of .the Christian church, treating it as

friends : Not until nations and communities learn to live           merely the foil against which to show the superiority of

together in peace, respecting their separate integrities -          Christian teaching, and thus widening the gulf which already

which, after all, create the differences -can the Messiah or        separated the two faiths."    Dr. Grant concludes that this

the Golden Age be said to have come."                               antipathy against Judaism is not so much a slur against

    The above may be the reasons why the Jews remain                Judaism as it is against Christianity. He describes the whole
Jews. But in spite of what Dr. Rosenberg says, we believe           Anti-Semitic movement as Anti-Christian.

there is Scriptural warrant to believe that God is able to              One feels that Dr. Grant is 5 liberal who has not much

break down his stubborn will and to make him recognize              sympathy for controversy of any sort, much less for churches

Jesus as his Savior and the Head of the Body into which he          who condemn others for their doctrinal tenets and practices.

is also to be engrafted by a living faith. This warranty we         Considered in this light we do not care much for the writing

find in Romans 11. On this ground the Christian Church              of Dr. Grant. Rather, we chose the company of the Apostle

will continue to realize the command of Christ to go into all       Paul who also had no respect for the doctrines of Judaism.

the world and preach the Gospel, to the Jew first and also          He considered them the denial of the Christ, and the efficacy

to the Gentile. As we have before written, we believe that          of His saving work. Viewed in this light, the answer to

this mission to the Jew has the unfailing promise of God            the question : Is Anti-Semitism Also Anti-Christian? is, NO !

that it shall prosper.                                                 However, we do believe that the "hate the Jew" campaign

                                                                    which has been waged throughout history and has been
`(Is Anti-Semitism Also Anti-Christian P                            started anew recently is Anti-Christian. What is un-Chris-

    This question Dr. Frederick C. Grant seeks to answer in         tian is anti-Christian. He that is not for must be against. As

a book recently published by the Macmillaq  Company and             we suggested under the sub-title "Why Jews Remain Jews"

entitled Ancient Judaism and the New Testawwnt,  excerpts           above, God has appointed the Christian church to preach the
of which are published in an article appearing in U.S. News         Gospel to the Jew first. One can hardly do that to one he

& World Report of February 8, 1960.                                 hates.

    As most of our readers have no doubt read in the news-             So long as the Christian church is true to her calling and

papers and other periodicals, there has been a recent wave          true to, the Word of God,' she will continue her controversy

of Anti-Semitism not only in Western Germany but also               with `those of the synagogue which the apostle calls the

`in our own country. Nazi swastikas with accompanying               synagogue of Satan. But she will do this with the same

signs, such as, "Down with the Jews," "Kill the Jews," etc.,        tenderness and great love which was evinced by the apostle

have appeared in several public places, notably Jewish syna-        Paul who had great heaviness and sorrow in his heart for

,gogues.                                                            his kinsmen according to the flesh. Anti-Semitism is not a

    Dr. Grant's book, however, is not' directed against this        battle against flesh and blood, but against spiritual powers of
most recent surge of Anti-Semitism. He has :n mind the              darkness which still envelop and .so obviously principle the
rather concerted attempt throughotit  history of theologians        Jew. We say again what we intimated before, that the Word
and others to ignore or criticize the productions of Judaism.       of God, spoken in truth, is the only power that shall dispel
He accuses the Anti-Semitics of bigotry, and in the last anal-      that darkness and liberate the Jew from its power.
ysis of Anti-Christianism.                                                                                                    M.S.

    The writer, whose book is quoted in the magazine above
referred to, speaks with much appreciation of the contribu-                                    Notice

tions of Judaism -to Christianity. Writes he, "It is the               All Synodical  and Classical announcements will be pub-

purpose of this book to show that the relations between the         lished free of charge. All other announcements, In Memo-

New Testament and ancient Judaism, that is, between the             riam, Anniversaries, Meetings, etc., should be accompanied by

early Christian church, its hopes, beliefs, and practices, above    $2.00 fee, and  should be sent to J. Dykstra, 1326 W. Butler

all its worship, and the mother faith, are such that one can-       Ave., S. E., Grand Rapids 7, Michigan.

not truly understand the New Testament or the religion it                                                     The R.F.P.A. Board


                                               __-~ ._ _.._ ._-_                            j_-----              .I
240 ` - `- -."                                   ` T H E   S T A N D A R D   `BEARE-R



                                                                                  The January seminar:of the.Prot.  Ref. Teachers was held
11. NEWS FROM OUR CHURCHES 11 on the afternoon of. the 29th in the Adams St. School; in the
                                                                               evening. the school&was the meeting place of the' Federation
                 "`A!1  the sairttssal~ute  thee . . ." P H I L .   4:21 11
                                                                               Board ,of: the Prot, Ref :' School Society.

                                                                               -. -Bulletin quote (Oak Lawn's), from the works of, T.
                                                 February `5, 1966'
                                                                               Manton  : "Works. .are not the condition of `justification, yet

   Rev. H. Hanko declined the call from Randolph.as  did                       they are the evidence of it. By the righteousness of faith

Rev.- C. Hanko.his  call from the congregation of .Hull.  Eclger-              we are acquitted from sin, and by the righteousness of works

ton is happy to announce that Rev. B. Woudenberg has                           are we, acquitted from guile and hypocrisy. Though works

heeded her call to come over and. help her. Further plans                      have nothing to `do with-the court of heaven in the matter

have not as yet been made public.                                              of justification, yet they have a voice and testimony in the

   The Hope ,Prot. Ref. School Circle in a January meeting                     court of conscience."

decided to finance one room of a four-room addition to the                        News from Pella, which may safely be called the smallest
school. The faithful support of the people was manifested                      group in our denomination, if not in the world. Undaunted,
by the turnout at the supper held in Hudsonville's church                      they meet every Sabbath Day, barely meeting the require-
January 21, the first project of the Circle following the above                ments of Matt. 18 :20, but, nevertheless rejoicing in the
decision.                                                                      promise of our Lord contained therein. Sunday mornings,
    January 31st found Rev-. Lanting in the familiar pulpit of                 before services, they eagerly listen to the-Reformed Witness
his former church, Grand Haven, while student J. Kortering                     Hour coming over Station KBOF  in Oskaloosa. In their .
occupied- the pulpit of Holland.                                               divine worship services they listen to a tape recorded sermon
    Holland's pastor and his family moved into their new                       from the morning services of First Church in Grand Rapids.
parsonage in the latter part of January, the men of the con-                   In the afternoon they listen to the reading of a sermon.
gregation making quick work of preparing the manse the day                     Pella uses this column to express heartfelt thanks to the
before its occupancy.                                                          Young .People's Society of First Church who make it pos-
    Advance notice : A Prot. Ref. Music Festival .is planned                   sible for them to enjoy the tape recording. At present our
for March. 13. The Southeast Young People's Society is                         Home Missionary, Rev. G. Lubbers is. laboring in the Pella
sponsoring `this meet, inviting all the organized musical                      area for nine- weeks, giving that tiny congregation the en-
groups of the. area churches to participate. The place : First                 joyment of preaching services during that time. Let us join
Church auditorium. Another coming event: Adams St.                             them in their prayer, "that the -Missionary's work may be
School Mothers' Club hostess dinner, Feb. 25. And, March                       blessed ; that God may add others to our number, confessing
17 is the date `set for the lecture by Rev. H.. Hoeksema,                      His name with us."
sponsored by the First Men's Society ; topic : "The Infallibil-
                                                                                   The first Saturday morning catechism class at South
ity of the Scriptures." Place: First Church.
                                                                               Holland opens its meeting with the singing of the first
    Holland's _ adult membership travelled to Cutlerville
                                                                               stanza of Psalter No. 53, and closes with the first verse of
Feb. 4th to be guests of the Children's Retreat people in a
                                                                               No. 200. Rev. Heys asks the parents to teach the little ones
tour of the Retreat to see the housing and teaching facilities
                                                                               to commit these songs to memory.
provided for the children being cared for in that tine in-
                                                                                   Our beloved Emeritus Professor G. M. Ophoff led First's
stitution.    No doubt, they came away from there, as did
                                                                               Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Society in an after recess meditation, Feb.
many other. like groups, with a clearer understanding and
                                                                               3rd, on the amazing Scripture found in Phil. 2 :5-S. Amazing
appreciation of the work of those dedicated teachers at the
                                                                               truth, indeed: as that dedicated servant of God pointed out
Retreat.
                                                                               to his audience ; that God in Christ emptied Himself of all
   We are advised that Rev. Vos' speech at the Deacons'
                                                                               His Divine Powers which might overcrowd His perfect
Conference was well received. The speaker graphically
                                                                               humanity as described in verses 7 and 8. .Behold  our God
showed the deacons that their work was based upon the
                                                                               lying in a manger, a helpless babe entirely dependent upon
foundation of the Love of Christ. for His people; and, that
the deacons were highly privileged to be chosen to dispense                    human beings for food and drink and life itself! Marvel of
the Mercies of Christ as they distribute the tokens of that                    the' plan of salvation as carried out by the Captain of our
                                                                               salvation in voluntary self surrender and obedience to the
love to the poor in the congregation.
    Oak Lawn's "old,' and "new" consistory get-together                        extreme of death, yea to the death of the cross !

scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 28, was postponed to the next                        Some after recess discussion topics in -various societies :

week Friday. The postponement was due to the lecture to                        Baptism of adults, Covetousness, Christian Unity, Christian

be given in South Holland on the above date. The speaker,                      Entertainment, and, Should Art. 70 of our Church Order be
Rev. R. Veldman of Southeast Church in Grand Rapids ;                          changed ?

the subject, "Infant Baptism and its Practical Significance.,,                    . . . . see you in church.                           J.M.F.


