                                                         _: `.
                                                                     our days. This is not-a mere threat which might probably
                                                                II be..carried  out' in the hereafter, in hell, but which we might
                                                                     still escape. This curse is upon us even now. For the soul

                                                                     that sins must die: He `who.. sins becomes a slave to sin;

                                                                     under the righteous `judgment of God. He becomes .ever
          THE JUST-SHALL LIVE BY FAITH                               deeper enmeshed in a net from which there is no escape.
                  "The just &all  live by his faith." Gab.  2 :4b    His end is eternal destru&ion, for the Lord's verdict is:

                                                                     "My soul has no delight in him. Depart from Me, ye worker
   ""The just shall live by faith."                                  ,of iniquity."                             L
  .I.` This is the ever-recurring testimony of the gospel of            No ones  realizes' this but the sinner who has been made
 Jesus Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation. It          conscious of -his sin `and guilt in the sight of the Most
  is the, Word of the living God that penetrates into the            High. He knows that no sin, be it ever so small, ever                 c
 ,-awful  night of our present darkness, flooding the soul of        escapes the eye of the righteous Judge of heaven. and, earth.
 the believer with light and life. It is the reassuring witness      He hides his face in shame and contrition as he realizes how
  of the Holy Spirit in our hearts working peace and ,hope           depraved he is before Him, how `leprous, how altogether
  and victory.                                                       worthy of condemnation. The author of Psalm ninety ex-

     The just man shall live.- He shall have life. through faith.    presses it perfectly.when  he cries : "In Thy wrath our spirits

                                                                     languish, sinful `heath  Thy searching eye ; all our days are

                                                                     passed in anguish, in Thy wrath we pine and die."

     God gives this promise of life in the midst of death.              In that desperately hopeless night of "sin and death God

                                                                     proclaims the glad tidings of the Gospei  of -Jesus Christ :.
  Our present existence is very really only a continual
                                                                     "The just shall &F.`(
  death. Conscious of that fact, the apostle Paul cried out, "I

die every day." One reason. why we are not more-fully aware             `The text,' no doubt, refers to gternai  I+. How shall we

  of this fact is that we have never known any other condition       describe it? This we know, it is the very opposite of the

  but death. Sin and death held sway over us when we en--            death, of which we just spoke. Death is separation from God,

  tered this .world, and they have held us in bondage ever           life -is fellowship with Him. Death is the torment of the

  since.  We cannot even form a mental picture of what this          wrath of -God against sin, life is the blessed experience of His

  world would be without sin and death. Ever since our first         perfect approval. Death is ,the'dark  anguish of God's hatred,

  parents .transgressed  by `eating of the forbidden `tree in        life is the glorious communion of His love. Death is described

  paradise the sentence of death was placed upon a fallen            to us as a weeping and -gnashing of teeth, where .the  worm _

  human race. One generation after another enters in a world         never dies and the fire is never quenbhed.;  life is `described as

  where death has dominion. We spend our- days within the            the wedding feast, in which we sing thesong  of Moses and
                                                                                               .<
  prison house of death.                                             the Lamb.                _ x

     Scripture speaks of the fear of -death that  holds us :in        -Life  is fellowship with God in Jesus Christ. We shall see

- bondage all our -lives. A slight pain  raises forebodings of a     Him .face to face, and' we shall know. as we are known., We

  sick-bed, fears of a dread disease, a grim picture of an           shall be guests at gis'table.  We shall drink of the streams of

  operation or a newly dug grave; Dangers actually lurk              life that `flow from the throne. We shall be satisfied with

  everywhere, threatening to destroy us.-                            His righteousness forever.

     Yet this is but a small aspect of the power of death that          Life is, moreover, the eternal experience of divine ap-

  ravages a mortal man. We are conceived and born in sin,            proval. Of thetwicked  God says: My soul has no delight in

  even as chil,dren  of wrath. The curse of God is upon us all       him. But He blesses His people as sons and daughters in


       His house. He bestows upon them the inheritance that He                    guilty, just or unjust.       He makes the guilty inexpressibly

       has prepared particularly for them. They are blessed for-                  miserable by giving them over to death- He declares the
     . ever.                                                                      righteous free from sin and guilt, and gives them a blessed

               That life we shall experience in perfection in heaven. But         foretaste of their eternal peace and joy.

       we also share in it already in' this present time. The Spirit                      The just He blesses with life, even everlasting life;

       transforms us into new creatures. We have the life of Christ                    But that only accentuates the question : Who is that just

       within us. The Spirit declares with our spirit that we are                 one whom God declares righteous ?

       sons of God. And He assures us that, since we are sons, we                         He is not the man that appeals to his own' works. Jesus

       are also heirs. We shall never die ; for he that believeth in              warns us that in the day of judgment there will be many

       Christ, though he be dead, yet shall he live. And we shall be              who will say, "Lord, Lord, have I not prophesied in Thy

       forever with the Lord.               -                                     name ? and in Thy name `cast out devils ? and in Thy name

                                                                                  done many wonderful works ?" "And then I will profess unto
               ?nly Almighty God can give us that life. Just as the
     Almighty created the heavens and-the earth in the beginning,                 them; I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work
       calling the things that were not as though they were, so He                iniquity." We know the experience of the rich, young ruler,
      now calls the dead sinner out of death into life. The second                who sought Jesus. the confessed that he had scrupulously
       wonder is even.greater  than the first,, for I-I?  `changes children       kept all the things written in the iaw, even to the very letter
       of Satan into sons of the living God. Just as the Savior once              since his early youth, but he was still burdened with the
       stood at the grave of Zazarus,  saying, "Lazarus, come forth,"             question : "What must I do to inherit eternal life?' For
       so also He causes ,the  dead to hear the voice of the Son ~of              God's law is not a mere code of precepts governing our ex--
       man, and they that hear shall live. And again the, second                  ternal  behavior. God is not satisfied with a mere appearance
                                                                                  .
       wonder is so much greater than the first, for. Lazarus came                of obedience. God's law demands love. It requires-: Thou
       back into an earthly existence, while we are given.a new and               shalt love the Lord thy God. It demands: Thou shalt do.30
       heavenly life that abides forever. The Word of .God is mighty              in thy actions, words; thoughts, and the very impulses of thy
       and efficacious. It is the power of God unto salvation that                heart,`always.  That man shall live that does these things.
       comes to us through the Gospel.                                                    But who is able ?& Well may .we  ask : Who, then, can be
                                                                                  saved ?- For we find in ourselves the very opposite. Not that
                                      *.* * 8                                                       _.
                                                                                  we love God a little, at certain. times, and that we sometimes

                                                                                  fall short. No, we hate God. Our very nature is hateful. : We
               You will notice'that it is the just wean  that`shall live; -Not
                                                                                  always hate God and always manifest that hatred against the
      every one is given this assurance.. `Nor does everyone: have
                                                                                  neighbor. We cannot love Him.. Even our pretense of loving
      the right to this assurance. Also the -prophet  Isaiah makes
                                                                                  God and our neighbor is only pure selfishness, and therefore,
      the distinction. between the just and the unjust, declaring,
                                                                                  a mere show, which is nothing short of hatred; The inclina-
      "Say unto the righteous that it shall be'well  with him, for
                                                                                  tions of our hearts are only evil continually.
      he shall eat of the fruit of their doings. Woe to the wicked!
                                                                                          Who, then, is the just man? Can you or I stand in that
,     it shall be ill with. him, for the reward of his hands shall be
                                                                     _.           judgment uncondemned ?
      given him."
                                                                                          .There is only one -who is just. And that is our Lord
               The promise is very personal. `The just - that man `shall          Jesus Christ. He came into our flesh and entered under our
      l i v e .
                                                                                  law some nineteen hundred' years ago. He loved the Lord
               The just man is one who is perfectly, righteous according          with His whole being, even though it meant for- Him that He
      to the verdict of the holy and righteous Judge of heaven                    would be cast into the anguish of eternal, hell. He was obe-
      and earth. The LordHimself is the eternal Judge: He sits                    dient unto death, bearing the burden of God's wrath against
      upon -His judgment seat and judges every man .according  to                 sin:
      the deeds done in the body, whether good or evil. -Every                            He is our`rigbteousness.  He laid down His life for His
      deed we perform, every word we speak, every thought that                    sheep.- He conquered over death and'the  grave. He is now
      flashes through our minds, and every impulse that arises                    in heaveriwhere  He reigns in power. He knows His sheep.
     within-us is known perfectly to Him who judges righteously.                  He calls them by name. They hear His voice, for His Spirit
      Before Him our vain and foolish excuses mean nothing. His                   is working within them, so that they follow Him. `They are
      verdict falls according to strictest justice. In that greats  day           free from the bondage of sin, free to serve God according to
     when the Son of man appears with the clouds of the heavens,                  the love of God that has been--shed abroad in their hearts.
      every rational creature will stand in judgment before Him                   They do love Him, and it is their joy to do His will.. There-
      to. carry away .His final sentence of eternal death. or eternal             in they manifest that they are righteous in Christ -.Jesus.
      life.                                                                               "That man shall live," saith our God, for he is just.,

      I' But, be not deceived, for God also judges the sons'of men                                              *     *+* _
      even now, every moment of our lives. He knows bul- every                                            .a
                                                                                              .I                -> ,. ., . .    i f    ..! . -. ^ <.

      thought,. -and word; .and deed. He -declares guilty or not                          But the just shall live by .faith.    _`      -s:-


                                                `f jy.TJ  E _. S1T-i  N:jTj  A,R j-j `B'k  A R-E  8
                                                                                             -.


 -: That.is  the only possible answer to the agezold  @restion  :          -

 "What must I.do to be saved?' . .                         ..              II                                THE  STANDARD  BlZ`AqER:
                                                                                       Semi-monthly, except monthly-during  June, July and A&gust
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 sinner who is sold under the bondage of sin and.  death.                         -communications  relative- to contents should be addressed to
 This father had brought his son to the disciples, but they                            1                  Rev. H. Hoeksema, 1139 Franklin St., S. E.,                                                                               -
                                                                                                                   G r a n d   R a p i d s   7 ,   Mich.
 were unable to' help him. Then he saw Jesus approaching,
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 and rushing to him he knelt -before  Him, crying, "If Thou                                                James Dykstra, 1326 W. Butler Ave., S. E.
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 are possible to him that believeth !"
                                                                                       RENEWAL:  Unless  a de&rite  request for discontinuance is re-
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                                                                                                                      Subscription price: $5.00 per year                                                                    '
 he was about to ki.11  himself with his sword. He had been
                                                                                              Second Class postage paid at Grand Rapids, Michigan
 terror: stricken by the earthquake that opened the prison                                                                                                     ,

 doors -and  loosed the- bonds of the prisoners that were his              s

 special charge that night. A moment later, when he dis-                                                                                  C O N T E N T S
- covered that his prisoners Paul and Silas had not escaped,                MEDIT-ATION  -
                                                                                              The Just Shall Live By Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _..: ,.....__._.._....  :.,...25
 he comes to them with--the. earnest petition: "Sirs, what                                               Rev. C. Hanko
 must I do -to be saved ?'     Salvation from everlasting' death &,rToRIALs  _

 unto life, that suddenly became to him the all-important                                     As to Being Protestant Reformed.:...: . . . . . . . . ..___......................  -: _____ 28
 question. And again the answer was given: Believe ! "Be-                                                Rev. H. Hoeksema

 lieve in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and As To Boogs  -                                                                                            :

 thy house."                                                                                  "Sterven`  . . L en clan?" (Dying . . . and then)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :.&
                                                                                              "Millennial  Studies" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
    It is as simple- as that,- Nothing else' is--necessary. All                               "Calvin's Commentaries" .__ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .._............  30
 else is worse than vain; For all our -works  are but as so                                   "Divine Election" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :.. .31
 much unrighteousness !                                                                                  Rev. H. Hoeksema
                                                                            O U R   p & y -
    Yet that ,is- also the humanly impossible !                                               The .`Book                   of Revelation . . . . . . . :...`...............................................  31

    Faith is not of` us, it is the gift of God, wrought by-His                                        .-Rev.  H. Hoeksema `.

 Word: It is the wonder whereby the blinded eye .is made                   A CLOUD OF WTNESSES  -
 to' see, the deaf ear is made io hear, and the stubborn will is                              ,God's People Made to Serve With Rigor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -... . . . . . . . ..__ 33
                                                                                                    .Rev.  B .   W o u d e n b e r g                                            ,
 broken unto humble submission. Already. the consciousness
                                                                           FROM HOLY Wm--                                                                                    -. e- *
 of sin and.guilt  is the evidence df the wonder of grade work-                               Exposition of I John 2:15-17  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.
 ing within us: He who cries for mercy already believes in                                               Rev. G. Lubbers

 God, acknowledges His justice, seeks His favor. `He who                    IN~HISFFEAR-`. '

 turns to Christ as the only possible~source  of our salvation                                The Freedom of."Bigotry"`:(3)  . . . . . - . . . . .`..: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
                                                                                                         Rev. J. A. Heys
 already `has  the .power  of faith operating within him. He
                                                                            C
 has heard the voice of Jesus, saying: "Come unto Me, and                        ONTENDING' FOR THE  FAIRS%  -
                                                                                              The Church and the Sacraments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
 live."                                                                                            R e v .   H .   Veldman  '

    In amazement we discover that we do believe; We cry                     T&E Voice &F OUR FATEIWS  -
 out : "Lord,`I  believe; help Thou my unbelief.,, Thus we also                               The Canons- of Doidrecht  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
                                                                                 _'                    Rev: H. ,C. Hoeksema
 experience that "There is a fountain filled with blood drawn
                                                                           DECENCY  AND ORDER - .`-
 from Immanuel's veins. -And sinners washed beneath- that                                     The Mission Order ._...  . . . . . . . . . r.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
 flood lose all their guilty stains.":                                                                   Rev. G. Vanden  Berg                                                                    -,

    That is the experience of the believer, `not- once, but-               ALLARouNDus-'
                                                                                              Meeting of a Classis West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :...: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .._..... ._....._...  45
 repeatedly. Every day we are brought face to face with our                                   Kidnapping Defended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . r...  . . . . . 46
 sin, and guilt to seek and to find our salvation outside of our-                             Missions Restricted . .Y.. . . . . ._. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
                                                                                                         Rev. H.' Hanko
 selves, only in Christ.                  .(
                                                                           CONTFUBUTIONS  -                                   ..
    The just shall live by faith ! -                                                          "Politics. Church and Danish Women" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
                                                                                                         Vernon Graeser
    How wondrous are the ways of God, unfathomed and
                                                                           N~ws.Fno~,Oon                                 Crioncn~s  _.._....: . . . . . . . . . . . ..I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
 unknown !                                                                                               M r .   J .   M .   F a b e r
           y-                                                    , C.H.





                                                                                                                                                                                                       _ -


      28                                            THE SWLNDAR~  BEARER



                                                                               : .- But if they decide at this special synod not to remain by-
                      EDIT~RIALS~                                          II -themselves and to join the Christian Reformed Church, it
                                                                              will also be but a small remnant that so joins the Christian

                                                                              Reformed Church, for there still are several of the schismat-
                     As t6 Being Protegtant  Reformed                         its, at least of the people, that know the history of 1924 and

                                                                              will never go back to the Christian Reformed Church.
            The last two paragraphs of the letter of the Christian
                                                                                  But the fact remains that the last Synod of the Christian
      Reformed Church to the schismatics I must still bring to
                                                                              Reformed Church opened the door to -the schismatics.
      the attention of our readers.
                                                                                  It is true, the door is open conditionally, but the schismat-
            For this purpose I quote them here once more:.
                                                                              its like conditions, whether doctrinal or church-political, and.
            "It is our considered judgment that in as much as both
                                                                              it is my opinion' that they can easily- fulfill the conditions
      your denomination and ours subscribe to the Word of God
                                                                              mentioned in the quoted paragraphs from the letter of the
      and to the Three Forms of Unity, unification of our
                                                                              Christian. Reformed Synod.       .
      churches could be effected: -
            "a. If you will agree that the Three Points are neither               The first condition is that they, i.e. the schismatics, must
      Arminian nor Pelagian ; that in the light .of the official in-          admit that the Three Points are not Arminian or Pelagian.
      terpretation given by our Synod of 1959, the objection that             This condition is rather superfluous, for in the communica-
      the Three Points are in conflict ,with Scripture and the                tion of the schismatics to the Christian Reformed Church
      Forms of Unity is not valid, and that you will agree not to             they already stated: "We no longer wish to be responsible
      agitate against official interpretations.                               for the charge of Arminianism and Pelagianism in the
            "b. If we do not require submission in -the. sense of            -adoption of the Three Points which. we have against- you as
      demanding total agreement with the Three Points we rec-                 Christian Reformed Church in the past.`,. And, therefore, this
      ognize and bear with scruples which you may- have, in the               first condition has already been fulfilled. They, therefore,
      expectation that we together may come eventually to a                   accept the theory that God is gracious in the preaching of
      better understanding of the truth, and not bar those who                the gospel to every one that hears the gospel ! They also sub-
     have certain misgivings or divergent interpretations as long             scribe to the error that the natural man can do much good !
     as they refrain from propaganda for their interpretations.               They do not consider these errors Arminian and Pelagian.
            "As to the method -effecting such a union we suggest              Hence, they can easily fulfill this' first condition.

     that :                                                                      The second condition is really like the first. It is that

            "a. If this is to be worked out on a denominational basis,        they admit that the Three' Points are not in conflict with

     a committee of your church be appointed to confer with a                 Scripture. and the Forms of Unity. This condition, too,

     committee of our church, or,                                             they easily fulfill. If the Three Points are not Arminian or

        "b. If this is to be worked out on a local basis, this is             Pelagian they must be in harmony with Scripture- and the

     to be left to the individual-consistories and classes in which           Confessions.    For, mark you well, they teach something

     such attempts towards union would be made."                              about -grace and about natural man. They teach that the

            Well, there you have it;                                          preaching of the- gospel is grace for all or, briefly, they

            The door is~open  to come back to the Christian Reformed          teach general grace. And they teach that the natural man

     Church. At least, it is far enough open for .the  schismatics            can do much good. Now, if this is not Arminian and Pelagian,

     to squeeze through.                                                      the only possible alternative is that it must be Reformed and

            By this decision they are made to stand in a very                 Scriptural. Hence, it ought `not to be . difficult for the

     peculiar and, I would say, practically hopeless position.                schismatics to subscribe to this second condition.

            I understand that a special `synod is. called by the schis-          The third condition ought to be easy also : they promise

     matics  for the latter part of October of this year 1960. One           that -they will not agitate "against official interpretations.`, I

     can readily understand what will be the main, if not the only,          ask: why should they f, If they agree that the Three Points
     item on the agendum of this synod. It is the question whether           and their interpretations are not Arminian or Pelagian, but

     or not they will join the Christian Reformed Church.                    are based on Scripture-and the .Three  Forms of Unity, what

            If they decide in the negative, they will crumble apart.         is there to agitate against ? When, In 1924, I was placed
     Several of their ministers have already left and joined the             before. the same condition so that I would not be deposed

  Christian Reformed Church: -Van  Weelden, De Boer, and                     from the office, of minister if I only promised to keep still
     Cammenga of Rock Valley. Others will, no doubt, follow,                 and not to agitate against the Three Points in the churches,
     not only of the ministers but also of their people. The letter          my answer was that- I could not promise anything of the
     *of the Christian Reformed Synod to, the schismatics already            kind for if I preached one sermon in my own church and to

     suggests this possibility : "if this is to be- worked out on a          my own congregation I would surely contradict the Three

     local basis, this is to be left to the individual consistories and
                                                   .                         Points even though I should not even menti&  them. But for
c l a s s e s . "                                                            nie.`.that  was impossible because I was -convinced that the.


                                             THti   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               29


Three .Points  were not in harmony with Scripture and the                The. Three. Points are the truth and what is more they

Confessions of the Reformed Churches, that, in other .words         express an important truth  that concerns the heart of Scrip&

they were Arminian and Pelagian. But- the schismatics .do           ture and the Reformed faith ; or they are the lie. Hence, one

not think that they are Arminian and Pelagian. In fact, they        must needs be in total agreement with the Three Points or

already confess that they are sorry that they ever called them      he must wholly and wholeheartedly reject them. There is to

thus. They certainly can also fulfill the second, condition and     me no halfway ground between the truth and the lie.

say that the objection that the Three Points are not in con-             ,Perhaps,  someone considers me too radical, but I claim

flict with Scripture. and the Forms of Unity. Why in the            that the truth -is radical. There is no fellowship between

world, then, should they agitate against them ?                     light and darkness, between Christ and Belial, between the

                                                                    truth and the lie. To me the Three Points are darkness ; the
    The fundamental trouble with theschismatics is, of course,
                                                                    truth of God's sovereign grace that is for the elect alone and
that they are not Protestant Reformed. They, evidently, never
                                                                    the doctrine of the total depravity of the natural man are
were and never will be.                                       I
                                                                    light. And this is the reason why we will and must always
    Let me, for the sake of clarity, put the whole matter in a      agitate against the Three Points and why we must teach our
nutshell as follows :-
                                                                    Protestant Reformed people to do the same thing.
    1. Schismatics  say :                                                Hence, I cannot understand why the letter of the Chris-

    a. The Three Points are not Arminian and Pelagian.              tian Reformed Synod to the. schismatics can state under the

    b. They are not in conflict with Scripture and the Three        same heading and in the same paragraph that we must not

Forms of Unity.                                                     "bar those who have some misgivings or divergent inter-

    c. Hence;we  can readily promise that we will not agitate       pretations as long as they refrain from propaganda for `their

against them and against their interpretations.                     i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s . "

  2. Protestant Reformed say:                                            I claim that, as long as anyone has any misgivings or any

    a. The Three Points are Arminian and Pelagian.                  divergent interpretations of the Three Points, he may never

    b.- They are in conflict with Scripture and the Three           join the Christian Reformed Church even though he has to

Forms of Unity.                                                     stand all alone, for the simple reason that the Three Points

   `c. Hence, we will always agitate against them as we .hope       .touch  the very heart of Scripture and of the Reformed faith.

to do against all,false  doctrine.                                    That this is true is evident from the fact that, in 1924,

    But there is still more in the letter of the Christian          the Christian Reformed Church deposed faithful ministers,

Reformed Synod to the schismatics. If they fulfill the above        of whom they themselves said that they were Reformed, to-

mentioned conditions then the Synod promises them :                 gether with their consistories, from their office.

    1. That they will not require, of them submission to the             And what about. making propaganda against the Three

Three Points in the sense of demanding total agreement              Points ? Must one simply swallow his misgivings and

with them.                                                          divergent interpretations ?

   2. That they will bear with scruples which they, i.e. the             That, to my mind, is a psychological and spiritual im-

schismatics, may ahave. -                                           -possibility.

    Perhaps it is my fault, but I` confess that I do not- under:        -And herewith I close this discussion..

stand this.                                                                                                                H . H .

    First the schismatics must express that the Three Points

are not Pelagian and Arminian. I know that this is a negative

expression, but as I explained above; the clear implication is
that they are Reformed. Then they must admit that the ob-                        A - S   TO'BOOKS
jection against the Three Points as if they were in conflict

with Scripture and the Forms of Unity is not valid.- Also                Stwven . . . ms dart? (Dying 1'. . and then), by Rev. B.
this is a negative expression. But again the clear implication      Telder. Published by J. H. Kok, Kampen,  the Netherlands.
                                                                                                         .
is that the Three.Points  are in harmony with Scripture and

the Three Forms of Unity. Then, finally, they must promise               In this book the author attempts to prove that the people

that they will not agitate against the Three Points and their       of God, when they die, do not immediately go to heaven but

interpretations..                                                   will enter into glory only at the time of the resurrection from

    I ask: what else does the Synod demand but total agree-         the dead, or in other words at the second coming of Christ.

ment with the Three Points ?                                             Personally, I do not think that this is a very good book.

    And again, I ask: what scruples can anyone still have           My reason for this is not so much that it deprives the

against the Three Points after he has first declared that they      people of God of their comfort at the time of their death,

are Reformed, and that they are in full harmony with Scrip-         for I agree with the author that all .our comfort must be

ture and the Confessions ?                                          based only on the Word of God, and if the Bible teaches that

    I confess : to me this is impossible.                           the children of God do not enter into glory immediately after


30                                            T H E   STlANDARD   B E A R E R                                                  -


death but only at the second coming. of Christ we must                     Now Telder, in his book, writes more than once about

accept this. But my main objection to the book is exactly               this question of the Catechism. He, evidently; does not quite

that the author does not prove. his view from the Scriptures            know what to do with it. But on p. 143 he suggests that we

`and  what is worse, twists those portions of Scripture that            ought to read this answer of the Heidelberger as follows:

speak rather clearly of the fact that the intermediate state,           "That all that die in the Lord may not only commit their

the state between death and resurrection, is a state of glory           spirit in the hands of the Lord but also may know that in

in heaven, in such a way that they fit into his own conception.         their death they shall not be separated from Christ, etc."

  Of this I wish to furnish an example or two.                             This is,.of  course, no explanation of question and answer

      On the cross Jesus spoke the well-known words: "today             57, and the author knows that, too. .By all means he wants

thou shalt be with Me in paradise," addressed to one of the             to avoid the truth, that immediately after -death the soul of

two murderers that were crucified with Him. How does                    the believer enters into heavenly glory. This is the reason

Telder explain these words ? After-  he has referred to the             for his paraphrase of answer 57 of the-catechism. -

first paradise and the tree of life that was in the midst of               But it is evident that, if he does not agree with the

the garden, he writes : "In this way more light is also shed            Catechism, he ought to hand in a gravamen in the proper

on the promise- of Jesus to His fellow-victim on the cross :            way.

`Today thou shalt be with Me in paradise.' This malefactor                 I have one important question: what does Telder mean

had asked Him: `Jesus, remember me when Thou comest                     by the spirit of man in distinction from his soul? Again. and

into Thy kingdom.' Thereupon the promise was given him:                 again he emphasizes that the whole man dies and the whole

In thy death thou mayest be with Me there where for all that            man goes into the grave. But what, then, is the spirit? And

believe on Me as the Lord of life, I will manifest my royal             where is that spirit after death? What does it mean that

power. Also. that realm of the dead is My realm,.  paradise,            at death the believer commends his spirit in the hands of

because I, as the tree of life, am there.                               his heavenly Father?                                        H.H.

      "Of course, the Lord Jesus did not mean by the words :

`today with Me in paradise' this afternoon thou come&  with                i!di&n&al  S&d~es;  by George L. Murray. Published by
Me in heavenly -glory;  today thou comes; with Me in heaven.            Baker Book House,. Grand .Rapids,  Mich. Price $2..95:
                                                                                                 _
For it', would not be till 40 days later that Jesus would                  This book is a study, as the title indicates,. of the various

ascend'to heaven. "He would as the Son of man first of-  all            millennial theories.    The author must have nothing of pre-

be three days `in the heart of the earth, (Matt. 12 :40). And,          millennialism. It enters into the. various Scriptural passages

true, the prophecy had assured %fim  that God would not                 to which the dispensationalist appeals to defend his view and

forsake Him in the realm of the dead, and that there He                 offers his own -interpretation.    Hence, .the book is quite

would not see corruption, nevertheless, during three days               thorough and convincing. No premillennialist or any one that

He would be with the dead."                                             is more or less inclined to the premillennial view can afford

      In other words, when the Lord promised the malefactor             to ignore this book. I do not hesitate to say that, in my

that he would be in paradise, He simply meant to say that               opinion, it, is one of the best books that, in recent years,

he would be in the realm of the,dead,  where is no knowledge            has- come off the press on this subject.

or consciousness of anything at all. But why then the words               When the author discusses: the, "rapture" which, by the

"with Me" ? Do they simply mean : "thou shalt be dead as I              way, he calls a "sacrilegious and unscriptural view," he can

will  be dead" ? And did not Jesus say in His crossword that,           hardly refrajn"from  becoming sarcastic. And I do not blame

although His body was in the grave, His human spirit was                him.

with the Father? Was not His human spirit. alive then                      I cannot agree with his view of the great tribulation as

while the rest of His nature was in the grave ?                         mentioned in Matthew 241  I agree that the Lord is speaking

      I could quote much more but let this be enough as far             here also and primarily of the destruction* of Jerusalem. in

as Telder's interpretation of .Scripture  is concerned.                 the year A.D. 70. But many parts of that chapter cannot pos-

      But I must call attention also to the author's interpreta-        sibly refer to that destruction. I prefer to think of the

tion of the Heidelberg Catechism question 57. There we                  destruction of Jerusalem and the accompanying tribulation as

read :    "What comfort doth the resurrection of the body               a type of the tribulation in the last days.

afford thee ? That' not only my soul ,after  this life shall be            Heartily recommended.                                    H.H.

immediately'taken up to Christ its head ; but also that- this

my body, being raised by the power of Christ, shall-be re-                 Calzrin's  Co?%?+$e&apie.s,  republished by Wm. B. Eerdmans

united with my soul, and be made like unto the glorious                 ,Publishing  Co., Grand Rapids, Mich.

b o d y   o f   C h r i s t . " .                                          Eerdmans is publishing a new edition of Ca2vin's  Corz-

      It is especially to the first part of this answer that we call    m&arks  in a new form. So far I received two volumes.
attention : "my soul after this life shall be immediately taken         The first .on the gospel according to John, chapters l-10;

up to Christ its head." .                                               which is translated by T: H. L. Parker; price $4.50. The



                                                                                 .


                                            T    H    E         STANDA.RD  BEAR~ER                                                            3 1



second'is on the first epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, trans-
lated by John .W. Fraser; price $5.00.                                          0 U R,.D 0 C T R I N E
   No one will `expect me to make a thorough study of

commentaries in a review. Besides, I am well acquainted.with                             THE BOOK OF REVELATION
Calvin's Commentaries, a complete set of which I have in

my own library. And so I perused these volumes sent to me                                              P A R T   T W O

by Eerdmans. And then I find that it is true  what Murray                                           CHAPTER  SIXTEEN
writes on the front flap of the cover of the commentary of
                                                                                              Ba.bylon  the Bride of Antichrist       -.
John : "This translation will have to be accorded the tribute
of outstanding merit. The breaking up of Calvin's longer                                             Revelation 17 :l-6

sentences into shor.ter sentences is skilfully done, with the                            1. And  there came one of the seven angels which had '      -

result that Calvin's thought is adequately conveyed and the                              the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me,
English reader is furnished with greater clarity and pointed-                            Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of
                                                                                         the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
ness of expression."
   Heartily recommended.                                          H:H.                   2. `with whom the kings of the earth have committed
                                                                                         fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been
                                                                                         made drunk with the wine -of her fornication.
  Divine Election by G. C. Berkhouwer. Published by Wm.
B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. Price $4.50.                                           3. ' So. he carried me away in the spirit into the wilder-
                                                                                         ness: Andy  I saw-a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured
   This book is a translation from the Dutch : De Yevkiezing                             beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads

Gods by .Hugo  Bekker. A review as well as an elaborate                                  and ten horns.

discussion and criticism may be found in, The Standard                                   4. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet
Biarev+, ~01s.  32 and 33. I will not repeat what I then wrote,                          colour,  and decked `with gold and precious stones and
                                                                                         pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abomina-
seeing that I am still of the same opinion I expressed then,
                                                                                         tions and lllthiness  of her fornication:
   I may quote from a review of this book that occurs in
                                                                                 : 5. And upon her forehead was a name written,
"Torch and Trumpet" written by Rushdoony : "Berkhouwer,`
                                                                                         MYSTERY, BABYLON  THE  GREAT,  THE  MOTHER
as this reviewer has pointed out elsewhere (Westwinster                                  OF HARLOTS  AND ABOMINATIONS  OF THE
The&logical Joztmal,  May.1960, page 174 f.) tends markedly                              EARTH.

to anthropocentric and subjectivist thinking which is inimical                           6. And I saw the' woman drunken with the blood of
to orthodox faith. As a result he brings to his studies not                       ,      the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus:
only an extensive learning, but an air of confusion exercised                            and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

with more ability than most of his contemporaries. This is                    Chapters 17 and 18 of the book of Revelation present us

not a study of divine election as such, but, as the book jacket           with a description of the great harlot and of her fall. It is

testifies, an argument against the orthodox or `traditional               of the utmost significance that we obtain as clear a concep-

doctrine of election and the presentation of a novel doctrine             tion of this picture, of the appearance and the essential char-

thereof."                                                         H.H.    acter of this harlot, as possible. In the first place, this is

                                                                          necessary for the clear and definite understanding of the rest

                                                                          of the book of Revelation. But, in the second place, this
             ATTENTION CONSISTORIES                                       clear conception of Babylon and her essential significance is

                                                                          also necessary for a practical reason. The voice comes to the
    The following "Forms" are available and may be obtained
                                                                          people of God in the eighteenth chapter, "Come forth, my
by writing undersigned. When ordering, kindly specify the
                                                                          people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins,
number of the particular form ordered is desired.
                                                                          and that ye' receive not of her plagues," a voice which ulti-
    1. Classical Credential Forms                                         mately may signify an irresistible, effectual call into ever-
    2. Synodical Subsidy Forms (Revised 1960)                             lasting glory, the final deliverance of the church of Christ,
    3. Transfer of Membership Forms                                       when the days shall be shortened, but which undoubtedly
    4. Transfer of Baptized Member Forms                                  bears the practical significance that the people of God may
    5. Certificates of Dismissal                                 _.       never have fellowship with this Babylon in the world. And
   $6. Call. Letters                                                      in order to go out of her and refuse to have fellowship with
    7. Ministerial Certificate of -Dismissal and Testimonial              her we must be able to discern her also among the many
    8. Synodical Credentials                                              movements of our own day. And the clear understanding of .

                          REV.. G. VANDEN  BERG, Stated Clerk             the character and manifestation of Babylon, the great harlot,
                          Synod of the Prot. Ref. Churches                is of extreme practical importance. At the same time, how-

                          9402 So. 53rd Court                             ever, we may as well confess that this is one of the most

                        - Oak Lawn, Illinois                              difficult passages of the entire book of Revelation to under-


                                                                                                                      _ :_ _.             .
      32                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R


      stand, a passage which for that very reason has found many           we read of her destruction already in chapter 14, verse 8;-

      interpreters and has been favored with as many different             Ghere it is announced by the angel as imminent, when he

      interpretations. By far the most efficient method would be           cries, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, that hath made all

      that of treating the entire.portion  in just one chapter, so that    the nations to drink of the wine of her fornication." And in

      you might immediately have a clear conception of the whole.          &ur  previous discourse, in connection with the pouring out

      But because of the abundance of material, this is a practical        of the -seventh  vial, we also met with her destruction, For

      impossibility. We cannot treat chapters 17 and 18 in one             there it was said: !`And  the great city was divi.ded &to three

      chapter. And therefore we shall have to divide our material,         parts, and the cities of the' nations fell: and great Babylon

      and gradually explain these two chapters, carefully reviewing        came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup

      what we had before, in the former exposition of this book,           of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath." It is, of course,

      so that finally we may obtain's  clear conception of the whole.      that same Babylon of which we meet a description rather in

      .And therefore we start with verses 1 to 6 of chapter 17.            detail in the words of the present chapter and of the passage

            By .way  of introduction, I must still caution you against     we are discussing now.

      the possibility of introducing an imaginary and false time               In the second place, it may be interesting to review some
      element into these two chapters that speak of the fall of            of the interpretations that have been presented of this great
:     Babylon. We are so naturally and easily i&lined  to picture          harlot. In doing so we shall find that interpreters generally

      to our mind the events that are recorded and the realization         have struggled to overcome the difficulty that this Babylon is
      of the various prophecies in this book as -occurring  in the         pictured both as `a woman and as a City, but have but ill
      same order in which they are revealed in the. book of                succeeded in interpreting it. There are interpretations which
      Revelation. More than once we have warned you against                have it that this Babylon-is nothing else than the city of
      such a conception of the book which we are discussing. But           Rome as it existed at the time of John- the mighty capital
     the same caution is called for again in this particular connec-       of the powerful Roman Empire at that time, the city that
      tion. You must not picture the course of events thus, that           indeed became guilty of the blood of many of the children of
      what is revealed in chapters 17 and 18  chronologically follows      God that held the testimony of Jesus. This interpretation
      the events pictured in chapter 16 for this is evidently not          they base on verse 9, where we read. that the seven heads of
      the case. As we have remarked in the previous chapter, after         the beast on which the harlot sitteth are seven mountains on
      chapter 16 there is no history any more. All has been finished.      which the woman sitteth. The city' of Rome is famous for
      The seven vials have been poured out. Antichrist has been            its being built on seven hills. And these are indicated in. the
      at battle with Gqg and Magog on Armageddon. And they                 verse that we just cited. There are others who claim that in
      have been in the winepress~of  the wrath of God. And-there-          this woman we must see the power of the papacy as finding
      fore, history has come to an end. There is no Babylon any            its center in the papal see, and therefore, again in the city
      more. For also of its destruction we read in connection with         of Rome. -The Romish Church through the papacy especially
      the seven vials. Nor shall she ever receive a chance to              rules over the kings of the earth. She spoke words of
      develop herself anew.      And for this -very  evident reason,       blasphemy indeed, and made kings and nations drunk with
      which must be plain to us all, it is an impossibility to con-        the wine of her spiritual fornications.  She persecuted the
      ceive of the events pictured in the two chapters we must now         church and the saints of Christ Jesus, and her hands are red
      discuss as chronologically following those pictured in chapter       with the blood of-the saints. In all these respects she surely
      16. There is but one possibility, and that is to conceive of         answers the description given of her in the text. And there-
      these two chapters as presenting a more detailed picture of          fore, we must surely think of the Roman Catholic Church of
      something that we have already been told in broad outline            all ages, according to- these interpretations. Still others find

      before. In fact, it presents us with a detailed portraiture of       in this Babylon nothing but a picture of the false church as
      Babylon and her fall, of the battle of Armageddon, and of            she has apostatized from Jesus Christ and from the truth of

      the last attempt of. Satan to -deceive the nations that -are         the Word of God and become a servant of Satan and Anti-
      called Gog and Magog in Scripture and that live at.. the four        christ, the counterfeit church, or counterfeit Christianity in

      corners of the earth, and, finally, a description of the             general. And there are even those that find in- Babylon the

      beautiful new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from             picture of the world-city as we know it today, so that London
      God Almighty.                                                        and Paris and New York and Chicago and many other large

            Of Babylon and her destruction we have read before.            towns are individual examples of this general picture that is

      Essentially we have met her in chapter 11, where-she still           called Babylon in our passage. These world-cities, so they

     appears as the outward holy city, but where her very name              say, are the great centers of religion and' philosophy, of

      is designated as being identical with that of Sodom and               science and art, of commerce and industry. And they have

      ,Gomorrah,  where the Lord was crucified. Jerusalem no doubt         their influence for evil felt all over the known world. Thus

      appears in that chapter as the city that essentially is Babylo-      they present the ~picture of the harlot that commits fornica-

      nian in character and persecutes the witnesses,of Jesus. Again,      tion with all the nations of the earth.                   H.H.

                                                                                               ,'


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                 33


                                                                    unto God  was swiftly disappearing. Given a generation or

         C.LOUD  OF Wl.T,NESSES--.`j                                two more among the wicked inhabitants of Canaan, it would
                                                                    have been completely gone. It was necessary for the survival

                                                                    of Israel as a distinctive nation that they should be removed

    God's People Mgde  to Serve With Rigor                          to a portion of the earth where they could dwell alone, until

                                                                    such a time as the Canaanitish people had filled their cup of
               And he said unto Abram, Knower  of a surety
                                                                    iniquity and could be destroyed. For this the land of Goshen
           that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is
           not theirs, and shall serve, them; and they shall        in Egypt was suited, and God provided that they might
           afflict ihem  four htbndred  years;                      dwell there. In a sense it was a chastisement for their sins
              And also that nation, whom. they shall seme,          and a banishment from the promised land ; but at the same
           will I jicdge: and afterward  shall they come out        time it was a deliverance from the countless temptations
          - with great substance; - Genesis 15 :13,  14
                                                                    which they were not yet strong enough to bear.
               Now there arose up a new k&g  over Egypt,               But there was also another reason why Israel was sent
           which knew not Joseph . . .
               Therefore they-did set otier  them taskmasters       `into Egypt; peihaps~  it was the most important reason of
           to aflict  them with their burdens.                      all. Already many years before God had made it known unto
                                                  Exodus 123, 11    Abraham. YiXnow  of a surety," He said to Abraham, "that
   The Book of Exodus opens amid the roaring flames that            thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that' is not theirs,

heated the brickkilns of Egypt. Blood mixed With tears and          and shall serve them ; and they shall afflict them four hundred

sweat, and tinted the new mortar under the cruel lashes of          years ; and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I

the taskmasters. Slowly the walls of Pithom and Raamses             judge: and afterward shall they come out with great sub-
rose from the desert floor, troves for the treasures of Egypt.      stance."    God Was  planning to deliver His people out of

They were made by the groans and anguished cries of a               bondage. He would reveal Himself as Jehovah, the God Who

people sorely oppressed. This was .the work of slaves -and          is ever faithful to His promises, by `judging the oppressors

the slaves were the children of Israel, the members of God's        of His people, by delivering His people with many miraculous

,chosen  nation. We look on in amazement and ask-Why?               wonders out of the power, of their enemies, by feeding them

- Why such grievous affliction ? - Why was. it even neces-          with bread from heaven, by giving to them the revelation of

sary for Israel to tarry in Egypt?                                  His commandments, and'generally by making them partakers

   To this latter question, Joseph already-had given an             of many glorious, typical blessings. God was planning to

answer. He told his brothers,. "And God sent me before you          reveal His Gospel more clearly than ever before through

to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your          many marvelous demonstrations of His grace and power.

lives by a great deliverance." There was a famine, ordained         For this the scene was being set when God sent His people
by God; covering the face of the earth. God had sent Joseph         into Egypt.

beforehand to make preparations by putting in storage of               For a time, even after the death of Joseph, the life of the
the bounties of Egypt. -Thus many thousands of people were          children of Israel was peaceful. and quiet. Joseph's work
being saved from death ; and thus also the children of Israel       and influence had been very great; the Egyptians- continued
were brought to abide under the care of their brother amid          to show their appreciation for what he had done. in their
the plenty of Egypt:`But  yet, this answer by itself does not       attitude toward his family. True, the Egyptians did'not seek
satisfy us. Surely God could have made some other provi-            to associate with the Israelites, for they were shepherds and
sions for Israel whereby they might have stayed in Canaan.          the Egyptians considered that a disgrace. But the children
The food could have been sent to them by camel ;. or, at            of Israel were left unmolested to dwell amid the fertility of
least, they could have returned to Canaan as soon as the            Goshen.  Their sheep were well fed, and they had opportunity
famine was over,,. It was evidently the will of the Lord that       to learn about farming and many other trades from .the
Israel should remain in Egypt for an extended stay. This            highly civilized Egyptians. They prospered, and the Lord
much was implied when God spoke. to Jacob on the way,               multiplied their number so that they became very great.
"Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of              This very ease of life, however, eventually became for
thee a great nation."                                               them a temptation in itself. The children of Israel became
   A deeper reason for Israel's extended sojourn in Egypt           attached to-the land of-  Egypt. Life was pleasant and they
we may find by examining the preceding history of Jacob's           enjoyed Egypt's rare and delicious foods, its fish, its cucum-
children. For many years already they had been associating,         bers and melons, its garlic and leeks. Seldom did they
and intermingling with the Canaanitish peoples of the land.         think anymore of the' promised land of Canaan as something
The result was that they were falling deeper and deeper into        to be desired. They had little longing to return. Joseph's
sin ; witness the massacre of Shechem, and the sins of Judah        coffin  was still with them, but its testimony they neglected.
with Tamar, to say nothing of the countless iniquities that         In effect,  they disdained the covenant promises of God be-
Joseph as a boy had faithfully reported to his father. The          cause of their love for the fleshpots of Egypt.

distinctiveness of the family of Israel as a people  dedicated        But God. looked down from heaven and saw the com-


34                                        T H E   STANDAR.D   B E A R E R


placency of His people. He also knew what should be the            cities- for Egypt. In ,this  work the Egyptians forced them

cure. He set a new king on the throne of Egypt "which knew         harder and harder, The lives of the children of Israel became

not Joseph."    It was not that this king did not know about       bitter under the rigor of their bondage. They labored from

Joseph, who he was and what he had done. Joseph's renown           `morning til evening under the burdens of brick and mortar

was too great to be forgotten even after several hundred           and in the most menial tasks of the field. It only served to

years. But this king did not care. He felt no real apprecia-       thwart the plans of Pharaoh and to realize the will of God.

tion for Joseph and no obligation to his heirs. He looked          Israel grew and multiplied as never before.

upon the Israelites as aliens, intruders in his land. He                 Finally Pharaoh became desperate. The glory of Egypt

hated them and determined that they should be destroyed.           was dimming rapidly before the growing strength of Israel.

He had been given over unto a reprobate mind by God.               Drastic measures, had to be taken, He issued an order that

      The new Pharaoh called together his people and counseled     seemed certain to cut short the growing ,strength  of Israel.

them thus, "Behold, the people of the children of Israel are       He summoned the two women, Shiphrah and Puah, who were

more and mightier than we ; come on, let. us deal wisely with      in charge of the Hebrew midwives, and, charged them to

them ; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when         slay all of the male children at birth. The plot was meant to

there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies,        be a secret one. All of the midwives of Israel were to .be

and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land."         commanded to watch carefully when attending a birth to see

With these words we gain an insight into the character of          immediately' whether the child was male or female. If it

Pharaoh ; he was a man of extreme jealousy. This gave rise         were a female child, it might be allowed to live; but if it were

to endless confusion and contradiction within him. On the          a .male  child, it was to be stifled before the parents even

one hand, he was extremely envious of the prosperity of            knew whether it lived. In this -way the strength of the

the Israelites. They had evidently become much stronger            Hebrews would ,be  curtailed while the women would remain

than the Egyptians were themselves. .This  Phar.aoh  could         to perform the work. Supposedly these measures would be

not bear. It touched his national pride. But, on the .other        stopped as soon as the strength of Israel was sufficiently

hand, Pharaoh also .realized  how much the prosperity of           reduced.
                                                                    _
Israel contributed to the wellbeing of Egypt. The Israelites             What Pharaoh failed to figure was the faith of the

were  strong and willing workers. Should they' choose to leave     Hebrew midwives.      They believed in God' and would not

the land it would be an irreplaceable loss. Basically, how-        willingly take part in the destruction of His people. More-

ever, Pharaoh was motivated by a hatred for Israel's God           over, the Hebrew women were  ,strong  and healthy, usually

It was well known in Egypt that Israel's strength .was due         requiring very little assistance in delivery.' When summoned

to the greatness of its God. The driving ambition of Pharaoh's     to a home, the midwives merely lingered on the way until

heart was to prove that he could dominate over Israel and          after the child was born. Once the parents knew that the

its God. In his wicked ambition, Pharaoh became a fool.            child lived, it was no longer required that the child be slain.

      The folly of Pharaoh soon became evident in his plan               It- was not long before Pharaoh learned that his com-

of action. He -set  taskmasters over the Israelites to afflict     mand was not having etiect.  In-a fit of anger, he summoned

them, forcing them to work for the Egyptians. Had Pharaoh          Shiphrah and Push and accused them, "Why have ye done

been a wise and discerning man, he never would have followed       this thing, and.  have saved the men children alive?' The

this course. He would have seen that, as long as the Israel-       women merely explained the fact, "Because the Hebrew

ites were left-  in peace, they were losing all desire to leave    women are not as the Egyptian women ; for they are lively,

the land. They were a quiet and -submissive people who             and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them."

readily obeyed the proper authorities.       Moreover, while             The wickedness of Pharaoh would not be stemmed. Cast-

working &llingly, they were contributing much more to the          ing all pretense of secrecy'aside,  he issued this inhuman com-

Egyptian economy than they ever would under force. But             mand, "Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river,

God's goal was the qpposite  of Pharaoh's, and, as always,         and- every daughter ye shall save alive." It was Satan de-

He used the folly of the wicked to bring it to pass. Under         claring open war against the church.

the oppression of the Egyptians, the children of Israel began            Israel's life in Egypt had become very bitter. They

to look once again at the promise received through their           labored -in bondage with persecution and pain. Not only did

fathers that they "would be delivered from this land; Their        they suffer, but the lives of their children and of their nation

earthly prosperity being threatened, they looked more and          .were being threatened. But behind it was the will of their

more to the deeper covenant joy which they had in the              God., "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and

presence of their God. God used Pharaoh to bring His chosen        scourgeth every son whom he receive&"  (Heb. 12 :6). He

people unto a gradual conversion of life. In this way they         was ,turning the hearts of Israel back to Him again. Once

were blessed and grew stronger than ever ,before.                  again the children of Israel looked upon the coti of Joseph

      The more Pharaoh, saw his goal receding, the more he         and with joy remembered its testimony of faith, "God will

became `determined in his folly. The Israelites had been           surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence."
                                                                   .
assigned the. task of building Pithom and Raamses,  treasure                                                                 B.W.


                                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   .BEARER                                                      35


                                                                             But what is this world?

   11      F' R 0 M H 0 L Y IX' R I T `:-II                                  There are three different terms in Scripture in the Greek

                                                                          language which are translated world. Firstly, there is the

                                                                          term which can also be translated "age." This present evil

                    Exposition of I John 2:15-17                          age, evil world. It looks at the time in which we live from
                                                                          the viewpoint of time, and the .development  of the human

         There is a fundamental and principal difference between          race and evil under the wrath of God. It' is this "age" in

   the church and the world.. The whole world lies in darkness ;          distinction from the "age" to come. See Gal. 1 :4, and especial-

   she lies in the Evil one. But the church is a different people.        ly Eph. 2 :2 which speaks of the "age". of this world (kos-

   They are the children of God; the "little children" !                  mos) ; when we walked according to the age of this world.

                                                                          Then there is -too the term which refers to the earth, the
         Concerning these we might see in our former two articles
                                                                          world, as it is the inhabited world. We hear this term in our
   that they are peculiarly addressable. And they are address-
                                                                          very popular word ecumtinical,  meaning the entire inhabited
   able on a threefold count. They are addressed as the "chil-
                                                                          world, where history is made and recorded. This term we
   dren, " "little children," because their sins are forgiven for
                                                                          read in Heb. 1:6:  " . . . When he brought the first-begotten
   Christ's Name's sake' and because therein they know God
                                                                          into` the world?' And, thirdly,  we have the term "kosmos,"         _
   as their loving Father. They know the greatness. of the
                                                                          such as we see in our term cosmology, cosmetics, etc. And
   central benefit of redemption, so that they may stand in a
                                                                          this latter term, the term kos~os (world), is employed six
   new relationship to God. They `are justified and know God
                                                                          times in this text.
   by virtue of having an advocate with God the Father, Jesus

   Christ the righteous. They are also addressable as "fathers"              ~Kcmzos  is the world as a well-arranged whole, the entire

   for they know Christ, as the one who is from the beginning.            universe, heaven and earth as it came forth from-the hand of

   They see the deeper and eternal background of the redemp-              God, and brought forth by the Word of his power, the Logos.

   tion in Christ Jesus. They know that Jesus Christ has come                And, we may add, that this term kosvvtos  is used both in

   into the flesh. Therefore, they are addressable and admonish-          a good sense and in a bad sense in Scripture; sometimes it

   able. Again they are addressable as the "young men" who                refers to the good creation of God, the object of God's love

   are strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. They             (John 3 :16), and sometimes it refers to all that God hates,

   are strong as the militant `Church in the world;-fighting the          and what He forbids us to love, since it is not out of .the

   good fight, because the word of God dwells in them, and                Father but is contrary to his holy will.

   thus they overcome the Wicked one, the Devil and'his whole                And thus is the case here in-our  text.
   dominion ! .. *                                                        The term kos&os  has a very evil sense here in I -John
         They are addressable !                                           2:15-17.  _

         But they are also addressed - and admonished!                        Let us try to understand this just a bit.

         In these verses 15-17 we read the following: "Love not              How is it possible that this term Kosmos  can have such

    the world, neither t1r.e  things that are in tke world.. If anyone    a meaning that seems mutually to exclude the other?

    love the world the love of the Father is not in him. Became              The answer to this question must be sought in the fact
   ah? tlmt is in the world, %e 12~3 of the $&, and the lust of           that we must not think of the seeming contradiction in the
    the eyes, and the pride of life, is not oztt of the Father, but       terms of nature and gra~ce; we must not think that the crea-
   is oztt of the world. And the world poxseth  away and the              tion. is as such evil and that there must be another creation
    lust thereof; but he tht doeth  (the doer) of the will of God         coming,    destroying this creation. We must think of the
abide&   f o r e v e r . "                                                scheme of fir, and grace! Both sin and grace operate in the

         This admonition follows from the fact that these "little         one creation of God. `There is the prince of this world, the

    children," "fathers," "`young men" are such that their sins           devil, and his dominion over all things in sin, as well as the

    are forgiven, and they know the Son of God, who came into             dominion of the Prince of Peace, the mighty God who came

    the flesh as their Saviour, and because they are strong and           to save this kosmos  from sin and death.

    can and must win the victory, day by day, in the midst of an              Sin and grace, therefore, in one Kosmos.
    evil world.                                                               And now the meaning of the term kosmos  is determined

         The question is : What is the meaning of the term "world"        exactly by the viewpoint of the Kosmos, whether that is

    in the text which we are here.. discussing?                           from the .viewpoint  of sin or of grace ! The wicked and the

         The term is employed six times in the text. And in each          children of God have all things in common except grace!

    case it must have the same meaning and refer to the same                  And here in I John 2 :15-17 the viewpoint is exactly and

    object which must not be loved but hated. It refers, of               emphatically that of sin, wrath, the curse, the dominion of

    course, to all that is not "out of the Father," and, therefore,       Satan as he rules -in the hearts of all evil men, -and  sub-

  cannot be loved by those who are born out of the Father.                jects all things under sin in this Kosmos !


          36                                            T H E   STANDAR.D   B E A R E R


                And from this viewpoint all that is in the kos&tos  is not        `scold"  war and hot wars, its business and industry, its art

          out of the Father, but is out of the koswzos.                           an'd  culture, its education and philosophy, its ethics and entire

                When you look at "all things" in this world from the              conduct. It is nothing but this : all that is in the -world is
          viewpoint of the dominion of the prince of this world, you              not out of God. It is out of the world. And this world has,
          will notice that there are three things which are represent-            indeed, natural light in so doing; but it keeps even this down
          a&@ of all,. They are the spiritual ethical root from which             in unrighteousness, even in things natural and civil, and
          all the manifestations of "all that is in the world" proceed.           therefore becomes inexcusable before God.

          And there is no exception'to this rule.                                     Here is the antithesis. He that is not for Christ is against

                They are : the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the    him, and, he that. does not gather, scattereth. It is either -
          pride of life !                                                         or. Here is no "common grace" by which the natural man,
                                                                                  though depraved by nature, is improved so that he is not
                These arise out'of  the hearts of men who are not the
                                                                                  as evil as he would otherwise be. Here it is stated : The entire
          little children, who are not born of God. These do not fit
                                                                                  kosmos lies in the evil one (I John 5 :19). And such is
          with those whose sins are forgiven, who have confessed and
                                                                                  also the experience of man. And in this very evil world the
          do confess their sins, sins of, lust of the flesh and of the eyes.
                                                                                  church must be victorious with the word of God dwelling in
     ~    This is all from below, and does not have its origin in God'
                                                                                  her heart and life. She must be strong in the confession of
          his grace, nor is it prescribed by the law as the expression
                                                                                  the forgiveness of~sins  and of her knowledge of the heavenly
          of his will.
                                                                                  Father; she must ever know him more and more, who is
-               What are lusts ? They are the intense and directed desires        the eternal Son of God and thus walk holy as He is holy.
          of man as these are contrary to God's holywill. These desires
                                                                                     The scheme here is tips  and grace.
          are the very motive and starting point of all sin. They start

          in the flesh, that is to say, they have their starting-point in            And they who walk in the former, the world with all its

          the ethically depraved nature on the heart, whence are the              lust perishes, is passing away, is constantly the opposite of

          issues of life. They have their start in that flesh which               that which abides. There is nowhere anything that is abiding

          mnnof  subject itself to the law of God, and in which there             and stable in the world. Their songs, their philosophies, their

          dwells no good at all. Out of the heart come evil thoughts,             education, their joys, their riches and achievements, their

          envy, adultery, fornication and all the things that make a man          power and glory, it all vanishes as the mist before the morn-

          corrupt and ethically common. Matt. 15 :19.                             ing sun,

                Lust of the flesh. And these lusts of the fle.&  reveal them-        But there are some who abide. They are those who .do

          selves. Lust of the eyes. Think of Eve in Paradise. When                the "will of God."    They believe in the Son. They confess

          lust had conceived, she looked at the tree. Think of David              their sins and cling to Christ the Head of the church. And

          upon the house-top when he saw Bathsheba. Or think of the               they live the life of the battling and fighting "young men,"

          word of Jesus: He that looketh at a woman to desire her.                the militant church' in the world, conquering in the strength

          It is not for nought that we are told that if our eye offend            of God, the strength of those in whom. the Word of God

          us we are to pluck it out and cast it from us. It is ever the           dwells.
          lust of the eyes, in pictures-television- that the world
                                                                                     It is the battle cry. ,Love not the world, neither the
          portrays its lust; she does not only do this but has a delight
                                                                                  things that are in the world. It is ever a needed cry, also for
          in those who do it. Think of the modern theater, the modern,
                                                                                  us as parents as well as for us the children.
          shameless dress on the streets, especially of the women. It
          is based on the root: lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes.              This is the straight and narrow way that leads to life.

          But such is also the case with the sin of all idolatry, covetous-          Few there be that find  it, but for those who do find it and
          ness. It is not for nought that Paul adds the admonition in             walk upon it, the victory is certain and they abide forever !
          I Tim. if9: "In like manner also, that women adorn them-
                                                                                                                                           G . L .
          selves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety

          . . . . but, as becometh women professing godliness, with good

          works."
                                                                                              `But the good shall live before Thee,

                And these lusts of the "flesh" find their highest expression                    Planted in Thy dwelling-place,
          in the lust  of a certain pride of this present world of `things,                   Fruitful trees and ever verdant,
          riches, honor, achievement, power.           It is being rich in                      Nourished by Thy boundless grace.
          worldly things, and not being rich in God, as is so graphically
          portrayed in the parable of the rich farmer-the fool whose                          In His goodness to the righteous
                                                                                                                                                .
          soul was required of him, but who was not rich in God.                                God His righteousness displays ;

          This is `fundamentally idolatry, God is not in all their                            God my rock, my strength and refuge,

          thoughts. Such is the entire world in its life, its politics, its                     Just and true are all His ways.


                                            T.HE  S T A N D A R D   BEARER                                                        37


                                                                     . AiYwe;.are  all other churches to-be subjected to taxation

                                                                     upon our church buildings, parsonages and schools ? What a

                                                                     tremendous load this will be for a nonprofit organization!

                                                                     What a higher budget will be required of us, and how

                                                                     much of our pay check will not be available to finance the
               The -Freedom  of "Bigotry"
                                                                     cause of God's kingdom here below. And that is only. one

                               (3)                                   item. No propaganda means no schools for our children, no
                                                                     seminaries to train ministers, no mission activity, in fact no
     The reason why the man who will not help `elect a               freedom of religion.
  Roman Catholic president for these United States of America
  should not be called a' bigot is that the Roman Catholic               Let us understand that this  position of the Roman Cath-

  Church, to which this president would be obliged to be             olic  Church makes the religion of one of the candidates for

  loyal, denies all the rest of the faiths and religions in our      the office of president of the United States a reaiissue. .And

  land their freedom.                                                that is not bigotry then when one, fearful of losing the free-

                                                                     dom of religion guaranteed us by the same Constitution
     This must not be overlooked.
                                                                     which the Roman Catholic Church- to put it mildly-
     We hear so much about the fact that the.  religious issue       desires to have changed, votes against a candidate who, as a
  should. not be dragged into this political campaign and elec-      member of that church, is obliged to work for that end.
  tion. It is not as simple as all that. This issue was never
  raised when nominees with other faiths ran for the office of           For the third time we say, this is not meant for political

 president. We do well to ask then as to just exactly why it         propaganda. And we `are not writing these things to gather
  should be raised now. And the answer -is that it is the            votes for a candidate to whose church doctrines we certainly

  peculiar stand of this Roman Catholic Church that there            cannot ascribe. We will proceed to prove that this `is the
 should be no separation between church and state, that the          case, that is, that we are not making political propaganda and
  Roman Catholic faith is the only faith that has a right to         that we are interested only in walking in His fear in these

 exist, and all others must be kept de facto until they wither       matters.

 away and die out with the death of its members.           ..           Were we politically interested in these articles, we would

     Last time we showed this from several quotations of books       surely urge you to'be  sure `and go out and cast a vote against.

 used in the Roman Catholic schools and colleges. We would           this threat to the Church of `Christ and either to vote for the

 suggest for some interesting reading the article on page 8          other candidate or else stay home and do not vote at all. We

 of the October 27, 1958 Christianity Today entitled, "If the        do no such thing !

  U.S. Becomes 51% Catholic." The' quotations we gave last              Well, we do no such -thing with one important exception.
 time may be found quoted there with a commentary on their           We strongly admonish approximately half of our readers not
 significance. There you will also find this final quotation,        to vote at all. Knowing that the Democratic Party far out-
"`Suppose . . . that the Constitutional obstacles to prosecution     numbers the Republican Party and that to advise some of
 <of non-Catholics have been legitimately removed and they           our readers not to vote at all is to give the supporters of
themselves have become numerically insignificant : What then         Senator Kennedy a large advantage, we do so nevertheless.
 would be the proper course of action for a Catholic State ?
                                                                        W h y ?
 Apparently, the latter, State could logically tolerate only such

 religious activities as were confined to the members. of the           Because the Fear of the Lord demands it, and, -as we

 -dissenting group. It could not permit them to carry on             wrote before, God and the Church always come before the

 general `propaganda nor accord their organizations certain          State. We ought to obey God rather than man. And there-

 privileges that had formerly' been extended to all religious        fore, not concerned about consequences, personally, politi-

 -corporations, for example, exemption from taxation." This,         cally pr nationally, we point all our women readers to the

 mind you, is taught at the college level in the text book,          Word of God which in- clear and simple language forbids

 Catholic Principles of Politics, by Ryan and Boland. Speak-         them to vote at all in this national election. 0, indeed, the

 ing of constitutional obstacles being legitimately removed -        flesh of the members of God's Church cries out and insists

 .and I suppose that means, first of all, getting a Roman            that now above all these women must vote to make sure

 Catholic president to work for this goal- it becomes evident        that we do not get a Roman Catholic President. Many who

 what goal the Roman  Catholic Church has in mind. Regard-           did not take the time before, and were not interested in

 less of what Senator Kennedy may now say about his loyalty,         these matters, will now consider it their' solemn duty before

 or lack of it, to his church, his church has very definite          God to vote this time. And sad to say, many church leaders

 .aims  also about our. country. And it must have, for one of        will lead their flocks in the wrong direction and admonish

 its doctrines is that the Pope is the only rightful head of the     them to vote against this tide of Roman Catholic subjection

 state as well as of .the church.                                    and rule.


  38                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEA@.ER


         But turn a moment to a few passages from Holy, Writ.           _: Then -again,the  argument is raised that the woman will

         Take first of all that well-known instruction of the           vote even as her busband  will. She will only underscore his

  Apostle Paul to Timothy in I Timothy 2:11-13,  "Let the               vote and .not militate against it. Does that change things ?

  woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not          She may not be.  exercising authority over her husband in

  a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but            that she does not go contrary to his wishes, but she has as-

  to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve." We            sumed the right to rule over other men and has made herself

  would have you note, first of all, that Paul writes, "nor to          equal to her husband. This position Scripture denies .her. Be

usurp authority over the man." And in the second place,                 she unmarried or married, she never becomes man's equal in

  let us note the reason for all this, "For Adam was first              the sphere of authority. Men may give her that right and '

  formed, then Eve."        That word "nor" is important because        that place, but God never does. God did not even create

  it indicates that Paul is speaking of a'separate matter distinct      them at the same time, as He did male and female among

  from teaching when he speaks of usurping or exercising                the animals. Adam was first created and then .Eve. And

  authority over the man. He does not say, in other words,              after the fall God gave express instructions to the woman

  But I suffer not a woman to teach a.nd to usurp authority             in Genesis 3 :16.  We read, "Unto the woman he said, I will
  over the man. That could mean that through teaching she               greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception ; in sorrow

  would usurp authority over the man. That is true. In that             thou shalt bring forth children ; and thy desire shall be unto
  way a woman can indeed usurp the position of the man,                 thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." If you please, the
  relegate him to the background and exercise rule over him.            woman is not simply told that her desire shall be unto her
  But by saying "nor to usurp authority over the man" Paul              husband, but she is expressly told that he. shall rule over her.
  makes a distinctly new thought. Even those who do not                 That is. much broader than simply in regard to conception
  teach are forbidden to usurp authority over the man, and              and bringing forth of children. It refers to her whole life.

  usurping authority over him in any way and by any means                    And the woman who has no husband is not by virtue of

  is strictly forbidden.                                                that fact either the equal of man, nor is she superior to him

        : There are arguments raised against this stand, to be sure.    in the field of authority, so that the unmarried women may
Some will argue that this means that the woman shall not                rule married and single men.           If God has ordained, and He
  exercise authority over the man in the church, but in the             has, that the married woman be subject to man and that he
  -state  she may do so. And-indeed, we are told that this may          rule her, the unmarried, who in that respect live an,abnormal
  very well be the case `this  year. It is estimated that some          life, does not by virtue of this abnormal or exceptional posi-
  two million more women will be voting in our national                 tion receive the God-given right to usurp the authority of
  election than there will be `men. The women, then, have it            man. Paul says to Timothy, "But I suffer not a:woman  to
  in their power to decide who will be our next president, and          teach, nor to usurp authority over the man." He is not speak-
  the men will have to like it and submit to the wishes of the          ing of husbands and wives here but of men and women in
  women. But is it true that this text refers only to the church ?      general.

  Paul's reason for forbidding the women to teach or to usurp           :    We have more to say on this and will; D.V., continue

  authority is that the man was first formed and then the               next time. Therefore look up in His fear such passages as

. woman. This is not some relationship in the church but in             I Corinthians 14 :34, Ephesians 5 :22-33, Colossians 3 :18,  I

  society. And Sarah is commended by the Spirit in Holy                 Peter 3 :l-5, I Corinthians 11:3-g  to mention a few. They

  Writ in I Peter 3 :6 for obeying Abraham and for calling and          deny woman this right, and nowhere in Holy Writ can you

  considering him to be her lord. Peter in the first part of this       find a text that positively demands or `even advocates it. In

 chapter tells the women to be subject to their own husbands.           His fear the women will refrain from doing evil and will leave

  This is not something that they must observe simply in their          the whole cause of His kingdom to God-in the confidence

  church life. This applies to every phase of their life. And           that He will cause all things to work together for His

  Paul makes a point of it to Timothy that Eve was first in             Church's good.                                                J.A.H.

  the transgression when she heeded not the lordship of her
                                                                                                     -.
  husband and took it upon herself to answer the devil instead

  of referring him to Adam. Whether we like to admit it'or not,                                 I    N         MEMOFUAM
  God created the woman in a position of subjection to man.
                                                                             The Ladies' Aid of Hope Protestant Reformed Church wishes
  She was created for man and-not man for her.                          to express its heartfelt sympathy to one of its members, Mrs. G.
  * This does. not mean that he may do -with her as he                  Korhom in the passing away of her mother,

  pleases. He is her lord, but he has God over him -as his                                  MRS. ELLA KORHORN
  Lord. It means as Paul writes in Ephesians 5 :23 that the
                                                                             May our Heavenly Father comfort the bereaved with the as-
  husband is the ,head of the wife, and that means that God             surance that He doeth all things well.
  gives him the right to rule her in love. It means that she                                                     Rev. H. Ha&o,  President
  can show love to him only by- submitting to that rule.                                                        Mrs. J. Kalsbeek,  Secret&y


                                                      T H E  STANDXRD.   B E A R E R                                                           39
                                                                         _ -~.            ,-


                                                                                  usual.pursuits  and toil of men. They approached close to the
  11       Cmtendingj For The Faith 11                                            idea that in the faithful devotion to daily tasks man may
                                                                                  realize the highest type of religious experience.

                                                                                      By preaching, by writing      and circulating devotional

              The Church an+ the Sacranients                                      works, and especially by their own examples, they, made
                                                                                  known the secret- and the peace of the inner life. In the

              T H E   T I M E   O F   T H E - R E F O R M A T I O N "             regions along the lower `Rhine, the .movement  manifested it,
                                                                                  self also in the care of the sick, and notably in schools for

                   V I E W S   O N   T H E   C H U R C H                          the education of the young. These schools proved to be

                                                                                  preparatory for the German Reformation by training a body
                        F O R M A L   P R I N C I P L E                           of men of wider outloo'k and larger sympathies than the
                                                        _.
                                   (continued)                                    mediaeval convent was adapted to rear.

                                                                                      For the understanding of the spirit and meaning' of
        We will now continue with our quotation from Philip                       German mysticism, no help is so close at hand as the com-
  Schaff as he writes on "The New Mysticism," Vol. VI, pages                      parison between it and mediaeval scholasticism. This religious
  236-242.                                                    j -.                movement was the antithesis of the theology of the School-

        "German mysticism had a distinct. individuality of its .own.              men ; Eckart and Tauler of Thomas. Aquinas, the German

  On occasion, its leaders quoted Augustine's .Con&stions  and                    Theology of the endless argumentation of Duns Scotus,  the

  other works, Dionysius the Areopagite, Bernard and Thomas                       I&ta$out  of Christ of. the cumbersome, exhaustiveness of
 Aquinas, but they did not have the habit of referring back to                    Albertus  Magnus.  Roger Bacon had felt revulsion from the

  human authorities as had the Schoolmen, bulwarking every                        hairsplitting casuistries of the Schoolmen, and given expres-

  theological statement by patristic. quotations,, or statements                  sion -to .it hefore  Eckart began his activity at %qlogne.

  taken from Aristotle. The movement ~arose like a, .root out of                  Scholasticism had trodden a beaten and dusty highway. The

  a dry ground `at a time where it might have been ieast  ex-                     German mystics walked in secluded and shady pathways.

  pected to .rise. ,Its field was the territory along the Rhine                   For a catalogue of dogmatic maxims they substituted the

  .where  the heretical sects, had had representation. It was a                   quiet expressions of filial devotion and assurance. The

  fresh outburst of piety, an earnest seeking after God by other                  speculative element is still prominent in Eckart, but it is not

  paths than the religious externalism fostered by sacerdotal                     indulged for the sake of establishing doctrinal rectitude, but

  prescriptions and scholastic dialectics. The mystics led the                    for the nurture of inward experience of God's operations in

  people back from the clangor and tinkling of ecclesiastical                     the soul. Godliness with these men was. not a system of

  symbolisms to the refreshing springs of water which spring                      careful definitions, it was a state of spiritual communion ; not

  up into everlasting life.                                                       an elaborate construction of speculative thought, but .simple

                                                                                  faith and walk with God. Not processes of logic but the
        Compared. with the mysticism of the earlier Middle Ages
                                                                                  insight of devotion was their guide. .As Loofs. has well said,
  and the French quietism of the seventeenth century,
                                                                                  German mysticism emphasized above all dogmas and all ex-
  represented by Madame Guyon,  Fenelon and their predeces-
                                                                                  ternal works the necessity of the new birth.
  sor the Spaniard Miguel de Molinos, German mysticism:

  likewise has its own distinctive features. The -religion of                        It also had its dangers. Socrates had urged men not to

  Bernard expressed itself in passionate and rapturous love                       rest hopes upon the .Delphian  oracle, but -to listen to the

  for Jesus. Madame Guyon  and Fenelon set up as the goal                         voice in their own bosoms. The mystics, in seeking to-hear

  of religion a state of disinterested love, which was to be                      the voice of God speaking in their own hearts, ran peril of

  reached chiefly by prayer, an end -which Bernard felt it                        magnifying individualism to the disparagement of what was

  scarcely possible to reach in this world.                                       common to all and of mistaking states of the overwrought

                                                                                  imagination for revelations from God.
        The mystics along the Rhine agreed- with all genuine

  mystics in striving after the direct union of the soul with                        Although the German mystical writers have not been

  God. They sought, as did Eckart, tbe loss of our being in                       quoted in the acts of councils or -by popes as have been the

 the ocean of the Godhead, or with Tauler the undisturbed                         theologies of the Schoolmen, they represented, if we follow the

 peace of the soul, or with Ruysbroeck the impact of the divine                   testimonies of Luther and Melanchthon, an important stage

 nature upon our nature at its innermost point, kindling with                     in the .religious  development of the German people, and it is

 &vine love as fire kindles. With this aspiration after the                       certainly- most significant that the Reformation broke out on

 complete apprehension of Go,d,  they combined a practical                        the `soil where the mystics lived and wrought, and their piety

 tendency. Their silent -devotion and meditation were not                         took deep root. They have a perennial life for souls who,

- final exercises.     They were', moved by warm human sym-                       seeking devotional companionship, -continue to go back to

 .pathies,  and looked with almost reverential regard upon the                    the leaders of that remarkable pietistic movement. .-


40                                          T.I$E  STAND,A-RD  BEARER


      The leading features of the mysticism of the feurteenth       ing the-Gospel in all the world. No organized body survived

and fifteenth centuries may be summed up in the f&owing             the mystics alopg  the Rhine, but their example and writings

propositions.                                                       continue  to encourage piety and simple faith toward God

                                                                    within the pale of the Catholic and Protestant churches alike.
      1. Its appeals were iddressed  to laymen as well as to
clerics.                                                               A classification of -the German mystics on the basis of
                                                                    speculative and practical tendencies has been attempted, but
      2. The mystics emphasized instruction and preaching,          it cannot be strictly carried out. In Eckart and Ruysbroeck,
atid, if we except Suso, withdrew the emphasis which had been       the speculative element was in the ascendant; in Tauler, the
laid upon the traditional gscetic  regulations of the Church.       devotional ; in Suso, the emotional ; in Groote and other men
They did not commend buffetings of the body. The distance           of the Lowlands, the practical." - end of quote from Philip
between Peter Damiani and Tauler is world-wide.          -
                                                                    Schaff.

      3. They used the New Testament more than they used                False Mysticism is that conception which claims an im-
the Old Testament, and the words of Christ took, the place          mediate communication of the Divine knowledge and of
of the Canticles in their interpretations of the mind of God.       Divine life from God to the soul as independently of the
The Germn  Theology quotes scarcely a single passage which          Scriptures and of the use of the ordinary means of grace.
is not found in the New Testament, and  the Inhtion.  of            This Mysticism must not be confounded with the doctrine of
Christ opens with the quotation of words spoken by our Lord.        spiritual illumination as held by the Church. of God and ac-
Eckart and Tauler dwell upon passages of the New Testa-             cording to the- Word of God. No Christian would deny the
ment, and Rhysbroeck evolves the fulness  of, his. teaching         truth of this spiritual illumination by the Holy Spirit. The
from Matthew 25 6, "Behold the Bridegroom cometh,  go ye            mere outward presentation of the truth as contained in the
out to meet him."                                                   Scriptures cannot profit any man to his salvation. One may be

      .4: In the place of .the Church, with its sacrkments  and     acquainted with all the truths of the Word of God, and yet be

priesthood as a `saving institution, is put Christ himself as       nothing more than a tinkling cymbal, ai held before us in I

the mediator between the soul and God, and he is offered as         Cor. 13. The natural man, we read in the Wofd  of God, can-

within the reach of all.                                            not receive the things of the Spirit of God because they are -

                                                                    spiritually discerned and they are foolishness unto him. Saving
      5. A pure life is taught to be a necessary accompaniment
                                                                    knowledge of the ,truths  of the Word of God can be the fruit
of the higher religious experience, tind daily exemplification
                                                                    only of an inner, svpernatural  and irresistible operation of the
is demanded of that humility which the Gospel teaches.
                                                                    Spirit of God within the hearts and m;nds  of the children of
      6. Another notable feature was their use of the vernacular    me.n.  There is surely a mystical bond connecting the child
in sermon and treatise. The mystics are among the very              -of God with the living- God of his salvation as revealed in
earliest masters of German and Dutch prose. In the, I&roduc-        Christ Jesus our Lord. This, however, is surely not to be
tion' to .his second.  edition of the German  Theologyj  Luther     regarded as identical with False Mysticism.          They differ
emphasized this aspect of their activity when he-  said, "I         especially in two things. First, they differ as to their obj&t.
thank God that I have heard and find my God in. the German          The object of the inward teaching of the Spirit is to enable
tongue as neither I nor they (the adherents of the old way)         us to discern the truth and excellence of what is all'eady
have found Him in the Latin and Hebre? tongues.." In this           objectively revealed in the Bible. The illumination claimed
regard aiso the `mystics of the fourteenth and fifteenth cen-       by the Mystics communicates truth independently of its ob-
turies were `precursors of the evangelical movement of the          jective revelation. It is not intende'd  to enable us to appreciate .
sixteenth Century. Their practice was in plain .conflict  with      what we already know, but to commtinicate  new knowledge.
the judgment of that German bishop who declared that the            However, in the second place, the doctrines of spiritual
German language was too barbarous a tongue to be a proper           illumination- and of Mysticism differ not bnly in the object,
vehicle  of religious truth.                                        but also in the manner in which the-object is to be attained

      The religious movement represented by German and              and experienced. The guidance of the Spirit is experienced

Dutch mysticism is an encouraging illustration that God's           in the way of prayer and by the diligent &se  of the appointed

Spirit &y  be working effectually in remote and -unthought-         mians  of grace ; the intuitions of tl+ Mystic are sought in the

of places and at times when the fabric of the Church seems          neglect of all means, in the suppression of all activity inward

-tq be- hopelessly. undermined with formalism, clerical ior-        and outward, and in a passive waiting for the influx of God

ruption and hierarchical arrogance and worldliness. It was          into the soul. And so the effect of spiritual illumination is

so at a later day when, in the little and remote Moravian           that the Word of God dwells in us in all wisdom and spiritual

town of Herrnhut, God was preparing the w_eak  things df            understanding, whereas what dwells in the mind of the

the world, and the things which were apparently foolish, to         Mystic is .his own imagination. False Mysticism is pure

confound the dead orthodoxy of German Protestantism and             subjectivism, and as unstable  as the mind of man'itself. "

to lead the tibole Protestant Church into the way of preach-                                                                     `H.V.


                                                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   '                                                     `41


                                                                            contra&ion .&f  fhe. truth,  .theri, is not that they find the

                                                                            Reformed doctrine unscriptural ; but its is enmity of heart

                                                                            against the doctrine of Scripture, which runs contrary to the

                                                                            self-righteous and proud nature of man." In other words,
                 The Canons of Dordrecht                                    the matter is spiritual and concerns not merely the bind,

                                                                            but the h&art. He who principally loves the truth of God's
                               PART  Two
                                                                            Word will see and understarid  that truth when it is` 6x-

                    ESPOSITION  OF THE CANONS                               pounded to him, will reject the error, and will gladly embrace'

                                                                            that trufh even when it necessitates letting go of errors which
                    FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE
                                                                            he has long accepted as truth. But he who principally hates

             OF THE  PERSEVIX~NCE  OF.THE  SAINTS                           the truth will continue to find all kinds of objections and

                                                                            arguments against-it, no matter how inconsistent and illogical
                  RFJECTION   O F   E R R O R S                   _
                                                                            and unscriptural such `arguments may be. Intent he is upon

              Article -9. Who teach: That Christ' hai in no place           gainsaying the truth of God at all costs.
              prayed that believers should infallibly continue in faith.        Thus it is in this case too. When the Arminian comes
              For they contradict Christ himself, who says: f'1 have        with  the objection that the very presupposition of Christ's
              prayed for thee (Simon), that thy faith fail not," Luke
                                                                            intercession is the possibility of the falling away of the saints,
              22:32;  and the Evangel&t  John, who declares, that Christ
              has not prayed for the Apostles only, but also for those      and that otherwise it would be unnecessary for Christ to pray
             who through their word would believe: "Holy Father,            for them, the Reforhed  b&ever has a ready answer  ; `arid that

              keep them in thy name," and: "I pray not that thou            answer  is .effective  too, beyond a shadow of a doubt. It is
              shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou           the answer of Article 8 of the first ,section of this chapter. He
              shouldest keep them from the evil one," John 17:11,           answers : "Precisely : the presupposition of the intercession
              1 5 ,   2 0 .
                                                                            of Christ for His saints. is indeed not only the pdssibility  -of

      As far as the translation is concerned, we have the follow-           the falling away of the saints, but it is the very real fact that

  ing remarks. In the first place, the opening sentence shquld              with respect to ElzeqmfeEves  this falling away would un-

  %e rendered a bit more literally and directly as follows : "That          doubtedly take place. The Arminian is. correct; in fa&t,  we

  Christ has nowhere prayed for the believers' infallible.                  go a step farther. `The fall of the saints is irievititble  as far

' -perseverance in faith." And, in the second place, here again             as they themselvks are concerned. BUT the m&-it,  ivtterce+

  the Script&-al citations should be quoted .consistently  from             sion,  and preservation of Christ cannot be i-endered  .in-

  fhe King James Version.                                                   effectual. And therefore, the falling away  of the saints, while

      The Arminian heresy is as inconsistent as it is many-                 inevitable as far a?. they themselves are concerned; .and  while

  sided in its attacks upon  the truth of Scripture and our                 in that s&se presupposed in the very intercession of Christ,

  Reformed confessions. And the error rejected in `this final               is utterly impossible because of that very intercession of

  article of our Cynons  is a clear illustration thereof. On the            C h r i s t . "

  *one  hand, the Arminians  refer to Christ's intercession for                 But is th: Arminian now satisfied by this explanation of

  His people as being proof that the falling away of the saints             the matter? By-no means ! Now he begins to tamper with

  is possible. They say that the very presupposition of such a              that intercession of Christ itself, and he claims that even

  prayer for the perseverance of the believers is that their fall           Christ has never prayed for the believers' infallible persever-

  from grace is a very real possibility. And when the defenders             ance in faith. And one almost throws up his hands in despair

  af the faith contradict `this argument  effectively, the+                 at such an argument, not only because there seems to be no

  same Arminians will come back, as in this article,                        end to the Arminian objections, but also because-it is such

  with the claim &that  Christ never prayed for the be-                     an obvious contradiction of Holy Writ.

  lievers' infallible perseverance in faith. And thus there                     What, we may ask, first of all, is the intention of this

  seems  to be no end to these Arminian arguments. The mere                 objection? Surely, the Arminian is aware of the fact that

  -fact that our fathers in this fifth chapter of the Canom  were           Christ intercedes for His people. And he is also aware of

  satisfied to stop with-nine  articles of rejection does not mean          the fact that Christ intercedes. for the perseverance of His

  that these nine are exhaustive. No, one, could undoubtedly                people. And so h&! does not tiean-  to deny that intercession

  -cite atid  reject more such Arminian eri-ors. But these were             as such, &or to deny that Christ prays for the perseverance

  deemed at that tinie  some of their more important attacks                of believers. No, that would be too obbious.  What he means

  -upon the truth; and to refute  these was deemed sufficient.              evidently to contradict  is that Christ prays absolutely, flatly,

  -However,  all these arguments and thg refutation of -them                unconditionally for the perseverance of the believers. The

  will not in fhemsel;es  convince a single Arminian of the                 emphasis therefore falls upon the word "infallibly." If the

  truth. I think the Rev. T. Bos makes a proper observation                 Arminian can get this point across, he has once more suc-

  in this connection when he writes : "One can never satisfy                ceeded t6 destroy thq whole doctrine bf perseverance. Our

  *he unbelieving opponents. The deepest ground of their                    fathers-  based the persevkratice  of `the saints .upon  tliis .inter-.


42                                            .-THE  STANDARDIBEARER


cession of Christ in part, as is plain in Canons V, A,: 8. But         dark moment in the Christian's life when he temporarily falls

if the Arminian must accept the surety of that intercession            So deeply that the exercise of- faith is interrupted, the con-

and admit that this intercession cannot be rendered in-                science is grievously wounded, and he loses for a `time the

effectual, then he will be compelled to accept the doctrine            sense of God's favor. What then ? What hope is there for

.of perseverance. Hence, he seeks to rob also this interces-           such a saint at such a time outside of Christ's `intercessory '

sion of our Lord of its certainty and efficacy. And'  to do           `prayer for his infallible perseverance ? Absolutely none ! All

this he must alter the content and the character of that inter-       _ the Arminian can say in effect to such a saint is: "Sorry,

cession. He must deny that Christ ever prayed for the in-             but you must lift yourself up by your own bootstraps."

fallible perseverance of believers in their faith, `and he must            No, the perfect intercession of Christ, Who ever liveth to

introduce the cancer of conditionality into that intercession         make intercession for us, and Who is surely heard of the

itself. Just as he makes the preservation of the saints condi-         Father, and Who receives all He asks, is the only answer,

tional, so he now must make Christ's intercession a prayer            the solution, to the weakness of the saints, who would un-

for conditional preservation.        You will remember- that the       doubtedly fall-as far as they themselves are concerned: And

Arminian indeed taught-- a conditional perseverance already           the content of that intercession, as- well as the act of interces-

in. the Fifth Article of the Remonstrance. Among other                sion itself, is absolutely unconditional. Christ intercedes with

things, that article teaches that "Jesus Christ assists them          the -Father that the believers may infallibly persevere in faith.

 (the saints) through his Spirit in all temptations, extends               The first proof from Scripture, Luke 22 :32, cites the con-

to them his hand, and if only they aye ready for the conflict,        crete example of an individual saint, the disciple Peter. He

and dkshe  his help, a,nd are not inactive; keeps them from            was in exactly such a crucial situation as that cited above. y

falling . ., ,"    Now when this doctrine is applied' to -Christ's     He felt.mighty  at this time in himself, as Simon. He was not

intercession,. two results follow. In the first place, the             ready for the conflict. at all, though he thought he was. He

Arminian applies this to"the fact of Christ's intercession. The        did not desire Christ's help whatsoever; in fact, he spurned

result then is the teaching that Christ *ill intercede for the        it. When the moment of conflict arrived, he was not active

saints (and thus assist them and keep them from falling) on            whatsoever; in fact, he succumbed without a fight. What -

condition that they are ready for the conflict, desire his             would become of his faith at such a time? How could one in

intercession, and are not inactive. If, on the other -hand, they       that frame of- mind- ever survive? How, once he had so .

do not desire that intercession, do not ask for it, are not ready      dismally fallen, could he be restored to the favor of God?

for the `conflict, and are inactive, then Christ will not inter-      You say, "He could repent and return"? No, he lacked the

cede. And in the second place, the Arminian would apply               power. He had become inactive in the fight of faith. As far

this doctrine to the conteht of Christ's intercession, and            as he was concerned, he had reached the point of no return.

maintain that what Christ prays for is not the infallible and         "There  was "but  one course left : he. could only sink deeper and

unconditional preservation of His people in their faith, but a         deeper in that horrible denial. But Christ interceded. And

fallible and conditional perseverance. He prays,- in other             He did so unconditionally, even when Peter cared not for

words, that they may be kept in their faith provided they             that intercession, saw .no need of it, and even when Peter

show a willingness to persevere and a readiness for the con-           showed no readiness for the conflict whatsoever. Moreover,

flict and the activity of fighting faith's battle. In this way        that intercession was exactly -adapted to Peter's need of the

the intercessory prayer of Christ is made -thoroughly con-            moment.. It &as  unqualified, unlimited, unconditional : "I

ditional and rendered ineffectual. For the crucial situation          have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." And this inter-

when the believer himself does not fight the battle of' faith,        cession, answered perfectly by the Father even as it was.

,is not -ready for the conflict, and does not desire Christ's         perfectly offered `by the Lord Jesus, accounts for the fact

help-for that crucial situation there is no intercession of           that the fallen Peter went out and wept -bitterly, repented,

Christ in the first place: And as far as the everyday, continu-       acknowledged his sin, and was restored. "'

ing battle.. of faith is concerned, the. order of things, accord-          .And the second example, taken from the beautiful high-

ing to theArminian  is not -that' Christ's intercessory prayer is     priestly-prayer of our Lord in John 17, immediately prevents

first and our .faith and readiness for the conflict second and        the objection that this was true of Peter only, not of all be-

resultant, but:just  the reverse;                                     lievers.    For there, as the article points out, Christ prays

   Understand well the implication of this error. It means            not only for -His disciples, b-ut  for those who would believe

that as far as the sinful, weak, imperfect, fallible saint is con-    through their word.. And His prayeris again unlimited, un-

cerned, that intercession of Christ is .absolutely  useless. To       qualified, unconditional both as to its act and as to its con-

begin with, the whole effect of that intercession of Christ is        tent : "Holy Father, keep them in thy name." And again : "I

dependent not on Christ's merit and intercession, not on the          pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but

certainty .of .Christ's  being heard by the Father, but on you        that thou shouldest keep them from the evil one? This prayer

and me. And, what .is to me the most terrifying aspect of             of our Lord, perfectly offered, and perfectly based upon His

this errdr;the Arminian has no hope, no help, no comfort, in          -perfect merits, is perfectly heard by the Father. Our infallible

this `intercessory prayer of. Christ- in that most crucial and        perseverance in faith is an assured fact.                H.C.H.


                                               -THESTANDARD   B E A R E R                                                             43


                                                                        just adopted,- namely; fmissionaries  to be called by a local
  11'  D E C E N C Y   a n d                   O.RDER~.li               church,
                                                                                 : ;

                                                                        . "This document stated that synod wanted the call to be

                                                                        issued by the local church not merely z%z name,  so as to make
                        The Mission Order                               the calling church. a- sort of instrument of the missionary

                              (Continued)                               committee in guaranteeing the ministerial status of the
                                                                        missionary, but achally  so that the calling church can main-
                           Art. 51, D.K.O.                              tain living contact with its mission field.                   ,
                                                                        .,
         During the early years of the present century, the struggle          "It -was decided that the Mission Order adopted by the'
  continued unabated over `the question, "Who has jurisdiction          Synod of 1910 should be. effective for only two years and
  in the calling and sending of the missionary ?" The debate            these two years were to be a period of transition to a new
  revolved about the theory of rrcentrakmtion)J  (synod and             regime.
  classes may exercise this right) versus ,`the"theory  of- "`,de-
  ~entra&at~o~~"  (this right .belongs  only to consistories) : Our           "Again a committee was appointed  to draw up a new
  readers will recall that the Mission Orders adopted in                Mission Order for consideration at the next Synod."

  1898 and 1902 both stood definitely on the basis of centraliza-             From all this -it is evident that the matter was far from
  tion but that against that position various protests were             being settled. The differences of opinion concerning this
  registered so that the matter was constantly brought to the           matter could not be dissolved by synodical legislation. The
  attention of the synod.                                               pendulum kept swinging back and forth with both sides

   We now come to 1910. In that year the synod adopted                  vigorously attempting to sustain their position.

  the third Mission Order which was short lived for although                  During the next two years there `was considerable `stir
  the order itself stood on the principle of centralization, the        in the `churches about this matter. Five classes (out of `a`
  same synod that adopted it repudiated that princifile  in action      total of twelve) overtured the synod to returnto  the principle
  taken at a .later  session. From Rev. De Korne's  writing we          of ,19OS, namely, centralization. One classis  overtured synod
  quote the following features of this Mission Order.                   to abide by the second decision of 1910, namely,.decentraliza-

   -     "`Avticle  II states : The execution of the mission program    tion. Two classes submitted questions, one challenging the

  &f  the church is in the hands of five delegates who, with their      1908 position and one challenging the position of 1910.

  alternates, are appointed by synod.                                   Before the, Synod of 1912 treated. any `mission reports, it

         `Article IIT provides that the Board receives its orders       adopted, upon the advice of various committees on missions,
  from synod, but in matters for which the synod has not made           the following resolution or principle :        I

  :any  provision, the Board is authorized to act according to                "The calhg  and G&ding out of nukrionary  ministers shall
  its best judgment.                                                    be done by a local co~g~*eggation,  -but in case circuvutstances

         "`Article 17 provides that synod determines where the          require it, the calling and sending out may be done by the
ministers of the Word are to labor and how. Synod also is               churches combin.ed  %a a mnner  to be detertiined'  by these
  to determine the question of extension or retrenchment of             chmhes  themselves and i?L  co~nforvtzi~y  with synodical ,&ad
  our mission work, and determine the number of workers."               classical stipz$a  Gons." -.    .

        This Mission Order contained `a- total of twenty-five                 It appears that on the basis of this compromise the Synod

  articles. In only two of these articles-was there any reference       of 1912 drew up a Mission Order that recognized both the

 to the local church. Article IV made provisions for offerings          principle of centralization and decentralization. Concerning

  for- missions to be taken in the churches and Article XI              the first it declared that each congregation is obliged to obey

 insisted that ordained missionaries must be called, ordained,          the missionary commission of our Lord by sending out one

 .and  sent out by ,the local church.                                   or more ordained missionaries to the heathen ; and that. mis-

                                                                        sionary calls shall proceed .from the local congregation or
         De Korne writes again, "In the Acts of 1910 the article
                                                                        from a group of local congregations. It .further  provided
  which recorded the adoption of the new Mission Order was
                                                                        that not only the appointment of a missionary, but also the
 numbered 43. Article 44, thus .the one immediately follow-
                                                                        regulation of' his work and responsibility .for all the details
 ing, records a conviction of the same synod showing dissatis-
                                                                        of the post are to proceed from the calling church or churches
 faction with the Mission Order just adopted. In spite of the
                                                                        in consultation with the mission delegates appointed by the
 -plain provision' of Article XI, attention was called to .an
                                                                        classes.    It even provided that the educational, medical and
 .~overture  of ,Classis  Grand-  Rapids East asking the synod to
                                                                        industrial features of the work can. be managed by `a local
 .,decide `to have missionaries called by a local church.' Synod
                                                                        church or group of churches if- this church or group of
  decided to do this and adopted as its policy, a fairly long
                                                                        churches takes responsibility for the. entire post.
--document Which pointed out the necessity of a complete new

 Mission Order built up entirely on the basis of the -principle               On the` other si.de. the same .Order provided .that  since


 4    4                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   .`BmEARER  .-


 educational, medical, and industrial missions, because of their          &ider  all circumstances Is;ve both the -calling chumh, and the

 general significance for the entire missionary enterprise, can           uutissio~t  committee,  two mmonths'  notice before he leaves his

 more properly be administered by the churches working                    field .of labor.

 together, they shall be supported from the general mission                   "The place of residence of the missior&ary  shall be deter-
 fund and administered by the mission- delegates appointed                mined by the mission com&ittee  in co?zjmction  with the

 by synod.                                                                calling church, and upoa  advice of the &xsion  committee
                                                                          only.jJ
      This Mission Order remained, in force for twenty-seven

 years; Although some of its provisions were challenged and                  , Language in Ecclesiadical  Assemblieb
 minor changes were made, there was no major revision until

 1939 when the present Order for Missions was drawn up.                                           Article 52, D.R.O.         L
                                         -:
      It is of interest to note that even though the Mission                  Ynasntztch  as difere&t  languages are spoken in th-e
 Order of 1912 contained principles of decentralization, these            chztrches,  the necessary  translations shall. be made in the
 were not followed during the ensuing years. The practices of             ecclesiastical assemblies, and in fhe publication  of recom
 centralization continued even though a change had been en-               m.endatio+s,  instructiom  and decisions I'
 acted in policy. This brought forth complaints in 1922 that-                 This article did not appear in the original Church Order
 the-Mission  Order was not being applied-since, with the ex-             of Dort. It originated in 1914 in the Christian Reformed
 ception of the calling and sending of the missionaries and               Church because `of the bi-lingual situation that existed at
 their helpers, ,a11  the work was being done by the Board,               that- time. Today the provisions of this article have virtually
 Synod took this matter under advisement and two years later              become obsolete. They are no longer needed since the. '
 expressed that it was simply. impossible to comply with the              language of our forefathers is no longer used. Our churches
 letter of the. Mission Order. Its answer to the Board"of  Mis-           have become a one-language-speaking church. Very seldom
 sions was that they should take account of the principle ex;             is it necessary to translate's  report, instruction or decision
 pressed in the Mission Order as far as circumstances permit.
                                                                          into English. Where, however, this is necessary, it should

      We regret that we do not have a copy of the 1939 Mission            also be done. This is what the Church Order requires and

 Order. It appears that the Synod finally reverted to the                 it certainly is a demand within reason.

 original position of 1898, namely, that of centralization and                                                                    G.V.d.B.

 thus brought the -Mission Order into conformity with the

 practice of the church and there the matter rested.

                                                                                                  A n n o u n c e m e n t
      In our churches, the local- churches are responsible for

.mission  activity insofar `as each congregation is able to engage            The Eastern Ladies' League meeting will be held October

 in this work. In this respect we stand on the principle of               20 at First Protestant Reformed Church at 8:00 P. M. Rev.

 decentralization or the Order of 1912. Our denominational                M. Schipper  will be the. speaker. We urge all ladies to

`mission work is regulated by a synodical  Mission Board in               come and enjoy an evening of Christian fellowship together.

 conjunction with the calling church. Article 7 of the Mission                                      Mrs. H. Velthouse, Vice Secretary
 Board's Constitution specifies the relation between this Board

 and the calling church. It states :           -

      "All  matters of finances. connected z&h the missionary
 atid h.+s  work, belong solely under  the jurisdiction of the                         . .    ACTS OF SYNOD - 1960
 &ssiolz.,  committee. However; the matter  of field of labor                 Have you purchased your copy of the 1960 Acts of
 and t;TZe method of labor, insofar as'not determined by the              -Synod ? In some congregations less than one out of ten
 synod, skal2  be under the jurisdiction of the `mission  COW-            families do! Other congregations order them 100%.
           and the calling- chz~rch  jointly.
 w&es                                                                         Get yours from the clerk or minister of your church. If
      "i%e  field of labor and the tivvce.of,labor  to be devoted to      they have no more copies, send $1.00 to undersigned and one
 the field, m well as the'method  to be employed shall be                 will be mailed to you immediately.
~ determined by the calling c1zztrck  in conjunction with,  and
                                                                              Going ! Going ! But not yet gone ! We still have a small
 upon the advice of the Ytzissip  committee. However,. in no
                                                                          supply and some consistories have a few on consignment so
 case shall  a field  of labor or a method be determined with-
                                                                          get yours now. Back numbers up to 1954 are also available
 out the mjority approval of the committee.
                                                                          at' the same price, $1.00.

      "The missionary shall send a copy of his bi-monthly                                                     Stated CJeyk of Synod
 report to the calling  c,&rch.                                                                               REV. G .   VANDEN  BERG

      "A missionary receiving and accepting a. call to. another                                               9402 So. 53rd `Court             .

 .field  of labor than t,%e one -he  occztpies  as yUt;ssion&y,  shall                                        Oak Lawn, Illinois


                                                                           . . ..-_- to: be admitted. tothe. classis and;- denomination and
                                                                                eligible for, call-  under Art. 9(  C.O.) . A colloquium
                                                                                doctum  and/or  an examination of Rev. Cammenga
                                                                              ._tcigether,  with the candidates will take place accord-
                                                                                ing to the following schedule."                    `.

Meeting of a Clastis  West                                                    Thus, another minister from `their group joins the ever-
                                                                           growing list of those who have left them to return to the
    The Classis  West of the churches that left us in 1953 has
                                                                           Christian Reformed Church. It .would  seem, however, that
recently met. In the latest issue of the Reformed Gzulrdian.
                                                                           it is not true that Classis  "could do little in view of the notice
there `is ~a brief report of this classis; which report contains
                                                                           but to grant the Credential request and recognize the step
some interesting and important decisions. The meeting was
                                                                           which Rev. S. Cammenga has taken." Certainly Classis
heldin Manhattan ,Montana  on the-first- Wednesday- of Sep-
                                                                           wouldrhave  .the lright to refuse to grant this request on the
tember;      So& of the : decisions. of:- this.  Classis  are-. worth..
                                                                           basis of: the, fact that: Rev. .-Cammen@  had forsaken his flock
noting and commenting upon.                                                       _ .-
                                 -.-                                       and SeftXiem for. another -denomination. But this was un-
    There was, in the first place,. a letter -from-the- Church             doubtedly impossible.for  them-in view of the fact that their
in Lynden, Washington informing the Classis  that they were                Synod had already principally committed themselves to the
not sending delegates and that the congregation was in the                 matter of returning to the Christian Reformed Church.
process of disbanding, their last services having been held on
                                                                              Another important decision was taken with respect to
the 4th of September.         The congregation informed Classis
                                                                           an overture of Rev. M. Gritters. The overture reads:
that they were joining the Third Christian Reformed Church

<of Lynden. _.                                                                  "The time has come that we seriously consider
                                                                               `reuniting with the Christian Reformed Church, in -
    There was also a letter .from  one of the ministers of their                fact, the time has come that we apply to the next
group. The editor of the. &Zefor++red,  Guard&n  writes :                       Synod to implement the cessation of our churches."

       "Another disheartening letter was treated by Clas-                     To this overture were attached grounds and a request
   sis. It was from the Rev. S. T. Cammenga, formerly                      for an' early Synod to deal with the matter. This overture
     minister at .Rock Valley, Iowa. It reads as follows :
                                                                           was not accepted by the Consistory of Bellflower since the
     " `Esteemed Brethren :
                                                                           motion for adoption ended in a tie vote. But Rev. Gritters
           " `Since it is my conviction that it is my, duty
     under the present church situation to seek admis-                     circulated his document among all the consistories as a
     sibn to the ministry of the Word in the Christian                     private overture, with the result that several consistories
     Reformed Church, I herewith inform you so, thus                       had-  answers, on the Classis. Chino suggested that the over-
     terminating my work in the Protestant Reformed                        ture was premature since their. Synod had not yet acted
  Denomination . . .                                                       upon the last letter of the Christian Reformed Church, al-
           " `In order to apply to the September 20 meeting                though they favored an early Synod ; Hull responded favor-
     of Classis  Sioux Center, it will be necessary for me
                                                                           ably to the overture and also informed Classis that they had
     to have a testimonial from Classis  West attesting to
     my having been a minister in good and- `regular                       had a congregational meeting in which the whole matter of
     standing to date.                                                     reunion had been discussed. The matter, in as far as it

           " `Will'the Classis kindly grant me such a testi-               pertained to their own congregation, was tabled in the light
     monial at this time ?                                                 of the coming Classis.
                                        " `Fraternally
                                        " `Rev. S . Cammenga' "               The following decision was taken by Classis  West:

   The editor reports that "Classis could do little in view of                    "1. That in view of the documents before us,
the notice but.  to grant the Credential requested and rec-                    .Classis  seek for an early Synod, in accordance with
*ognize  the step which the Rev. S. Carnmenga has taken.`.,                     the. regulations for same in Rules of Order for
`He concludes with his own comment, "The fact remains                           Synod to consider the ,letter  of the Christian Re-
                                                                                formed Church in answer to our letter of 1960, to
however, that, with our present shortage of ministers the                       give its recommendations and present these to the
number is again reduced by one. The -congregation is left                       consistories for their reactions.
shepherdless at a time of crisis. All this will have an impact                    "2. That Classis  request such a Synod to be held
on our churches."                                                              `on the last Wednesday of October at the Fourth
                                                                                Protestant Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, <or
    In connection with this, the following notice appears in
                                                                                if that is not feasible, at a later date this fall.
The Banner of September 16, 1960:
                                                                                  "3. That Classis  vote for .delegates  to this session
           "Classis  Sioux Center in its fall session will ex-                  of Synod at this meeting."
     amine the Candidates . . . .
                                                                             Classis  also decided to ask the Legal Study Committee
           "bn  the following day, the .Classis  will consider-
                                                                           appointed to study legal matters and the use of the name
     the request of Rev. S. T. Cammenga of the Prot-
    estant Reformed Church of Rock Valley, Iowa,                           Protestant Reformed torep.ort-if possibleto thjs early'synod.


                 There-a&  some p&so&  &time&s  atiachkd'to  tl!iis::deci-                                  ~ - Iti the -sectid:.  pl%$; t& +npetus  for r&uriiin~-`tb  t'he

                                                                                                           ClTrieja$  Ref6rmed  Chtirtih .-is. i&easing.  Certainly, au:
     c&n  by.&  editor; They r&l $ p$&.  j                                    :t ? I..'  !

                  ., _'-'                         ,;-;;;=J  T`                 ,`ri;i;:t                   -these.  actions on the part of those who have ieft us indicate
                  " T h a t   theBe  c&sio&  arc+ueusual  gee:;  .+g,t&q.u&
                  saying. That our churches>s$ `f&i&&~crisr~  &:I&                                          that tlie Lord has justified our action & churches  in bring-
                 evident  .to everyone. It is alsosevident  that it be-                                     ing the issues of 1953 to a head and -condemning.  the views
          :       comes .increasin&ly  serious when such events, as' a?e                                    of a general and conditional promise. The Lord ,ha$?'  given
                  recorded here take piace.  Whi1e.we.h.  not have Lhe                                     to 11s + le..: & be: saj-d in humility and th%nkfulness  2 the
                  space-to comment elaborately uERQ:theqe  .r@$ers  vvgi;?d:                                                             1 . ...,
                                                                                                           grace to- carry oh as Prdt&ta~~;~  R.&or`med  Churches- in our
.                 ~riould  make  the following brief observatlonsZ;                         ,. . . _ '
                     "`1.. As far as we personally are..c&ceriied  w&, 1 .                                  Theological School, our Missibn  work, our Chri&ian  -Schools,
                  decry. the haste, the call for speed &$l hurry,  :,z: .i.. ; :                            our r$dio  broadcasting,' 2nd.  abc+e  all, our preddhing:.  `While

                     "2. "As f?y as our personal ju&$ti<i;t  of the whole                                  t&3 `who left :US for an institutional life of their owfi are
                  matter is concerned, we believe that-the decisidn-of'                                    g&@g b&kw%rds;`and  that with  increasing speed.
          `.. .&r last`synbd, that the proper basis  for uriity is.to
                  be fotiadcin  adherence to: the Scriptures and the                                           In.the  third place, many of the people that.left with their
               . Three Forms of Unity, is a-good decision, is correct                                      leaders &e.confused,  troubled and.even  aiigrj  at recent devel-
               .. and should be. maintained . . ~. . .                                                      qpments. There is considerable division among them on
                     "3. In view of the divergent opinions it become9                                       these :importatit  issues.               The only course of action that re-
                  increasingly evident that a str&g  and clear decision
                                                                                                            qsins  for them is to follow their leaders in going backwards,
                  will have to be made with respect to the question
                  posed by the answer of the Christian Reformed-                                           -c&to return to US to cai-ry on thti cause of Christ-`s  kingdom
                                                                                                                                                        : .
                  Church to                                                                                 with us.                                                           .v.`,..,
                                 US. Since the matter comes first to`Sytiod  `

                - this will have to be a Synodical  decision fiirst of all.                                    Finally, although it is probably expecting, too much, cer-
                  Butit  will  ultimately be an answer whit? each con-
                  s&@ry  and each congregation`will have to ,give.  Per:                                   ~talnly`  moral honesty before God and His church requires of
                  sonally  we hope that our churches :w&&  sufficiently                                    them that they. surrender- the name "Protestant Reformed
                  strong:.to  take a position, reiterating the stand of                                    Churches". to us, and fra?kly admit that they have no claim
                  last year, not out of sitibbornness,  `biit `out of -con-
     * -                                                                                                    either  to this name or to the prop&y.
                  viction  that there m&t' be .$reeddm  tiithin the.. .
                  boundaries of the Confessiotis,c  freedoti to kelieve,  `,::7.:.
                                                                                                           K,idna@ipg  Defetided
                  freedom' to confess, freedom to preach,:  all these, of,
                  course, within the limits of Scrip+--:,?nd  the' Con-                                        Under  tl&.title  a brief article.apbeared  in the September
     '            fessions. We should.not  be satisfied with  a`freedom
                                                                                                            issue of E&-&y  which was also colnmented  upon in Chrisl
                  t o   b e - s i l e n t .
     - .'              "4.' But it `is alsb kvideiit  that  a dedision  will                                tianity  Today. .The  whole subject has'some bearing also on
                  have tb be&ken,  and th&  soon, So that the air may-                                     `the coming election in our countiy. The' article .r&.d%`:
                                                                                                                                                                                     i
          .
     . . I be cleared, .a$-.fhg.  course of our churches made.
                                                                                                                       "The -`legal kidnapping' of three children if a
     _ `- clearly evident,- so. that --everyone may know the
                                                                                                                `Presbyterian  father in Medelling, Colombia, which
                `: direction in which we are..gojng..  It became clear we
                                                                                                                 was instigated by a CathoEp+iest  has been upheld
                  believe,  ,a! the. meeting of Cla'ssis  West that such-a '                          1
                                                                                                                 by Roman .Catholic  officials. in that country.
                 clear course wasnot evident  to all ai?d  pei-h?i@s'  not-                                                 .
                  eiren to a majority, and clarity we in& have."                                `.               Z'Pollce  seized thk three children of. Juan Osorio .
                                                                                                                jn .Apiil  with an official warrant- issued by the
               I'ti reading. all this material, there  are "several remarks
                                                          `. `. c.-, y.s." _,,.                                  Juvenile Court judge and initiated.by  Msge. Tulio
                                                                 .".a
     that come to mind.                                                       / .: .A..., -L
                                                                                                                 Botero-Salazar and the Archdiocesan Tribunal. The
                In the6rst place, ,t'&-tihole  matte;  of tha.:t&atin&nt  of the                                 Church based the order on its teaching that its
                                                                                                                 authority.  over baptized children takes. preference
     overture <sf Rev. Gritters -was wrong. Church politically, that                                            `over-the- rights of the parents and that a Catholic
     overture had no place on the Cldssis. An overture @not                                                      government is bdund to prdtect-  baptized children
     come: to a, Classis  without -approval of the Consistory. If a                                              when their parents `apostatize.'

     Con&to?3  .&?fuses  to ,send  `an overture through to the higher                                                  "The d&rio  children were baptized in infancy by
     ecclesiastical body, the only co&k `of action that: r& : left is                                            the Roman Catholic Church. The father, a widower,
     that the i&vidual  protest.`the  actions of his Consistory and                                              was converted three years ago and now is a Pres-
                                                                                                                 byterian. .
     take the.  matter. to Classis  &I this way.
                                                                                                                       "Father.   F r a n c i s c o   .A. .Duque   e x p l a i n e d .   ` T h e
               This error is com$ounded  by the fact that Rev. Gritters                                          children . . . received the sacrament of bap&m `at
     circulated the &erture  which he. hid drawn  up as his own                                                  the direct request of their father, `before he aban-
throughout `the Consistoriei  `residing in' thk Cla&is.'  This is                                                doned the Catholic faith and committed.  the crime
     clearly  in opposition to Article 31, of the Church Ordet; and                                              of heresy by joining  a P*ot&stant  .sect . . . This
                                                            .                                                   .means that the above mentioned children are sub-
     shows his refusal to submit to the dedsions of l&own Con-                                                   jects of the Catholic Church and are under its juris-
     sistory. He-militated against this decision and became guilty                                               diction in everything related to their moral and
     of. propaganda and schism. That  Classis  I did -accept this                                               -religious education . . . . .
     overtur`e an-d  treat-it is a-grave,,  eri'or.  .                   .            `I        . -:                   " `In a matter sd serious as the Catholic education
                                                                                                                                                                                          i-



                                                                                                                  .


                                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                  47
                                                                                           _... .'
                                                                         I. `_                                   -
                                                                                    .-
        of children in which nothing less than eternal salva-                 job_ is the enforcement of all constitutional provisions con-
        tion is at stake, responsibility may not be evaded by                 cerning the church in a.country  which is about 95%  .Lutheran.
        the capricious will of parents : . -.
                                                                                   "My one fierce struggle," she smiled, "was to see that
           " `An argument from history . . . During.. the
                                                                              one of the bishops ordained a woman. Our law permits
 pontificate of Pope Pius XI a child of Jewish
        parents was sick unto death. He was secretly                          women to be clergymen. I won."
        baptized by a. Christian servant of the parents. The                       Mrs. Koch was officially invited to visit Red China. She
        child did not die, but recovered completely, and the                  was impressed .with the seriousness of communist youth. Said                             '
        matter was made known to the competent ecclesias-
        tical authority. When the' truth of the fact was                      Mrs:`l?och,  "In Denmark our youth are ,happy  with a motor-
        established, Pope Pius XI, in order.that  -this bap-                  scooter and a television set."
        tized child might not be perverted:but  educated in-                       One wonders if Mrs. Koch, who holds a degree in theology
        the Catholic faith, took him under his care, not                      from the University of Copenhagen, knowsnery much about
        permitting him to live with his parents, but educat-
        ing him in a catechistical school which he had in                     the Bible. If she does perhaps `she will -reinember  Deborah,
        Rome. In spite of the attacks of the enemies of the                   the 4th judge of ,Israel,  who ruled during a time of apostasy.
  Church, the Holy Father ,upheld  the educational                            Deborah deplored the fact that men could not be found to
        r i g h t   o f   t h e   C h u r c h . '                             lead the nation of Israel (Judges, ch. 4, vss. 6-9.).
           "And so the crime of kidnapping, universally                            With ,Mrs. Koch, far from deploring the fact that men
        condemned by civilized nations, is justified by' the
        Roman Catholic hierarchy." .                                          sometimes shirk their duty, she fiercely struggles ,to claim
                                                     _                        an equal.right  to govern alongside of the men.

iL!li.fsions  Rehcted                                            :                 Perhaps in time to come Mrs. Koch may be rewarded-

       In The Banner of September 3, 1960, the'following news                 `beyond her wildest dreams.: She might even find  women
item appears coming over the EPS news service:                                given absolutely .equal  -rights. Might even be that. women
                                                                              will be privileged to dig ditches .alongside  the men as they
           "All Christian missionaries have been ordered by                   now do in that Utopia - Soviet Russia.
        the government of Equatoria, the most southern
        province of the Sudan, to close down their book-                      T u c s o n ,   A r i z o n a   .                         - Vernon .Graeser
        shops and any other business-connected enterprises                    .
        t h e y   o p e r a t e .

           "The move was the latest in a long series of'                                              If My people would .obey Me,
        restrictive measures imposed on missionaries by the
        government in a campaign for the `complete-Tslam-                                               Gladly walking in My ways,
        isation of the Sudan.' "                                                                      Soon would I, their foes subduing,
                                                                  H. Hanko
                                                                                                        Fill their lips with songs of praise.


                                                                                                      All the haters of Jehovah-.

                                                                                                        Shall His clemency implore,

                                                                                                      And the days of those that love Him

                                                                                                        Shall endure for evermore.

        "Politics, Church arid Danish. W&i&"                                                          Yea, with wheat the very finest

       While reading the local newspaper down here. in the                                              I their hunger will supply,

Southwest,' the undersigned- read an article which he felt                                            Bid the very rocks yield honey

would no doubt be good material for TheStandard  Beaver.                                                That shall fully satisfy.`.
With this in mind this article was written and mailed along
                                                                                                                              . .
with the newspaper clipping to the editor.

       It concerns a .&I&  .Bodil  Koch, director of ecclesiastical
                            _C_. .f                                                             _  D E V O U T   P R A Y E R S   A N D   P L E A S
affairs for the Danish Government. This, article ~points out                                                                   "
                                                                                                     In mercy turn and look on me,
with praise the typical- trend of the times to `give women an

.equal  place'with men in all spheres of life, even the ministry.                                      Thy servant true, Thy chosen one ;             -
                                                                                   . :;
       Denmark, a little nation of ,4% million, first granted                       . . ;.           Let me Thy great salvation see,
                                                                                                :
women suffrage in 1908, 12 years earlier than in the United                                            And strengthen me my course to run.

States. Since then women  have come.a long way??? in Den-                                 ._
                                                                                                     Some token of Thy-love bestow,        I'
`mark. 1 2.                                 .                                             _.                          i ,-
  *                                                                                                    Which they who hate me now may see ;
       "I don't believe the Danish Government would dare  not
to have at- least one woman minister," said the 57-yeariold                                          Let all, 0 Lord, be brought to know

Mrs. Koch. She was appointed church minister in 1953,. Her                                             That Thou dost help and comfort me.                 L-


                                                                              Rev.' J. Kortering's installation service was held  `in the

                                                                      Hull-  Community Building Thursday evening; .Sept.- 22. ~Rev.'

                                                                      G Van Baren  preached the sermon .which was based on the

                                                                      passage. in John 10 depicting the shepherding office of Christ,

 . .-~                                                                under' the-general theme, `!I. Am The Good Shepherd." Rev.
   . - . *                                  October 5, I!$$'          B. Woudenberg:  read the form for installation. The following

 _.'    Creston.called  Rev. G. Vanden  Berg of, Oak' Lawn; .Ill:     Sunday morning Rev. Kortering `preached _, his inaugural
from- a `trio which included the Revs.. A.. Mulder -and I?            sermon on the text of Isaiah 40 :9, 10: His theme was, "Zion

Ha&o..:  . i             .- `,_ _ _                          ., c     Called to Proclaim Glad Tidings.~?,  :The ,evening~  service

  .>IRev.  H.` Hanko  declined the call extended- to h&by ciur        featured a sermon on Col. 3 :16,  under. `the theme;. `<An  Ex-

Grand Haven church.                                                   hortation to ~Heed the Word." It `-was:  a joyous occasion

 .-- The following report was received above the signature of         ..for the congregation in Hull, and was shared with the parents
ikev. H. Veldman, Stated Clerk of Classis  West: Classis              of Rev. and Mrs. ~Kortering who motored from Michigan to
West met Wednesday, Sept. 21, in Doon, Ia. The March                  witness the event. A reception, welcoming their new pastor,
meeting will be held, D.V. in South Holland. This meeting             was held Sept. 16, in the Community Building. At their
of, Classis  West was a lengthy meeting, lasting .until  11           arrival in Hull, Candidate Kortering and his wife were
o'clock in the `evening. Matters of a disagreeable ,nature,           pleased to find their furniture arranged, the parsonage in
such as discipline cases, which serve to focus attention upon         readiness, even to a-well stocked refrigerator.,

the fact that the church is imperfect in the midst of the.  world,         .South  Holland and Oak Lawn's Association for Prot.
took a considerable amount of our time. However, the en-               Ref. Education, through the Board;. addressed a letter to
forcement of ,Christian  discipline constitutes one of the            the membership of their churches regarding the building of
marks of the true church in the midst. of the world.                   their own school. The letter gave the information that suit-
        We are happy to report that Candidate J. Kortering             able land has been obtained, complete building plans have
successfully passed his classical examination: The Synodical          been approved, 20%  of the needed funds for building a
 delegates of Classis  East, Revs. Lanting, Mulder and R.              school -has  been received, and that it had been unanimously
Veldman were present to attend this examination. Our                   decided at the last Association meeting to go ahead! The
missionary, Rev. G. Lubbers, was also present. We also un-             Board hopes to begin building this fall-so that the school may
 derstand that Candidate Kortering was to be ordained the              be ready for operation at the beginning of the 1961 school
following evening in-the congregation of Hull, Iowa.                  year. _
        The matter of Classical appointments took considerable

time. Redlands' Church requested Classis.  to relieve its min-                The R.F.P.A. Annual meeting was held in Southwest

 ister of these appointments as much as possible. When the             Church Sept. 29. Rev. H. Hankq, of Hope Church, spoke

far western ministers are absent from their congregations              on the subject, "The Standard Bearer and Doctrine." The

 for three Sundays they are absent at least four full weeks,           secretary reported that 1260 copies of the last Standard

so that catechisms and leading society meetings is halted, or          Bearer were printed, and the subscription changes resulted

 must be done by the. Elders.. Classis  considered this request        in an increase of 23. New board .members  elected were G.

 of Redlands  and appointed Revs. Veldman and Harbach to               E. Bylsma, A. Dotter, T. Engelsma and C. Kuiper.

 two Sundays `in succession. A schedule was drawn up, sub-
                                                                              Rev. and. Mrs. G. Vos celebrated their 40th wedding
 ject to change, depending upon the decision of Classis  East
                                                                       anniversary' Sept: 7. Hudsonville's congregation responded
 in respect to our request that they supply Randolph in its
                                                                      `to an invitation of the consistory to come out to the church
 vacancy. The Classical committee has power to revise the
                                                                      ,to help the parsonage-family celebrate the occasion. That
 schedule in such case, ,and if Pella needs help- if and when
                                                                           even resulted in the following bulletin notice on the next
 the missionary is called elsewhere. The schedule for our
                                                                           Sunday: "Both Mrs. Vos and myself want to thank-the con-
 South Dakota churches is as follows : G. Van Baren - Oct.
                                                                       gregation for' your many congratulations, in person and by
 2, 9, 16 ; J. A. Heys.- Oct. 30, Nov. 6, 13 ; J. Kortering-
                                                                       letter, and also for that. program you organized in our honor
 Dec. 4, 11, 18 ; `H. H.. Kuiper - Jan. 8, 15 ; B. Woudenberg
                                                                           last Wednesday night, z&-also  for the-  princely gift you' gave
 -Jan. 22, 29, Feb. 5 ; G. Vanden  Berg- Feb. 12, 19; R.
                                                                      us. May .Go.d  bless .us together unto the praise of -His glorious
 C. Harbach - March 5, 12 ; H. Veldman - March 19, 26.
                                                                       n a m e . " .                                               .
        The South Dakota churches were represented at our
                                                                                                              _
`meeting for the first time and were cordially welcomed. by                   The Church's counterpart of the world's.internecine  can-
 the chairman of the day, Rev. G. Vanden  Berg. A wonderful                nibalism is indicated in the warning found in Galatians  5 :15.
 spirit prevailed throughout the entire:meeting.  At 11 o'clock       ,But surely this sin is not found among us, or is it ?
 in the evening Rev. J. A. Heys closed our gathering with             .

  prayer.                                                                       . . . see you'in church,                       : J.M.F.





                                                   _


